A whole group of my friends are expecting their first children in the next couple of months — it is like a second wave of babies. The first wave started about 5 years ago (I think Courtney was one of the first of my friends at the time to have a baby) and settled down after about 2 years and now it is all go again. Funny how babies arrive in waves.
I have been asked a few times by soon-to-be parents what items I found essential. I am by no means an expert, but here are my a few of my personal recommendations.
- The Bugaboo Bee is hands down my favourite buggy around at the moment. When I had little Coco 5 years ago it did not exist, so I had the Bugaboo Chameleon. It was great but a bit bulky. The Bee has a lot of the advantages of the Chameleon but is a lot smaller and a lot more flexible. Esther has the Bee for Baby Ava and loves it.
- A rocking chair was the best place for me to feed, be it with breastfeeding or bottle feeding. It was such a soothing feeling to rock my baby while she was feeding and then continue while she slowly fell asleep. I have the Eames rocker but I don’t find it that comfortable, even though it looks great. I have read a few posts about the Ikea Lillberg rocking chair which looks lovely and apparently is really comfortable. One of my girlfriends managed to snap up a beautiful vintage wooden rocking chair at her local “brocante”, for next to nothing. Or there are the rocking chairs Courtney posted about a few months ago.
- I was obsessed with getting a rocking base for a Moses basket when my second daughter Violette was born. I was sure that if I could rock the Moses basket a couple of times after I but her down to sleep, it would help her fall asleep. It worked like a charm.
- I think I must own about 6 different baby carriers in total. With one it was too difficult to take the baby out, and the second hurt my back too much. I think I could write a PHD on this subject. My favourite baby carrier by far was the Ergo. With the little baby attachment it worked really well for a newborn baby and it was great for carrying toddlers too, especially when I could strap them on my back.
That’s all I can think of, do let us know if you have any other recommendations.
The Lilliberg rocker is actually not on sale anymore on the ikea website, thanks esther for pointing that out, it has been replaced by the Poang rocker.
Comments (4)
How amazing – I would have listed the same products as must-haves!
I have a new Bugaboo Bee+, which has been a fantastic purchase. I also use it with the adaptors for the Maxi Cosi Cabriofix – fabulous.
I had a cradle on a rocker base which my little one slept in until he was 5 months – he loved being rocked to sleep in the early days.
I bought an antique bentwood rocking chair, and had it restored for my nursery – beautiful and very comfortable.
Baby Bjorn has been a perfect carrier from the early days, no others needed!
Good list. I’m personally a fan of upholstered gliders (for comfort and safety (http://www.buymodernbaby.com/buymodernbabyseats.html#Gliders) but there are plenty of comfortable rockers as well. Unfortunately, I think the Lillberg rocker from Ikea is no longer available (haven’t seen it on the Ikea website for a while).
Great list, Emilie!
I think I would just add a breastfeed cushion/pillow. It really helped me when I was breastfeeding Theo and we still use it today (he is 2 yrs), when my husband give him his bottle of milk, for example.
Great list!
What else…hmmm…
A very good breastfeeding bra, actually more than one… but good ones as you kind of live in those for the time of breastfeeding.
One item we got with our second child and I wished we already had for the first: a baby hammock!
Such a nice item and no carrying around to get baby to sleep… LOVE. Number 2 is now 9 1/2 months and still does some naps in there!