We have found the following to be very useful over the last few weeks/months:

• My Brest Friend nursing pillow.
• HEB (grocery) store brand diapers. They fit Uma better than the Huggies the hospital started us on.
• Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe infant wrap. It's a lot easier and more secure than with a receiving blanket.
• The Happiest Baby on the Block (book and/or DVD). We watched the video. It's not magic, but it still works really well to calm Uma when she's unhappy for no apparent reason. It's still helpful, though less so, when she's hungry or gassy or uncomfortable, but then, in those cases, we should be feeding, burping, or moving her as appropriate.
• The Baby Book by Sears and Sears. Comprehensive, well-researched, and sensible information and advice.
• Not a product, but a person: Lanell Coultas, our doula, who was invaluable for helping Jessica deliver and keeping me sane.
• Not a product, but a class/service: Bridget Brown's Bradley Method® class. The Bradley Method tends to look at modern birth and delivery practices negatively. That is understandable, but it's also off-putting to be brow-beaten. Bridget is a lot mellower and tolerant than (what I gather to be) the Bradley Method norm, so there was no issue with that. There was a lot of useful information and preparation in a relaxed, friendly environment. It helped also to be around other expecting, first-time parents, especially ones as likable as the ones in our class.

Even if you don't take this class, or any Bradley class, I highly recommend you take some sort of comprehensive class (or combination of classes) that teaches you about pregnancy, labor, delivery, and baby basics. I have no opinion on the quality of Lamaze, but it does not seem to be as comprehensive. Books and videos and talking to people you know will only go so far. This is not something for which you want to be un(der)-prepared. I hope this helps.

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