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Cloth diapers!!! You might not use them as diapers, but they are GREAT for burp cloths. they worked A LOT better than the "burp cloths" you buy, too. You can also use them to lay baby on ANYwhere or, if you have a boy, to cover him so you don't get, ahem, "christianed" when you change him ;) They're really good for cleaning up baby after he/she spits up, gets sick, or makes other messes.
Recieving blankets are GREAT, but so are the fleece-type blankets. Also, I LOVED the sleepers that had the closed bottoms. Those things were GREAT for keeping my two warm.
wow... it's been 8 years since I've had to worry about baby stuff... I used most of what I had from him with my daughter, lol.
The baby positioners are great, too. Also, you can never have too many bottles or bottle brushes. I also was glad for having a ton of bibs, especially when my son was teething!!! (He could soak one in five minutes flat, or less!!)
Also, I LOVED the lavender wash; it helped both mine sleep really well.
I never really used a bottle warmer or wipe-warmer. Diaper genies are GREAT. Also, I had several diapers holders that I used for diapers (both cloth and disposable diapers) but also receiving blankets.
Hope that helps!!!
are those the sling-like things that some babies have suffocated in? I was never fond of those because to me, it's like tucking them in a purse... I will recommend the carriers, though. they are GREAT for doing housework and things like that.
I never used anything other than a baby carrier/car seat. Usually, I would use the ones the store had, but with my daughter who was a preemie, I HAD to use the car seat, because she had breathing problems and was too tiny for the store's seats. (she was even too little for preemie clothes!!!)
night lights are always great for you when you have to go get the baby in the middle of the night. Also, a throw of some sort for you to wrap up in with the baby, and a COMFY CHAIR!!!
And have plenty of diaper rash cream. Desitin was the BEST, but Butt-Paste is also good (yes, that's the name of it! LOL!). My daughter had a lot of problems with rashes due to sensitive skin...
Hmmmmm... more than one diaper bag is never a bad thing either. I'd usually forget it in a rush to leave, so I usually left one in the car with some powder formula, bottle, bottle of water, clothes, and diapers, as well as a pacifier and a few blankets. was a life saver more than once!!!
Some of the lists of what to register for are SO long. I used this to focus in at first then added more later.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/babies-kids/news/new-baby-basics-1105/overview/index.htm
Also, I highly recommend getting a current version of "Baby Bargains". I was totally at a standstill and overwhelmed until I bought it. It has good safety + $ saving tips.
@Ryna - The Ergo Carrier is not a sling-type carrier (and is not among those recalled).
@snmcdowell: ah, thank you for that! My youngest is 4, so I don't go in the baby department nearly as much as I used it, lol. I soooo want another, though! (we're hoping for 2012...)
@tobemurphy10: and CONGRATS!!!!! Having a baby is sooo much fun! there is nothing in the world compared to holding your baby in your arms. at least, I don't think there is :)
I never use my wipes warmer or sound soother (white noise maker). But I have found that as MightyBaby gets older I am using more stuff that I thought was useless at first. The things I could not live without:
crib
small dresser
closet organizer/hangars
swing
travel swing
changing table
countoured changing table pad (keeps them from rolling off)
playpen
bouncer
car seat/base
stroller
jogging stroller
baby bjorn
Lovey Duds sling
diaper bag
diaper organizer
Diaper Genie II (not the "Elite" it breaks too easily)
changing pad kit
burpies (cloth diapers) the burp cloths they sell are too thin/small)
Things you won't need to register for because people will buy them anyway:
clothes
shoes/socks
BLANKETS (We easily have 20 of them now...)
on blankets, when you're shopping for yourself/your baby, go with the larger toddler size. in the freezing cold winters, you won't need nearly as many because you can just keep wrapping it around him/her and also, he/she will grow into them. I used that with my daughter and was sooo glad I had them! Also, the fleece throw blankets are just as great.
Another thing I LOVED and got another when my daughter was born, are those lights where the scenes move around in it. I would plug it in and my two would fall asleep staring at it.
http://www.amazon.com/Motion-Moving-Butterfly-Flower-Rotating/dp/B0013FVW12 <-- something like that. we got ours at a "dollar store" for about $20. wore the danged thing out, too! lol, but it was soooo worth it for putting the babies to sleep! We would turn it off after they were sound asleep.... The only good fact is, you can use those when they get older (if it lasts that long!! lol).
we also used a bassinet for my son (he insisted on it), but my daughter HATED it (preemie, what can I say?).
A lot of stuff will vary from baby to baby (ex: bassinet for my son, crib for my daughter). Just register for a variety of stuff and don't worry if you don't use it. You can keep it for the next (if you decide you want another) or give it to someone else after your's is older.
Things people haven't mentioned yet:
a kiddopotomus Swaddleme. These thing are priceless. Cecilia still uses hers, and quiets as soon as we put her in it.
I also don't see "wet bag" on the list, but you are going to need a place to store dirty diapers in your diaper bag, because you won't always have a place to store diapers when you are changing away from home.
Oh, and the yoga ball is an absolute must have. Nothing soothes a crying baby like bouncing on the ball.
I'll come back if I think of more.
I second SwaddleMe blankets. They're incredible! I also like the Aiden and Anias swaddle blankets; they're extra large and have instructions on swaddling for novices. :)
I would say put some type of baby carrier on your registry. Do you research so you can find what will work best for you; my husband and I love the Moby and the Baby Bjorn.
Ummmmmm, I think bottles are great for the registry; we use those every day. I bought a bottle warmer, and we've only used it like twice, so I wouldn't recommend that. Personally, I use receiving blankets as burp cloths because they're so huge and you can buy a five pack of the Gerber ones for $5. Oh, and Addie absolutely LOVES her mobile, so I would recommend putting one of those on your registry.
As far as bedding goes, though, I personally think its better (and cheaper!) to get seperates instead of a set. First of all, you might not even use all the pieces for a while if at all (like the bumper and quilt), and secondly, most sets only come with one sheet. Sheets are what you need the most of because you'll be changing it so often!
My friends who have had kids all agree that a wipes warmer and a bottle warmer are a waste of money!
My one friend religiously used a bottle warmer and then realized one day when she was in a restaurant that her daughter would only take a warmed bottle. She had no way of warming it in the restaurant and had a very unhappy, hungry baby to console.
I'm a soon-to-be first time mom and have been working on our registry. We are trying to keep it to basics. It's hard to know whether a baby will like the swing, the bouncy seat, both or neither until you have a change to try it out.
We started registries with target and babiesrus. It was interesting to realize that different stores sell different patterns and items at different prices... Especially Graco stuff, like the infant seat and pack n play.
We registered for some clothing, but all of it was 0-3 mos. Both my family and hubs family is known for having some huge babies (9-13 pound range! ouch!) and I'm tall with a large frame, so I'm expecting to follow suite. I figure worst case scenario, I'll send my mom out for some new born onseies if we need them.
We registered for a pack n play, since we spend many weekends with hubs family, and will be making frequent trips to see my family as well. It seemed like a great solution to having a portable place to sleep. We plan to use it in our room at first, while people are staying with us, before we set up a crib.
Instead of registering for a jogging stroller and a regular stroller, I found a jogging stroller that has an adapter for the infant seat we registered for.
We registered for an infant seat, and I know it's very convenient to clip in an out, but I'm still debating changing to a convertable seat, to cut down the number of car seats we send to the dump. Plus if we end up with a 10+ pound baby, they'll be able to handle being in a convertable seat better than a 6 or 7 pounder would. I know some feel it's just too big without enough support for a newborn.
We registered for a moby and a baby bjorn. We don't plan to use them all the time, but we hike and go to parks often, and I don't see myself being the type to try to drag a stroller everywhere.
We registered for a breat pump too (Madela Pump in Style, chosen based on reviews). I'm hoping people go in on it together. It's one of the pricier items, but as a mom that will have to go back to work, it's a crucial item to have.
We also registered for gdiapers. We're planning to use them in addition to some bumgenius all-in-ones as we get going. We registered for some eco-friendly newborn diapers to use until the cord falls off, since I didn't think it was worth it to invest in tiny g pants for only a little bit of use, especially if we have a big baby.
Some questions I have are:
what style pack in play did you get? basic or with all the timmings, like new born napper and changing table? Do you like what you have?
Did you chose a convertable car seat over an infant one? Why and did it work well?
What are some things you recommend waiting to buy, as opposed to registering for?
Also, how was the return policy for registry items at the places where you registered?
This is a great thread. :-D
@ mrstilly - At our childcare class, a local fireman certified in carseat installation came and talked to us about carseats. He said its best to use an infant carseat until the baby is at least a year old because of the way they are designed to cocoon a baby in the case of an accident. Babies bones, especially neck bones are very soft in the first year, and convertible carseats don't give the right support and protection for those fragile little bodies.
@mrstilly: we got the pack n play with the bassinet but we only used in the very beginning. As for the carseat we got the travel system so we used the infant seat. The convertible ones look too big for an infant. We registered at Target and the return policy was fine. I'd wait on diapers and wipes because you won't know how sensitive the baby's skin will be or what diapers work best. I really liked the halo sleep sacks. I think you can get them at baby's r us. I also loved my boppy but I know some people didn't like it.
Well, I can say that I second all that Mrs. Spring says. Aden and Anais blankets, while expensive are great! (Especially for the hallowed double swaddle technique which you can see on you tube)
I wholeheartedly agree with the safety of an infant carseat.
And we forewent the pack and play altogether. Baby sleeps in a sleep positioner next to us and is babyworn while awake. (all hail LoveyDuds!)
This is such great information. Keep em coming! We are having a baby boy and he is due Dec 23 so I figure the quicker I can get this started the less I have to worry about near the holdiday season when everyone else is out shopping!
How did you moms choose what kind of bottles to use?
Also, we registered for a sponge type bath support to use in our reg tub as opposed to a baby tub. We did that for storage reasons, as well as two moms I know said baby tubs were pretty much a waste and they didn't use them. I'm all for cutting down on the baby gear and not buying large, plastic things that might just ultimately end up in the landfill.
@mrstilly: Great question. We did all kinds of research and decided that Dr. Brown's would be best for our baby (reduces air intake).
Well, then we met our baby who refuses ALL bottles. We went through Dr. Brown, Avent, Playtex, etc etc. The only ones she'll take are the MAM bottles, and even then she'll only take half an ounce.
We were glad we only got a few of each kind before she was born, because it would have been a wasted investment otherwise.
Mrs. DG -
I'm sorry your baby had so much trouble with bottles! Do you know which bottles are recommended for breastfed babies? I wanted to get some different kinds of bottles so that hopefully my baby will find one that he or she will like.
A close work friend breastfed while on maternity leave, but stopped when she went back to work because pumping was just impossible at her job. She started with tommee tippee bottles before returning to work and her baby loved them. She said they are formed to be like a breast.
Has anyone used these?
I second the suggestion to buy "Baby Bargains"--they test and base their opinions on thousands of parents' opinions of products. They tell you what you really need and what you can skip.
I'm also a 1st time mom, and the book has opened my eyes to how much stuff is marketed at us, but how much is unnecessary.
@Mariavvisa I haven't bought the book; what kinds of things does it say are not really necessary and are more market ploys?
I was complaining to hubs the other night that basically every baby item is around $80 to $150. It's so rediculous!
Tommytippee didn't work for us, but MAM has a similar shape and does work... so who knows!!!
Right now we're on strike with MAM too, though it did work for several days. Bottles are such a baby specific item, it's crazy!
My support group recommends the Breastflow nipple for breastfeeding babies. It's used with The First Years Breastflow bottle. Although like MrsDG pointed out, your baby will choose what bottle/nipple s/he wants anyway, LOL.
For the pack n play, we purchased the "Carter's Comfort Center Playard and Changer - Safari Friends" one. We chose it because if follows the Consumer Reports safety guidelines for a playard, because it is gender neutral, and because we wouldn't have a crib for the first three months or a changing table, so we needed something that would serve both purposes. The Carters changing tables are SO MUCH better than the Graco ones if you're doing that. Their bassinets also hold more weight. If you're wondering how a playard will handle a baby at two months, get something that weighs 10-15 pounds and place it on the changing table and in the bassinet at the store. I found that the Graco changers tilted with the weight because they were only supported on one side by plastic. Also some bassinets weren't supportive enough and bowed with weight. We used our playard as a primary sleep/changing area and love it. My nephew (15months) also got to use the playard when he visited, and it worked well for him too. (We didn't put him in the bassinet, we put him all the way down).
If you're BFing I also recommend registering for a double electric breast pump!
For bathtime, we purchased a bath seat. It keeps baby upright and folds for storage. I agree that a whole bath tub is a waste of space when you already have a sink/tub.
I really really recommend hitting up garage sales for these items:
Most I've seen for $5-$10 and barely used! If it's overpriced or overused, don't bother. But you could get those items cheap, then people may buy the breast pump of some other expensive item on your registry.
@MrsTilly--so, I loaned the book to a friend before reading all of it, but I remember them having a good bit on bumpers and crib dust ruffle stuff. They're of the opinion that since bumpers can be suffocation hazards once the baby's a certain age, they're unnecessary. They do tell you to get good crib sheets that have elastic all the way around, and good blankets, but you don't need a quilt even.
Another thing I remember reading was about newborn clothing--since newborns are just well, bundles of joy that don't move around a ton, you may as well keep kiddos in sleepers rather than investing in lots of super-small pay clothes. The authors list approximately how many of each item is useful.
They also do brand recommendations, which is infinitely helpful when it comes to car-seat buying.
Thanks Mariavvisa! I was wondering if it was the kind of stuff that you can get from talking to other moms and doing some internet research or if it was worth buying the book. I'll have to check it out.
A friend of mine tried various specialty types of bottles, and found that generic bottles worked best for her and her baby. She swears by her moby, and says that her Diaper Genie was the most worthless thing she's ever bought (a regular trashcan is just as functional by her reckoning.) Boppy pillows have mostly been useful for tummy-time rather than breastfeeding...
I have one of the First Years Breastflow Bottles. I would only recommend it if you're both bottle and breastfeeding. Also, I would probably recommend slow flow for this as well. Our daughter hates the First Years (though she will still take it) after using some of the fast flow nipples. We also have the Ventaire bottles.
I would definitely look for swings or bouncers at garage sales, craigslist or freecycle rather than in store. Our daughter loved the bouncer, but was scared of the swing at first. Now, she loves both since she's older. My mom found both on craigslist and got a great deal.
Sheets are an obvious must, but be prepared not to get any. We didn't.
We also have a bottle warmer. We only use it for instant formula that we have to store in the fridge, but honestly, our daughter will take the bottle either way. Wipe warmers are nice, but our daughter reacts the same to diaper changes whether the wipes are warm or not. Also, the last few wipes tend to dry out unless you make sure to change out the filter often, and even then it doesn't always work.
You'll get lots of clothes no matter what, and almost none that you'll register for, so it's best to just leave them off the registry. We received way too many clothes, blankets, and washclothes.
Sleep positioners are nice, as are head supports for car seats. Our daughter is two months old and starting to grow out of the head support, but it was great while she couldn't hold her head up.
Oh yeah the Summer Infant Snuzzler. She used it up until she was 24" and it kept her head from falling in the car seat.
Car accessories:
Car seat protector: useless!
Window shades: NECESSITY
Mirrors to see the baby: USELESS!! I tried every brand and they all suck.
This is a FANTASTIC list! thank you all so much and keep it coming :) I love reading this and I'm not even pregnant----yet!
Tee hee, we made our own car mirror to see the baby and it works pretty well. We just got a shaving mirror and put velcro on the back of it and on the ceiling of the car positioned so that I could see the baby. Perfect for our 15 hour drive from Seattle! Some things you don't need to pay a lot of money for!
@Mrs. DG: Yeah, the shatterproof ones they sell are so distorted, you can barely make out the baby AT ALL. Let alone if she's got her bink in her mouth! Good call on making your own!
Thought I'd revive this thread. We're making our Amazon baby registry now. We have the crib, changing table, stroller, carseat taken care of but the day to day stuff I'm less sure about and thought maybe as the babies grew people have new can't live without items and a few more people have had babies and might have suggestions.
This is our list of stuff (some purchased already and some stuff we still need to get) We had a suprise shower this past weekend, and were gifted so many wonderful things. We really tried to keep things to a minimum so we aren't run over with so much baby gear.
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Hello Ladies,
I need to start my registry and have no idea where to start. So I was wondering what items you found most useful/ what you couldn't live without and other items you really liked? Any information would be fab