It is Official… We are Having a Baby Girl!
We finally have confirmation…
this little human growing inside me is a baby GIRL! After a few unclear ultrasounds… we finally got word that she is definitely a she.
So we can start painting and sewing and planning and glittering and….
I need your help on how to prepare for this baby girl.
With so many amazing mothers at my disposal… I would be absolutely foolish to not take complete advantage of your wealth of knowledge.
So… I have a bunch of questions I want to ask you.
And here are a couple to start…
What are some “must haves” for my nursery?
What are your favorite brands/products?
Thank you for taking time to help me out!
We never found out the gender beforehand, and I liked it that way. It allowed us to focus on the little person coming instead of going nuts on buying “stuff”. I saw that all you really need is a good/comfie chair and lots of good books to read together. You’ll be a great Mom!
We haven’t really had the chance to decorate a nursery yet from renting to living in my grandparents house (while they were on a mission). But things that I’ve moved with me (three times) and that are still around after three babies: crib, changing table, little bouncy chair, receiving blankets.
Brands I really like: Huggies for diapers, though I have friends whose babies didn’t fit Huggies well. The Children’s Place for clothes. I usually shop them at clearance at the outlet. But they last forever. We have some things that have been handed down through four or five girls and they still have vibrant colors and wash up well. Wal-mart clothes barely last for the three months they fit my kids.
I’m so excited for you. I don’t rest until I know the gender and we have the name chosen. Good luck!
Congratulations!!!
– I love Moby wraps. They are wonderful!! They keep your baby nice and snug and allow you to keep your hands free.
-A good rocking chair (an ottoman is optional, but nice)
-And something that I didn’t get until my 6th…an Arm’s Reach co-sleeper. I loved it and wish that I would have had it with all of mine.
I’m excited for you! There are a ton of things that I could tell you to get, but the most important thing is to just enjoy…and sleep when she sleeps. 🙂
Congrats! Pink ones are fun! (So are blue too.)
I have to say…my most favorite necessities for kiddos are:
1. Boppy Pillow for nursing … LOVE it
2. Floppy Seat — for the shopping carts at the store!
3. BOB jogging stroller — SO WORTH IT!
4. Good glider/rocker and ottoman for the many hours of rocking the wee one
There are many gadgets too that are not really worthwhile to have, but with your first kiddo, you think you need them all. Really…they need a good carseat, some diapers, clean clothes, and their Momma and Daddy and you are good to go! Good luck.
I have only boys but a must have for us was a swing that was low to the ground. You need somewhere to put the baby that you can pack around. It was a life saver for when I was cleaning because the baby could see me and I could pack them from room to room. All of our boys each have their own blankies we would wrap them in and now they pack them around. It is. Comfort thing. And of course lots and lots and lots of love. You guys will be amazing.
A comfy rocker. Don’t focus on style, focus on comfort. You will spend countless hours there. I love my Dutalier glider rocker and ottoman. It’s served us well. I now use it as my teacher chair in my classroom.
A boppy for nursing or bottle feeding.
A baby carrier, my favorite is an ERGO with infant insert. It will carry them to 40+ lbs. Don’t get bjorn or anything similiar. Your back will hate you.
As they get a little older I loved our Bumbo. It has only been around for my last two but they both loved it! It sits them up, before they can sit themselves up.
We have used Sam’s Club brand diapers with all our girls, and Huggies wipes.
I have four daughters! You will be so blessed!
The only thing I’ve decided that is a must have is a pack of Aden & Anais swaddling blankets. They’re the only ones I’ve found that truly work, and they are huge and lightweight enough to use through the entire year – especially our Texas summers.
And Amazon Mom is the best place to get diapers. Brand name, they come right to your door, and cheaper than anyplace else.
First of all — Congratulations!
I have two little ones and had way too much stuff for the first one. I toned it down on the second one with only things I really needed. Here are my must haves:
aden + anais swaddle blankets — these are more expensive but they are big and light and perfect for swaddling. I had big babies and these were the only thing that worked and they worked wonderfully.
baby monitor with motion sensor — we brought our first home after he spent a week in the NICU with low oxygen so I was a little paranoid about him breathing when he was sleeping. We had a monitor that had a pad you put under the mattress and it keeps track of babies movement — even breathing. If it doesn’t detect movement it sets off an alarm so you can go and check. So great for nervous moms who go check their sleeping babies every 5 minutes.
swing that can plug into the wall — our second had colic, we would not have made it through without our plug-in swing!
sleep books — the question I get asked more than anything from new moms is how to get kids sleeping well. My favorites were “No-Cry Sleep Solutions” and “Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child”.
Good luck, enjoy it because there’s nothing better than being a mom! 🙂
Congratulations!
I loooove my Moby wrap and used it daily until my daughter was 9 months and then switched over to a Boba baby carrier and I use that daily, too!
Lansinoh lanolin cream for breastfeeding. I have left overs that I use as chapstick and hand cream!
Boppy for breastfeeding as well as helping baby w/tummy time, etc.
We used the swaddling blankets every night until she was about 2.5 months old and they helped her fall asleep.
Have fun! Having a girl is an amazing gift!
I second the arm’s reach co-sleeper. I’ve used it with all five. I also loved the stretch wrap for little baby, and ergo or boba for the bigger babe. Lots of 45″ swaddling blankets in single and double layers (for going out in the cold). I used the blankets for swaddling, nursing, spit-up, and diaper changing mat-just not the same one every time! Then you don’t need to have so many things to remember to take with you. I never knew the gender either, and when you go gender-neutral you end up spending less money in the long run.
hmmm I would say get lots of wipes and nappies! some people love the modern cloth nappies, a change table – saves your back ( ididn’t have one for any of mine and my back is so sore!) nappy cream (a thick zinc on is good), wraps – you can get ones they cannot get out of which are great, if Breastfeeding – lots of breast pads, lansinoh cream and you can make these covers too for feeding in public, spew cloths you can whip up out of towelling and cotton prints so they aren’t so ugly (maybe 6 -8 depending if it is a ‘spewy’ baby!) a bassinet as well as a cot – cots are so big when they are so tiny! infant parecetamol, thermometre, a good nappy bag – there are a thousand things you COULD get – but just go with whatever you want to keep them fed, clean and warm – and pretty!!! you will be an awesome mum I am sure – you seem to have a wonderful home already!
Everyone has already shared great ideas, so I’ll share two books that I’ve found to be helpful:
The Parenting Breakthrough–by Merilee Boyak. This has fabulous ideas that can be tweaked to fit your family and your own thoughts. I wish it had been around when we were first deciding how to do things around our home.
MotherStyles–Janet P. Penley–absolutely amazing. I absolutely love this book! I am not a warm, fuzzy mom, and this book helped me to understand that I am just what my children need.
You will be a great mom and I am so excited for you. Oh, one more piece of advice: Don’t ever say, “I can’t wait until…..(sit up, out of diapers, walking, etc).” They grow so fast that if you blink, they’ll be in college or about ready to leave on a mission. Trust me on this one.
Yay!!! We love girls at our house ! (We love boys too but they are out numbered by a lot). Things I have had with all nine children:
1. Cloth diapers (but I realize that is a personal preference)
2. A good baby carrier – the wrap variety like a Moby wrap
3. LOTS of receiving blankets. Make sure they are BIG to wrap around baby.
4. As mentioned, a good rocking chair. I actually prefer rocking recliners. 🙂
5. And lastly, Butt Paste. I know that name is terrible but that’s what it is called. It is THE BEST diaper cream out there, bar none.
Congratulations! As a mother to two girls I just love girls!
My must haves were/are Johnson and Johnsons lotions- the pink one and the lavender bedtime lotion. I have put the bedtime one on at night and the pink one on for day for both girls. They just smell so good all the time and it is relaxing for them.
Also lots of bows!
I’ve only had two babies, so I’m sure I still have much to learn. I can definitely say, though, that there was a huge difference between what I thought I needed and what was actually necessary. The baby product industry is excellent and making you think you need a lot of equipment. A few things I love, though:
An infant carseat that can be strapped into a car without a base (i believe Graco seats have this feature). Most of the time you’ll use the base, but there are times when you might be stranded without a base.
Hooks that hang your diaper bag to the stroller handles (my diaper bag has built-in straps for this purpose, but most don’t). It’s so nice to have ready access to the diaper bag.
I am the mother of 8 girls -2 of those being twins, and although my youngest is 6 it doesn’t seem that long ago. Although they seemed to have come out with all the cool gadgets after I was done.
For whatever my old-advice is worth:
Changing Table!
Bassinet in your room for 2 months or so–it just makes it easier to sooth them, without going too far.
hand-me downs are great. You can use the ones you love and box up the rest.
Binkies, pacifiers–all the way!
Swing-mine actually likes the wind-up ones the best. They probably don’t even make those anymore. But the clicking soothed them to sleep.
Nursing doesn’t always come natural and hurts for the first 2 weeks.
There is no such thing as spoiling a baby by holding them.
Girls are more expensive than boys (I am guessing)…there are so many adorably cute things to dress them in and accessorize. This never actually stops. I have teenagers and now it is still the hair things, the clothes, [the make-up], the jewlery,….etc.
Girls are sooooooooooo much fun! I love having girls.
Congrats! I second the idea of a rocking recliner – it was a lifesaver and worked great for story time too.
I have loved baby magic lotion – it smells delicious and my little girl loves bath time and getting all pretty afterwards!
My little girl couldn’t stand to be swaddled – she liked to have her arms up by her face and she LOVED to kick. So I used the thicker sleeper pajamas for her instead of a blanket. We had a lot of blankets and burp cloths – both were a big necessity.
I got a bobby for nursing and hardly used it. It worked great for tummy time and for taking pictures though. I just liked holding my baby better than using the pillow to hold her. I also had a rocking recliner that had great arm cushions too. 🙂
A good camera! You will want to take a TON of pictures of your sweet baby when she’s here – and they do grow so fast that you’ll want to remember how tiny she once was! Don’t forget to get video too! My daughter LOVES her home videos – it’s her favorite thing to watch.
Congratulations! I can tell you everyone likes and needs different things. No matter what everyone tells you, you “have” to have I would only buy something if you can see yourself using it. It really all depends on the kind of person you are and how your baby will be. But, with that said, my recommendations would be…
1. A good rocker – sit in them normal and like you are really tired/sleeping 🙂
2. Sleep Sacs. For the first couple months when they are sleeping and pooping ALOT these are nice so you don’t have to practically undress them any time you need to change a diaper.
2. Diaper Champ, this is nice if you want a place to store diapers. The main reason I chose this one was because I could you my trash bags instead of buying specialty bags.
3. Aden and Anais swaddling blankets (I got mine on Amazon.) Worth every penny. I highly recommend.
4. My iztbeen timer (found at Target/amazon) Obviously you can’t schedule your baby, but if you have information you can figure their natural schedule and it is a lot easier to know when they are starting a growth spurt, when to schedule pictures, appointments, etc.
5. I LOVE my chicco car seat for infants. I actually did alot of research car seats because I tend to travel alot visiting family and such. I talked to several people at BabiesRUs (they don’t work on commission) and checked reviews online (amazon is the best imo.) I got a graco nautilus for my older kid because it is 3 in 1.
Sorry this was so long. I hope it was helpful!
Congratulations! Here is my list of must haves 🙂
-Amazon mom for diapers!! I wish I had known about this with my first. So much cheaper, especially with subscribe and save! I prefer Huggies for both diapers and wipes (I like how thick they are).
-BabyLegs: I buy most of my kids’ clothes second hand, and with my second, I unintentionally forgot to buy many pairs of pants, so these leg warmers came in so handy…and they are adorable! They are great instead of tights because you don’t have to take them off when you change a diaper, so no cold legs. The real deal are a bit spendy, so you can always make your own.
-baby carrier: I have 3 different kinds that were needed for different things. My first was a Moby Wrap. Love that it is a one size so anyone can use it. If it seems a little daunting to wrap it, try the Baby K’tan. Same concept, but it’s two loops rather than one big piece of cloth. It’s quicker to put on, but it is sized. I also used a Maya Wrap ring sling with my first. She was a chunky little girl and grew out of her infant car seat before she could sit up by herself. So I used it to hold her on my hip when I was out shopping.
-video baby monitor: a little expensive, but I have never regretted purchasing it (and we still use it 4 years later). With this you can see your little one and know if they noise they are making is just a sleeping noise so you don’t have to worry about accidentally waking them to check on them.
-Magic Stick diaper balm: all natural and it comes in a stick form (like chapstick) so no yucky stuff all over your hands!!! And it is safe for cloth diapers. (I like this website http://www.mom4life.com/magic-stick-no-mess-all-natural-and-organic-diaper-ointment.html)
You will need a good rocking chair! that is for sure. I don’t know what your philosophy is concerning co sleeping or not, but I would suggest reading “The Baby Book” by Dr. William Sears. He advocates attachment parenting and makes a great case for it!
I also think that cloth diapers are the only way to go! There are a lot of different AIO (all in one) brands to choose from. Cloth diapers are definitely an investment, but over time it really works out to your advantage! Especially if you will be having more than one child! Try several brands and styles. My mom made diapers for my daughter using a pattern that she designed. If you want, you can make your own as well! It is fun and you don’t have to be the world’s greatest seamstress to make it work.
Those are the most important things I can think of at the moment!
Good luck!
All of the previous posts are great. One problem I had with both of my little girls is they developed gas! I would recommend having some gas relief drops. Oh, and a priesthood blessing when you get home.
BOPPY!!
SLING!!
I couldn’t live without those two with my babies.
I loved the MAM pacifiers. The best!
And the best diapers-for price, fit, and leakage control is by far, by far (!!!!) Target’s Up & Up brand. Trust me. And their wipes (Up & Up by Target) are fantastic and sooo great for the price!
Congratulations!!! I’m so excited for you!
boppy and a wrap (boba or moby). Clothes, a convertible car seat, and diapers (I say that because we use cloth) and you’re set. I wish I realized with my first how much stuff that is marketed as being necessary is actually unnecessary and IN THE WAY! With my fourth all the baby stuff I use is a wrap, boppy, and a bouncy seat (for when I’m cooking).
Congratulations!
I think that what you need, or the things that you find helpful are determined somewhat on your personality and baby’s personality too.
We have five kids, and I just got a Moby Wrap (this was my third sling/wrap/baby carrier) and a bumbo this last time. Love them both.
I have had fussy babies – allergic to all milk products, and gripe water was a huge lifesaver!
I wasn’t too impressed with the Boppy. It fit me weird, and I was never comfortable. I even tried a second Boppy several kids later, with the same results. I just preferred a pillow from my bed, or a couch cushion.
Also second the Butt Paste (can find it at Target) and a comfortable rocking chair. I’ve used swings and liked them, but have too many toddlers these last few times, and fear for the baby’s safety in one, so we haven’t had a swing for the last few babies.
What fun adventures await you! 🙂
I don’t have any advice as I’m not a parent myself, but I wanted to leave an extra little congrats to you and your hubby!
My four babies are grown with babies of their own. I was able to be in the OR (she had C-section and her husband was deployed) with my daughter as she brought her only daughter into the world a year ago and before they were able to be released from the hospital she was required to watch a wonderful DVD – The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp. It is wonderful! I only wish I had it when I was raising my babies. Congratulations!!
Car Seat. A really good one. Like the Chicco key fit 30. My baby boy lives in it. We don’t even use his crib and he is sleeping through the night at 2 and a half months.
Oh, and congratulations. Girls are so fun!
I always found baby monitors made me crazy. Every little sound I would go in and check on the baby and eventually stopped using it at night. I visit teach someone who has a video baby monitor! Her first baby has some medical needs and she needed the peace of mind. She can “look in” on the baby without having to open the door. I wish this technology was available when my children were little.
books to read to her and a soft blanket to cuddle her in….my girls are 21 and 22 and still have their blankets (close at hand) and their favorite books…great memories that truly last for eternity…everything else is just stuff…this is the most precious gift that you will ever recieve….relax, and enjoy being her mama…
I’ve found with my five children that if we sleep well and read our scriptures everyday, everything else works out great.
Scriptures: A board book about Jesus, a Book of Mormon Reader, and a pocket size Book of Mormon. She’ll advance through all very quickly, but taking time to read just to her everyday, while she holds a bowl with ten marshmallows or cheerios or craisins, establishes a love and habit early. (I start this at about 6 months; with a treat bowl at about a year.)
Beds: I use a travel crib, (which is portable half the size of a pack and play), and a queen bed. My mom has 11, and she taught me the value of having a big bed to lay in the toddler’s room. And if you don’t have a giant crib, you can have the luxury of a full-size second bed. You’ll go there to read books to her, to sing her lullabies, to comfort her when she’s sick at night (and you won’t wake up hubby!), and to get a nap with her when you’re pregnant with your next one. 😀 I used a mattress on the floor when my first outgrew his crib, and it was awesome. He even put himself in timeouts.
Some other niceties include a nice swing (for longer naps), a bumbo chair (to sit beside you at dinner or on the counter while you make meals–no bulky high chair needed if you buy this), a fun play gym , and a fantastic camera.
Congratulations! You’ll find out what works best for you and your sweet daughter. Enjoy every moment; she grows up too fast.
I would say try not to buy a lot of big stuff at first and keep all your receipts. 🙂 You just never know what your baby (and you) will like to use. i.e. My daughter was never cuddly. She was independent from the start. She didn’t want to held all the time so I didn’t need any kind of baby carrier. She preferred to sit/lay and look around at the world. So you just never know. Some kids hate the swing, bathtub, crib, etc. It would be so much easier if we knew all this in advance, right? 🙂
My biggest pieces of advice – Have someone around to help for the first few weeks. You will welcome the help and the rest! If you want to breastfeed (and I promise it’s ok if you don’t (or want to stop later)- no matter what others say) know where to get nursing help after the baby’s born. Find a lactation consultant nearby and find out what they charge, their hours, etc. Nursing can be really difficult at first. Having help and support can make all the difference.
I’ve read tons of parenting books. The ones you will like all depend on your baby and family, but the ones that worked for us where :
Good night, Sleep Tight by Kim West
The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp
Take 1000’s of pictures 🙂
Consignment and yard sales are your friends!
Don’t buy a big stroller at first – wait until you know how/where/how often you will use it and research from there.
Motherhood is really really hard, but it’s all worth it! Congratulations!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! I just found you via Sugardoodle.net (thank you so much for allowing her to share your scripture journal vid)!
Anyway, I will tell you a few of my MUST HAVES!
1. a good stack (one or two dozen) cotton cloth diapers…. obviously, if you plan to use cloth FOR diapers you need closer to five dozen, but I’m just talking for wiping spitup, drying rogue piddle mishaps, or wet and cool for natural teething soothers.
2. a cheap, point-n-click digital camera – brand doesn’t matter… nothing fancy, trust me, it will get dropped from the diaper bag, spit on, splattered with mushed peas, tossed from the stroller…. in short, just something to shoot the eleventy-billion adorable things your angel will do in her life.
3. a co-sleeper. I know, lots of people don’t like the idea of baby in the bed…. but honestly, at 2am (and 3am AND 4am) you will be wishing you had this puppy! Feeding, changing, diapering will be SO EASY if you don’t have to go into a separate room to do it!
4. a sense of humor…. because MOMMA sometimes if you don’t just laugh, you will be crying right along side that sweet baby!
Happy baby growing thoughts from one Momma to another!
Congratulations on your little one!
Some things I’d recommend:
1. Safety 1st Air Protect Carseat: They’re a little $, but I feel my son is so safe in his.
2. Baby carrier
3. Swing
4. Don’t be afraid to try different brands (diapers, pacifiers, etc) to see what your little girl likes.
5. And the best advice I received: You’re the mom for a reason. God is sending this little girl to YOU.
lanolin for sore breasts while nursing, foldable white cloth diapers make the BEST burp cloths (don’t even go near flannel but you can still embellish the white ones), a diaper ointment with calendula in it (find it at health food stores — completely worth the cost) and books books books.
I personally don’t go for the co-sleeping but get them in their own room pretty quickly because I get better sleep that way and cannot operate without it! But to each their own!
Oh and getting infant poop out of clothes — soak in cold water, rub with stain stick A LOT and then wash in cold water. Snap down the front onesies are nice for those blowouts — I’ve had some where taking that thing over their head has given them poopy hair and everything! But it happens.
These mommies know what they are talking about.
1. I love the co-sleeper
2. Get your diapers from Amazon.com(sign up for Amazon mom and get prime shipping and click on subscribe and save- you’ll get 30% off).
3. The book The Happiest Baby on the Block is great if your little one is difficult to soothe.
4. Breast feeding is hard to get started on, but hang in there- it’s worth it.
5. If you are going to get a baby carrier(a life saver when you need 4 hands and only have 2) the Ergos are Awesome, but Mei Tai’s are just as good- Infantino makes a great one.
6. Really think about what you want your labor and delivery to be like. I wish I had done more research on different methods- hypno birthing, Bradley, etc(I had 4 epidurals-3 great, 1 horrible and one baby with no drugs). Now I wish I’d had 5 drug free deliveries.
7. Enjoy them while they are little! Cherish each moment! And don’t expect too much of yourself. Accept help, even if you don’t think you need it.
Congrads!!! These little ones are amazing!
I haven’t read the other comments, so sorry if this is a repeat. But you should invest in a Moby wrap!! You can carry your baby with you wherever you go and still have two hands!
Congratulations!!!
We have 7 children 3 boys and 4 girls-girls can be the best but so can boys. Having a 12 year range between our children, I have seen some great things over the years…and with 3 grandbabies I have watched my DD shop for their must haves also. here is our list..
a. Nipple cream by Mothers Love it’s not sticky or smelly and I give it as a
baby shower gift to all the new moms in our ward and I take it to my
daughters when they had their babies-Whole Foods carries it
b. Homemade ointment jar of vaselline and a tube of lanolin (ask for it at
the pharmacy counter) squeeze tube into vaseline and stir up. When
#3 daughter had severe diaper rash from antibiotics this is the only
thing that worked. my girls use it still.
c. the big Aden and Anais receiving blankets (Target) would have been ‘
great, my girls use them and I as grandma have used them.
d. Baby sacs or layette gowns with the draw string bottom are a must
the beginning–so they are free to kick and move and easy to change.
e. a roomy diaper bag-this becomes a purse, churchbag, and diaper bag
for the next long while..too many bags gets cumbersum.
f. PATIENCE-with it ALL 🙂 this new chapter you are learning (you can
read everybook written and when she gets here-she will write her
own with you and daddy. They have good information but every
single one is different and the Lord is your best manual.
g Breastfeeding-did it 6 times-3 times worked out well and I breastfed
for quite sometime–3 times not so well and after 4-6 weeks put them
on bottles and then formula and we were a happy family again.
This is a personal choice for you and your hubby to make…it is alot of
commitment and it gets harder when they are a little older because
they are attatched to you (in more than one way haha)
So to wrap up this mini novel-my biggest advice would be to pray, pray, pray (which you already have a handle on) and to keep your husband in the loop (so to speak) I have seen many couples become distance because Dad doesn’t know where he fits–It’s okay for him to change a diaper and rock her to sleep after you feed her. It’s good for the Dad to bond with her just like the mom…My girls loved their Daddy when they were little and they love him even more now–Enjoy this gift from God and cherish it-it does go by so fast..remember that on those nights when they might be fussy and your milk won’t let down, or she won’t take the bottle pray and the Lord will inspire your direction. Good Luck
ps this comment was written by 3 of us–2 daughter with kids and me. sorry it was so long 🙂
Take tons of pictures. My youngest son died unexpectedly when his baby was 3 mons. We have no pics of them together.
Cherish each day.
All these mommas have given great advice. Here’s my addition.
1.consider cloth diapers. I started using them with my 5th and I wish I would have used them with all my babies. I would have saved so much. (I use all in one pockets…found them on eBay from a seller in hong kong very cheap)
2. Breastfeeding is hard in the beginning-get help! I can’t stress this enough. Cracked nipples hurt so bad, and can be prevented.
3. I agree with several others that you really don’t need as much as you think. I do LOVE Aden + anais blankets.
Congratulations!
The best advise from my pediatrician was “tummy time” from day one! 10 minutes blocks, three times a day. Its so beneficial to baby’s physical development.
Hold that baby girl as much as possible. I was never much into places to put my baby besides my arms, or attached to my body with a baby wrap. They grow too quickly.
Wow, there’s lots of great advice. One thing I’m not sure that I saw here was a good lullaby CD or playlist. I started playing the music when my four kids were newborns, then when we had to leave the baby with a sitter the music was familiar and would help to get them to sleep.
A couple of great CD’s are Kenny Loggins Return to Pooh Corner http://www.amazon.com/Return-Pooh-Corner-Kenny-Loggins/dp/B0000029FW/ref=sr_1_56?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1322613522&sr=1-56
and More Songs From Pooh Corner http://www.amazon.com/More-Songs-Corner-Kenny-Loggins/dp/B0045DO7QG/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_6
and A Child’s Gift of Lullabies, which would put my 3rd baby right to sleep. my favorite song is Appalachian Lullaby. http://www.amazon.com/A-Childs-Gift-of-Lullabyes/dp/B001BV2F8M/ref=tmm_msc_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1322614080&sr=1-131
You can listen to a snippet of the songs on these links.
Congratulations!
Chiming in late here.
The Blessed Nest Nursing Pillow is THE BEST.
Aiden and anais blankets (i don’t think the ones from Target are as big, get them from Amazon)
Trumpet infant socks
Grow via diapers
Ring sling and boba or ergo
Tummy tub
I like a twin or double mattress on the floor as an infant bed, sort of montessori style (if they are not in my bed)
White noise machine
Albee baby is a great place to get discount gear.
I also thought of something else which has been super helpful for all five of ours. Hyland’s teething tablets! I’ve found them at CVS, Target, Walmart. I keep a bottle of them in my purse, so that I always have them with me. If teething is particularly painful, then I will use Tylenol as a backup too. And then everyone is able to have a little rest. 🙂
(Hyland’s teething gel works too, but I find that I have a hard time always getting it where I want it to go…. frequently it lands square in the middle of the baby’s tongue.)
I’m not a mother but I am an aunt of 17 going on 18 children. All my sisters have used Johnson and Johnson’s Baby Shampoo and Lotion. I love the smell of it while I hold their babies. I also babysit my nieces and nephews a lot and I think that it is best when you have a list for the sitter that way they can remember what to do. Make sure you include: the babies schedule like feedings and bedtime routines, any concerns like allergies or if your baby is sick, anything you think a sitter might need to know about the night, your contact information and where you are going. Also, if you pay a little extra for a sitter to do some light housework, they will do it and you won’t have to clean up the house after a date. When I first started out babysitting I learned this pretty quick and many families ask for me to babysit again.
I am really excited for you and I can’t wait until I am married and start having children of my own. Have fun with that little one and always remember the little and big moments with her!!!
I am commenting late, you have received so many great comments. If I could add some of my “must haves” that haven’t been mentioned already, they would be:
– Lavender essential oil (pure therapeutic grade only, such as doTERRA or Be Young brands, don’t just get some cheap oil from the health food store or it won’t work). Lavender is well known for its calming and soothing properties, but when you use the pure oil it is also an excellent immune system booster. I mix a few drops into his bath and rub a drop on his feet before bed. Lavender is one of the only oils that is gentle and mild enough to use on babies, and it truly works wonders.
– a journal to record all those precious moments, though I’m sure you’ve got this well in hand
Happy baby days! What a gift these sweet spirits are!
Hi I meant to send this when you first asked but procrastinated. I love your blog and am so happy that you are becoming a mother!!! The only thing as great is being a Grandma! Anyway my daughter when she was expecting twins did a lot of research on having a baby. She found out that if you put a special cover over the baby’s mattress it can protect against SIDS. Here is the website where she ordered the cover: http://www.eves-best.com/babesafe-mattress-covers.htm Thanks for all your wonderful ideas you share, especially for seminary!!! Hugs
Be sure to watch the DVD “The happiest baby on the block”. It is great for learning to calm your baby. I have 6 children and have LOVED it!