Not wanting to waste time or money, I asked my friends what they recommended. What did they find worked, what they didn't. What would they not want to raise a baby without (any guesses?) After I had their lists, I did my own research. They had given me the ideas, but I had to find what brand and models would work for us.
This blog is dedicated to my amazing friends who shared their thoughts and their finds with me. Below are pieces of advice that I have found to be invaluable over these last few months, including one thing I had never heard of.
Take these ideas and then do your own research! Find what works for you and to find the best price. Save your pennies where you can. I say pennies, because online they still exist! Lol.
- Prenatal Vitamins
- If you have a Costco membership, buy your prenatal vitamins there! Materna vitamins are way cheaper there. And, they have a very large Kirkland bottle option even cheaper.
- Invest in a good stroller.
- I live in the country, so that goes without saying. But great strollers can be expensive. If you have your eye on one specific, check out Kijiji. You never know what you may find!
- We decided on an UppaBaby Vista stroller. Large, thick wheels were what I noticed first. It comes with a bassinet (which we have used for three months now), and a toddler seat. Bonus, with this stroller, you can buy an additional toddler seat to have two toddlers riding along. You can also get a board for a toddler to stand on allowing for three passengers. In newer models, you can get two bassinets at a time on one stroller! Great for twins :). And a variety of colours are also available.
- Clink link for more info on this great stroller: Well.ca Uppababy Vista Stroller
- Get a Diaper Genie
- This was always part of my plan but it was the one thing a friend said they would not do without. When my husband and I went to pick it up, he wondered if we really needed it. After all, they're not cheap. But now, he's glad we did! No diaper smell in our nursery :).
- The "Elite" model has a flat back, so it fits up against the wall perfectly.
- Invest in a Baby Tub
- Choose whichever works best for you and your space, but get one. For the amount of times you will bathe your baby, it's worth it.
- We choose the Fisher Price Calming Waters Vibration Baby Tub. At the time, Amazon.ca had the best price.
- This tub comes with an infant sling and a divider to help prevent toddlers from slipping. It has a drain in the bottom and it vibrates to soothe your baby.
- The Diaper Debate
- I have friends that do cloth - all the power to them!
- But we choose to go with disposable. So, the question was which ones?
- I had heard that the "no name" brands tabs aren't as good, so they were out. Other "better" brands were to costly to consider.
- The battle became Pampers vs Huggies.
- The friends I asked unanimously voted HUGGIES. They said they were more absorbent and had better leak control. So, we went with Huggies.
- I have to say, I agree! Plus, Pampers seems to have a big size discrepancy. As you can see in the pic below the first diaper is a Pampers size newborn. to it's right, is the next stage, size 1. Then you'll see beside it is a Huggies size newborn and to it's right, is the next stage, size 1.
- When my daughter was born, she fit the Pampers newborns for a few weeks, At three months, she still couldn't fit the Pampers size 1s properly. The Huggies have fit perfectly all the way through.
- When I signed up, Huggies also sent me great me a free bag of diapers and great coupons! Sign yourself up here: No Baby Unhugged
- I am currently waiting for my trials from The Honest Company. Just pay the shipping. Pretty good deal, even if it is American dollars. I also bundled some other products to try that I couldn't find here in Canada. I will review these Honest products in another post.
- Diaper Bundle: 7 diapers & 10 wipes
- Essentials: Trial sizes of 5 personal care and home cleaning essentials: Shampoo+Body Wash, Face+Body Lotion, Multi-Surface Cleaner, Healing Balm, Hand Soap.
- Find a good, supportive baby carrier.
- We wanted something that both myself and my husband would feel comfortable using. That meant looking for a carrier, not a sling. Also, to make it worth the money, we wanted something with versatility for carrying with good support.
- My Choice? The Onya Outback I love this carrier!
- You can have your baby on your front (facing you or facing out), you can have them on your side or on your back. You can even breastfeed in it, though I haven't tried that yet.
- It can also be done up two ways: with straight straps or crossed. The straps are thick with great padding.
- It also comes with a sun canopy and pockets.
- And when your baby is big enough to sit on their own, it converts into a seat that can be strapped to a chair. Yes, it is amazing!
- Add-ons: an infant insert available as well as teething straps.
- Bottle Recommendation
- I had planned to breastfeed exclusively but even with a strict pumping regime, I don't produce enough. So, I had to find a bottle that would be a good fit to work with breastfeeding.
- My friends recommended NUK. We got the "Perfect Fit" slow release nipples and they work great! I have heard of babies that have troubles taking a bottle or are picky about the nipple. Our daughter gave us no problems.
- NUK's bottles are shaped specifically replicate the nipple. It also introduces a anti-colic system. No complaints here!
- They are available in 5oz and 10oz NUK Canada Bottles & Accessories
- Con: They no longer make them with sealing disks. Their indented caps are meant to seal off the nipple. However, I find when I shake to mix formula, they leak a bit. Also, the lids can come off easily in your bag. Working on finding more, will update if I find any! For now, I took one as a stencil and cut out some flexible cutting boards to make some.
- A Gift: NeilMed Naspira Aspirator
- This was a gift from a friend that is a nurse. And I am thankful for it! I had never heard of one like this but there are so many pros to this product!
- You can use it as a bulb, pumping it with your hand. Or, you can use the tube and suck out the congestion. Our daughter doesn't like it but it is much more effective than other bulbs.
- The main thing I love about this aspirator is that it's clear. This helps you see the progress you've made. It also ensures that when you clean it, you see everything. And it can be disassembled for easy cleaning. Included: a mesh carrying case and extra filters.
- Check it out at Amazon: NeilMed Naspira Aspirator
I hope you find these tools to be as helpful as I have! Is there something that you found you couldn't live without while raising your newborn? Please share in the comments below!
Until next time,
Canadian Country Mama
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