A guide for parents to be and people buying stuff for parents to be

As a continuation of the last post, here are a few things we've found invaluable (take note parents-to-be, or anyone looking for gifts for parents to be):
1) A swing. We have, and love, the mamaroo:


I'm sure there are others that work well for other people, the type doesn't really matter. Here's the thing, swings are expensive. They are also the only thing letting me sleep at night. Bucket will sleep deeply for 1.5-2 hours at night in this as long as it's moving and we're blaring white noise. Much better than trying to put him down in a crib. New parents: you need a swing. This is as non-negotiable as a car seat. People buying shit for new parents: swings are expensive, buddy up with other people and help new parents buy one. The sleep they will get from a swing is MUCH more valuable than another cute pair of PJs.
2) Miracle Blankets, aka baby straight jacket. Bucket, like most babies, loves being swaddled. Unswaddled, he flails his arms, scratches his face, and generally freaks out. Swaddled, he's warm cozy, chills the fuck out and goes to sleep. Swaddler + swing + nursing pads = baby heaven. So I suck at using regular blankets for swaddling. L is amazing and has baby origami down. Me? Faced with a squirmy fussy baby at 4:30 am and a blanket = Kelly crying for about 15 min while pleading and bargaining with the blanket to just swaddle itself. 

On a whim, I bought a miracle blanket, sure that it was overkill. I was wrong. My biggest mistake was only buying one. While visiting, my sister found me at 3am crying because Bucket had peed of the changing table, onto the blanket on the bed 3 feet away and I was left staring at full on Fuss Bucket and a aden and anis swaddle blanket that he could break out of in 15 seconds flat. She ordered me 2 more from amazon then and there. (have I mentioned that I have the best sister in the world?). We've had night where he manages to pee on 2 of them, so having the 3rd in reserve is a sanity saver. 
At first I thought that $30 for a blanket was a total rip off. It's a bargain. Even the best baby Houdini can't get out of this one. No velcro to wear out. It's warm, so no need to worry about baby getting cold. Best, it's fast, easy, and works. Plus, it fit him at his birth weight (under 6 lbs) which makes it superior to the less expensive (though also useful now that he's bigger) swaddleme or Halo sleep sack.
3) For the ladies out there (and people buying stuff for the ladies in their lives): If you are nursing, you will need nursing bras. If you happen to get stuck with jubblies bigger than a DD cup, you won't be able to pick up anything at Target. If you Happen to have really troublesome cup sizes - large cups, small band/large cups - you're up a creek w/o a paddle when looking for stuff at most brick and mortar stores. Well, I"m in your creek and I'm throwing you a paddle:
 Cake Lingerie Hot Milk
They have a really, really extensive range of sizes, offer far superior construction to any US-based (china produced) nursing bra I've seen, and they're pretty. At 34 E-F, sometimes G, I can't really do the wireless bras. I mean, I can, but it's just a sling for a boosom that looks like it stepped out of a Rubens painting. At both stores I have found beautiful, comfortable, supportive, nursing-friendly underwire bras. If you need nursing bras, they are worth every penny (buy one good $60 bra instead of being unhappy with 2 crappy $25 ones from Target). If you are buying for a nursing mom, she will love you forever if you get her anything from these two sites. 
4) Nursing care package: Going to a baby shower and don't know what to get the mom to be? Get something for her: Lanolin (I prefer Medela, but people love Lansinoh), heating pads (these allow me to nurse when my Raynauds flares up, also great for engorgement and tenderness),

 and  Bamboobies bamboo nursing pads:

Softer than the disposable ones, they are the only thing I can wear when dealing with tenderness and Raynauds issues. Plus they look like pasties, which is pretty awesome. I love these things.