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Maya has one great love in her life, one love that she just can’t live without…her blankie.
When I was about 6 months pregnant with Maya, not too long after finding out we were having a girl, I made a trip to our local Pottery Barn Kids to pick up the one baby item I had always known I would buy, regardless of whether I was having a boy or a girl; a beautiful, soft, warm stroller blanket. I had purchased the same blanket for the babies of several of my friends after coming across it one day while perusing Pottery Barn Kids for the perfect shower gift. The blankets were so soft and warm, with beautiful silk ribbing around the edge. It seemed like the perfect blanket to cuddle up with. I could just imagine it becoming the go to blanket for a little child for comfort. I knew that when it was my turn I would get one of those blankets for my child.
While I was pregnant I remember touching the softness of the blanket and running my fingers over the smooth silk edges trying to imagine what my daughter would look like wrapped up in its warmth. When Maya first came home we often used the blanket for tummy time, or for cuddling on the couch. Since Maya was born in the winter we needed a warm blanket to drape over her in the stroller or carseat while we were out, this blanket fit the bill perfectly.
Slowly, as she got a bit older it she started taking it to bed with her. When she became mobile it was often the first thing she would crawl towards if she could see it laying on the floor. She took her first steps while playing on the floor with her blankie. She loves to cuddle with it.
She loves to play peak-a-boo with her blankie, or just walk around with it wrapped around her.
No matter where she is or what she is doing you know her blanket isn’t far away. It is looking very loved these days. The pink color has faded a bit, it isn’t near as soft anymore and the silk ribbing has almost completely disintegrated, but she loves it just the same. Where every Maya goes so goes her blankie 
All it takes is one trip to your local discount retailer or baby store to see that baby feeding is big business. Aisles and aisles are filled with the gear and equipment necessary to feed a baby. Everything from breast pumps to breastfeeding support pillows to bottles to formula. It can be, understandably, very overwhelming for a new mom to stand in these aisles and try to figure out what she needs and what will best meet her baby feeding needs.
Depending on whether you plan on breastfeeding or bottle feeding will, of course, impact the baby feeding gear you will need. For example, if you will be exclusively breastfeeding you will not need formula and won’t need as many bottles. However, if you are exclusively bottle feeding you can skip the breast pump and will need to make sure you are adequately stocked up on bottles and formula. Here is a quick break down of what you’ll need.
If you plan on breastfeeding you will need:
- A breastfeeding support pillow
. I’ve professed my love of the Boppy pillow in the past, but any breastfeeding support pillow will do the trick.
- A breast Pump. The type you get will depend on your needs. If you will be returning to work and will be doing a lot of pumping than you’ll want an high quality electric pump. However, if you will be staying home and don’t plan on doing much pumping than a manual pump may be enough for you.
- A couple of good nursing bras
and shirts.
- A tube of lanolin to help relieve the chapping and discomfort of your nipples during early breastfeeding.
- Breast pads
. These help protect your bra and clothing from any leaking that may happen.
- A good supply of bottles
- Some cleaning supplies for the bottles, such as a bottle brush and a basket for your dishwasher to help keep all the little pieces of the bottle from getting lost.
- A handful of burp clothes.
If you plan on bottle feeding you will need:
- A supply of formula to get you started. You may find your baby doesn’t take to all formulas and you may need to change the brand you use, so I don’t recommend buying too much before you figure out which brand your baby takes to.
- A large supply of bottles
- A breastfeeding support pillow may be useful for a bottle feeding mom as well, but probably won’t be a necessity for you.
- Plenty of bottle nipples. You may want to get a couple of varieties and figure out which type your baby likes best.
- A handful of burping clothes.
- Cleaning supplies for the bottles including a bottle brush and a basket for your dishwasher to keep all the little bottle pieces together.
- A bottle sterilizer
- A couple of insulated baby bottle carry bag
- A portable bottle warmer
Be sure to talk to your friends and family members with small children to figure out what they found they needed and what they determined they could live without. As I mentioned above, you may find that your baby develops a preference for a specific bottle type, or nipple type or brand of formula, so it is best to just buy a few of these things and when you determine what your baby likes best you can stock up on that type or brand.
I breastfed my daughter and she never did take to a bottle so I didn’t end up using any of the bottle supplies I purchased. You won’t know for sure what you need for your baby feeding situation until you get into it, however, there are basic supplies that pretty much everyone needs so you can be sure to have that stuff on hand for when the baby comes home and then pick up the rest as you go and as you need it.
What baby feeding gear did you find most helpful and most necessary? Did it change depending on if you were breastfeeding or bottle feeding?
So, is it proper etiquette to have a baby shower for a second or subsequent baby? Do second babies deserve a baby shower or is this a right reserved only for the first born?
There seems to be two schools of thought on this subject. There are those who are old school and think that a baby shower’s sole purpose is to provide the expectant mother with the necessities of baby raising and argue that it is poor etiquette to have a shower for a second or subsequent baby. And, then there are those who believe a baby shower is less about gifts and more about celebrating the pregnancy and the baby about to be born. Depending on which camp you find yourself in will depend on how you feel when you receive an invite in the mail for a “second baby” baby shower.
I am a proud member of the second group. A baby shower, to me, is a chance to get together with friends and family to celebrate the impending arrival of a new baby. I actually think that shopping for gifts to bring to baby showers for second and subsequent babies are even more fun to buy because you can pretty much buy anything, you don’t have to focus on those “necessity” items. And, it seems a lot of people agree with me. A recent poll on babycenter.com asked mothers if they thought it was appropriate to have a shower for a second or subsequent baby, and three quarters of moms agreed that it was fine. Etiquette experts agree as well. Having a shower for a second or subsequent baby is perfectly acceptable.
So, what are you thoughts? Which side do you fall on in this debate?
We have several friends who are expecting their first babies in the coming months and they have been asking us (the “experienced” parents of one!) what our “can’t live without” baby products were. I give them all the same answer. I don’t even need to think about my answer . There is one product that was far and beyond the absolute best baby product I ever purchased, my Boppy Pillow. It was definitely my “can’t live without” item and is always my answer when anyone asks me to recommend a baby product to them. From the day Maya was born until I stopped breastfeeding it was never far from my side. I used it for everything.
From the day Maya was born I began my love affair with the most wonderful baby product ever created. As a breastfeeding mom I used my Boppy for it’s originally intended purpose, as a pillow to support the baby during breastfeeding. Breastfeeding was so much easier having that pillow on my lap to support the weight of my baby, especially in those early days when I was still sore from her delivery and later as she began to weigh more it was again a godsend for my tired arms.
But, I quickly discovered that the Boppy is far from being only a breastfeeding support pillow. The uses for the Boppy are many. It was great as a little place for Maya to nap in those first days when she was so tiny. She would nap almost as peacefully (and as long) in her Boppy as she would on my chest.
It was also very useful as a place for Maya to sit, before she could sit up on her own, in order to give her a different vantage point.
As Maya got older and was learning new skills, like learning how to sit up on her own, we found yet another use for it. It was perfect as the support and protection she needed in order to begin sitting up on her own.
Even our cats enjoyed the Boppy
So, to all our friends expecting babies in the coming months, as I’ve said in person, I say here again, by far my favorite baby product is my Boppy Pillow. Go buy one (if you don’t get one as a gift), you won’t regret it.
*FCC Disclaimer: This post was not sponsored by Boppy. I am not being compensated in anyway for this post and was not asked by Boppy to write this post.
All it takes it one trip to the thermometer section of your local store to see how endless the options are. There are so many different ways to take your child‘s temperature, so many different types of devices, just so many choices. When faced with all these options it can be difficult to make a decision on what thermometer is the right thermometer for you. As I’ve learned with my own daughter you often have to try a few different types before you find one that best meets your family’s needs.
As you stand in the thermometer aisle and stare at all the available options how do you make a choice, how do you pick just one (or even 2) thermometer to bring home with you? It all boils down to what you are looking for, what type of thermometer you want, how you want to take your child’s temperature and how accurate you want the reading to be. To help boil down the basics I’ve listed the various available options below including what part of the body they read the temperature from, how accurate they are and a few pros and cons.
Rectal Thermometers: Rectal thermometers will give you the most accurate reading of your child’s temperature. However, rectal thermometers are not for everyone. Older children will not appreciate having their temperature taken this way and many parents are comfortable using them. They work best on smaller children, particularly babies. If you are looking for the most accurate reading and don’t mind taking your child’s temperature rectally than this is the option for you.
Oral Thermometers: Oral thermometers are probably some of the most common, this is how my mom always took our temperature as children. The accuracy of the oral thermometers is good, if used correctly (meaning your child keeps it below their tongue the whole time). The oral thermometers offer convenience, you don’t have to take their clothing off to get a reading, and they are often quick (especially the newer varieties). However, young children, especially babies and toddlers, may have trouble using them as they need to be able to keep the thermometer under their tongue. If you are looking for fairly good accuracy, convenience and your child is old enough to keep the thermometer under their tongue than this may be the right choice for you.
Armpit Thermometers: Armpit thermometers are convenient and do provide fairly accurate readings, however, it is easy to get a false reading if the room is too cold or your child doesn’t keep their arm down until the reading is complete. If you have a small child and you aren’t comfortable with the rectal thermometer than armpit thermometers are a good alternative, just remember that the accuracy isn’t going to be as good. Many doctors recommend adding 1 degree to the reading to get a better idea of what your child’s temperature is.
Ear Thermometers: Ear thermometers offer a very quick, convenient way to measure your child’s temperature, however, their accuracy isn’t the greatest. With small children it can be difficult to get the ear piece situated properly to get an accurate reading. That being said it is a great way to tell if your child is running a fever and you can always use another type of thermometer later if you need a more accurate reading. This is the type of thermometer I use with my daughter because it allows me to get a reading of her temperature quickly without upsetting her too much.
Forehead Thermometers: Forehead thermometers, like the ear thermometer mentioned above, offer a very quick, comfortable, convenient way to take your child’s temperature. Their readings, again like the ear thermometers, are not incredibly accurate. The biggest downside to the forehead thermometers is the price. They cost significantly more than the other options out there.
As you can see your options are endless. Not only are their at least 5 different types of thermometers but there will be endless options within each type. Your best bet is to decide where on the body you are most comfortable taking your child’s temperature (and which option they are old enough to use) and go from there. You will likely end up with several different types. I have 3 different thermometers at my house, an ear thermometer, one that does both oral and underarm readings and another that does just oral readings.
If you have questions about which type thermometer you should purchase try talking to your child’s pediatrician to see what they recommend, you could also talk with your pharmacist or your friends and family with children to get their opinions as well.
Happy thermometer shopping