(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best baby bouncers, jumpers & swings

You face the same problem that every CEO/President/Manager faces in the business world - how to motivate people to do a job.

And this one is really tough because it doesn't pay (money) and it is most likely not a job that he enjoys...yet. :)

That said, the first thing that you need to do is remove any obstacles. A lot of times people don't help because the person they are helping is too critical or expects too much. So...you might be to blame. Maybe, maybe not.

No guy in the world wants to come home and "work" on a kid or a baby, or serve another person. Yes...you have to be responsible....etc...but...clearly someone who wants to play video games is not at a level of maturity that they are going to step up and start acting like a real father/husband. Don't expect that or you will fail.

So...you need to find creative ways to make this work and make sure that you don't do anything harmful along the way.

With that, the best thing I can tell you is to give people responsibility, freedom...and apply positive reinforcement. NEVER EVER say anything, unless it positive, nice, encouraging...etc. You'll find that that is actually a hard thing to do but one of the most powerful tools.

With that, I would get one of these;

https://www.amazon.com/Ingenuity-SmartBounce-Automatic-Ridgedale-Bouncer/dp/B017XNLFVY

And then place the kid in it, then put it in the same room that the boys are playing their games, and give the kid a bottle...etc., and nicely...and with a smile, say, "she wants wants to learn how to play video games". Then walk out and go have a nap.

This will be a huge kick in the ass for your husband and the kid will also enjoy it. And it puts the burden of so much on your husband (noise, content, awareness...etc.). Suddenly, your husband will be a real father...and you get to take a nap.

You could also put the kid in that thing, in the same room as the video game boys, and then say, "I want next game". That puts the two of you into his life, which is a great first step of bringing him in closer to your life, which is what you want. The feeling of ownership and togetherness is also a very powerful thing.

And then start to say things like, "she loves being with you". But say it like you really mean it. With love and a big smile.

And when you're on the phone with dear old mom, make sure to say things (when he can hear) like, "she loves being with her dad"...etc. By the way, always refer to her by name, never say stuff like, "the kid" or "the baby". She's a person, not an object, so she needs to be seen and respected as such.

So...you start saying things like the above, and he'll step up big time.

Keep in mind that on the most part, people are good. And they want to be successful. So that is what you have to tap into.

A father daughter connection can be VERY powerful, and...some point in the future, you may be asking to get her back after spending too much time with dad.

So again, be a team player. Be cool and supportive. Be smart. Be happy. Say nice things. Never EVER expect ANYTHING in return. (yea...I know...this sucks, but...don't worry, the return will happen).

Crack this and you will learn how to manage and control so many things.

It's a world filled with people, and people are very complex. This is a challenge that will educate you, so respect what it means and what it will bring.

My top 5 items (links included below photos on Imgur)

1. The SoHo Glider (Joss and Main): So comfortable, and more affordable then some others we looked at. A great height and a nice, streamlined look for the room. We use this constantly and don't know what we'd do without it.
   
   
2. The Larkin Crib (from Pottery Barn) By no means low-profile but a really solid piece of furniture that our son will have for years. (Converts to a Toddler then Full-sized bed)
   
   
3. Floating shelf (from Pottery Barn) This is a great looking perch for the baby monitor. Those who like the look of floating bookshelves could use them for that as well! We had too many books and had to opt for a big cubby.
   
   
4. The beautiful deer art above our son's bed: My husband and I took a magical three-week road trip through Ireland when I was 6.5 months pregnant. It was the best vacation I've ever had. One of my favorite towns was Galway, and we found that picture at a shop there! We had to ship it to the US, which cost more than the picture itself, but was worth it!
   
   
5. The Graco Duet Swing: OK -- this item is controversial. We absolutely love it. It was a hand-me-down from a friend. The baby took most of his naps in here from 1.5 - 3 months of age. But it's slightly possessed and may swing at any speed it wants, regardless of the setting you're using. Anyway, if you dare: https://www.amazon.com/Graco-Duet-Swing-Portable-Rocker/dp/B07D7HT1RD/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=graco+duet+swing&qid=1554319879&s=gateway&sr=8-6

Very similar to our situation. We got both home on the 3rd after 10 days with just 1. We stuck with the nicu feeding schedule they were on which was bottles on the hours of 3,6,9,12. We have pretty much been able to stick to that, occasionally getting off by a half an hour here or there. I don’t set an alarm for when to wake up to feed them overnight because one of them always lets me know. Even if one is not crying they both get woken up for food and diaper so they stay on the same schedule. I have just recently started occasionally feeding both at once if they both are screaming but i usually just do one after the other. Thankfully our girls eat at a good pace so it’s not an issue if one is crying a little waiting for her meal. During the day our girls like to nap in the fisher price infant to toddler rockers and they go down pretty easy in their cribs at night.

Here is a rundown how my days have been and I should mention we are exclusively formula feeding. I am on maternity leave and my husband works 4 days a week, so those days i do both the 3 am and 6 am feedings by myself and they take around 45 mins between warming bottles, changing diapers, feed and burping. So i sleep between 12-3, 3-6, 6-9, minus the wake time for feeding. I wake him up to help overnight on days he is off. Sometimes we stagger things, for instance I’ll go to bed after 9 pm feeding and hubby will handle the midnight and put the girls down to bed by himself so i can get a more solid chunk of sleep. If they eat every 3 hours and one person can do one by themselves the other person can get a 6 hour stretch of sleep which is all you need to feel like a new person! Anywho days I’m alone...After 9am bottles and diapers they go in their chairs and I get my coffee, this is essential and should never be skipped. Between feeds when they nap or are just hanging out i use the time to restock diaper stations, do some laundry and one time a day i make 24 hours worth of bottles for each girl. Staying organized and on top of little things like always having wipes when you need it can keep you from getting frustrated. My mom has come about once a week to help out, I time her visits with my own dr visits or errands so i can leave the house without the babies.

We have a swing and haven’t even opened the box yet and not sure i want to! They actually go to sleep in their cribs or their little chairs with little to no soothing from us and i’d like to keep it that way. Maybe we will set it up down the road or maybe we will just return it. Here are some things we’ve loved
disposable changing pads to put on our changing pads.
infant to toddler rocker
formula mixer pitcher
flat head boppy pillow
No link for this but cloth diapers have been the best burp cloths, we took a bunch from the hospital and I’m about to order some more, Green Sprouts brand has been pretty good too.
We have been using the app baby tracker to keep track of feedings and diapers.
Time to feed a baby...might add more later!

• Diapers Sensitive skin runs in our family and the regular brands made her break out something awful but cloth, babyganics and [up & ups] (http://www.target.com/p/diapers-bulk-plus-pack-select-size-up/-/A-15121671 ) worked great. Pull Ups for older ones.
  
  
• Potty Training We have [This one] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C431NRE/ref=twister_B01E930B16?_encoding=UTF8&th=1) and [This one] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F667QS2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1)
  
  
• High Chair like this
  
  
• [Stroller] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H8MQBFQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1) its well padded and is comfy for even the older kids.
  
  
• Carrier We have [This one] (https://www.amazon.com/Carrying-Positions-Carrier-Detachable-Included/dp/B01IUS08FK/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1478452855&sr=8-4&keywords=mei+tai) and a ring sling that I still use but I wish we had bought one like [This] (https://www.amazon.com/Infantino-Cuddle-Ergonomic-Hoodie-Carrier/dp/B01B45KW0C/ref=sr_1_6_s_it?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1478453079&sr=1-6&keywords=carrier) It would be easier to put on.
  
  
• [Nursing pillows] (https://www.amazon.com/Boppy-Nursing-Pillow-Positioner-Peaceful/dp/B00HMGBJCS/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1478458541&sr=1-4&keywords=nursing+pillow) my husband used it all the time and this is her favorite spot to cuddle up still
  
  
• Pack n Play
  
  
  
• Bouncer chair I believe ours was the previous model.
  
  
• [Swing] (https://www.amazon.com/4moms-rockaRoo-Baby-Swing-Classic/dp/B00I0BVQFO/ref=sr_1_27_s_it?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1478452147&sr=1-27&keywords=swing&th=1) We have one similar to it the other ones tend to be a pain to move around.
  
  
• Some sort of walker This or [This] (https://www.amazon.com/Bright-Starts-Around-Activity-Zippity/dp/B00OC8B1IQ/ref=sr_1_6?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1478454444&sr=1-6&keywords=activity+jumper) or [This] (https://www.amazon.com/Evenflo-ExerSaucer-Learn-Jumper-Jungle/dp/B006PB2H4A/ref=sr_1_7?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1478454444&sr=1-7&keywords=activity%2Bjumper&th=1)
  
  
• Some sort of activity toys like This, This,
  
  Comfy rocking chair
  
  When it comes to cribs, pack n plays, rock n plays, bouncers and swings its upto the childs taste. Out of my nieces and nephews 1 always napped in a rock n play, 1 in the swing, 1 would sleeps anywhere, 1 would sleep on mommy or a boppy, 1 in the crib and my daughter would only sleep in the carrier or being held. She never used the rock n play, crib or pack n play but loved the bouncer and occasionally accepted sitting in the boppy or swing. They are all so different. With our little girl her reflux was so bad that if she was laid flat she would immediately throw up.
  
  
  (I will edit to add more when I get a minute)

we got the Fisher-Price Moonlight Meadow Deluxe Cradle and Swing. there's a few different styles/colours, but that one matched our nursery! it plugs in so you don't have to waste a bunch of batteries (I think it runs off of batteries as well, but we don't move it around), plays a few different songs, has a cute little mobile, and has a timer.

I put that on the registry, along with the matching bouncer and Rock n Play since I heard good things about all of them and couldn't decide which we wanted more. we were lucky enough to have been gifted all of them and I'm really glad we did! the RnP lives in our bedroom for a snuggly place to put him while I take a shower or something, the bouncer is our portable spot that goes from room to room downstairs so he can hang out while I'm in the kitchen or doing laundry, and the swing stays in the living room for afternoon naps and such.

this turned out pretty long haha, hope it was helpful though!

I haven't gone through this, personally, since we haven't sleep trained, but I went back to work almost a month ago and my SO got our LO on a lovely nap schedule. He's 21 weeks now, and while he doesn't really sttn, at least the naps are great. It's straight up every 1:45-2:15 minutes he'll be ready for a nap. We know he's ready to go down because he'll cry anytime he's lying on his back... but that's just our guy.

We plop him in his swing, turn the lovely classical music on, set the speed to three, and crack the door. He may whine a little bit, but most of the time (now) he just conks out. His naps range from 30 minutes (usually end of the day, pretty normal) - 1:45 minutes. He slept for three hours once when he was super overtired.

I hope you find something that works soon. I'd go crazy if the naps were as shitty as the sleep is some nights. Good luck!

to piggy back on the bassinet/crib/changing table thing he might just want to get one of those all in one pack and plays. Thats what we sued and it was a godsend! It had a higher part that was a bassinet and on one side had an elevated changing table complete with a hanging bag thing that held diapers and wipes for easy access. Plus the "table" was vinyl so messes were super easy to clean. We did not have a ton of money with our surprise bundle so we purchased one of those and it was the best investment ever. Most people buy a pack and play anyways later on so for way less than an entire crib and mattress we got all in one!

This is actually a cheaper version but an excellent example!

Also something small like this could even suffice for a few days and you can get them at even walmart for like $40

Pregnancy: Liked Old Navy Maternity I loved wearing foldover waist things like capri pants, skirts, and pants. Though for work I was able to keep wearing my pre-pregnancy pants as my fat redistributed and they are elastic waist anyway. And the Old Navy Maternity tank tops are amazing, I still wear them after giving birth. I also wore Poise pads to catch my pee leaks, they worked great.

Did not like Ginger gum, that shit's gross.

Postpartum: Liked Kotex pads. The squirt bottle they gave me at the hospital. Colace.

Did not like Always pads (fucking cheese grater). Those witch hazel pads didn't do much for me, neither did the numbing cream.

Baby Like Pampers Baby Dry diapers, Fisher Price Rock and Play, Nosefrida snotsucker, Fisher Price plug in swing, Chicco Keyfit 30, Chicco NextFit, Harmony Odyssey stroller, Infantino pouch feeding products, Vtech baby monitor, Cuisinart food processor, lightweight car seat toys, Ubbi diaper pail, IKEA high chair (I probably have more, but these are some of the things I love on a daily basis or have saved my sanity).

Did not like Swaddle blankets (specifically swaddling), moby wrap, boppy pillow, Graco battery operated swing, huggies diapers, and MAM bottles.

Bonus Mom Supplies Pump wipes (my pump room at work has no sink and these are perfect to use after pumping), leisure bra (I cut holes where my nipples are and I can double pump hands-free, so helpful!), and JuJuBe diaper bag (it's small and cute and I know where everything is now!)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002OOWAB2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_j58XDb46JR4HT

This is our godsend for naps. We got it when the rock N play was recalled right around the time our baby was born. With the baby in it it reclines almost flat (not completely, but way flatter than most inclined sleepers and I've never worried about her angle for sleeping). We've been using it since she was a month old and she's six months now. Her naps are mostly supervised in it but I feel comfortable leaving the room for a few minutes to fix myself some lunch or something. If I need to leave for longer periods of time I would put her in the bassinet or crib with the monitor. This little rocker is also super portable so you can move it to whatever room you're hanging out in, or you can fold it up to take visiting friends/relatives. The layout of my house lets me get enough stuff done while she naps in this rocker twice a day, every day. Plus it is adjustable so she can use it as a regular rocking chair into toddlerhood, which I love.

ETA my kiddo is a crazy fussy eater and our last resort is always this rocker to bottle feed her, so it's a blessing for more than just naps! It has the rumbly vibration switch which is a big deal to soothe this baby in particular.

You mentioned wishing your baby could entertain herself. Our babies are the same age and I completely hear you. It's exhausting trying to entertain a baby, whenever they are awake. I've started putting my baby in his bouncer [This one - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IVNEFCM/ref=sr_ph_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1474756338&sr=sr-1&keywords=Price+Bouncer] or on his play mat [This one - https://www.amazon.com/Infantino-Twist-Fold-Activity-Vintage/dp/B002DWALTI/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1474756447&sr=1-4&keywords=Baby+Play+Mat]. He's been pretty good at hanging out there for a good while and focusing on trying to reach the dangling toys. So, something like this might help give you a few moments peace and let baby entertain themselves.

Babywearing is great. It frees up your hands, and some babies will nap well in a carrier. I loved using bouncers something like this. You can put it in any room and let them watch you do things or play with the dangly toys. Some babies love swings too, but those are pricier and take up more space. You can also simply lay the baby down in a pack and play or on the floor. If you have a baby who spits up constantly, spread out some towels to protect the carpet/bedding/upholstery.

But in the end, you and your wife probably won't be able to get every single thing done that you want to around the house for a while, so just lower your expectations and sort out your priorities. The baby won't be so clingy forever, everyone will sleep better eventually, and you'll back into a routine that works for you.

We have this one: http://www.amazon.com/Tiny-Love-Gymini-Bouncer-Yellow/dp/B003GAMMN4

It may be the most hideous thing in our house, but the baby likes it. It feels kind of cheap but my toddler is constantly messing with it and leaning on it and it hasn't broken yet! The recline setting is nice. The toy bars are pretty awesome and everyone loves that stupid crab toy it comes with.

Yayyyyyyyy! How exciting!!!


this is just too freaking adorable :)

My daughter loved this when she was a baby

This is silly and fun!

You are going to want this for sure. Helps cover up diaper smell!

For the due date.... I'm going to say.... May 21 because that's my birthday! :D

Wow, never knew there were so many giraffe things out there! Thanks for the contest :)

1. A giraffe wine holder
   
   
2. A giraffe floor lamp
   
   
3. A cute giraffe wooden box
   
   
4. An adorable giraffe stuffed rocker
   
   
5. Giraffe Tea Kettle

My son was born in late March in South Texas. I highly recommend muslin blankets and sleep sacks. Super light. Aden and Anais have some nice ones. As a newborn he was in footie pajamas. When we stopped swaddling he would wear a Gerber cotton t-shirt and a muslin sleep sack to bed. Otherwise, he basically just wore cotton onesies the whole time. Old ladies would always ask me where his socks were, and it was 100 degrees. Sorry lady, no socks. He wore the little hat he came home from the hospital in for a few weeks and then after that no hats. I'm not sure how I could have done it differently but then when it got to the winter he refused to wear hats because he wasn't used to them (I guess). Oh well. It is just so freaking hot. I think I kept our thermostat around 74 degrees, 72 at night. I also bought the mesh Bjorn bouncer and it was great for outside (in the shade). It also air-dried quickly after a wash. When he was 0-3 months didn't really use sunscreen, just tried to keep him covered. Long-sleeve rashguard shirt for swimwear. After that we have used natural mineral sunscreen (Blue Lizard, Honest also has one).

38+3 today! The nursery has been done for a while, but today had some pretty light streaming in to get some great photos!

The skiing images in frames will eventually get replaced with baby photos! Our guest room that this was before was also ski themed, so some of the items transitioned well!

Crib and Dresser: Babyletto

Rug: Surya from allmodern

Handmade Mobile: helloxsugar on Etsy

Bouncer: fisher price

Bookshelf: IKEA

Photo frames: Belmont by Michaels (I stock up on these when they’re on sale, which they almost always are!)

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.

Lily loved her activity mat and her bouncy chair at 2 months old. We would walk around the flat and look at things and we took a walk every day. She napped A LOT on me at the time so we watched A LOT of Netflix and 4OD. My favourite thing to do with her was just to stare at her and copy all of her noises and talk with/to her.

This type of deal was really helpful for my friend's little baby who refused to be swaddled or baby worn. The vibrations are similar to riding in a car (which we don't have) but without using gas. It's also good for bringing to the kitchen and setting the baby in if you need to cook/do dishes, etc, or into the bathroom if you need to do bathroom things.

http://www.amazon.com/Bright-Starts-Playful-Portable-Swing/dp/B009WQKW4C/ref=br_it_dp_o_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=DA63964QOFUO&coliid=I24FXA6Z7JMT29


this is the swing we got, more compact than most


http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Y0899-Infant-To-Toddler-Rocker-Turtle/dp/B00KA8ID06/ref=br_it_dp_o_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=DA63964QOFUO&coliid=I204XHAB3S2STT


this is the bouncer we got.. i like how it converts to a chair eventually.

We've been considering this since it seems to be similar.