Thinking we'd kill two birds with one stone and avoid buying an expensive but relatively short-lived bassinet sort of bed, we had Elias sleep in the bassinet attachment that came with our pack 'n' play, something we've since used while traveling. If I had to do it over again, I might still get a pack 'n' play for travel but I definitely wouldn't use the bassinet attachment for anything other than the occasional nap. The mattress consists of four separate panels that wrap around the pack 'n' play structure to create a compact, carrying case. This construction does not lend itself to properly supporting the weight of a quickly growing baby boy. Despite advertising a weight limit of 15 pounds, it began to sag shortly after Elias hit the ten pound mark, if I remember correctly. I'd either start the baby straight away in their crib or bite the bullet and get a bassinet or something similarly cozy, like a bedside co-sleeper.
Ah, the car seat. I'm happy with the Graco SafeSeat overall, but I kind of wish we'd gone with the lighter, more compact SnugRide. I believe we went with the SafeSeat because it can accommodate a few more pounds, eliminating the need to buy a convertible car seat (i.e. one that's rear-facing until the first birthday, after which point, so long as your baby's hit the 20 pound mark, you can flip it to the forward-facing position). But even very early on, the SafeSeat mit baby has been heavy and awkward. Schlepping that thing to and from the car (which, even parked on the street right outside our apartment, feels like a hike), and trying to get it in the base in the backseat of the car, parked as it is on a hill, provides quite the workout. When I see parents carrying their little ones in the SnugRide they don't seem nearly as uncomfortable and clumsy as I feel toting Elias around (then again, maybe they're in better shape?). On the other hand, at the rate Elias is gaining weight, he may very well surpass the weight limit of the SnugRide before he celebrates his first birthday. Either way, I'd imagine we'll probably transition to a convertible car seat in the next few months.
Speaking of car seats, how about that Snap 'n' Go frame? As I noted at the end of the five month update, we recently purchased a full-size stroller, which, had we had it in the beginning, we could have used in lieu of the Snap 'n' Go frame. I like the idea of the frame, but had I known we'd end up buying a stroller that could be used in a similar fashion, I think I would have skipped this step, saving us about fifty to sixty bucks or so. Then I could have put that money toward the JJ Cole BundleMe car seat/stroller liner, a must-have, in my opinion, for colder weather. Another $40 I'd like to spend, with a long cold stretch ahead, is on the Baby Bjorn carrier cover. As I'll get to below, when it's you and the baby all day, it's nice to have as many options as possible, and these sorts of liners and layers make continuing the daily (or so) walks a little more manageable even into the winter months.
Everybody told me most babies either like to bounce or swing, but that you don't necessarily need to offer both options. We received one of each as gifts and the bouncy seat (Fisher Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium Bouncer) was invaluable those first couple of months, allowing Neal and I to eat the occasional meal together as Elias enjoyed the show. Some of his best first smiles were aimed at the spinning starfish and "kissing fishes," as we call them. The swing, on the other hand, has never seen much action. We have the Graco Tango in the Tongo infant swing, and maybe it's the type of swing itself (we got the swing so early that by the time Elias was born and trying it out for the first time, it was too late to return it), but Elias went from hating it, to falling asleep in it a couple of times, to seeming pretty lukewarm about the whole swinging thing. He generally dislikes being strapped in to anything so that by the time we get him in the five-point harness, he's had enough. I'd skip the swing next time around until after the baby was born and then I'd probably take the baby along to the store to try a few on. And in general, he'd much rather hang out on his playmat, the Tiny Love Gymini Super Deluxe Lights and Music Play Mat. There was a period from 3 to 4 months or so where he seemed suddenly uninterested in it, preferring floor time on a simple blanket with a variety of toys and things strewn about, but now that he's sitting unassisted pretty well, he seems to enjoy the new perspective.
And even before Elias could sit up, as soon as he was demonstrating good head control, we ran out and bought him a jumperoo - not the kind that hangs from a doorframe but the kind that hangs from a free standing structure from bungy cords, almost like a jumperoo/exersaucer hybrid. We have the Fisher Price Rainforest jumperoo, which Elias just loves. Someone early on warned about putting the baby who prefers to be upright in a jumperoo or exersaucer too early for fear they'll protest any and all floor or tummy time and skip crawling altogether. But rest assured, Elias still loves hanging out on the floor, especially now that he can roll over.
The Bumbo baby sitter was an item I was eager to get once Elias was demonstrating good head control. As my mom's group facilitator so accurately put it, the day can be pretty long with an infant, so it's nice to have options. I have mixed feelings about the Bumbo, I have to say. There are times when I look at it and question its advertised versatility, but in the end I'm glad I got it...used. You can find a couple of these things on Craigslist at any given time, it seems, for about half the cost of a new one, and all you need to do is give it a good once over with a Clorox wipe. Something I probably should have passed on was the tummy time mat. I went with the cheapo Infantino version, but still, the tummy time mat is little more than a glorified blanket and miniature Boppy pillow. Again, this was an impulse buy when I was looking to expand my options for keeping an increasingly wakeful Elias occupied throughout the day.
Speaking of the Boppy pillow, this thing was utterly useless to us in the early weeks of breastfeeding. Until Elias was about two months old, I used instead, and highly recommend, the Brest Friend pillow, which offers a lot more support. Once Elias got bigger and better at nursing, the Boppy worked just fine, but if you're having logistics issues with breastfeeding, I recommend an upgrade. I still use the Boppy pillow while bottle-feeding and occasionally plop him down in the center and let him perfect those nose dives and face plants with a little extra cushion.
And on the topic of feeding (and food that doesn't necessarily stay down), if you have a spitter on your hands, forget the shoulder burp cloths and stock up on cloth diapers, at a minimum, or re-purpose, as we did, a few of those receiving blankets you received as shower gifts. We have a set of so called receiving blankets that I can only see using as blankets for preemies, they're so small. They work well as heavy duty burp cloths and you can get a little extra life out of them by folding and re-folding them. But hopefully (should any of my pregnant friends be reading this) the token shoulder burp cloths will do the trick for the usual baby spit up.
If, however, you find yourself with a spitty baby, you'll often hear the recommendation to keep your baby upright for about 20 to 30 minutes after each feeding (tedious during the waking hours, let me tell you, let alone at 3 o'clock in the morning). Various baby carriers can help with this task. We have the Infantino front carrier, the Baby Bjorn Original Carrier, the Moby Wrap, and the Maya Wrap. The Infantino carrier was a thoughtful gift from my Dad, so no offense if you read this, but for whatever reason Elias screams whenever I've tried to put him in it. So after he hit the magical eight pound mark, we upgraded to the Baby Bjorn, which he seems to enjoy, especially after we were able to put him in it facing forward. In the interim, as I blogged about here, we tried out the Moby Wrap. I love the Moby Wrap and highly recommend it in the early weeks if you have a fussy baby that you'd like to "wear" (try out the Newborn Hug and Kangaroo holds), but I have to admit the Baby Bjorn is a lot easier to use if upright and forward-facing is what I want. The Moby Wrap does offer more carrying options and supposedly, you can carry your baby in it until they hit 35 pounds (although hopefully they can walk by then), but it is a little complicated to operate. Although it appears less complex, I find the Maya wrap, a recent hand-me-down from a friend, downright mind-boggling. Just when I think I've finally got it on right, shoulder piece situated just so, fabric threaded through the rings, baby positioned kangaroo style or on my hip, I can't seem to take up the slack without getting things all twisted. Elias is also not quite big enough for the hip hold so I think I'll give it a rest and try again in a couple of months.
As for the little stuff, Elias loves his "froggy friend" - a Cuddly Teether Blanket by Infantino that I purchased kind of randomly but which has since become his car seat "lovey". I've been trying to use the Little Taggies blanket as a sleep lovey, putting it on his lap while I give him a bottle. It doesn't seem to be helping with sleep yet but he does enjoy things with tags suddenly. It's true - babies really do "love to rub 'em." Among his various toys, rattles, teethers, and stuffed animals, the Sassy Circle Rattle has been a big hit, especially when Elias wanted, but couldn't quite figure out how to get anything and everything in his mouth. When his hand-eye coordination was shaky he could still manage to get a good grip on either side of the ring and chomp on the ball in the middle.
I think that's good for a mid-year report. I'm sure I'll have more opinions on other products and things in the months to come.
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