This is the last of the "Baby Must Haves" posts... for now anyway. If you didn't get a chance to read the first two posts on this topic, you can click here and here.
In hindsight, I should have grouped the must haves into categories... I do love organized thoughts, but mine have not been so put together recently. :0) Three of the four items on this post are related to baby sleep.. and when baby sleeps, we sleep, and we. NEED. sleep!
I remember watching the nurses swaddle in the hospital, and I remember swaddling babies being necessary to mock the womb: it's tight, warm, and secure. Blankets are one way to swaddle, but there's more room for error. The swaddles we used were the Halo, Summer Infant's SwaddleMe, and the Miracle Blanket. All worked really well so it's really a matter of opinion as to what you want. In a nut shell, Halo is pricey, Summer Infant's SwaddleMe has hook and loop (velcro) that attaches to things in the dryer if it's not secured, and the Miracle Blanket has lots of fabric... which can be overwhelming all through the night.
We swaddled M and P until they started breaking out, which is a sign they no longer need to be swaddled. I totally recommend swaddling. It works!
The second item is the sound machine. I skimmed through a few books and did an online seminar to teach me how to sleep train and organize our days. One thing they all had in common was the importance of a sound machine. The sound needs to be a consistent noise as opposed to ocean waves, birds, heart beats, etc. I read that when the sound isn't consistent in volume and/or noise, the brain stays stimulated, which means little to no REM sleep for baby. Therefore the sound needs to be a shhhh sound such as white noise. This sound is also familiar to them from the womb.
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| We got this at Bed Bath & Beyond. It doesn't have a "white noise" option, but the waterfall option sounds just the same. |
Next on the list is a SIDS monitor. Knowing the SIDS risk factors, this was vital for me. It gives me a peace of mind, and there's no price value worth a mother's security of her baby's safety. There are a couple of well known monitors out there: the Angelcare Baby Monitor system and the Snuza .
I debated on which one was for us, and I ended up choosing the Snuza. I chose this monitor because it's portable, the baby can't roll off when rolling around (the Angelcare Monitor is a pad that goes under the mattress), and the version of the Snuza I chose has a vibration alert. Clipped to the diaper with the sensor on the stomach, the monitor moves with baby's breathing movements.If no movement is detected after 15 seconds, the monitor vibrates. If another 5 seconds passes without movement, the alarm goes off. I appreciate something monitoring M and P while they sleep... because I can't be there 24/7.
As a twin mom, stroller options are limited. I wanted a stroller where I could reach both babies, but a side by side isn't practical in any indoor setting. I did lots (and lots and lots) of research on strollers because I knew we needed something sturdy, fairly lightweight, and met my wishes. Thank you, Britax, because I found the perfect stroller! The stroller holds one or two children: two infants, one infant and one toddler, or two toddlers. I see this stroller as an investment because it will grow with us. I am able to push and steer this stroller with one hand! That's pretty incredible for a twin stroller! So here it is: the Britax B-Ready. I love love love this stroller! (I promise I'm not being endorsed, haha.)
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| Here are all the ways to use this stroller. |
Hope this helps some new and soon to be mommas out there!!!
And of course, I'll sign off with some pics of the babes.
-ashley
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