My Top Ten Baby Products (0 - 3mo)

	1.  This is my top recommendation to new moms. We're already sleep deprived as it is...how terrible is it to quietly sneak into baby's room late at night to make sure all's ok...just to wake him/her up? I learned as a new mom that some babies are noisy sleepers! That's my son! If I only had an audio monitor...I would have visited the crib hundreds of times unnecessarily!
	2. Another must-have if you're nursing...is the Boppy. For about a week, I had this pillow on my lap (along with baby) for no exaggeration -- 10 - 12 hours of each day. It really does help making nursing a joy. In fact, I had two...one for the nursery...and the other for the car for those parking lot feedings (I sure hope I'm not the only one who had done this...)
	3. Ok...so most would look at this lil' gagdet and laugh...but it proved very valuable to me! It not only helped me keep track of baby's feedings, poopings, and naps...it helped me figure out his natural "schedule"...and that made ALL the difference!
	4. First of all, I'd have to say I've been fortunate enough to NOT have experienced a full out BLOW OUT...but having heard all about them, I had to bump this gem up a few notches. this came in VERY handy when my baby blew mac and beef chunks in the middle of the night. Fortunately, I had a back-up of one of these ready to use. The swap was made swiftly and smoothly and baby was back to sleep soundly within 5 minutes.
	5. It's hard to remember just why I once thought this was worth its weight in gold...but I guess that's one of the blessings of motherhood. When I was nursing and rocking baby 20 hours of the day, this ingenious contraption provided me my first respite. Yes, I still had shampoo in my hair and soapy water dripping down my legs...but it provided me my first 10-15 "alone time" in weeks...and oh, it was sublime. My version was an earlier one of shapes...but from the reviews, it seems this one is just as enchanting to lil' eyes and ears. :)
	6.  This was the second item that kept baby's attention for that much needed 5-20 minutes in the morning as we got ready for the day. Be sure to get the one with the twinkling motion-activated star. It mesmerized. :)
	7. Most would say this book is common sense, but in the wee hours in the morning, common sense tells ya' to go back to sleep...so it's nice to be given a simple checklist (the "5 S's") that gives ya' a sense of (much needed) "I know what to do" when your insides are screamin' louder than your baby, "NO YOU REALLY DON'T!"  That, in my opinion, is definitely worth the cost of the book alone. :) Giving a research-based backing to all the time-honored strategies for consoling a howling baby...makes us feel better about all our sshh'ing and rocking...even if they don't always provide the immediate results we hope for.
	8. As one of the "S's" listed in the book in the #7 slot, this is something I used only intermittenly...but when I most needed it, it was the ONLY thing that would work! I gotta say I did sometime feel guilty swaddling my squirming and wailing little one in one of these...but when all else fails...this seemed to work. I moved quickly from the full body swaddle...to the let-the-arms-out version...to ease my guilt. I mean c'mon...when you're placed in a strait jacket...what else is there to do but to calm down? Anyway...baby wasn't always unconsolable when I used this...I also pulled it out when his spastic arm jolts kept waking him. I probably would have used it more if we didn't have to cope with the South Texas heat.
	9. As another of the "S's" suggested in the book, this provided for rest from the "shhhh'ing" that really did make a difference. It also helped to screen outer noises when we were at the mall or at church. We chose the portable model since we liked being able to strap it onto his crip, his carrier, the stroller, and even his swing (we preferred this sound over the one the swing provided). It has several sounds to choose from: trickling water, showers, waves, and whale sounds. We used the waves option the most. It was very soothing. :) I also liked it's having two auto-off options: at 23 or 45 minutes. I'm sad to say ours won't last for baby #2, but given how often we used it (every single nap and bedtime since birth), I'm not complaining.
	10. Yea...it's a boring entry...but it was also indispensable. I can't imagine having baby in the car seat without it. Again, the South Texas heat made it a bit warm to use, but my mom-in-law suggested I turn it upside down...which I did...and guess what? It worked like a charm. I woulda loved to have used the "real" side...it was VERY soft and comfortable! It was very durable too! It's definitely gonna get another day in the sun with baby #2.
	11. Ok, I know this list was supposed to end at ten...but given just how much of the early months are spent nursing (or feeding), I just had to add two more that aren't technically BABY gear...but more like MOMMY gear. This glider was a MUST HAVE for me! I absolutely love it! Even now with baby hitting two years old, hubby and I use it every day! There are two versions of this chair...one that has plusher arm rests and a locking mechanism and one without the lock and simpler arm rests. I can't say anything about the latter...but the gliding motion on both is SOO smooth! I didn't use the locking mechanism at all. Some reviews rate it a bit narrow, but I think I'm average sized...and it did just fine with me EXCEPT when using a stiff "Luxe" Boppy (the older non-stretchy middle one). That particular Boppy just doesn't fit well between the arm rests. :(
	12. Ok...this sorta falls under the category number #11 creates...essential Mommy Gear. So you're nursing/feeding and baby's just about ready to fall asleep...and you realize the fan isn't pointed right at you...or is blowing too hard...or too little...or...well, you get the idea. *sigh* You can't scream out for hubby to come adjust it...cuz, well, baby'll wake. You don't wanna chance gettin' up with baby...cuz, well, baby might wake. You don't wanna NOT do something about it...because if it gets too cold or too warm, well, yea, you get the pic. The remote control is what makes this fan for me...so unless it has a remote, then dealing with it while nursing just makes for another problem to solve.