Monday, May 11, 2009

What's useful/helpful...?

Thanks for your well wishes, everyone, and also your happy mother day wishes! We had a nice low key day... working! Rich is busily finishing up his work for his graduate classes, and I was busily trying to get my online course finished. But after resting all day Saturday and Sunday - physically, at least - I felt a lot better. Some of the aversions of Saturday lessened, thankfully...

Time is going quickly! It's our shower this coming Saturday, and before then it's my birthday! Rich asked what I wanted as a gift and all I could think of were diapers! So yesterday I went to the baby diaper registry and picked myself out some diapers :) Exciting stuff!

Many people have asked us what we need - and whilst I have done a registry I'm wondering if any of you readers can think of any thing that has really helped you or someone you know. I chatted with Kate yesterday who shouted the praises of a pack n' play and generously donated hers. Australian Kate (hi Kate!) had suggested a bumbo seat - which was on my list - but US Kate has also donated that to us, too. Lots of people have mentioned swaddles (thank you Lou and Bistra for sending us some of those already!) a boppy pillow, and a baby gym thing.

Am I missing something really crucial?

8 comments:

  1. wow - you sound so well organised so nothing immediately comes to mind... we do use a little bouncy chair quite a lot with L (as opposed to one that rocks or vibrates...) but M hated it so i wouldn't say it is essential at all!

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  2. Oh yeah! This is not a necessity, but I LOVED my Land's End nursing nightie. It made nursing more comfortable in bed because I didn't have to hike up my pjs.

    I also have some nursing tops I can lend you if you like (we can see if they fit)--again, not essential, but when nursing in public it made me a little more comfortable.

    xo
    Jen

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  3. I second the bouncy chair for when their head is a little less floppy and also muslins for definite.

    Great for mopping up puke and dribble, for protecting the sheet in their moses basket (fold in half and tuck over the mattress under his head - saves you getting him up to change the whole sheet if he possets), for protecting your modesty when feeding in public, for use as an impromptu sun shade on the buggy when out and about, they also work as a temporary nappy... Endlessly useful! Get at least a dozen.

    If I think of anything else I'll let you know x

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  4. Thanks, Kate! I have a seat but was wondering about the bouncy seat.. I wonder if I can borrow one until I see if he likes it.. Although, you know me, any excuse to buy more gear :)

    Thanks, Jen! Kate bought me the boppy for my birthday!!! I love it... and she bought the organic cover to go with it, which is as soft as can be. As I registered I had your 'list' in mind, and thus the Lansinoh - as I have no clue what it is! Thanks for the info: nursing pads. I thought i'd take some disposable ones into the hospital, though had been looking at the washable ones. Oh boy.. so much to look forward to :) Kate (above) sent a couple of beautiful swaddling cloths, and a couple of people have bought is swaddlers.. I should definitely invest in some more. I have 24 prefolds (I order 12 of the Chinese and 12 of the Indian cloth.. the latter are quite a bit thicker).

    Since we don't have a dryer (yet) we popped into Lowes on the way to NH (I needed the loo!) and checked out the washers and dryers. I think we're going to splash out on a new washer, too... an energy efficient one as I think we'll be doing a LOT of laundry!

    THANKS so much for the loan of the stool... I don't know what that is, either :) I was looking at the nursing wear... especially the night wear. I will check out the Landsend stuff, for sure.

    Hey Alice! Thanks so much for the card! You look so well... How's little Rafe? My sis said the same about the muslins. I wonder if they're called somethign different here? Perhaps they're burp cloths?

    xo A

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  5. One thing I bought that I heard really helps with cloth diapers is a sprayer from bum genius. It attaches to your toilet's water so you can just spray them off into the toilet.
    Have you decided what kind of wrap or sling you're going to use? If you go to Moby's website it has the dimensions for their wraps and they're pretty easy to make on your own.
    -krystine

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  6. Oh, yes! Somehow we survived without one of those sprayers, but I always wish we'd had one. Great suggestion!

    Alex, we've got a few different bouncy seats you can borrow. You can even take them home on Saturday! Unless you get others you like.

    So, um, about the Lansinoh. . . . it's not vegan. It is made from wool. Oops. Here's some TMI, but in the early weeks of nursing, you can get a little sore, and Lansinoh is a natural, totally safe salve to use. There may be a vegan alternative?

    Jen

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  7. Thanks, Krystine! I remember you mentioning the sprayer before, so I popped it on my diaper registry. It looks like a great idea... Jen is choosing me a sling (THANKS, Jen!!!!). Ive looked into other kinds of carriers, too. Since I do a lot of walking (as does Rich) I wanted something, too, that the boy can grow into. The Baby Bjorns seem only to go up to a certain weight limit, so I am really interested in the Ergo - which, with an insert, you can use from infant to 4 year old toddler. I think that Fia may have suggested this to me, too.

    Aha, Jen,.. I just will pretend that it's from a vegan sheep :) And THANKS for the offer of the bouncer. I have more of a rocker/chair than a bouncer so it'll be really helpful :)
    xoA

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  8. Alex, we've got an Ergo that we LOVE. We only started using it once Sage grew out of the New Native sling, but indeed you can use them earlier and I highly recommend them!

    I'm giving you some info about Birth Roots on Saturday--I think they have a sling library (or at least I know La Leche League does)--so you can try some different ones out before buying.

    Jen

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