I'm Having a Baby So Apparently That Means You Get to Win Shit

So, a bunch of amazing hedonist bullies* decided to throw me and my dear friend, idol, and dot.net cohort Girl's Gone Child an online baby shower. We're due with little baby girls at the same time, you know? And so, it's only fair that I send you along to the baby shower, because thanks to some awesome sponsors, there are a slew of ridiculous prizes to be won all for just posting about the good old baby days (you know, the nice ones, where you weren't spraying warm water from a plastic bottle on your nethers or slapping Prep H on your butthole).

And best of all no bad diaper cakes, toilet paper games, or diaper sniffing activities required!

Even better, the folks at Johnson's Baby decided to get in on the mix and give away some ridiculously priced fancypants limited edition Timi & Leslie leather diaper bag stuffed with a bunch of their goodies to one of my readers.

Hooray for Johnson's Baby and amazing friends and BABIES! Mmmmmm babies.

So before you go running off to post about sweet baby hands and all that good stuff, just leave me a comment with the ONE (or more) thing you couldn't live without when your kid (or kids) were babies. I'll pick one lucky winner at random on Monday, September 22 to win the bag of greatness.

And may both Bec and I have one of these. Amen.

*Find the original hedonist online baby shower bully here

Comments

[kathryn]

It would be uber handy to have one of those dvd players for the car trips!

[Jenny B.]

My guilty pleasure subscription to People magazine got me through many a nursing session!

[Gina]

The sleeping gowns, for sure. Before my first was born, I loved all the cute little jammies, but after the eleventy millionth breast-fed baby late night diaper change, I realized how awesome the gowns were.

[mayo]

I couldn't have survived without my Medela PIS boob extractor/breast pump!

[Kari Bonnet]

My mom. I have twins & my husband works on the road, so she would come & stay with me while he was out of town during those 1st 3 months.. after that, I probably wouldn't have eaten if it weren't for the microwave. That 1st year, I couldn't have actually 'prepared' a meal.

[Cara Fox]

Definitely my best friend. Her two babies were born within a month of my two babies. Despite the fact that she lived halfway around the world and we had opposite days and nights, we still managed to either talk or IM and commiserate on a daily basis.

[Erin]

Hmmmm...the one thing I couldn't live without?? Mylicon! He's always had gas...since the second he was born!!

[Ashley U.]

Gripe water - takes hiccups away in an instant!

[Mandi]

I could not have lived without my car seat.
If I couldn't have taken my baby girl and gotten out of the house I would have gone crazy!

[jennifer]

This is an easy one! My mom, my mom, my mom!!! Couldn't have done it without her!

[Ashley]

Triple-Nipple! It's this magical cream that my breast-feeding consultant and doctor prescribed. One little swipe of this stuff, and cracked nipples were a thing of the past. To this day, I still don't know what it is....some blend of antibiotic, antifungal and aniti-nflammatory? not real sure, but it was a life saver!

[Bridget]

My husband. He was the one thing I could not live without when our children were born. He was absolutely incredible, very involved with everything. Well, almost everything, I breastfed so he really couldn't help out in that department but he did get up and sit with me at night during all those feedings.

[Monica]

Well, lots of people have already said this, so I probably won't win, but...the Kiddopotamus swaddle blanket is the best thing we ever discovered for our kids. This awesome blanket has made all the difference in the world...they just slept so much better - at night and during naps! Love it

[Dana]

COFFEE!

[Dana]

COFFEE!

[Betsy]

My boobs! I'm a breastfeeding mom and my kids and I both couldn't have lived without them.

[Rabidparadise]

Oh my! One thing? The one thing I couldn't live without was the 15 minutes I took to myself each day. To take a walk, or read an article in a magazine. Those 15 minutes have been saving my sanity for 9 1/2 years now!

[Vicky from Secret Mom Thoughts]

The swing. The kids slept in there the first couple of months.

[Kim]

The things I couldn't live without when my son was a baby were Lansinoh and a good friend who would listen when I moaned about being so tired I'd poured orange juice into my cereal instead of milk (because, you know, they are in the same shape carton). Also couldn't have lived without the remote control. Bad late-night TV is the only thing that got me through those all-night feeding sessions.
I'm trying for another baby now ... this really brings back memories.

[Paige]

For my 2 - swaddle blankets and the Kangaroo corner fleece pouch

[Maria]

Swaddle blankets. (Plural, because S peed out his diaper about once every 47 minutes.) Swaddling is pretty much the best thing ever.

[Naomi]

With Roo, it was the Bumbo, but Jasper's legs were too chubby so he preferred the bouncy seat. Which he promptly outgrew. Also frozen pizza is nice to have on hand and anything you can eat with one hand– granola bars, burritos, etc.

[Melissa]

I had my wee girl in Korea, far away from fam and friends so I would say the only thing I couldn't live without (besides her of course) would have been the 11 days of "after-care". Private room, harem of helpers, massages, 3 meals a day and something they called "workshops" - little presentations on how to cope with things like diaper rash, hiccups or breast soreness.

Not the same as my mom - but verryyy helpful.

[leslie]

family.....wouldn't have made it without them........

[kittenpie]

For me, it was something called a babywrapper - essentially a towel with two strings at the top to tie around your neck. You wear it like an apron, and then when you lift your slippery, tiny baby out of the bathwater, you put him/hr right on your chest, fold the huge towel up over them, and snuggle them right onto you. Totally fixed my fears of dropping the wiggly little thing, kept the baby warm right away, and meant that having no counter in our bathroom to lay a baby on didn't matter. Genius.

[Annie]

I forgot one more thing...I absolutely couldn't live without...my kids' SMILES. If they're happy, so am I. Their smile can cheer me up anytime.

[Annie]

I can't just come up with one thing. With my daughter (now 11), it was my camera to take pics. With my older son (9), it was my MIL who helped out so much. With the baby (4 months), it's my computer...I get to read about all the other families going through the same crap as me (and keeping me laughing). And with all three, my fiance (dad) and coffee. Lots of both.

[bridget]

boobie pads!!! my letdown was like a shower on full blast for the full 13 months i nursed. can't imagine how many i went through.

[Calee]

Everybody says the swing is awesome---my daughter didn't want to be near it until she was old enough to climb in herself. Hmmm.

I couldn't live without the baby bjorn. No way.

[Sherry]

One thing?? Can't do that!

Soothie pacifiers-at the time not in stores, thank God my sister is a NICU nurse and could bring them home from the hospital!!
Swing-only place she would sleep, once she slept in it overnight-Shhh! I think that makes me a "bad" mom.
Mylicon-duh!!
Johnny Jumper later!

[Shannon]

The sling, the bouncy seat, and the Bumbo were my favorites. They all gave me the chance to put the baby down and be hands free (at least temporarily).

[Rhiannon]

I'm having another girl too!
Um, lets see, probably I couldn't live without my breast pump.

[Elaine]

Food that other people cooked for me. My grandmother sent a package of frozen steaks, my neighbor dropped off some coconut brownies, and we lived off that for days. It was by far the best present.

[Dawn]

I know it sounds simple but I couldn't have lived without my formula holder. Ya know the little ones that have three compartments for dry formula. Yep, 3:00am feedings, preparing a bottle and forgetting how many scoops of formula I put in the bottle. Then basically dumping $5 bucks into the sink to make sure I got it right. Ya, after about 10 times, I started filling that up with the PROPER formula amount before bedtime.

[Amy]

I could not live without the booger sucker when my kids were babies. The rest of the world calls it a nasal aspirator, but I call it a booger sucker. I had a love-hate relationship with that damn thing.

[Queen Zucchini]

CHOCOLATE.

Good, dark, high quality CHOCOLATE. Green & Blacks is one of my favorite. Chocolate (in small doses) is good for mama and baby too (via breast milk of course!) because consumption releases endorphins - feel good brain chemicals. And you can never have too many of those when you're achy, sore, sleep deprived and utterly confused.

[Emily]

I love, love, love my hooter hider. Nursing in public was always a little awkward for me until I had the right kind of coverage :)

[Michelle]

My baby blanket that I used as a child and I've used on all my kids.

[april]

Months 2-4 would have been much worse had we not had Swaddles and a sleep positioner. Mine hated sleeping in the bassinet but freaked out about the vastness of the crib. It only took 2 months of sleepless nights, but things are awesome now! Well, except that he can crawl and now my can't live without item is all my babyproofing stuff.

[HeatherY]

With an infant, it was the swing! For the first 4 months, I swear it was the only place she would take a nap!

[Mandi]

I didn't nurse so don't get all crazy mom on me... But I wouldn't be here today without RedBull. It gives me wings. Also the baby swing and flannel burp rags. My baby was (and still is at 2 yrs) lactose intolerant. He was born that way. Took us 3 months to figure out why he kept puking... I am preggo at at the moment so no more RedBull for me for 4 more months. Wish me luck, people!

[stacey moore]

the johnny jump!
thanks!
moore.g@insideconnect.net

[Jerri Ann]

A husband who did night time feedings and thought it was normal! That's what I couldn't have done without. I am one horrible woman when sleep deprived.

[Sara]

Sling, bouncy seat, swaddler sleep sacks and definitely my mom for the first 2 weeks!!!

I so need a new diaper bag...:)

[Renée aka Mekhismom]

My glider was the best purchase. We still use it today.

[Mandy]

1. The Miracle Blanket - helped my 1 and 3 year old learn to sleep thru the night!
2. My boobies - do they count? I'm so thankful that nursing went as well as it did. What a wonderful blessing and experience.
3. Family help - my Mom was always here at the drop of the hat.
Now, pick me, pick me, pick me!!!

[kim]

new first time mom & i cant live without making time with my girlfriends to have adult conversation. it keeps me sane!

[Linda]

A bouncy seat on every floor, or even every room. You're about to be a Baby Buncher. Keep every single one of those bouncy seats!!!

[Carrie]

For my son, the bouncy seat. For my daughter, her thumb. Does that count?

[Sleepynita]

HAnds down, the bouncy chair. And it was a cheap piece of crap too....

[Pencils]

I'm not sure what to say, as my daughter isn't born yet. She's due Tuesday. So far, the one thing that I can't seem to live without is Breyer's ice cream in copious amounts. I suspect one thing I won't be able to live without after next week (if I don't go by Tuesday, we're inducing in a few days) will be copious amounts of diapers!

[Marti]

The ItzBeen--helps you remember when you last fed the baby and from which side.

[Annie]

White noise. Louder the better. Had to really crank it up for DS, wa-hoooo!

[Brooke]

Hard to pick just one! I will give my top three:

1. A sound machine.
2. Boogie Wipes - I think these work better than those little blue suction bulbs at pulling out snot!
3. Baby Legs....so easy for diaper changing and so cute too boot!

[Juli]

An Asian Baby Carrier (mei tai)

[Leah-Diaries of a Domestic Goddess]

for my son, a swing. It was the best thing to get him to fall asleep.

For my daughter, it would be butt paste (actual name). She got the WORST diaper rashes and butt paste was the only thing that helped.

[Carrie]

I would not have made it through the first year with my son or then agreed to have his brother without my husband. I was a neurotic first-timer with tabs in every parenting book and website. I am a facts and figures kind of gal and if research could prove it then certainly it was so. I had the hardest time accepting my new mother's intuition and constantly second guessed myself as it related to my son's chronic health issues. Finally, my husband said, "have you been wrong yet?" and I said, "no" and he said, "then trust yourself until you are". I am still reminded of his words often...

[Allison]

In addition to many of the items mentioned in the others' comments, I say Bum Bum Balm (by Dimpleskins) - an all natural diaper cream. No diaper rash for us!

[Mimi]

Gripe water was my best friend!

mimibunny31@gmail.com

[Jasi]

Bright Stars - Safari Bouncy Seat
$24 at Walmart.

Vibrates, sings, great activity bar. Serves as a nap place, high chair, easy seat... years of entertainment!! Even my 2 y/o loves it.

[Mommy Cracked]

Soothie pacifiers. And, at the time, they were only available from the hospital. I had to track them down online and have a crapload sent to my home.

[Corey]

My can't live without baby items? The exercise ball and a horrid CD of kids music from Hallmark. I've seen it quiet entire rooms of crying babies.

[ali]

i definitely needed family and friends who gave me helping hands in the beginning!

[muffintop]

Lexapro.

[I'm The Mom]

Receiving blankets. Especially the hospital ones. And I love the little long sleeve shirt they put on in the hospital too. I always try to sneak home with that.

[elsie]

We stole the hospital receiving blankets b/c they are just the best. Way better than what we bought at the store. They were just the right thickness and size. That is trashy! Also, a sling to wear her in, not so trashy:)

[katbliss]

The Hugster Nursing pillow!!!! A must have. I buy one for every one of my friends having babies.

[Cecilia]

When my children were babies I couldn't live without my husband who every so often was willing to take night duty so I could get a bit of sleep.

[Jen]

The thing I loved with my two girls was a musical binkie. They were a bit too big for them to use immediately, but they grew into them and were just the sweetest things. They played Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Rock A Bye Baby. At night while they were sleeping in the cribs you would hear them wake up just a little and start sucking on that bink and hear those sweet tones chiming in to help keep them in peaceful sleepyland. They were great! (And for all those opposed to binks and the like, both my girls were weaned off of them just after their 1st birthdays and have nary a tooth problem to date!!) You can find something similar at http://www.bestbuybaby.com/babumupa.html

[mrsmogul]

I can't live without diaper wipes. It's good for everything~

[Elizabeth]

With my first, it was the Dr. Sears baby sling, my husband carried Ryan all over the place in it. With Nathan, it was Playtex disposable nurser bottles, they were the only kind he would take when my husband would supplement my breastfeeding with a bottle so I could catch some sleep. And with Kaitlyn, it was the prescription diaper rash cream that our Pediatrician prescribed when she was BORN with diaper rash.

That, and Carter's waffle-weave receiving blankets, which we used to swaddle all three kids. Kaitlyn's favorite blankie is a pink waffle-weave Carter's blanket, she takes it everywhere.

I'm writing up my Mo'Babies shower post on Table for Five this morning before Chris and I take the kids to the Ringling Brothers Circus today!

[Julie]

A trusty tin (large size) of bag balm. Great for hand, feet, elbows, and Butts.

[spartic]

The baby papasan swing from graco was the only thing that kept me sane

[Kym]

The one thing I couldn't live without...I thought it was sleep, but no, no, I can do without that.
A Yoga Ball. My youngest loved to be bounced on the yoga ball...and the screaming between five and seven pm would have been unbearable without it.

[Becci]

Well I'm only 10 weeks off having our first baby, and we can't wait till he/she arrives :) one thing I definately couldn't do without is the daddytobe's willingness to do anything that I ask of him : ) I"m very lucky indeed!

[megan]

energy drinks..and coffee

[Casey]

Could not live without long hot baths and coffee. My little boy is now 4 months old and can't say is much different now lol

[Gina]

With newborn twins? Bouncy seats, and lots of them. I borrowed/bought enough to have six, two on each floor of our townhouse so I wouldn't have to carry babies AND chairs on the stairs. They slept/ate/played/watched big brother from them.

[Casie]

I just had a boy a month ago, i cant do without swaddling blankets!

[Email From The Embassy]

I recently had my fourth baby. So, the one thing I couldn't live without?
Coffee. Definitely coffee.

[Stacy]

Great takeout menus!

I'm SO not kidding...my son is 18 months and I haven't started cookign regularly yet.

[mabelsmom]

1. Dad
2. Baby hawk carrier
3. Oceans wonder aquarium

[Brenna]

Ergo Baby carrier. Daughter loved it (still loves it at 1!) and it's the only carrier that doesn't hurt my back or neck.

[Mel]

To reiterate some favorites, the Boppy and our bouncer/swing combination.

My favorite I'm pretty sure hasn't been mentioned (there are a lot of comments here!) was button-down shirts. Pajamas, flannel, dress, for all occasions. AWESOME to nurse in and cheaper than nursing tops. I bought five.

[Jenine]

Baby Two:
I know it sounds pretty stupid, but the baby blanket that my youngest was swaddled in soon after birth. It's the perfect size, perfect weight, perfect softness. My little girl was born with clubbed feet (on both feet!) and due to that condition and the subsequent treatment, she needed constant comforting.

My poor baby girl was put in full leg casts when she turned a week old! I ordered a baby sling that I couldn't even use because she couldn't fit IN it with the casts. She had surgery at 2 months followed by more casts. She had to be recasted every week due to a baby's normal growth.

That hospital baby blanket was a life-saver. Not only was it great because the lightness of it wasn't overly stiffling (casts are heavy and hot), but it was the perfect coverup to throw over her little casts whenever we were out. Not only did her toes get cold (we were up in N.H. at the time), but the looks from people if we were holding her and her casts would be shown... well they gave us looks like we dropped her or something - I guess thinking that she suffered an injury at that young of age to have casts! Just terrible.

Baby One:
Her stroller. We had hardwood floors at the time and that was the only thing that calmed her down. The constant strolling back and forth and around the house. The rhythm of strolling put her to sleep and gave us a much needed break.

[Tiffany]

With my first it was the swing. It was the only place she slept for her first year. For my second daughter it was the ocean crib soother. It put her to sleep everytime and still does (she is 2). Now I am pregnant with #3 due in December. I think a sling will be my best friend!

[binkytown]

In July they gave me gelpads for my insanely sore nips. They are HEAVENLY. Stick them in the freezer before you use them for an extra special treat!

[Kmommy @ The Poopie Patrol]

With my baby girl, who pooped at least 20 times a day, I could not have lived without buttpaste!

[txhorns]

The Bumbo. It was the only way I got a shower!

[MegsMum]

My Avent electric breast pump - baby two was a chomper early on and I really needed it. Corollary: the microwave steriliser. Best freebie I ever got, it came with the pump in a special deal.
My older girl turns six this week, my boy was born the same week as yours (Jan 07), and my second girl is three months old. Feels like we almost have the same family! Don't enter me in the draw, though, we live too many oceans away.

[Pamela]

My Hotsling and Lansinoh Happy Nipple Cream. Love those guys!

[Stella]

Naps! Okay, seriously, I couldn't live without my sling. Baby No 2 barely ever came out of it.

[abbey]

The blankets knit by my sister are magic! Gotta have them!

[Dawn @ Coming to a Nursery Near You]

Hmmm - with each kid, it was little different. Definitely the baby swing, though - don't know how ppl live without them!

[Kerrie]

Definitely a swing or a bouncer...anything useful for napping is wonderful! =)

[Tinkerbell]

Well I am not a mom yet so I can't say BUT I think I won't be able to live without that diaper bag !!! Where can I buy one ???

[Heather @ Cool Zebras]

could not have lived without a Baby Papasan chair. #2 and #3 both loved that thing.

[jenni williams]

Its been a while since I had a newborn, but since I am expecting again I need to remember what I cant do without! The most important thing is my DH!! I have csections and thank God he is so awesome with newborns! I have never changed a meconium diaper (:

[Kim]

Just one thing?
Do I want to be sappy? (husband)
Do I want to be practical? (the bouncy)
Do I want to be funny? (Angel and Buffy reruns)

Hmmm? How about all the food gifts that people sent - especially things I could eat with one hand.

[Multi-Tasking Mommy]

Oh oops...something I couldn't live without when the bunny was a baby? Our bouncy chair! It was a life saver.