Graco Townsend Pack-and-PlayGrade: A
Baby girl slept in the bassinet feature of the pack-and-play (PNP) for the first three months of her life, right next to our bed. Sure we could have gotten a true bassinet or an arms-reach co-sleeper, but the brilliant thing about the PNP is that it is a snap to set up and take down, it travels easily (kinda like having a mini, portable crib), and we have used it for a play pen as well (like when we were in our back yard pulling weeds to celebrate the onset of spring--baby girl sat in the PNP with her toys and LOVED being outside with us). It has a removable diaper-changing station that has compartments for diapers and wipes and any other accessories you may need close at hand. It also has vibration and sound features. We used the vibration a lot when she was itty bitty to help soothe her to sleep for naps (never used it for nighttime), and we used the white noise setting of the sound feature for every nap and every night the entire 3 months (other sound features are nature noises or classical music). The nice thing about these features is that there is a timer control and an automatic shut off, so she could use the help getting to sleep but never learned to need them to stay asleep. So far the only complaint we have about this item is that the changing-station and bassinet features don't pack up into the tight, neat little bundle with the rest of it. Oh, and that the sun bonnet of the bassinet is not removable. That's just dumb.
Grade: A-
This was really the only girly-girl gear we got. Yes it's nice to be able to reuse everything if your next kid is the opposite sex. But it was also nice to have something that is very gender-specific for baby girl. A swing is a must-have. We opted for one that sings either side-to-side or front-to-back (don't be fooled by the "third position" option . . . it's just front-to-back facing the other direction) just in case baby girl really only liked one or the other of those motions. This swing has several different sound options, including nature noises and classical music. It also has a light and motion option--the mobile at the top spins while light pink stars are projected onto the mesh netting. Cute. While we did use the swing, it wasn't one of those life-saving items that I've heard it be from so many other moms. But that's probably because baby girl was pretty good about sleeping in her PNP from the get-go. There were many-a-nap spent in this swing, though, and it always seemed to be able to do the trick when she just wasn't going down into the PNP. We also used it to set in front of the window so that baby girl could swing and watch the great outdoors (she has always loved windows!). One drawback of this product is that the speed control knob would lead you to believe there are like 8 different speed settings, but if you actually test them out, they are all pretty much the same thing. In fact, the bigger she got, the slower the swing swung (swang?), no matter how high we tried to turn the knob. And she's a dainty little thing. For a big baby, this would be compounded. The mesh netting does not attach to the actual swing itself--not a real problem, more of a personal annoyance. And we never used the little toy bar. I'm not sure if she just outgrew the swing before she got to the age where she would have enjoyed it, or if she just was never much of a swing baby so we never though to leave her in there to play, or if we just forgot about the dumb thing and missed our window. Oh well.
Grade: A+
We chose this travel system for our jogging stroller and car seat because it was the only jogging stroller travel system I'd seen. I knew we were going to get a jogging stroller. Might as well get one that works with the infant car seat so that we didn't have to get another stroller just for that, knowwhatImean? And by being designed so that the infant car seat securely snaps right in, I was able to get out and about for walks and jogs waaay sooner than I would have been able to had I had to wait for decent head and neck control. I attribute my sanity those first couple of months to the freedom this stroller gave me to get out of the house. I've used it on both streets and trails and it's great for either. I'm not a runner-runner, so I haven't put a whole lot of serious running miles into this thing, but I am training for a 10k and have had zero problems. I had read some reviews that indicated the front wheel vibrated. I honestly can't figure that complaint out. Not only have we not had any problems with that, there's a screw back there that you can tighten if the wheel gets loose enough to vibrate. You can lock the front wheel (for jogging) or leave it to freely turn (for walking). Yeah it's big and bulky and heavy, and it takes up a lot of room in the car. If those things really matter to you, you can drop three-times the price of this one on a fancy jogger that folds up like a transformer. It wasn't a priority to me, so this one offers the best value.
The car seat is nice, cushy and snug. I had read many reviews that complained about the car seat handle being difficult to get up and down, and while it does have its moments, I have really had no problems. You just have to "know" how to do it. I love love love the triangle handle on the car seat; car seats are heavy and awkward enough to have to lug around--the triangle handle allows me to get whatever grip and angle works for me at the time.
Grade: A+
Love love love this thing. Actually, baby girl love love loves this thing. It's soft. It vibrates. It has fun toys that hand down and play music. What's not to love? It is easily portable, so we could put it in the middle of our kitchen table while cooking dinner, on the bathroom floor while I showered . . . really anywhere we needed to be and where baby girl needed to just be chill for a bit. And chill she was. We put her in here and she would just mellow out. It says that it has "soothing vibrations," but, as my mom put it, they're more like "stimulating vibrations." Can you guess why? Here's another hint: we also call this her "poopy chair." Yup. For about the first three (maybe four?) months, this thing could elicit a good poop from baby girl within about four minutes of her being placed in it. We still use it a few times a week, but I'm pretty sure that she's just about outgrown it. Thumbs up.
Fisher-Price Laugh 'n Learn Jumparoo
Grade: A
Jumparoos are awesome. They have all the fun toys of an exersaucer and bounce up and down, too. In fact, when baby girl sits in the one at her daycare that is a true exersaucer (no bouncy), she gets pissed when she tries to bounce up and down and she can't. It plays music. It sings songs. It has a cow and a cat that hang down from the arch. It has veggies to nom on and a book to turn the pages of. It is absolutely hilarious how excited she gets bouncing up down in this thing. Kinda makes me wish I had one for myself.
Fisher-Price Rainforest Melodies play matGrade: A+
This was our lifesaver for the first three months. I would feed her and then put her on her play mat when she was full and happy and let her entertain herself for 10 minutes or so while I frantically grabbed something to eat or drink or did laundry or dishes or any number of other non-baby related tasks. It was here she learned how to play independently. It was here that we first noticed her reaching for the toys that dangled tantalizingly overhead. She loved this thing so much we even brought it with us anytime we traveled. Plays music at two volumes and has fun flashing lights overhead.
Bright Starts Dew Drop Anywhere Travel Swing
Grade: D
(note: pattern shown is Comfort and Harmony, not Dew Drop)
It's not that I think it's a piece of junk. It's just that she hated it. In theory this is a great piece of equipment--a small, fold-able swing for bringing along on trips. I don't know if she just couldn't get comfortable, didn't like the angle of recline, didn't like the speed, didn't like the music, or what, but she never, ever liked this thing. Too bad. Maybe our next one...
MobiCam Video Monitor
Grade: B
I LOVE LOVE LOVE having a video monitor. Worth every single penny. I never have to risk a squeaky door waking her up if I want to check on her in the middle of the night or a nap--I just glance in the monitor. Seriously. Love it. This particular video monitor is fine. Very middle of the road. We chose it because it came with an internet option--we thought Dad might like to be able to see it while he was away on business trips--but that particular part of it was total crap and we returned it. We just use Skype instead. But I digress. Sometimes the receiver goes crazy with the static and we have to adjust it's position or angle. If run on batteries it only lasts a single night--on FOUR AA batteries--but I'm guessing that's the same with any video monitor. We just keep it plugged in to forgo this headache. We have actually seen another baby on the "other" frequency, through all the static. That was a little creepy. The night vision and screen quality is very good.
Boppy Nursing Pillow
Grade: A++
Love this thing. Use it for every single nursing session, even now. Love it. LOVE. Buy an extra cover or two so that when one gets spit up, pee, or poop on it, you won't be totally out of commission.
Summer Infant Digital Temperature Tester
Grade: A
We plop this awesome little turtle in the bath when we are running the water, and the digital readout tells us what the water temperature is (within two degrees) and flashes orange for too cold, green for just right, and red for two hot. Added bonus: baby girl LOVES chewing on the nice rounded turtle appendages and head.
Grade: A
It has three thermometer modes: rectal, under-arm, and oral, with a handy little compartment in back for storing the pieces. It takes the temperature quickly, a God-send when you have it stuck up the you-know-what of a cranky, squirmy baby. Screen flashes red for fever, green for just-right. Love it.
Grade: A++
It IS a miracle blanket. Baby girl was able to bust out of every swaddle except this one. It kept her tight and snug and I attribute a great deal of our "she's just always been a great sleeper" to this lovely swaddle. Get extras. That way you'll always have one clean.
Bumbo
Grade: B-
For something that she's only going to use for such a limited time, this thing was kind of a rip. Yes, I was really, really glad we had it to plop her in for the ten times we used it. Yes, I liked it. It's portable. It comes with a snap-on tray (that, while useful, is a PITA when it comes to getting her in and out of the dang seat) that we could put some toys on to entertain her. It was fun to help her sit upright before she could sit upright on her own. But we couldn't really use it until 3 months or so (not enough head control before then on my big-noggin'd girl), and she was sitting fully unassisted by 5 months. So the window of use is small. And even in those two months, we didn't really use it super frequently. It's one of those things that is nice to have around, but I wouldn't buy it yourself. Get it as a gift or borrow a friend's.
Grade: A
Pacifier clips are awesome. Even if your kid, like mine, doesn't really ever take the paci. Even then. 'Cause chances are they'll still like chewing on it, or at the very least playing with it, and being able to clip it onto the carseat or stroller shoulder strap, or even baby's shirt, ensures that it is always available and impossible to throw down in the dirt. I got this adorable designer paci clip as a gift and we lost it during a trip to the park (insert crying mommy). So we are now using a very boring, very generic toy clip. But one of these days I may just decide that I deserve this cute one again. Great gift idea.
Playtex VentAire bottles
Grade: A
Every mom needs bottles. It doesn't matter if you're formula or breast feeding, your baby is going to have to be able to eat when you aren't there. We got a big variety of bottles as shower gifts because we had heard that babies can be picky and we might have to try several before finding a style she likes. Luckily the very first package we opened and tried she liked! These bottles are easy to use, easy to clean, and we have had zero problems with gas. An added bonus: they fit my medela breast pump. Thumbs up.
Grade: A+
Sophie is somewhat of a phenomenon. A Fad. The "in" thing right now. All of my mom friends were talking about her. As a rule, I tend to resist all fads. The bigger something is, the more I don't want to get sucked in. But man, my baby girl is a chewer, so I finally caved and forked over close to $20 for a toy my kid was just going to drool on. Ack. As soon as I handed her over though, that was it. I became a believer and an official member of the Sophie cult. Baby girl goes c-r-a-z-y over her Sophie. It was the first toy she really showed a preference for; her eyes would light up, she would reach her arms out, and she would get this look on her face . . . somewhere between excitement and devilish determination. To say that she chews on Sophie would be an understatement. She gums her. She gnaws on her. She chews her ears and face and legs with single-minded intensity. Sophie emits a squeak when squeezed (which I sometimes imagine is her crying out for succor). She's made of all-natural rubber, so you can feel good about your kid going to town on her. Careful when washing--if you get water inside her, her squeak will be compromised for a few days until it all drys out.
