Month Two… this is such a fun one because baby is likely beginning to focus on you and smile back. I cried and laughed at the same time when my daughter smiled at me for the first time (not just in her sleep!).
At this point, we were still really loving and using ALL of the Month One Favorites, but have some more to add to the mix!
- Aden and Anais Burpy Bibs – friends recommended these combination burp cloths / bibs to us, and they are staples in our house! They are huge, soft and come in fun prints – great for wiping up spit-up now and then using the snap to transform into a bib once baby gets a bit older! We have three sets of two, which has been plenty.
- Comotomo Bottles – at this point, even if you are breastfeeding, you may be thinking about introducing bottles so others can help with feedings and to make things a bit easier when you’re on the go. If you do use a bottle, we definitely recommend the Comotomos. They are designed to be very similar to the breast to facilitate transitioning back and forth – they have a soft silicone exterior which is easy for baby to grip as he gets bigger. I also really appreciate how easy they are to clean – no small parts like some other bottles! They are on the pricey side, but we really only needed a few packs of two.
- Kissy Kissy Sleep Gowns – we received two of these sleep gowns as gifts from veteran parents after our daughter was born, and we can understand why! Last month, I mentioned how zip pajamas are so much easier – well, these are even better! They have elastic on the bottom and you just slide the gown up for a diaper change. Genius!
- Art Cards for Baby – The first things babies can see are high contrast images, such as black and white. These art cards are like large, durable flashcards with fun animal drawings that even a small baby can focus on. There aren’t many options for “playtime” at this stage, so we loved holding these up and watching our daughter take the pictures in.
- Skip Hop Moby Smart Sling Bathtub – We initially used a foam pad that fit into our bathroom sink to wash our baby, which I like because it didn’t take up much space in our small bathroom. But it wasn’t long before it felt like she was outgrowing that. We ended up purchasing this whale-shaped bathtub which has a mesh sling “seat” that can be re-positioned as baby grows. While it takes up a lot of space, it is so much better for her because she’s comfortably held up while we bathe her. I wish we had it from the beginning. We’ve been following some advice to really get our baby WET (face and all) during bath-time so she’s not afraid of water – so far so good, as she loves baths!
- Dohm White Noise Machine – This is a bedtime staple for us. We wanted something that would block out other sounds and also signal “sleep” to the baby. There are a number of baby-specific options out there, but I actually discovered this one while at a hotel on a work trip – it’s for adults, too! It’s very simple, with just two volume settings, but it really does the trick.
- Lillebaby Airflow Carrier – I still love the baby wrap, but as our daughter got a bit larger, my husband got comfortable with the idea of carrying her as well. She absolutely LOVES the carrier, and it’s so much easier to put on and off than our wrap. We chose the Lillebaby Airflow version because it’s mesh and very lightweight – we had heard some complaints from friends that their carriers get too hot.
- Manhattan Toy Sights & Sounds Travel Toy– I read about this toy on a blog where the blogger called it the “Crinkly Baby” and said it was her son’s FAVORITE, can’t-live-without item. I decided to buy it on Amazon and attach it to our daughter’s car seat. Similar to the idea of the Art Cards, this is a black and white patterned toy that also features a little baby face (faces are the other things babies love to look at). Our daughter locks in on this for long periods of time and just loves to stare at the little face!
What were your child’s second month favorites?
