By Somehow I thought I would jump back into weekly blogging while on maternity leave but I was quickly brought back to reality. My time has been spent cuddling, napping, at doctors appointments, doing laundry and drinking lots of coffee.
Anyway, here we are with a four month old and I’m finally getting around to sharing the 12 things we are loving most with baby #2! And so many are on sale right now for early Black Friday deals!!
Our Monitor: right now baby only naps in her crib and still sleeps in our room at night but this monitor is amazing. It has white noise built in, gives us different alerts for movement vs. sound, tells us how long she’s been asleep or when she was last tended to and of course we can talk to her thru the monitor. It’s pricey (but also FSA/HSA approved) and well worth it in our opinion!
Our playmat: my co-worker Jasmine gifted us this amazing mat and it has been so entertaining. I think she would love the black and white cards on their own but now that she’s found her feet and hands, she loves hitting the toys that hang down. Plus there’s a coupon for almost $35 off right now! We also love this piano playmat — it’s great if you don’t mind sounds.
Gowns: baby gowns are THE BEST — especially in the middle of the night. We prefer the ones that tie to the ones with elastic at the bottom but boy does it make those early days easier.
Swaddles: we started with traditional swaddles in the hospital but transitioned to these when we got home. I loved the slightly weighted aspect and how easy they were to wrap up PLUS knowing it would stay put unlike traditional swaddles which could come unwrapped.
Books: we loved this with L, too and it’s still a hit. The contrast is the black and white books is great for babies and this little one just loves it when we read to her.
Bathtub: we love this one so much more than what we had when L was little. We’ve also moved from bathing in the sink to the actual bathtub with her. We fill the tub up enough to get water up her back and then cover her belly with a warm wash cloth and she’s as happy as a clam. I love that this one doesn’t have any fabric to wash — or worse, mildew. (Ew!) It’s currently on sale + an extra coupon for $4.79 off! We have this one for when she starts sitting up on her own — I’ve heard great things about it (also on sale and a coupon for another $8 off)!
Diaper changing mat: my friend Kathleen gave us this and it has come in handy countless times. So easy to fold up and wipe clean. They discontinued this specific one but I’m linking a similar option.
Sun shade: we loved this foldable sunshade at the beach. We propped up a fan and this gal napped like a champ.
Thermometer: this one is wonderful and simple and all that you need.
Dr. Brown’s bottles: the lactation consultants recommended these over some others we were planning to use. We’ve been very happy with them! We like the 8 oz. bottles over the 4 oz.
Silverettes: if you’re nursing, go ahead and get these. They are miracle workers. My friend Caroline, who had her baby 3 days before me, told me about them and saved me in those early days.
Baby carrier: our tried and true Ergo carrier is still a favorite — and currently 35% off. It can be worn in the front or back and is comfy for both parents. I also briefly used this carrier when she was a newborn, I loved how snuggly it was!
We definitely have less “stuff” this time around (but also definitely have more clothes). We’ve found tight fitting pajamas work better for her than looser cotton versions that she can kick her legs out of. And while we have tons of cute clothes, we are who we are and we tend to go for comfort over beauty. Everyone is adjusting well to our new family member and we’re just so happy she’s ours.
Chapel Hill Baby 