What We Bought (And What We Didn't) For Baby #2
No matter how hard we tried to keep things minimal with Zuri, we accumulated so. much. stuff. the first go round. Most of it did end up being necessary - for at least a week haha - but because so much baby gear is trial and error, much of it wasn’t a good fit for us and sat unused. When we got pregnant this time around, I was so relieved that we had most everything we needed for little sister. We purposely invested in gender-neutral pieces with Zuri so even if this baby had been a boy, I’m confident we still wouldn't have had to buy much more.
First things first.
here’s what we bought for Zuri, found valuable, and are also using this go round:
General:
• Clothes - our favorites here, here, and here
• Blankets - our favorites here, here, and here
• Socks - the only ones we found that actually stayed on.
• Booties - for colder weather, again, they stay on really well.
• Boppy and Cover - For nursing and playtime
• Diapers
• Wipes
• Lotion
At Home:
• Rocker
Play Time:
• Bouncer
• Play Mat
Sleep:
• Swaddles
Bath:
• Towel
• Soap
Travel:
• Car Seat
What We Bought
Inevitably, there were a few things we needed to either replace or buy a second version of. Because this baby will be sleeping in our bedroom as opposed to her own nursery, we needed to get creative with a crib, storage, and a few other upgrade pieces but are really happy to have kept it simple...
• Babyletto Gelato Mini Crib - We kept Zuri’s Ikea crib for when baby sister is a bit older but still needs a crib. They will likely be sharing a room by then and we’ll have a bit more space.
• Mockingbird Single-to-Double Stroller - We plan on consigning our Baby Jogger.
• Utility Cart - For diapers, wipes, swaddles, and the miscellany that piles up.
• Angelcare Tub - We had this one for Zuri but found it clunky - too big for the sink or storing in our hall closet.
• Elvie Portable Breast Pump - I used the Madela with Zuri and though I was happy with the suction, the cords and tubes were extremely limiting and cumbersome. I have several friends who raved about the Elvie and am looking forward to a little more mobility while pumping. Of course, there is no perfect solution for this but I’m excited to give it a go.
• Haakaa Silicone Pump - This came HIGHLY recommended from a friend who shared my same pumping woes with her first child. And from the 37,000+ 5-star reviews, I’m trusting it’s as great as she says.
• Frida Baby Sound Machine + Air Purifier - We have the Hatch for Zuri but she still uses it. We wanted something a little quieter in our room so we can still hear Zuri if needed and this fit the bill (and the air purifier was an added bonus)
• Matching Cuddle and Kind Dolls - We’ve heard it’s special to get the older sibling a gift “from the new baby” so we opted for these maching knit dolls (larger for Zuri, smaller for baby sister, both brown of course ;). Added bonus: Each doll provides 10 meals to a child in need.
• Camera Monitor - We had a Vtech monitor for Zuri and though the video quality and signal was always great, the battery started to go almost immediately. The cord suddenly wouldn’t charge the screen, leaving the battery dead in the middle of the night constantly. We contacted VTech for a replacement and received it, only to have the same thing happen again a year later. Since this is our last baby, we didn’t want to spend $100+ on a 2-camera baby monitor set so we decided to give these cheap Amazon cameras a try. They had great reviews, were easy to install, are accessible through an app on your phone, aaaaand … we love it.
Other Fun Stuff
In addition to renovations, nesting, and packing a hospital bag, we also spent some time putting together all the nursing and postpartum care things I’ll need in those first few weeks. This was incredibly helpful with Zuri so having these things already planned and organized was a no-brainer.
Portable Caddies - These are great for keeping essentials within reach either in the bathroom or room-to-room when nursing.
POstpartum care
• Comfy Undies that you don’t mind throwing away later
NURSING
• Extra Phone Charger
• Lip Balm
• Snacks (I love Kind Bars, Kashi Bars, Peanut Butter Crackers, and Lactation Bites)
• Breast Friend Pillow - If I didn’t know from experience that this thing was not extraneous and unnecessary, I’d roll my eyes. BUT, it’s amazing for those first few weeks when baby has no body or neck control, you’re still figuring out nursing posture, and the boppy isn’t enough support.
There you have it! All the fun and not-so-fun stuff that it takes to keep a tiny human alive. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t slightly overwhelmed at the thought of having two of these little people to take care of but we’re thrilled and ready for the challenge. Here we go!