Every parent needs a little help now and then. Check out the products that put this anxious mama at ease.
1. Baby Monitor: Of course most parent’s have a baby monitor these days, but I would recommend the Infant Optics DXR-8 Video Baby Monitor with Interchangeable Optical Lens. Why? Because it was loud enough to wake me up to Auggie even turning over. Which, in the early months, is a big deal! It also has a great picture both in the light and dark and can spin around the majority of the room.
2. Baby Apps: My favorite apps were the Baby Nursing app and the Wonder Weeks app.
The Baby Nursing app was great when breastfeeding Auggie those first few months. The app allows you to keep track of which breast the baby nursed off of last, as well as how long. It also lets you enter baby’s weight, height, and head circumference and places them into a growth chart. Not to mention, it also tracks bowel movements and wet diapers, so when the pediatrician inevitably asks, you don’t just have to shrug your shoulders.
The Wonder Weeks app helps when you just can’t figure out what’s wrong with your ever-changing baby. Apparently, babies go through different developmental leaps that can cause irritability or trouble sleeping. The app also tells you what new developments to look for during that time (ie: baby can now roll over).
3. Scale: If you’re breastfeeding, a scale is a handy item to have, especially if you do not have any local breastfeeding support groups. We initially purchased the scale because we had a very small baby, whom the doctors were concerned about weight-wise. There was one day where anxiety got the best of me, and I ended up taking him to urgent care just to get his weight. Try to avoid this if you can and just order a scale! There were days where I would throw Auggie on the scale after every feeding to see how much he ate. Knowledge is power, right?
4. Car Mirror: Ever taken a car ride with a baby? Chances are they screamed through most of it. For the anxious new parent, there’s nothing more terrible than a crying baby (you can’t see!) in rush hour traffic. This mirror helps to find the paci and stick it back in the baby’s mouth, or, if you’re as anxious as me, to see that your baby is in fact still breathing as he sleeps. The mirror has still proved handy with a toddler, especially when snacking in the car.
5. Owlet: An absolute lifesaver, literally. I dread the day that we have to part with the Owlet. It’s destined to be my worst break up yet.
The Owlet is essentially a pulse oximeter. It monitors your baby’s heart rate and oxygen level using a fabric sock and alerts you if they fall out of range. If you have an iPhone or an Android, you can get near real-time readings sent directly to you using the Owlet app. Not to mention Connected Care, an additional app that keeps a record of your baby’s vitals using graphs. See how the Owlet helped us to get Auggie the medical care he needed here!
Do you have baby products that you love? I’d love to hear about them. Share them in the comments below!
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