Our infant has reached an awkward stage where she’s too big and too mobile for the cradle, but not yet ready to sleep in her own room. After finally getting my middle daughter out of our bed, I’m hopping not to start that habit this time around. Although I’m not sure how long we will be able to contain her in it, we decided our best bet is a co-sleeper. Because of space concerns, the Mini was our best bet. We’ve been using it for about a week now, and I’m quite pleased. You can use it either as a freestanding bassinet or a co-sleeper. Getting it attached securely to the bed is a bit complicated, so I wouldn’t recommend trying to switch between the two modes on a regular basis. Overall, I would recommend this product to new parents, although I miss being able to use our movement monitor because it lacks the necessary wood bottom. You can purchase the Mini for $154 at armsreach.com.

New parents often track everything their newborn does, from when he feeds and how much, to when he sleeps (and how much), to when his diaper is changed. But moms of older babies and toddlers might want to track their activities as well. Time Too has invented the Baby Tracker, a journaling system that monitors baby’s activities and schedule. It helps parents determine if their child is eating enough, sleeping enough, and the time that they took special supplements or medicine. There’s a list of to-do items, a place to record milestones, and an area for special notes. It also includes reference information, keeping health facts and resources in a central place. The Baby Tracker sells for $19 for the basic childcare record, with options to buy refillable trackers and packages at a higher cost. You can view the Baby Tracker at TimeToo.com, where they also sell a Family Tracker for families with school-age children.

I’d always heard that bravado!’s nursing bra was the gold standard for breastfeeding moms, but I never owned one before baby number three. Friends swear by them, but I have to say that I am less than enamored with mine. Although I bought the right size according to the packaging, I don’t feel like I get enough support from this bra. I also find the design a bit strange (see the picture for the unusual strap that extends well into the bra itself), and the adjusters on the straps slip easily, leading to even less support. I know others love this bra, so I’m disappointed that it isn’t for me. Luckily, I’m reaching the point at which it is easy and comfortable to nurse in regular bras. If you want to check out what all the hype is about, you can purchase one of these bras for $35 at BravadoDesigns.com.

New parents are usually interested in keeping track of everything their newborn does - from how much and when she eats, to how many times a day she soils her diaper and what color it is, to nap and sleep times. It’s very important to note these behaviors, especially if you’re breastfeeding. That’s why I like Aunt LaLa’s Log by RosieBear, a company made up of two sisters who create must-haves for new moms. It’s a stylish way to record your baby’s behaviors and patterns during her first three months of life. Aunt LaLa’s Log is available in girl, boy, and generic design, in Standard format. Normally sellling for $29.95 for Standard format or $49.95 for Twins format, UpscaleBaby.com readers can purchase this innovative product at a 10% discount for a limited time only, by accessing http://www.rosiebear.com/index_files/FabulousFriends.htm and entering the code UPSCALE. (You can only receive the discount by accessing this specific page, not by going to the website and ordering through the normal process).

TinyPlayground.com is a new website that provides practical resources and ideas for new moms. It offers Mom Guides to things such as Preparing for Baby, Roundups listing Mommy and Me classes, online classifieds, baby photos, and much more. Some of its most helpful offerings include the Solid Food Chart for Babies age 6-12 months, and the Newborn Breastfeeding Chart with spaces to log wet and dirty diapers during the first week of baby’s life. To view all of the practical, useful offerings, visit TinyPlayground.com.

I am fortunate enough to be able to leave work to nurse a few times each day, but I still need to pump. It is a bit of a chore, so I’m always looking for ways to make it easier. These Medela wipes are a great way to quickly clean pump parts. While I thoroughly clean everything at the end of the day, it is nice to just wipe things down in between. They are alcohol free, and can also be used on toys, surfaces, etc. At $8.99 for 24 wipes, they are pretty pricey. If I calculate the time saved at work, however, they are more than worth it. You can purchase a pack in stores with baby departments (I bought mine at Target), or online at toysrus.com.

I recently discovered a company with a simple idea - provide a subscription service that sends essential gifts to new moms for the first 12 weeks of baby’s life. Gifted At Birth, created by doula Tara Brooke and her partner Ari Nave, is a subscription service that sends “gifts” to you based on a profile you complete on their site, GiftedAtBirth.com. After asking a few questions, such as whether you plan to breast- or bottle-feed, whether ease of use or eco-friendliness is most important to you during the first few months of baby’s life, and whether you’re interested in just the essential baby items or the premium “gifts,” you are presented with an array of items that will be sent to you once a week for the first 12 weeks postpartum. If you live in the New York area, you are also entitled to a 30 minute consultation with a postpartum doula. What a great idea!

The company ships its products all over the United States. Their partners include Pampers, Dr. Brown, Mama Mio lotions, Moltex biodegradable diapers, and many more well-known companies producing quality products. The service costs about $124/week for the Essential Package, and about $170/week for the Premium Package. Once subscribed, you can log onto your online account and add things to each weekly delivery. This is a wonderful idea for new parents, who can concentrate more on spending quality time with their newborn and not have to worry about things like diapers, wipes, or pacifiers. Check this service out at GiftedAtBirth.com.

This is a great gift idea for a new breastfeeding mom. The NursEase Organic Nursing Shawl provides a comfortable, fashionable, eco-friendly, discreet way to nurse baby in public. Made by Bellies and Beyond of 100% organic cotton, it is lightweight, with an elastic top for viewing baby and has a pocket for a pacifier or breast pad. You can purchase this nursing cover for just $18.88 at Walmart.com.

The Lucky Baby Bib won’t disappoint you if you’re a breastfeeding activist or if you just want to get the word out there that breastfeeding is where it’s at. The simple white bib’s multicolored message, “I’m a Lucky Breastfed Baby” will certainly get attention and maybe start a few conversations concerning breastfeeding. Maybe a pregnant someone you know will change her mind about how she plans to feed her new baby. In this economy, why not promote the most economical form of feeding baby? For only $3.95, down from $6.95, at LaLecheLeagueInternational, it is the statement piece for baby’s wardrobe.

LittleMissMatched.com has lounge pants for women that match their zany kimono sets in black zany dots for baby. From X-Small to Large and cozy cotton, they are cute and fun and bright. At $25, they’d be super cute with a tank top in one of the vivid dot colors. Have fun with it; after all, if someone knocks on the door while you’re still not dressed because you’ve been trying to feed baby and deal with a hollering toddler, you might as well look good! They’ll be comfy for post-maternity pants, when you’re resting up and spending a lot of time in bed or on the couch nursing a newborn; roomy for an easy fit but adjustable for shrinking tummies.

Though I like to go out once in a while to yoga or scrapbooking days, my little nursling does not like to take bottles or soothers, both items my first son was happy to take. However, my littlest man is willing to take a sippy cup. He is a little young, at 5 months, to handle the fast drip that accompanies hard spout sippies but wouldn’t you know it, my mom had a solution! She, soon after hearing my predicament, produced for us the Nuby 3 Stage No Spill Standard 9 Oz Baby Bottle.

My son is not only willing to drink from this genius invention but he can hold it all by himself as well. It comes with a silicone teething nipple but he has no interest in it. He’s all about the soft sipper spout. Thumbs up to Nuby for this design; for only $4.45 at BestBabyGear.com, it saved a harried mama from certain insanity (I say this with a mischievous wink, of course.)
 

I had to smile when I read Skyoozmee’s promise to help you “say good-bye to frequent clothing changes.” I can’t even tell you how many times I have to change my clothes every day due to spit-up. Since I’m still in the process of shedding the baby weight, with my body exaggerated by nursing, I don’t have a lot of shirts that actually fit. So, any product that could help me cut down on laundry would be a huge lifesaver. The idea behind this cutely-named product made by M is for Mommy is that it provides a wider area of coverage, protecting both shoulders and the front of your shirt. It is also designed to stay in place. It comes in a number of fun fabric prints that even dads can pull off, from the cute and classic to the edgy (skulls). My only problem would be keeping it near me so I could actually use it.

You can purchase one for $15 at Skyoozmee.com. It would also make a cute gift, especially for first-time parents who might underestimate the power and range of spit-up!

Before I discovered these Medela Quick Steam Bags with daughter number 2, I was constantly boiling bottles and breast pump parts in a big pot on my stove. It wasn’t very practical or tidy. A colleague turned me on to these bags and I am eternally grateful. You just put the items you need to sterilize in the bag, add a few ounces of water, and put it in the microwave for a few minutes. The bags are very discreet, so you can use them at work without anyone even noticing what you are putting in the microwave. Each bag can be used up to 20 times (and has a place for you to mark off each use so you can keep track). You can buy a pack of 5 for $7.75 at amazon.com. They are also available in the breastfeeding aisle of stores like Target or Walmart.

Motherwear.com is having an outstanding sale on nursing friendly swimwear. There are tankinis, one-piece swimsuits, and suits with skirts, all equipped to make nursing easier while at the beach or pool. I liked the Surplice Swimsuit (shown above) especially; it comes in four different colors and five different sizes (up to 1X) and is only $8.99 on sale. That is a savings of $60.01! The other suits range in price from $9.99 to $29.95. Though all sales are final, at these prices, you really can’t lose. Made of nylon/spandex with a built-in nursing bra, get it in Black, Caribbean, Hibiscus Blue Print, or Orchid. If you really like it, you could buy all the colors for the price of one regular department store swimsuit.

When I was nursing my first daughter, I never needed to pump, so it never occurred to me to worry about my milk supply. As soon as I started pumping with my second daughter, I became obsessed with it. There is just something about being able to quantify the amount of milk you have that can drive you crazy. I tried a number of products and recipes aimed at increasing my supply. Organic Mother’s Milk Tea from Traditional Medicinals was one of the first supplements that I tried. This certified organic tea is made from a combination of of anise, fennel, caraway, and other natural ingredients that has been used as a lactation aid for centuries. The anise gives the tea a very pleasant licorice taste. I drink it a lot, but I don’t see a marked increase in my milk supply afterward. I think the concentrations of herbs is much lower than you would find in other products. I found I was much better off taking fenugreek in pill form. I still buy the tea, however, because I enjoy it.

You can find it in most natural food and some grocery stores. The best price I saw online was $3.69 at VitaCost.com.