These are a few of my favorite things - 1 Month

Now that we've been home with Carina for a bit, I'd like to share some of the items that we have found to be really helpful so far.

1. Itzbeen Baby Care Timer

The Itzbeen has been a life saver.  Every time you feed baby or change her diaper, you press the button and a timer starts counting.  This means at any given time you can see how long it has been since you fed or changed her.  I cannot tell you how helpful this has been!  Not having to try to remember when I last fed or changed her is amazing.  There is also a nap timer, which we sometimes use, and a miscellaneous timer that can be used for medication or something else.  Did I mention that it has a button to turn on a backlight?

2. My Brest Friend Pillow

Yes, I know that this pillow has the most ridiculous name.  M is constantly making fun of it and hey, I can't blame him.  I have to say, though, this pillow literally has become my best friend.  It is thick and supportive (not mushy like the boppy) and even has a back rest.  You don't have to hold the baby in position; your arms are free!  It is adjustable and can fit snugly enough that you can actually stand up and walk around while baby is feeding.  It also has a pocket that you can put your cell phone, lanolin, Itzbeen etc., in.  Most importantly, Carina loves it!  I think she finds it more comfortable than our Pack n Play because she would much prefer to sleep on it.

3. Munchkin Disposable Changing Pads

Never thought we would need these, but we got a box as a gift and figured we'd give them a try.  They are awesome.  We put one over the changing table cover and leave it there until she pees or poos on it.  I think each one has lasted us a few days.  Pee or poo on the disposable pad is so much better than getting it on the changing table cover!  We also plan on putting a couple in our diaper bag so we can use them on the yucky changing tables in public restrooms.

4. Fisher Price Seahorse

Carina loves this.  If she is fussy, we turn this on and she quiets down to listen to it and watch it.  It doesn't always end up soothing her to sleep, but it certainly helps.  It is really cute, too.

5. Aden and Anais Swaddle Blankets

I would normally scoff at this kind of price tag for a set of 4 blankets, but these swaddle blankets are truly the best.  We probably have close to 20 different receiving blankets and these are the only ones that we use to swaddle anymore.  They are large and a little bit stretchy; perfect for swaddling!  We actually bought another set after it became clear that these were the be-all end-all of swaddle blankets.  Cute prints, too.

6. Lansinoh Disposable Nursing Pads

I was using reusable nursing pads at first, but after I leaked through one, my bra, my shirt, and the blanket that was covering me, I knew it was time to try something else.  These are great; they have an adhesive backing and will stick to your nursing bra or tank really well, and I haven't leaked through one of them yet (yay!)

7. Fisher-Price Precious Planet Mobile

This mobile is adorable, and I can only imagine that Carina will love it more and more as she grows and is actually able to see the cute animals and the lights it projects.  For now, she is really loving the heartbeat sound that it makes.  I'm guessing it reminds her of being in the womb?  The sound has helped settle her down when she is fussy.

8. Sheet Savers

Babies pee a lot and unfortunately, sometimes they pee through their diaper.  Put one of these across the crib and lay baby's butt on it, and then you only have to worry about changing the sheet saver when she pees.  No need to change the whole sheet in the middle of the night.  We actually have two in our crib, one for the bum and one under her head in case she spits up.

9. JJ Cole Car Seat Cover

Because they go between baby and the car seat, JJ Cole Bundle Mes are not safe and use of them will actually void your car seat's warranty. JJ Cole recently made a new product, a shower cap style cover, that does not interfere with the car seat and is perfectly safe. We have two of them and they are wonderful! They keep baby warm and cozy, and don't void the car seat's warranty. A no brainer.

10. Fisher-Price Precious Planet Tub

We tried a sponge bath at first, but she did nothing but kick and scream.  She still doesn't particularly like baths, but putting her in the tub with a couple inches of water gets the job done a lot faster.  The one thing she does really like at this point is when we take the little orange fishy cup and rinse her off.

Please feel free to share any of your favorite newborn products if I haven't listed them here. I'd love to hear what is working well for you.