Started to prepare for baby’s arrival- helps that I’ve got a constant reminder (i.e. growing belly) that baby’s on its way! I’ve been taking prenatal yoga classes at the Lotus Soul Gym- our instructor is terrific and offers birthing advice throughout the class. We’ve found our doula as well; she energetic, positive and relatively young (early 30s maybe?). Having only spoken to her a few times, I feel like she’s already my best friend!
I’ve also started researching baby products that I think I might or will need…its quite overwhelming as there are so many baby products out there. Here’s a wish list that I came up with last week:
- Baby sling for newborn (baby K’tan has good reviews). I found a sling (Hotsling) from kijiji for only $15 (used), which would cost ~$70 brand new. Tested out the sling with cat- she loved being in there- started purring from contentment!
- Ergo carrier for infants <40lbs. We don’t plan to use a stroller much and this carrier was given TOP ratings for comfort for both the infant (legs are at 90 degrees) and the carrier. They are fairly pricey (~$135) but I found a distributer on EBay who was selling them for $70. Not bad.
- Baby BJorn Babysitter. I’ve read that this baby bouncer is awesomely light and travel friendly, and allows the baby to sit upright. It is expensive ($145) and I’m not sure how useful it will be after it’s able to sit up on its own so it might be worth investing in a cheaper bouncer instead.
- Inglesina Fast Table Chair ($45). I think this is a definite- it’s fast to clip onto the table and it’s travel-friendly (and a good space saver). I haven’t found a company that sells them here and shipping it from the US makes it costly.
- Bike child trailer from Mountain Equipment Co-Op/jogging stroller. An obvious necessity considering Tim and I cycle more than drive in the City. Haven’t found any used ones on EBay or Kijiji- many used Chariots are sold, though the handle bars are too high for me.
- Car seat. Luckily we found one in the dumpster. I’m serious!
The Essentials List…this list is more challenging to make. The obvious is clothes- I bought some newborn clothes (gender neutral) from a thrift store where onesies/sleepers cost $4-6. They look absolutely brand new- goes to show how quickly newborns grow!
And then there are cloth diapers. There’s a company from Ontario (Giggle Life) that I’m considering purchasing from- they have good reviews on their FB page and their diapers are comparably cheaper than other brands I’ve seen. However their diapers are manufactured from China. Not sure if this should factor into the decision-making equation. They do sell Bamboo diapers, so maybe that’s a compromise? Hmmmm…
Okay, so that’s as far as I’ve gone on my essentials list. It’s a start. If you have any suggestions to provide, I’d be glad to hear them!
So excited for you…and you are so organized!
My suggestion…you might want to find a jogging stroller so that you can run with the babe…I have the Bob and it is great. Made by a bike company so the tires are quick-release.
Also – best breast feeding pillow out there – “my best friend” (cheesy name I know) but I have tried many and this one is the most comfortable because it wraps around and supports your back.
Anne! So great to hear from you! yeah, Tim and I are SUPER stoked. Thanks for your suggestions too- I was thinking of making a breast feeding pillow, but there are a few on kijiji that look promising. I’ll keep that brand in mind! Miss you much! x