These are a Few of my Favorite (Baby) Things

One of the most exciting yet most stressful parts of being pregnant was deciding what baby products to register for.  I spent hours reading customer reviews, safety reports, and browsing products online.  Now that we have been in the thick of parenting for a little over 3 months, I thought I'd share some of our feedback so far.  These are just a few of our favorite baby things.  (The hubs had some input in this too, so it's coming from both of us.)

1. Dr. Bronner's Baby Liquid Castile Soap

Why We Love It: 

I chose this soap after doing some research in finding the mildest, most natural baby soaps available (without spending too much moolah.) I was very pleased with the "1" rating given by the Skin Deep Cosmetic Database.  (A lower rating means that they deem it as more natural or having fewer harsh ingredients.)  I also liked that it was certified fair trade and made with organic oils.  The hubs was a little taken back by the price at first (around $15 for a big bottle), BUT we have used it for 3 months and still have soap above the label in the bottle.  It's going to last a LONG time! Now, the hubs is completely on board.  So far, we have nothing negative to say about this product.  

2. Sakura Bloom Ring Sling

Why We Love It:

Okay, that's a lie.  I love this product.  It is amazing - 100%. However, Chris just can't seem to get comfortable wearing it.  He's only tried a couple of times, but he just can't get the hang of it.  Perhaps some dads would be okay, but he's not one of them.  However, I use this baby all the time! It's comfortable for mama and baby.  I used it when Evie was only a few days old - she loved being snug as a bug right up against me, and I loved being able to have my hands free to do other things.  It's convenient when we go somewhere that's not particularly stroller-friendly.  It's also great for little babies because it keeps other people at a distance - no one will touch your baby.  The instruction booklet is very helpful in adjusting and getting comfortable with the sling.  It took me a couple tries the first time, but Evie was snuggled up in a matter of minutes.  You can also use it in other positions when baby is older, but we have yet to try those.  The major con of this product is price.  I think ours was around $160 - yikes! But since many of our other major purchases were taken care of at our showers, we decided to splurge on this.  It's been well worth it, in my opinion.  It can be bought at Sakura Bloom.

3. Prefold Cloth Diapers

Why We Love Them:

I knew I wanted to try cloth diapering, but Chris was a little more hesitant.  He was all for saving money, but the thought of putting a poopy diaper in the laundry didn't exactly appeal to him.  After getting recommendations from a few experienced mamas, I decided to order prefolds and covers for Evie's first few months.  This was suggested because I would be breastfeeding.  Breastfed babies poop a LOT, and their poop is water soluble, so it's okay to put right in the wash without dunking.  We ordered an infant package from Nell's Natural Baby.  We got 30 prefolds, 4 Thirsties covers, 4 snappi clips, and a roll of flushable liners for $118.  (They were on sale - I think they're $125 now.)  These diapers claim to be good for 3 months, but we are still using them.  When she grows out of them (or is weaned), we will use BumGenius diapers.  We LOVE these prefolds - even Chris is a believer! He hates putting her in disposables now.  With 30 diapers, we do a load of laundry every other day.  The covers only have to be changed if they get soiled on.  We tend to use the same cover for an entire day.  These diapers are basically just as convenient as disposables.  They are cheaper in the long run, more environmentally friendly, and lack the chemicals that can be found in disposable diapers.  After this experience, we plan on using them for all of our children, which stretches their value even further!

4. Fisher Price "Whale of a Tub"

Why We Love It:

First of all, look how cute that thing is! That's what got me initially, but I also read tons of happy mama reviews on this bathtub.  It's super easy to put together.  Also, it has a convenient removable little seat for tiny babies so that they can sit upright in the tub.  It also has a small drain and plug.  Evie loves this thing! Best of all, we have had no problems with mold in it thus far.  Our major complaint? The size.  Our house has very limited storage, so this big guy usually ends up propped up in our shower when we're not using it.  It also takes up more space than we'd like when we travel.  Overall though, we love it.  Evie has a ball when she takes a bath!

**EDIT: Chris asked me to add this next one...
5. Skip Hop Owl Activity Mat

 Can't you tell she loves it? :) 

Why We Love It:
Quite simply, we love this because Evie loves it.  She plays on it every single day.  Each of the dangling toys is different, and many of them make noise.  They can all be removed and attached to other things, like a car seat or stroller.  This also allows us to interchange them with other dangly toys that she has.  The mat itself is soft, colorful, and includes a few other sensory items like a mirror, squeaky flower, and crinkly leaves.  It's also very easy to put together or take apart for storing or traveling.  

Well, that takes care of a few of our favorites so far.  I'll add more as we discover other products that we love.  I also may do a separate post on the specifics of cloth diapering.  Like I said, we love it!