Looks like I have me a baby shower next month. Sooooo...I need to register for 'dis here baby in my womb. But there is so MUCH baby stuff. How ever do I know what is "good" and what is "meh"? So here is where YOU come in. You experienced mothers, grandmothers, babysitters, child watchers. Here are a few questions about baby products that I have thought of as of late. Feel free to answer one, feel free to answer them all.
Ready.
Set.
Go.
1. Infant car seat vs. convertible car seat: So, the cheap/practical/why waste side of me says the convertible car seat. I mean, it will work all the way through. These though do not tend to come with the handle/snap in function for a stroller (i.e. you can't remove it from the car and carry it around). Though I plan on baby-wearing mostly...I'm no fool. If that child is sleeping away in the car seat I'm not sure I want to pull him out and wake him up once we get to our destination. Ya know? So infant car seat or convertible? Which oh which? Please tell.
2. Name 2 products that you could not live with out while having an infant.
3. Boppy pillow. Do you really use it or did you just grab a couch pillow and call it good. :)
4. Baby Bassinet. Needed or not so much? We don't really plan on co-sleeping much (I am the heaviest sleeper ever...but we do have a king size bed so we'll see) So, the babe will most likely be in it's own bed more often then not. The crib will be in another room...a VERY close room (yay small house). :) So, go for the bassinet by the bed because I'm going to be totally neurotic and checking on him every 5 seconds anyways or should we stick with the crib??? They also have those little co-sleeper bed things that you actually PUT in your bed with you. Much cheaper. That's a thought...?
5. Breast pump. I am most likely planning on being home so I won't need to pump very often, but I'd like the option. Anyone have experience with manual breast pumps? The electric one's seem ridiculously expensive.
6. Bottles. Seriously? How many options could there possibly be? Sheesh. The babe will breast feed primarily, especially at first but you know...the bottle option would be nice occasionally...if he'll take it. Any faves?
7. Birthing class. Necessary? Not really? I'm a kinda "do it yourself" type of person. I'm a good researcher but I'm thinking maybe more for Jason's sake. Will it help us? Or do you just forget EVERYTHING once the circus starts? :) We're looking into a short 3 hour "power class". You may be asking what my birth plan is...um. I HAVE thought about it. Really. Ok, here's the low down. I have never experienced birth. Duh. So, how am I to definitively set out a plan based on something I've never experienced? Maybe I can't take the pain. Maybe I have a 24 hour long birth and I'm so exhausted that I can't finish the process. Maybe I need a c-section. I will say...as of now...I plan on it being non-medicated, natural, and vaginal. But, I'm aware that complications happen and so in the end it's about the safety of the baby and not about "my plan." There. There you go. :) So, sign up for a birthing class or watch a You Tube video and call it good (kidding...sorta).
8. Moby wrap. Cool? Too much hype? Will I be able to figure out the wrappy sequence? Will Jason be able to figure it out? How about the BabyBjorn or the Ergo?
9. Natural nipple butter. Any suggestions?
10. A soother. Our home is tiny. So my "plan" is to have very little extra "stuff"
that takes up space. A bed, a place to store his goods and change him, and a bath tub seems sufficient to me. I would though like to do things like...take a shower, and maybe eat occasionally. It seems like one of those bouncy, vibrating things could be useful...do they make them so they fold down? Definitely no swing unless that somehow folds down. There's no place to put one in our house. Anyways, are they useful? Should I wait to see what type of baby he is before buying one of those??? Whatchya think?
And that's it! Thanks in advance for the advice. :)
Rangpur Lime Scones
1 week ago
Ahhh... okay. Here are my humble opinions:
ReplyDelete1. We liked our infant car seat, simply b/c you do take it everywhere with you. Esp when the baby can't do neck control or sit up, etc, they LIVE in the car seat. Well, not literally, but it's super helpful when grocery shopping, etc. And we're still using Bella's for this third baby. So... it sticks around.
2. Burp rags (which you'll prob get plenty of at the shower) and I love my diaper genie. Keeps the smell away and you don't need to empty it as often. And a good diaper bag (I like my J.J. Cole one from TJ Maxx).
3. You can just use a pillow, in my opinion. Although I have one... but don't use it other than the first few weeks. (Borrow one??)
4. We borrowed a bassinet from a friend, then bought one at a garage sale. Bella was in her crib from day 1, and Summer was in our room for 4 months. Again, I would either see if you could borrow something, or just put the baby in it's crib. Especially since your apartment sounds small. Or use a pack n play.
5. Manual pumping SUCKS. But, people do it. See if you can rent one (from the hospital) or borrow one before you make a purchase.
6. n/a You'll figure this one out as you see what kind of nurser you have on your hands... or boobs. :)
7. Hmmm... I found it rather helpful to take one (we did with Bella, not Summer), just to have any questions answered. And if you're totally sold out on going the non-medicated route, I'd definitely take a class, like the Bradley-Method.
8. Moby Wraps are awesome. But, Bella only liked it up until a 4ish months. Summer used it longer but the heavier she got it hurt me. Kate finally bought an Ergo with Atticus and she said she LOVES it. So, I found one on BabySteals.com for 1/2 the price and purchased one for this baby. Sounds like a better dealio.
9. You're going to SLATHER those nips with lanolin the first weeks/months. I used it very liberally and never had cracked/bleeding nips. Natural kind? I just used the medela brand they give out at the hospital.
10. Again, with Bella, we had many friends offer to loan us their baby things that you only use for a certain time period: bouncer, swing, play mat, etc. Then we were able to see what she liked/what was worth purchasing. If you are able to borrow anything, I HIGHLY recommend it. We ended up purchasing a swing, bouncer and jumperoo (for later months) at garage sales/thrift stores b/c those were helpful. They can all get expensive, but thrift stores are usually stocked full of those items. Or Craigslist. I'd def wait to buy... but that's just me.
Hope this helps!!
I'm currently running a newborn/baby favorites series on my blog right now actually. :D So this is perfect.
ReplyDelete1. We were given (by my sister in law) our infant car seat after she was done using it for 6months with her baby girl. Personally, I love the cheap idea of the convertible, but we've actually had Eli sleep off the rest of his nap in the infant carseat more than once. We just pick him up out of the car and set him in the kitchen or his room without disturbing him. What I've learned in my 6 short weeks of being a parent is never wake the sleeping baby. Consequences will ensue.
2. LOVE my moby. Seriously. I watched youtube videos on how to wrap it before hand and I was pro by the time he arrived. But seriously, love it. I go on walks with him and it's awesome. Our kid is a bit colicky too, so having him upright helps him a lot.
Also love my BOB jogging stroller. Ridiculous expensive (our splurge) but so worth it. Try out jogging strollers at Babies r us and you'll understand why too.
3. Not only did I use our boppy pillow as lower back lumbar support while preggo, but I used it for learning how to breastfeed. Breastfeeding was hard for me and the support as my arms were getting used to constantly holding 9lbs was so important. Now I can hold my 13lb son no problem. Boppy is used for tummy time and him sitting up against it. So many uses.
4. We have a moses basket next to our bed, it's nice because when I feed him in the middle of the night laying down I can just plop him in there and he sleeps better and so do I. We also practice bed sharing. So yeah, that ones up to you, but we love it.
5.I bought a medela hand pump (free style? I think) and am SO happy I didn't spend the extra money. I still use it, but not as often as the first couple weeks when I was getting my supply up and such. Now I just use it for stocking up on milk in the freezer.
6.I just went with the medela brand, I figured if i needed to buy an electric pump it would make an easier transition having the same bottles.
7.I didn't do a birthing class at all. I read a lot, prayed A LOT (God give me the strength to have the drug-free birth I desire) and constantly told myself, "women have been doing this forever, it's what our bodies are meant to do. I can do this." Pep talks helped a lot. My husband works in the hospital and is a medic, he knew what to expect. Although, I'm sure it might be helpful for someone that doesn't know what to expect.
8. Read #2. We also bought the Ergo Sport (it has longer straps). BabyBjorn was REALLY uncomfortable for both of us (I'm 5'8 and hubby is 6'5). If you didn't want moby you could buy the ergo with infant insert, but i've heard it sucks. Up to you. I think the BOBA or Beco Gemini you don't need an insert, one of those.
9. Motherlove natural nipple butter (amazon). I used lanolin in the hospital but didn't like how sticky it was. The nipple butter seemed to heal me up faster too (Eli gave me blood blisters that popped, thanks kid.)
10. We have both a swing and bouncer. Use both equally and love them for different reasons (although we are looking to trade both in for a mamaroo since he is so colicky). Target currently has a swing/bouncer combo. It detaches and becomes the bouncer and reattaches and swings (fisherprice space saver combo and graco 2 in 1, I believe.) Personally we weren't going to buy either, but I put them on our registry and they were bought for us...sooo yeah. Glad we have them now, but like I said trading (the swing for sure) in for a mamaroo for his colic and it's smaller.
I was about to do a 6wk favorites post. Let me know if you have anymore questions. Hope I helped!
Oh and most of this stuff was either a) given to us from our registry or b)bought off of craigslist. Except for the nipple butter and hand pump (duh). We saved a lot of money that way.
DeleteOk so hopefully I'll be somewhat helpful. Obviously this is technically my first but I've been a newborn nanny for ages and helped my mom raise a dozen newborns. So I'll share what I know/what we're doing because we also have a tiny apartment :)
ReplyDelete1) I would DEFINITELY do an infant car seat. When they are brand new you can transfer them to your wrap without them waking up, but after a few months they're gonna sleep for the 15 minutes it takes to get to the store and then wake up when you try to take them out and they'll think that's a nap. Annoying! Plus they fit in those for a long time!
2) Hmm fave products? A Maya or Moby wrap and a good stroller that is light, folds easy, and maneuvers easy (especially in SF!). I LOVE (and already bought) Baby Joggers (we bought the City Select cuz its amazing and will fit 2 babies so we don't need to buy a new one in a few years) but ALL the Baby Joggers rock and are a piece of cake to fold and some are great for jogging. Bobs are good for jogging which you'll love too. Oh and a 3rd thing, a good swaddling blanket (or swaddler like the woombie). There are a lot of different options, but whatever you choose just learn to swaddle well.
3) Boppy pillow- I hear they are much more helpful when breastfeeding then a regular pillow. At least when you're figuring it out and really you want to make that whole situation as easy as possible. Once you've got it down you can just nurse wherever without it. But, the bobby is useful for other things too. Like tummy time when they don't like being completely flat yet and sitting up when they're first learning (regular pillows work for that too, but I figure if it helps with nursing and has other uses I like it.)
4) I think that's totally personal preference. I will tell you (after sharing a room with newborns for years) they are LOUD when they sleep. They snort and fart and start fussing and you think they're awake but they're not. Our baby will be in a crib in another room (tiny apartment, I'll still be able to hear every whimper!). I just feel like my husband needs to get up and go to work and dad's just don't function as well as mom's getting woken up all night! But I do have a cradle that's a family heirloom. So if I want him in my room he can. Usually they can only stay in cradles/bassinets until they're sitting/pulling themselves up so if you don't want to buy/store something extra you could try the crib in your room and move it out if you don't like?
5) Obviously this is the one thing (besides labor) I haven't done. My moms at work all like the fancy ones. Boo. They're expensive! Some hospitals rent them though.
6) They're are a million different options and unfortunately certain babies can be picky. MY favorite are dr browns, but a lot of breastfed babies I know like Avent. Or if you get a medela pump I like the medela bottles because you can pump right in to them and then pop them in the fridge (or freezer with a lid instead of nipple) and then the nipple goes on it and its a bottle. I plan to get 2 or 3 of each kind (Dr Browns, Avent, and Medela if i get a medela pump) and see if my kid cares or not. Then I'll buy more of whatever he likes.
(continued...apparently my comment was "too long"!! Haha)
ReplyDelete7) Ughh dreading birthing class. Can we just skip that?! Haha. And I'm with you on the whole "plan" thing. I feel like most people who have this nice written out plan don't get it anyway! My plan is to have the baby come out of me. If that happens, we're all good! I'd really like to avoid being induced because that generally makes labor longer and more painful. I've noticed dr's are pretty quick to induce labor lately (like 2 days after the due date!!). I'd prefer not to be, but if I go way over and they feel like there will be a problem with the amniotic fluid then I'd let them induce.
8) I LOVE the moby. Love, love, love. It can be overwhelming at first but once you get the hang of it its a piece of cake. And super comfy. I also LOVE the maya wrap when they're little. If you don't want to bother with the wrapping part of the Maya you can try the K'tan. I think I've tried every wrap out there. Maya and Moby are my faves. Same with my mom. But everyone will probably say something different. (though my mom has had like 16 babies so she's kinda a pro)
9. No input there. A lot of people love lansinoh. I've also heard of people using Bag Balm (which makes sense, that's what you put on Cow's when they're nursing calves!) which also happens to be one of my favorite diaper rash remedies.
10. Ughh I can't decide about this. All babies are different with this. Some love the bouncer, a lot don't. Some love the swing, some don't. They do make little fold up swings that are cool. I might do that. I'm definitely doing a little play mat/gym (the blankets that have toys hanging over them). I'm also looking into a rock n play. They can sleep in those too if you want them by your bed at night at first. And they fold up nicely.
Things I'm definitely NOT getting- a wipe warmer (because really?!?! Some moms act like baby is gonna die if a cold wipe touches its butt.) A baby monitor...I can't go ANYWHERE in my house that is too far away to hear even the tiniest whimper! Plus, you'll be surprised at how easy you wake up from a dead sleep when they start crying. A mobile or those toys that hang on the crib...crib is for sleeping not stimulation. A special white noise maker, fans work perfect and you don't have to buy something new. A standing highchair... we just don't have the room. We're doing a little highchair that fits on one of our kitchen chairs.
Ok, there's my essay. Hope it helps a little. If you have a question about a particular item/brand ask me because with my job I've literally used EVERY baby thing ever since every family swears by different things!
Yikes! Lots to think about I know. First off....just breathe :)
ReplyDeleteI would agree with Jenny and say BORROW AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. You wind up using the big ticket items (swing, bouncy, exersaucer, etc....) for such a short time. Unless you have lots of space (which it sounds like you don't), and you're not running a daycare, borrow away my friend!
My only other comment is on the carseat situation...get the infant carseat carrier and then a bigger one down the road. I know it's annoying. We used the portable carseat very often for naps at other people's houses, to feed the kid baby food on the go easily, and it's WAY easier to pop that sucker in your shopping cart instead of wearing the baby (that would get old pretty quick everytime you bend down to get something off the shelf..but that's just me).
Get an infant seat that moves to stroller. So nice. Plus if you have a second kid you will need a second carseat anyway.
ReplyDeleteErgo and the newborn insert. Most carriers are only safe for babies 8 lbs and up.
Couch pillows work, but a boppy is concenient. You may even use it for your hiny post birth. Ouch.
Yes on bassinet. Waking up in a fog and only having to reach one foot away to grab babe? So nice. Plus if they make an odd noise you don't have to run to the other room to check their breathing.. you can also rock it practically in your sleep if they fuss.
Manual pumps are the devil.
Doc browns low flow no air bubbles bp free bottles.
@least watch a birthing video. They give lots of suggestions and dispel some myths. It is very informative.
I would make a general plan. I said I didn't want an epiduraln but I wasn't oppossed if it became necessary. So, after 12 hours of labor and very little. Dilation and a lot of oxygen, I got the epi. I also put stuff on the plan like daddy wants to cut cord and please put the baby on me all goopy right away and I want to try to nurse immediately.
The moby is cool. I used it a ton when she was little cause she could lay sideways and sleep for hours and she could also nurse in there. There are other mobyish brands that are more lightweight. The moby holds the heat in.
I HIGHLy recommend a bouncy chair. Kid couldnKt cry in it. I put her in it in the bathroom while I showered and it works great outdoors because you can drape a swaddle blanket over the top of the toy bar for shade.
As far as nipple cream goes, I had more relief from squirting my own milk onto myself. Ha. Tmi?
Oh and definitely get a hooter hider for nursing in public!
Anna! Ok, no baby experience here, but definitely in the "shopping for baby" stage that you are in. I've also been gathering a lot of information so I'll share some with you.
ReplyDelete1) Convertible car seat. YES, for all the reasons posted here. I'm hoping to get the one that snaps into a stroller but later you can remove that and the stroller can be for bigger kids. Plus like people say, when you get your second kid, the big kid can be in the big carseat and you can re-use this one.
2) Boppy. My friend-with-a-newborn (actually referred by Cara Pearl) got a pillow called "My Breast Friend" (really) that is WAY better for actual breast feeding, but I could see how it wouldn't be as good for the other boppy uses mentioned here, like tummy time.
3) Bassinet. I've been debating this too (and also the cost of getting a crib right away.) We travel a lot so a Pack-and-play is a must for us, and I realized when shopping that a lot of these have basinett attachments - score! 2 for 1.
Overall the choices are quite overwhelming though, especially if you get bogged down by reading every review on amazon. what is with the baby sites that tell you how to choose something "safe" with a bunch of checklists...but no actual product reviews? Just tell me which one to buy! Also, I'm hoping to get whatever we can at Costco because of their super generous long term return policy (baby hates it? back to costco, etc). But, I didn't love the brands they had online (according to amazon reviews...) so...yeah. Also, I read some other site about all the possibilities of suffocation which pretty much freaked me out from having a baby in my general surrounding...they are so helpless! For this reason I would suggest against co-sleeping, even your pillow blocking their mouth they wouldn't be able to push away...scary!!! Anyhow...thanks for posting this, I'm drinking up the answers as much as you are!
PS: can't believe I just called Cara by her maiden name! Sorry Keith!!! LOL
1. Infant seat for sure.
ReplyDelete2. Swaddle Me swaddlers and white noise machine. Also a worthy read before baby arrives: Happiest Baby on the Block. Sorry that's 3.
3. Definitely yes on the boppy if you plan to breastfeed.
4. I had the co-sleeper but it sucks to use on the bed. E would always have his face plastered on whatever side I slept on. He liked that it was cozy...I think he felt safe but I put it in a cradle. I would say just get a pack n play to use in your room. Its great for travel too.
5. YES ON THE BREAST PUMP. I was lucky enough to get a hand me down from my sis, electric...just bought new parts for what touched the boobies. It helps establish milk too. I have been breastfeeding for 10 months now and still pump twice a day (tmi?). I never used a manual one but don't skimp on this, you want a good one if you plan to breastfeed for a while.
6. I have 3 bottles. I think I've used 2. :) I have the Playtex Nursers and buy the inserts. I work from home so I nurse him mostly.
7. Go you!!! I did all natural, no epi, vaginal birth (more tmi?) I am so happy I did...I took a class but uh yeah... nope didn't remember a thing. The best decision I made was to hire a doula (birthing coach). Highly recommeded this for natural birth and she will help Jason help you in the delivery room. Glenn would have been lost without her and probably would have ordered the drugs lol. Your insurance may cover...mine didn't but worth every penny. It was soooo tough, but so doable and you get rockstar status :).
8. I have a Moby and didn't use it much. It was hot...E was born in the summer.
9. Hardly used it but I just had Medela brand.
10. Get a swing or swing/bouncy combo...something that you can move easily around the house. Great solution while you are showering and good for sleep/naptimes!
Great questions Anna! Here are my thoughts, for whatever they're worth:
ReplyDelete1. The infant seat/system is wonderful and convenient, and like others have mentioned, very durable - we'll be using the same one for our 3rd child as well.
2. Big swaddling blankets (the Aiden & Anias ones are wonderful for summer babies!) & my boppy pillow (which answers question 3!) - I drug mine everywhere because I felt like I could get them positioned so much more comfortably, plus I could be hands free and read a book :) Also, it was awesome to sit on post delivery. I sat on it in the car on the way home from the hospital - ha!
4. If you already have a chest or low dresser, you could go with a Moses basket. Or the pack n play is a great option if you're alreadry going to register/have one of those. I agree that this is a great thing to borrow or buy second hand if you can - you may not use it for long, but it's really nice to have the baby right there when you're nursing multiple times a night.
5. I didn't want to spend the money, but I had heard horror stories about manuals, so I went with a single electric. Since I was home and didn't pump a lot, it did the job. But I also was really bad about doing it bc it took awhile, and consequently my girls didn't take bottles very well (or not at all in Ellie's case - ugh).
7. We did the short option as well, and it really was helpful to both of us. I think if you're hoping to go the natural route it would be especially beneficial (for Jason, too).
8. LOVE my moby!! And it's really not as complicated as it looks. Although I will say Dan won't go near that thing, but loves the Baby Bjorn (we got it at a consignment store for cheap). For all the outdoors stuff you guys like to do, the Ergo may be the way to go, since you can use it on your back later on. I suppose that was not really helpful at all...sorry!
9. Couldn't live with out lanolin for the first weeks. I used the lansinoh brand.
10. This is another great item to borrow first and see what you/baby boy like. We had a very small swing with Caroline that she loved, and both girls have loved the bouncy seat. And like you mentioned, it is a lifesaver when you just need to sit them down for a bit. The bumbo is awesome when they get a little bigger.
I know it sounds like a lot of stuff, but the convenience often out-weighs the obstacle course that will soon be created in your home! Good luck!
1. If you are truly trying to save money - convertible carseat. We didn't have an infant seat for our first boy and I would just wear him, he preferred sleeping next to me and hated being in his carseat. For number two we are borrowing an infant seat but at just 5 months old he is already too heavy for me to carry in the seat so I wear him too.
ReplyDelete2. Nursing tank tops - sold even at walmart and Target, Blender/food processor - I love making my own baby food, the book Baby Wise
3. Never used a Boppy
4. I enjoyed having my babies in my room at night. There are many options for baby to sleep in. We used my husband's old bassinet for number one and a pack-n-play and the fisher price newborn rock n' play sleeper (folds up) for number two. All of those items we borrowed. Here's a space saving idea: Tiny Love 3-in-1 Rocker Napper.
5. Electric breadpump!!!! Put it on your registry. Look into renting one from the hospitals.
6. Bottles totally depend on the child - both of mine used different styles
7. We went to a birthing class with our first boy. It was helpful in the sense that it calmed my fears, got me really thinking about giving birth, and I felt like I was doing something for the baby. Not so helpful in the moment. Contractions just kind of take over! If it will give you and Jason peace of mind go for it.
8. I borrowed a Moby but never could figure it out. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my ergo!!! I would recommend any style carrier that has a head support/hood for sleeping baby and to prevent sunburnt heads.
9. A&D ointment, works for diaper rashes too! Use something for sure, those nipples get quite the workout!
10. We were blessed to receive both a bouncy and swing. We love both. Our swing isn't portable but there are some out there - Bright Starts Portable Baby Swing. We have a mom who brings hers to church so baby can sleep to the sermon!
Great questions Momma-to-be!
1. Bailey is still in her infant carseat (at almost 9 months). I would definitely choose an infant one because she fell asleep almost every time in the car and it was easy to take her out of the car and keep her sleeping in the carseat. She looked really snug and I felt like she was really secure in there too.
ReplyDelete2. Lanolin nipple cream and our video baby monitor (and see #4 below). It is so much better to check on Bailey with just a click of a button instead of trying to creep into her room to see if she's ok
3. Love it! Chris even used it when giving her bottle. So comfirtable and the perfect position.
4. We have something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Newborn-Rock-Sleeper-Yellow/dp/B002M77N22/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1363226724&sr=1-1&keywords=rocking+sleeper and it was THE BEST THING EVER!! So easy to travel with, it rocks when the baby moves, rocking her back to sleep. We've gotten it for friends as a gift and they love it too!
5. I had a double electric one, avent brand, and it was great. It is good to be able to store some milk for the off chance it is needed, or you need a break. It felt good to give Chris a chance to feed Bailey even though I was right there, a sweet moment of bonding for them.
6. We used avent bottles and Bailey didn't have any trouble switching between me and the bottles.
7. We took one and I am so thankful we did. It was helpful to learn the stages of labor and techniques and what would happen if a c section was needed (which it was for us).
8. I wasn't into it and we returned it.
9. Lansinoh brand was the only one I used (a lot)
10. I'd hold off a while. We didn't use ours for the first few months, but you can get them pretty cheap at a consignment/second hand store.
Hi Anna. I'm so glad you are doing this, you can learn so much from other moms :).
ReplyDelete1. Allison is still in her infant car seat (8 months old and I think she will be in it well past a year). She still falls asleep (she did it yesterday on our way home from MOPS, I just moved her to her room and she slept for 2.5 hours). I know it's not recommended, but if I had woken her up, she would have been crabby, so I just constantly check on her. I was given a britax and LOVE it. It's such a great brand.
2. Get a sound machine. Those things are a God send. She slept so much better, we used the heart beat. She still sleeps with it and doesn't get a great night sleep unless it's on. I also recommend a good stroller. We have the baby jogger GT and I love it. Allie loves it too. I love the adjustable handle and the space it provides. Plus all you do is press a button and pull the handle in the middle and it lies flat :).
3. We still use the bobby. We used it to hold and feed her when she was a newborn. It helped when she wanted to be held all day, so my arms never got tired. She uses it now to eat her bottle and loves playing with the tag.
4. We borrowed a bassinet from our friends. We never planned on bed sharing, mainly because I have serious sleep issues and Kevin was afraid I would do something in my sleep. She loved her bassinet, and slept in it until she was 5 months old. She was in our room. When she was about a month, she had reflux problems, so she slept in the rock n play for awhile. She loved it and I could just reach over and rock her and she would go right back to sleep.
5. Again can't help you.
6. I used Dr Browns and platex. Allison couldn't get the hang of tommy tippees and ended up making a huge mess.
7. Again, no help.
8. We have a baby bjorn and we both love it. I can see why people complain, but I happened to be lucky to get their new one that puts her legs in the proper position. It only bothers me after I've been wearing her for about 7 hours. I wore her at Disney last night for about 6 hours and was fine when I put her in the car.
9. Can't help
10. We had a bouncer and never used it, I gave it away within the first month. Our pack n play had a vibrating bassinet that she loved and slept in for the first 4 months in the living room. I also had a swing, she used that for about 5 months. It wasn't very often though, usually when I wanted to get something done. Try to find them used or borrow. It's so helpful if you borrow :).