What I Bought or Reused for Our Second Child

We’re six months into having baby two in our lives and I thought it would be helpful and fun to think about all the things he uses that are different or the same as Penelope.

I always thought it was funny when mom’s recommend things they SWEAR BY but never had a comparative item. Ex: the snoo. Some mamas used that immediately and it worked like a dream. Does that mean a basic crib or bassinet wouldn’t work!? Who knows.

BIGGER ITEMS

One of the best gifts we got from my MIL was the UPPAbaby Stroller and car seat. This stroller is incredible for all the reasons you read about and it’s all true! It’s super smooth and adjusts super well with additional kids. We added the Piggyback Ride-Along Board recently for Penelope which has been super helpful. I definitely added this accessory and this one as well, to prove my loyalty.

We got the Baby Bjorn bouncer which has served us well since it’s easy to wash and has a few different heights for baby to enjoy. I would probably get a more neutral color if I were to do it over again. Honestly is there a bad bouncer out there someone’s child hated!?

SLEEPING

One thing I did not do for Penelope was get her the best swaddles. I went for cute versus functional. Once Lincoln left the hospital, we were gifted a HALO sleepsack and I would never recommend anything else. Velcro! This is now the only thing we use, except the Nested Bean which was meh for Penelope but Lincoln seems to enjoy it.

I’m also a huge fan of the Cloud Island jammies from Target. Something about being able to zip at the top just does it for me. Otherwise, Burts Bees and Carters are solid options.

I always grab for these fitted sheets from Burt’s Bees for both kids. Jane’s DSM has some adorable prints right now (always) that you can grab too.

I went a little fancier for P and the drool bibs from Suite Dreams. No regrets, but Lincoln gets these which I snagged on Amazon.

We use this mobile for songs and movement. I wanted something more minimalist and cute for Penelope but ended up with this somehow. They both love it and I think would enjoy any sort of sound / movement!

We use these sound machines for both kids. Unfortunately Penelope wants “twinkle twinkle” every night which repeats itself after about 10 seconds so that’s what I hear… all night through the monitor.

ON THE GO

We upgraded to a Dagne Dover diaper bag which I’m very pleased with (I have this for me as well for travel!), but I highly recommend not having two backpacks which we still have. Penelope usually doesn’t need much in there so it’s mostly us wondering if we have everything in the “right” backpack.

We always bring our Beautycounter sunscreen everywhere we go in the summertime. Hats. Snacks in portable cups. Misting fan or actual fan since it’s a million degrees in Iowa in the summer.

FEEDING

I had pretty unsuccessful breastfeeding experiences which was frustrating in the moment (both moments I suppose), but I’ve moved past that now and am proud to be a Bobbie mama. You know I love a chance to support progressive, women-founded startups so there ya go. You can grab it at Target, but I’m a big fan of their subscription online for predictability and the ability to run one less errand in my life. I’ll get a free can and you’ll get a free can with this link.

We went from plastic with Penelope to silicone bottles for Lincoln. Overall I’d say we try to remove as much plastic as we can from our home so these plates and cups are what we use for P that Lincoln will use. Jane’s DSM has some really cute ones if you want to see her stuff online or IRL.

This bottle warmer has served us well since 2020, looks fancier now. We went with the IKEA high chair. If I were to do it over again, I’d probably get something a little more chic but that’s just me being unnecessarily bougie.

Lincoln and Penelope both love(d) this little food pacifier! We get a bunch of misc fruit in there for them to try and adjust to and it’s a hit.

Ok these OXO bibs are my favorite and always will be because… velcro and silicone and the catcher. The adjustable bibs like these are a no go at least with P because I’d always somehow pull her hair as I tried to fasten. Velcro all the way all day.

SKIN STUFF

My poor babes both had eczema. Lincoln’s seems a bit worse, particularly as I write this which I’m aware is an internal thing but he drinks formula so it’s hard to remove items. Thankfully for P she outgrew it once she started eating solids. We do a mix of things to help his skin stay hydrated in the meantime. One brand I particularly love is Tubby Todd, but Aquaphor is always something we have on hand. We use Honest Co for all of our bathtime / shower items but if I stick on the Tubby Todd train, I’ll probably just use their stuff.

We always have Desitin and Beaudroux’s Butt Paste handy.

Beautycounter sunscreen for me and the kids, which is SPF 30.

MISC STUFF

We did upgrade to a dual monitor which I wish we would have just had in the first place so learn from my mistake k?

I don’t know why I have an opinion about burp cloths but I do. I always look for my Burts Bees ones. I like the size, texture, it just tends to be my go-to even though I have about 1835971 of them.

Overnight diapers are incredible.

These wipes are my favorite because they separate better than any other ones. You only need ONE hand to get one out versus two. It’s the small things right??

I am obsessed with Lake Label swimwear. You can get it at Jane’s if you want to see IRL or her site. This is a Des Moines woman-owned business. :) We will have these every summer since my kids are paler than me!

I’m still a huge fan of our Sweet Swinging swing. I originally got it on Etsy without realizing it is Iowa made! If I were to do it over again I might consider a swing with buckles.

Let’s be honest, I’m probably missing some items but I’ll add if I think of ‘em. Ping me on the ‘gram if you have questions!

These posts may have affiliate links which means I can make a small commission if you purchase anything. Per usual, I’ll likely spend the $ supporting my fav local or women-owned brands. ✌️