(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best baby activity & entertainment products

My son has flown on 3 round trips by plane and taken one 28-hour in each direction round trip by train. He's 6 months old now.

For international travel, if you get a bulkhead seat you can request a bassinet where he can sleep. These are in limited supply, from what I hear, and you can only request it once at the airport. So, you may want to be sure to get to the gate early to request it. It also might worthwhile to check with the airline in advance to see if they, by any chance, can ensure that one will be provided for you. Different airlines may have different procedures for this kind of thing. If they don't have a bassinet, then I would think you would want to avoid a bulkhead seat for two reasons: First, you can't have your bags in front of you under the seat. They have to go overhead. Second, the seats have the tray in the armrest, so if you have more than one seat reserved, you won't be able to raise the armrest to make more room -- or to block off the space between the seats when you're nursing so you don't give the person behind you a show. If the flight is not full, see if you can get a row of empty seats. For families the best choice can be the very last row of seats, if you can have several seats to yourself. These seats don't recline, so they're not really attractive to most passengers, but it's nice if you can get enough seats to be able to let your baby lie down across them to sleep and for diaper changes without having to go in the lavatory. Plus, often the rear of the plane is noisy, and that will drown out any noises your baby makes.

Take your medical supplies in your carry on. Acetaminophen, ibuprofen (take both so you can alternate every 3 hours per Dr Sears' method if needed), gas drops, ointments, etc. You'll have to put the liquid stuff in a ziplock for security.

You'll want to limit carryons to just essentials. Take a backpack as a diaper bag. Hands free. Inside the backpack, have a smaller pouch with the basic supplies you need for a changing: changing mat, a few diapers, creams, wipes, sanitizer, etc... If this can be put on your shoulder that will help. Take this with you into the lavatory for changings.

Don't forget to have a change of clothes packed for you and the baby. For how long you'll be traveling you may want a couple of changes for the baby. I usually keep separate top and bottom packed (vs. a one-piece outfit) so that I can just change the top or just change the bottom if only one or the other gets soiled.

My Brest Friend makes an inflatable nursing pillow for traveling, if you find nursing with a MBF helpful. It can be nice to have on flights as a surface for your baby to rest on or sit on, assuming you don't have a giant, 23 lb 6-month-old like I do. :)

Another handy thing to have is a good nursing shirt. I find it uncomfortable to nurse with a cover a lot of times, so a nursing shirt lets me feed the baby discreetly without a cover. That said, I still carry the cover in case I need to remove distractions from my baby's field of view or if there's someone nearby who I can tell would be uncomfortable with me nursing without.

It can be difficult to try and time flights to be most compatible with naptimes/bedtimes -- especially when crossing time zones. But it's something to consider. Be prepared, though, for all your hard work to go out the window when there are delays. :/ This has happened to us often.

Are you traveling with someone? Be sure to try and get seats all together. If you can't when booking, arrive to the gate early, and the gate agents will work magic to help you out.

Consider buying a day pass to your airline's swanky lounge. This will enable you to chill with your baby in a quiet, less stimulating place in between flights -- and if you need any special accommodation (a bassinet, the earth moved to wrangle seats together, etc) the angels who work at the counter at the lounge can take care of that for you. They are used to ensuring that premium passengers are taken care of, and they have better strings they can pull sometimes.

Regarding nursing on the flight, I do it every takeoff and landing. Really the only folks who can see are maybe the people across the aisle from you -- and they'd have to turn and look right at you to see anything interesting. Don't worry about it. Take care of your baby. I usually do travel with a couple of ounces of pumped milk just in case I need another option to nursing. Sometimes my guy gets distracted, or if it's close to naptime he can be fidgety and not want to settle down to nurse. If your baby can take a pacifier, have that handy, too, as well as some teething toys. Anything that'll get the jaw moving. Swallowing is best, but chewing is better than nothing. I usually try to keep him nursing/sucking/chewing until my ears are no longer popping. If you have a layover somewhere, you might need to feed him a little early to ensure you get the timing right for him to be getting hungry during takeoff for your next flight. That's the type of thing to consider to time takeoff/landing nursing. (Just cross your fingers that they don't do a last minute delay!)

We got the megabucket for our kid (The Snugride 35 -- it has a 35 lb weight limit) so that we can still bucketize him when we travel. We have a snap-n-go stroller for the airport that we can gate check. But we always have bought him a seat. If he's a lap child, and there are no spare seats available for him toting a car seat may be a hassle. In our case, it works great, because our baby is used to taking naps in his bucket. If you're walking around Europe, you will probably want a stroller more robust than the snap-n-go, but the bucket still may be able to snap into it. You can gate check the stroller, so it's right there for you when you exit the plane.

We have the Snugglider, a swing apparatus that the bucket snaps into, and he naps while swinging in it a lot at home and on the road. The swing easily disassembles and reassembles, so it's great to take along traveling. So keeping him in the bucket on the plane is a natural way for him to be able to sleep.

Another gadget we take with us when traveling is an exercise ball. We inflate it upon arrival at our destination, and we use it to soothe the baby to sleep if he wakes in the night -- or to lull him to sleep for naps. We just hold him in a cradle hold while sitting on the ball bouncing up and down. It works like rocking, but it's portable.

We also take an inflatable tub to make baths easier. I bring along a hooded towel and some of his washcloths, too.

We have stayed in hotel rooms, corporate apartments and with relatives when traveling. By far the easiest option was the corporate apartment. A hotel room was the most difficult. If you can find an apartment or a vacation rental that has a washing machine and a separate bedroom you will be living large. You'll be able to hang out post-bedtime in your own space where you can turn the lights on, have a conversation, watch TV, whatever, while the baby sleeps. We pack our video monitor so that we can keep tabs on the baby. A washer will enable you to bring fewer clothes (and blankets, bibs, burp cloths, etc...). You might want to bring along your own detergent. VRBO.com and Homeaway.com have good rental listings.

We cosleep and have found that it's easy for the baby to adapt to sleeping wherever we happen to be. If you use a crib, you might like the Baby Bjorn Travel Crib Light for your trip if you need to bring something. It sets up in literally seconds. It's expensive, but it's superlightweight and easy to check. I can see why it gets such good reviews.

WRT breastfeeding in Europe, I don't have experience yet first-hand, but I have heard that it's easier to nurse in public there than in the US.

You may also find a carrier useful. An Ergo or something like it would probably do the trick. We recently took a trip where we were getting on and off small boats, and the Ergo was handy to keep the baby secure while doing this.

Another thing to consider is if your son will be eating solids by the time you are traveling and how you want to handle that. One option might be to bring along some freeze-dried babyfood. I have seen it available in Whole Foods. You mix a packet of it with water or breastmilk to reconstitute it.

Diapers can be tricky. You can fit a surprising amount in the outer zipper compartments of your luggage and in all the nooks and crannies inside. Or you can bring a bag containing diapers that will hold souvenirs on the way home. Spare diapers make excellent packaging material for anything fragile.

That's about all I can think of atm. Enjoy your adventure -- and take a ton of pictures for family and friends.

I know it's hard not to get caught up in the cuteness of this stuff - I 100% failed with my first. And I ended up wasting so much money on things that were only used for a few months. So trust me when I say - I get it. I was/am you. I am also a person on the other side looking at a $100 wooden walker that does the same (less, even) than the $15 one. An $80 bouncer my son actually hated that I could have replaced with one for $20. Etc. It's a hard pill to swallow when you're looking back on your gear but with the eyes of someone who knows how much it did/did not get used. ESPECIALLY when the whole reason you splurged in the first place was to satisfy your initial goal of not turning my entire house into a fucking playpen and yet, somehow, your house STILL ends up... well... looking like this 😂😂😂

Regardless! To answer your question. A hanging toy rack thing is nice because it encourages baby to start reaching. You can do without one though and just dangle toys yourself, use mirrors to encourage neck turning, whatever. But sometimes it's nice to just... lay there and watch baby and not.fucking.move. for a minute. In either event, any rack will do as well as any other. They say babies see contrasting colors more at this stage than anything else - so black and white geometric hanging shapes are great. But having wooden ones verses geometric ones probably won't be the difference between the next Einstein and the average Joe.

A plushy mat is nice because, well, its plushy. And floors are not. You can 100% get away with piling blankets on your floor and laying baby on those. Or using a foam mat. Having the baby gyms all together in one piece is convenient though, but it's up to you.

As far as use - for sure. Tummy time is recommended multiple times a day, and this mat is how you'll probably do that. I used mine a ton. BUT - you're looking at... 5... 6... months of use. And then baby tends to be more mobile and there's no keeping him/her on it. So between your two items, you're looking at like... $160 for 6 months when you could get the same exact thing at price points like $20, $60, or $80.

ETA - I have a teepee style still left over from my son. It ended up not being my favorite, even though it IS cute, because its bulky and really closed off from natural light. I couldn't walk around the room and see my son from all angles. And getting him in and out around the tent like sides was cumbersome. Live and learn. I'm going to reuse it for #2 because - fuck it. It worked. But if I was buying another I'd probably go with something like this one.

I have twins - they have physiotherapist consults every month because they were preemie and the dr's wanted to make sure they stay on track (currently just short of 9 months old).

They said jumpers/exersaucers were fine but to

a) limit how long the babies are in it at a time (so like 15 min session then time on the floor and time cuddled and time practicing sitting etc... then back in saucer...) and

b) to make sure that the babies are able to put their foot flat on the ground when standing in the saucer or jumper becasue that helps prevent any tightening of tendons and will help them develop balance better than the way the jumpers often say to set them up for the right height.

We got the saucers for the twins when they were 5 and a half months and they LOVE them. We have this exersaucer activity centre and this jumper centre

its nice becasue we can switch up the toys between the two, and we trade twins time so they get time in each style in between playing on the floor and playing with us and playing with each other

And the physio lady has been super happy with the kids progress - they are really good standers when holding onto stuff, they are good sitters, they are hitting their milestones and have no loss of mobility or loss of desire to tear around on the floor now that they figure out at least how to army crawl lol.

Here is a link to more photos

Our nursery is finally done at 37 weeks! This has easily become my favorite room in our house. It is also our cat’s favorite room (cat tax included in the pictures above). She thinks we redecorated it for her - she loves the soft rug, the play-mat with dangling toys for her to play with, and hiding spots under the chair and crib. I originally wanted to go light on any theme, but I fell in love with the mural. We travel a fair amount and got married at a Zoo, so the nursery is very fitting. This was our first time putting up wallpaper and we didn’t do the best job, so don’t look too closely at the seams. The large window in the room has significant rotting and mold at the bottom, and after a 4 month wait for a new custom wood window, it should be replaced in the next week (hopefully before the baby is born).

Top 5 items:

Crib - Babyletto Hudson 3-in-1 Convertible Crib, Grey

Rug - Safavieh Hudson Shag Collection, 9’ x 12’, Ivory/Grey

Mural – Safari Kids Map Mural Wallpaper

Dresser – Baby Relax Georgia Campaign Dresser – Blue

Play Mat – The Play Gym by Lovevery

We also love the handmade quilt and afghan made by our moms. For more info about our nursery.

1. We have Pack n'Plays as travel cribs but not at home so I can't comment. We have whichever my mom found at the kids consignment shop.
   
   
2. We started out in a 1 bedroom apartment with our twins and had to get the second crib at 6 months as one girl would wiggle over and bother her sleeping sister. We tried a foam crib divider but they crawled right over it. Swaddle for as long as they will let you.
   
   
3. The girls shared a bouncer for a bit when they were very small (Adorable proof! They are about a month old in that photo.) When they got too big for that bought one swing and got a second soon after. To save space consider swing frames for your car seats like this http://www.amazon.com/SnugGlider-Infant-Seat-Swing-Frame/dp/B000M4K4BY
   
   
4. Started out with the BabyTend Snap and Go Double which accepts all kinds of different seats: http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Trend-Double-Stroller-Frame/dp/B000LEI82W It was sometimes unweildy for me but my husband liked it. Graduated to a double jogger as soon as we found one on Craigslist that we liked.
   
   As for books we liked Raising Twins from Pregnancy to Preschool http://www.amazon.com/Raising-Twins-From-Pregnancy-Preschool/dp/1581103441
   
   and Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Healthy Twins which totally saved our lives living in a small space with twins.
   http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Sleep-Habits-Happy-Twins/dp/0345497791
   
   Finally buy yourself at least 4-6 swaddlers in the small size.
   http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dbaby-products&field-keywords=swaddleme
   
   You can pick cotton or fleece depending on what your weather is like in March but we found they were are absolutely essential. You may even need to buy a second round in the larger size but don't get them until it's clear the kids are outgrowing the smaller ones.
   

My son was this same age last year so I'll chime in.

• High chair if you don't have one already
  
• Portable high chair if don't have already
  
• All things feeding as others have said. I really like the Bapron bibs because by 1 year my son was ripping off the others!
  
• Stacking cups (Seriously, the $2 on Amazon are the best toy)
  
• Board books with flaps
  
• Baby proofing items/gates
  
• Clothes in the next size
  
• If you have hard floors in the area you play a lot - we got a mat like this for our living room and it's one of the best purchases for us. When baby started planking/crawling/scooting, it was a nice soft area and we are so, so happy we have it now!
  
• We got a nice Woolino sleep sack last year after I got sick of buying new Halo's every other month. It still fits great this year and I only wish we had done the buy 2 get 30% or whatever deal because when he used to wet through or like last night when he puked, having a clean one ready to go would be nice!

We live in a one bedroom house. It is about the size of a larger one bedroom apartment but it is not huge. I am terrified of our house being over run with baby crap and toys. I saw my friends living room and it looked like Rainbow Dash was murdered in there.

The first thing we did was get rid of everything we didn't need. Old cloths, repeat items, everything that was just stuff sitting around. We freed up a lot of space. It also helped us get rid of stuff by thinking about what we wouldn't want lying around with a toddler. Do I really need to keep this cool decorative marble egg thing? Nope it's round and the perfect size for a kid to choke on.

Though our house is small we have a fairly large bedroom so for us a full size crib fits. We did not bother to get a pack and play for our house. No need because the living room is literally right next to the bedroom. I think mini cribs are not very economical. Double check the size. A tall kid won't fit in them as long and some of the weight and age limits are fairly low. There are folding mini cribs though and depending on your space it might work for you. We do have a pack and play at grandmas house. We chose this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019D3SVPK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s06?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It has a changing table that can be used for a little while, but mostly we chose it because it all unzips and is washable! We have not used it yet but it is sturdy.

The crib we chose has a drawer on the bottom. It is not a big drawer but it fits ALL of our bedding and swadles. We only bought two crib sheets and two mattress pads. However, we have the luxery of a washer and dryer.

The only equipment we bought was a folding swing. We chose this one. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017XNL6AO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s09?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It folds fairly small and does not have cords. We have not actuchaly used it yet (baby due any day) but it folds up very nicely.

When we get a high chair it will be a folding one. If you have a chair the kind that sraps on might be better. We have benches so it would not work for us.

We do have a chaning table that was gifted to us but we never would have bought one. It fits at the end of our bed. Our plan was just to put a pad on our desk.

We don't have room for another dresser so we bought a ton of baby hangers and cleared a spot in our closet. Target has the hangers for super cheep! 99 cents for a 10 pack and free shipping. Not sure where you are located though.

We have a glider chair in another corner and we got two free pieces of small office furniture. Baby cloths that can`t be hung up like pants and socks go in one drawer. The small square cubby holds toys and books. When the kid is bigger all the plastic toys (mega blocks etc) are going outside on our deck in an all weather bench that opens up.

We don't have a bath tub but our shower can acomidate a wheel chair so it is fairly large. We ended up getting a baby tub that has a hook on it that hangs in the shower. They make folding or inflatable baby tubs that take up less space.

One last thing for laundry that we bought was an over the door drying rack. We are cloth diapering and wanted to be able to hang rinsed out diapers so they don't mold before being washed properly. We did not have room for one of the acordian style racks. When not in use it folds up and fits right between our washer and the wall. It does not hold a ton but it should be big enough for many small items. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015P0QTG8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s08?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Congrats man!

I have 2 girls, 3 and 5, and I am 32.

So read the book and watch the movie what to expect when you're expecting.

Seriously it helps, and the movie is pretty entertaining and funny.

Here's some things I think others aren't going to point out since I'm late to this thread.

Most women have no idea how to breastfeed. My wife and I attended two 3 week courses offered by the hospital we were delivering at. They were actually covered by insurance! One was on the actual birthing process, which, lets face it is going to happen one way or another. The other was a breast feeding course. It laid out not only techniques for breastfeeding that subverted the common knowledge (and REALLY work), but also pointed out that you are given access to a breastfeeding assistant in the hospital (I forget the technical name for her position but she would come in and work with the mom on initial breastfeeding.) Colostrum, immune system, bonding, none of these things can be found in formula. All the same there's no shame in it if breastfeeding simply doesn't work. But it is WAY cheaper than formula as well.

You'll also want to invest in a shit ton of nipple pads (nipple shields) and nursing bras and a good pump if you're going that route. Shit ton of nipple pads. They're basically maxi pads for your nips for when you spring a leak.

https://www.amazon.com/Lansinoh-Nursing-Packs-Disposable-Breast/dp/B06XPHR7DF/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=breastfeeding+nipple+pads&qid=1556119448&s=gateway&sr=8-3

I point out all the stuff about this because I knew NOTHING about what all goes into breast feeding before my first kid, and I was shocked by a lot of it.

I would definitely plan time off, at least a couple weeks after the baby is born if not more. Take as much time off as you can. You'll always have work.

There's the possibility of a c-section, which is what my wife had. If that happens, she'll be prescribed narcotics to take home. You should control how many of those she has and when she gets them, she should also get laxatives. Every single time. Because narcotics block you up, and the last thing you want is to be constipated with a c-section scar healing. And if she takes too much (which is why you should be doling them out) she's definitely going to get constipated.

Get yourself whatever coffee maker is easiest to use. I prefer a keurig because it's so damned instant. Gonna be a lot of sleepless nights right off the bat. My wife takes over after I go back to work but the time I'm off we're basically bleary eyed half dead 24/7. So also have some shit to binge, and make sure you have a COMFY bed. My wife and me and my baby all just hung out in the bedroom for a week straight watching OITNB while she recovered from her c-section.

Your wife poops. You may have to witness and/or clean up after that depending on a lot of things. My wife got constipated and couldn't twist to wipe herself because of her c-section scar after she finally got it out of her. You just gotta man up and do that if it comes down to it, and don't make a face, and maybe make a stupid joke about it.

This is the single most important thing you'll buy:

https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Sweet-Snugapuppy-Dreams-Cradle/dp/B01MQM7W6M/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=baby+swing&qid=1556119614&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Seems dumb and gimmicky but this thing has all the science man. Great way to transition a baby into the world of the real and out of the womb. It actually plays a muffled heart beat like she would hear in the womb, while mimicking womb movement. It rocks back, forth, and most importantly SWINGS. Which gives the baby the sensation of being back in the womb. This is the babie's sleepy time chair. This keeps the baby asleep when it needs to sleep instead of screaming because it doesn't feel like it's in the womb.

Learn how to do a badass swaddle. Burrito that baby up. It doesn't like free motion in its hands and legs. It likes to be in a tight little wad, because it has been for 9 months. I don't think babies are fully cooked when they come out yknow? They still want to be in.

https://www.amazon.com/Pregnancy-Maternity-Contoured-U-Shape-Bluestone/dp/B00DVKJXFE/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?keywords=Pregnancy+pillow&qid=1556119831&s=gateway&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1

Go ahead and get that RIDICULOUS pillow right away. I'd get it today. My wife....adored hers. It took the pressure off her hips at night and she could sleep like a baby on it. It's also GREAT for nursing. You will hate it. It eats the bed. But...this is about her.

It won't be long till you need the baby to have mobility so they don't freak out, and you'll want to keep them in a relatively small area. So get one of these bad boys:

https://www.amazon.com/Evenflo-Exersaucer-Door-Jumper-Owl/dp/B00O8RQYGU/ref=sr_1_38?keywords=baby+jumperoo&qid=1556119950&s=gateway&sr=8-38

Hot damn they're awesome. The kid is trapped, but they can jump around like crazy and it's fine. Probably won't need it until 6 months to a year after birth but.....trust me it's awesome.

That's all I can think of man. Good luck. Have fun. It's a crazy adventure.

I was hanging out with one of my best friends last night and we were scrolling through my registry together (she wanted to know if there was anything I really wanted from it). She got super excited about this ridiculously expensive play-gym that I really didn't think anyone would actually buy. She was like, "My husband is going to be so excited about how it turns into a tent, he's totally going to want to get you this!" I am surprisingly excited about this because I had really written off getting it at all, and I probably wouldn't have bought it myself either. Yay! :D

1. Lucie's List - it has a whole registry walk-through, reviews, and separates things by price.
   
   All car seats have to meet safety standards so you can really pick any one you'd like. More expensive seats will have a higher weight limit, nicer fabrics, and can be more comfortable.
   
   This is what I have and love:
   Chicco Keyfit 30
   
   Graco 4ever - We've moved onto this seat now.
   
   Baby Jogger City Mini (not actually a jogging stroller)
   
   Pack N Play w/bassinet
   
   Swing - I'm pretty sure we got this for $150 at BRU
   
   Edit: formatting

Welcome to the father's club. I'm one to. My daughter is 3 now, but I started way back when she wasn't even born.
What I did to play:

- Put the baby car seat on top of your desk, swing it, he/she will sleep, and you will play (while your wife sleeps). Usually you get 3 hours until next baby eating (this worked until 6 months). From my case the baby didn't sleep, so I played to make me stay awake, while my wife slept.

- From 6 months on the trick didn't do anymore, than it was time to improvise, here comes:
https://www.amazon.com/4moms-mamaRoo-Bluetooth-Enabled-high-tech-Swing/dp/B073FVCS6F/ref=sr_1_23?keywords=baby+swing&qid=1559134164&s=gateway&sr=8-23

This worked until 9

- From 9 on, she started sleeping 6 hours or more, than I started waking 5 am to play until 6:30 when she woke up

I basically do work, family, sleep and play.


The 3 months league is an awesome time if you play 1:30 per day. Of course you will never complete 36/40 challenges. But that never stopped the fun.

This happened to us at about 3 months for each of our kids, it'll get better soon but they're just crying because that's their only means of communicating. Try making eye contact and smiling at him. Talk to him and engage him, they really like that and if you can engage and communicate with them, it'll help them develop communication and cry less.

Your baby is trying to tell you something and if he's got a fresh diaper, been fed and isn't tired, a lot of times they're just bored and want attention.

If you don't have a play time mat, they're a great investment at this age something like this:

https://smile.amazon.com/Baby-Einstein-Caterpillar-Friends-Play/dp/B0051POK1E/ref=sr_1_7_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1520259806&sr=8-7&keywords=play+mat

Babies do get frustrated when they aren't getting what they want and they can sense your frustration, try to force your outward body language to be positive and just hang in there, it'll get better.

We won't find out the sex of the baby for at least another month or so, but I am already envisioning the bedroom...

Many shades of gray, with white accents and bits of color pops- "weather/sky" themed. I found this darling playmat and fell in love with it.

Now the entire nursery will be focused around it :)

(Also considered a "Neverland" theme for a while, but unlikely to go with that)

Honestly, none of the "gear" was life-altering. Diapers, wipes, and full boobs, and my daughter is good to go.

If I had to pick 1 fun item that has been most useful it would probably be her play mat. Early on she hated it but since 6 weeks or so it has been great. She loves it, it keeps her occupied, and I don't feel bad about leaving her there while I get stuff done because I can see her building motor skills and learning while she plays.

I like to keep it Simple. We live in a Two bedroom apartment, and we used this same set up for Big sister. I was given a beautiful Bassinet with my First child and I actually didn’t even use it because this little travel Crib similar to this worked better. I didn’t have to get up and down all night, I could simply sit up/reach down and get to her, once she was asleep it made it less tempting to co-sleep (just not a safe option for me and my husband)

I’ve used a diaper genie in the past, but I’ve found a paper bag with plastic bag worked just fine, just swap it out every few days.

With my first child we where in a 1 bedroom so a changing table was a luxury that we passed on and just decided to change her where ever, the couch, the floor, the bed, we managed just fine.

The swing we Choose again, in mind for small living is a version of This swing

The clothes organizer works just fine for all her small clothes

Don’t feel bad for going super simple! Once she’s to big or unsafe for the little crib, we do have big sisters crib waiting for her. 😊

Hi mama!

You may have seen my post asking for advice/experiences regarding this. My LO was born 12/17 via c-section because he was footling breech. The hospital pediatrician detected a “clunk” in his left hip , which was confirmed by the orthopedist on 12/19. The orthopedist talked about the plan that day and told us about the pavlik, but said to wait 2 weeks to set up an appointment — he said he wanted feeding to get established and the baby to get back to birthweight, I think he may have felt bad for us because it was right before Christmas :)

On 12/27 we saw the orthopedist who did a quick in office ultrasound to look at the depth of the socket and the angle, and put him in the pavlik harness. He wore it 24 hours/day for 3 weeks, had an ultrasound which showed good progress so now we do 23 hours/day x 8 weeks, and then bedtime x 4 weeks.

I was absolutely devastated when he put the harness on — I bawled in the office, I cried at home when I’d look at the baby, I quietly cried at night when I nursed him. The first time we took him out of the harness for a bath and some skin to skin I cried for like an hour. Now I’m crying just thinking back on those emotions, but it gets better mama and I don’t cry everyday of whenever I look at the baby.

People don’t understand or know what to say to you. Everyone is like “Oh, that’s not too bad” or “It’ll be over before you know it” or “He won’t even remember it.” While all those things may be true, they don’t understand how gypped you feel because this isn’t what you imagined — holding your baby, cuddling your baby, feeding your baby is different and harder and no one understands that.


Tips & Product Recommendations:
We put a plain white, short sleeve onesie under his harness to protect his skin from chafing and to help keep the harness cleaner.

We use these wipes on non bath days.

We had to size up on diapers early because the tabs were longer on size 1 and easier to thread through the harness. FWIW Luvs diapers have longer tabs but we couldn’t stand the smell so we use swaddlers.

I use the Boba carrier. It doesn’t require an infant insert (which you obviously couldn’t use anyways) — there is a little built in pillow that you use from 7-15 pounds. I pretty much exclusively wear him when we go out so that people can’t get in his face (flu season, gotta protect yourself!), but I did buy the bassinet attachment for our stroller for walks since his car seat obviously affects the harness and hip positioning.

We bought the Graco Dreamglider seat & sleeper. It goes completely flat, is wide enough to accommodate the harness, and doesn’t push on his hips or legs or anything.

RIP all your sweaters — that Velcro sticks to everything and destroys it 😂

Feel free to PM me.

We bought This mat. It’s expensive but really nice and thick and easy to clean. The tiles trap crumbs and dirt between the tiles and our kids were constantly pulling them apart and throwing them making a huge mess. They are also harder to clean. So if you can afford it and don’t mind spending the money, this mat is reversible, high quality, and awesome!

I second the senior design project idea but wanted to pass along some other ideas as well. It seems the true intent is to create an exercise tool that will allow her to exercise her legs featuring adjustable resistance. Your idea uses a variable slide angle and gravity to adjust the resistance. I assume you've already considered a spring-assisted doorway type jumper and found it unsuitable.

You might also consider using adjustable resistance (through either weights or spring-type resistance).

Some simple (and inexpensive) ideas utilizing a horizontal sliding motion:

• get a mechanic "creeper" on a hard wood floor and use bungie cables of varying resistance attached between the creeper and a wall; you may have to replace the stock casters with wheels of reduced rolling resistance.
  
  
• Inverse of the creeper where your daughter lies stationary and pushes a wheeled platform away from her, where the platform is attached to something via elastic bands like bungie cords, etc.
  
  
• repurpose an old rowing or other exercise equipment with a rolling seat (Bowflex-style, etc) and use varying weights. These typically roll on bearings so less out-of-the-box resistance than a creeper, however it will also constrain her movements linearly.
  
  
• A suspended bed against a wall, where the suspension at the ceiling is placed to ever to either be perfectly plumb or ever so slightly angled such that the ropes/cables such that it will create some fraction of force due to gravity; the force require to push away from the wall can be adjusted by adding weights to the bed. The resistance will increase the further away from the wall she pushes but by a very small amount since she's not pushing it very far.

That is my room :) I live on my own, I have autism and disabilities and live in a supported living program which means they come to my house to care for me, because my house is located above a garage the floor is very hard on my knees when I am building with lego and playing and dancing, so that is my play floor :) I found them at a clearance section of a store.

I am also a moderator of /r/lego :) and if you called those lego tiles they would get cranky!

http://www.amazon.com/Edushape-Edu-Tiles-Piece-Letters-Numbers/dp/B002FKAMLA/ref=sr_1_18_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1465017848&sr=8-18&keywords=alphabet+floor

I bought a little play gym from Fisher price, there is a piano keyboard the baby can kick. It's a freaking lifesaver. Our son has loved it since around week 6. He's always been a kicker and loves kicking the keyboard so it makes noises, plus there are dangly things you can hang above that he loves to stare/swat at!

Link

There's also tummy time if you're not already doing that!

wow, I just looked them up for shits and giggles, they've come a long way in 5 years! It's all fancy schmancy now lol. I hope it works even better for y'all!


ours was closer to this one (but with a bunny instead of a puppy) https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Little-Snugapuppy-Deluxe-Bouncer/dp/B01N3LXXJN/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=vibrating%2Bbaby%2Bchair&qid=1555526523&s=gateway&sr=8-4&th=1


the vibrations worked for my son, but your baby might prefer the swing, dunno. But I thoroughly endorse the whole line. I jump in to recommend them whenever I can. I think it was responsible for 90% of the sleep I got the first year or so. Good luck

You need to get a Lay-n-Go. It's a drawstring bag that lays flat on the floor like a mat.It holds my 18 pounds of legos perfectly. I love bringing it to party because nobody expects that and then when everyone sees it they just dive in.

And for the bigger things, you can usually find ones that fold up or are collapsible. I know there are swings and bouncers that can be folded when not in use. For bathtubs, there are ones like the Puj, that fit in the sink and can fold up when not in use, there are ones shaped like flowers that do the same, there are inflatable ones (though I don't think those are recommended for newborns), and I have a Fisher Price one that has a hook on one end so I can just hang it in the shower when it's not being used.

Some examples:

Fisher-Price 4-in-1 Sling 'n Seat Tub https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00F2MQ0EQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_eqNTCb35JC3SS

Puj Flyte - Compact Baby Bathtub - Infant, Newborn, 0-6 Months, In-Sink Baby Travel Bathtub, BPA-free, PVC-free (White) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B008PZ9VXY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7qNTCbYN2TGSE

Blooming Bath Poppy (Seafoam) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07HPFKQPT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_xsNTCb7JRGWHR

Ingenuity Swing 'n Go Portable Baby Swings, Hugs & Hoots https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B017XNL39S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_NtNTCbTQKC1HB

Fisher-Price Deluxe Take Along Swing and Seat, Pink/White https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B014D4HZWO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_YvNTCb448JVTQ

I live in an apartment, and almost everything I've bought can be folded up or is otherwise easy to store. It's totally doable.

The baby bumps sub had a great swing thread when the rock and play was recalled and it had some awesome alternatives. I’m not sure if you’re wanting to purchase something new but the Graco Dreamglider swing was recommended because it switches from inclined to flat for nap: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HOC5S9E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_spC0CbR5WG78W


We purchased it and my 5 week old loves it. He’s had it since he was about 2 weeks old or whenever the recall happened we purchased it.

Is this what you are talking about?


Graco DreamGlider Gliding Baby Swing, Percy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MTM3HAW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_awtLDbZGDJXT

If so, then no it is not considered safe for sleep. Only products labeled bassinet, crib, or playpen are considered safe for sleep. These terms in the US have strict regulations and can only be labeled as such if they meet specific safety requirements.

This is an excellent evidence based group about safe sleep: Graco DreamGlider Gliding Baby Swing, Percy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MTM3HAW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_awtLDbZGDJXT8

For larger playmats with a side length up to 36 inches, go to Amazon.com and search for Alvin Tubes. I have 8 of the 24 inch tubes and 2 of the 36 inch tubes. They come in clear and translucent colors and include a carry strap. They are fantastic. If your playmats are smaller with a short side of 14 inches or less, the Monster triangular tubes and Monster double tubes are great. I'm still looking for a solution for mats between 36 and 48 inches wide on the short side. I just received the Western Legends Playmat and it's 25x48inches. When rolled to the short side, it's a hair too long to fit in the 24 inch tube and must be rolled very tight to fit in a 36 inch tube (too tight for my preference). Once I have the playmat in a protective tube, I always store them horizontally. I worry about long term storage damaging the bottom end if stored vertically.

I put one on my registry and figured if someone buys it, great, if not, that's fine and I'll go without. Well, someone bought it and I LOVE it even though baby isn't even here to use it yet. I want one in an adult size! We got this one.

not sure of the carrier, but the base is WAYYYY too loose. it should be tight to the point where you can shake the base and the entire car is moving along with it. if youre worried about the leather of the car, get a car seat protector (i personally have a prince lionheart that has worked with great results).

if you’ve tried tightening it down with the LATCH and it still isnt secure enough, use the seat belt instead (my preferred method and safer/stronger than LATCH as well).

best method of installation is to literally stand on top of the base, push down with your legs (with your upper torso against the back of the front seat or the roof of car) and tighten like a motherfucker. a second pair of hands always helps as well.

Two wall powered baby swings. You'll thank me later I promise.

Here's a cheap'ish option that will be your sanity saver, you'll get the much better ones at a $120-150/per price point though if you have the money available. Some of these you can spin the baby sideways while swinging so they're swinging front to back instead of swinging side to side. They were worth the extra cost to us.

Graco Simple Sway Baby Swing, Abbington https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PTL15D6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_kf5Ryb80TAMC1

This is the adjustable one, far better, but more expensive. On the plus side you'll easily sell it away when the babies outgrow them.
Fisher-Price My Little Snugabear Cradle 'N Swing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FF8H5Q8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Ll5RybPMQP7FQ

Remember his vision is not very good yet, so things to look at need to be close. Try putting him in a baby seat with a colorful small toy pinned on the side near his face, or a larger one (especially stuffed animals with faces) sitting next to the seat. He will like to look at all kinds of things. I would safety pin patterned towels, pillowcases and random fabric to the crib rails for a couple hours as something new to look at, or put the baby seat on the floor in front of a mirror. The little fabric rattles you can put on hands or feet are also good for tiny babies.

Edit: Also this http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Einstein-Caterpillar-Friends-Play/dp/B0051POK1E/ref=sr_1_3?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1405184080&sr=1-3&keywords=baby+gym

Clothes, diapers, formula/breastmilk, safe space for sleep. That's all.

If you really want to get fancy I recommend a swing that is low to the ground, that vibrates, locks sitting upright, etc. Both of my kids loves this swing- Ingenuity ConvertMe Ridgedale Swing-2-Seat https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017XNL6AO/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_RLuMzbFA9H2QH

I have but one complaint with car seat anchors in the GLI. It's rather difficult to make the top anchor secure enough to feel safe because it's too close. I finally got it by pulling the top strap down and under the lower anchor strap, and using that as leverage.

I took some pictures to show what I'm talking about.

http://imgur.com/a/NEHI2

The seat brand is Evenflo, and it's a convertible. As soon as my kid hits the right weight, it'll get changed into a booster. Also, get yourself one of those car seat mats. I have this one from Prince Lionheart and it protects the seats really well.

We used this kind, but a different pattern. We paid less than this price, but was reversible so we could use in our living room in between kids and even after kids.

Baby Care Play Mat - Haute Collection (Large, Sea Petals - Grey) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MY709TZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_6ljSzbFXT68JS

You can always give them some toys (rings, books, etc) to see if they can entertain themselves without needing you. My mom warned me not to be the only source of entertainment for our boys or else we would regret it later. So I had some light up music toys or put them in one of these for about 5-10mins at a time. This seemed to work out great. Also singing to them (silly made up songs) entertained them with just me.

We had a baby bouncer- not a rock n play but still inclined. Baby hated it, and the couple of times he fell asleep in it, it just freaked me out and I moved him right away. He did great in a pack'n'play bassinet with a mobile though!

Stuff that worked really well: thick XL over the shoulder burp cloths (great for all drools and spit ups, now that he's bigger great for wiping him after he eats solids), sleep sacks and a foam playmat - the kind with interlocking tiles.

My kid loved this thing: Fisher-Price Deluxe Kick 'n Play Piano Gym https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076HYFZ37/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_va6MDbW1EQZ07

Things we use every day are the Rock N Play sleeper, Miracle Blanket, and this gym. He will lay on it and bat at the hanging animals forever.

Found at a FLGS. Any game store that would sell playmats probably also sells tubes. This one is nice because it's actually shaped like a rounded triangle, so it doesn't roll.

Here it is on Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Playmat-Tube-Monster-Protectors-Prism-shaped/dp/B008NEOE48

I had a look at what else approx. $36 will buy you, I hope this helps.

HEAVY ABSORBENCY Pet Housebreaking Pad, Pee Training Pads, Underpads - 36.99
https://www.amazon.com/Puppy-ABSORBENCY-Housebreaking-Training-Underpads/dp/B01EW2INL4/ref=sr_1_137?ie=UTF8&qid=1482482283&sr=8-137&keywords=%2436

24' x 36' Dry Top Brown/Green Reversible Full Size 7-mil Poly Tarp - 35.43
(https://www.amazon.com/Brown-Green-Reversible-7-mil-124361/dp/B0035RQLJO/ref=sr_1_27?ie=UTF8&qid=1482482213&sr=8-27&keywords=%2436)

Ultrasorbs AP Premium Disposable DryPad - 35.99
https://www.amazon.com/Ultrasorbs-Premium-Disposable-DryPad-ULTRA2436SAMP/dp/B002NHA20G/ref=sr_1_244?ie=UTF8&qid=1482482342&sr=8-244&keywords=%2436

Edushape Edu-Tiles 36 Piece 6x6ft Play Mat, Letters & Numbers Set - 35.83
https://www.amazon.com/Edushape-Edu-Tiles-Piece-Letters-Numbers/dp/B002FKAMLA/ref=sr_1_59_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1482482233&sr=8-59&keywords=%2436&th=1

Liquitex BASICS Acrylic Paint Tube 36-Piece Set - 34.25
https://www.amazon.com/Liquitex-BASICS-Acrylic-Paint-36-Piece/dp/B000JESVA8/ref=sr_1_106?ie=UTF8&qid=1482482258&sr=8-106&keywords=%2436

Levi's Men's 569 Loose Straight-Leg Jean - 34.99
https://www.amazon.com/Levis-Loose-Straight-Rugged-36x36/dp/B0018OY3J6/ref=sr_1_129?ie=UTF8&qid=1482482283&sr=8-129&keywords=%2436

Sennheiser PC 36 USB Headset with Microphone - 37.74
https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-PC-36-USB-Microphone/dp/B001SN8QJ0/ref=sr_1_209?ie=UTF8&qid=1482482324&sr=8-209&keywords=%2436

Check out these comments on another seat protector. All vendors have comments like these but some products, usually with fewer than 20 reviews, don't have these comments. So, I'm just going to go for it and see how it works in person. :)

Baby swing
This has saved us nights of sleep so often in the first 6 months. Definitely would reccomend.

Graco Dreamglider. Using it on my second and it still works great.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000083GHY
This a thousand times over. It catches everything and doesn't leave a huge dent in leather. Got 4 of those and we love em.

We got a gliding bassinet for our newborn. He slept well from the start, and I attribute a lot of it to the bassinet. Who doesn't want to be rocked literally all night? https://www.amazon.com/Graco-DreamGlider-Gliding-Swing-Rascal/dp/B01HOC5S9E

I recommend getting one of the Boppy head rests for it though.

That must be it.. Here's another one where it seems kinda practical. http://www.amazon.com/Lay-n-Go-Original-Activity-Mat-Blue/dp/B007BO5OAY

Thanks!!

At that age, my baby girl loved her play gym and her bouncer. She also loved her sit me up seat.



https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Einstein-Caterpillar-Friends-Melodies/dp/B0051POK1E/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=Play+gym&qid=1558843342&s=gateway&sr=8-7

https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Babys-Bouncer-Geo-Meadow/dp/B014D4HPXI/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Bouncer&qid=1558843389&s=gateway&sr=8-3

https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Sit-Me-Up-Floor-Seat-Tray/dp/B072LNTRGK/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=3IQUTNIM567BO&keywords=sit+me+up+floor+seat&qid=1558843456&s=gateway&sprefix=Sit+me+up%2Caps%2C172&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1 Only when she has strong head support but can’t hold herself completely up by herself yet.

Of course, trying to do tummy time and get her to play with the toys in front of her is a goal but I know it’s not easy for some babies. My baby girl hated tummy time til 4 months . And loved it more by 5 months. Now sitting up by herself at 8 months. Remember to have these things on the floor. Babies have fallen and gotten hurt by placing them on the bed, on tables, etc.



My baby girl didn’t use her jumper til 6 months of age. When they can sit well supported or closer to unsupported

We have this thing, which is essentially the same idea, but it has a pull string around the circumference that allows you to zip the whole thing into a giant pouch and store it securely until next time. It's amaaaazing.

We just got the Fisher Price Kick N Play piano two weeks ago and now our 13wo loves tummy time. We set her down facing the piano and she just holds her head up to watch all the lights.

Fair warning though: the songs will get suck in your head.

At 9 weeks, we used two swings, quite a bit. Something like this

Playmat tubes like this : https://www.amazon.com/Playmat-Tube-Monster-Protectors-Prism-shaped/dp/B008NEOE48

I really like Monster playmat protectors. They're cheap, durable, and don't easily roll off tables.

Monster "Prism" Playmat Tubes. They are triangular instead of round, which prevents the from rolling off of tables.

Amazon link.

This is what I'm considering to replace the RNP. https://www.amazon.com/Graco-DreamGlider-Gliding-Swing-Sleeper/dp/B01MTM3HAW?th=1

Maybe these would quiet things down a bit.

http://www.amazon.com/Edushape-Edu-Tiles-Piece-Letters-Numbers/dp/B002FKAMLA

[Here you go] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UVPSSF8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00)
EDIT:
[And This] (http://www.amazon.com/Playmat-Tube-Monster-Protectors-Prism-shaped/dp/B008NEOE48/ref=pd_bxgy_21_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1QXQ756RM0PNT35YRQT0)

I hear you. The RNP was my savior with my first two. Check out the Graco dreamglider. It inclines and lays down into a bassinet but it also swings and vibrates. I'm putting my money on it for babe 3.

Graco DreamGlider Gliding Swing and Sleeper, Rascal https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HOC5S9E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_dIqUCbZCAGYCM

I'm not sure how necessary it is and I'm also a FTM due any day now so we haven't actually used it yet, but we registered and recieved this one.

It's very soft and it folds up when it isn't in use. Only time will tell how much use we actually get out of it.