I just recently had my 2nd daughter - Lola - about 2 & a half months ago. I had my 1st daughter Ava when I was 19, so I wasn't as prepared as I was the second time. Going into parenting the second time of an infant was a lot easier because I was able to remember some of the products that Ava did like, the products that were important for daily use, and the products that weren't worth the money at all. I did have a lot of baby gear that I saved from when Ava was little, so luckily we didn't have to purchase much. As much as you don't think there is much of a difference, the products that are around now (4 years later) have progressed a lot and of course you have to purchase the latest & greatest. I have the 10 most used products that I love & have personally used with Lola/Ava & hope you find my reviews & advice useful! xo Vanessa
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| WubbaNub 0-6 Months Soothie Pacifier - starting at $11.99 on Amazon |
This pacifier has been a lifesaver! When I first saw kids with these, I thought it was so weird to have a huge animal hanging from their face lol. I didn't understand what the reason was behind it except maybe its so it would be easier to find lol. So once Lola was born, she of course was given a pacifier and little did I know how annoying it would be. All through the night, she would spit her pacifier out and throw a fit. It was even more annoying trying to find it in her bassinet & would be lodged under her back half the time. After research, I found out that the reason behind the animal hooked to it is to act as a weight for the pacifier from slipping out of their mouth all the time. So of course, I had to get one & she LOVES it. She loves holding it and its a lot easier to keep from being spit out every five seconds. Amazon has a wide variety of animals also!
When Ava was a baby, I would be cooking and didn't feel like dragging the swing out into the kitchen, so I would lay her in her car seat. It didn't work out for long once she started rolling over and trying to slip out of it. Once I saw the Bumbo seat, I knew that my next baby would for sure have it. I'm able to sit my 2 month in it since it's leaned back a little with the belt on and the support of the tray (tray is not included but can be bought at Babies R Us also). You can also buy accessories for the tray such as suctions toys. the Bumbo is also able to be used in the bath tub once they're sitting up comfortably without support. Overall, I can't wait for my little one to be in this while I'm in the kitchen.
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| Ergobaby 4 Position 360 Carrier - $159.99 at Babies R Us |
I never had a baby carrier with Ava. I was not in that mature mom state of mind since I was so young. With Lola, all I kept thinking was that I was going to need something to make life easier while chasing a toddler around. I did my research on baby carriers and noticed that a lot have risks such as pinching nerves in babies legs and can cause discomfort. The Ergobaby brand had nothing but great reviews. It's designed so that your child's legs aren't going straight down & being pinched, but instead are in the seated position (if that makes sense lol). This specific carrier can be worn on the front (baby can face you or face out), back, and hip. This carrier really comes in handy when we go on walks and really don't want to have to worry about getting the stroller out and dealing with more baggage than needed. Two features that got me sold on this carrier were the fact that you are able to still nurse your baby with it on & the fact that there is a sunshade in the front pocket to cover your baby from the sun or even cover baby's head while you're nursing. There are tons of different models by Ergobaby and also different colors/designs if you're wanting something a little more stylish.
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| Chicco Bravo Trio Travel System - $379.99 at Babies R Us |
With Ava we had no idea what brands were good, we just went off of color and if it looked cool lol. But luckily we ended up picking a Chicco brand set and ended up loving it. So of course when it came to Lola, I wanted another Chicco set. I found the Bravo when I was registering and it was my dream stroller. The car seat itself is very comfortable for the baby and not bulky like most car seats. The stroller is called a Trio stroller because it has three different modes it goes in. The first is how it looks in the picture above, so that when your baby is big enough to sit in the stroller and sit up by themselves. The second mode is with the car seat clipped onto the stroller so that its a whole set and the car seat can have total privacy with the shade cover from the stroller. The third mode is my favorite. This stroller has a removal seat. You can remove the whole seating area and shade to just clip the car seat in, for a more sleek look for your stroller. This stroller is also very convenient for storing because it folds in half and very compact.
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Kate Spade Classic Spade Stevie Diaper Bag - check store for price
(I got mine at the Kate Spade outlet store & it was A LOT cheaper) |
This diaper bag is a life saver. The fact that it is name brand is just a bonus. There is so much storage on this bag (two side pockets on outside with drawstrings & six pockets inside). A changing pad is included with the bag and is very good quality. The bottom of the bag and handles are leather & very durable. On the inside of the bag, there is a strap that is used to go over the handles of your stroller which I love because it saves space in my storage area in my stroller. If there was anything I didn't like about this bag, it would probably be that it doesn't have a shoulder strap which I would like better for comfort.
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| Fisher-Price Soother Snugapuppy Calming Vibrations - $14.99 at Target |
Lola received this for Christmas and it has been a life saver ever since! When she's fussy, I lay this on her chest and it puts her right to sleep. All you do is press the heart on it's chest and the puppy has soothing vibrations and also plays lullabies for about 5 minutes. It's super calming for the baby especially when you're in the car and obviously can't hold them to soothe. It's also super soft, so Lola loves holding onto the ears & snuggling.
Nothing was worst than carrying a heavy car seat through the rain while trying to maneuver a blanket covering your baby. So with Lola, I purchased the car seat canopy. I was so excited when I got mine in the mail lol. There are a ton of different designs on their website and you can even customize them to have your baby's named stitched on them. The outside is made of thick fabric and the inside has a soft minky fabric for your baby. One thing I love about this cover is that the straps are Velcro so you can take it off the car seat easily and can be used as a nursing cover if you wanted to. If you keep your eye open, sometimes they run a promotion where you can order it for free but just have to pay shipping! (If you search online, there are codes to get it free but just pay shipping which is about $15. Either way you're getting a good deal with just paying shipping)
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| Brica Fold n Go Travel Bassinet - $31.99 at Target |
I used to hate going to people's houses that were dirty and not wanting to lay Ava down, so instead had to hold her the whole time she napped. So when I was registering for Lola, I saw this and had to register for it. It's so convenient! it folds in half and I keep it stored in the trunk of my car in case I ever need it. It comes with a soft pad in it (kinda like the thin plastic covered ones for diaper changers) and also has a removable fitted sheet for it. I loved the fact that the sides are high so that Lola can't roll out of it and the fact that the sides are breathable.
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| Munchkin LATCH BPA Free Bottle - starting at $9.99 at Target |
Ava was never picky with bottles when she was a baby, but I had trouble finding a good one for Lola incase I decided to pump and feed her. These bottles are anti colic and Lola loves them. It's the only bottle she has used that she doesn't get frustrated with. They're made so that your baby controls the flow of milk by applying pressure to the nipple just as if they were nursing. It has an anti colic valve on the bottom to make sure air bubbles don't travel through. The bottles are also a good size to where I can store them in the diaper bag without them taking up a bunch of space.
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| Playtex Diaper Genie Essentials Diaper Pail - $20.39 at Target |
One of the worst smells is dirty diapers, we can all agree. With Lola, a Diaper Genie was a must. It's so much more convenient, especially while living in an apartment and you're nowhere near an outside trash. It makes it so that you can dispose of the diapers in the pail & you literally can't smell anything since they're in the bag insert. There are a ton of different models for these, some bigger than this basic model. The only down side to this is that you have to buy the bag inserts separately, but it's worth it to not have to have a house smell like diapers (let's be honest, we've all thought about it when guests come over hoping they don't think your house smells like sh*t, literally lol).
