There seriously must've been something in the water over the festive season as there are a phenomenal amount of friends {and friends-of-friends} who are due to birth babies in October. In fact, there are a lot of people I know having babies this year in general. If, by chance, any of them happen to stop by this little blog of mine, I thought I'd compile a list of thing that I have found the most useful during Sage's first 4 months of life. There are many, many products on the market and it can be tricky to navigate your way through the masses. I would've loved some guidance when making purchases for Sage's upcoming arrival, so I hope this list helps some of you with little bundles on the way...
Nappies -- we decided quite early on in our pregnancy to use a combination of cloth and disposable nappies, mainly using cloth at home during the day and disposable of an evening and when we're out and about. These
Issy Bear nappies are lovely and soft {not to mention cute!} and we've never had a leak.
Liners -- to prevent our cloth nappies from getting stained, we line them with
Pea Pods 100% bamboo liners. They are quite absorbent, flushable or compostable and are good for the planet too.
Wipes -- sticking with the eco-friendly theme, our
Nature Babycare wipes are fragrance free and biodegradable.
Towels & face washers -- our
Little Bamboo face washers and towels are so super soft on Sage's delicate skin. They are composed of 70% bamboo and 30% cotton, making them more water absorbent and naturally anti-bacterial.
Swaddling cloths -- in the early days our
Country Road bunny rugs were perfect for wrapping our little bundle, but now that she's a little bigger we use
Aden and Anais muslin swaddles as they are 100% cotton, breathable, huge and come in lots of cute designs.
Skincare products -- as yet we've avoided putting any unnecessary lotions on Sage's skin, preferring to use natural products such as organic olive oil, sweet almond oil or apricot kernel oil {all purchased from our local health food store} for massages, to prevent nappy rash and treat cradle cap. When {or if!} the time comes that she actually grows some hair, we've chosen
Gaia shampoo, as it's incredible gentle and moisturising.
Coat hangers -- I'm slightly obsessive when it comes to coat hangers and must
have identical hangers in my own wardrobe, so why not the same for Sage's closet? We bought out every Hobart Big W store of their child-sized wooden hangers just before she was born and then added more to our collection from
Howard's Storage World.
CD's -- during my time guiding gorgeous Kinder children through their first year of school, music and rhymes played a significant role in assisting with the development of early literacy. Not only does music have huge educational benefits, it's also just plain fun! -whether it's to dance to, sing along with or simply listen to. Here's a small sample of our growing collection.
Toys -- Sage has recently started to become very interested in her toys, so we now have a mini basket in the lounge room where we can fetch items quickly while she's playing with us on her mat. She was given many beautiful teddies and adorable stuffed animals, which I will post about once she's a little older and begins interacting with them more. Her favourites at the moment are collections from Alimrose Designs, Bibs 'n' Bobs, The Happy Nest and every baby's staple product - Sophie the Giraffe.
Pram/Car Seat/Bassinet -- we chose the
Peg Perego Skate System as it included everything we were looking for -
a car capsule {which can be attached to the pram base - making sleepy transfers from the pram to the car
that much easier!},
a bassinet {which can also be attached to the pram base, but we've always kept it on the bassinet stand beside our bed} and of course
the main pram attachment, for when Sage grows out of the capsule. The handle is height adjustable, converting from short to tall {necessary in our family!}, it has a large area underneath for storing our nappy bag and also comes with a drink holder! We've loved the whole system so far and have found it really convenient and a breeze to use.
Sling -- our Bay Bee Cino sling was an absolute godsend in the first few months of Sage's life. She would literally fall asleep instantly, as soon as she was placed inside, and it made carrying her around on trips to Hobart and Western Australia so much easier. She's getting a little long for it now, but it was truly one of our most valued purchases.
Carrier -- the
Ergobaby carrier is really comfortable as it is designed to distribute your baby's weight evenly across your hips and shoulders and Sage's body is supported by her being carried in a natural sitting position. We chose the organic version as it is made from sustainably grown cotton and has been coloured using certified organic dyes. We've been using our carrier since Sage was only a week old, as we also bought the
newborn padded insert as an extra addition, which supports her back and neck while she's still small.
Baby Seat -- our
Bumbo has been used since Sage could support her own head, and it has certainly been a handy little item, both at home and when we're out-and-about. It allows her to sit unassisted, safely and comfortably, if ever I need to use both hands for tasks such as cooking, hanging the washing out, or making the bed. Sage has never been one to enjoy lying down on a flat surface, preferring to be upright and seeing everything that's happening, so for this, the Bumbo is perfect. It is made from low-density foam material, so it is lightweight and portable and very comfy and soft.
So there you have it! My list of much loved, early-days purchases. I hope you may find it useful in guiding your baby shopping sprees or that you may have simply gained some ideas of what we have found most worthwhile. If you have any questions about the items discussed, where they can be purchased or any products that you'd like to know about that I may have missed, please don't hesitate to contact me! I'd love to hear about your baby buys too, the products you have tried and loved.
CD's -- during my time guiding gorgeous Kinder children through their first year of school, music and rhymes played a significant role in assisting with the development of early literacy. Not only does music have huge educational benefits, it's also just plain fun! -whether it's to dance to, sing along with or simply listen to. Here's a small sample of our growing collection.
Pram/Car Seat/Bassinet -- we chose the Peg Perego Skate System as it included everything we were looking for - a car capsule {which can be attached to the pram base - making sleepy transfers from the pram to the car that much easier!}, a bassinet {which can also be attached to the pram base, but we've always kept it on the bassinet stand beside our bed} and of course the main pram attachment, for when Sage grows out of the capsule. The handle is height adjustable, converting from short to tall {necessary in our family!}, it has a large area underneath for storing our nappy bag and also comes with a drink holder! We've loved the whole system so far and have found it really convenient and a breeze to use. 
