To Register or Not to Register: Part Two

First of all, no, this is not a repost of my previous post with a similar title. I spent a lot of time on that post and I was very proud of the end result. That, ultimately, is the type of blog I would love to produce. I hope that everyone who read it found it as helpful as I intended it to be and I hope this post will be no exception.

Last time, I spent a lot of time telling you what NOT to register for. I want to help moms-to-be streamline their registries but I feel there are some obvious items that get missed at times in an attempt to save money. In my opinion, the items I will go over today are ones that if you DONT get them at your baby shower that you try to find them either new or secondhand because they can save your sanity in those early days of motherhood. So without any further ado, here we go.

Rocking Chair/Ottoman Combo
Like I said, this seems like an obvious item that no logical mother would want to be without but to be honest, I didn’t register for this item. I was too afraid to because of the price. I was afraid that my friends or family would think I was asking for too much. So, I sat and I fretted for weeks about bringing my baby home to a rocker-less nursery. First of all, moms, when it comes to registering for key items, don’t worry too much about the price. I’m not telling you to register for the most top of the line items but let your loved ones know what you need. Chances are, if it’s a big ticket item, 4 or 5 friends or coworkers will chip in and get it for you. Dont be like me, give your loved ones the benefit of the doubt. As for me, my husband and I got lucky and got a wonderful rocker/ottoman combo for FREE from a woman my husband worked with. We had to do some clean-up on the fabric but when it’s FREE, you’ll do just about anything. I know one thought that came into my mind when I thought I was going to be without a rocker was “I’ll just stand up and rock her in my arms”. Okay, that’s a bad idea ladies. I don’t want to scare any first time mommies-to-be out there but you do not know the true meaning of exhaustion until you have your baby. The last thing you want to be doing is pacing the floor on less than an hour’s sleep. A rocking chair does a lot of the work for you. Rocking chairs are life savers! Do not be without one.

Lullaby CDs
So, this is an item I never thought to register for and honestly, you probably don’t NEED to because a lot of people will get a lullaby CD as filler for a gift. However, I definitely think having at least one lullaby CD in the house is a good idea before you bring your little bundle of joy home. Lullaby CDs aren’t only soothing to baby, but to you as well. If your breastfeeding, a relaxing environment is crucial to the let down process that allows your milk to flow and soothing music is helpful in setting a calming mood. Also, if you’re having baby sleep in your room with you in a bassinet, music might be some great white noise for you both. I know when I first brought Charlotte home and she slept with us, I couldn’t sleep because I would hear every grunt, squeak, and sigh. The lullaby music blocked that out for me so I could sleep a little better. And if the traditional Brahms or Mozart isn’t your cup of tea, there are options for you too. There is a line of lullaby CDs called Rockabye Baby that have lullaby renditions from bands ranging from The Beatles to Nirvana. Charlotte at age 3 still loves her Beatles lullaby CD on repeat as she falls asleep at night. Lullabies are not just for baby. They’re great for the whole family during those first stressful months of motherhood so do yourself a favor and just buy one. You’ll be thankful you did.

Baby Carrier/Sling
Before I was a mom, I saw women carrying their babies around in slings and I thought to myself “That woman is a crazy hippie! That baby is going to be SPOILED.” Then, I became a mommy and I realized how wrong I was. I was actually given a Snugli (an inexpensive baby carrier very similar to the Baby Bjorn) and I fell in love. I loved being able to keep Charlotte close to me in situations where having a stroller would be otherwise inconvenient. She would rest so well nestled next to my heart and I loved being able to kiss her little head whenever I wanted. The carrier is also very nice because it is very gender neutral (meaning that daddies can join in the baby wearing fun). One minor downside I found to the carrier was that it was only useable for about 5 to 6 months of Charlotte and Carrigan’s life before they would outgrow it. There are other options but for this particular carrier the age they recommend discontinuing use is around 6 months.
When I became pregnant with my second, Carrigan, I became concerned about what I would do with the baby if I should have to leave the room. I obviously didn’t want to leave her laying on a blanket in the middle of the floor like I did Charlotte from time to time…not with a 2-year-old Charlotte walking around anyway. Plus, I wanted something with a little more personality and something I could use well into Carrigan’s toddler years. Bring in the sling!
There are different types of slings but the style I chose was the “pouch” style. I ordered mine off Etsy from the Snuggle Bug Sling shop. I was able to personalize my sling by choosing my fabrics which was a huge selling point for me. They were also VERY affordable at $15-19 for a custom-made sling. Another great selling point for the slings is that if you’re nursing, the sling is great for positioning the baby at the breast while also providing necessary “coverage” for you. Unfortunately, I was unable to use my sling with Carrigan as a newborn because she was so big (9lbs 3 oz!) but I still use it today to hold her on my hip. Like I said before, I definitely had strong opinions AGAINST baby wearing before I was a mommy but your baby is only a baby once…carry them as often as they’ll let you.

Boppy Pillow
Oh my goodness…what would I have done without my Boppy? This item is a God send in every sense of the word. Mommies, if you’re planning on breastfeeding (and if you CAN, you SHOULD) this pillow helps position your baby perfectly at the breast and relieves a lot of uncomfortable pressure on your arms and back. For bottle feeding, this pillow works just as well. It raises your baby up and again, takes a lot of pressure off your arms, shoulders, and back. Oh, but the Boppy isn’t just for feeding. It’s great to use for “tummy time” and I find, makes it more enjoyable for your baby (who will most likely HATE tummy time at first) because it raises them just enough that they don’t have to lift their head as high but they are still getting a work out. . It is also a great item to have when your baby decides it’s time to hold the bottle on their own. You don’t want to lay your baby flat on their back because it can lead to an ear infection so the Boppy is a great way to prop your baby up to eat. Honestly, both my daughters are past the bottle stage and we STILL use the Boppy (Charlotte likes to lay on it when she’s watching movies). I know it’s easy to say “Oh, I’ll just use a regular pillow and save some money” but honestly, nothing compares to a Boppy. And if the price is what throws you, Walmart actually sells a very similar (almost exact) item for half the price. This is also an item that can always be found at secondhand shops and garage sales. Seriously, best baby shower gift ever!

These are my personal “cannot live without” items that I had with my babies. I know opinions may differ so just as I asked with the last post of this nature, if you don’t see something on the list that you think SHOULD be there, POST IT! I love the feedback. I am by no means telling you that you cannot raise a baby without these items, I am merely suggesting that these items make it a little easier.

Blessings to you all! We’ll talk again soon!