We are moving again very soon (in 30 days or less), and we did a pretty good job of purging items at our huge garage sale back in May. I took at look in the basement today and noticed the majority in storage is baby gear. Things Lucas has outgrown, but I am holding on to for when we have another baby. How long do I keep baby gear and what do I keep? Decisions, decisions…

When I was a new mom, I researched every item like a crazy person.  I hope this post is helpful to any new mommies out there trying to put together their registries. (note- I have no affiliation with any of these companies or products.  Just sharing my own thoughts on what I liked/disliked).

Baby gear I love:

Start left upper corner, going clockwise:

gDiapers– these are hybrid diapers that can be used as cloth diapers or you can put in a disposable/flushable insert. We used these exclusively when Lucas was a newborn (0-3 months old).  He did not have a single diaper rash with gDiapers. Daycare was not willing to take part in cloth diapering of any kind, so when I went back to work we tried Pampers disposable diapers.  And then came his first diaper rash!  When we don’t use gDiapers, Target brand is my favorite disposable diaper.

Aden & Anais Swaddles– stretchy soft muslin cotton, ahhh, so lovely.  Just the sight of these blankets gives me baby fever. Possible uses include swaddling (of course), but also sun shade cover over car seat, drool wiper, burp cloth, nursing cover, etc. If you are going to a baby shower, this is the gift to bring.

IKEA Gulliver Crib– we resisted the urge to get a fancy crib.  This one costs $99 and is doing great after 2 years.  . I love the clean modern lines- it works for a boy or a girl. It also converts to a toddler bed.  However, we did not use it as a toddler bed.  When Lucas was almost 2 years old he was getting too long to sleep in the crib, so we transitioned him straight to a twin bed.

Maxi Cosi Mico Infant Car Seat– mine is all black and very gender neutral. It is light weight and clicks easily into its base in the car. The weight limit is 22lbs, so Lucas only used this until he was 5 months old. There are infant carriers with higher weight limits, some as high as 35lbs. However, would you actually want to carry a car seat around with your 35lb baby sleeping in it?  Didn’t think so…just switch to the convertible car seat when your baby gets that big.

Fisher Price Rock n’ Play Sleeper– this device is magical and probably the most convenient piece of gear ever.  Basically, it is a place to set the baby down. It can be easily carried all over the house with one hand, while carrying your baby. We used this every single day from 0-6 months. And Lucas slept in it at night from 0-3 months (yes, it is approved for sleeping unlike a swing or bouncer).  After my c-section, it was the perfect height for picking him up for night-time feedings out of bed or the couch. It is not a swing- there is no motor, no music, no lights.  Just a little taco for your baby to rest. You can rock it with your foot or hand if needed. This is not the prettiest piece of baby gear, but recently they have come out with better looking versions.

Combi Cocorro Convertible Car Seat- we bought this car seat for our Honda Civic because it is very compact and space efficient.  We now have a huge vehicle (Chevy Traverse), so the space-saving features are less important.  However, it is a solid well-made car seat that I’m sure we’ll use for next baby.

Green to Grow BPA free bottles– we used these bottles for daycare for about 9 months. They went through the dishwasher countless times and still look brand new. These bottles only have 3 parts to wash- bottle, nipple and cap.  I also liked for daycare that we were the only family who used them so there was less concern about Lucas’ bottles getting mixed up with another kid’s. These bottles are very simple, sturdy, and awesome.

Mamas & Papas Sola Stroller– this stroller just makes me happy with the fun green color. It is extremely sturdy and lies completely flat for a newborn.  Lucas and I took many walks during my maternity leave in this stroller.  It is a full-size stroller, so it folds down but not as compactly as an umbrella stroller. I looked at some other comparable strollers- Britax , Uppa Baby , etc.  The price of this one was much better at $399 and it still has a solid metal frame. The seat can face forward or towards you- it is really easy to change the position.  It also works with most infant car seats with the right adapter.

Baby gear I can live without…

Starting in upper left corner, going clockwise:

Medela Swing Pump– Its smaller, portable and recommended for travel. Plus it has the great Medela brand behind it so I thought it was the right choice.  However, I regret this purchase.  Some mammas take to breastfeeding and pumping very easily. And some do not. I had to fight for every ounce. Next time, I’ll be renting a hospital grade pump from a lactation consultant or hospital.  It will weigh like 22lbs, but that is okay because I work from home.  I won’t be dragging the pump outside of the house very often. If I do have to travel, I’ll bring a hand pump.

Ergo Sport– these carriers are much-loved by many people, but I have to say it did not work for me.  Maybe it is my short torso and this is a pretty bulky carrier? I did not love it and I’m thinking about selling mine or passing it along to another Mommy.  It would be a good carrier for my husband to wear because it looks manly, but I don’t think that is going to happen.

Maclaren Triumph– this stroller is so frustrating to me.  I got it on clearance and heard great things about Maclarens.  But I just really don’t love it.  The recline minimal- no taking naps in this stroller.  The canopy is easily bent, it never folds up right and the strap gets tangled in everything.  The basket is difficult to take items in and out. The only thing I like about it is the height of the handles.  I’m considering something else in the future….

Joovy Nook– this high chair was great for our first house, which was just 672 square feet.  Every inch counts in a house that size, and this high chair folds up compactly and we could store it in a closet when not in use.  However, now that we will have an eat-in kitchen, this probably will not work in our new house.  The legs are really wide and it cannot pull up to the kitchen table easily for meals with the family.

PPB Sojourn Sling– this sling is extremely comfortable. I bought it when Lucas was about 5 months old.  It was perfect for that age so I could carry him on my hip without the full weight in my arms.  I will probably keep this for future kiddos, but it has a limited timeframe of use and babies grow out of it quickly.

Bumbo– I felt like I needed a Bumbo, but the whole contraption sort of scared me in general.  Lucas is a really tall baby so by the time he was ready for the Bumbo the height of it was not as supportive as it needed to be for his size.  I’m sure mamas with smaller babies could get a lot of use out it, but we sadly did not.

Travel Swing– we got this to see if Lucas would take to a swing.  He hated it, so it was rarely used.  Even if he did like to swing, the height was so low to the ground it was hard to use after a C-section.  If I decide to use a swing for future babies, we’ll probably get a full sized one instead.  Otherwise why not just use the Rock n’ Play?

Boppy– it just felt a little stiff to me for breastfeeding. I preferred to use pillows or actually my c-shaped maternity sleeping pillow which I would wrap around me like a cocoon and set the baby on top. It worked fine for the first 2-3 weeks but Lucas grew really fast and the Boppy could not contain him 🙂

And some items that I really want for our next baby.

Just to be clear, I am not even pregnant yet but I like to plan things in advance.  These are some of the bigger items I may purchase when we are ready for baby #2.

Glider– oh why did I not buy a glider for the first baby?  I spent so much time bouncing and walking and so did my husband.  Lucas loved the glider at Grandma’s house, so next baby I am definitely getting one.  We probably did not have the space in our first little house, but this is a must have for next time.

Chicco Lite Way Stroller– for the next baby, I’d like to get one of these to replace the Maclaren. The price is good, it has a full recline and folds up compactly as an umbrella stroller is meant to do. The Liteway Plus allows you to click in your infant car seat.  If that had been available when Lucas was born I probably would’ve only gotten this stroller and skipped the larger one.

Arm’s Reach Co Sleeper– this pulls right up to your bed so baby can sleep safely next to you. Oh I wish I had one of these when Lucas was born. If I have a repeat C-section with baby #2 this is a must-have item.  Getting out of bed for feedings was so painful right after delivery anything I can do to stay lying down is awesome. This is also perfect for lazy breastfeeding mamas like myself. Just pull the kiddo closer to you for feedings and put him right back to bed without ever getting up.

IKEA Antilope High Chair– this high chair is $25, including the tray.  Why spend a ton of money on something that is going to get covered with baby food?  It wipes down easily and pulls up to the table. I also like the design of it and how non-baby it looks. There is actually a sale going on through Nov 27 and this high chair is just $10 for IKEA family members.