- Video monitors
- We bought Summer Infant Video Monitor for both kids! The cameras are a room apart, and the screens are right next to each other, and we haven't had trouble with interference (they are each on a different channel). The first one we bought came with a wireless, audio only monitor in addition to the video monitor, but the second one didn't, and was cheaper. They aren't the flashiest on the market, but they did a great job! If you have a little extra to spend, a wireless, mobile video handset would be nice, since it's kind of a pain to have to move the larger video monitor around. We were just fine without one, though, so it's not bad if you need to save a few ($50-100!) bucks. I really recommend some sort of video monitor, though. We really like being able to peek at our kids without opening the door, which is why we still use the monitor in our toddler's room.
- Update: We have one for the big kids' room, and one for the baby's room. We attempted to have 3 set up, but there was too much interference and none worked well.
- Baby Carriers
- We have used the Peanut Shell, the Moby, and the Baby Bjorn. Update: With baby #3 on the way, we finally bought the Ergobaby. In a nutshell, carriers like the Peanut Shell are great for quick carries, but make my back and shirt hurt for long periods. The Moby is awesome, albeit a bit cumbersome, but it's by far my favorite: packs down small, durable in the wash, comfortable to wear for newborns to toddlers, and can be worn under sweaters. The Ergobaby is so great for carrying crabby toddlers while cooking.
- White noise, oh how I love thee. Having white noise in our kids' rooms is most likely why we already have three of them. White noise not only replicates the noise of the womb and is therefore soothing, it can drown out the noises of the house (or neighbors, or traffic, etc) after bedtime. Not all of my kids are deep sleepers, even though I tried to acclimate them to noises at an early age, so it's great to be able to walk down a creaky hall or watch a movie without worrying about waking them up. And it's important for tired babies to get the sleep they need. When a baby wakes up earlier than he should have, he can be too crabby to eat well, and then spends his entire awake time even more crabby because he's both tired and hungry. One crabby rotation can throw off the entire day, because over-tired babies just can't deal.
