Breast Pump
A breast pump is still a "big ticket" item, of course, though not every mom will have a need for one. Since I knew I was going to breastfeed, I knew I'd need to invest in a pump. I own the Tommee Tippee Electric Breast Pump. It's pretty simple to use and clean and doesn't take up much space. And it's one of the cheaper electric pumps out there at currently $150 (new).
I registered for mine and actually received it at one of my baby showers, which was AWESOME. And the gift giver also purchased the $20 15-month warranty from Babies R Us, which ended up being a GREAT investment because I actually had to order a replacement this past summer when the pump motor died on me. I don't know if it's common for the pump motor to give out (I wrote Tommee Tippee about it just to let them know in case they had had any complaints), but the warranty covered every penny of the replacement so it didn't really matter. And I didn't have to return the old one, so I still have an extra set of "stuff" that came in the box. And I actually could have bought another brand if I wanted.....I would have just received a refund for the replacement of the original amount paid plus tax.
The Tommee Tippee pump isn't for everybody. It has worked great for me - I've never had any problems with pumping. But a friend of mine (who purchased the Tommee Tippee Double Electric Breast Pump, which currently retails for $250) wasn't impressed with its suction power on her boobies.....she needed something more substantial. So she actually ended up going back to the store and purchasing a Medela Double Electric Breast Pump, which worked much better for her. She WANTED the one she used while in the hospital, but found out that it was over $1,000!
You can purchase used breast pumps at consignment sales and online. Some women think it's totally weird to buy a used breast pump, but you don't have to use the suction cups or hoses that come with it if you don't want to....you can buy brand new ones. What you're really paying for is the pump itself.
Note: I'm sure my friend with the Tommee Tippee would be more than willing to sell hers to you, if you're interested!
Something else to consider is that some insurance companies cover the cost of a pump rental from the hospital, and I believe most hospitals have the Medela brand above on hand. So that is DEFINITELY something to dig into if you're all about having a pump to use for free! Or maybe you have a friend that would let you borrow hers if she's not using it (I'll be using mine again here in about 4 months, so I'm out!). But if you DO buy new, I would opt for the replacement plan if one's offered. I don't normally buy warranty plans on things (most are a rip-off anyway), but this one ended up being worth it for me.
Since I received my pump as a baby shower gift, I had it ready to go as soon as the baby was born. And a pump is something you definitely want to have from the start, though some people/articles will tell you NOT to pump during the first month so that your body can self-establish its supply and demand. I read that if you both breastfeed and pump right away, your body will actually think you have twins to feed! I don't remember when I first started using my pump, but I do know that it provided relief (as well as that precious "liquid gold" to freeze!) when my boobs were full yet my baby was sleeping!
Baby Food Maker
A baby food maker is another potential "big ticket" item that not everyone will have a need for or even an interest in. Making your own baby food is an awesome thing to do for your little one, but it does take time and effort that not every mom out there wants to deal with. I knew that I wanted to make Delano's food myself, and I own the Beaba Babycook just for that purpose.
The Beaba Babycook retails on Amazon for $109. I purchased mine at a consignment sale for $40. I was only about 4 months pregnant at the time, but when I saw it sitting there on the shelf, I scooped it up and held onto it while Lucas Googled it on his phone to find out how much it normally cost. Once we realized that $40 was an awesome deal, we went ahead and bought it even though it was WAY too early to need a baby food maker! So for the record, you don't actually need to shop for a baby food maker until AFTER your child is born and close to eating solid foods (between 4 and 6 months old).
There are several brands of baby food makers out there, and they all essentially do the same thing - steam and puree. And I don't think it really matters which one you choose. I ended up with the Babycook because that's what happened to be at the consignment sale. I LOVE my Babycook and use it weekly. And that's what making your own food boils down to......a constant commitment (though of course you could decide to quit at any time). I've been making baby food every week for the past 8 1/2 months, and will continue to do so until Delano is no longer eating any pureed food. But by next Spring/Summer Baby #2 will be ready for solids and the process will start all over again!
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| Haha I don't know that I've ever considered my Babycook to be "swank". |
You don't have to own a baby food maker to make your own baby food. If you own a stove or a microwave and a food processor, then you've already got everything you need. All you need to do is cook/steam your fruits/vegetables until soft, and then pop them in the processor to blend. Depending on the food item, you may need to add water during blending in order to get it to turn into puree. And P.S. - always heat items in a microwave in a glass bowl or container, because heating food in plastic can cause the chemicals in plastic to seep into the food. If you get in the habit of doing it for yourself, it will become the norm.
So although a baby food maker makes things super easy and convenient, you don't HAVE to have one in order to make pureed baby food. But a baby food maker is definitely something you can add to the baby registry or find used online (or by chance at a consignment sale) by a mom who doesn't need hers anymore!
Baby Shampoos and Lotions
Every mother needs baby shampoo. But baby shampoo isn't really one of those things you need to think much about, since you'll probably receive several bottles of it at your baby shower. I didn't register for anything Johnson & Johnson because I try to consciously use cruelty-free products in my home when I can, so I registered for Burt's Bees products. I also received some California Baby products as well.
The same goes for lotion. As much as I pictured myself rubbing my little precious bundle of joy down with lotion every night before bed, it just hasn't happened. So I've used even LESS lotion than shampoo by a milestone. I have actually given several bottles of lotion away because I know it would take me YEARS to use them. And FYI - some babies are sensitive to scented soaps and lotions (like lavender), so you may want to go for the unscented just in case.
Diaper Rash Cream
As a cloth diapering mom, Delano doesn't get diaper rash very often. When you use cloth diapers, not only are you placing cotton cloth up against your baby's skin instead of the paper and plastic components of a disposable diaper, but you also get in the habit of changing your child's diaper every 2-3 hours during the day. Disposable diapers brag about how many hours of protection they offer, but at the same time that means that your baby is sitting in their acidic pee for a longer amount of time if your goal is to get the most out of your diaper. My point is not to argue cloth vs disposable.....it's to say that if your child experiences a lot of diaper rash, you may need to simply change their diaper more often. Another cause of diaper rash may be the diaper itself, so you may want to try changing brands or types. I also mentioned sensitivities to scented soaps and lotions before, so that's something else to consider if your child has a red butt that won't seem to go away. And once your baby is eating solid food, certain foods (especially acidic ones) may cause diaper rash. Whatever the reason, you'll need a diaper rash cream to help ease the burn and get rid of the rash.
Diaper rash cream is something else you don't have to think much about since you'll probably get AT LEAST one tube of it at a baby shower. And I'll bet you money right now that you receive at least one tube of Boudreaux's Butt Paste, whether you register for it or not. Baby shower shoppers LOVE to toss a tube of Butt Paste into their gift sack (same goes with Boogie Wipes).
As a cloth diapering mom, I can't use standard diaper rash creams like Desitin and Butt Paste (though Boudreaux's does make an "all natural" butt paste I could use), because the petroleum/petrolatum in the cream leaves a waxy residue on a cotton diaper, making them less absorbent. So I have to use cream without petroleum/petrolatum, which is often an organic brand (and of course fine by me). P.S. These creams actually do the same thing to a disposable diaper....you just don't have to be concerned with using a disposable diaper more than once!
I received the California Baby Diaper Rash Cream as a gift, as it even says "cloth diaper safe" right there on the tube. But when I used it, I noticed Delano would SCREAM as if it burned. He would stop crying after a minute or two when the burning would subside, but I felt AWFUL that it burned, because diaper rash cream shouldn't burn, right?? I told a friend of mine about it, who recommended that I try Earth's Best Diaper Relief Ointment, because that's what she uses. Well, that little tube of cream has been awesome for Delano. As far as I can tell, it doesn't burn or tingle or cause any sort of discomfort. So Earth's Best for the win!
Note: Another good and cheap investment for treating diaper rash is a big box of baking soda. Don't put it directly on their skin (burn!!!), but DO add it to some bath water and let their bottom soak for a bit before you (gently) soap them up. You may even notice that the baking soda baths do more for your baby's butt than any cream out there!
Open air is another good treatment for diaper rash.....but who in the world is going to let their child just hang out without a diaper on? Even if I laid Delano naked on a towel as an infant (before he could go anywhere), he IS a boy and therefore any pee would be all over the place! I mean, he HAS peed in his own face before.
So there you have it! My own personal review of a few more products I have used as a mother. I'll keep adding stuff to my list to talk about for Part Three!
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| Daddy making Delano laugh when he wanted to fuss. |
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