Before I had my baby, I thought that I would not be the "type" to buy a bunch of toys, swings, bouncers, etc. I mean, the world is her playground right? They end up playing with the box for hours on end anyways, right??
Yeah . . . needless to say, I got her her toys and let's just say they're my BFFs now!
One of the first things I got was the Boppy Lounger. Basically it's just a giant bean bag like cushion for your little one but it's great for her to sit it! I actually think she prefers it to me holding her sometimes!
They are super cute with a variety of prints to choose from. They have a convenient carrying handle, lightweight and portable (I often throw it in the car when I'm on my way to grandma's), easier to manage than a swing or bouncer (says the description - but yeah, it's true, you just place them on), easy-clean, wipeable fabric (it's actually a little hard to get spit-up off of it but I actually threw it in the washer just once and it came out still ok!), and perfect for newborn.
These loungers are good until they're able to roll over and are not recommended for them to sleep in. I love placing her in this after a feed since it keeps her upright and helps to prevent reflux. We also put her in there so she can look around her and pull her up to the dinner table (on the floor) so that she can "join" us for dinner!
Another "lounger" that we got is the
Rock 'N Play Sleeper. This thing is soo cute and features a gentle rocking action with a little push from you, soft fabrics to cradle baby, lightweight and easy to use.
Again this sleeper is good until they're able to pull themselves up. I also place her in here after a feed to prevent reflux since it keeps her upright. The sides slant upwards so it gives them a feeling that they're being held and keeps them nice and warm. It's actually too warm for her in the summer due to the fuzzy fabric but I like how all the fabric is removable so that you can easily throw it in the wash. She slept in here tons as a newborn! I bring this over to other people's house so that she has somewhere to sit that's not on the floor to prevent someone from accidentally tripping over her.
A swing was definitely something that I did not think I would invest in . . . but lo and behold, we got the
Fisher-Price Rainforest Open-Top Cradle Swing!
It moves both side to side and can be adjusted so that it swings front to back. There's 6 different speeds and 3 different musical sounds. Some people in my parenting group mentioned that their baby sleeps in this all night (though it's not recommended). The seat is recline-able so you can adjust it to your baby's comfort.
This swing is great when your baby is fussy and wants to be rocked! It also gives you a place to put them safely while you go and do stuff. My little one doesn't always fall asleep in this but it does entertain her for a good 15-30 minutes and then she's had enough! She likes looking at the mobile and seems to calm her down when she's a little fussy.
We also got the
Fisher-Price Rainforest Bouncer which you can set on vibrate mode and had a bouncing motion when they move. There's a waterfall with lights that move that she loves looking at. The toy bar is removable so you can get them in and out of it easier and there's a variety of settings - one for continuous music and the other is activated when the baby moves.
She LOVES this thing - every time we put her in it her legs and arms starting kicking and moving! It's really cute to watch. She just stares at the lights and sounds and gets really excited. And with all the excitement, somehow she wore herself out and fell asleep in this! I hardly ever use the vibrator mode since it doesn't get any reaction from her. And although the hanging toucan and monkey are cute and she'll grab for them, she kicks so vigorously sometimes that her knees hit the animals so I ended up tying them up and out of her legs' ways!
Even though she gets a lot of excitement and fun from the bouncer, I would choose the swing over the bouncer. She usually only plays on the bouncer for 10 minutes before she starts whining to get out. Plus, she falls asleep more often on the swing than the bouncer.
Last but not least is the
Skip Hop Treetop Friends Activity Gym (aka tummy time mat). This would have to be another one of my must-haves for her! There are multiple fabrics on the mat - crinkle leaves, squeaker flower, and fuzzy leaves along with a mirror for them to see themselves when they're on their tummy. There are 5 hanging toys with various activities (rattle, crinkle, or mirror) and it comes with a little "travel" pillow for them to hang out on when they're on their belly.
Out of all the activities that we put her in, the activity gym is the one where she can spend the most time at. She loves looking at the hanging toys (not so much the mat features quite yet) and will kick her legs in excitement. She is now learning to bat around the hanging toys with her hands and seems to really enjoy them.
What are you unnecessary necessities for your baby??
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