baby stuffs that are good to have: 2-3 months

so here is the second in a line of posts i am planning on writing that have to do with baby gear.  i definitely lean more towards the streamlined style rather than having all gadgets and toys style.  so, here are some things that i found helpful to have when my son was 2-3 months old, things that i used the most and/or found the most handy.  oh, and this isn't an all inclusive list with clothes and car seats and all the necessary stuff, it's just the extra gear.

-sling or carrier:  i happen to have both, a moby wrap and a boba carrier; the wrap for hanging out inside, if i want baby to be in more of a lying position while wearing him or if i want to carry him forward facing and the boba carrier for if we are outside, or if inside and i am being active, like vacuuming, it just feels more sturdy than the wrap.  these are great to have because baby is close to you, it is great for bonding, your milk supply (if breast feeding), to calm baby, to put baby to sleep, to have baby near when you want to be up like if you want to do the dishes or something, for walking around in stores or crowded places (i always feel more secure if i am wearing my son rather than just holding him if we are in a store).  i have also heard great things about ergo baby, baby k'tan and beco gemini.

-activity mat or play gym:  while this isn't a must have, it is really nice to have.  and coming from a mama whose baby doesn't really like stuff (swings, bumbo chairs, bouncers, etc) i have to say this is one thing that he actually likes and plays with a lot.  we have a play gym and he has really liked that thing since he was about 1 1/2 months old.  he really likes to bat at the toys and pull on them, and now he loves to pull it down on top of him.  when i put him in the bumbo, he really likes being near his play gym since he can play with it at a different angle, from the top, than he is used to when underneath it.  if i really want to get something done, if i am cooking for example, this is what i put him in knowing that he will be content for about 20 minutes or so.  oh and these are usually soft and foldable for easy storage.

-sleep sack:  this one really is a must have.  when they are so little it can be dangerous to use a blanket when they sleep as they may suffocate or get wrapped  in it, so the sleep sack is the perfect solution, you can feel good knowing baby will be warm and cozy, not too warm to overheat which is a SIDS risk, but safe and comfortable.  they come in fleece, muslin, cotton, cotton with a cushy lining like a quilted blanket, and some are even swaddlers.  we have a fleece one which is a swaddler, and we use it every night, but we leave his arms out because he hates being swaddled.  i just ordered a new one since he is outgrowing this one (it was a medium size so fits to about 6 months, the new one will fit 6-18 months), and is cotton but feels like a cushy blanket.


-some toys: mr Z was about 2 months old when it dawned on me that sometimes he was crying because he was bored! it was when my mother in law was here, baby was being fussy, and she started playing with his burp cloth, swinging it above his face and stuff.  he instantly stopped fussing and was intently staring at the burp cloth, amused.  that is when it hit me that he was ready for more stimulation so i pulled out some of his toys; Sophie the giraffe, Jacque the peacock, his ball, a rattle, and later his chewy keys, a cow rattle, the woody doll from toy story, a baby Einstein music player.  anyway, they become more interested in objects around them and will start to reach for them and grab  at stuff.  so it is good to have a few toys that you can rotate in and out of their daily play.  at this age, things that are high contrast are good, toys with black and white stripes or bright colored polka dots on a light background, and things they can start to grasp like the ball above, this has been a favorite of every baby that i have given it to.  oh and Sophie the giraffe is always a big hit, i think because she squeaks, is made from a soft rubber that is nice to gnaw on, and she is easy to hold onto.


-books: don't need much explanation here, books are wonderful at all ages, but the board books are great for this age.


-tranquil turtle:  this is also not a must have, but when i first started to establish a bedtime routine, i incorporated this turtle.  it was a gift and the first night i used it, hubby and i were hooked.  it has a few different white noise settings and it makes the ceiling light up as if you are under water.  it really is cool and actually helped to relax hubby who is typically not easy to relax.  i am not sure if it helped baby Z fall asleep any better, but it sure creates a nice, relaxing ambiance and he would stare up at the ceiling to watch the "waves", so it did help keep him from crying sometimes.  oh and it shuts off after 20 minutes so you don't have to worry about waking up to turn it off, and there are a few different types to choose from.


-humidifier:  cool mist is preferable to warm mist.  they help to keep baby's nasal passages moist for easier breathing and to help ward off colds.  mucus in the nasal passage is one important line of defense against nasty bacteria invading the body and if the air is too dry (like in winter when the heater is on often) it can dry out the mucus making it less effective.  these can be purchased anywhere from a drug store to amazon and some of them are really cute too.


- portable bassinet/sleeper:  this isn't necessarily a must have either, but i sure used it a lot if i needed to put baby somewhere so that i could take care of something and i wanted him to be safely contained.  for example, i put him in this "co-sleeper" (that is what the name of it is, but it isn't really a co-sleeper like for your bed) on the floor in the bathroom while i take a shower.  i just give him a few toys and he is fine in there and safe, while i shower.

so that is about it for now. i'm sure there are more but these are the ones i can think of that we have really liked.