Wouldn’t you suspect that the 4th time around I would have as much gear as a person could possibly have for their baby?? Well, as it turns out, some of our equipment had either expired, or didn’t make it in the move from our old house to the new house, or simply had seen a little too much love from our other kids and was in dire need of replacement. THUS, my 4th Baby Roundup List was created to summarize all of the upgrades we popped for this time around! You may have already read our nursery blog post where I shared all of the furnishings which were new this time around, so this post is dedicated to gear and accessories.
B Lively Stroller / Changing Pad / Milkies / Car Mirror / Infant Optics Monitor / Boy Swaddle / Girl Swaddle / Boy Beanie / Baby bows / Prince Lionheart Wipes Warmer / Spectra S2 Breast Pump / Hospital Bag / Ubbi Pail / Gender Neutral Coming Home Outfit / Baby Bjorn Bouncer / Ergo 360 Carrier
Looking at all of that loot in one picture makes it seem like A LOT, so let’s break it down by item.
Stroller. We have been through our fair share of strollers. My favorite I ever had was the original travel system we registered for when Navy was on the way. It was the Britax B-Agile Travel System, but a couple of years ago I decided to try out a new fancy schmancy stroller that, while lovely and sexy, was not compatible with my car seat. I ended up getting rid of the old B Agile only to wish for it now as I prepare to welcome baby #4 (as far as I can tell, the B Agile is still available only as a travel system or in limited colors, and I don’t need the carseat and base at this point). I ALSO have the BOB Jogging Stroller which IS compatible with my carseat, however that thing is SO CLUNKY. I loathe carrying it around in my car with me because the in-and-out is cumbersome and it leaves little room in my trunk. All that to say, I wanted my trusty Britax back so we ordered a B Lively, which as far as I can tell is simply a newer version of my old guy. I’m happy to have a lightweight and still carseat-compatible stroller back in our fleet.
On-the-go Changing pad. I’m not a diaper bag girl. I just have been there, tried that, and it isn’t for me. A friend once asked me what I used for a diaper bag and I took a photo of the inside of my purse which had a wad of unused wet wipes and a single crinkled up diaper. Sometimes there would be a pacifier in the bottom (with the sucker wrappers and old receipts). I’m just not enough of a planner to be the type of mom that is prepared for anything with a diaper bag and having things divided up between bags simply frustrates me. SO, instead of a diaper bag, I opted for this changing pad wristlet. It’s actually compact enough to fit in some of my larger purses (like my LV Neverfull or my Longchamp, each of which I tend to carry when I have newborns in tow for extra cargo) and or I can just keep it in the car and toss it in the stroller basket when we’re out and about. I must say, diaper bags have come a LONG way since Navy was born and they’re actually quite adorable now, but I still can’t effectively make the switch from purse to diaper bag smoothly. This clutch is the perfect problem solver.
Milkies. Guys, have you heard of these things? Little milk catchers. Here’s the gist: when you’re nursing or pumping from Boob A, Boob B leaks like a old faucet. Charming, eh? Well this little contraption catches all the milk that leaks and would otherwise be absorbed (and WASTED) in a nursing pad. A friend said they catch a couple of ounces per nursing session, which at the end of a single day might add up to a bottle so you can go on a date night with your husband! Worth it.
Car Mirror. This is boring and unexciting, I think ours just got lost, sold, or up and ran away when we moved. Still, important and necessary so I snagged a new one.
New gender-specific accessories. I didn’t need new swaddles or hair accessories, but I like to have a few gender specific items when the new baby arrives each time. I opted for this boy swaddle, this girl swaddle, these sweet bows and this adorable beanie cap. That way my 4th baby can at least have one or two things that are new before sliding down the lifelong rabbit hole of hand-me-downs.
Wipes Warmer. An unglamorous necessity though it is, this wipes warmer is my favorite I’ve used. Our old one died after a few years (so it’s not the eternal flame by any means) but after trying another brand for Brighton in the meantime, this one still takes the cake so I purchased it for the baby and am kicking Brighton’s to the curb now that she’s fully potty trained.
Breast pump. I totally did my homework on this, people. Polling my Instagram peeps resulted in some VERY revealing testimonials about the preferred pumps on the market. Spectra is the underdog when compared with the Goliath that is Medela (and I mean NO disrespect to the die hard Medela users, I am so glad it works for you). But what I learned is that when the two are compared side by side, the Spectra S2 is hospital strength, WAY more comfortable (like, by a landslide, according to many of my followers), much quieter (especially convenient if you’re pumping at work) and has a handy closed system which is a special way to say the tubes don’t get cruddy and need constant cleaning. Thus, I went with the underdog and was pleased to have it 100% covered by my insurance.
Hospital Bag. My old college Vera Bradley bag has been trusty and reliable, but it was time for a weekender upgrade. This will obviously be handy long after the baby is born, and for short trips to the lake, the city, etc. A sleeker duffel upgrade that was long overdue.
Ubbi Pail. Our Diaper Genie from the previous 3 children needs to be decimated. 3 babies’ worth of dirty diapers have passed through that thing and it is time for it to be retired. After checking with a friend who I knew had experience with the Ubbi, I pulled the trigger on this all-metal canister style diaper pail. The metal construction supposedly helps to reduce odor penetration that can happen in plastic pails, and the pail doesn’t require proprietary inserts, so I can use our standard kitchen size trash bags instead of having to always be stocked up on brand name liners. Another very unglamorous necessity, but a necessity nonetheless.
Bouncer Seat. This is one of those products that simply needed replacing. I had a bouncer with all of the other kids that got dirty beyond clean-ability and was in desperate need of being retired. This Bjorn version is more modern and sleek and looks good in any room of the house, which is convenient because it’s portable. I like this in addition to a swing/mamaroo because you can bring it into the bathroom with you when you shower, or bring it to the kitchen at dinnertime, or even throw it in the car when you head off to a friend’s house. It’s ultra lightweight, hides nicely behind my chair and disappears from sight when it’s not necessary.
Ergo 360 carrier. I had an Ergo carrier of the previous 3-position design but when Babies R Us was going out of business, I had the chance to snag the upgraded 360 model at a STEAL. This version allows baby to ride in the front pack position but face OUT, which was not possible with the previous model. My other babies loved facing out in their different model carriers, and I believe that this upgrade has the potential to eliminate the need for other competitor carriers, so we’re gonna give it a go! I like that it has WAY more versatility than other brands and with this being baby #4, I have a feeling he/she will spend a LOT of time in the carrier.
SHEW! You still here? Way to go. You win the prize for reading this far (slow. clap). If you’re checking into any of these products, just know they’re being recommended by a veteran mom who’s been around the block one (or 4) times. Have I missed anything?? Have you used any of these products? I would love to answer any consumer questions, so as always feel free to leave me a comment and we’ll chat baby gear!
Check out all the links right here!
B Lively Stroller / Changing Pad / Milkies / Car Mirror / Boy Swaddle / Girl Swaddle / Boy Beanie / Baby bows / Prince Lionheart Wipes Warmer / Spectra S2 Breast Pump / Hospital Bag / Ubbi Pail / Gender Neutral Coming Home Outfit / Baby Bjorn Bouncer / Ergo 360 Carrier