New Mom Niceties

I'll save you from the emotional rundown of the obvious things that make having and raising a babe easier; like having a supportive, understanding and patient husband, a best-friend/idea-bouncer-off-er/sister-in-law, always here-for-me mom, ecstatic mom-in-law, amazing friends that are in the same boat and a little research...These are actual things you can buy, purchase or be lucky enough to be gifted, that I feel have made my first go-round a little smoother.

1. Moby wrap. Just about anything that can strap your babe to you is probably good. But between the Bjorn and the Moby, it's Moby hands-down. When our son was still small (which didn't last too long) I could have him in the Moby practically the same as he was in my belly. He was born in July, so I couldn't keep him in too long or he'd get pretty steamy. He wasn't big enough really for the Bjorn, but my arms and back needed a serious break! The Moby adapted nicely when he got bigger. The first time I put him in facing out in the wrap, you'd think he'd won the lottery: be attached to mom but still see everything coming?!?! Holy crap, JACKPOT! We tried that hold at Mike's (my husband's) second half-marathon after Connor's birth. He must have been about three months old then. It made for a much better walkabout than the first half-mari when I thought taking the stroller was a good idea. The second go-round I was more keen. I had the babe on my front, Mike's post-marathon flip flops tucked in the back of my jeans, the camera over one shoulder and a small diaper sack strapped to my right wrist. Sounds precarious, but if you've ever been at a post-race rally you know how quick things go and how tight it can get amongst all the families and runners. This was by far much better than navigating a stroller with a potentially crying baby. Connor enjoyed this way so much, he wore himself out and passed out before we got back from the race.

I still use the Moby just about every day: vacuuming, going to the grocery store (commissary), walks around the block when the snow's too deep, out and about... It's especially good at keeping strangers from getting too close. I still have to take a quick turn for the more aggressive types, but at least I can move him away from the when-was-the-last-time-you-washed-your-hands folks. The Bjorn is good for quick trips and can be easier to get him in and out of, but it feels less supportive and kills my back in a matter of minutes. Connor grew from about 9 pounds when he was born, to almost 22 now (at 6 months). So if you have a smaller, lighter babe, the Bjorn may be easier for you. But the weight distribution, carrying options, and hip placement for the babe, of the Mobe put it above the other carriers for us.

2. Wipe warmer. Putting a cold cloth to a babies nether's several times during the night is a good way to wake up the neighbors, or at least a sleeping husband. I liked it so much I got one for each changing station. Now that we live in a two-story, it's even more valuable. One warmer warms from the top, the other from the bottom. I much prefer the top warmer. It doesn't need maintenance cleaning like the bottom warmer. You can get a anti-microbial pad for the bottom warmer, but that would defeat the purpose of not having unknown chemicals ultimately touch my babe's delicate new skin. We make our own wipes (and yes, we do cloth diapers)... so the top warmer works better for this reason too. I even found a way to fold the wipes so they pop-up just like disposables. It can hold about 20 Gerber-like wash clothes, folded lengthwise. They last about two days and fit perfectly into the warmer.

3. Lightweight, Sturdy Umbrella stroller. We got the Chicco lightweight. Again, it's something I used everyday until we moved up north. I put him in it so I could take a shower but still have him nearby. I put him in it so I could cook or do practically anything that I couldn't have him strapped to me with the Moby. At about 2 months old, he started going crazy every night at 6pm. I thought, oh no not a colicky baby! For some reason I started taking him for a walk at that time and it completely avoided the whole break-down. My step-mom's mom said there's nothing better for a fussy baby than fresh air. She's right.

The great thing about the Chicco lightweight, is that the seat can be adjusted from completely sitting up to completely lying down. I didn't want to go the car seat and stroller route because I don't care too much for bulky things. The Chicco never disappointed, and I never missed having the car seat combo. We also have BOB SUS for jogging and the snowy/icy terrain up here. It handles beautifully and is a lot smoother ride than the Chicco. I'm guessing because the tires are inflatable and take 35lbs of pressure.