Infant carseat

Lilly's infant carseat was the first purchase we made.  For some reason I thought this should be the first item we had, just in case we needed it early.  Luckily we didn't!  My husband and I made our decision through the research done on consumer report.  Our criteria for the perfect car seat were safety, ease of use, and longevity.  In the end we opted for the Chicco Keyfit 30.

Positives:

• Accommodates baby ranging from 4-30 lbs.
• Pull center 5 point latch to ensure optimal tightness on infant.
• Seat is easily removed from car.
• Energy-absorbing foam for improved side-impact protection.
• LATCH compatible (Note: the center is the safest seat for your baby, and LATCH may not be available in your center seat.  We installed the old fashion way, with a seat belt, and were confident she was safe).    

Negatives:

• Heavy even without baby.
• Sunshade does not lower enough to cover baby.
• A 30 lb baby plus the additional weight from the seat itself is simply too heavy.  I guarantee you will be another seat before you reach the weight capacity.    

Add on:

At first we only had the one base, but realized that was not going to work for our two car family.  Unless you are willing to remove the base every time you switch cars, an extra base will come in handy.  The last thing my husband wanted to do was remove the newly leveled base from his truck and put it in my car in the dead of winter.  Trust me, you will eventually break down and buy an extra base, even if you didn't initially plan on it.

Baby carrier

My favorite baby carrier is the ergo.

I purchased the ergo sport when Lilly was about 2 and a half months old. Before I made the purchase I dove in full force to learn everything I could about which carrier is best. In a nutshell I learned that carriers that distribute the weight on the baby's crotch (aka "crotch danglers") are a big no-no. Some people believe that they can dis-align a child's spine or prevent testicular problems with boys. I am not sure I would take the concerns that far, but I thought to myself would I want to be carried from my crotch for hours? Probably not.

The ergo carrier will be the only carrier you need for your baby. It is very function and can carry the baby stomach to stomach (little babies), on your hip (for bigger babies), and even on your back (for babies up to 45 lbs). I chose the ergo sport because of the sizing; my husband is able to wear it too.

On our recent trip to Montreal, Canada, we only brought the carrier and went sans stroller. It actually worked out perfectly! Lilly was easy to carry and we were able to see much of the city on food.

Mommy's must haves

Until you have children you will truly not understand how much "stuff" you rapidly accumulate for your baby.  Storage issues aside, many of the baby items you will buy will make your lives so much easier!  Here are some of my favorite items now that Lilly is 6 and a half months old.  (Note: for those without children, keep these in mind for the future- they will be live savers!!)

1. Buggy Bagg:

This is by far the best shopping cart cover on the market.  When I saw one at a yard sale I had to snag it up!  The cover is so plush and covers even the biggest carts (yes Costco carts too).  My favorite feature are the straps.  For a 6 month old baby, making sure she was tightly secured was the highest priority for me.  Many other shopping cart covers do not have straps so when I discovered the Buggy Bagg I was ecstatic.     

2. Beaba Multi Portion Freezer Tray:

Since we are trying to give Lilly only organic foods, we have decided that it is more cost efficiently and healthier to make our own baby food.  Knowing exactly what is going into her mouth gives us piece of mind.  Since organic fruit and veggies are hard to come by, we usually buy extra, steam and puree them, and then freeze the extras.  Before we bought this tray we were using Ziploc baggies and Tupperware- those did not make for easy thawing.  This product is great because the individual portions are easy to pop out (you can do one at a time unlike a normal ice cube tray) and it is BPA free.  It doesn't make the food for you, but seriously what more could you want in a freezer tray!  


3. Natursutten Pacifier:

Lilly LOVES this pacifier.  We get lots of complements (especially from nurses and older ladies) on this product.  Things we love about it: natural rubber, BPA free, does not leave marks on her face, one piece so it won't fall apart and she can't choke on it, and no cracks or areas for bacteria to hide in.  This has been Lilly's pacifier since birth and I would highly recommend it to anyone in the market for a pacifier.