Got A Smokin' Deal!!!

For those who have had babies, you know that one major discussion is, do we breastfeed or bottle feed? Pump and feed breast milk or formula? For us, Rhonda has decided that she'd like to pump for a few reasons. First off, she will not be taking much time off work after baby is born so it's not like she's going to have a year to breastfeed and have baby weaned by the time she goes back to work. Secondly, breast milk is basically free (after purchasing breast pump) and is much healthier for baby than formula. Thirdly, I will be the mommy looking after baby during the day while mommy Rhonda is working and getting up with baby in the night so mommy Rhonda can sleep because she will have to work, so pumping will be better for all of us. And lastly, if Rhonda doesn't breastfeed and only pumps, it just gives me the opportunity to share this bonding time with baby.

We've been researching breast pumps. For those who have used them, you know that cheaping out is not the best option. I've read tons of reviews online and people who have purchased the cheap pumps that don't work as well, didn't follow through with pumping like they had originally planned. So our first decision was to buy a Medela. Second decision was to buy a double pump to save time. Rhonda is in Texas right now, and decided to see if there was a price difference between there and here in Canada. And no, not really.

I was browsing kijiji and came across a Medela double pump for $100. After some conversation with Rhonda and conversation with the sellers, it was delivered the next day which means we saved TONS of money! The retail price on this particular Medela Freestyle Breastpump is $399.99 and our used one is in excellent condition! Hooray for us! Be sure to click on the link and check out the features. This thing is pretty cool!!

We have also started a Baby Gift Registry at ToysRUs/BabiesRUs. Some of the items are must-have's while others (smaller stuff) are nice-to-have's. If you'd like to view it, visit the link and fill in the information in the Find A Registry section. Last name: Lavoie First name: Rhonda City: Saskatoon Province: SK We DO NOT expect people to buy us these things. But we still welcome you tocheck it out if you are just curious about what we like and what we'll be buying.

Here are some of the items:

Safety 1st Nursery Collection ~ It has all of the essentials such as gum & tooth brushes, nail clippers & file, hair brush & comb, scissors, nose aspirator, syringes and more. It's pretty much an all in one kit and I like the fact that everything has a place. No searching for what you need...just open the kit.

Woombie ~ I love these things! Have loved them for a long time and think they are a great way to keep baby cozy and secure without blankets always opening and having to continue wrapping them over and over. The reviews on these are awesome and parents rave how their babies tend to sleep better and cry less. Woombies are not purchased at BabiesRUs but at other retail stores. Here's the link.

SwaddleMe Wraps ~ They are similar to the Woombie but a little different. MUCH cheaper and can be purchased at BabiesRUs.

Table Top Change Pad ~ We are not getting a change table, mostly due to lack of space issues. My sister Natalie has a dresser for us so we've decided to use it as our change table to maximize space. Also on our list are change pad covers for easy washing.

Diaper Genie ~ We already have a diaper container but seeing as we have 3 levels in our house, it would be convenient to have at least 2 diaper containers; one in the babies room and another on the main floor. The first one is not a Diaper Genie and it does not keep the smell from drifting through the house. I use it with the daycare kids but it is outside on the back patio right now. So we'd like to give Diaper Genie a try. It does have a pretty good reputation for keeping the smell confined.

Tommee Tippee Closer To Nature Baby Monitor ~ We tossed between the well known Angel Care monitor and this new Tommee Tippee one. After reading reviews and comparing stats, the Tommee Tippee has a couple of features we love, that the Angel Care doesn't have. We are comforted by the sensor pad that goes under the mattress and will sound an alarm if baby were to stop breathing after 20 seconds. Also, our friends Jamie & Kelly in Texas purchased us a baby monitor set as a gift and we are going to use it in the camper and for travelling to places like Grandparents houses (and Texas!!!). It'll be perfect for when we are sitting outside when camping, and baby is sleeping inside.

Safety 1st Digital Thermometer ~ Always need a good thermometer and this one came with great reviews, especially over the style you put in the ear.

Tommee Tippee Closer To Nature Sensitive Tummy Bottle Kit ~ Like everything else we plan to purchase, we always do our research and these Tommee Tippee bottles came highly recommended. I read tons of reviews and even watched youtube videos on both Tommee Tippee and Dr. Brown bottles, which were the two we were trying to decide on. In the end, Tommee Tippee won. The nipple is designed to be like mom's breast, the bottle design helps reduce colic, fussiness, spit up, gas and has a vent on the nipple for vacuum free feeding.

Tommee Tippee Closer To Nature Microwave Sterilizer ~ I love this thing! It sterilizes bottles, nipples, pacifiers and even breast pump equipment in the microwave in 4 minutes with no chemicals or dishwasher residue. The kit also comes with a bottle, pacifier, nipple tongs & bottle brush.