(Part 2) Top products from r/IFParents

We've discovered the Rookie Toddler series at our library. It's a great educational series that our LO loves! https://www.amazon.com/Books-Rookie-Toddler/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_lbr_books_series_browse-bin%3ARookie%20Toddler

We have 2 Peekaboo Sophie books with nice heavy flaps.

Who's Hiding? is also a good lift flap series. We have this one https://www.amazon.com/Whos-Hiding-Garden-Lift-Flap/dp/0764163159

I like the books by Todd Parr too. We have the I Love You book, the Daddy book, and Doggy Kisses. Lots of bright colours and fun to read. I want to get this one next https://www.amazon.ca/Its-Okay-Different-Todd-Parr/dp/0316043478

Baby can't wear anything for a while, but your friend likely didn't buy preemie clothes. Get some at Carter's - and get it with snaps, not zippers to accommodate the wires. A good water bottle because she'll likely be pumping. Giftcard for food or coffee near the hospital. Dinner - even prepaid delivery is good. If she has dogs, find people to help walk him or her. This book is a great resource. Maybe a notebook to write about baby's progress or questions she has for the doctors. J spent 62 days and L spent 66 days in the nicu, so feel free to pm me. If you can meet her for coffee or something before she goes to the nicu some days that will give het something normal to look forward to.

We just did this last January! Toddler loves this book and I've heard of other kids liking it too. There are barely any words or character development or any story at all, but its like potty training crack for kids.


This was my diaper bag potty seat and this lives in my car for emergencies where there are not toilets around. I've only used it twice, but I was SO HAPPY it was there.


We didn't do pull-ups during the day at all once we'd committed to underwear. I always make sure she goes pee before we leave and I ask her multiple times while we're out if she has to go. If we're out for an extended time, we have an obligatory bathroom trip somewhere in the middle. We do pull-ups at night still, though she is dry about 90% of the time. I'm not sure what we'll do the next time we go on an airplane. I'm going to make that a game time decision.

I Am A Bunny was SquirrelBoy's favorite book as a baby and our go-to gift for parents to be. I can't recommend it higher.

Wee Squirrel has recently been all about Sometimes I Like To Curl Up in a Ball.

Freight Train is also a big winner with its simple graphics. I propped this one up for her to look at during tummy time when she was very small.

She also loves The Little Engine That Could and the Llama Llama series!

My daughter loves books and I really like some of the Sandra Boyton books. We got this vinyl one, "Barnyard Bath", for bathtime- it's silly, short, and gets the kids involved in cleaning the animals and then themselves.

Dear Zoo is a classic lift-the-flap with pretty sturdy flaps. Goodnight Gorilla is also an old school book with a simple story told mostly through the pictures.

I'm loving all the suggestions!

The book we have is How to Get Your Kid to Eat: But Not Too Much https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0915950839/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8

It’s fairly old but still relevant so we got an inexpensive used copy. My husband has read a lot of it (he’s the cook); I’ve only read some parts that seemed most relevant. Like with Ferber it takes a little bit of effort to get past feeling defensive that you’re doing everything “wrong” especially if like me you have been begging/pressuring kid to eat out of worry. I feel like changing our approach gave me “permission” or something not to worry if my kid only wants one food or only wants bread for 3 meals in a row.

We adapted the basic approach and made meal/snack times closer together than I think she suggests (about 2-2.5 hours except a long stretch around nap) for now to be able to avoid giving unplanned snacks to hangry toddler. Even though he didn’t have much patience for it we started putting him in the high chair for most food. Now he’s still not as patient as basically every other kid I see but big improvement, even when he’s not that hungry he will often explore his foods and “chat” with us a bit instead of immediately freaking out to get down. Seems obvious in retrospect that the predictable structure/cues help him know what’s happening.

Here's my bead making project that the twins have been loving, if anyone's interested!

Supplies:

• plastic needles
  
  
• pony beads
  
  
• elastic cord
  
  I used a double strand, and put it on the needle, then tied a bead to both ends of the cord. The cord is super slippery, so it needs super glue to hold it together.
  
  The beads don't slide down the needle, but need a bit of a tug to get over, which at first I was annoyed by, but it turned out to be great, because it's difficult for the project to fall apart due to standard toddler carelessness.
  
  After they fill up the strand, you can make it into a necklace or a bracelet by cutting one cord of the double strand, then pull the cut one through the top by the needle. Then you have plenty of slack to tie it together.
  
  I've just been cutting the end bead off, because it's hard to incorporate it into the project. Tie and glue the ends together, and after the glue dries, it's pretty sturdy. The twins have been very proud of their work!

So glad to hear positivity from the EI results! I don't know if you are looking for resources, but I love this for expressive language - it's part of the Hanen program, but you can buy just the book:

https://www.amazon.com/Takes-Two-Talk-Practical-Children/dp/0921145527/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524515946&sr=8-1&keywords=it+takes+two+to+talk&dpID=41vVS6ZqNEL&preST=_SX218_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch

Try this for science baby clothes. They run super small. My girlfriends 1 year old peanut got a 2T (~17lb, 24in). For my size 1 year old (22lbs, 30 inches), I buy 3T. Or check out top post in r/pics this morning. A friend got me this book and we love it too. Ok, I cried when I received this book at our baby naming celebration....

Just expect for it to be a months long process. Once I accepted that potty-training wouldn't happen in three days (at least for my kid), the whole ordeal became much more bearable. Also, books. This is B's favorite: https://www.amazon.com/Potty-Sesame-Street-Lift-Flap/dp/038538369X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=p+is+for+potty&qid=1557770203&s=gateway&sr=8-1

Sorry if the formatting is whack!

I was looking around on Amazon earlier and there seem to be at least a few children's books that touch on the subject. I haven't personally read any myself so I can't give recommendations but this one got good reviews:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0994280904/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1493478294&sr=8-2

I'm probably going to get that one and maybe another that deals with the general subject of infertility. The ones specifically about IVF seem to be aimed at older kids though.

There are at least six in the series. We had the safari one out from the library and it was so awesome I ordered four of them! https://www.amazon.com/You-Are-My-Baby-Woodland/dp/1452134316/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

It's a Dutch book :) https://www.gottmer.nl/kinderboeken/populaire-series/rupsje-nooitgenoeg/de-spin-die-het-te-druk-had.html

Edit: It's a translation so maybe it's the same. I need to research more.

Edit 2: This one, had no idea https://www.amazon.co.uk/Very-Busy-Spider-Eric-Carle/dp/0241135907