What do I need?!

Question

Hi ladies! I feel like I am starting over with baby supplies. Our son is 4 years old, and though that’s not a huge age gap, almost all of his previous gear is unusable. His car seat is expired, his high chair was recalled, and the pack n play I just discovered is covered in mold from being in our basement for so long. Are there any must have items you guys recommend? I never had a dock a got/snuggle me with him, do you like them? Thanks in advance!

Answer

I’ll follow along on this post as my youngest is 12, so literally completely out of the loop lol
The one thing I remember as a necessity is the moby wrap, and a good swing. I found an amazing stroller/car seat that I bought this round though. it’s really the only thing I’ve purchased. It’s the Doona and am pretty excited about it. Anything to make life easier w a new little. I’m all about it!

Answer

If you plan on having more babies in the future find an infant car seat that doesn’t expire for 6-7 years. Uppababy is the one we use and they recently came out with a Max version that has an extended visor (so no need to use any shade cover unless you really want to). Super easy to move straps, easy install, and easy to clean. 
I loved the snuggleme with my second and plan to use it again for my third. It was great during those first few months when baby wanted to be snuggled non stop and I needed to eat or do something. 
We did the Stokke Tripp trapp for our second and regret not grabbing it for our first. We will use it again for the third baby. Super easy to clean and grows with the kids from infant to child. 
I’m doing the DesignDuo bassinet (Ark) with rocker along with the Baby Breeza vibration pad for sleeping. We were going to do the Snoo but I can’t justify that cost especially if we are unsure if we are having another baby. I feel like the bassinet/rocker and optional vibration pad will be a good happy medium for us. 
Swaddles I’m going to try this go around: Ollie (super easy to use swaddle with Velcro) and Copper Pearl (regular swaddle but super soft and stretchy). 
We have a regular baby swing (ingenuity I think is the brand) and a Nuna leaf grow that I can take room to room with me. I prefer the Nuna over the Charlie Crane simply because it grows with the kiddos. My 7 year old still likes to sit in it with his brother so I would say it was a good investment for us. 
I’m doing glass bottles this go around (BIBS made a really great one) to make cleaning easier and just in case we want another kiddo we just have to replace the nipples. We loved comotomo but cleaning them was a pain and the bottoms don’t hold up well over the years. 
For bathing we will use 4moms infant tub with the thermometer and clean water flow. We used it for our last two and loved loved loved it. So user friendly and safe. We ended up buying a new one instead of using the old one since it broke during our last move but it looks identical to the older version just with an added infant seat. We also use Tubby Todd baby shampoo and both of the lotions. My oldest kiddo had allergies and this was the only brand that he could safely use and still smell amazing. So we continue to use it. Plus their all over ointment is fantastic for eczema and other skin issues. Mustella makes a great quick clean no rinse solution that works great to freshen up baby and also help with cradle cap. Our second was a “super spitter upper” and the mustella was amazing to have on hand to clean him up without a bath every hour. 
Pacifiers we like BIBS - they didn’t interfere with breastfeeding with my second and that was huge! 
Baby gowns we like the Copper Pearl ones. Easy to use and super soft. We also like the LovedBaby kimonos on Amazon. Also super soft and easy to use. 
Ktan is my favorite newborn carrier but we will also be trying the Solly Baby this time. I get a little busty when my milk first comes in and sometimes the ktan is a little too tight. I’m hoping during that transition I can use the Solly on my busty days and ktan during the regular days. I use the original Ergo carrier once baby hits 6 months but I think you can use it earlier with the infant carrier. I prefer the wraps during that stage though. 
If I think of anything else I’ll add to this comment. Or if you have specific questions just ask 🙂

Answer

So far I've set aside a carseat, bassinet, clothes, diapers, wipes, baby carrier, swaddle blankets, burp cloths, baby soap, Vitamin D3 drops, Ovol, infant Tylenol, diaper cream and a baby chair.

Answer

Dock-a-tots are not made for sleeping. People use them incorrectly. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if they’re recalled in the future. 
Car seat, safe place for baby to sleep. Those are good places to start! I’ve always found a good stroller essential but not everyone does. With my second I also loved a good baby carrier that I used often when out and about with my toddler at playgrounds and things!

What do I need?!

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