Monday, December 31, 2012

our baby registry...the gear

So after many, many, many (seriously more than I care to admit) hours of researching baby products, I am ready to share some of our top picks. I would like to start this blog post by stating that these are just my recommendations/opinions and I do realize that most of you will think there are better products out there. Realizing that there are a million and one products to choose from, this is just what I have chosen to use when Jackson comes.

I was very thankful to all of the mommies that have posted their "must haves" and registry lists this last year because it helped me narrow down some of the categories. From there I took to the general public's consumer reviews and their basic safety ratings....all the while a quote from Miranda in Sex and the City kept replaying in my head. I'm not sure exactly how it went, but it was something along the lines of "Why can't there be one store that has only one option in each category? It's the best and you don't have to worry about anything." While I know that will never happen...it's still nice to dream.


The Britax B-Ready Stroller. This stroller won it's way on my registry for a few reasons. I wanted a stroller that had the "click and go" system, was easy to disassemble, was not achingly heavy to lift, could accommodate another child (when the time comes), had a nice amount of storage and of course was a nice neutral color that looked nice.

The Britax B-Safe Carseat. Hands down this was one of the easiest picks. It was one of the top safety picks, but it snapped right into our stroller. It didn't hurt that it was completely adorable and could work for a boy or a girl. 

Bumbleride Indie Stroller in Lava. If any of you know me outside of my blog, you would know I am not a huge jogger. The hubs, however, is and I was starting to get back into running right before I got pregnant. We also have 3 dogs that I take for a walk and I have already joined a mommy walking group. I chose the Bumbleride over the BOB for a few reasons. The first is the ridiculous amount of storage space and the second is the fact that it reclines back to the point of laying flat. I have a feeling that at least in the beginning Jackson will be napping a lot during our walks, so that feature will come in handy.

Organic ERGObaby Carrier. I have numerous friends who have this baby carrier and love it. It is supposed to be very user friendly and comfortable for those days where you find yourself wearing it for longer periods of time. It's expensive, but I've been told it is well worth the money.

Organic Moby WrapMy best friend owns this and her son lives in it. It gets great reviews, keeps baby nice and warm and isn't as bulky as the other carrier for day to day use. 
iBaby Monitor. Okay, let me preface this with saying that my husband is an Apple fanatic and it doesn't help that his best friend works for Apple. When they first mentioned the iBaby to me we already owned the Summer Infant BabyTouch Color Video Monitor...so I really had to be convinced that this product was better. What ended up winning me over is that most baby monitors have a distance cap on how far the signal works. With the iBaby, I can access it anywhere in the world as long as I have internet connection. I control it using my phone, ipad, or iMac (told you my husband was obsessed...). It alerts me when Jackson is crying, has the standard two-way audio capabilities, etc. Also, it is really the perfect "nanny cam" because it allows me to take still photos of what is going on. Really, it gives me 100% peace of mind and only cost about $10 more than what we already had.

Nap Nanny. This next item is bound to cause controversy. Yes, I do know the Nap Nanny has been recalled. I also read what caused it to be recalled and based my decision on that. I do believe that if used properly (how it states to use it) and with caution/supervision, it shouldn't pose a threat to my baby. Until this recall I had heard nothing but wonderful things about this product and even know some moms that still stand behind this product 100%. After much discussion with the hubs, we decided that we were going to give it a try, but just be cautious of where/when we use it. With that said, it was a pain in the you know what to find one. The prices have either doubled because people know that they are super hard to find or they are old, used and pink. I refused to pay double and I won't put my poor baby boy in anything pink. I finally found one in Arizona, I live in CA btw, that was new and not overpriced. Since my mom lives in AZ, I sent her on the hour drive to pick it up for me. :) Thanks mom!
My Breast Friend. While I've noticed that most mommies on here use the Boppy; I decided to go with My Breast Friend. I chose it for two reasons. My lactation consultant said it was sturdier and easier to use than the boppy because it wouldn't slide/move while I was feeding Jackson. She also said that it was a sturdier surface to place him on and typically lasts longer. The other reason was it has pockets! I know in the beginning I will be tired and frazzled, so I figured it would be one extra, small advantage. Don't get me wrong, I will still purchase the boppy. I just think that I will end up using this more and the boppy will be used more when he is older and I am looking to prop him up or for tummy time.

Baby Bjorn Babysitter Balance Seat. I went with this balance seat over the standard bouncer because I registered for a swing and I felt like they were similar enough that I didn't need both. Instead of the typical vibrating seat, this seat takes baby's movements and turns it into a soothing rocking motion. It also allows me to rock him with my foot if I wanted to. I can't lie...I also loved the design of this over the standard vibrating chairs. I like little princes and such...but sometimes enough is enough.

Fisher-Price My Little Lamb Cradle'n Swing. We chose this particular swing for two reasons. It had wonderful reviews and the look of it didn't make me want to hide it in a closet when guests came over. Honestly, most swings rate very comparable to each other, so it was just a matter of picking one that was cute, somewhat gender neutral and would get the job done.

Aprica Haven OpenAir Play Yard. I read countless reviews on the standard pack & plays and while others also had wonderful reviews...well lets just say I found them uglier than a bunion on Sasquatch's foot. Is it just me or are most pack & plays ugly? I chose this model because not only did it have great reviews, but it seemed very sturdy and was cute. Normally I do not like the streamline look. I mean just look at the photos from my house. For some reason though I am loving streamline baby items and the hubs isn't complaining one bit!

We are also planning on getting a high chair, tummy time mat and exersaucer/jumper. I am waiting a little longer on those though because I still am not 100% satisfied with my research. What can I say...Jackson is my first baby so I am trying to get as close to my idea of "perfect" as I can get. :)

What are some of your baby gear must haves? I'd love to know!

4 comments:

  1. Did you buy the nap nanny already? Because I can't even find one.. I heard the entire company was closed down:(

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    1. I did. I found it new on CL in AZ. I didn't find any near me so I looked in AZ because my parents live there and I knew I could send her to go get it for me. I had been looking for almost 2 months...they are SUPER hard to find right now because they are being recalled. A few families didn't follow the directions (or use common sense) and their children were hurt. :( All of the major retailers have stopped selling them until everything is sorted out.

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  2. Thanks for following my blog, I'm now your newest follower! Congrats on your little guy, it seems like you are looking at some really good stuff. I remember with my first it seemed overwhelming to see all of the different stuff for babies, and then you don't even use most of it! I actually got a boopy, and only used it once. I did breastfeed, but it just ended up not being necessary for me.
    I'm excited to follow your journey!

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  3. My girlfriend Marisa has the nap nanny at her house (her boys are 3 1/2 & 18 months old) and it still gets a ton of use. She's had it since baby #2 arrived. The little one loves to recline in when he's tired and just wants to chill out. It's always been a big hit. I hope Jackson gets years of use out of it!

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