By the time I had my third child, I thought I had it all figured out. I knew we used Halo swaddles, Similac formula, and an Ergo carrier. These tools worked for the first two kids, and I expected to rely heavily on them for baby number three. But in the two years since the birth of my last baby, new products had entered the market and others had disappeared (sayonara, Rock ‘n Play), and, as it turns out, our little girl wasn’t exactly the same as her two older brothers when it came to preferences. Here are three new-to-me baby products that baby number three and I are loving.
SNOO Smart Sleeper
My firstborn pretty much only slept when moving, his preference being during car travel. I joked then that I needed a self-driving car so we could both sleep. But as it turns out what I really needed was the SNOO Smart Sleeper. I didn’t think I could or would justify the hefty price tag of the SNOO but attempting to parent three kids three and under with little sleep will make you reconsider what constitutes money well spent.
After one particularly rough night at home with our new baby, my husband and I looked into renting a SNOO. When we explored the website we realized that SNOO offers a significant military discount, for us it made more sense financially to purchase a SNOO than to rent one since we plan to sell it once our baby grows out of it. Our daughter loves the SNOO and the fact that it is sturdy and safe gives us great peace of mind. While many baby purchases make big promises they can’t fulfill, for us, the SNOO has delivered (a full night’s sleep, that is!).
Nesting Days Newborn Carrier
I loved the Ergo 360 with my first two children, and I intended to use it down the road with number three. But I didn’t love the bulkiness of the carrier or the fact that it requires an infant insert. I tried a K’Tan with my first baby and never got the hang of it. It was challenging to put on the K’Tan. And it was difficult for me to get my son into it. I couldn’t position him correctly in the carrier, and neither one of us was comfortable. After reading some great reviews of the Nesting Days Newborn Carrier I reached out to my mom friends. A number of women responded immediately to say that the carrier was one of the best purchases they’ve made. Based on their recommendations I ordered the carrier, and I am so glad I did.
The Nesting Days Newborn Carrier is everything I thought the K’Tan would be. The carrier is easy to wear and use and my daughter and I are both very comfortable in it. I wear this carrier all day and put my daughter into it as needed. The carrier is quick and easy to wash. It is the only way I get my three small children from place to place by myself (two in the stroller, one in the carrier). This carrier is for babies from 5 to 18 lbs. My daughter is 4 months old, and she is still quite happy in it. I’ll be sad when she outgrows it as it has been so useful for us. You have to order the Nesting Days Newborn Carrier to fit. I ordered a medium based on my pre-pregnancy size, and it fits true to size.
Costco Formula
At a recent pediatrician visit, the doctor noted that my daughter takes Costco formula and said: “I’ve noticed many more parents using it recently.” I explained that I was not surprised since the formula is nearly the same as Similac and much more reasonably priced. I tried Costco formula with my first two children and neither took to it. Before the birth of my third baby, a friend said that she brought Costco formula to the hospital with her so her daughter could try it immediately. This made all of the difference. She found that since it was the first formula her daughter used, she really took to it. I tried the same thing with my third child and it worked like a charm. My daughter likes the formula, is growing and thriving and we are saving a significant amount of money. Win-win-win!
Sometimes it is hard to justify the cost of trying something new with a child that may be your last. Or you may feel inclined to try to make the products you’ve used successfully in the past work again. That said, every baby is different. What works for one may not work for another. The really good baby products, those that allow you to more easily care for both yourself and your kids, are almost always worth the money. When considering a new purchase I always do significant research and then attempt to find the products pre-loved (aka used) except in the case of formula, of course. This strategy and these products have worked for our family, and I hope they will for yours as well!
