Advice for soon to be FTM

Lolasky

Hello ladies! I'm a first time mom due in November and was needing se advice from you ladies. DH and I want to start doing some shopping but can't decide on much. There are so much options and gadgets. Could you ladies be kind enough to let us know what the necessities are for the first few months? I would much rather stick to buying things we'll actually use rather than waste money on 'cool' useless things. TIA and congrats on your bundles of joy!

Shoecrazysarah

The one thing that I didn't have in advance that I could not live without is our Rock n Play.

LO sleeps in our room. I had planned on using Pack N Play, but LO wouldn't sleep in it. He liked the swing which was out in the family room. I figured he prob liked being cradled more over the openness of the PNP and purchased the Rock n Play. Once swaddled he will sleep 8-9 hours a night. So, yes, swaddles too!

But save receipts so you can return anything LO doesn't use or like. Buy Buy Baby even let me return bottles I used that LO didn't like! Target is the same way.

amie444

Swaddles! I used the swaddle me sack. We use them for naps and bedtime. And for my little girl background sound either a sound machine or download to your iPod. She loves to listen to the ocean

carrotcake06

Go get the Baby Bargains book.

Ashfann93

I love our cradle swing. My little guy has never been consistent with how he sleeps, first weeks it was only in the swaddle, then it was all sprawled out, then it was in the swing. When he's cranky and just won't go down, the swing is a lifesaver. People tend to knock the wipes warmer, but I love mine and I'm sure my little boy appreciates it love my hoppy pillow, even when I wasn't able to breast feed I still use it for propping and for support when bottle feeding. Car seat obv, could've waited on the stroller because I use my balboa baby sling all the time. Ton of onesies, he lives in them. And a good, cute diaper bag that you want to carry with tons of pockets. A friend got me a pretty Vera Bradley bag, it's great, and I can throw the whole thing in the washing machine if needed.

costa2011

You don't have to get these exact brands but here's what I could not live w/o:

Boppy pillow

Fisher Price Snugabunny Swing

Homedics sound machine and projector

Medela breast pump

Similac bottles

Onesies, tons of them.

Footsie pajamas, tons of those too.

Munchkin changing pad covers (they are big enough to cut in half and save money!)

Munchkin diaper bags (instead of getting a diaper genie whose refills are going to cost you a fortune, get a trash can with a lid...pee diaper can just go straight in it and poop diapers you put in one of these bags and then into the trash)

Sassy bug car seat toy

And last but not least...the thing we've used the most...Fisher Price Comfy Time Bouncer

 

 

blueturkey12

I completely agree with the My Brest Friend and the Rock N Play - we use both multiple times a day.

I also love my Aden + Anais blankets as well as the jumbo pack of cloth diapers we bought to use as burp rags.

I was surprised how long our LO was in NB size diapers - I had only bought one pack of 30 but we didn't switch to size ones until yesterday and he is four weeks old so I would have a few extra packs of those on hand.

Minkybodinky

There are 3 things I wish I would have bought before baby arrived. Sleepsuitsbwith integrated mits! A vibrating baby bouncer chair! A gro egg and grobag! Hope this helps..good luck x

AllieAGame

Snugabunny Swing (Fisher Price)

Calming Vibrations Bouncy Seat (Fisher Price)

1 pack of Swaddle Me blankets (with velcro- works like a charm!)

TONS of onsies- no one wants to do laundry with a newborn

Soothie pacifiers for newborns like they have in the hospital

Good luck!

AllieAGame

Also, don't mess with newborn clothes- they grow out of them so incredibly fast, and you'll probably get a bunch of them as gifts anyway. I would only buy starting at size 0-3, personally. Same with diapers. Our LO was 8 lbs at birth and went straight into the Pampers Swadlers Size 1 (still in them at 2 months). 

amcongdon

Breastfeeding pillow, halo sleep sack, a good large water bottle for you - I was/am thirsty all the time, footing pajamas. I agree with skipping newborn clothes. Our son was 8 lbs when he was born and all tr newborn stuff was too small by 2-3 weeks. Now we are even growing out of 3m stuff and he's not even 3 months.

amandalgreene86

A changing pad that does not have a fabric cover but more of a plastic one where you can wipe it clean, a bouncer, a play mat to lay LO on and to use for belly time, if you are going to use bottles buy some medium flow nipples in case the slow flow nipples don't work well for LO, a carrier, a rack to dry bottles and pacifiers (I hand wash so dishwasher doesn't get filled so quickly), and lots of socks to cover hands bc of their sharp nails (mittens will not stay on!).

costa2011

AllieAGame said:

Also, don't mess with newborn clothes- they grow out of them so incredibly fast, and you'll probably get a bunch of them as gifts anyway. I would only buy starting at size 0-3, personally. Same with diapers. Our LO was 8 lbs at birth and went straight into the Pampers Swadlers Size 1 (still in them at 2 months). 

Ya, just to add to that....DON'T EVEN REGISTER FOR CLOTHES, AT ALL. You're going to get them anyway, and tons of them! I had this issue personally and have learned.

kristinyoung111

Get an activity gym. Best thing we got for our LO. A bassinet, bottles and a way to sterilize the bottles in the microwave, rings (those little colorful ones that link together), carseat, some blankets for wrapping kiddo.

trudibell

Everyone told us not to buy newborn sized anything, so we didn't and our son was swimming in his clothes for the first month!  So buy a few newborn sized things - onesies with long sleeves and covered hands are really great because your LO will have long dagger like nails that you can't cut for the first six weeks (you can use an emory board) and will scratch his/her face.  I wish I had known about these before!

Also, go for the idiot-proof swaddles like Swaddle Mes.  We got all sorts of fancy muslin swaddle blankets and couldn't figure them out while our son wriggled and fought them tooth and nail.  We all sleep a lot better discovering the velcro option.

Fitnessteach2010

My DD loves the sleep sacs! I totally recommend them. I also got a wipes Warmer because she would cry when I changed her.

opheliainwaders

Buy some swaddling blankets! DD was early, and the swaddle me's and other Velcro stuff were too big to use. Of everything we got, the stuff I actually use is:
A&A swaddle blankets
Long sleeved onesies
Feetie pajamas
Coconut oil
Diapers and wipes
Ring sling and Ergo
Bassinet
Baby probiotic!! Gerber Soothe Colic Drops. They help a lot with gas when used regularly.

ASmallWonder

It's so hard to really say what any baby will like.  With my first I would have sung the praises of the cradle swing and automatic bouncing seat.  He adored them.  This LO barely tolerates them.  This time I'm using a Moby, which I never thought I would despite the way some people love them. Then there's a lot that comes down to personal preference.  I wouldn't waste money on ways to sterilize bottles.  A pot of boiling water works just fine.  A bottle warmer?  Unless your LO teaches you that he or she has a definite preference, do yourself a favor and start off with room temp bottles.  You'll be thankful when it comes to making bottles when you're on the go.  Newborn clothes are a must for some babies.  Both my boys were under 7 pounds and wore NB clothes for well over a month, closer to 6 weeks.  Don't buy a ton but 0-3 is massive on some babies.  

opheliainwaders

Oh, also, steal as many receiving blankets from the hospital as you can! And the old school cloth diapers make the BEST burp cloths.

HZ2012

TONS of burp cloths and onsies! And if your bottle feeding, tons of bibs. My advice is to register for all if the popular items: swings, bouncy seats, rnp, pack n play, etc and play by ear to see what your LO likes.

Lolasky

Sorry I haven't been on TB for a few days. Thanks so much ladies for all your advice. This has definitely helped.

provwife

Things we use everyday are pack and play with changing table, rock n play to sleep by my bed at night, swing and bouncer for during the day (we keep ours in the living room). Lots of burp clothes, recieving blankets, sleep n plays and outfits (I prefer 1 pieces). And of course you need a carseat, diapers and wipes.
Others I use but some don't are nipple shield and pacifier.

Kebruce

Gripe water and gas drops to have on hand when your LO starts to develop burping issues/reglux/gas 

Medela breast pump-it's expensive but can make the difference if you have supply issues

Dr. Brown's bottles-help with colic and gas

Swing- my son hated sleeping anywhere else after the first week

Large enough swaddle blanket 

Nubba wubba soothie pacifiers-costs a bit more but worth it they stay in their mouth

No scratch mitts and socks (decent amount of both)

My breast friend breast feeding ( boppy works but imagine having to reposition the baby and pillow during feeding then having to relatch baby, frustrating