What's in my diaper bag!

Before Lainey was born I researched EVERYTHING baby related and it was pretty hard to find out what other people put in their diaper bags, so I thought this might be helpful.  I've included a list along with some links to products..

We were very lucky that my BFF Janet's family bought us a Petunia Pickle Bottom Boxy Style diaper bag, which fits everything listed below..  It is AMAZING and I highly recommend it for it's convenience.

Diaper Bag List

(1) Diapers!  Our diaper bag usually has 5-10 in it.

(2) Wipes.  I like the Pampers 64 ct. travel wipes.  I thought about getting a cute wipe container for a hot second, but then realized that they only held <20 and I would have to manually refill them.  Uhh.. No.

(3) Babyganics Hand Sanitizer.  I have both the wipes and the mini foam bottle in our diaper bag, but I prefer the wipes because they make my hands feel cleaner.

(4) Boogie Wipes.  Lainey just started sucking her hands.. so, I like using these saline wipes to wipe them off when we're on the go.

(5) Itzy Ritzy Wet Bag.  This thing is GREAT!  I always keep a change of clothes and an extra bib in it "just in case".  It works really well at containing wet and poopy clothes.

(6) Munchkin Disposable Changing Pads.  These work really well at containing the messes associated with diaper changes.  They're HUGE.  As long as everything goes well with the diaper change, they're reusable!

(7) Munchkin Diaper Bag Dispenser.  These are pretty large and have a decent scent to them, so I feel 100X less guilty about disposing diapers on the go.

(8) Burping Cloths.  My cousins gifted us the CUTEST handmade burpies!  I'll post a pic when I get the chance, but I love carrying these around!

(9) Jujube Bottle Bag.  It's on the larger side as far as bottle bags go, but I like how it comfortably fits a larger (8 oz.) bottle and 2 Medela 5 oz. storage bottles.

(10) Similac Powder Sticks + Free Avent bottle.  Lainey is exclusively fed breastmilk, but I had one instance where my Aunt took her out and I forgot to give her breastmilk.  I felt SO HORRIBLE, so I bought these powder sticks to keep in her diaper bag "just in case" I ever forget or misjudge the amount of milk she needs.  I gave her one bottle of it at home to make sure she didn't have a bad reaction to it and she didn't, so I now feel more comfortable that she'll never be hungry!  (I used a Similac coupon and got these for $6.50, but Enfamil just sent me some free samples of their "to-go" packs.. so it's possible to snag these for free).

(11) Lassig Nursing Cover.  I don't nurse Lainey anymore, but I keep this in her diaper bag just in case we're out and I don't have enough pumped milk for her.  It's thin and doesn't take up much room in the diaper bag.

(12) Lansinoh Disposable Nursing Pads.  Nothing is worse than a soaked shirt..  Especially in the early days, nursing pads are a must!

(13) Babyganics Stain Eraser.  I prefer Dreft Stain remover.. So, if I could have a "do over" I would buy a mini squirt bottle and fill it with Dreft.  That is most likely what I will do once this one runs out.

(14) Food Pouch.  We're waiting until 6 months to introduce solids, but when that day comes I have a lot of food pouches for on the go!  They don't need to be refrigerated, so they're perfect for diaper bags.  You can either buy the attachable spoons, or a Boon Squirt Feeding Spoon for easy feeding on the go.

(15) Aquaphor.  I keep a mini one in our diaper bag since Lainey has Eczema, but it's also a great diaper rash preventative.

(16) Neosporin Spray.

(17) Teething Ring + Pacifier.  Lainey is teething, but doesn't really know what to do with the teething ring yet.  I hold it for her and she kind of gnaws on it.  Haha.  The pacifier is my "happy baby" insurance.. She doesn't usually need one, but once in a while it is a must!

DONE!

Yes, everything fits into the diaper bag!  Sometimes we leave the bottle bag out so that the diaper bag isn't bursting at the seams, but everything in here is what we "need" for a comfortable day trip out.  Hope this helps!  :)

3d Ultrasounds

I haven't had much time lately to post since Lainey decided that she's not going to take naps during the day anymore..  I'm VERY grateful that she sleeps 9-12 hour stretches at night, but geez.. she just fights naps!  I guess I'm just really entertaining.. -_-

Anyways, we had 3 3d ultrasounds done.  The first one was in Japan at 12 weeks and well.. she didn't really have a face! Haha!  We didn't go there for one.. but the Dr. thought it would be cool..

For the other 2 ultrasounds, we went specifically for the 3D.  I had a groupon, so we went to the first appointment around 31 weeks.  Lainey was uncooperative (and breech) so we only got ONE good pic..  Mr. Scanbabies offered a second try for $20 so we took him up on it and again only got ONE good pic.  Still, it was worth it to me since I have no patience and I absolutely LOVED getting to see shots of her little face.  I included a birth pic and a few of her 1 mo. pics so you can see how well the 3d ultrasound captured her features.

31 Week 3D

Birth Pic

32 Week 3D

1 mo. Pics

Clearly she doesn't look exactly the same, but I still think it's pretty cool!

Baby Manicures

For those of you that know me.. No, I'm not painting Adelaine's nails!  In a few years maybe.. ;)

When I say baby manicures I'm talking about the most annoying and difficult part of baby grooming.. keeping baby nails short!  It honestly seems like I have to give Adelaine a baby manicure every other day and she still scratches her face once in a while!  After 3 months, I have a pretty good system and luckily I have not cut her yet!

Some parents like baby nail clippers with a guard, but I prefer baby nail scissors.  

The nail scissors I use are called Piyo Piyo.  They're tiny, sharp, and slightly curved to fit the nail.

Directions

(1) When Adelaine is sleeping I put her into her Boppy and sit behind her to get the easiest angle.

(2) I hold one finger at a time firmly in my hand (but not tight enough to make her flinch) and slip the tips of the scissors around half her nail.  You don't need to open up the scissors all the way, just enough to clip half of the nail.

(3) Snip half of the nail, then move the scissors a little bit further and snip the other half.

(4) Run your finger around the end of the nail to feel for sharp edges.

(5) If necessary, clip the corners of the nail as well.

(6) After all of the nails are clipped, file each nail for a couple of seconds to minimize sharp edges.  I like Ms. Manicure mini nail files because they make it easy to maneuver little nails.

I bought my Piyo Piyo scissors on Amazon, and I buy Ms. Manicure nail files at either Target or Ulta.

Toys R Us Coupons!

Toys R Us just sent me an email with a lot of great coupons!

Toys R Us Coupons

The sale is only on Friday and Saturday.  If you scroll down and see my previous post on how to save on diapers, that is exactly what I plan on doing tomorrow (taking the Toys R Us coupon to Buy Buy Baby), but I also plan on stopping by Babies R Us to look around.

My Shopping List

(1) Diapers

(2) Earth's best baby food (ridiculous price for organic baby food).  Even though I plan on making Adelaine's food, these will be my back up stash for her diaper bag and her grandparent's house.

Boppy v. My Breast Friend

I registered for both, got both, loved one for breastfeeding, but ended up not being able to use either.  Did that make sense?

Boppy

I found it awkward to use the Boppy for breastfeeding.  Lainey would lay kind of awkwardly on the Boppy, so I think we ended up using it once for breastfeeding.  However, from birth to now 3 mo. that has been Adelaine's favorite "chair".  She sits in it every day, several times a day.  She takes cat naps in it (with me watching of course!), watches me pump, and "talks" to me in it.  It's like her little baby recliner!

My Breast Friend

Gosh I loved this breastfeeding pillow.. SO MUCH.  It was supportive on my back, it kept the pressure off of my c-section scar, Adelaine would lay nicely on it, and it has a nice little pocket on the front that I would keep a cloth diaper in.  LOVED IT!

Unfortunately, my little girl has really bad reflux.. really bad.. so she can't eat lying down.  So, I sadly retired My Breast Friend very early, but I would recommend it to all breastfeeding mothers and I hope that I will be able to use it with future kiddies.

Conclusion

Despite my bad fortune I would suggest registering for both.  My Breast Friend is an amazing breastfeeding pillow, but the Boppy is the most versatile (and looks super cute in pics).

Sadly, Adelaine is now fed sitting up with my arm and sometimes a throw pillow supporting her head.  It hurts my arm and I wish we could use either of the special pillows, but oh well!

The one thing that I researched the most.. Lainey's Crib

The first thing that I researched was Adelaine's crib.  It took me SO LONG to decide on a crib because I was wishy washy on the style I wanted and the price point we were looking at.

So, I spend $20+ (because I forgot to cancel my subscription) on Consumer Reports so that we would have the safest, sturdiest crib.

The first crib I wanted was a crib from Bellini called "Bella".  I fell in love with this crib.. but the LA store didn't have it in stock and would have charged $200+ to ship it on top of the $900+ price tag.  I still wanted it SO BAD, but after reading less than spectacular reviews on Consumer Reports I decided that spending $1,000+ without even seeing the crib in person would be extremely stupid.

So.. I didn't know where to start.

We looked at Pottery Barn, Buy Buy Baby, and Babies R Us.  I didn't like any of the cribs at Buy Buy Baby or Babies R Us.  I liked a couple of the cribs at Pottery Barn, but couldn't help but think that we were just paying for the brand name.  Was I buying the same Babies R Us crib for the Pottery Barn price??

Again I turned to Consumer Reports.  The top rated crib was around $200, but when I went and looked at it I was less than impressed.  It just didn't seem to be that sturdy.

Consumer Reports seemed to really like the Pottery Barn crib that they tested out so, we went back to Pottery Barn.

The crib that was tested was the Kendal Crib.  It is a very simple, but nice crib.  It is made very well and you can tell that the wood used is quality wood.  If you set up a registry at Pottery Barn Kids you will get a 10% discount off of your purchase.

The crib that we ended up getting was the Madison Crib in Sun Valley Espresso.

It is extremely sturdy and the wood seems to be of pretty decent quality.  Pottery Barn charges a pretty hefty (mandatory) delivery fee for most of their cribs, but they came in and set it up in about 10 minutes.  7 months later, I am still happy with our crib decision!  Thanks Grandma for the beautiful crib!  :)

How to get the best deal on DIAPERS!

EDIT FOR CORRECTIONS:  The Target deal isn't that great.  My Buy Buy Baby w/ Babies R Us coupon will save you more.


I hate paying more than I have to for ANYTHING.  I'm not cheap, but why should I pay more for something that I can get for less?

That being said, I scout baby deals like it's my job.. because it kind of is right now. Haha!  Well, until I start looking for a real lawyer job.

DEAL OF THE WEEK - Target!  Buy 2 Economy packs of Pampers or Huggies and get a $10 Target gift card.  But that's not all.  The diapers are $37.99!  That is a full $8 cheaper than Buy Buy Baby, $9 cheaper than Babies R Us, and I'm not sure about Amazon because they're not worth it to me anymore and I'll tell you later why.

Here is the link to the Target Ad for all of you San Jose-ers.  It's only good until January 12, so go now!

Target Ad

So.. This Target promo is special.  Usually I buy diapers at a discount as follows:

(1) Wait until Babies R Us runs a promo for $8 off Pampers ($10 off Huggies for you Huggies users)

then

(2) Take the coupon (and hopefully manufacturers coupons, because you can use up to 4 if you have them) to Buy Buy Baby because you get about 20 more diapers for $1 less.

Buy Buy Baby will take any competitor's coupon so take them up on this if you have a store near by.  Also, buy the max (usually 3 boxes) because they have the most amazing return policy!

Buy Buy Baby Returns Policy

You can either get your money back if it has been less than 90 days, or exchange it for the next size up (or merchandise credit) if it has been more than 90 days or you lose your receipt.  Here's a little tip -->  Tape the receipt to the last diaper box you plan on using so it's less likely that you'll lose your receipt.

Absent a super special promo, this is the best way to buy diapers since Babies R Us will run these promotions about every 2 months.

Why I despise Amazon

So, I don't really despise Amazon.  In fact, I probably have 5 shipments coming to my house as we speak.  BUT they changed their subscribe and save system and the new system SUCKS.

You now have to wait at least a month before you get your first shipment of diapers.  WTH?!  One month!  That's an eternity in diaper land.  Plus, you're locked in to ONE SIZE.  So, I haven't completely investigated whether you can change the size because it's not worth it to me.. but I'm pretty sure that's how it works.  Sorry, but Adelaine has gone from a size N to a 2 in 3 months.  I don't know what size she'll be next month and I definitely don't want a shipment of too small diapers coming to my house that I will have to go back and return.

PLUS, the price is exactly the same (maybe a few cents more) than my Babies R Us / Buy Buy Baby technique.  I am sorry Amazon, but you have lost me as a diaper customer.

Hope these tips help!

Swaddling

So, as some of you may know, I have been blessed with pretty much the easiest baby ever.  BUT we still swaddled her for about 6 weeks in order to maximize sleep time!

The first few nights in the hospital we just swaddled her in receiving blankets and that worked pretty well.  She was super sleepy, so we usually had to wake her up every few hours to eat.

When we were discharged Adelaine's pediatrician told us we could go 4 hours at night between feedings, so I wrapped her in her Miracle blanket and over the course of the next 4 weeks we got 4 (sometimes 4.5 because we hit snooze..) hours of sleep 90% of the time.  The other 10% of the time she would wake up after 3 hours.. but I'm not complaining!

We used 2 different types of "special" swaddling blankets - Summer Infant and Miracle Blanket.

Summer Infant 

This one was super easy to put on.  Literally it was swaddling for dummies.. velcro.  LOVED that!  BUT Adelaine's strong little arms could break free after about 2 arm raises.  Lucky for us, when she startles she doesn't wake up, but if I had a baby who startled easily and woke up easily I would NOT go with this blanket.

Miracle Blanket

We had 2 of these blankets and used one every night for those first 6 weeks.  It was AMAZING!  I think she broke free maybe.. once?  After the doctor said we could let her sleep as long as she wanted I was getting 6 - 8 hours of sleep.  Yes, 6 - 8 hours of sleep from a 1 month old baby.  I partially attribute this to the Miracle Blanket.

The only cons with this blanket are.. (1) they're on the expensive side ($25 - $30) and (2) it's a must that you watch a video on how to use it because it is confusing at first (youtube it).

One of the best $45 investments ever.

For the best selection and the best price, buy directly from the Miracle Blanket website.

Miracle Blanket Website

You can also buy them on Amazon, or at Buy Buy Baby.

Love Como Tomo Bottles!

Love Como Tomo!

You know you're a mom when you get excited about bottles..

Before Adelaine was born we went to a breastfeeding class so I could learn how to breastfeed and Keith could.. learn how to help me.  Anyways, at this class the teacher suggested not using a bottle at all for the first 6 weeks, but also suggested getting a bottle with a wide base and soft nipple just in case we needed it.  She said that a wide lipped bottle would minimize nipple confusion.  The bottle she recommended were Como Tomo bottles!

I have tried feeding Adelaine with 4 different bottles and I will explain why I love Como Tomo bottles the most.

(1) They only have 4, difficult to lose, parts.

(2) They're super easy to clean.

(3) The nipples are soft and did help minimize nipple confusion while Adelaine was in the NICU @ 1 week old.

(4) The nipples are "short" and don't choke her.

(5) My Simple Lines 1 oz. milk cubes fit right into the larger bottle.  I can put anywhere from 2 to 6 oz. of frozen milk right into the bottle.  I usually put them in the bottle the night before and put the bottle in the fridge for the next day.

(6) It's lightweight so **hopefully** Lainey will be able to hold it on her own in the near future.  :)

(7) The cap acts as a stopper for the nipple.  So, with the cap on you can turn the bottle upside down without it leaking.  Amazing.

(8) It looks like a BOOB!

You can buy Como Tomo bottles and nipples on Amazon.com and Target.com.  If you have a Target debit or credit card then it's cheapest to buy it on Target.com because you save 5% and get free shipping.  The links are displayed below:

Amazon

Target


The other bottles I have tried are: Born Free glass bottles, Avent plastic classic bottles, and Medela classic bottles.

Here is a brief description on why I'm not a fan of the aforementioned bottles:

Born Free Glass Bottles

(1) There are so many parts!  For me that means.. lots of parts to wash and lots of parts to lose!  I've only used them once because it was such a pain to wash!

(2) The nipple is super long, so it choked my little girl.  Not fun.

(3) They're heavy.

Did I mention there are a lot of parts??

Avent Plastic Bottles

I can't complain too much about these because I got 6 of them for FREE (different coupons sent to different family members), but the reasons why I'm not a huge fan are:

(1) 5 small parts, and the little rings are super easy to lose.  I think I've lost 2?!

(2) They feel really cheaply made.. Like REALLY cheap.  I wouldn't be surprised if one were to crack on me.

(3) The nipples are hard.  Lainey drank out of it, but wasn't a huge fan.

Soo.. Since i'm not using my free Avent bottles as bottles, I bought the pump adapter and the storage parts for $8 (with store and manufacturer's coupons) and turned them into storage bottles.

Medela Bottles

Does anyone really use these as their primary bottles??  They suck so bad..

(1) You need to remove the nipple from baby's mouth every few seconds because the nipple closes up from the suctioning.

(2) The cover doesn't touch the top of the nipple so if the bottle it turned upside down with the cap on it will leak all over.

I use it sometimes to give Adelaine her medicine because it's too easy to just pop that nipple on my little 1 or 2 oz. container that already has milk in it.

First Post!

For those of you who do not know me personally, I am a 26 year old mother of a beautiful baby named Adelaine (AKA Lainey or Delainey).  She is the absolute love of my life and I truly love being her mother.

Gushing aside, I have decided to create this blog to share my favorite ..and not so favorite.. baby products, as well as bits of advice for everything from couponing to things that have worked for me as a new mother.

I went to school for business and law, so I am definitely not professing to be a child expert.  I'd just like to share some of the things that have worked for me.  Hope you enjoy!