Top 11 (in no particular order):
1.
This definitely keeps diapers from stinking up the room, and I like that I only have to take the bag out every few days. It does have a stinky "burp" ... but I'd much rather have that than a constant stink. Added bonus: it takes normal garbage bags.
2.
If I had a buck for every stranger who said this would make a great dog toy ... I could buy 10 more Sophies. Arg. Kya loves it! She will chew on it all day if I let her. Which I do since it is made of natural rubber, BPA free, and painted with food grade paint. And it squeaks! She has actually chewed off all the color on one ear.
3.
These are as simple as they sound: basic white undershirt. Benefits: they are cheap, they are soft, they are cute, and you can even buy them in most grocery stores. We had a three-pack of newborn long-sleve onesies (with caps over her hands) for kya when she was a tiny baby - perfect!
4.
Chicco Cortina Keyfit 30 Travel System (car seat, base, stroller)
It is rated the safest by Consumer Reports. That was enough for me. It is also very easy to clean, looks great, and Kya thinks it's very comfy. Definitely a winner.
5.
Ah. The days of a swaddled baby.
Kya gets hot when she sleeps and these breathe nicely to keep her cool. They are also very soft and get softer with every wash. We have a four-pack and just keep they cycled through. Now a days Kya sleeps with one every night, I use them as a nursing cover-up, they work great as a sun shade over her seat in the car. Added bonus: they roll down to a very small bundle so they are great for traveling too. They are sold at Target but I have heard they are not quite as soft as the ones sold online or directly from the company. No direct experience from me on that topic, just thought I should share.
6.
We had both, but I know many of them are combined into one product, so I grouped them here. I actually liked having them separate because I found each has its own pros and cons. All in all, I am glad we had both.
BOUNCER:
Pro: easily mobile (in the bathroom when I needed to shower, in the kitchen when I was cooking, or even in the car for a trip); she liked this from day 1; we got a very entry-level hand-me-down that cost us nothing but worked great.
Con: she out grew it already.
SWNG:
Pro: she still fits in it, she has grown to like it more every month, cool sounds/music, runs on battery and plug-in power.
Con: not as mobile as the bouncer - we just use it when we are in the living room (which is actually quite a lot).
7.
This thing helped Kya to sit upright long before she could on her own - which looked pretty funny early on. I bought the attachable tray and we currently use the seat as a highchair. It works decent as a highchair, but not great. Added bonus: super easy to clean.
8.
I'm sure that just about any tub will work fine, but this is the one we have and I think it is great. It fits in almost any sink, which makes bathing a baby much easier than kneeling over a tub.
9.
This is my go-to book for all things Kya. I really enjoy the way it is written and the tone of the book. It is broken into stages by month, which makes reading the timely section quick and easy. I highly recommend this book to all new parents!
10:
My most favorite baby product has been this one:
I can't say anything bad about this other than I with I also had the backpack attachment (to tote around diapers and stuff). Kya seems very comfy, I am comfy. Added bonus: I can feed her in it. We bought ours from Craig's List, which was a great deal compared to buying one new.
11.
Last but certainly not least: a wonderful husband a very supportive family and friends. Without each and every single on of them we wouldn't be as happy and adjusted as we are today. Thank you all!
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Bottom 4 (in no particular order):
1.
I'm probably going to get hate mail for saying I didn't care of this thing. Basically, I just couldn't get it to "work" ... which shouldn't be hard considering that it is just a pillow. I saw them at TJMaxx last week, so if you can't resist buying one, buy it there at a discount.
2.
I really wanted to like this. I also liked that the price was WAY lower than an automatic pump. Unless I wanted to give myself carpal-tunnel syndrome, I just couldn't get it to work for me.
3.
I bought this as a car seat cover (super soft and cushy!) only to find out that it is completely unsafe. Because of it's cushyness, and the design (which goes under baby, between baby and car seat) it is impossible to correctly tighten the car seat straps. I returned it, unused. The showercap style seat covers are safer!
4.
Pampers Dry Max Diapers
I started Kya on Pampers when she was a newborn but by her second month, I noticed Pampers changed their box design. With a little investigation, I discovered that Pampers changed how they make the diapers. I asked around and quickly learned that a few of the parents I know had babies with chemical burns on their bottoms that they believe was caused but the new Pampers diapers. Needless to say, Kya is now in Luvs. I'd like to say she is in cloth diapers, but I haven;t taken that leap yet.
