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The Lexi Awards! Best baby items {0-3 months}
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You may find yourself pulling the Bumbo back at at some point. I don’t think it was meant to be used for 0-3 month olds- we found it an invaluable piece when our little guy was a bit older and could sit up a bit more steady but not necessarily on his own yet for long periods. We’d pop the tray on, put some toys on it and he’d go to town for long enough for me to throw dinner in the oven or get some laundry done.
Thanks for the list! I have another little one due in a few weeks and am always looking for new baby recs!
She can sit up unsupported at this point, so the bumbo just didn’t work for our time frame. And the biggest problem I had with it is her fat little leggies would fit through the holes hahah
I used the Bumbo the most when we started solids because he was too little for a conventional high chair, but it worked great to feed him with the tray on the Bumbo!
We found a similar product from Summer Infant that appears much better than the Bumbo. It ranges from infant to toddler and has an attachable tray with toys. When DS is old enough we’ll strap it to a kitchen chair and use it as a high chair. There’s a a lot more leg room than the Bumbo.
I also purchased the Summer Infant seat (assuming this one is the same as yours Adge). My son loved this seat and his fat thighs fit into the leg hole area perfectly. We’ve even fed him in this seat.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001NJC5QY/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00
We’ve got a Bebepod seat for our almost 9-month-old, and it works really nicely as a high chair. He’s smallish but has fat little legs.
http://www.amazon.com/Prince-Lionheart-Bebepod-Flex-Watermelon/dp/B004NRNSZK/ref=pd_cp_ba_2
We got the Prince Lionheart seat and found it to be waaay better than the Bumbo. It was easier to seat the baby in and accommodated the chunky legs. Plus it has a safety belt that straps them in. We never used the seat prior to 5 months.
Live and learn. Why is the Bumbo so popular then?
I have no idea. When I was shopping for my first baby, it was on our list. When I saw it in person, I was immediately turned off. I took it out of the box and examined it. I hated how it felt, looked and it’s poor quality. Also, it’s lack of safety belt. That’s what lead me to the BebePod. We have used it with our both children, who are 3 years apart. My daughter is 18 months and still uses it!
The ModSawd changed our life too! I wish I’d had it from day one!
Me too!!!
this post couldnt have come at a better time! My baby shower was 2 weeks ago and now I need to order all the other stuff and I had no idea where to begin! THANK YOU! BTW, i’m so stoked i won the muslin swaddle!
Great article! I am so happy you have found things that work for you and YOUR baby. 🙂 We are expecting our first in January and these articles have been very helpful for us in deciding what we might want to try for our child as well. Also, thank you SO much for introducing me to zulily! I can not WAIT to figure out what we are having so we can actually buy things for our boy or girl.
Eva is the same with a bumbo. She can only handle it for so long before she starts arching her back and trying to get out.
How much of these did you actually buy?
Slightly more than half of the things listed.
Where did the rest come form?
Items I reviewed for the blog, hand me downs (just a few), gifts.
Some of the items I originally got for a review, I ended up buying a second set myself.
Ha ha! I loved your comment about the British ‘pushchair’, I’m from England and read your blog, along with a couple of others as soon as the posts come in! So when I talk to others about baby subjects I occasionally slip up and say diaper (instead of nappy) etc, I get some funny looks! Such a useful post, we’re not parents yet so all of your research and advice is very helpful to us for the future, thank you!
Haha! I’m glad you got a kick out of it! :)))
V hated her bumbo too.
Also, it’s funny that you mention the K’Tan because I haaaaaate mine. But I love my Ergo (though I wish I would have gotten the “sport one” because it’s more breathable, the original is a bit hot during the summer.)
And the swing you liked is the one that V had at her daycare (before I quit, when she went to daycare) and she LOVED it. Every time I’d pick her up she would be chillin’ in it. I haven’t even unpacked her swing since we’ve moved and she’s been crawling around- I’m sure she’d hate it now.
Alexis is growing into such a beautiful little girl. 🙂
You know I didn’t “get” Ktan right away. It took me a few times to get used to how best to wear it on my body. But I almost gave up on it because I thought it was too tight.
Thank you for sharing this! I’ve really enjoyed following your blog, and it’s so great to have all this in one post.
~Bee
Btw as for Lavanila… I’m seeking certified organic products right now (it’s been a while I’m trying to get some but keep hesitating) and Pure Organic and many others seem to be certified and organic… Can you maybe tell more why you decided to go with Lavanila ? Thank you
PS very sry if I missed it somewhere in your posts
Anna,
I did write a review on the brand, check out under best for babies, maybe page 2. Don’t forget this is for babies ( though lavanila has some awesome adult products)
I considered buying Lavanila after your earlier post, but didn’t because of the info in the EWG Sunscreen guide (http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2012sunscreen/best-sunscreens/best-beach-sport-sunscreens
I went with a baby product rated more highly. I wondered if you had seen this and had any thoughts on their concerns about the product. A “2” is still a much better rating than most sunscreens get, but I figure I might as well get something rated a “1” for my little guys,
I haven’t looked at lavanila rating at EW, thanks on the heads up, I’ll get back to you.
Ok I have a few thoughts on it but it’ll take me forever to type on my iPhone so when Lexi goes to sleep ill try to remember to reply. If I don’t, remind me would ya?
Ok, so here’s what I found out. Looking at Lavanila rating, they have a 1 rating on the adult sunscreens, but the baby sunscreen is a 2. I also noticed that there are almost no sunscreens that are SPF40 and above that have a 1 rating ( there are 2 out of the whole list, one has aluminum and the other had dimethicone). One of the reasons why I went with Lavanila is I usually look at ingredients and judge them myself since I can recognize most harmful ones. And I kept discounting sunscreens based on dimethicone (it’s really not THAT bad, but it got stuck in my head from the pregnancy days. What it does is create a barrier on the skin not allowing toxins to escape, which isn’t great either way, I guess).
Finally, it looks like THE only reason the baby sunscreen got a 2, is because it has TOCOPHEROL (rated a 4), which is simply vitamin E, the same one that we get in oils, the same ones we apply on our preggo stomachs, eat and have in dha supplements and most foods as a preservatives. Why it has tocopherol? Well, because Lavanila puts a bunch of vitamins and minerals into their products, so having Tocopherol is no worse than applying oil on your skin.
Also, it noticed it has both Zinc and Titanium Oxide (which is probably giving it a worse rating), but the amounts of these are much less than other sunscreens (or than the adult Lavanila sunscreaan). I assume it’s done so that no one mineral was in the sunscreen in a large amount , which is smart as far as I am concerned.
I haven’t really confirmed all this with Lavanila, these are just my assumptions as to why those ingredients are the way they are.
If you want to try some baby products that have the best ratings on EWG, made with organic ingredients and are very highly regarded, I would try Adorable Baby Body Wash by Loving Naturals as a body wash/shampoo (with a 0 rating on EWG), and California Baby sunscreen stick for sunblock (rated 1 on EWG, and listed on their recommended safest sunblocks). I like that both are unscented – I hate the idea of any artificial fragrances on my baby, even if they are “natural” – I would rather have my baby smell like herself!
Jessica, read the title: Lexi awards. Not baby must haves 🙂
I’m just sharing what worked and what didn’t. Not saying: You Must Buy This! (said in a hypnotic voice)
We probably had 1/5 of this when Alexis arrived and accumulated the rest as we were trying to find what works for her.
Also I did love the idea of a cosleeper and that It’s dr Sears recommended and if our next child sleeps on her own, she’d most certainly go into a similar sleeping arrangement not a crib. However, I do think that ultimately, bed sharing is probably best for babies from the emotional standpoint (that’s how nature intended it). I suspect the only reason Dr sears doesn’t stand behind bed sharing and instead supports cosleeping is because he would be HIGHLY unpopular in America and probably blamed for a lot of things.
As far as FRs, I don’t believe they don’t completely offgas (as in you can’t get rid of them by offgasing), that’s plastics you’re talking about.. It’s even more dangerous to have a used bed for babies (look up “toxic gas theory of SIDS)
Either way, for such a progressive item, shame on them for spraying it with a ton of FRs.
Dr. Sears does support bedsharing. He did with some of his children and talks about the benefits often.
Yes but I don’t remember him exactly advising it. I think he wrote that co-sleeping is better and cited AAP
Here is a good link where he talks about the benefits of bed sharing. If you’ve read his book on AP he also cites many studies done to support the safety of bed sharing. Like a mothers sense to sleep still while baby is in bed.
http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/sleep-problems/co-sleeping-yes-no-sometimes
Yeah I read the book ( a while ago though), and got the idea that while he thought bedsharing is awesome for both mother and child, I don’t remember him outright saying that’s the arrangement that he recommends. I remember him recommending co-sleeping. I might be wrong though.
I know there’s a huge bias against bedsharing in America, though.
Fun feedback on products:-) thanks
Hey thanks for the list! Have you tried the petunia pickle bottom diaper bags? They are fabulous and have tons of options and designs!
After I commented on your last post, I did a quick google search and found some of the Lourdes suits on this site: http://www.kiddytop.com/en/39-swimwear/brand-lourdes
They’re not the cute little one pieces, but they’re still pretty cute. If you find them again, I would LOVE to know where. I’m still TTC, but would buy those in an instant!
Thanks for the great recommendations. I’m already oogling over all the adorable finn+emma clothes.
I’m glad to know about the Kicking Coaster, too. I’ve never seen one, or used one when I was a nanny, I didn’t know that it actually glides back and forth!
Great!!! Thanks for the link!
I really appreciate this post! I remember reading about the Whimmer Ferguson board a while back on your blog and registered for it right away. I can’t wait to whip it out when our little guy gets here.
SOOO, what will you do and how will you react when she starts biting for reals? You have NO IDEA!!
I have to give some love to the Arm’s Reach Co-Sleeper! Not only is it Dr. Sear’s approved (http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/breastfeeding/helpful-products/arm%E2%80%99s-reach-co-sleeper-bassinet) 🙂 it was wonderful for the first several months before I felt safe enough to bed share. My pediatrician, who fully supports co-sleeping and bed sharing, said that actual bed sharing is much safer once the baby is at least three months old, and using the Arm’s Reach was a wonderful, safe alternative before I felt comfortable pulling my girl into our bed (and of course now we’ve taking all the recommended precautions – no soft bedding or pillows near her, firm mattress on the floor away from the walls, etc.). I know SO many people that just absolutely love it. We got ours used from a friend – in fact, so many of the products out there you can get used or as hand-me-downs that off-gassing isn’t something that I would worry about at all.
As a mom-to-be, I would be intimidated by such a long list of things to get! Most parents and babies can be happy with just a small fraction of this – when my girl was born, we were still working on her nursery (we’re renovating our house on our own while we both work full time, so it’s a slow process!), and all we had were the co-sleeper, cloth diapers and wipes, a bunch of onesies and sleepers, and some receiving blankets. We put some towels in the sink to give her a bath, and used our own washcloths as spit-up cloths. That’s all you really need to start, and you can pick things up used or borrow them from relatives or friends (like swings or wraps, etc.) if you find you need them. I drew my own “baby art” for her to look at on poster board with black markers, and made my own mobile for her room when it was finished out of watercolor paper, wooden dowels and fishing wire. Friends and relatives bought her some toys and books (and of course we love the library), and we were good to go!
Here is where I can still find some of the Lourdes Mini line. No swimsuits, though.
http://www.littlenini.com/2-baby-designer-clothes
Thanks for the list, it’s amazing!! I’m buying one of everything.
Thanks for the link. Too bad no swimsuits. But their dress line is still adorable.
Hey Elena, I’m looking for a product you mentioned in a post a while ago. I believe it was some sort of post partum creme or ointment, but you mentioned that it was good for irritation from shaving the bikini area.. Do you remember this at all?
I know what you are talking about. I don’t remember writing that it’s good for irritation from shaving, though I don’t see why it would not be.
It’s antibacterial anti fungal and soothing. Zita West down under lotion. I mentioned it in the Lexi Awards post, you should find a link there.
I love your product reviews! I will say though, when my son was younger, he hated the bumbo chair. Now that he’s 7 months I decided to give it another go and he loves it now!
A question for those mommies who live in hotter climates, what temperature is okay to take a newborn or infant out in? We recently moved to Texas and it is so hot here. I am due in two weeks and it looks like it will only get hotter as August rolls around. I am just planning on hibernating with our little one but what about the mornings/evenings?
Also, Elena, what have you read about infant gum and tooth care? I see the infant gum cleansers but wonder if the baby is exclusively breastfed then is it really necessary?
I have enjoyed looking at what products have worked for you and your daughter, as I research the items my husband and I are buying for our daughter, who is due in June. I see that both of us are concerned about what chemicals our children will be exposed to.
I have also looked at the Fisher Price Snugabunny, and the only thing that I am concerned about is whether or not it has flame retardants added to the fabric that touches the baby. Did you look into this? Does it have the little tag on it that says that it meets the California flammability laws? Also, did it smell when you opened the box? Thanks for the info!
I was also concerned the BFRs. I had ordered a RNP and it stunk of fire retardants so bad that I had to send it back.
I don’t believe the snuggabunny had the TP bulletin, but I honestly don’t remember for sure now. We did wash the seat as well and it did not smell. I can usually spot fire retardants within a mile lol
Thanks! One big ticket item down, many more to go!
Hahaha! I hear ya! Let me know if I can help! I remember it was CRAZY overwhelming to KNOW what will be good and safe!
Lexi’s baby products are really awesome. I too tried these products for my 7 months old baby girl. Its too effective.
Thanks for tips, I especially like the Nordic baby carrier 🙂