Recommend: Fisher-Price Rainforest Waterfall Peek-a-Boo Soother

price: $43.99

i love love love this item. Since Trent's mobile is pretty boring it's nice that he has something else to sooth him when he's in his crib.

pros:
-absolutely adorable
-baby loves it
-it stays on for up to 18 minutes
-very soothing music
-3 volume control
-multiple options (music and light, just lights, just music)
-one large easy busy to push - my son is starting to push it himself
-reputable name brand

cons:
-a little pricey
-it's a pain to take off and put back on the crib
-batteries not included
-requires 4 C batteries
-the light can be a little too bright in the middle of the night when your baby is just falling asleep. Make sure you know which controls to change so that it's music only - the light may wake the baby up (something I've experienced personally)
-controls do not light up.

recommend: definitely! Use a coupon and get it!

Fisher-price makes a very similar item, call the Wonder Aquarium, that I plan to get for the next kid. Same manufacturer and same concept.

Recommend: BreathableBaby Breathable Bumpers

Price: $29.99

everything you read tells you DO NOT USE BUMPERS. (You know, those cute pillow-y things that line the crib) They were first created "back in the day" because kids were putting their heads between the slats of the crib and were unable to remove them. Some possibly suffocated this way?!?! Today you wont find any crib with slats that far apart, but bumpers still come with EVERY baby bedding set. It's kind of annoying really. We aren't supposed to use them, but the bedding companies still make them. I don't see the point. I mean, I know some parents still use them - whether its because they think it looks nice, or because they just don't know the risk the bumpers pose, i don't know - but i would venture to assume that 95% of Americans don't use them. I could be totally wrong - I'm pulling that number out of thin air. Maybe I shouldn't ass-u-me.

Anyways, we recently questioned whether or not we should start using our bumpers (that have been sitting in our closet ever since we got the bedding). Now that Trent is rolling around he sometimes gets his limbs stuck in between the slats and can't always get them out. This of course leads to crying - something we like to avoid whenever possible. We don't want him getting stuck, but also want to avoid suffocating our boy, so I did some research. At first I thought Trent was old enough to where it would be OK to put the bumpers in his crib - but boy do "they" try to scare you! I found that every credible organization out there advises against the use of bumpers, no matter how old your child is. I did, however, come across an item called Breathable Baby Bumpers. It's basically a mesh-type fabric that you line the crib with (the same way as you would with bumpers). This prevents limbs from getting stuck, while also allowing your baby to breath if he gets right up against it. I'm not sure if I'm describing these correctly so here is a picture. I purchased plain brown ones. They aren't nearly as cute as the ones that came with the bedding, but it keeps his body inside the crib where it belongs and he can't suffocate into them.

So, in the end we had Trent's real bumpers in his crib for all of 30 minutes and two days later we had these breathable things in there. Everyone's happy.

As for the bumpers you (or in my case, Mrs. Woodland) spent so much money on, they don't have to sit in the closet, unused! One option is to cut them down and make square pillows out of them. While you can't put these pillows in the crib, you could put them on your glider/rocking chair for looks. Another option is to take the stuffing out of the bumpers and make a nice valance that matches your bedding.

I just took 2 minutes to do a little search on yahoo to see if I could find any other options and I came across this site! If you are a mom looking for some cute ideas, check it out.

Pros:
-much safer than traditional bumpers!
-no more limbs getting stuck in crib slats!
-made for cribs with slats on all 4 sides OR only 3 sides!
-several standard color options (brown, blue, pink, green)


Cons:
-you occasionally have to adjust them because they slide down (between mattress and slats) over time
-velcro could be sturdier
-a little pricey for what you're getting. Use a coupon!
-not very attractive

Recommend: Tiny Love Symphony in Motion Musical Mobile

Price: $31.99

When deciding on a nursery theme Ryan and I originally thought we'd be doing a Batman Theme. It was virtually impossible for me to find a Batman Mobil to hang over the crib, so instead I browsed through BRU for a non-theme related mobile. I came across the Symphony in Motion mobile and fell in love.

It had the bright colors that all the "educational" toys had along with the black and white contrast that is good for newborns who can't see color, so it really seemed like a great option.

At one point or another we changed the theme to airplanes, but I still held onto the mobile. Jude seems to love it. It really does catch his eye and it can entertain him for 10-15 minutes at a time playing the baby-classical music and spinning over his head. Being that he isn't awake in his crib for long periods of time, it's perfect. It's just enough time to put away clothes, sweep the floor, hop in the shower, etc.

Pros:
- Reasonably Priced
- Entertains Jude
- Educational
- three different music options
-bar swivels to make it easy to change the sheets

Cons:
- slightly difficult to get it positioned correctly on the crib
- The hanging bar that swivels can move so easily, that it's easy to get off center and therefore not over top of Jude's head, so i have to keep adjusting it.
- Has pinks and purples, so can almost look a little girly. BUT - they sell it in a variety of colors, I should have just looked harder.