A Blonde Baker’s Baby Dozen 2.0

After I finished my last list and shared it with a newly pregnant friend, I starting thinking of a few more baby items that we love.  Since I already had 14 (15 if you count how many product links I have) items on my list, I decided I’d just make another list. 🙂  Most of these aren’t really NEEDED items, but they sure are nice to have if you are gifted them or can find a good deal.  Also, the pictures are also links, for your convenience.  Here we go!

1) Chicco Caddy Hook On Chair It can be used with just about any table.  I love it.  It allows baby to sit at the table with us & folds up flat, so we can take it anywhere with us.  I happened to find ours at a secondhand baby store.

2) Bumbo Seat  I have always loved using these – both when I babysat and now with our daughter.  Lightweight, portable (I love portable things), easy to clean, and with the little tray table it’s the perfect little picnic chair for baby.  I would put baby in this, on our bed, against the wall (so she can’t fall off the bed – although, Bumbo specifically states this is a ground seat and shouldn’t be used on raised surfaces) while I got ready or was cleaning the room, etc.  She could watch what I was doing and we could interact but it also kept her from lying on her back or tummy all the time.  Plus, I didn’t have to worry about her rolling off the bed.

3) Swing There are lots of options – some more space saving or portable than others.  We were given a swing by a friend.  It is similar to the one pictured (same brand and similar design).  One thing I must tell you about our swing & this brand – they are durable!  Swings may only be useful from birth to around 6 months (depending on the size of your baby) but they can be used over and over for subsequent babies.  That’s bang for your buck.  Movement helps soothe babies and some great early naps happened in our swing.  We love that thing.  We just recently stopped using it because our baby started arching her back trying the baby in the mirror – this lead to minor safety issue of her hanging off the side of the swing (thank God she was buckled in, so she would just hang & not totally fall out) – didn’t seem to bother her.

4)First Years Bathtub This comes with a sling to use with newborns and then the tub has a reclined side for newborns/babies who can’t hold their head up or sit up and an upright side for babies/toddlers.  We don’t use this at home.  Generally, one of us just gets in the bath with our daughter and the other helps.  However, my mother bought this tub for her house.  Our daughter loves being able to sit up, on her own, in the water and play.  I will put her in this with toys & a little water in the shower with me.  That way she can play while I shower & then I can bathe her.  Win – win!!

5) Steam Sterilizer Bags  I love using these when we travel and for quick things at home (like the paci that rolled under the fridge).  Each bag can be used 20 times before tossing.