Hellobee

Since Juliet was my second baby, I didn’t have a shower or register this time around.  Most of Drake’s old baby things are still in good shape and usable since it’s only been three years since they were last used. But baby gear is an ever changing and evolving landscape. I noticed so many new things on my recent trips to Babies r Us that weren’t around when Drake was a baby. I thought it would be fun to make a list of items that I would have probably registered for this time around had Juliet been my first baby.

1) Innobaby Keepaa–  When Drake was younger, we would put his juice in one of his soft spout sippy cups for him. The problem was he would often walk around the house with the bottle spilling the juice and leaving sticky spots all over, so eventually we only gave him water.  I would have liked to give him juice now and then, but the clean up wasn’t worth it.  The Innobaby Keepaa is a holder for juice boxes made specifically so toddlers can’t squeeze and make juice come out everywhere — exactly what I need and the designs are really sweet too.

2) Medela Calma– One of the biggest worries I think breastfeeding moms have is nipple confusion, and whether introducing a bottle will cause problems with latching. Drake and I had not been breastfeeding well, but I was still nervous at the idea of using bottles. I worried if he took to the bottle, I would have to commit to exclusively pumping, which I wasn’t sure I could do. In the end I did make the switch, but I think one of the reasons I waited as long as I did (3 months) was out of fear of him not wanting to breastfeed anymore. Had this nipple been around, I might have felt more reassured at the idea that we could go back to breastfeeding even after using a bottle.

3) Baby Lamb Mat– Ok this is purely for the cute factor and obviously not a need, but I followed a blog who did her weekly photos of her son lying on a large bear mat similar to this one and it was so adorable!

4) Timi and Leslie Rachel Diaper Bag– I actually did buy this one for myself as I wanted a new diaper bag now that I am carrying stuff for both a baby and toddler. I had the Skip Hop Studio bag and used it for two years with Drake. It was a good bag but when I got my DSLR, I couldn’t close up my bag with the camera in it. Also I felt the bag slouched too much, making it harder to find things, especially with a tantrumming toddler.  I like the size and shape of the Timi Leslie, but it also resembles a bag I would carry whether I had children or not.  My camera fits better in it and I can still zip it up to protect everything inside. I also love the little clutch that comes with it so when we are at the park, I can leave the big bag behind and just carry my necessities, which is great when chasing a toddler around.  I also plan on using it as a camera bag even after its outgrown its use as a diaper bag.

5) Aden & Anais Crib Sheets– I’m a huge fan of Aden & Anais blankets for swaddling. I love how soft they are, the breathable material is great for swaddling, and their designs are pretty cute. When Drake was born, Aden & Anais was only making swaddlers and bath towels.  Now they have crib sheets, bibs, larger blankets called Dream blankets etc., all as wonderfully soft and adorably designed as their swaddlers. I would absolutely have registered for their crib sheets instead of the standard Carters ones I did for Drake, and I probably would have thrown a Dream Blanket on there too for when she got older.

6) White Noise Machine–  With Drake I had the Cloud B Sleep Giraffe and I loved that the white noise box could be taken out of the giraffe. I used it a lot in the car to keep him calm and happy as well as when I was at work. What I didn’t like about it was it would shut off after 45 minutes and Drake would wake up.  If I had it to do over, I would find a sound machine that was continuous and still be portable. I like that this one also has a clip so I can attach it to the car seat handle and have it with us all the time.  I would still get the Cloud B Constellation turtle though, as Drake has loved that since he was less than a year old and still uses it at 3.

7) Travel Boppy–  I am a big fan of the regular boppy and can’t imagine breastfeeding without, but its size doesn’t make it ideal for travel. I would love to have it with me when we are out, as breastfeeding in public is more difficult than when you are at home. Enter the travel Boppy — big enough to handle the job of a regular Boppy, but small enough to be folded into a small tote-able purse.  I honestly love this idea as so many times when I’m out or even visiting a friend’s home, I wish I had my Boppy with me to help support Juliet.  An added bonus is it would be somewhere I could place Juliet when I am at my friends’ homes where she is supported safely.

8) Puj and/or Blooming Bath– Drake had a standard baby tub. I bought it because it was adorable looking and didn’t really do much research on tubs.  While I liked it fine, I think I would have preferred one of these sink tubs instead. It would save me the trouble of bending down to wash baby, as well as fill such a large tub for both washing and rinsing.  I also like they are softer for baby to sit in and the Blooming Bath will keep them warmer while being bathed.  Also how cute is that Blooming Bath?

9) MamaRoo – At first glance I admit this looks like a space capsule for baby.  I actually first encountered this product at Drake’s babysitter’s home as she was also watching a baby the same time she watched Drake. Her mom would drop off the swing with her everyday as it was the only thing that would keep her happy and calm. The MamaRoo claims to be both a swing and bouncer and has 5 different modes of motion and speeds.  It also has an adapter for your MP3 so you could play white noise or children’s songs if your child preferred. And it can be plugged in rather than using batteries. Juliet isn’t a huge fan of the swing we used for Drake, a Snugabunny one, so maybe she would have preferred this one instead.

What are some of the things you’d register for as a second time mom?