Things I can't live without # 7

This post probably should be entitled 'Things I can probably live without but don't want to...' as there are a few things that are downright luxury items. But there is one new item I have discovered and I cannot believe I didn't find it before now.

Milkies Milk-saver

How has nobody told me about this?! I stumbled across it online as I was looking for advice on breastfeeding. If I had had this product when Bebe was born I would have rarely had to express and may have had an easier time trying to get her on a bottle! If you have read my blog before you will know that I was very slack and didn't keep up the bottle feeds from early on which meant that my baby girl was very reluctant to take anything but the boob (for those interested today we had a break through and she guzzled 100ml of formula from a sippy cup - hurrah!).

Basically if, like me, you leak from the other breast when you breast feed this product is invaluable. I have always leaked quite a bit when I feed and have thrown out litres of precious breast milk in breast pads. Even now, 6 months down the line I now save about 40ml during her first morning feed which I can then use on her cereal (I am no longer trying to get her to take expressed milk but going on to formula). If you are using this from the start you would probably want to express a bit at the end of feeds so you get some of the good hind milk also as this only really collects foremilk. You can also attach a milk saver bag to it so it really can collect as much as you can deliver!

Genius.

Sheepskin stroller liner 

We use this in the stroller and in the car seat if going on a long drive (one of our car seats is lush but the other one needs this as it is a bit sparse in the luxury stakes). It is cool in summer and warm in winter and Bebe loves it. What's not to love?

Grass Counter top drying rack

File this under 'things I can probably live without etc...' It is rather handy though for sippy cups/bottles, dummies etc as you can keep it nice and clean and the items are ever lying in their own water as they dry. You can also put the whole thing in the dish washer to keep it sparkly. I also looks rather ace on the counter top. I can pretend I am mega healthy and growing my own wheat grass...

Merino Kids Go-Go bag

This is totally lush and was given to me by my oldest and dearest friend Lizzie. We started to use it when Bebe was about 5 months old and it is so handy and lovely. It has holes front and back so you can keep baby in it while puting in and out of car seat/stroller which is really handy when you are out and about and baby is sleeping (for instance when you take her to the Leonard Cohen Concert at Hanging Rock and she hangs out until she falls asleep in this and then goes into the car and into bed without waking up - precious!)

Food Holder

A few companies make this (we don't have this exact one) but they are all pretty good I think. Bebe is a self-feeder (we are following the 'Baby-led Weaning' book which is working really well for us) so she doesn't need her veggies in this but on a hot day she loves a block of ice or a frozen block of homemade stewed pear. Yum!

That is enough for today methinks.. I am going to write about the sippy-cup weaning thing next so if anyone has anything to add to the discussion then please do!

x Ali

Things I can't live without # 2

Thrupenny Bits

booby feeding cushion

This is far better than any other feeding cushion I have seen. Not only does it work (it ties around your waist so baby doesn't slip off like with some of the others) but it is small, light, washable, comes in lots of beautiful fabrics and can be used as a handbag when you have finished feeding - result! It is especially good for a very small baby when flying as they happily sleep on your lap safely and you can clip the special seatbelt around them easily as they sleep. You can just tie it around the top of your wheely, on-board case so you don't have to look like one of those embarrassing tourists carrying some neck pillow the size of a small car

Anyone who has traveled near a baby will know that their ears hurt when landing. The best way to get over this is to feed baby as you start to descend and this pillow made that so easy for me.

The other good thing is that these are made by a gorgeous mum Melissa in London who saw a gap in the market and started her own little business and I think that is totally ace.

If you think you would like one and think you know other who would I may consider getting a bulk load sent out to Australia so do let me know.

This is also featured on my 'Equipment' Page

iBaby

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a fan of technology and a little bit of an Apple nerd. I love my MacBook Pro, my iPhone and am seriously lusting after the iPad.. Therefore I also love a good app.

So here are some apps that I use for baby stuff:

Nursing Log

I have used this for feed times (and sides) since about day 3. It not only helps me keep track of boob sides but I can see how long she feeds for, how many times a day and the total time and average time per day. I love being able to see right from the start how the feeding has developed and especially in the middle of the night I can keep track of how long etc when I am practically sleep feeding myself. I don' t see any reason you couldn't use this if you were bottle feeding as there is a notes section you could put the amount in mls.


The Wonder Weeks

From the website of the same name - keeps track of developmental milestones.

Baby's Coming

I used this app during labour. It was great to keep track of how long and how far apart each surge was and also gave me something to focus on as they were happening. There is a button for water breaking and then you just press start and stop each time. When I got to the hospital I could show them exactly where I was at. You can even email your OB with one click! I also love that I have a record of the birth like that. I know, total nerd alert.

White Noise

For a week or so (after I dragged Bebe to the Adelaide Cabaret Festival at 6 weeks and she slept in the piano bar as 40 divas and drag queens sang show tunes and drank martinis around her) she had trouble getting to sleep unless I had 'crowd noise' playing from this app. It also has more sane ones like rainforest, washing machine, crickets and waves. I quite like it for myself sometimes when everything is giving me the shits...


iPregnancy

I used this during pregnancy. You log the due date and it keeps you up to date with your baby's development and lets you know things that you might be experiencing. It has pictures and 3D photos of sample babies and a list of names you can make a shortlist from.

Total Baby

This app is like the nursing log but more detailed. I don't actually use it anymore as I couldn't be bothered logging nappies and sleeps as well. But if you want to do that - even if you are worried for a bit about routine, it is pretty easy to use and has lots of features.



Solebon

Ok, so I play solitaire as I feed. It helps me relax and I swear the fact that my brain zones out help the let down happen quicker. It has 40 different types of solitaire. I am obsessed by Pyramid at the moment and I have won it 104 times (starting to worry about my nerd levels now...)


Baby Sign

We are keen to start baby sign with Bebe. We already do 'milk' and 'sleep' and are starting to use other ones. My husband works with a sign interpreter lots and she used it with her baby and swears by its helpfulness and use in developing communication skills. This is a pretty simple app with a few key signs.
Wheels on the Bus

My friend Charly told me about these next three. Bebe is a bit little for them but Charly's bubba (and Bebe's London friend) Flo loves them. You can record yourself singing the wheels on the bus also which is tres cute.
Peek-a-boo Barn
Old MacDonald
Smack Talk

My darling friend Craig Hill told me about this. Not so much a baby app but Bebe thinks the puppy repeating what I say in a funny voice is hilarious so it is good for a laugh or a distraction.