Gazillion Bubbles

Bubbles are a pretty simple toy right? Must be hard to screw them up. Wrong!

I went through a few different types of bubble products this summer before I picked up Gazillion Bubbles and I will never buy another brand. Gazillion Bubbles is true to the name. With one dip into the jar you get a seemingly endless set up bubbles. My toddler was even able to blow a few bubbles even though she can't resist licking the wand.

So what was wrong with the other bubble products I tried? They didn't blow bubbles. Honestly.

On the first sunny day I brought my daughter to Target and picked up the Mega Bubble Kit from Fisher Price. While I turned around 2 hours later and brought it right back to the store to return it. I did feel a bit foolish returning bubbles with the excuse "it didn't work." But it was true, I went through half a jar frantically waving those wands around and got one measly bubble.

The other bubbles I tried this summer before discovering Gazillion Bubbles was a product from Nick Jr. My daughter loves Dora, what 2-4 year old doesn't and the packaging seemed clever. I guess clever is where companies can go wrong with bubbles. First the no-spill container was hard for my daughter as well as myself to operate. I could have excused that but once again, it was nearly impossible to make the thing actually blow bubbles.

So I guess when buying bubble stuff, simple is better but I won't even try another brand anymore now that I have found Gazillion Bubbles.

Laptop Lunch Box

Another must have if you have a child in daycare is the Laptop Lunches bento-style lunchbox. I am kinda crazy about what my daughter eats. I am not strict to the point where she can't have the occasional cookie or piece of cake but I don't want her to become a kid who only eats mac n' cheese (although she does love her Annie's). This bento-style lunch box makes it almost fun to pack her lunch every morning. Everyday she gets a good mix of fruit, veggies, some grains and usually a cheese stick. I occasionally throw in a fruit snack or some other treat. On most days the lunch box comes home empty but if it doesn't I can figure out what food she didn't like and try something different the next day.

I must admit that their website is quite horrific. I did a Google shopping search and found a single lunchbox through another online store. I bought it without the bag as we just toss it in her regular diaper bag. Oh and another great thing is the boxes are BPA-free.

Mabel's Labels

This is one of those products that I just have to share with every mom. I wish I had known about Mabel's Labels 15 months ago when my daughter first started daycare as we would have lost significantly fewer bottles, shoes and sippy cups. Not only are they cute, but they work. You can put them on your kid's plastic belongings, throw them in the dishwasher, the microwave, probably even a volcano and they will stay put. We bought the mini labels and the shoe stickers and now I am thinking of getting some labels for around the house. Easy ordering system and shipping was fast.

Chicco Travel Seat

If you read this blog you know we hate spending money on frivolous baby gear but at the same time we like to maintain some sense style. When we started our search for a high-chair I was initially attracted to some of the beautiful European made chairs that are on the market but there was no way I was paying $300 for furniture that would become spackled with oatmeal and carrots. So I looked at the more conventional baby chairs but hated how big, plastic and ugly they were. That's when I stumbled upon Chicco portable hook-on chairs.

We have been using the Chicco Adventure Travel Seat for two months now and we love it. It hooks-on to the end of our island and our daughter gets to sit there, watch what we are up to and throw food all over the place. Oh what fun. Besides being minimally invasive to our decor it is extremely easy to wash. Every other week I unhook it, take off the hook parts and throw the cover in the sink. I then lay it on our porch to dry and within hours it is ready to be used again looking brand new. This is key since my daughter drops half of every meal in her seat and smears her oatmeal crusted hands all over the arm rests. I think I will keep her in this thing until she is 12.

BPA Free Bottles

Yes I am jumping on this bandwagon. I am sure I don't need to say much about BPA as it is covered in the press ad nauseam. I had heard the concerns about BPA a few months before it blew up and had people throwing away all of their hard plastics. I just didn't think it was that big of a concern. There is so much to worry about that I just decided to put the concern out of my mind and focus on other things.

Then it was the big news headline for a few weeks. It was everywhere I turned. I began to question if I should continue sending my daughter to daycare with her hard plastic bottles, BPA filled bottles. Again I pushed it out of my mind as much as possible until I saw a piece on the Today Show. Their resident medical expert made a statement that changed my mind. She said that as a doctor and scientist she could not say that there was any link between BPA and cancer or any other medical ailment. However as a mother she said that she would find alternatives for her children. That was it. I tossed my daughter's bottle out that day and went to Babies R' Us to buy her the two remaining Born Free bottles that were on the shelf. I also learned that http://www.medela.com/ISBD/breastfeeding/products/bottles_bisphenol-a-free.phpbottles that come with the pump are BPA free so I started using those as well. Just this week I received the free sample that Playtex offered of their drop-in model and think I will start using that now as well.

So now that I don't have to worry about BPA anymore. What should I be worrying about now? ;)

Mam Pacifiers

Even if you believe that pacifiers are a bad habit and shouldn't be used for that long you will need to use one at some point during the first year of life. Don't kid yourself into thinking that you will be strong enough to soothe your child in other ways. Trust me there will come a time when you wish you had one just to give you 5 minutes of peace.

I didn't have any issues with my daughter using a pacifier. My problem was that my daughter couldn't seem to keep them in her mouth. When she was in the co-sleeper I would often fall asleep with my finger in her soothie so that it would stay in place. Or we would zip her jacket up just high enough so that she would keep her pacifier in during the car ride to daycare.

I tried every brand of pacifier that existed and tried larger and smaller sizes and couldn't seem to find one that worked. Until I bought a couple Mams. I popped the Mam into my daughter's mouth and it was like magic. It didn't pop out. I threw every other brand out and now that is all we use. Besides working for my daughter they are also great because they are weighted on the reverse side so that when they do fall out, they don't land on the pacifier so unless you are a germaphobe you don't have to sterilize it before handing it back to your child.

I also just learned that you can buy customized Mams with your child's name. I wish I had known as this would have been great for daycare as it seems that all the kids have the same pacifiers.

Tiny Love Gymini Total Playground

I bought this for my daughter right around 3 months of age. My friend had one for her son and while we were visiting I laid my daughter down on the mat and she entertained herself for 5 minutes. This seems like no big deal now that she is 6 months and plays on her own, for sometimes over 15 minutes. But at 3 months, even 30 seconds of self-amusement is a welcomed break for mom.

My daughter still uses the Tiny Love Total Playground everyday. She loves looking at herself in the mirror and lately has been looking behind the mirror trying to figure out where the rest of the baby is that is staring back at her. The rattle that hangs from the bars makes a really satisfying noise and she was so excited when she finally had enough hand control to shake it on her own. I have to admit that we don't use the kick pad as the music it makes can get very obnoxious after awhile. The mat surface is great, easy to wipe up and hides stains. It is also washable yet we haven't done that yet. I probably should get on that since it now has 3 months of spit-up on it. The other nice thing about this mat is that it packs up very easy. I recommend saving the case it comes in so that you can pack it up and bring it to grandma's.

Top Ten List 0-3 Months

My daughter is 6-months old and parenting is really getting fun. Before I put a close to the early months when I was walking around in a haze created by lack of sleep, I wanted to post a list of the top 10 baby gear items by stage. I will try to do this every few months.

Top 10 Baby Gear Items, 0-3 Months
1. Burp Cloths - have at least 10 on hand to cut down the amount of laundry you have to do each week
2. Swaddle Blankets - waffle blankets with a little stretch are the best
3. Bibs - have 5-10 on hand, the best are Carter's with the waterproof backing
4. Nursing Wraps/Covers - keep those hooters out of site and nurse confidently in public
5. Carter's Lap Pads - get a couple of packs, I think there are 3 in each
6. Arms Reach Co-Sleeper
7. Medela Pump InStyle Advanced
8. Onesies - have at least 15 in either newborn or 0-3 sizes on hand
9. Footed Pajamas - this is your staple outfit for your baby for the first few months. Why bother with tops, bottoms and socks when this will keep them warm and comfortable.
10. Sling - I used the peanut shell but any sling will work. You need something to keep the baby close and your hands free otherwise you won't be able to get anything done around the house.

Busy Baby Nursing Cover

If you are like me and are not going to be comfortable exposing your boobs in public, then you will need to purchase some type of nursing cover. There are a number of different styles available but I really like the simple cover from Busy Baby. Unlike some of the other covers, the Busy Baby Wrap does not have loud prints that draw attention to you. Instead it is understated and almost fashionable. It is available in 6 different colors so you can coordinate with your outfits or you can just buy one in natural and that will work with everything. I do recommend having two so that if one gets dirty you won't have to do laundry right away.

Medela Quick Clean Wipes

Now that I am back at work I have even less time for my own interests, such as writing this blog. Consequently my posts may be even shorter.

One product that has become essential for me is the Medela Quick Clean Wipes. Pumping at work is stressful. Not only do you have to find the time to do it, but in my case I am stuck pumping in the ladies room. I find it awkward and embarrassing.

The Medela wipes allow me to make a quick exit once I am done. No water or soap needed. You just wipe everything up and then pack it away for the next session. They are pricey but I find them to be well worth it.

Munchkin Bottle Drying Rack

The Munchkin Bottle Drying Rack is a great way to keep bottles and other baby items separate from the rest of your dishes. You can dry up to 8 bottles, nipples and accessories at a time. I use it to air dry breast pump accessories as well. It is easy to clean, we just toss ours in the upper rack of the dishwasher. The best part is that it has a slot to hold a Munchkin bottle brush upright so that it doesn't sit in the sink collecting germs.

New Mom Class

After spending 6 weeks couped up in my home with no one to talk to except a crying baby I reluctantly joined a class for new moms. I had prepared myself for it to be a cheesy class full of signing and cooing at my baby. I expected all of the moms to be perfect and boasting about their tiny geniuses. Fortunately I was pleasantly surprised and now feel it is the best thing I have done during my maternity leave.

Each week we learn something new to do with our child such as massages for gas pain relief or other soothing techniques. In the first week I learned a new way to swaddle my daughter that kept her wrapped up tight and sleeping longer at night. That alone was worth the money spent on the class, it was better than any swing or bouncer I could buy. At some point I will take pictures and post a how-to guide.

It was also relief to meet other moms who were dealing with the same issues and having the same concerns as I was. I wouldn't say that I created an instant bond with these other mothers but it definitely helped to know that I wasn't alone and that they were as stressed and unsure about motherhood as I was.

If you are a first time mom, then recommend that you sign up for a class during the first few months of your child's life. If you are in the Boston area, check out the Great Beginnings class at Isis Maternity.

The First Years Sure Comfort Tub

This tub has worked great for our now 2 month old daughter. For the first few weeks we were using it to give her sponge baths without any water in the tub. We didn't receive the model with the mesh net and I don't feel it is necessary. The infant side has a back that reclines enough to keep the baby tilted back without falling forward. Of course we always kept one hand on her just for security.

My daughter now really enjoys baths with water. The First Years Sure Comfort Infant to Toddler Tub is deep enough to have the water around her legs and torso so that she is warm. At the same time it keeps her sitting high enough so that her head and ears are above the water. At this age, I don't want her submerging her head in the water for fear of getting an ear infection. We have also used the Safety 1st Funtime Froggy bathtub at grandma's and while it was better than bathing her in the real bathtub, I felt that it didn't sit her up straight enough and her ears were getting wet.

Serving Tray

If you are breastfeeding you will most likely be spending a large amount of time on the couch. Once you have your Boppy and your baby on your lap it is hard to get up and move around so you will want to have everything you may need within reach. I keep a tray on the couch all day and it holds the TV remotes, my phones, a book, tissues, magazines and a bottle of water. My daughter also seems to time her meals at the same time I am eating mine so my husband often serves me my dinner on this tray. If you are planning on breastfeeding I recommend that you buy a tray to use during the first few months.

Kiddopotamus Portable Changing Kit

The Kiddopotamus travel changing pad can turn any messenger bag into a diaper bag. What I love is the pockets that hold diapers, wipes and ointments as it keeps everything within reach. Most public bathroom changing tables do not have room for your baby and your bag and the last thing you want to do is bend down to dig into your diaper bag to find the wipes while your baby is flailing around on the table.

If you haven't been able to find a "diaper bag" that suits your style then just add this to a bag you like. Besides, most diaper bags are overly bulky causing moms to over pack as if they won't be returning for weeks.

Safety 1st Steady Grip Nail Clippers

There are tons of reviews available for all of the big baby gear like swings and car seats but when it comes to small items I found it hard to find recommendations. My posts for small items will be short as there isn't too much to say about them but they are still important choices to make for your baby.

The first time you cut your baby's nails it is traumatic. I started out by just using a baby emery board as recommended by the nurse, but my daughter's nails grew too fast to keep up. I switched to baby nail scissors but those things were hard to master. I was scared of using the nail clippers for fear of cutting her fingers off but the shape of the Safety 1st nail clippers allowed me to be very precise in my clipping. They are easy to grip and you can cut the nails down lower without grabbing any skin. Now I only have to cut her nails once a week.

Arms Reach Co-Sleeper

The Arms Reach Co-Sleeper has helped to make nighttime feedings relatively quick and easy. The Co-Sleeper fits right next to our bed so all I have to do is reach over and lift my daughter out when she wakes up to eat. This is especially nice this time of year since it is cold in our room at night and the last thing I want to do is get out of bed. The Co-Sleeper has also made putting her back to sleep easier as she knows I am right there and I can keep a reassuring hand on her while she dozes off.

Carter's Lap Pads

I received my first set of Carter's Lap Pads as a gift and they have become an essential component of diaper changing. They are waterproof so we place them on top of the diaper changing pad cover and this saves us from doing tons of laundry. When our daughter decides to pee mid diaper change, all we have to do is throw the pad in the hamper, not the whole cover.

I also have a pad or two in our diaper bag. I place these on top of the diaper bag changing pad to catch any mess that may happen on the go. I am sure they have uses that I haven't thought of yet.

Bella Band

The Bella Band was a must for me during and after my pregnancy. There is a period of about 2-3 months when you are too small for maternity pants yet you are too big for your old jeans and pants. Instead of having to go buy pants and jeans that were one size bigger I bought a few Bella Bands and was able to extend the life of my regular pants.

The Bella Band also came in handy for the first month after birth. I was very eager to get back into my pre-pregnancy jeans and put away my maternity clothes for good. Even though my hips and stomach were still too big, with the help of the Bella Band I was able to get back into my old jeans and put away my maternity clothes for good.

With the Bella Band I was able to put away my maternity clothes earlier and get back to into my regular clothes

Medela Pump In Style Advanced

If you are planning on breast feeding, then this is one product you must have. I don't know what I would have done in the first week after birth if I hadn't already purchased the Medela Pump In Style Advanced. Both my husband and I agree this was the best $300 we ever spent.

My daughter spent her first week after birth in the hospital being treated for jaundice. The treatment involved her being kept under special lights for most of the day in order to improve her condition. The more we kept her under the lights, the faster we could get her home. This didn't give my daughter and I much time to bond and consequently she had latch-on problems. Fortunately I had purchased the Medela pump and was able to avoid having to feed her formula while in the hospital.

I continued to use the pump for another week after being released from the hospital. It was very easy to use and each session only took 10-15 minutes. My daughter is now breastfeeding but I will be using the pump again when I return to work and I am very happy to know that I won't be spending hours at work pumping. My pumping breaks will end up being shorter than my coworkers' cigarette breaks.

If you are planning on breast feeding I encourage you to purchase the Medela Pump In Style Advanced before you give birth. Yes it is pricey but if you end up in a similar situation it will be invaluable. Early in my pregnancy when I told my husband I had to purchase a pump he scoffed at the price tag. But after our ordeal he said he would pay triple the price if he had to do it over again. If for some reason you don't end up needing it, then you can always leave it unopened and return it.

Baby Gear Pros: fast, non-nondescript carrying case, comes with a cooler to store milk for a few hours.

Baby Gear Cons: expensive