On the go: a mirror so you can watch your little one from the rearview mirror, if you drive much. For walking I couldn’t live without my Moby Wrap for the 0 to 3 month stage, and the Ergo after that. For strollers, I recommend and ultra-light travel stroller, and really a simple Combi does the trick. Has a cupholder, a sun shade and folds up super quick. Perfect for those of us with no muscle. I like the features that come with, but you can also get a $10 umbrella stroller and then get accessories, such as the sunshade and accessory basket and cupholder. But all that adds up.
Eating: Bowls and plates with suction cups are the only kind I’ll use. Jo Jo can practice with a spoon and can’t throw the whole bowl on the floor. Also, the non-spill travel snack cups. Cause babies love to dump things out. This way, they get a couple pieces out at a time!
Safety: I have the simple stick-on safety latches on cupboards and drawers. I have no time to mess with screws and drills. Maybe it looks a little ghetto… but hey, keeps foster care inspections simple, and they supposedly pull off without damaging the surfaces. We’ll see how that goes. Also, the Angelcare apnea monitor was a MUST for me, and probably for any babyloss mom. She slept on it until she was 6 months old, and it did alarm for a real apnea event once. The alarm jolted her and she started breathing again… I don’t want to know what would’ve happened if it hadn’t.
My number one must-have: A GRANDMA!!!!
I mean seriously, without my mom at my disposal for babysitting and chore-helping, my house would be a barnyard, I’d never be able to date, or shower alone, or garden, and sleeping after a night shift? FORGET about it!
Mother of All Things 