I polled my mom friends for recommendations on various baby items. Below is the combined wisdom of at least seven friends.
Nursery
Crib
Use a bassinette for the first few
months; you will sleep better if you can hear them breathing. At least 2 sheets for the crib
We have a mattress that has a firm side (for infants) and a soft side (for toddlers) so that we didn't have to buy a new mattress later.
Pack
N Play
If you don't use a bassinette, use a Pack N Play;
also good for travel, nap at grandmas etc...
We use a Pack N Play instead of a bassinette; also has a changing pad, which makes midnight diaper changes very fast and easy.
On
the Go
Make sure you put the car seat in your
car early; you never know if baby will come early
always make sure you have plenty of gas
in your car
Baby
Carrier
Moby Wrap; you can tie it in several
different way's depending on the size and age of baby. You can even nurse in
it! Sometimes I would put Owen in it just to get him to sleep, and the vacuum
or do stuff around the house. He usually fell asleep in it when he was 0-4
months or so and wouldn't sleep in his crib. It was great for shopping or going
to the grocery store. It fit him a lot longer than the baby back backs.
Bjorn because you can carry your baby
facing out or in. But I found that it killed my lower back to carry my kids in
it once they were over 12 lbs. For that reason I wouldn't recommend it.
Ergo. Seriously, LOVE it. Would
recommend for sure. I use it almost daily.
heard tons of good stuff about
ErgoBaby; you can actually nurse with no one the wiser
I have only had the
Bjorn but I know from other moms that the Ergo is the new, hot, awesome, baby carrier.
I also tried the sling thing and the Moby wrap. I liked the Moby wrap but
it only worked when Parker was little, bitty and it was difficult to put
on.
Car
Seat
brand Graco
We actually had a bucket car seat that
you could just set in the stroller piece for when he was really little, but
only really used it for the first 9 months (when he started walking), so I
don't know that it was the best use of money. If I were to do it again, I would
think about more "transition" type equipment--car seats that will go
forward or backward facing, and can be used as they grow.
I used the graco brand for both kids.
If you are blessed with big babies like I was, then make sure your infant car
seat is for babies at least 30 lbs. Collin's first carseat was only designed
for kids under 20 lbs (which he outgrew at 5 months) so we had to buy another
car seat. We sold that one and got for Lia a graco that goes up to 30lbs. The
recommendation is for babies to be rear facing for 2 years now... so the bigger
the car seat the better. Chances are you will need to switch to
"convertible" type seat before they exceed the weight limit because
their legs are so long. The Convertible seats are nice because they are for
both rear and forward facing kids, and eventually turn into a booster seat, so
Collin will be in his for a long time still. I would get two bases for the
infant carseat and leave it in both cars. I would get two convertible carseats
when the time comes so you don't have to mess with hooking it in and out all the
time if you both will be driving with baby. I know there is a ton of brands out
there and I don't know if it matters which you use. We bought ours a Costco for
less than $100 each.
Love the car
seat/stroller combo because you can pop the seat in and out of the car and take
baby anywhere, even when they are sleeping.
Buy an extra car seat
base so you don’t have to constantly transfer it from one car to the
other.
Once the baby is too
big for that car seat then look into the stationary ones. These are def expensive and require research but you
have time and don’t need to get it right away. I think I finally moved
Parker into the big carseat around a year (Ryan was a little
earlier b/c he was so big).
Strollers
brand Graco
I had for a Collin a jog stroller, an
umbrella stroller and the stroller that you snap your infant carseat into. I
ended up selling the later because we never used it. I use my jog stroller most
of the time. It is a bit large for shopping and what not, which is where the
umbrella stroller comes in handy.
I would suggest one
bigger stroller or maybe a jogger if you think you will be doing lots of
walking/running with baby. BOBs are the best out there for that but are
SUPER, DUPER expensive.
Jogging
Stroller
I got a great jogging stroller off
craigslist; it's nice to have one with large tires, (especially with a
swivel-front tire so you don't have to pick up the front end as you run). Takes
a bit to find one that would be comfortable to run with. Think about height
while shopping.
Some people swear by the BOB strollers,
but I couldn't stomach the price. I would say find one used on Craigslist if
you really want that brand. I have the brand that Target carries, which I have
been happy with for 2+ years now. We also use that stroller for any "off
road" excursions... beach, hiking etc.
Travel/Umbrella
Stroller
I would also suggest
some sort of “travel” (or umbrella) stroller, one that is easy to get in and
out of the car, good to travel with, lightweight, etc. You can’t put newborns
in these so it is something you can wait on but now I only use my travel
stroller. I finally invested in a really nice one and it was def. worth
the money.
I found that it's also useful to have
an umbrella (collapsable) stroller for travel and to the zoo etc.
Love our Peg Perego. But one feature I
highly recommend (regardless of brand) is having a single bar that parent
pushes rather than 2 handles. That way you can steer/push with 1 hand and still
have the other free to hand new bottle forward, text, get a drink, etc. The
ones with 2 handles: MUCH harder to do that!
Feeding
Have some formula around just in case, even
if you are planning on breast feeding; you never know what's going to happen
Breast
Pump
Get a really good cordless breast pump.
Medela Pump In Style-- My insurance
company paid for it; call yours to see if they will pay for one
Madela Breast pump-- very easy to use,
buy parts for etc. I bought extra shields and attachments so I didn't have to
wash everything at work. (This was nice when working 12 hour shifts!) That way
I could just pack everything up and sterilize it when I got home. I used the
sterilization bags--which steamed in the microwave rather than the full thing,
I found it to be cheaper that way.
Don’t buy one immediately. Rent one for
a couple weeks or month from your hospital if they have that option. That way
if for some reason you can't breastfeed you haven't spent $200+ on a pump you
won't be using. Or borrow one from someone or buy a hospital grade one used.
Just buy new membranes & tubes. Those are the only parts that come in
contact with fluids. Bottles, pump parts, flanges, etc. can all be sterilized!
Saves a bunch to do it this way.
Invest in a high
quality, expensive pump! MUST HAVE! Breast
pumps are SUPER expensive the good ones run upwards of $300. I would
highly recommend a Medela pump. You should def do some research on what you will need
your pump for. If you are going to do a lot of pumping, then def get something more hospital
grade. This might be something you can wait on and purchase after baby is
born BUT sometimes it comes in handy early on if you are having any issues with
nursing.
Nursing
bras
Have 3 nursing bras; 1 comfy night time
one that is easy to undo and 2 day time ones
When your boobs grow out of your
current bras while you're pregnant, buy nursing bras--they are stretchy and you
can use them after (rather than buy bigger bras you will never wear
again).
I loved, loved, loved
the sports bra like nursing bras from Motherhood Maternity. I think they are
called “sleeping bras”. Motherhood is great for regular nursing
bras. Just FYI your boobs get gigantic once your milk comes in and you
will be SHOCKED at your new bra size. Wait till after baby comes to get
fitted for nursing bras. Def suggest getting the “sleeping bras” to wear
in the hospital during labor/post baby. Super comfy and better than a hospital
gown!
Boppy
pillow
great for nursing and for tummy time.
There is an organic one and cover.
I used the Boppy but have heard My
Breast Friend is awesome!
Boppy - seriously this is a must have! I would suggest getting at least two
covers because baby is bound to spit up or poop on it.
Nursing
covers
If you're going to use one, start using
it immediately; otherwise you have someone like Gavin who hates it and won't
let ya stay covered while nursing
MUST HAVE! I loved mine and used it all the
time. There are different brand names and you can find them at Motherhood
Maternity or even Target.
Bottles
I wanted to use glass bottles, and
bought a bunch, but barely used them. You can't heat breast milk up in the microwave
(it destroys the proteins); you have to heat up water in a larger cup and then
put the bottle in the cup until it's warm. Using glass bottles became a pain
for this reason as it took way longer to heat through the glass. We often used
the Madela BPA free plastic bottles. When we transitioned Owen to formula, we
used the glass ones.
brand Dr. Browns
Kind of a preference thing, but Gavin
had Colic/LOTS of gas issues, we went through 5-6 different brands (all
recommended or claiming best for reducing colic) but he did best with Playtex
VentAire.
If you're going to breastfeed also, you
want the wide model as it is closer in nipple size to a breast.
And for same reason you want to stick with the slow flow nipple
always (otherwise if you switch to the bottle med or fast flow they'll get mad
at the breast when it doesn't speed up.
I use the Medela breast pump and use
the bottles that are compatible. some babies are particular about nipple type.
Maybe just a couple options to try and get more as needed. Same with pacifiers.
milk storage bags: Lansinoh
breast pads: Lansinoh
Burp
Clothes
Have lots of burp rags and at least 3
blankets
The thicker the
better! The old fashion cloth diapers work great for burp cloths.
High
Chair
Peg Perego
SPACESAVER
I used a high chair
that just strapped to an existing chair. There are also great highchairs that
fold up and store pretty easily. You can also wait on this purchase till
baby is ready to start eating (4-6 months time frame).
Bumbo/ Bebe Pod – MUST
HAVE There has been some recalls on this but only because people are
dumb and think it is a good idea to put your baby on the counter.
Diapering
Diapers
Babies grow so fast that I wouldn't
have more than 1 box of diapers on hand; if you do, then next thing you know they
have out grown them and you’re left with a half a box of diapers that won't
work.
Nature Baby Care diapers-- they are the
most earth friendly, made from non-toxic products, and are often cheaper as
they don't advertise (Diapers.com). I tried cloth diapers, G-diapers, trying to
find the most earth friendly route, but settled on biodegradable, disposable as
a working mom has less time for washing diapers
LOTS of diapers. 10-15 per day!
Pampers Swaddlers (Target)
I wouldn't recommend stocking up on a
particular brand until your know what fits your baby. I also know lots of
babies who have had skin reactions to diapers and wipes. For example the Costco
brand diapers are too narrow for my kids... so many leaks. I like Huggies. You
should have newborn diapers ready before baby is born. Plan for diaper change
every 1-3 hours for the first couple weeks, then it slows down. They seem to
grow fastest in the first 2-3 months so you end up changing diaper sizes
frequently. They seem to be in size 3 diapers for a long time. If you are going
to register for diapers, include a variety of brands and sizes so you can try
them out.
I have mainly used Huggies. I like Pampers but only for the
newborn diapers. Not sure if this is true or not but I have heard people
say that Huggies are better for boys and Pampers are
better for girls (because of the way they fit). It might also just depend
on your kiddo. I would suggest you hold off on buying massive quantities
of diapers or wipes just in case there is an allergy issue.
Wipes
Tons of wipes. The diaper and
wipe brand definitely pampers.
Buy wipes at Costco. You will use
more wipes than diapers (10-15 diapers/day); you do the math!
I find that the Huggies wipes irritate the bums more (they
smell like they have more perfume in them) but the Kirkland brand hasn’t caused
my kids any issues. Either the Huggies wipes or Kirkland wipes are super easy
to travel with too. Huggies wipes come with a travel case and the
Kirkland wipes are easy just to throw in your diaper bag, car, etc
Diaper
Bag
Get something color neutral that your
husband won't be embarassed to carry around.
I like have a
“bigger” diaper bag for longer trips and something smaller for just daily
things or for bringing to/from daycare.
Diaper
Creams
bag balm for sore bums
Def baby
dependent. I prefer to use Balmex (Desitin has a weird smell that I could never
get over and my kiddos all had some sort of reaction to the baby butt paste)
Diaper
Pails
Most diaper pails
require specific ‘bags’ but there are a few diaper pails that just take regular
garbage bags.
Clothing
Don't buy many!! Everyone loves to give
baby clothes. Plus different brands fit differently and until you know if
you're baby is plump or lean then you might buy all the wrong ones. Gavin is
super lean so Carter's onesies fit his body type best.
I'd only aim for about 2-3 outfits per
day per week because you'll be doing lots of laundry anyhow and they grow
out of them very quickly the first yr!!
They will only be in newborn outfits
for about a month at the most so there is no need to buy more than 10 outfits.
Woombie-- my kids both like to be
swaddled for sleep but regular blankets and swaddlers were too small or they
could wiggle their way out. Some babies like to be swaddled some don't; wait
and see kind of item.
PJs-- My
favorite thing for when the baby is little are foot pj’s that ZIP. Zippers are key for
late night/early morning feedings. Easy to get on and off when they get
puked, pooped on, it is 3 am, and you are exhausted. I love the ones that
come in a 3 pack at Target. Those are better for Spring/Summer b/c they
are lighter material. For the winter I love the Carter’s fleece PJ’s
(which can also be purchased at Costco!).
I would suggest not
buying too many clothes items. Baby clothes are something people will
love to buy for you. You want to avoid buying too many things in small
sizes. Generally I would avoid buying any newborn sizes or buy just a few
pieces b/c the baby will only be in these for a short period of time or if you
have a bigger baby (8lbs or more), he won’t fit in newborn sizes anyway.
I used the long sleeved plain white onesies; my daughter threw up a lot so we went through maybe 5/day. As she got older, she still wore them under other clothes, which kept her warm.
Play
Time
Baby
swing
My kiddos loved the
swing, best way to get them to sleep too! Disclaimer: not all
babies like swings. Borrow if you can or have someone buy for you!
Bouncer
If you have a swing,
I don’t think you necessarily need a bouncer too. I liked it for when the
kids were itty bitty and the bouncer is also much more portable than the swing.
Baby Jumper
This is
something all my kiddos love. Def something you don’t need right away
either. If you can borrow one, even better…
Pacifiers
Soothie (these are the green ones)
Books
Baby Signing time. Owen signed way
before he talked (and still does now); I feel that it cut down on a lot of
communication frustration. We started about 6 months or so...
Other
Laundry detergent
Lots
of moms like to use Dreft when the baby is little; in my opinion,
just use the laundry detergent you use and the baby will be okay with it.
Obviously some babies are more sensitive than others so it might just depend…
In
the hospital:
Don't forget your cell phone charger.
Pack snacks in your bag both for you
and your husband.
Shopping
Amazon
Once baby comes you get a 10%
off discount off anything remaining on your registry (& you can add things
to it right up until you use the discount code they'll send you once baby's
born :) Also on Amazon join Amazon Mom - gets you extra discounts and free
prime shipping for up to a year but don't activate that until baby comes along
since it's only good for one year and you'll likely order more once babe is
there than you will beforehand so no reason to use up your 1yr free prime
shipping sooner than necessary.
Order diapers through Amazon Subscribe
& Save program: saves 15% on each order. Even if you only get one shipment
before switching sizes, you can cancel that auto subscribscription and
subscribe to the next size up.
Most will give you a registry completion discount once baby
arrives of 10-15%.
Target
Best prices on Pampers
& has regular sales. Plus if you get too many of a size and then find that
they need the next size up but you still have some left of the smaller size,
Target will exchange an unopened package for one of the same price. The really
big boxes are the best deal & coupons come out all the time for them.
Diapers.com for baby stuff. Shipping is
usually free and comes within a few days.
Costco has best deal
for wipes and diapers… I like the Kirkland brand wipes but I haven’t tried the
Kirkland brand diapers. They also have great coupons for the Huggies wipes and you usually have to buy the
diapers too to get the discount.
