Most Useful Baby Related Purchases

Now that the baby has finally arrived I thought I’d write a follow up to some of my previous baby related posts. The following is a list of my favorite baby related items so far:

• Glider and Ottoman
• Co-sleeper
• Oversized Dresser
• Baby Swing
• Activity Center

Before the little one arrived I wasn’t sure that the glider and ottoman were worth the money, but now that the baby is here I can say it was definitely a worthwhile purchase. My husband and I drove over to Babies-R-Us yesterday to pick up the furniture with the little one in tow. As soon as we arrived back home my hubby dragged the parts upstairs and assembled it. Since that time I’ve already sat there more than a handful of times to rock and/or feed the baby. It’s a nice relaxing spot to just enjoy being with the little one. We splurged on the purchase and bought a larger model since my husband and I are both quite tall. If you’re going to purchase one of these I definitely recommend trying out the various models to see which ones are the most comfortable for you.

One of the best baby shower items I received was a co-sleeper, which is a tiny bassinet that connects to the side of the bed and allows you to keep the baby within arms reach. I love being able to reach over in the middle of the night to check on and feed the little one. I still haven’t fully recovered from the birth, so it’s been nice to tend to the baby without having to get out of bed at 2 o’clock in the morning.

When we set up the nursery we compromised on price and purchased an oversized dresser from IKEA. It has eight separate drawers each filled with small fabric bins that allow for greater compartmentalization. We store just about everything baby related inside the dresser and always have whatever we need directly within arms reach. We attached the changing pad directly to the top of the dresser, so we can reach into the highest drawers for baby clothes while keeping a hand and eye on the little one.

I wasn’t sure whether or not we really needed a baby swing, but it proved most useful on a particularly fussy night when our sweet baby boy wanted to play at 4 o’clock in the morning. I pulled the swing up to the side of the bed and strapped the little one inside. The soothing nature of the swaying motion and nature inspired sounds lured him right to sleep.

The baby also loves the activity center we received as a shower gift. It’s a fancier model with lots of lights and sounds and the baby loves to wiggle around on the mat and look up at the various items hanging from the arches above him. It’s a particularly useful spot to place him in when he’s alert and playful.

So far these are the best items we’ve purchased and/or received for the little one. I’m sure the list will continue to grow as time goes on.