Favorite Things Friday - Newborn Gear Edition

I don't generally jump on the bandwagons of 'Not Me Mondays' and 'Favorite Things Fridays'... not because I don't love reading them but because I don't usually have the brain power working for me to come up with a decent post. However, reading this one on Amy's blog combined with the fact that we're expecting #3, I thought that I would play along and help myself remember all the things that I couldn't live without during the baby stage.

Fisher Price Infant to Toddler Rocker

What a lifesaver! We would swaddle the boys and lay them down in the living room, then carry the whole chair up to their room for bedtime. They were able to stay inclined while they slept, which really helped for those early reflux days, and we were able to keep them sleeping while we transitioned them from one floor to the other. The vibrating feature was instantly calming and the 'kickstand' could be tucked away to turn the chair into a rocker - crucial when nursing one and trying to keep the other from screaming.

Target or Walmart Brand Infant Gas Drops
Don't let the picture fool you... we never paid for the Mylicon brand name. We went through countless bottles of gas drops in our house, and it became part of the feeding routine to give them a squirt each time they nursed. We would stock up on these bottles 4-5 at a time and definitely noticed a huge difference when we forgot to use them. The name brand is over $10 a bottle, the store brand is less than $4. We had just as effective results with the cheaper option.

Summer Infant Day & Night Video Monitor

Especially in the early days when the boys shared a crib, this monitor was awesome. We were able to tell who was crying and why (came unswaddled, lost a binkie, getting punched in the face by their brother!), which was really helpful in knowing if I had to get up to feed someone or if Charlie could handle getting them back to bed. We did A LOT of tag-teaming in the middle of the night and knowing who was crying was really helpful for both of us to get a little extra sleep. Later, it was helpful to know how long they actually slept vs. played in their crib during naptime.

Carter's Receiving Blankets

Yes, I am a Carter's snob, but these blankets really are the very best when it comes to swaddling. I think what makes them so great is that they aren't perfect squares, they are 30"x40", which makes the burrito tucking so much easier as the baby grows. They are super soft and wash up great. Our boys were swaddled in these for months before we finally upgraded to the sleep sacks, which I also loved by the way.

What are one or two things YOU couldn't live without during the infant stage? Tell us!