Hellobee Boards

One more post about baby gear....Gilt Group is doing a big Baby on Board sale right now - strollers, sleep sacks, maternity clothes, pregnancy pillows. Just an FYI.

@mrsmoreau: So cute!!

Thank you guys so much for all the gear advice!! Having the insight from other moms is SO helpful!

@mrsmoreau I'm a little Jeally of that bump. I'm a week behind you and still not showing. Makes it easier that I'm trying to last 3 more weeks before I tell everyone.

Updating list with the latest

DUE DATES:
duckduckkristen 9/6
Mrsdiamonddiva 9/7
bisou7585 9/8 (I think its a boy!)
misskabers 9/8
NBLChicago 9/9 (Thought it was a girl, but not sure anymore)
mrsmoreau 9/9 - saw/heard heartbeat! (I think it's a girl)
mrsrey122 9/10
evenstar982 9/12 - saw (but didn't hear) heartbeat! (team green and no idea!)
ktgee04 9/13
joanlindsay 9/16
merr 9/17
mamamagpie 9/18 - saw/heard heartbeat! (Thinking "boy" right now)
marionberry 9/19 - saw/heard heartbeat! (I think it's a boy due to IUI, we both want a girl though)
izzy 9/19--saw/heard heartbeat! (They're saying...boy!)
char54 - 9/20 heard heartbeat!!
colee 9/20 saw/heard heartbeat (I think its a girl)
littlegbee 9/20- saw heartbeat! (If I had to guess now, girl)
mrs squirreld 9/20 - saw heartbeat! We think it's a boy!
jetsa 9/22 - Team Green
mrsclownfish 9/23 - saw hearbeat at 8w4d (everyone thinks it is a girl)
illumina 9/23 - saw heartbeat (I think it's a boy!)
mango.sprays 9/24 - Team Green
meltini 9/24 - saw/heard heartbeat!
jbean 9/25
MrsStormy 9/27- saw heartbeat!
MapleMoose 9/30
UPCOMING APPTS:
3/14 Colee (early gd test)
3/15 char5
3/15 illumina - NT & 12wk scan
3/15 Izzy-routine appt
3/17 LittleGBee - NT scan
3/19 evenstar982 - 14wk midwife apt and quad test
3/21 mrs squirreld
3/21 LittleGBee - monthly check
3/22 mango.sprays - routine appt
3/26 NBLChicago - 16 week appt
3/28 marionberry - 15 week appt (opted out of NT testing)
4/01 mamamagpie - 3D ultrasound and gender scan!
4/04 jetsa - Week 15 appt. - Doppler scan.
4/5 Bisou7585
4/9 mrsstormy
4/10- mrsdiamonddiva - 20 week apt early/ultrasoud (gender reveal)
4/22 NBLChicago - 20 week appt/ultrasound (gender reveal hopefully!)
4/28 marionberry - 19 week apt/ultrasound hopefully
4/29 evenstar982 - 20 week apt/ultrasound hopefully
4/30 jetsa - 19 week appt. Anatomy Scan!
5/3 Izzy- Anatomy scan

Another post about baby gear.

We lived in a 650 square foot, 1 bedroom apartment for 9 months after our daughter was born, so my opinions are all about space saving. That, and I was a nanny for a variety of different families, so I had the ability to test out a ton of different gear and it's durability and ease of use.

Given the walkability of our lovely neighborhood, but the general disrepair of the sidewalks, we chose to spend our money on a great stroller (UppaBaby Vista) and it's held up so well. We would have gotten a BOB revolution, but the stroller had to live in our trunk and the Uppa was smaller. We also used this as our nightly bassinet until we moved her into her mini crib, and there was a small attachment for her infant seat. We also loved that it has a rumble seat, because a double-wide stroller doesn't fit through doorways or aisles around these parts.

We ended up with a Maxi Cosi car seat because it was compact, lightweight, and still had amazing safety ratings with side impact protection. My husband is super tall and we had a very small car at the time, so the Britax infant seat wouldn't work. We also lived on the 3rd floor and by the time she reached the weight/height limit I wasn't interested in lugging her up the stairs in her infant seat anyway.

We skipped the exersaucer and just went with a simple, foldable maclaren bouncer. We didn't have the bumbo or any other sitting device. She spent most of her time on the floor, in the chair, or in the moby wrap.

This time, I'm going for the baby k'tan instead of the moby. My husband and I are vastly different heights, so I didn't go with it the first time because it's sized, but the moby is just too much fabric for me to juggle, especially when there's going to be a newborn and a 21 month old involved. The k'tan is much simpler to put on. We also have the ergo, but I like that for an older infant, as the infant insert was too bulky and hard for me to see over.

We ended up getting a video monitor once we moved into a bigger space and started sleep training. It made sleep training bearable for my heart and we love watching her. (That sounds creepy, but we call it the Cora Channel)

I loved my My Breast Friend nursing pillow. I loved how it snapped and could stay on if I needed to get up while she was nursing. It also helped support her during those late night feedings if I accidentally nodded off. (And no, she never fell. :))

I also lived in my glider, it was a hand me down gift, so I didn't really get much say in it. But it's been lovely.

Our small space required us (and grandparents!) to keep the stuff to a minimum. We've since moved and accumulated a bit more, but nothing too crazy. We try to focus on high-quality toys that have a long "shelf life", which just means that they'll grow with our daughter as she enters new stages. I get awesome quality wood toys off craigslist, and the grandparents have been super receptive to suggestions.

Aside from an electric breast pump and all the supplies...nursing bras, nursing pads (bamboobies!), nursing cover, freezer bags, etc. I found it helpful to have one nonelectric hand pump for when I woke up engorged and needed some quick relief. It was also great for pumping when we went out on date nights. (I had an over-supply of milk and would be really uncomfortable)

I think that's it. Like other ladies have said, we just got one of a couple of bottles to see what she would prefer, we ended up with just two of the born free glass bottles and she's done well with them.

I think baby gear is about you and what fits your needs; everyone is going to have what they think is best, and there's a lot of guess work to get it figured out. You'll get there!

@Izzy: congrats on your apt! It's funny, I have this feeling that they will be able to tell us the gender on Friday, but I don't know why as I kept telling myself 13wks is too early. Maybe not then! Exciting

@LittleGBee: thanks for all the recommendations!

Our NT scan was yesterday and the sono tech said the baby looked perfect

We finally posted an announcement on facebook. I wanted to do something fun so I put together a little spoof of Game of Thrones...(if you don't have HBO you probably won't get it ....but it still conveys the message...lol)

@MrsClownfish: oh my gosh, that is awesome!!! I'm slightly obsessed with Game of Thrones (read all the books, love the show) and that is hilarious! I bet you got some really great responses!

@MrsStormy: We have names! We decided last weekend. We need a middle name for a boy but are set for a girl.

Thanks for the gear advice @mrsmoreau and @joanlindsay @LittleGBee!

Anyone else going to cloth diaper? I think I've decided on Bum Genius Freetimes

@jetsa @mango.sprays We cloth diapered for our DD and will do the same with baby two. We used Fuzzi Bunz and liked them. I'm a fan of pocket diapers in general. We started as soon as we ran out of diapers from the hospital. My daughter was a chunk though almost 9lbs.

@jetsa @mango.sprays @evenstar982 I want to cloth diaper but live in a apartment building so not sure what the protocol is for shared laundry and cloth diapers...

@jetsa: Yay for names!

I would like to cloth diaper (my friends think I'm a freak for this as does DH), but it depends on what we do for childcare, no centers allow it where I live, and I'm not sure if I could get a home daycare on board. My ideal scenario is to have a nanny, but I'm not sure if we will be able to make that work, so we are waiting to stock up or decide on CDing

@mrsmoreau: Your bump is ADORABLE!!! I can't wait until mine looks like that

@Izzy:A boy!!!!! So exciting!!! I am so convinced we are having a boy too.

@Mrs squirreld: What a beautiful little baby!! I love those legs. Isn't it crazy what they can see this early??

@marionberry: I am a total emotional mess. I cry every day at Ellen, lol.

@char54: I did that before my appointment on Monday, too. It was only our second appointment and I was even more anxious than before our first! Everything was great, though, and I'm sure yours will be, too!

@marionberry: Ohhh a doppler is so fun!!! I would love to get one. Where did you get it?

I really want to attempt cloth diapering, I just have to get my DH on board. He's really against it for some reason--even when I make all the money, environment, etc... comparisons.

I've read the most about Bum Genius which is what I'm leaning toward but for curious for those of you who have cloth diapered before... do you prefer pocket inserts or AIOs?

@Izzy: We use the BG pocket diapers and we're big fans. If it's just wet I take out the insert, hang the shell out to dry for the next change and then re-stuff it. AIO's seem super convenient, but I think it would lead to more laundry. Pocket diapers are slightly more work with the stuffing, but you don't have to wash the cover each time and they dry much faster.

PS I bought my first pregnancy/baby item yesterday: a cute maternity dress from Target. I wore it today and for the first time feel like I have a bump!

Here I am at 13 weeks I'm making a weird face because I'm concentrating on not making it blurry!