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Things We’ll Keep And Change For Baby #2

This being our second trip to the baby rodeo hopefully means that we’re a bit wiser going in. We can cherry-pick from what worked well with Clara while trying to improve on some newborn and baby items, products, and methods that might need fine tuning. Of course every kid is different and what worked for baby #1 may not apply for #2 – so we’re just waiting for those curve balls to come flying towards us – but since you guys have been asking, here are five things we’re planning to redo (as in do again or use again) and five things that we’ll do new. And because they pair up nicely, we’ll look at ’em side-by-side. Note: None of the links in this post are affiliate links.

BabyTwo Graphic

AGAIN – Angel Care Monitor: This was one of 5 newborn “lifesavers” that we shared after Clara was born – just for the peace of mind that it gave us (no getting out of bed to watch the baby breathe). It’s not for everyone, but we found it really comforting, and it soothed a lot of our new-parent anxiety. It’s basically a sound monitor with a motion-sensitive pad that slides under the crib mattress to detect when baby’s breathing (and sound an alarm if it stops). We ordered an attachment (by calling Angel Care directly) with two pads to minimize false alarms once Clara got a bit wigglier (she’d roll out of the single pad’s detection area) and were really happy with it, so we’ll be reusing it while the baby boy snoozes. We’ve also gotten the free cord cover kit that fixes the recent recall issue.

NEW – Video Monitor: We never used a video monitor with Clara, but now that we’ll often be on a separate floor during nap times (along with occasionally having two kids sleeping at the same time, so an audio monitor might be confusing in that “which one is crying?” way) we decided to add a video monitor to the mix. We got the Levana Lila (bought with a trial membership to Amazon Mom) and we found an awesome spot in the nursery where it can peek out from behind the curtain, making the monitor and its cord nearly invisible in the room (there’s an outlet right beneath it that also hides behind the curtain).

DoNew Monitor2

AGAIN – Crib Sleeping: You already know that we’re using Clara’s crib again, but we also plan to reuse our technique to start crib sleeping from the very beginning. Our first house didn’t have much room for a bedroom bassinet and Clara’s nursery was just steps away, so she slept in her room from the moment she came home. We have a more spacious bedroom here, but baby boy will just be on the other side of the wall (about ten steps away) – and crib sleeping from the start worked so well with Clara that we’re gonna try it again. We liked that it spared us an extra transition from bassinet to crib down the road, and she was a pretty epic sleeper so we don’t want to change much up in that arena.

NEW – Sound Machine: We used a sound machine with Clara and we will most definitely use one again. But since we can’t steal Clara’s (she still wants “the ocean on” every night) we had to get something new. For her nursery, we had chosen an iPod dock with Sherry’s old iPod loaded with a CD called “Natural White Noise for Babies” on a loop (we thought the iPod would be nice so we could use it to play music down the road too). But rather than splurge on a new iPod and dock, we decided this simple $20 standalone sound machine would work well for the bun (we can always get him a music player down the line if he misses that perk).

BabyTwo Wearing

AGAIN – Ergo Carrier: Baby-wearing was our preferred method of Clara transport in the early months. Sherry had a sling, but since Clara often took that as her cue to nurse, I mostly wore her in our Ergo Carrier. It held up great and we just recently broke it out and gave it a wash so it’s ready to go again.

NEW – Double Stroller: Clara rarely uses a stroller anymore (day-to-day she either walks or shopping carts it) so we debated whether we’d even need a double stroller at all. But we still like to take long family walks/hikes using our jogging stroller (longer than Clara can last on her own) and she also likes to hop in beside her younger cousins in their double strollers when they’re around, so we took the plunge. Well, Sherry’s mom plunged for us as a new baby gift. We jumped right to a jogging stroller (the double-version of the single InStep Safari we got when Clara was 1) instead of getting a lighter-duty model since that works well for longer hikes without smooth paths as well as long neighborhood walks. I don’t anticipate jogging with both of them often, but it’s nice to know it can do that too. And for the day-to-day stuff we’ll probably just use the Ergo with Clara walking (or in her single stroller if there’s a ton of walking to be done).

BabyTwo Stroller

AGAIN – Cloth Diapers: The BumGenius cloth diapers that we bought for Clara have held up really well, so for now we plan to use the dozen that we have, and might add six more to our stash as we need them. Like Clara, we won’t transition to cloth until he grows into them (it took Clara a few months but then she could use the same one-size-fits-all diapers for 2+ years). Also like Clara, he won’t be exclusively cloth diapered. We found with her that mixing in the occasional disposable (mostly for extended periods away from home or overnight towards the end of her diapering time) was what worked for us, so we’re going to try that again.

NEW – Honest Diapers: We’re gonna give Honest Co. diapers a try this time before the bun fits into our one-size-fits-all cloth ones, instead of sticking to Seventh Generation ones like we did with Clara. We’ve heard lots of good things about them from a few friends and I’m liking the idea of signing up for a bundle that arrives without having to think about it (we’ll take all the help we can get in those bleary newborn days). Plus, I can’t deny that the designs on Honest diapers are pretty sweet (dude, they have bikes).

ReDo Diapers

AGAIN – Car Seat: Baby Barnacle will also be using Clara’s infant car seat, since Clara’s Chicco KeyFit 30 is in great shape, still meets all current safety standards, hasn’t been dropped or in an accident (you definitely want to replace a used seat that has), is a neutral gray & green color scheme, and shouldn’t expire until the bun outgrows it (it’s good for 6 years from the manufacture date). Is it wrong that I’m kinda looking forward to the days of snap-and-go seat again?

NEW – Car: He won’t be riding in a hand-me-down car though. Yup, we got a new ride. It hit us that our family of five would have a hard time taking road trips in our Nissan Altima (and I very intentionally include Burger in that number, because his crate takes up a whole seat  – let alone all the pack & play/baby gear we’ll be toting along). So we traded it in for a 2014 Toyota Highlander because, after some research and test driving, it felt like the best mix of family hauling & DIY hauling for us (it has a collapsible third row). It was a bit of a splurge for us, but having saved by only buying used vehicles before (we drove our first Nissan past 170,000 miles and our second one over 100,000) it still fit into our budget and got us some features that we lacked before: back-up camera, Bluetooth, and (Sherry’s favorite) heated seats. Plus, Clara’s digging the little book caddy I rigged up for her.

DoNew Car

I’m sure every family has different scenarios and needs, so I’d be interested to hear what you guys reused or redid vs. what you changed or upgraded when baby #2 came along. Did anyone else feel a huge relief in that their “to do/buy” list was a lot shorter with their second child? It’s nice to have a lot of the basics covered already.

Psst – For more baby/kid related posts, there’s newborn paraphernalia we liked, keeping baby stuff simple, cloth diapering, battling kid clutter, saving money on baby stuff, baby led weaning, 14 months of breastfeeding, being a stay at home dad, baby toiletries, and kid clothes.

Comments

  1. Addie says

    Thanks for this! Lots of things here that I’ll also have to be considering at some point, so it’s nice to have your take on this. Perhaps a follow-up post to this once you see how it all pans out?

    Reply

  2. Diana says

    I know it sounds crazy, but that $20 First Years sound machine is the absolute best! We have two girls 15 months apart and didn’t have a sound machine with our first but got it for our second based upon recommendations from quite a few friends. It is seriously awesome. We were a little unsure because of the price tag (some of those sound machines are pricey) but it has been a lifesaver and works like a charm. Congrats on your new addition!

    Reply

  3. Mary | Lemon Grove Blog says

    Umm … delivery diaper service?! That’s pretty awesome!! Nice new ride, sounds like it will be the ultimate schlep mobile. :D We love our Prius for hauling all our DIY goodies, since it’s got a hatchback we can actually fit a ton of stuff in there (it’s record is 20 sheets of drywall) ;)

    Reply

  4. Evelyn says

    We’ve been using Honest diapers since my daughter (now 19 months) was 6 months old and we love them! We tried the cloth diaper route, and it didn’t work out too well for us. Now that I’m pregnant with number 2 due August 27, we’re going to start him or her using Honest diapers from day 1. I especially can’t wait to hear your thoughts on the double stroller as we’re in the market for one now. Also, how was crib sleeping in relation to exclusive breastfeeding? I exclusively breastfed my daughter and it was very difficult to not bed share in those early months. Any tips? I’m not sure I want to bed share with this new little booger as it’s proving difficult to get the big booger into her own bed.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I nursed Clara for 14 months, and it was every 2 hours for almost the entire first year except for during the night. Apparently it’s called “cluster feeding” and she did it during the day and then wasn’t very hungry at night. Picture me knocking on wood as I say this, but Clara was an awesome night sleeper pretty much from the beginning completely by luck (we used to have to wake her up to nurse her to make sure she gained enough weight, but once she passed the “good to go” mark at around 4 weeks, we could let her sleep and she’d usually just get up once around 1am to nurse). John would go get her since she was just a room away and I’d lay there and nurse her (gotta love love laying-down nursing) and then he’d bring her back to her crib. Seemed to work with her, but this guy could be a whole different ballgame, so we’ll have to see how it goes!

      xo
      s

    • CandiceMcC says

      I’ll knock on wood for you, too. We did not get that luck with either of our kids. I promise I’ll keep reading even if your #2 is a good sleeper. :)

    • Amy says

      I wish you luck on the sleeping with baby #2 as well! My daughter was a great sleeper (slept through the night from 9 weeks on) and my son has been TERRIBLE even though we do pretty much everything the same! He’ll be a year old on the 19th and he STILL gets up once a night (at least) and I cannot get him back to sleep without giving him a bottle (believe me, we’ve tried everything!) Oh well, it’s much better than the 3+ times a night we were getting up with him just 2 months ago! :)

    • Layne D. says

      I, too, experienced the “my daughter was an awesome sleeper & my son was not” phenomenon, but he’s nearly 4 & the sleeping nightmare ended when he was around 18 months old. I swear we didn’t sleep from the 12 – 18 months! But as someone who’s been through it, rest assured, it does work itself out. At least it did in my case. ;) Both my kiddos are fantastic sleepers now.

    • Diane says

      Dont let anyone scare you! I nursed all three of my babies past 12 months, and all were excellent sleepers from Day 1. In fact, with baby #3 my pediatrician told the hospital nurses to stop waking her at night, if the baby wants to sleep let them sleep!

    • Jayme says

      I’m chuckling a little at everyone’s horror stories on sleep. I’ve been wondering how the blog will be affected if the Barnacle isn’t a fabulous sleeper. Or if he has colic. My daughter still wakes multiple times a night at 19 months. From 1-5 months old she cried for 9 hours straight a day. I took her to the doctor constantly, begging them to “fix” her lol. Bedsharing is the only way I still get any sleep at all.

      Not that I’m wishing ANY of that craziness of y’all. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

    • Jessica says

      You could side car your crib to keep baby close but in its own space for easy breastfeeding access in the early days. That way no one has to get out of bed, but your baby is still sleeping in the crib.

    • deb says

      Sherry, I had 3 kidlets (2 girls, 1 boy) and they ALL slept like champs from week two on! Here’s hoping the same applies to you…

    • Vanessa says

      So do you use the sound machine exclusively for naps and bedtime? And do you think that it helps in the sleeping department? I’ve got a boy (almost 3) and his sleep record is spotty at best – he woke to nurse, woke if his teeth hurt, if he was sick… Then we were good for a while and the cycle would start again. If we have another I am looking for tips to make it better. Although like you said each kid is different. And we used to wake him to nurse when he was little too – maybe that did it.

      This post is awesome by the way! Also nice tip about the add on pad -for angelcare – I just assumed you had to buy an entire new unit with two pads.

      I am so excited for your family. The Barnacle is almost here it must feel surreal.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yes, we had a set routine, so the blinds were closed, the sound machine went on low, the monitor went on, and the door closed. I think a routine not only helped us, it helped signal to Clara that it was time to sleep.

      xo
      s

    • Clare says

      I also so hope the sleep thing works out for you again, Clara sounds like she was a dream baby!!! My 7 month old from day 1 would only sleep while nursing. We are now able to get him to sleep in the swing with the noise machine for half the night. (great purchase!!). I am scared he is going to grow out of it before we can ween him into the crib! Knock on wood for you!!!

    • Amber says

      I’ll echo what someone else said: Don’t let everyone scare you! Both of mine were breastfed and slept like champs! I was TERRIFIED when I was pregnant with my son because my daughter was amazing and I didn’t think anyone could top her. Um, my son is awesome. He doesn’t cry much, has pretty much always slept through the night, and is just content to hang out and watch what’s going on. Baby #2 can surprise you!!

    • Lauren Nicole says

      Just wanted to pop in to share that my 2nd child is currently 4 months old and I have found I get much better sleep this time around with her in the same room at night. Neither of us has to fully wake up when it’s time to nurse like I had to with my first daughter being in her crib. I hope the Barnacle takes after his big sister in the sleep department!

  6. Chloe says

    I know you guys are careful, loving parents but I just wanted to let you know about a recent study showing that sound machines made for babies out out dangerously loud levels of noise that can damage babies’ hearing. They suggest keeping the machine far from the crib and on the lowest setting. http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/03/health/noise-machines-study/ The actual study has much more info than the CNN article :)

    I bet you at getting excited for the bun’s arrival!!

    Reply

    • Emilie says

      The study didn’t actually test the effects of noise on baby’s hearing, so ultimately, this study is a reminder to use common sense when exposing your baby to noise…

    • Kim says

      I saw that study too…after using the sound machines with both of my kids…had a moment of “ahhhh…I ruined them!!” but…they hear everything I don’t want them to hear, and don’t hear me tell them to tidy up…so I blame the sound machines for their ‘selective hearing’….

    • Mary Kaye says

      I was going to comment on this as well but figured someone may have also seen the study and made a comment and sure enough!

    • Meg says

      So excited for you guys! And I can’t wait to use this advice when we “start” on our second little one.

      We have Cloud B sleep sheep that attaches to the side of his crib (and isn’t very big), but the main reason I love it? It has a volume control. ;-)

      I’m actually most annoyed that his mobile is so loud, so we’ve hardly used it. (And can we TALK about how loud some of the noisy “learning” toys are?? Especially when you pick one up and it goes off while the baby’s sleeping?) :-)

  7. Anele @ Success Along the Weighn says

    We’ve come a long way from when my mom had me in a thin wire legged bassinet on the front seat, not belted in because law didn’t require it. One slide on the ice and BOOM, there I was on the floor. As the family likes to say…”so THAT’S what happened to you!” Dorks.

    Enjoy all the new and tried and true gadgets!

    Reply

    • NatalieS says

      My Mum had a similar incident with my cousin. He was just in a basket on the back seat when she rolled the car. They were both fine but my cousin had all these weird marks on his face. They realised later that mum had been taking a bag of change to the bank and some of them had come loose in the roll and inprinted images on his face.

  8. Crystal says

    Looks like a good plan! I’m so jealous of your new ride! LOL We’re hoping we can squeeze a third carseat in our Accord come late summer when #3 arrives since we’re just months away from having zero car payments and don’t want to start that yet again. Oh but you make me want a BIG car so bad!

    Also, just sharing this article on sound machines in case you haven’t seen it (I’m not endorsing it – just thought I’d pass it along)
    http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/03/health/noise-machines-study/index.html

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks for the tip Crystal! Will definitely look into that and keep it low/far away (Clara never liked it super loud, and it was across the room on her dresser).

      xo
      s

    • Kati says

      Congrats on almost having paid that sucker off!!! How thrilling and freeing. For anyone else looking to upgrade a vehicle- try “paying yourself” the car payments for ten months – a year and then use that to either buy used (still no car payments! Yay!) or to knock off a huge chunk from a new car. Once a new car loses a quarter of its value in less than 2 years, it’s easy to understand the saying “the worst car accidents happen on the showroom floor!”

  10. Theresa M. says

    Love the list…. I will say though, you should’ve gotten the van! Holds a sheet of plywood!! ;) Then again, we had 2 German Shepherds to tote around along with the 2 boys. In any case, enjoy the fancy new car and hope Sherry is feeling well these last few weeks. (and have a great weekend! Could spring really show up??)

    Reply

  11. mary says

    Nice ride! I would love heated seats and I’m in Phoenix!

    My daughter outgrew her bassinet in one MONTH so I was really glad I borrowed it.

    Reply

  12. Tiffany says

    We are doing alot of the same things for #2. We got a bigger car, new video monitor w/ 2 cameras, bought the newborn insert for the ergo since we loved that carrier the most of what we tried with #1 (we also have the baby byorn and moby wrap), and new sound machine. We are planning to use a rock n play instead of a pack n play this time in our room for the first weeks/months since it will save space. Everything else we’re reusing from baby #1. It is so nice as you said to have so much already and not have to buy much this time!

    Reply

  13. rachael says

    We did cloth diapers for our second after reading your rave reviews and we love it! But we do a mixture of disposables too when we’re gone. One thing we did opposite of your list up there is we were driving a Ford Focus wagon and downsized to a 5 door hatchback. Everyone thinks we’re crazy because *obviously* you can’t have two kids and a dog and NO minivan, right? But we are LOVING it!! And those 3 or 4 times a year we actually need something larger to transport something or take a long trip, we borrow a mini van or truck from all the others who have one :)

    Reply

    • Amy E. says

      YES! contrary to popular opinion, having one or more kids (furry or human) does NOT require a minivan! we’ve got a VW Jetta and a VW Passat Wagon and we’re fitting just fine with 1 kid, 2 cats, and another human kid to join the club soon!

  14. Jody says

    We planned to do cloth diapers with my son but it just didn’t work out for us (his acid reflux produced more laundry than I could have ever imagined). I was so happy to find the Honest Company! Knowing that their diapers were plant based and not packed with chemicals made us feel a lot better about not going through with the cloth diapers. That will be a great option for you guys when you need to go the disposable route!
    Best wishes for a healthy delivery :)

    Reply

    • Randa says

      I so appreciated The Honest Company during the first few months of bleary newborness when I knew that the cloth diapers we had registered for would be a bit too ambitious for us. Non-toxic disposable dipes in super-cute patterns, excellent wipes, competetive pricing, and even an attractive shipping box… can it get any better? :)
      I did notice that their diapers tend to run a wee bit smaller than listed (i.e. we wouldn’t hit the higher end of the weight range in one size before the next size was a better fit, if that makes sense), so I was glad there was some overlap in the weights between sizes. I was also glad for the fantastic phone customer service, and that they allowed me to have two different sizes in my shipment when we wanted that.
      We are now into our cloth dipes and diggin’ them. :) Our cue to switch was when baby transitioned to 1 poop per day on average, as opposed to almost every time she nursed… the volume was, shall we say, more than the Honest dipes could handle. Up her back, etc. A few times of that damage control / hazmat cleanup and we had the incentive we needed to get her into cloth! :). Hahaaa!

  15. Dawn says

    I think we need a full post on the interior of your new car, with more detail shots of that beautiful contrast stitching on the seats. :D

    Reply

  16. Heidi says

    I have to admit that I’m a bit jelly that you got a new car! Things get a little snug in our vehicle when we travel with the four of us, so a bigger car would be amazing! At our house, there are only 2 bedrooms on the main floor, which means our kids have shared a room since the day our youngest was born – almost 5 years ago. Even though they now have bunk beds (Craigslist – $70!!), Emma (7 yrs old) and Owen (4 years old) sleep snuggled up together in the top bunk every night – possible the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen.

    Reply

  17. Alex says

    Happy new car to you!! I can almost smell it from here…mmm!! And LOVE the book caddy! Just a magazine holder-thingy?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yes, John secured it with a heavy duty bungee cord so it’s firmly on there (won’t tip or fly off) and it has worked out really well. Sort of like a book basket on a seat, but it doesn’t slide around.

      xo
      s

  18. CarrieE says

    I thought of you guys immediately when I saw the new Spring designs (yay bikes!) for The Honest Company. We love their diapers and wipes and the convenience of the bundle delivery can’t be beat. Their customer service is great, too.

    I enjoyed seeing what you will do the same and what will be different for the Barnacle. His nursery has shaped up really nicely. Love those pops of green.

    Reply

  19. Stephanie says

    I’ve been searching the blog for which anchors you use to secure dressers & bookcases to the walls but haven’t found what I’m looking for. Is there a specific brand you like best? It’s childproofing time in our house. Thanks!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We’re HUGE fans of anchoring systems, which we usually order from amazon. You can attach anything to the wall, including bookcases (like we did here), TVs (like we did here) or leaning mirrors (like we did here).

      xo
      s

    • Marissa says

      We have very heavy bookcases, and after lots of research decided to use earthquake straps. They’re heavy duty nylon and are attached to the wall through wall studs, and attached to the furniture with heavy duty velcro (it’s so heavy duty that I cannot undo it without a knife and serious elbow grease), or you can screw right through the strap into the furniture. The velcro will not budge. After securing our bookshelves, I tested the strength by pulling with all my might for a few minutes. Nada. However, I screwed through them just in case. A great option if you have very heavy furniture to secure!
      http://www.amazon.com/Quakehold-4162-15-Inch-Furniture-Antique/dp/B000FJP24U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394207883&sr=8-1&keywords=earthquake+furniture+straps

    • Stephanie says

      Thank you so, so much for all the info! Unfortunately our furniture didn’t come with anchors (that or we lost track of them in a move before we were parents), so the zip tie system may be a good option for us.

    • Rachel says

      I’m so glad you posted these links! Was searching high and low for them the other day.

  20. Jill says

    Where’d you buy the 2 pad sensors? Did you buy a whole new monitor or just the pads? I have the monitor with one pad and would love to have the 2 pad set up instead!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We just called Angel Care and said “now that she’s bigger and more mobile we get false alarms when she’s out of range sometimes and they offered us the option to buy a second pad that hooks right up to the original setup. I think it was $30 maybe? Worked like a charm!

      xo
      s

    • Sarah says

      I was wondering the same thing! I ran to Amazon before even finishing the post (which NEVER happens). I will call Angel Care… thanks for the tip!!

    • Meri says

      Angelcare has the BEST customer service, so I second the suggestion of just calling them up and asking.

    • Marissa says

      If your baby sleeps in multiple locations, you can also try the Snuza– we used it for our babe, and it worked out GREAT! It attaches to the diaper and you can set the alarm to go off for 15 seconds or 18 seconds without moving. It’s a good option if you’re going to start off co-sleeping and then transition to a crib or bassinet because it’s attached to the baby as opposed to the crib mattress. Here is the one we used: http://www.amazon.com/Snuza-Portable-Baby-Movement-Monitor/dp/B002WLGV08/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1394208418&sr=8-2&keywords=snuza

    • Rachel says

      Angel Care does have great customer service. We just had baby #2 in December and when I went to hook up our monitor it wasn’t working. They sent me replacement pieces for very reasonable costs (they were past warranty). I basically got a whole new monitor for next to nothing! They rock.

  21. Cat @ MaryMarthaMama says

    We LOVE having a video monitor! It’s so useful when you have 2 stories and a basement like we do. We have 2 cameras, one for each kids room so that we can see each one. It is probably the #1 thing I recommend to people having a baby. And your hiding it behind the curtain? Genius! We had such a hard time figuring out where to mount ours without it looking awful.

    Reply

  22. sally says

    Definitely needed a bigger car. We had twins at first; used a Chevy Nova 2 door (yeah, really), and stepped up to a Volkswagon Quantum (do they even make those anymore?) when our first daughter came along. You’ll love a bigger car.

    Reply

  24. mariela says

    Great list! We had our first baby 11 months ago and we also LOVE the angelcare monitor, and we decided to add a video monitor when she was about 7 months for extra peace of mind. And we love it! I don’t think we could ever do crib sleeping from day one. One of my dearest memories is my daughter in her bassinet next to our bed, and it made nursing so much easier in those early days.

    Reply

  25. Katie B. says

    I am so jealous you got a Highlander!!! It’s like… my dream mom car. We are actually getting a new vehicle this year, too, (in anticipation of baby #2) but we are getting a GMC Terrain because it’s for my husband. Not time for me to get a new car yet! But we test drove the 2014 Highlander last weekend and… well… I’m hoping we get pregnant with triplets just so we’ll have the excuse to go ahead and get one! Such a great vehicle!

    Okay, I’m done gushing…

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That’s so funny! We had our sights set on a Nissan Pathfinder because we have loved our last two Nissans so much but we read a bunch of reviews that favored the Highlander, and then when we drove a few we ended up really liking it!

      xo
      s

  26. Valerie says

    I was a little confused while reading angel monitor reviews online… From what I understand about how SIDS happens, by the time a baby stops breathing/moving they’re already dead..since there’s usually choking/a struggle going on before they stop moving, so the monitor would think the movement is normal..
    But I assume since you guys recommend it, you understood/read differently??? Am I not understanding how the monitor/SIDS works?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Nope, I think you’re exactly right! For us it was not a purchase for prevention (there’s little you can do about SIDS from what I understand, other than following the guidelines like using a fan, not putting things in the crib, not keeping the room too warm, etc) but it was about the fact that if I woke up in a panic because Clara slept through a feeding I could hear the clicking of her breath through the monotor (it has an option to make a low tick with every single breath they take or you can turn that off, but for the first year we left that on and were so soothed by that sound). Hearing that meant I could roll right over and go back to sleep. In other words, it was nice reassurance – and it really did help me sleep so much better than running to see if her chest was rising and falling.

      xo
      s

    • Angel says

      Also I think the idea is, if you catch the baby going still immediately, you can hopefully perform CPR. I don’t want to get morbid but to explain the monitor, I do not believe you instantly stop breathing/die in the same moment. I think you stop breathing, then eventually run out of oxygen. The monitor can hopefully detect before that happens. And, of course, peace of mind. I didn’t have one and I was constantly jumping up to check on my son in the middle of night, during times when I really could have used the sleep lol!

    • Marissa says

      We used a different movement monitor (the Snuza), but I would NOT have been able to sleep without it. The peace of mind it gives you is worth every penny! I would have been up checking his breathing all night long. Waking up in a panic is the worst feeling ever, especially when you’re already sleep deprived. The sound of those quiet little clicks were music to my ears.

    • Kristin H. says

      This is really really hard for me to talk about, but I know a lot of moms read these comments and I just want to say that every situation is different. If they stop breathing it is NOT too late. My baby is 9 months old and from the time she was a few days old I noticed she would stop breathing for anywhere from 6-12 seconds, then start again like nothing happened. After a ton of research I learned this is called “periodic breathing” and is possibly related to SIDS. With SIDS, the baby does NOT always choke or struggle. Sometimes they just “forget” to breathe. I have tears to my eyes writing this, but I truly believe the Angelcare monitor saved my precious girl’s life when she was 2 months old. It probably sounds super dramatic, and I can’t think of a better way to say it, but I owe it to John & Sherry. I’ve drafted countless emails to you guys without ever being able to send one. I never would have known about this monitor if it wasn’t for you guys and I don’t even know where to begin with the “thank yous”. On two separate nights when she was around 2 months old her monitor went off, I ran into her room, touched her cheek, and she wasn’t moving. I picked her up and she gasped. It still hurts so much to think about it, and we’re not out of the woods yet with her still only being 9 months old, but the Angelcare monitor (we have the 1100, sound and video) is my absolute favorite thing I own or have ever owned. It’s worth everything to me.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh my gosh Kristin, I’m over here bawling for you. Thanks so much for sharing your story. I’m so glad she’s nine months old now and I’m sending you and your entire family so much LOVE!

      xo
      s

    • Kristin H. says

      Thanks so much Sherry :) We met you guys on your CT/NJ tour (you came into mine and my husband’s sandwich shop on your way to NJ) and I was 12wks at the time. I wanted to gush about how excited I was to use all your baby recc’s but there just wasn’t time! Little did I know how much those recommendations would really end up meaning to me :) you guys are the best! So so happy and excited for your lil man.

  27. Mandy says

    I doubt that you’ll have any trouble distinguishing cries, but I think you’ll love having a video monitor now that you have a second floor. I thought it was one of those ridiculous things with my first, and it would have been for us at that time since we were on one floor in a small apartment. With our second we found it was really helpful since by then we were in our house. During the night it isn’t really necessary, but we love it for that time in the evening after the kids are asleep but we are downstairs. It is nice to just look at the monitor rather than keep going upstairs to check everytime you think you hear something.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks Mandy! I definitely think the whole “we’re downstairs and want to see what’s going on up there without climbing up the stairs” thing will hopefully be really convenient.

      xo
      s

    • rachael says

      I disagree, we have a 3.5 year old and a 1 year old and most of the time we cannot tell who is making what sound. It is eerily the same noise :)

  28. Robin says

    I’m expecting our first so am totally re-reading your old posts! The one thing I cringe at getting myself (hopefully NOT one day) is a double stroller. I don’t want it like people don’t want mini vans. They look so huge to me! And how long to they last? I guess depends on your kids age, lifestyle etc. I hope that’s never on my list! lol

    Reply

  29. Melissa@TheChicDream says

    What a great list. It’s funny to see your mention of cloth diapers. When I was pregnant with our second and researching cloth diapers, I came across your blog. I had never followed a blog before but between your great DIYs and the fact that you are local, I decided to make you my first. I’m so glad that I did. Plus you convinced me to use cloth diapers and we love them! So happy for you guys!

    Reply

  30. Jackie says

    I only have an 11 month old, but I actually wrote a list of the things that worked and didn’t work so when baby #2 comes along I’ll remember. It’s funny that as a new parent you think you need all of these things and the best of everything. I’ve actually found some cheaper models of baby fear to be better and it turns out I didn’t need a million clothes, pacifiers, wipes warmer, etc. With baby #2 I’m going to keep it simple and try to use products that have multiple uses or can serve us for the long haul (like strollers, slings, etc).

    This is a great list!

    Reply

  31. Erin@VintageKC says

    After 3.5 years of constant bedtime/naptime use, my son’s noise machine finally died. We had a bit of a meltdown on our hands until I found a giraffe his grandma gave him that makes noise for 45 min then shuts off. Does Clara’s shut off at some point or run all night?

    Reply

  33. Melanie says

    Loving te post! Having #2 was much easier than #1 for us. You might want to consider having a diaper station on the main floor since you have a 2 story, for us it was a pad, diapers and wipes in a basket in the living room! We still drive a 4door 5passenger car, would love something bigger but skin far this works!

    Reply

  34. Sarabeth says

    I really love these posts since we just brought home our new little one a couple of weeks ago. We are in the process of fostering-to-adopt so didn’t have anything when we got the call that she had arrived. It’s nice to hear what worked and what you’ll be using again!

    Reply

  35. Ashley says

    I am expecting #2 yet, but hope to be soon. I was hoping to be able to re use my bumgenius all in ones for baby #2, but mine have ripped and I’ve had to throw them away. They didn’t even last 2 1/2 yrs. Very disappointed. I was hoping they would last through 2 kids.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That stinks! I think our washer was helpful in that it didn’t seem to agitate them as much (still got them clean, but we shared pics of how they held up and there really weren’t a lot of holes or rips or anything). I wish yours had lasted – I’d be really disappointed too!

      xo
      s

  36. Jackie says

    The Angelcare monitor is the best thing we ever bought. I tried to push it on people, but the false alarms bothered them, but once you get it figured out, it’s amazing! We also bought a Prius right before we had the baby and it’s great and holds a ton of crap, but is a little tight with the car seat. We have the Britax Roundabout and had to do a bit of searching to find one that would fit backwards okay. Maybe with two kids, this is what the big Prius is for!

    Reply

  37. Kelly says

    I am kinda jealous of you guys entering into the baby stage again. I so want to again, but not happening. Really the only comment I would have is good luck getting both kiddos to sleep at the same time! Ha!! I don’t recall mine (ages 4 and 7 now) ever sleeping at the same time!!!

    Reply

    • Jessica says

      My daughter (3 at the time) gave up naps for good shortly before her brother was born. I used to beg her to take a nap while the baby was sleeping so I could nap too! But Clara seems like a really good sleeper so hopefully you’ll be able to enjoy that afternoon break. You’ll feel like a champ when they both are sleeping at the same time!

  38. Paige @ The Room Kit says

    Oh man, I didn’t even think about the smallish car you guys had! Good call to get something roomier. We traded in our car a couple of weeks ago, too, but we actually got something smaller, haha. We went from a smaller SUV to a sedan hybrid–but it actually still has a lot of room for hauling stuff around in the trunk. And bonus, we haven’t had to buy more gas yet! Boo ya!

    Reply

  39. April says

    We had a regular monitor with our first and got the video one with our second. I don’t know what we did before video monitors! Our second slept in anything but her crib for the first 4 months. Her room was right next to our sons and I worried forever that she would wake him up and then we’d have 2 awake kids at midnight. LOL But turns out he sleeps harder now than he ever has and has fallen asleep multiple times in the car with his sister wailing at the top of her lungs.

    Reply

  40. Becca G. says

    Just wondering why you decided to add a video monitor and still use your original Angelcare (and have two things to carry around) instead of Craigslisting (is this a verb, hah?) your old monitor and then buying the Angelcare movement and sound monitor.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We originally thought we’d do that but the Angelcare movement and sound one was a crazy price jump (around $300 I think) so it was cheaper to add a video monitor to our current setup (the price we could get craigslisting our original Angel Care wouldn’t have made up for it).

      xo
      s

  42. Kati @ This Wandering Life says

    We did co-sleeping for the first 8 months (until she didn’t need to nurse during the night) and the transition was VERY HARD. Especially on my sweet hubster who hated to hear her cry. We probably would have continued co-sleeping but logistics were tricky and baby girl turned into a wiggly worm. We move to Paris and lived in a studio apartment with a loft bed- I DEFINITELY DIDN’T WANT THAT BABY UP THERE!!! I think we made things harder on ourselves because I just got so used to nursing her to sleep and not actually putting her down for the night. That was where we went wrong, because once she got old enough, she could nurse and then just get up and play play play instead of falling asleep as we were accustomed! We then learned to embrace the goodnight routine. :-) So for baby number two we’re taking a leaf from your book and going to try crib sleeping from the start, at least a little more. #1 didn’t even know she had a room for the first few months LOL! I’m sure it will be blended between crib sleeping and co sleeping but this time we’re mentally preparing for the transition ahead of time (including doing a night-time routine from day one!) So excited to meet Barnacle!!!!!

    Reply

    • Jaime says

      I have to agree with Kati. I noticed a trend with my friends and family who all had kids before me was that the babies who never slept in their parents beds had the fewest sleeping issues while EVERY baby that co-slept had awful transitions to their cribs and it was really hard on the parents as well. I know every baby and family is different and what works for one might not for the other, but I couldn’t ignore the trend. When I FINALLY had my own baby ;) I decided to keep her in a rock n play (highly recomend alternative to bassinet!!) in our room for the first 4 weeks and then one day she decided she no longer was happy sleeping in it and I put her in her crib in her own room and it was lights out. No transition at all…. We were lucky! She was sleeping through the night by 5 weeks and except for a few hiccups here and there has been a world champ sleeper ever since (she will be 1 end of March)I should mention that I nursed her until 8.5 months and honestly, having her in the other room made it EASIER for me, I could never understand the appeal of nursing in bed half asleep…we were a rocker/couch nursing duo :)

    • Nikki says

      Not every baby who co-sleeps ends up having a rough transition to the crib! There’s always exceptions to every “rule” with kids, I’ve learned. Our daughter slept either in a bassinet right next to our bed or in the bed with us until she was 5 months old. Then I moved her to the crib in her own room, and that first night she slept the entire night without waking up! We never had much trouble with her sleeping in her crib. Though she did go through a phase when she was about 8 months where she’d wake several times during the night. During that phase, she’d start out every night in her crib, but after she woke up the first time she’d just stay in our bed, cause I was too lazy to get back up, lol! Thankfully, that phase only lasted a few months, and then she went back to sleeping full-time in her crib. She’s 3 now, and the only time we co-sleep is when she’s really sick. I guess we just got lucky that she had such a good transition from co-sleeping!

  44. Bridget says

    Congrats on the new car, you guys deserve it! I just recently bought my first “new” (non pre-owned) car and I feel like a queen! It’s the base model Rav4 and yet you’d think I was driving a pimped out Escalade or something, I feel so fancy in it!

    Also can’t wait to hear how you like Honest Company…we’re debating going that route when our first arrives this summer. Best of luck with everything!

    Reply

    • Sarah says

      Isn’t it funny how every new or new to you car seems to get nicer and nicer to you? I got my first rav4 from my aunt and uncle after law school and was like “whoa this is the nicest car I’ve ever owned.” When it died this summer, I got a 2011 rav4 and again I’m like “whoa, whoa, I’m the queen with the new fancy car.” I can’t imagine how excited I’d be for a new new car instead of new to me.

      John and Sherry, I hope you’re enjoying your new ride! I’m sure you’re going to love it!

  45. Heather MacFeather says

    I love my heated seats! I wish mine weren’t so smart though as I’m sure the cat (who isn’t heavy enough to trigger the weight sensor) would appreciate them on trips to the vet.

    I don’t have kids but I would have loved the monitor and camera when babysitting all those years ago.

    Reply

  46. Charlotta says

    The book caddy is a great idea! I remember when I was a kid, my mother made sort of “aprons” to go over the front car seats, with lots of different-sized pockets on the side facing the back seat. It was a great way for us kids to store toys, books and other small things we needed to stay happy on the road, and with the added benefit of them protecting the back of the front seats from muddy little boots (they were made of denim, so they were easy to wash).

    I also remember another trick my mother had on long journeys – the bag of fun! She collected small things (toys, comic books, crayons etc) that she could conjure when we were really bored.

    Reply

  47. Sylvia says

    We also upgraded our ride when baby number two came along. It’s so nice to fit everybody in comfortably. Looks like a good list – almost there sherry!

    Reply

    • Leah says

      My family has owned Toyotas almost exclusively for 2 decades, and we’d found that they are super great about informing owners of recalls. I even bought a used Toyota and got informed! I must have registered my car at some point with Toyota, I suppose. In any case, I just go to the dealership when I get a notice and they fix the part.

  49. Kirsten @ Wild Oak Stream says

    Love the new car! We upgraded to the Honda equivalent, and knowing it will fit 3 car seats and still have room for suitcases/dog/groceries/stroller is such a blessing.

    Question, how is your car seat not close to expiring? My oldest is almost the same age as Clara and our little infant seat is expiring so we can’t reuse it for #3 due in August. I am jealous. We must have gotten a seat that was shelved for a long time because I thought they should be good for 5 years or something…

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh man that stinks! We just looked up the code number on ours and everything checked out as being up to current standards. I think you’re right though, maybe some of them are shelved longer and take a while to sell or something ?

      xo
      s

    • Lisa says

      I was wondering the same thing. I’m pretty sure all car seats expire 6 years from the manufacture date. The expiration date is usually listed on the car seat.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yes, I think 6 years is correct, Lisa. So because ours is around 4 years old, we’ll easily stay within the expiration date before this bun reaches 30″ (Clara didn’t even hit age 1 before we switched to her Britex Roundabout, even though she never got close to 30 lbs in hers because she was such a tall girl). I don’t believe the expiration date was readable on ours (maybe it peeled off) but we had the make/model number to check (and an 800 number to call) right on the carseat.

      xo
      s

    • Kirsten @ Wild Oak Stream says

      Ours doesn’t have an expiration date printed, but it has the manufacture date, so you can then do the math for when it expires. Our won’t make it through #3, so we’re currently shopping for a new infant seat as well as hopefully moving our ‘Clara-aged’ child into a longer term seat/booster combo, then moving up our 15 month old into the rear/forward facing convertible seat. Doing the car-seat shuffle!

    • Lisa says

      Ack! I guess I was thinking she was a year older. Apparently I just like to age everyone, children included. Well, everyone other than myself! :)

  50. Amanda Bolan says

    We have recently added baby #2 (5 mos) in addition to our 3 year old. We tried life without a video monitor (we are now in a two story for the first time too) and we ended up buying one a few weeks ago, and I LOVE it. We bedshared for 4 months and now that Scout has moved to her own crib it’s so nice for me to be able to see her if I’m downstairs and she’s up, you won’t regret it! I also love love my ergo, and find that the “wear the baby, 3 year old walking” scenario works wonderfully for us, we have used our double stroller maybe once in five months, but I’m also glad I have the option. My first daughter slept in her crib from day one and loved it, my second, she has lovingly acquired the nickname “mommy velcro” and WOULD NOT sleep if we were not touching. The transition to crib has not been fun, but you gotta sleep right? So we co-slept.

    Reply

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