Was anyone else overwhelmed and a little stressed out by the millions of baby products that companies state parents simply CANNOT live without??? I know I was.  Researching everything from boppys to strollers to teethers to onesies was fun at first, but after looking at 10 different strollers, they all started to look the same.  And the sticker shock on some items…yikes!

So to justify those countless hours of research, I’m posting some reviews of products that I truly love, with the hope that it can help other parents (current or future)  help differentiate and ultimately select the ones that are right for them.

Since every family and child is unique, reading product reviews from people with similar situations as ourselves really helped. So here’s a little bit about us:

– Lifestyle: first-time parents, both working full-time
– Baby gender: boy
– Help: minimal help from parents/relatives; A. in daycare starting at 3 months
– Housing: single-story house with front & backyard; minimal storage space
– Feeding: breastfed with occasional formula supplements

So on with the reviews!

Love #1: The First Years Close & Secure Sleeper

Our friend let us borrow this for a few months and swore we’d love it.  I, in my pre-mommyhood ignorance, had no idea anything like this even existed.  But she was right  – little A. was super snug in it during naps and bedtime, and its portability made it easy to have him sleep anywhere from the living room in the day to his crib at night.  We tried co-sleeping with him but after a week of us getting zero sleep, we moved him into his room, and he was perfectly happy sleeping on his own when he was snuggled up in this co-sleeper.  We used the co-sleeper until A. was about 2 months old.

Love #2: Boppy

I had a really, really tough time getting the hang of breastfeeding (more on that painful experience in a future post).  Every mom swears by the Boppy when feeding infants and it was definitely super useful, especially in the first few months.  Having a support pillow helped reduce the strain on my back and shoulders from hunching over and contorting into awkward positions during feeding time.  Another item borrowed from a friend 🙂

Love #3: Summer Infant Color Video Monitor

Omg, this was and still is the best thing we received on our baby registry.  The LCD monitor is perched on our bedside table, and the handheld monitor goes everywhere around the house with us when A’s sleeping.  Screen resolution is excellent with lighting and the night-vision is pretty good too (just a little eerie at first).  You can turn the screen on/off and adjust noise level/screen brightness  very easily.  Battery life on the portable unit is pretty good, too.  We still love watching A sleep at night 15 months later!

Love #4: Ikea Gulliver Crib

The bedrooms in our house are quite small, and we had to keep our guest bed in the room that we converted into A’s nursery.  Given this constraint, we decided on the Ikea Gulliver crib and absolutely love it. We were a bit concerned that it might be too small, but even now at 15 months, little A. still has plenty of room to toss and turn all night. Along with the Spelevink mattress, we’re extremely happy with its design and functionality (not to mention the awesome price tag!)

These items all exceeded my expectations, and I heartily recommend them to everyone.  Let me know if you want more details and I’ll be happy to provide more information!