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.
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).
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).
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).
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).
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.
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.
Maggie says
I didn’t read all the comments, but we ran into the same problem as some other people did with our BumGenius elementals getting holes and tearing. Disappointing, but we still saved money! And yes, I think it’s from our older washer with an agitator….however, the new Elementals are TERRIBLE. They are not nearly as absorbent and because there is no liner, spraying poop out is impossible. It gets stuck in the “pouch” behind the soakers. Yuck. Also, once your little one starts toddling, the fabric part bunches between their legs, and we started getting leaks (plus the plastic cover is touching their skin, which can’t be very comfortable). I’m curious to know which other types you try, I don’t recommend the new Elementals!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tips Maggie!
xo
s
Tracey Bartula says
I’m not sure if you answer late responses to posts, but I had a question about the jogger you decided on! I am about to be a new mom of twins and trying to sort through all of the jogging stroller options. I run 3-4 times a week and train for half-marathons…I’d say I run a similar amount to John, just not as fast for sure :) I’d love to know what you thought of the InStep. Obviously, you’re going for it again with a double but I’m trying to decide if the InStep will be great instead of the Bob Duallie. Did you guys look into that option? I’m super thrifty and hate spending a ton on things we’ll just use for a few years…..so just want to make sure I make the right decision! Would love to hear your thoughts!
YoungHouseLove says
I have been really happy with the single InStep, and have used it a lot with Clara as she grew. No complaints except that it’s a bit big when it folds (to get it into the trunk of our Altima I had to take the wheels off) but it does well on long trail walks, and paved runs.
-John
Robin Vernon says
I am due with my first in August and I cannot tell you how happy I am for this post. I decided to use cloth diapers from your post….just curious, at what week/weight did Clara fit into the Bum Genius?
YoungHouseLove says
We both can’t remember exactly but we think it was around 2.5 months in.
xo
s
Lauren Robinson says
I hope he is a good sleeper! Our daughter was an awesome sleeper and then came our son who was/is a terrible sleeper! We had a video monitor with our first and reused it until I broke it had to replace it but my favorite baby accessory! We travel with ours as well. It will also help those fears of are they really okay when they refuse to sleep and you decide to let them cry it out. And it’s Ella’s favorite thing to look at her baby brother sleeping!
Amanda says
I love reading these kinds of lists. I hope you’ll do an update once your a few months in with your newest. I think you’ll love your video monitor. It’s so fun to peep in on them when they’re just playing or settling down to sleep. They do some silly stuff! Not sure if you got one that allows you to add a camera, but a friend of mine said she loved having it with her older girls too. She said it was great for keeping an eye on them when they were playing on a different level of the house.
We have an older Highlander, but we love it! Great car.
I know someone else mentioned it, but just wanted to agree that the honest diapers run a little small. I use bum genius too, but used a few more disposables with my second. It took me a while to get a hang of the honest ones. I didn’t realize that you can split your order into two sizes-if you’re close to the edge, bump up, they’re a little more narrow than others. You can also really customize your delivery-it seems like it’s monthly, but you can keep bumping back and extending if you’re not ready for more. They’re wipes are great and I LOVE their healing balm-and you can use it with cloth diapers too!
Ashley says
Not sure if you will only be using Honest Co. this time around, but woot.com is having a sale on Seventh Generation diapers today. Congratulations on your soon-to-be (or maybe already here!) bundle of joy!!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Ashley!
xo
s
Jessica D says
How would you rate the Instep jogging stroller? John, you seem like a pretty serious runner and I’ve read that a locked wheel is recommended. We are just starting to run and right now are having to take turns while my husband or I watch the little one.
Do you recommend the instep? Do you find the swivel wheel to be smooth enough or does it lock? How old does baby need to be before you could use it and does it fit with any car seats?
Thanks in advance for any feedback you have or any other models you might recommend. Definitely don’t want to spend too much and the deal you got was great, not sure if we will be able to find that again!
YoungHouseLove says
We’ve been very happy with the InStep, though I’ll admit that I jog with it very infrequently. Not because the stroller is hard to use, but I generally have found I like to run longer than Clara will tolerate at this age. We actually use it as primary stroller for family walks because it’s easy to push, Clara likes the food/drink tray and it can offroad on gravel and dirt well. We got the double-stroller version of it as a gift so that we can continue to use InStep now that Teddy is here, though I’m not sure I will ever take both of them running with me.
Our model has a locked wheel that can be released to swivel with the pull of a trigger. But I usually just take wide turns or lift the front wheel rather than reach for the trigger. We didn’t buy ours until after Clara was 1, but I probably won’t run with Teddy in it until he can sit up and has full control of his neck. It doesn’t fit any car seats to my knowledge. I haven’t tried any others so I’d had to comment on other models, but I’d definitely recommend this one. Only complaint is that it’s a bit bulky when folded up, but with the back wheels off we were still able to fit in our old Altima’s trunk.
-John
Penny Smith says
It’s so surprising to me that you aren’t co-sleepers! (That post about how to get a baby to sleep between 10-4 isn’t needed when you master the “top breast, breastfeeding” trick). I ever had a transition issue either. And i slept, well, like a baby! :)
Crystal says
Sorry to ask another stroller question but I’m in the market for a walking double stroller for a 4.5 year old a 3 year old and wonder if there is enough room for their feet and legs. Especially if there’s two kids taking up that space. Any thoughts based on how Clara fits into it? Thanks!!
YoungHouseLove says
Clara can bend her knees and have her feet rest on the base part or let them dangle off without seeming to be uncomfortable. My guess would be that it should work!
xo
s
Katy says
So stupid question- I am an amazon mom member, but I don’t see that I get a discount on a video monitor – only on the diapers and wipes and on the items under subscribe and save (that don’t include monitors). Is there a way to get a discount on the monitor? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man, I’m not sure. Maybe the deals change or rotate? Anyone know?
xo
s
Egle W. says
Thank you for this list! I am definitely considering the same video monitor for our new precious addition’s room. Did it end up meeting your expectations and are you still happy with it?
Thank you!
YoungHouseLove says
Our only complaint is that the little kickstand for the monitor snapped off, so now it lays down like a cell phone. Not a big deal though. Otherwise it has been great!
xo
s
Carolyn says
How are you guys liking your video monitor? I’m in the market myself and am overwhelmed by all of the options! (Sorry if you already responded to a comment in here … I tried to browse through and check but didn’t hit every page.)
Also, did you find that the infant insert for the Ergo was helpful? I’ve heard some people complain that it is awkward and not very helpful, but maybe that depends on the size/shape of your baby.
Carolyn says
Oh gosh, now I see you replied to this Q already. Sorry!
Alicen says
It would be great to get an update on how things are working, if there’s any favorite items for baby #2…I’m due in about a month with #2 and could use your reviews!
YoungHouseLove says
That would be fun Alicen!
xo
s