Top 11 Baby Products for 2011

I thought I would list my top 11 baby products that I have enjoyed having since Baby A was born. They are in no particular order, and of course these will differ among different families.

 1. This is a Skip Hop Duo diaper bag. Hands down the best diaper bag we have had. We were given 3 very nice diaper bags, but I love this one the most. Very roomy, classy, and light.

 2. BumGenius 4.0 One Size pocket diapers. We have tried a variety of diapers, and this one is by far the best one that have met all our needs and is reasonably priced. Even Mr. Man agrees.

3. The Boppy is a great accessory for nursing mothers. This thing has kept my back, sides, and hips from going out. It is nice and comfy for me. When Baby A was tee-tiny, it helped her be closer to me as well.

4. We use a Graco Snugride. It is not this print, but it is a polka dot one. We love our snugride!

5. This is the crib soother that we have for Baby A. It was given to us from a friend who used it for her son. They swore by it, so we went ahead and took it when they offered it to us. Baby A loves it. It has soothing sounds, the birds light up and move around, and it projects on the ceiling.

6. Soothie pacifiers were so nice to have the first month of our journey, as a mother and as a breastfeeding mom. This thing saved my boobs very much so, along with the lanolin. On the second day in the hospital, Baby A kept going from one boob to the other repeatedly. She just wanted to suck, and I had a hard time with it after 5 hours of nonstop. So we gave in to the pacifier, and I do not regret it one bit. She never attached herself to it, which was nice. We easily transitioned her at 1.5 months to the NUK (for teeth problems later on), but she only took it until she was 3 months old. From there, we had no more pacifiers. Baby A never had nipple confusion, and I thank the Soothie style for that.

7. Cradle Swing. We had the Nature one that looked just like this one. We loved it, and even more so when Baby A had a case of reflux. She outgrew the reflux fast, but when she did suffer from it for months 2-4, she slept in her swing.

8. Baby A was attached to her swaddle. If I had to choose between a pacifier and swaddling, I would choose swaddling hands down. I knew at some point she would outgrow it as she developed, so it was not a major concern of mine. She swaddled until just 3 weeks ago (to 8 months). This is the quick swaddle we used from the time she was born until she outgrew it and/or the weather got too hot for it. From then, we used the BambinoLand blankets.

9. Nipple Butter was the greatest gift to breastfeeding. I thank this jar of goodness because the first week was painful!

10. I, personally, love having a baby carrier. We switched to the Ergo whenever Baby A was 5 months and could sit and hold her head very well. Definitely a recommend.  We do not use a stroller, only this!

This goes with number 10. Another baby carrier. The one we used until 5 months, the Moby Wrap. Definitely a love and a recommend!

And 11. goes to a Drop Side Crib. Even though they have been recalled and no longer being made in the U.S. I love having it. We are short people, so it was handy to have a side that dropped. Now, if you go this route, please make sure the crib is safe and durable. If you purchase used (which you would most likely have to do), please know who you are buying from and the condition the crib is in!

Here's to a new year! A new journey of "child necessities"!

I think I am going to do a top 10 toys list for a 9 month old. It will contain toys that Baby A enjoyed from 6-9 months and still using now!