Apr 23

Apr 23 Baby #2 Must Haves

Going from one kid to two is certainly an adjustment. Thankfully when it comes to baby gear that isn’t the case. With that said, there are a handful of items that I am finding useful with my new baby. Check out my Baby #2 must haves!

1. EXTRA STROLLER SEAT

I am so glad that we invested in a quality stroller when we had our first baby. We bought this CITY SELECT STROLLER by Baby Jogger and love it! Not only is it easy to assemble, it can accommodate our growing family [up to three kids]. We use our stroller all the time!

2. TEETHING JEWELRY

This will be handy once Kyler begins to teeth. With two, two-and-under, keeping my hands free is key. This necklace allows Kyler to compress his inflamed gums on a teether while keeping my other hand free. An added bonus is that he can’t drop it on the floor. Score! How pretty is the “Rose Luxe” collection by MAMA AND LITTLE!?

3. CHANGING MAT

Most parents of one child will own a change mat. When you have a second child you will want another especially if your house has multiple levels like mine. Keeping a CHANGING STATION on each level is convenient when you have more than one kid in diapers! [I’m also going to purchase a second diaper genie as well].

4. BABY CARRIER

I wore my firstborn occasionally. I wear my second religiously. There’s a reoccurring theme in this curated list: hands-free. It’s a juggling act having multiple children so baby carriers make it a little easier when you have both a fussy baby wanting to be held and a toddler vying for your attention. I love my wrap by SOLLY BABY for this age and will graduate to my ring sling by SAKURA BLOOM once Kyler's a little heavier. I talk more about baby wearing in my post: TWO UNDER TWO.

5. COSTCO MEMBERSHIP

This is not a sponsored post by any means, but consider getting a COSTCO membership if you have that option. We save $$$ in diapers and wipes making the membership fee more than worth it. Diapering multiple kids is not cheap! They also have great deals on groceries.

6. PORTABLE SLEEPER

This is on my wish list if/when we have Baby #3. I discovered this item when my son was already two months old, but had I discovered it when I was pregnant I would have snatched it up in a heartbeat. It is expensive, but can you put a price on a good night’s sleep and naps? [Spoken like a sleep deprived parent!]

When Dylan was born, his nap schedule would determine the framework for our day. Kyler doesn’t dictate our routine the same way and is forced to go with the flow more. He naps on-the-go often and at home prefers to nap in the common areas during the day and in our room at night so we use a portable bouncer chair for him. What I like about the DOCK-A-TOT is that it can be placed in a bed making co-sleeping that much safer.

7. PUMP BODY WASH

This has nothing to do with a particular brand, but the logistics of bathing two kids at the same time. Usually we will bathe our boys separately, but sometimes due to time constraints or synchronized poop explosions [Murphy's Law!], a double bath will be necessary. I learned early on that pump soap is the way to go- you don’t have to fiddle with a lid or pour out body wash. Pump soap frees up a hand and that is great when you’re trying to keep two little kids alive in a tub!

This cleanser from THE HONEST COMPANY smells so good that I now use it as my body wash. Plus it’s all-natural which I love.

8. OVER COVER

In addition to hands-free items, multi-purpose items are both practical and cost effective. I love my "OVer COVER' as it serves as a fantastic nursing cover, shopping cart cover and carseat cover now that the weather is warmer. It’s also a local Canadian-owned business. I can’t say enough good things about it!