These are some of the things that I JUST LOVE! Some I have had since the birth of my first nearly 7 years ago and are still just as popular and useful today! I will definitely be using them for the new baby too!
1. Snuggle Nest - 0 to 4+ months approx.
I am soo glad we bought this when we had our first! It has been a sleep saver with both of our children! Yes it prevented us from rolling on them but the best thing was that often I hardly remembered waking up to feed in the night because I didn't have to get out of bed! And both of our children, when they were ready, transitioned themselves into their own beds. PLUS because we do a lot of traveling it meant that they went straight to sleep in a familiar environment.
2. Sophie the Giraffe - Any Age
I have just bought this so will have to wait to test it out on our 3rd child. It is supposed to be one of the best toy/teethers on the market!
3. Buggy board - 2 to 5 Years approx.
We bought this when we had our second child. As we were living in Oman at the time I couldn't get it and had to wait for one of our trips to Dubai. So first child was a little older when we finally got it. Should have bought it earlier but still was much easier when shopping by myself with 2 kids. The biggest plus was that it fit on either of our strollers!
4. Amby Baby Hammock - 0 to 9 months or beyond and Jumper up to 2.5 Years approx.
My mum bought this for us when we had our first baby. She bought it in Australia and brought it over on the plane with her to Germany. My first was not that keen on it - but we did make a few "first time parent mistakes". He did sleep in it during the day though and he enjoyed lying in it while awake too. With our second we had bought the stokke sleepi (see below) but I still used it for daytime sleeping. With the 3rd well we'll just have to wait and see!
5. Stokke Sleepi and Tripp Trapp - 0 to 8-10 years +
The Sleepi we bought when I was pregnant with our second. I had wanted it since our first but was a little out of our price range when we had our first. I love that it goes from birth to 8 even 10 years of age! We bought it in Dubai and luckily had a big enough car to fit it in to take it back with us to Muscat. The Tripp Trapp I had also wanted for a very long time and did without it for first two. However when 2nd was about 2.5 or so I was selling my jewellery at a fundraiser and they happened to have a second hand one in the silent auction! I JUST HAD TO HAVE IT! And we got it for a great price. They are almost impossible to come by second hand I was soo pleased. Lucky we bought it to because not to long after that I was pregnant with no. 3.
6. Exersaucer - 4 months until walking
We were living in Germany at the time and friends of ours bought one for their little girl. Our first was I think from memory a few months old and they very kindly offered to bring one back with them from the US (couldn't buy them in Germany at that stage) for us! I was so thrilled and grateful - it has been a huge bonus to have - has given me a break on many occasions for those times when you just need to have a few minutes to yourself! I was quite surprised to find our exact one (pic below) online still!
7. Baby Bjorn Carrier - 0 months +
We were given this as a gift for our first son from my husbands class parents. I was soo overwhelmed by their generosity. This was another item I am very glad to have had. Both my first and second were cuddly babies. They loved to be held and this gave me the freedom to use my arms to get things done!
8. Kidco Peapod - Pop Up Travel Bed - 0 - 6 Years approx.
When my 2nd was just over 2 years old we went to Cambodia and I looked for an option that would protect him from mosquitoes while sleeping. Even though the tent was not cheap I do not regret buying it at all. Not only did it protect him from mosquitoes, but it has been used on numerous trips since then. It is so easy to fit in our suitcase! We haven't used our porta-cot since and I don't think I will use it again now that I have the tent! It was perfect for our yearly 7 week trip home to Australia too! He loved sleeping in there while we were on holidays!
9. Medela Portable Breast Pump - 0 months +
For my first I bought a cheap hand pump and while it did work it was more effort and painful! I didn't really need a pump except that I produced too much milk and it was handy to have extra milk. With my second I bought the little Medela Electric and it worked really well. Living in the Middle East meant that when we were out it was a lot easier to bottle feed (although I do have a few funny breastfeeding in public moments!) Then because I did a bit of work here and there and I had a second child who decided he wasn't going to give up feeding and wasn't that keen on food at 8 months, (I breastfed in the end until he was 2! YIKES) I was glad to have this little discreet pump which I could use at work! Note: I don't think Medela make this model pump anymore!
10. Tether strap for pacifier or toys -
I'm going to make my own this time! My boys did not take to a pacifier (I was glad). But for the short time that they both did use it I couldn't have done without the pacifier strap. Walking through the dirty back streets of the souk (middle eastern market) with cats scampering about and the smell of urine in the air, the sandy desert or even the local supermarket did not need see one pacifier fall to a horrible fate!
And a couple of other things I love to have. There are probably lots more that I will think of but for now I think this is enough!
Australian Bonds singlets - great for warm days!
Bright Bots clothing australia
This Singapore online store seems to stock some Bonds and Bright bots stuff, along with other aussie brands!
