James is 10 months old already, and I thought I’d make a follow-up “favourites” post to my 0-4 months baby favourites. I quite enjoyed looking back at all the baby things we’ve had for both Arhtur and James, and to make an inventory of what we truly wouldn’t do without. You’ll notice that, in the first two categories the items are pretty much the ones I picked out for 0-4 months, for the rest though, there are changes.
Baby Care
As was the case for last trimester’s post, the cloth nappies and reusable cloth wipes are still the most used items. While it makes for a lot of laundry and a larger investment upfront, it sort of becomes part of the routine and with our two little ones we’ve gotten our money’s worth out of these already.
The cloth wipes we use are by Cheeky Wipes. We have the full kit, and it’s super handy even on the go. The cloth nappies we use are by a local brand E.Cool.Logic and the nappy covers are by Popolini. And yes, I still have a full blog post about the cloth wipes and nappies in the works! 😉
Another favourite is Cicalfate+ by Avène. We’ve barely had to use lotion for our little ones, but when we do this is our automatic go-to and it works so well!
Rest & Sleep
This trimester we’ve continued to use the Doomoo Cocoon a lot and sleeps in the Joie cosleeper, right next to me. This has done wonders for our sleep. He’s nearby and we can instantly respond when he wakes.
Another item that contiues to have a lot of success with all of us is the Himalayan salt lamp: its soft glow is perfect at bedtime. We don’t use it when he wakes, as we try to rock him back to sleep in the dark for faster and a more effective ireturn to sleep for everyone.
We’re also continuing to make a lot of use of our Isla & Fraser blanket personalised by The Little Worne Store. In fact, Arthur has started making more use out of his own again when he sees James with his.
Out & About
At around 6 months, James began to outgrow the Babyzen YOYO baby pack we used in the first trimester, so we converted it to the stroller pack! He still wasn’t fully able to sit up on his own at the time, so we kept the backrest reclined as far back as possible so that it wouldn’t needlessly tire him out.
We continue to love our baby carrier. Though, as temperatures have been up, I feel we’re using it a bit less than we did with Arthur at the same age, but it’s definitely a must-have for me! Babies still love to be carried, but as they grow, baby carriers are a must! If you have the opportunity to do so, I definitely recommend testing out different brands before commiting to one. That’s what I did before choosing the Manduca First carrier. AND I found one in perfect condition second-hand at a fraction of the price!
When the weather’s on the chillier side, I love the Seraphine jumper (they also have a parka that I mentioned in my previous favourites post). Their zippable extensions makes it so handy to keep baby warm.
Play
At this age, babies are using their hands a lot more to explore, so we moved on from the Montessori visual mobiles to the tactile mobiles. We have a complete set from MontiKids (which unfortunately doesn’t exist anymore), but there are many other options available at various price points.
The Mèzamé life mat has been in daily use since we got it. You can buy a wide selection of covers for them that fit nicely in all interiors, including one you can colour (and wash to re-use over and over), a waterproof cover, etc. Its use extends well beyond babyhood.
Sophie la Girafe is a classic that we’ve had since Arthur. It’s easy for little hands to hold and made of natural rubber, making it perfect for chewing.
Since we set up Arthur’s room, we’ve had the Lärbro IKEA mirror. we attached it to the wall length-wise making it the perfect mirror for baby to look in. To this day, Arthur uses it when playing on the playmat.
We also took out our tummy-time kit from MontiKids. It includes a spinning drum, a wooden book with real animal photos, rattles varying in shapes and textures, a wobbler, images, teethers, etc. We have many others (some bought, some gifted from various family members and friends on the occasion of each child’s birth). I can honestly say that with both our little ones we’ve made good use of all of the items in this kit. Naturally you can find equivalent ones in various stores.
Nursing
I have to admit something: I’m still wearing the Allie bras day and night. If you’re a nursing mom, you know that finding a comfortable nursing bra can be a challenge. Particularly one you can sleep in. Well, The Little Milk Bar‘s Allie Bra have been made with comfort in mind (note: these are not the bra for you if you’re looking for support). I also continue to use reusable nursing pads (also the best I’ve tried so far). By the way, if you use LITTLEMONTESSORIBEARS at checkout, you get 10% off your order. <3
Since returning to work, I’ve had to start pumping again (mainly to keep up my supply as James, just like Arthur at the time, refuses the bottle). Because I didn’t have a comfortable place to pump at work that was private, I got myself the hands-free Elvie pump to do so more comfortably. It’s on the pricier side, and there are many cheaper ones nowadays which weren’t quite an option yet a few years back.
Mama Care
I’ve added a new section this time, which was royally and shockingly missing last time: Mama Care! I suppose that also reflects the lack of self-care I provide myself. But I’m starting to make more time for this!
First, there’s this beautiful mega oil from talm (to all the mamas). It can be used for anything! After a shower, I like to use this to feel a little more luxurious and taken care of.
I’ve always been horrible at keeping myself hydrated. And although I’m making an effort, I still remain wlidly under-hydrated, especially for someone exclusively nursing. I generally drink plain water, but let’s be honest, it can get a little bland. So I decided to try waterdrop about a year ago. They’re flavoured hydration cubes that contain vitamins, and stevia instead of sugar. My personal favourite are the grapefruit, ice tea peach, and ice tea raspberry flavours.
Miscellaneous
We’ve been doing baby-led weaning with both our little ones, so they’re always joining us during mealtime. We have loved our Stokke high-chairs. We have used the newborn set (we still have an old one that was passed down to us) and then the baby set which is great to have little one join in.
Another must for our little ones has been a selection of baskets to store their toys and materials, such as rattles, teethers and such. Pictured is an open basket that is in the tummy-time area. Baby has full acccess to it. It usually ends up emptied and tipped over.
This wraps up our favourite items for 5-8 month old babies. Is there something in particular that stood out to you? Is there an item we haven’t mentioned but you or baby couldn’t do without? Let us know!
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