Baby Gear with the 3rd Baby

Collecting our favorite baby gear into a post has been a fun tradition for me, so here goes round 3. As you can imagine, we have gone through quite a bit of gear and have learned a lot along the waythe past 4, (almost 5!) years. You can read my posts on Baby Gear with the 1st Baby and Baby Gear with the 2nd Baby.)

Quality first

First tip is to buy something that will last. Especially if you are planning on more than 1-2 kids. I'm also a big proponent of buying gear that is not only useful, but nice to look at. And less is always more. There are some things that kids grow out of so fast, it's not even worth buying. If you feel like you really need it, borrow or buy used. Bumbo seats, swings and activity chairs fit well into this category.

Necessities

• Car seat-- convertible only. Carseats are for cars, I don't understand infant carseats. We got one with Bridger and we took it out once for church and we swore we would never do it again. So cumbersome! Just hold your baby. I understand wanting to take it out while baby is sleeping but most experts recommend taking baby out once you get home anyway. A good convertible will last you from newborn to 5 years old. More money in your pocket.
• Carrier or 2 (or 5 ;). I did a whole baby carrier review a while back. I should do another sometime soon!
• Baby comfy nose--probably the best baby product you can get other than a carrier. The amount of snot you can get it is draw-dropping and the icky factor is completely zeroed out when your sick baby is able to stay latched because their nose is clear.
• Puj (travel size). Had the normal size with Bridger and got rid of it when he outgrew it because it was bulky to store. The travel size is much better!
• Crib side-car. (Crib attached to parent bed).
• Stroller--still love (and miss) our Chicco Liteway. If we had more space, I would have kept it. We have the City Select now. It is definitely an investment at the retail price of $750. But I paid $450 for our’s, including the 2nd seat. There are so many sales all year round, don't pay more than $500 for it. But I think there are so many kinds of strollers, it's all about your personal taste and where you'll be using it the most often. I just love that all 3 can be in the stroller if I need to move fast. (You'll need the ride board to fit 3 kids.) I actually haven't used it in months...maybe because we aren't out and about as much in the winter. But our boys are so big now they don't want to be pushed so much.
• High chair: IKEA. Got our’s for $1 at a yard sale. Score!
• Bamboobies: the best nursing pads, period. I wrote all about nursing pads for Lactation Link recently.
• Diapering: still using Amazon Subscribe & Save for Luvs. Still use a travel changing pad on the bedroom floor. So proud of myself for never buying a big changing table or pad! Just one more thing they can't fall out of.
• Silicone bibs w/ pockets. Trust me. Get them.

real life right here. high chair in the bathroom so i can shower :)

Nice to have

• Bumbo. Got one for $10 at a yard sale for Colden and saved it for Riah. It's really only used for a couple months. But it's fun to help them feel big and sitting up.

Things we haven't used

• Activity chair etc. Borrowed or bought one used for Colden and Bridger but we didn't get one for Riah. There were definitely times I wished for something to put her in, but then I just put her in the wrap and that moment passed. She was quickly sitting up and crawling around on her own.
• Swing: only used for a few months with Bridger. Didn't use for Colden or Riah.

Wish we would have gotten…

• Cloth diapers. I really wish we would have bitten the bullet and just done cloth diapers. We gave it a half-hearted shot with Bridger. But we didn't have a diaper sprayer, so my hands were in a lot of poop. And Nate was NOT interested in going along with my hippy-ways so it didn't work out. But every month I see our big box of diapers delivered...I die a little inside (and so does the earth!). And 3 kids and $2000 later...I definitely have regrets.
• Diaper Genie: Maybe it's all the diapers, maybe it's the potty training, maybe it's the old house...but our house smell leaves something to be desired. We do put poopy diapers outside ASAP.  Maybe a diaper genie would have helped...maybe not.

What babies really need

Babies don't really need much stuff. What families really need is education and support. Education on how to breastfeed and support to bond with their baby as long as needed. I wrote about this more in-depth a while ago, "Looking Past the Baby Registry." What were your baby necessities? Things you wish you would have had?