Baby Stuff: My Can't-and-Can-Live-Without's

I've had a few people ask me on FB what are certain things I couldn't live without, or certain brands I recommend, and what I thought was totally useless, so I've put together this list of things I loved and hated.

Loves:

1. Snap 'n Go Stroller - I have the double version, but would recommend the single to anyone with one baby. Those huge travel systems look nice and cute with their matching patterns, but they are a pain in the a$$ to get in and out of a vehicle (or the bed of a truck, like i drive). This stroller frame is super lightweight, I can pull it out and pop it open with one hand, and it's universal and fits many different carseats.

2. Keep-It-Up Bottle Pillow - I seriously could not live without these! They look like little tiny boppy pillows, and have weighted beanbag material in the bottom. You slide the bottle into it and it keeps the bottle propped up. I would use it if the babies needed a feeding and they were in the stroller, or if both were hollering for bottles at the same time. It props up in their lap and keeps everything upright. I found these at Burlington Coat Factory, of all places, and they were cheap, around $7. I would have paid three times that for these!

3. Cradle Swing - best.invention.ever. I just wish we had gotten them sooner! These were given to us as christmas presents, and my life has been so much easier since then. Our versions light up and play music, and swing from side to side or front to back.

4. SwaddleMe Blankets - our kids slept so much better once we started using these. Wrap 'em up and they're out for the night.

5. Gripe Water - a.k.a. baby crack. Works wonders for fussy tummies, gas, hiccups, etc.

6. Dr. Brown's Mixing Pitcher - whether you use the bottles or not, the pitcher saves tons of time mixing up batches of formula. It mixes without clumps and pours really easily into any size bottle. It's awesome if you make up a day's worth of bottles at a time.

7. Travel formula mixer - we call this the "zoot zoot" because that's exactly the sound it makes when you're using it. =) if you mix bottles with powdered formula on the go, we use this instead of shaking. Two seconds and you're ready to feed.

8. Snuzzler carseat insert - the best one we've found! All the other headrests/props/blanket rolls just didn't do what this little insert did. It's fluffy and cushy and curls up around babies, taking up some of that extra room in the carseat. We used them until the babies were four months old and outgrew them.

Hates:

1. Wipes warmer - little babies are going to scream with diaper changes regardless, whether their tushies are wiped with a cold wipe or a warm one. We never got one.

2. Bottle warmer - yes, I am the bad mamma who microwaves bottles. We tried a few different versions, but they were just too complicated... add "x" amount of water to the warmer depending on how much is in the bottle, or what type of bottle you're using, but add less water if it's breastmilk, more if formula, yadda yadda yadda.... too confusing, especially at 3am with two screaming babies.

3. Diaper Genie - our standing rule is that pee diapers go in the regular garbage (which goes out about every other day) and poopy diapers go straight to the outside garbage can in a grocery bag. No ifs, ands, or buts.

4. Store brand diapers - trust me, go with the brand name ones. We tried every brand on the market from every drugstore and mega-store out there, and nothing is as good as the brand names. The tabs didn't stick if you had to reposition it, and the babies looked like they were smuggling softballs in their diapers the second they peed in them.

5. Podee bottles - these looked cool, so i picked them up at Babies R Us to give them a try. Huge fail - these are bottle nipples that connect to a plastic tube that goes down into a bottle so you can feed babies hands-free. But the kiddos were getting so frustrated trying to drink that I promptly threw them in the trash. The suction required for them to work is on par with that of a Hoover.