Monday, October 13, 2008
Calling all Moms
So some of the ladies at work have been continually asking when I am going to register the little papoose. I haven't done this yet because it feels a little strange, but I am thinking it is getting to be time. If they want to buy her presents, who am I to say differently?! Since I am a bit overwhelmed when I think about what babies need, I thought I would poll some of you ladies for your experienced advice. I would appreciate you sharing your thoughts on what things you couldn't have lived with out in those early days and now, what things you never use, what things your little ones love, etc. You can post a comment or send an email to rebeccabanderson@yahoo.com.
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14 comments:
here's my 2 cents:
needs: boppy pillow (saves arms & back w breastfeeding), mayawrap sling, baby bjorn bouncy seat, boon high chair (won't need for awhile), a good medela pump (i love the swing), good quality jogging stroller (we have koolstride), gowns (easy dipe changes @ night), a little cradle to be by your bed (you won't want them in another room- you have to look at them all the time :). if you get an infant car seat i'd recommend maxi cosi with the quinny zapp stroller system. it's pricier than graco but so compact, easy to travel with, etc... we've gotten millions of compliments on it!
don't need: wipe warmer (warm + moist = bacteria's paradise), large swing (takes up whole house- we have the boppy travel one from ebay that is tiny and fab), baby bath (huge waste of space- we got a little mesh thing that is very compact), baby shoes (just a hassle)- i'm sure there are more but i'm a bit of a minimalist w baby stuff.
No experience, but after I read this post I saw this post on a favorite blog, the Uncluttterer. It's funny though, some of their bare minimum suggestions are things I know my sisters would disagree with. Live and learn, I suppose!
I agree with em, I didn't have a bobby pillow with my first but it was a lifesaver with my second. I wish I'd had one a few years earlier!
The only thing I would add is that diaper genies are pretty much a waste, I got 2 for my shower and kept one but ended up giving it away because it was a hassle and kind of gross, too.
There are a lot of baby registry lists online but it's easy to get overwhelmed, especially with so many options out there. Good luck!
Oh, and my boys were 7lbs 11oz and 7lbs 12oz and I bought a few Preemie size outfits for them to wear the first few weeks. Even though they outgrew them fast, it was still fun to have something to dress them in and take them home from the hospital. They grow into the newborn and 0-3month sizes but the preemie clothes fit perfectly when they are born.
Your soo smart to ask other Moms- I wish I had asked more so we didn't buy things we didn't end up needing:)
Things we Loved:
1. Boppy Pillow
2. Swaddlers- if you want to sleep through the night- get swaddlers***
3. Rocking Chair for those late night feeds.(Bought a really great set at Wal- Mart for super cheap)
4. Bassinet (cheap at Walmart)- we kept Grayson in the hallway so we didn't hear every little sound he made that would keep us up- but we could also easily get to him and feed him or give him a pacifier for the first month!!
5. Burping Cloths- buy a ton- you will need them forever.
6. Lot's of comfy clothes to change them into- beacuse they will get them dirty so often- and buying a couple preemie outfits at first is really smart!!
7. Stroller Travel System- it is soo great to not have to wake them up when they are napping.
Things we Did Not use at all...
1. Baby Bath- huge waste of money- more than likely you will bathe her in the sink or in the bath with you.
2. Burping Lap cloths- I stil don't know what they are for.
3. Don't buy a special trash can for the diapers- just buy a regular trash can that has a lid on it.
4. Don't buy too many newborn diapers- they grow out of them pretty quickly.
5. Baby Monitor- have not used it once. Maybe if you are in a house you might use it?
Hope that helps:)
Yes, definitely get a couple of premie sized clothes - those very first pics would have been so much cuter if the clothes actually fit instead of hung off him. We were given a baby tub and it was actually pretty nice - it fit across the kitchen sink so we didn't have to bend over or kneel to give our munchkin a bath (as long as the sink was empty), but we only used it for awhile. If it hadn't been given to us we would have been fine. We like having a Diaper Champ (found at Target). It uses any bag to hold the diapers, which is nice. You just have to be sure you don't overfill it or the bag might tear when you take it out for disposal. We were given a carseat that is rear facing only and Aydn outgrew it in 4 months because of the height restrictions. It was nice (and free) but do yourself a favor and get one that will last longer than until baby's 26". (Ours is Graco and fits our stroller, too, but still...) We never could find a crib bumper by itself - if you want one you have to make it or buy it in a bedding ensemble. If you're limited on space in your kitchen or dining area, consider getting a travel highchair instead of going full size. It straps securely onto any chair ($25 @ WalMart) and when you do get the space for a full sized one, you have a travel chair for those extended visits to friends/family who may not have one. One thing I wish I'd registered for was a complete medicine cabinet for baby. The first time Aydn needed anything OTC it was invariably in the middle of the night! You'll want a fever/pain reducer (Tylenol), colic relief, gas relief, and anything else you see in the baby medicine section you think you might need. Each is $5-10 so it was a pricey first stock up, although you can definitely find cheaper generics for Tylenol ($1.98 at Target). Boppy definitely! As far as strollers go, we got a really good one ($100+) but it's not as portable as we sometimes need. If I had to do over again, I'd get with one that's compact with a cover and a basket, but still folds up small (the one we have will only fit in our trunk if it's empty and was too big to take on the plane). When you switch to formula, look at the walmart brand. It's literally half as much! Ask for an assortment of diaper brands to try out. Every baby is differently shaped and what is perfect for one always leaks for another. Aydn can't wear Huggies, we go with Luvs. But go with whatever works and is cheapest for your cutie's little bum. Happy registering!!
Wow, that was a LOT longer than I intended! Sorry!! =)
I thought of something else..
Go to Huggies website and register and they wil send you good coupons (I only liked Huggies diapers), then register at Enfamil formulas website- they will send a couple small cans of formula free- so just incase breast-feeding doesn't go as planned! The Wal-mart brand of formula is the best- very cheap but has the same ingredients!
*Loved having a cute/ stylish nursing cover to cover up with when breast-feeding:)
A good diaper bag is essential!
2 more cents from me: if you're looking to save money, try cloth dipes. we love them. you will never have a blowout and clothes stay much cleaner. we use gdiapers which is a convertible so you can do a cloth insert at home and then do a flushable/compostable insert when you're out and about.
first of all, every mom is different, and what worked for me, might not for you!
01. a swing. i use it daily and have the kind that can change positions so he doesn't get bored.
02. the little duck with the blue disposable bags. i use them all the time.
03. a good diaper bag that is not too big. if you get a big bag, you just end up packing it, and then it gets way to heavy. i have 3 kids and i just use my purse!
04. the smalled travel stroller system you can find. i think bugaboo is by far the best...but a bit pricey.
05. wipes. wipes. more wipes. get the kind from costco that come in individual dispensers. i hated messing with reloading the other kind.
06. hated boppies.
07. hated diaper genies.
08. hated wipe warmers.
09. love my medela swing pump.
10. can never have too many cute blankies.
11. hate recieving blankets and lap pads.
12. bassinet or co-sleeper is a
must.
13. zippers rather than buttons! especially for onesies!
i could go on forever. best advice: don't go for the gimmicky stuff. it usually isn't that cool and just gets in the way!
and there ya go!
You're going to need so many onesies it's not even funny.
Kept it short and sweet.
um yeah. I'm gonna have to email you.
A handy grandmother is a must.
my little guy loved the bumbo chair and so did I! they look so cute sitting up like that so small.
Ditto on the bumbo. I thought $40 was way too much, but it was SO worth it! My little guy ONLY wanted to sit up, so before he could on his own he was attached to me. Would only swing or lay down for about 2 minutes, then wanted me again. Bumbo saved me life! He LOVED it!
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