It's so funny how things change. I did a lot of research on baby gear
when I was pregnant with C and while I found some really awesome baby
gear, this time around we've traded in some brands for some new found
loves. Most of these changes came down to cost. When C, we were a little
more strapped for cash and I as looking for the least expensive quality
item I could get my hands on and while none of these things are cheap
or bad, I've definitely found that spending a little more yields some
fabulous results.
Receiving blankets vs. aden + anais Swaddle Blanket 
I thought people were absolutely out of their minds spending so much on a blanket. Then I got two on clearance and I totally get it. The typical cotton/flannel receiving blanket is definitely handy, but you can't really swaddle with them and they tend to fall apart after the 1,000th spit up and wash routine. The aden + anais cotton muslin blankets only get softer as time goes on and their size makes for easy swaddling. Ginny wasn't a big fan of swaddling, but regardless, this is already her lovey.
They are light enough to use during the summer as a blanket or car seat cover, you can fold it and lay it down for a diaper change or to play. It is soft enough to wipe boogies or spit up in a pinch and washes well and dries super fast. These are absolutely worth the money!
Swing vs. Mamaroo
For
Charlie, we borrowed a Fisher Price popasan style swing from friends of
ours. We didn't have the money to buy a $100+ swing, especially when we
didn't even know if he'd like it. Turns out, he LOVED it. Problem was,
it ran on batteries and its movement was on the jerky side. Once he got
heavier, it slowed down to a crawl. It did its job and helped him sleep
during his crazy colic phase, but I wish we'd known about the Mamaroo!
Yes, the
4moms MamaRoo
isn't cheap, but there are alternatives to buying new - there's always
consignment or borrowing it from a friend. I'm incredibly fortunate we
were able to borrow this awesome piece of baby gear from my friend Mary
(check out her Mommy blog at
CherryBlossomLove!)
who swore by its aforementioned awesomeness. Ginny absolutely loves
this thing. She happily naps and plays in it daily. It has an adjustable
incline, various speeds and motion settings, the movement is smooth and
quiet, and it plugs in! No batteries! You can also plug in an iPod to
play music, which is nice. Knowing what I know, I'd totally buy this
thing if need be.
Munchkin drain rack vs. Boon Grass
Even though we are breastfeeding, there are still plenty of dishes to wash between bottles and pump parts. For Charlie, we got the Munchkin drain rack and while it did hold a lot, there was no drainage in the bottom so water pooled up. We have such hard water that the iron and other minerals would get gunky and stained the whole bottom red. Yuck. Even though the top prongs were clean, it just didn't look clean overall. We needed something new.
Boon makes two different sized drying racks - grass and lawn. Already being short on counter space, we chose the "Grass" size (9.5" x 9.5") and holy moly does it hold a ton!!
On this one rack is...
Two sets of pump parts (connectors and horns)
Two bottles (bottles, nipples, rings, and covers)
Eight Medela breastmilk bottles and covers
A
Nosefrida
And a few medicine syringes
That's a lot of stuff! And it all dries quickly. If water pools in the bottom of the rack, you pull out the grass part and rinse the tray. Its fabulous.
Boppy Pillow vs. My Brest Friend Pillow
This one actually comes out to a tie - I love them both for different reasons. The Boppy is an old favorite - its soft, comfortable, and perfect for propping up my elbows while nursing in the glider. On the couch or in bed, however? Not so supportive. Its much flatter than the My Breast Friend pillow and make you hunch forward, especially with tiny babies. Extra points go to MBF for the back rest, which helps when you're nursing somewhere with little back support, and pouch for holding baby supplies.
I keep the MBF pillow in the living room to get great support while sitting on the couch and the Boppy in her nursery for the glider. Its a great combination.
Both companies make beautiful washable covers and have excellent customer service. One note about the MBF - they make cotton covers and "deluxe" minky covers. Spend the extra and get the deluxe one. Trust me! It is sooooo soft!
Cheapie baby monitor vs. AngelCare Baby Movement and Sound Monitor
When we purchased a cheap $15 baby monitor for Charlie, it wasn't for lack of caring - obviously. Our thinking was that we had a little apartment and would surely be able to hear him if he cried. No big deal, right? We hated the stupid thing. It was fuzzy, quiet, and when it ran on batteries, it would lose signal constantly. We ended up getting rid of it after a few months and leaving his door open so we could hear him; it wasn't worth all the static.
Thanks to several recommendations and a fantastic sale at Target, we chose the AngelCare movement and sound monitor for Ginny. We knew that with Charlie running around, we wouldn't be able to leave her bedroom door open for naps like we could with him. Our bedroom is also much smaller in our current apartment and we couldn't fit the pack and play next to my side of the bed like I did with Charlie, so Ginny would be in her room earlier.
We LOVE this monitor. LOVE IT. Did I say love? LOVE. Its crystal clear, easy to use, tells us the temperature in her room, and best of all - alarms if it doesn't sense movement in the crib after a few seconds. There is a motion sensor plate under the mattress that can sense even the tiniest baby breaths.
There is also a video option that we didn't opt to get, but it would have been pretty cool as well.
In addition to changing up some baby gear, I also completely redid our stash of cloth diapers, selling off our bumGenius diapers and buying up several new brands, but that's a whole other post!
