First Month Favorites

1. Ubbi Diaper Pail: Because it has a steel can and sealing lid, I can honestly say I’ve never smelled dirty diapers in Arden’s room.  And judging by Chris’ face when he takes the bag out–there are some serious smells going on in there.  One of my favorite things about it is that it takes regular trash bags, so you don’t have to worry about buying the expensive ones that are made for the specific diaper pail.

2. Nap Nanny Chill:  I really didn’t know what all the hype was about when I bought this.  Actually, I ended up getting it on Craigslist because I didn’t think it was anything special. Boy was I wrong!  The first few nights home we tried putting Arden flat on her back to sleep and we were up every 15 minutes…then we started putting her in the Nap Nanny and I ended up having to wake her up in the middle of the night to eat.  A good problem to have!  I actually just had my sister buy one for us on Craigslist in KC for our trips home this fall!

3. Amazon Prime: Chris was pulling for this one, and after a few people recommended it to me we decided to give it a try. Not only are diapers cheaper on Amazon, but they’re delivered to your doorstep–for free. We’ve also used it for lots of household items and baby necessities that are harder to find in stores.  You just can’t beat free 2-day shipping! Plus, you have access to tons of streaming movies and TV shows.  I watched all three seasons of Parenthood in a couple weeks while feeding Arden…obsessed!!!

4. Baby Connect App: Some friends of ours recommended we try this before buying an actual timer and I’m so glad we did.  The data syncs between both of our phones, the iPad and the web app–so Chris can always check in to see how many dirty diapers Arden has had during the day (ha!)  It really is a lifesaver for paranoid first-time moms like me because you can look at the daily summary to see stats like how long or how many times she’s eaten that day, how many wet vs. dirty diapers she’s had, etc.  You can also slice and dice the data every which way–or even export it into an excel spreadsheet if you wanted to take it to along to a doctors appointment. Not that I’ve done that or anything 😉

5. Boon Grass Countertop Drying Rack: This has not left our countertop since we came home from the hospital!  I can barely find time to wash bottles, let alone dry them–so this drying rack has been awesome.  I would recommend the larger size especially if you’re going to be pumping–all those pieces take up a lot of space.

6. iPad: No explanation necessary. However, I should point out that if you also get Amazon Prime you can watch the streaming video on your iPad! That makes being up at 3am not so bad. I did drop my iPad the other day so I had to find someone that could Fix iPad Screen. It’s fully working again now though! 🙂

7. My Brest Friend:  Go ahead and laugh–I know I did the first time I saw it in the store!  It may have the goofiest name ever, but I still love this nursing pillow. It’s great because it buckles around your waist and supports your back, allowing you to be “hands-free” while nursing.

8. Summer Infant SwaddleMe:  I’m pretty sure this is on everyone’s “favorites list”–and for good reason.  If we’re having trouble calming Arden down or getting her to fall asleep, the first trick we pull out of the bag is the swaddle.  It calms her down and keeps her from startling herself with her own movements.  As Heather puts it–“it’s NyQuill for babies” 🙂

So there you have it–those are our first month faves!