things i love:

• the boppy: every time i try to feed her without it, i remember why i love it.
• all things medela: i listened to the internet and the crazy-jolly lactation consultant who said that people try others to save a buck or two, but usually end up with the pump in style, so i started with it. i pump about once a day, more if i miss a feeding, and it’s wonderful. the bags are awkward to pump into, so i pump into a bottle and then package into the bags. their microsteam bags make for easy cleanup. i also pump one breast at a time. it takes longer, but uses less stuff and allows me to do something more than hold the pumps in place ;)
• receiving blankets by amy coe: the only ones we could find that were the right material, and large enough for swaddling. they must be popular, since i can rarely find them at target, and they’re not online, either.
• old-school cloth diapers: we received a stack embellished with cute ribbons as a shower gift. more absorbent, better protecting, and softer than any burp cloth you can buy.
• t-shirts: we use the gerber ones under sleepers and when we swaddle.
• fuzzy sleepers: fleece, i suppose is what you’d call them. anyway, they’re great for keeping her toasty enough to nap in, or head out in this weather.
• lavender lab: is it a coincidence that she started sleeping 6+ hours at night once santa delivered one? i don’t think so.
• waterproof pads: one in the bed, one on the changing table…a few more waiting to be used at a moment’s notice
• the ikea chair: just the right amount of “bounce” for a rocker. (we don’t use the ottoman, though)
• schick intuition: it counts. it came in my “breast is best, but here’s some formula” bag of samples and coupons. it cuts leg-shaving down to about 3 minutes, which means i actually get to do it every once in a while ;)
• bundle me: sits in the baby carrier and is perfect for outings in less than ideal weather. plus, the “top” zips right off so there’s no issue on weirdly-warm days.

things i’m not using

• hats: oh, she hates them.
• gowns: one part onesie, one part blanket sleeper. not warm enough to use alone for napping.
• swaddlers: the material is waaaay too forgiving for a fussy baby who likes to kick, which is kind of the whole reason to swaddle.
• misc blankets: again, nothing made of a material that stretches in the least will do any good for swaddling, and most other blankety needs are met by other things.
• almost everything in the room/bedding kit: there are no windows in her room, so the valance was out. the blanket is too …stiff and pretty to be of any use. the bumper looks good, but “they” say that you shouldn’t use them when the baby actually sleeps in the bed. that leaves a diaper storage container (cute, but impractical. and the hanger broke under the weight of a “full” load of diapers), the crib ruffle (likeable, but mostly hidden by the crib we purchased), and a fitted sheet (buyable on its own)
• pants: since she doesn’t spend a lot of time with her legs straight, they look kind of silly. they get in the way of diaper changes, without being easily movable like a zippered or snapped sleeper or onesie.

…that’s all i can think of at the moment, but i know i’ve thought of more things while i’ve been composing this in my head.