My baby product review

I have a couple of friends that are expecting so I put together a list of our experiences with baby items and registering to help them out. First of, I have had multiple people tell me that they don't want to borrow any items because they plan on having more kids that will use the items again. Chances are you are not going to get all that you need as gifts. I highly recommend borrowing anything you don't get and save your money for diapers. Also, the more stuff you borrow the less stuff you have to store. This stuff takes up a lot of space! Keep in mind that what worked for Gates and us might not be the same for you. Save the receipts! Nicknames are in parentheses next to some of our very favorite items.

• The Bumbo (the throne) We used this until Gates was about 8 months when he figured out how to climb out of it. We got the tray to go with it but we never saw the point to use it. It's not like we were going to put a bowl of food on it, Gates would have just put his hand in it.
• Saucer (Command center) We have gotten the most use out of this. We started using this when Gates could hold his head and we are still using it.
• Baby Trend infant car seat. We went for this car seat because it was the cheapest. All car seats have to pass the same safety standers so I didn't think there was that much of a difference. We got an extra snap in base to put in our second car.
• We have moved into a new car seat because Gates got to heavy to carry in the car seat and he seamed a little cramped. It is an Even Flow that some friends let us borrow. Since it is not ours and I don't want to mess it up I ordered a really cute custom car seat for it.
• Baby Trend snap n go stroller. This was great in the beginning because it is small, easy, light, small and cheap.
• The Bob Revolution. There is a huge difference in using this stroller verse the previous stroller. It is so smooth and glides along with no issues. Worth the expense. My first thought was looking for a used BOB to save some money but the used ones where about the same as finding a deal for a new one online. We also learned that you can get an attachment to snap a car seat into it.
• Door bouncer. I got this for Gates thinking he was going to love it but, he wasn't very impressed. He would only hang out in it for a short while before he wanted out.
• Baby Swing. This was nice when Gates was an infant but he out grew it after 2 months and it was really big and took up a lot of space. We could of definitely lived with out it.
• The Bouncy chair. This was great! We just had a basic cheap bouncy seat that Gates loved. We could easily carry it from room to room and Gates could hang out in it for hours.
• Glider. ( Burka lounge or Marshmallow chair) This was another place I felt was worth splurging on. I wanted a glider that looked like a nice piece of furniture that we could used Gates' room when he is older. Our chair is from Best Chair storyteller line called the Braxton. It is the most comfortable chair! I have been known to fall asleep in it.
• Born Free bottles and sippy cups. Read previous post called Sippy cups.
• Swaddle blankets and sleep sacks. You have to get big blankets for swaddling successfully. The regular size swaddle blankets just come undone. Actually, skip the blankets and get the Swaddleme. These are great because you can swaddle really tight and they don't come undone because they have velcro, how genius. We found out the hard way that Gates sleeps much better when he was swaddled. When Gates got to big to be swaddled we got the sleep sack.
• Toys. What a joke! Gates wants nothing to do with toys. He wants to play with the stuff that are not meant for him. Such as, TV remotes, cell phones, ripping up magazines, flour sifter, diaper box, measuring spoons, glasses case, and many other random things.
• The everyday stuff. Huggies diapers from Costco (same price per diaper as the Costco brand), Costco wipes, Costco formula, Gerbers solid food ( cheapest at Target).
• Clothes. Avoid buying anything smaller then 6 months because those are the sizes that everyone buys you as gifts. Also, they grow out of them so quick and before 6 months you don't leave the house very often. If you do have that urge to buy cloths, go to TJ Maxx, Ross, Marshalls or The Children's Place. That is where I have found the least expensive clothes especially The Children's Place. I got jeans for Gates for $4, shirts for a $1, and pj's for $3. Can't beat that! TJ Maxx, Ross and Marshalls are great if you like Ralph Lauren.
  

Whew.... that was a lot and I am sure there is a lot I left out.