Blueberry Squash: gear

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Best Baby Gear 0-3 Months

The research I did before having my baby was all well worth it, but now that I have the experience of being a parent I have some new insight into the best baby gear for the first three months. I've been meaning to post this list of favorites for awhile now so enjoy -- and let me know your favorites in the comments!

Best Crib
Fisher Price Rock & Play Sleeper

No crib needed in this house for the first 3 months! I didn't purchase a bassinet either. For the first 3 weeks my baby slept in a Snuggle Nest, and then she moved into the Rock & Play Sleeper beside the bed. I was able to scoop her up and feed her as needed during the night, and gently rock her back to sleep when she stirred all from the comfort of my own bed.

I didn't end up using it for naps as I had planned, but I got more then my moneys worth for night time use! More sleep for everyone is a good thing! As an added bonus this sleeper is angled to help babies with reflux as well.

Best Sleep Aid

Halo Swaddle Sack

In those first weeks and months almost all I thought about was sleep. You can spend a lot of money on sleep and still not get much with all the sleep aids out there, but there was one that I could not live without. Swaddling was essential in getting my baby to sleep longer, and after trying many a swaddle blanket I finally settled on the one that worked best for us. The Halo Swaddle Sack has the hook and loop closure to prevent escaping arms, along with a zipper that zips from bottom to top making night time diaper changes easier. My favorite feature about this swaddle is that you can sleep baby with arms in or arms out. Although we have not yet weaned baby from the swaddle, by the morning she sometimes sleeps better with her arms out after a long night of being bundled up. That extra hour I can get with the arms out trick is a treat when it works. I wanted organic cotton for sleep, but this design won me over so I ended up using this swaddle for the long run. I also have a soft spot for the pink cupcake design.

Best Toy
Freddie the Firefly

I didn't end up buying any toys in advance for my baby which was a good call since newborns aren't too into toys in the first few weeks. I won Freddie the Firefly in a contest, and I am so glad I did because he is still a favorite for my baby. This toy is one that you can get a lot of mileage out of.

In the first weeks my baby loved the black and white patterns on the back of his wings. As she grew she began to enjoy reaching for Freddie if he was hung from her car seat. Then she progressed to smiling at herself in the mirror, and touching the textures on his body. Now at 4.5 months he is still a favorite, but mostly for crunching and munching on his wings!

Best Stroller
Quinny Zapp Xtra

I just adore my stroller choice, and for entirely different reasons then I bought it for! I went with the Quinny Zapp Xtra for a stroller choice because it was the only stroller I could find that would fit in the trunk of my beloved Mini Cooper without having to put the seats down. A stroller that fits in your car is an important factor to consider when making a purchase, but my second criteria was I wanted a stroller that would last so I wouldn't be buying more then one for the life of my child. This stroller is lightweight, and has 5 positions to grow with baby. When my baby was born she wasn't a fan of her car seat, but she loved the flat bassinet setting on this stroller so it was a lifesaver for some early outings. When she got to about 3 months old I started to use the partially reclined setting where baby faces me which is ideal for my child since she likes to keep Mom in sight. All this in an adorable shade of brown. Storage space is limited on this stroller, but I can hang my diaper bag over the handles so that is enough space for me!

Best Baby Carrier
Boba 3G

I planned on wearing my baby from the start, but I didn't realize how tricky it would be to wear a small baby. She was born at just under 6lbs so I started in a sling, but soon realized that she and I were much more comfortable in a Boba 3G Carrier. Lucky for us this carrier features a snap up newborn setting so I was able to wear baby from the beginning with her legs in a comfy froggy position. Some days this was the only place I could get my sweet little one to nap and I wore her around the house doing my day to day tasks in the process. On the weekends it goes on my husband for hikes, or trips to the grocery store. I own 4 other carriers, and this one is by far my absolute favorite. I cannot wait for the coming months when baby is old enough to try a back carry!

* This post contains affiliate links, but I was not paid by the manufacturer to review this product - I just like it! I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC's 16 CFR, Part 255. Images courtesy of Amazon.

126905_Shop Green Baby at Diapers.com + Free 2 Day Shipping on $49+

Welcome to the Bunzi Balance Trainer Giveaway!

I have teamed up with Kate n' Kaboodle to share with you the hottest new toy to hit the U.S., the Bunzi from Chillafish!

The Bunzi gradual balance trainer bike from Chillafish is a unique 2-in-1 balance bike that can be switched between 3-wheel mode and 2-wheel mode in just a few seconds! I absolutely can't wait for my baby to be big enough to play with one of these bikes - they look like so much fun!

The Bunzi gradual balance trainer takes it step-by-step to learn balance. Smaller children can start off on 3 wheels until they get comfortable and then switch to two wheels when they are older. If your child isn't quite ready, it's easy to switch back for a while to 3 wheels to gain some more confidence. Bunzi has two seat positions, a seat position in 3-wheel mode that is low to the ground for comfort and a seat position in 2-wheel mode that is higher for making more speed. It features a cute bunny design and even a little storage container in the seat.

Bunzi is the perfect balance bike to allow your child to learn balance at their own pace and comfort level!

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Buy It

Bunzi is available at select Toys R' Us store for $49-59.

Win It

Bunzi Gradual Balance Trainer in choice of color!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

During my pregnancy I have looked at countless new baby checklists. Each list seems to have its own opinion about what exactly one needs to have on hand before the baby comes home.

I decided to use the New Baby Checklist over at Amazon as the base for my research, and as a tool to build my registry for several practical reasons. I researched everything -- even the list to base my research on!

Comprehensive list with links to products and buyers guides.
Multiple reviews on each product help me make final decisions. In my experience the reviews on Amazon have been honest, and comprehensive. I like that people take the time to write bad, and good reviews where on other sites it seems like only people with negative experiences take the time to voice an opinion.
While I am researching I keep the New Baby Checklist open in one window, and research in another window. When I make a decision for each category I add products directly to my Amazon Baby Registry. Set up your registry first so when you find a product you like you can simply use the Add to Registry button on each product page.
For items I want to think about or do more research I created a Wish List on Amazon and set it to private so only I can see it. Remember not to put products you are unsure of on your list because you never know when someone will buy you a gift!
Returns & customer service with Amazon are AMAZING. I have returned multiple items, and always got quick service. They provide free return shipping with an easy to print label. I even had one item they told me just to keep since I was such a good customer and gave me a return anyway!
If a product you love isn't on Amazon (I had very few of these) you can still add them to your registry for people to purchase so it is really an all in one website for baby! People can also buy you gifts locally, and mark them as purchased on your registry which makes things flexible.
Reasonable quantities are suggested for products like blankets, diapers, and clothing.
Advise is also given for cloth vs. disposable diapers and breastfeeding vs. formula feeding gear.

So there it is, my all in one place where I did the research that turned into my registry, and this blog. I hope you find this information helpful, and wish you a fun journey shopping for your little one.

During this pregnancy I have been trying so hard not to buy anything frivolous for my wardrobe. I wanted to keep things simple and save all that cash for the baby. As my panties grew tighter I bought a new size at a local discount store, and put off the though of maternity underwear. It seemed silly to me, and many people said they were unnecessary. Then one day I woke up fed up with the uncomfortable fit of my undergarments and decided to spend the cash and give maternity panties a try.

I went with the Motherhood Maternity brand because I already knew that their clothing fit me well, and was true to size. The store associate suggested I buy one size up from my pre-maternity size which sounded like a plan so I picked up a 3 pack of hipster style panties and was off.

These panties aren't anything extra sexy, but the cut isn't frumpy either. They are a soft stretchy cotton that fits my pregnancy curves just right! I was blown away by the new level of comfort in my pants, and now instead of thinking maternity panties are silly, I think I was silly for not trying them sooner! I have since grabbed another pack online and actually enjoy putting on my new little panties each day.

Cloth diapering is good for baby, environment, and your wallet. Depending on the size of your baby you may need to purchase newborn size diapers first before moving on to the popular all-in-one styles that grow with your baby. Here are some of my favorite cloth diapering supplies & kits specific to newborns. I am personally starting with the gDiapers newborn bundle & then moving to Bumgenius 4.0, but there are many options out there for you to choose from! If you already cloth diaper what do you use?

Top 10 Supplies for Cloth Diapering a Newborn

I heard a lot about Diapers.com, but didn't check it out until I got a coupon code in the mail. They have a wide variety of products, and carry the Bumgenius cloth diapers that I am collecting for the arrival of my baby so I decided to give the site a look.

Well ... I REALLY decided to take a look when I saw they were offering 20% cash back on your first order with the purchase of diapers. I was still collecting my cloth diaper stash at the time, and being that it is an item that rarely goes on sale 20% I decided to place an order. I grabbed up about $100 worth of Bumgenius, and was quite pleased with the color selection and ease of ordering. I spent enough to get free shipping which is common on many websites, however the difference on Diapers.com was that I got FAST free shipping. My diapers arrived the very next day which was quicker than they promised, but something I would never complain about. Another sometimes overlooked bonus was that the box was thick and well packaged so when it arrived my diapers were in perfect condition.

Since my first order I have to admit that I have been back. Use the $20 Cash back on your first order with the purchase of diapers on your first purchase, and then there is another way to grab some sweet discounts. Go to Diapers.com, and scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page. You will see a blue section called Services & Support. Under that section click on Coupons to see the latest deals that are being offered on the website. I used one of these codes to do some last minute baby shower shopping for a friend, and got a great deal.

Besides diapers, wipes and the day to day essentials Diapers.com also offers baby gear, and green products among other items. The selection is fantastic, the prices are great, you can get free 2 day shipping with a $49 purchase -- Diapers.com is defnitally one of my go-to baby shopping websites!

The Go-Pod is a portable alternative to those big, bulky plastic exersaucers that are popular among parents. It is designed for simplicity and customization with places for snacks and toys, and at just under 8lbs it is easy to take with you on your next adventure. The Go-Pod features a mat to keep baby's feet off the ground as well as an adjustable seat making this seat ideal for babies 12-26lbs. It provides a safe place for baby to sit from a picnic outdoors to the laundry room while you finish chores. The price is right at around $50, and I think I will add it to my "things baby might need" list!

The Information Blanket is my new favorite baby shower gift. The mission of this company is "to provide blankets with vital information to parents of newborns, and reduce infant mortality around the world."

This is one of those charitable companies that educates in many ways. The consumer buys the blanket as a gift, and learns about newborn care as well as the need to educate new mothers around the world, and when the gift is given the new mother learns about the cause as well as her baby shower guests. Lastly, for each blanket purchased another is given to an infant in Uganda where infant mortality is at one of the highest rates in the world.

The Information Blanket is a blanket, and information resource useful for mothers around the world. It includes a visual guideline for feeding frequency, vaccinations, doctors visits, temperature, growth, and signs of illness. These simple guidelines are a useful tool that new parents can view daily to help reduce infant mortality.

Next time you buy a gift for a baby shower why not skip the cute little outfits, and decorative burp cloths for a gift that will also give to someone less fortunate? At $40 it is an affordable way to make a difference, and you will still have some change leftover to stuff it with some more traditional baby goodies if you desire.

The Information Blanket is available here, and while you are on the website make sure to also check out the blog which includes practical articles on newborn and baby health topics.

* I was not paid by the manufacturer to review this product - I just like it! I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC's 16 CFR, Part 255. Images courtesy of The Information Blanket.

One of the first decisions I made about my new baby was to cloth diaper. Not only is cloth diapering healthier for baby, but it is also healthier for the environment, and economical too. Besides the practical aspects of cloth diapering - they are also awfully cute too!

In the world of cloth diapering accessories are plentiful. Some are cute, some are useful, and some are even both! I put together a list of my favorites to share with you, and if you have a favorite that is not listed please feel free to mention it in the comments.

Top 10 Cloth Diapering Goodies

If I could give only one tip to first time parents it would be this - buy some gear each month so you are not overwhelmed buying it all at once just before the birth of your baby.

I started my research early which lead to the birth of this blog. I decided what types of products I needed, and then looked at many brands to find which products would best suit my lifestyle. I used the Amazon Baby Registry as a tool to create a virtual shopping list for everything that I would need for baby. After some research my list was almost complete, and I added / changes items as time went on.

Starting around 12 weeks I started buying items from my list. I was still researching, but I knew I wanted to cloth diaper, and had already picked Bumgenius 4.0 as my system of choice so that is where I started. I was looking at purchasing 25 diapers at $17.95 each which is a $448.75 investment so I didn't want to have to fork that out all at once. The good thing about this diaper investment is that these diapers will take my child from 8lbs to potty training so I won't be at the store buying diapers each week, and in the long run I will be saving money as well as making a healthier choice for baby.

Eventually we started getting gifts, and moving on to larger purchases such as the car seat. I checked things off my list as I went, and before my baby shower I made sure that the registry was practical rather then cute. I ended up only getting a few things from my registry, but with gift cards and returns I was able to check off many items.

Now I am sitting at 30 weeks with not too much left to purchase for baby. I am still buying things a little at a time, but instead of feeling overwhelmed with the cost of it all I am excited that we are just about ready for baby to arrive. We have spread out our buying so much that it has barely been noticeable. We only have 21 items left on our list which are small ticket purchases with the exception of the monitor.

So in the next 10 or so weeks until baby arrives we have some light shopping to do, but can focus instead on saving some money in our general savings account for the future. Buying a little at a time has had little impact on our budget, and has made getting ready for baby simpler then I ever imagined!

* Images copyright Brooke Photo Studio.