Best and Worst

There's a lot of crap that they market to moms out there, most of which is utterly useless. I have to admit that I fell into the new-mom trap of buying some gimmick items that I totally didn't need. I also was given some awesome stuff that I never even thought to ask for. So, I'm listing my best and worst mom items in this thread for the benefit of my mom-friends out there (and I've decided to keep this thread posted in the lefthand navigator bar for future updates.)

BEST

Born Free Bottles- These are the only bottles Story will use at this point (1 month old.) They are just the right size for her and the nipples give just the right amount of suction. I introduced these bottles at three weeks to give her some supplemental milk and they haven't interfered with breastfeeding that much. I notice a small difference, but nothing major. And I think this is because, unlike a couple of the other bottle types we bought, these look the most like real nipples. And I love the fact that they're BPA free and so sturdy.


Gillian O'Malley Nursing Sleep Bra- When I first bought this, I missed the "sleep bra" portion of the description. I literally picked it up in a frantic dash to Target after we brought Story home because I kept putting off buying nursing bras. When I got to Target, this was the only one they had in my size and I was desperate. So, after using it a few times, I was hating on it because it was so lacking in the support category and it made me look like Mrs. Ugly Saggyboobs. However, when I went to hate on it and checked it out on Target's site, I realized it's a sleep bra. Huh. Well then I love it, because it's so comfy and just perfect for sleeping. And yeah, if you're anything like me, you'll need a bra for sleeping. It helps contain the leaks and makes life much more comfy.

Itzbeen- My friend Casey got us one of these and it's amazingly useful. Though it seems so simple in its construct, it's brilliant. It times when you last changed the baby, fed the baby, how long the baby has been sleeping. It's been especially great for timing breastfeeding.

Kiddopatamus Swaddle Me Blanket- I LOVE THIS THING. LOVE LOVE LOVE. A wonderful coworker bought this for me and it's like solid gold. Swaddling correctly can be such a pain with regular blankets, but this one is so simple. Just tuck the baby in, wrap the two velcro flaps around em and you're done. It's so soft and the velcro is really strong, it's definitely worth way more than ten bucks! Plus, I'm a sucker for the bear velcro clasps.

Medela Freestyle Breast Pump- I haven't really ever used another pump to compare it to, so I can't say this one is better than any other. But I can say that this pump does a wonderful job, is fairly comfortable and allows me to walk around and do stuff, if I feel like it. It's relatively quiet (though I still feel like the motor sounds like it's saying, "Mooo, mooo, mooo...") and has these awesome attachments that fit my nursing bras to keep the pumps in place. Plus, it comes in a nifty bag that I use to cart it around in when we go visiting places so I can still pump regularly.
Pack n Play/Playard- I totally thought these were useless, but they have been such a lifesaver. Especially for those of you with multi-level homes or who spend time in your backyard gardening, bbqing or just hanging out a lot, these are a must-have. It's so convenient to have a combo changing table, playard and bassinet.

Target Nursing Tanks- I can't believe that a tank this cheap is this good. I bought a Bravado tank (see below) and, while it's nice and supportive, it SUCKS as far as ease of use goes. It kind of blows my mind that the "cheapo" tanks I bought at target, literally less than half the price of the Bravado tanks, are just as comfy and are WAY more convenient to use. These tanks are cute, nice and long in the torso and can be opened and closed with one hand, in seconds flat. They also aren't too thick material wise, so they don't ride up as easily. And for the price, I could get them in multiple colors without breaking my budget.

LovelyDuds baby wrap- We have every kind of carrier possible: baby bjorn, sling and then this thing, which is basically one long piece of fabric. And I love them all for their different uses, but this one is definitely my favorite. It keeps Story nice and close and is totally easy to use. Not to mention, it looks pretty on and can grow with her.

Zippered Sleep n Plays- These are literally the best articles of baby clothing ever. They're cheap, cute and so easy to get our girl in and out of. They cover all the basic needs- ease of use, warmth, cuteness and affordability. I LOVE THEM. I started off using a lot of the snappy onesies that were given to us, then, after getting a few of these from Target, I promptly went back and picked up tons more. Between these and sleep gowns, I'm set.

WORST

Bravado Nursing Tank- As I mentioned above, I am not a huge fan of these tanks. I'm really impressed by the amount of support they offer for bigger ta-ta ladies like me (I'm about an E now.) These tanks definitely feel like you're wearing a very supportive sports bra and that's definitely a plus. But even the wonderful support and fairly flattering form don't make up for its issues as far as ease of use go. First off, they have these odd circular clasps that are very hard to fasten with one hand. Sure, I can get them off easily, but getting them back up is a real pain to do one-handed. And then there's the issue of pumping. Though my pump comes with several bra-style attachments, the Bravado circular clasp style seems to be proprietary, wherease the cheapo Target tank is standard. So, I have to do this crazy jury-rigging to get the Bravado tank to work with my pump. NOT fun. And finally, the material is such a thick stretch material that yeah, it does do a bit of shaping... but it also rolls up easily and feels kind of cloistering. And at fifty bucks each, these just don't seem worth it.

Snap Up Crawlers/Sleep-n-Plays- I don't know why in this age of zippers they still make these things. Trying to snap a squirming, upset baby into one of these is like hell on earth. Picture this: your kid is already annoyed at being stripped down and having its nice, warm, poo filled diaper removed so you can wipe them down and force them into a new one. They are kicking, squirming, crying and complaining. Now, try to get those legs and arms into a snap up sleep-n-play. Yeah, hell. You want something that can zip up in a flash so that your baby can be nice and cozy again, not some article of clothing you have to keep snapping and re-snapping when they kick and unsnap the whole damned thing. URGH.