Baby items you can't live without!!!!

[riogirl71]

Which baby products you cannot live without?
I thought I would start a thread for moms to help other moms find good stuff, clever baby things, etc...

Mine are:

The bumbo seat - great to leave my curious 6 mo old that can't yet sit on his own but doesn't want to lay down!
baby books - he loves them! Especially black and white high contrast ones!
aquarium mobile - I have it over his diaper changer and it keeps him distracted so I can change his diapers without a fight!
rainforest jumperoo - he loves that thing and it keeps him happy!
plastic interlocking rings - he loves playing with then and I hang them from his car seat, he can entertain himself for hours
sleep and plays - it is chilly where we live and not having to to chase socks around is great, you can get 3 for $10 at target or babiesrus.
water pals swim diapers - cheap and reusable swim diapers, really hold the poop in and they look cute! Clean easy looks like a regular bathing suit.

[CT_Michele]

Good thread Rio!

Well, I don't know if I couldn't live without the following items, but life certainly would be tougher without them, and these items were worth every penny!

Fisher price ocean wonders aquarium- When Ella started sleeping in her crib, she loved her mobile, but it was a wind up and only went for about 3 minutes, so I knew I needed something that went for longer. This aqaurium runs for 18 minutes and she is mesmerized by it, falls right asleep every night.

Angel care monitors with motion pad- I am so glad I spent the extra money for this. I have to keep her door shut because of my pets, so I was so worried about SIDS and whether or not she was breathing. This monitor has a sensor pad that goes under the matress and detects breathing, if no movement is detected for 20 seconds an alarm goes off. I have had a couple false alarms if she ends up way at one end of the crib, but totally worth the piece of mind every other night.

baby einstein musical motion activity jumper- Ella loves this thing. It is the only thing I have that will occupy her for longer than 10 minutes at a time.

Graco pack n play with high changing station- Although she does not use the pack n play much yet, I am so glad I got one with a changing station, so I do not have to run upstairs everytime she needs a diaper change, makes life very convenient.

space saver high chair- Our house is very tiny and way over cluttered with baby stuff, so any way we can save space is perfect. This high chair attaches to one of the kitchen chairs so it doesn't take up much more space. But what I like most about it is that it reclines for various feeding positions. Around 5 months when ella was starting solids, she was still not very good at sitting up, so she would have had trouble in a regular high chair, this reclines back for infants, we still keep it a little bit reclined, I find it easier to feed her that way.

I know there are more, but those are the big ones.

[CT_Michele]

Rio- Ella also loves books and interlocking plastic rings. Besides for regular childrens books, someone gave ella an interactive book for christmas, it is called the vtech rhyme and discover book. I am not sur ethey still make it, but she loves it. It sings nursery rhymes and lights up and makes different noises when she touches things. Also, for bright colors and good contrasting books, try Todd Parrs books. I got Ella "The Daddy Book" for christmas, and she loves the pictures, I plan on getting her all of his books.

And sleep n plays do rule, I hate chasing socks!

[Mandy J]

My favourite thing for Ellie was a swing, she is still using it now at nearly 12 months, and keeps her quite content while I am cooking or working in the kitchen

A changing box for all nappies, nail scissors, comb, thermometor etc etc
Again the bumbo was also great
Mandy
x

[2ndtimer]

Good topic!
We got much use out of the boppy pillow for several months.
Now it's the: Exersaucer -he will jump in that thing all day if I let him
Little Einstein Activity mat -keeps him happy & occupied while we watch TV in the evenings
Soft blocks & stacking rings
Pack & play
Pajama's with feet -Connor loves to take off his socks. I send him to daycare most days in pajama's because they are easy and I don't get lost socks.

I've had very, very good luck with buying things off of Craig's List. I got the exersaucer for $5, the activity mat for $8, an very good jogging stroller for $90, a good high chair for $25. I figure I can turn around and sell most of this stuff for about the same price when he's done with it.
Take Care,
2ndtimer

[Warren Dew]

I'll second the bumbo seat, and I'll add:

- the combination stroller / car seat, where the stroller and removable seat doubled as a bassinet for the first few months

- a set of ten nesting plastic cups that's always fascinating