Curious if anyone has experience with the dockatot? The reviews make it seem like pure gold, and I've had 3 babies who didn't SSTN til after a year, so I'll try just about anything!
Also curious about a swing vs 4Moms Mamaroo. We don't have a swing anymore, so I'm planning on buying one or the other.
(We live in a big city, so it's easy to find the above on BST sites used for about $100 or less, and I'd plan on reselling them afterward to recoup some of that cost
@MississippiCatfish here's my experience. My lo hated both dockatot & mamaroo. They are both packed up because our pets started to use them as lounge chairs and while I love my pets, no. They were expensive so that was a bummer!
My lo loved the swing whenever we'd have playdates etc. Just my 2 cents.
@elsieisamoocow I used the cybex aton q which I loved. It has the load bearing leg which is a great safety feature. I did need to use adapters which was a pain (to release from my stroller) but it was totally worth it.
Also, for ds , I was deciding between uppababy and bugaboo c3 and went w bugaboo c3 but kind of regret it now. I really love the uppababy features. though the bugaboo still has a kind of classic look I enjoy.
@DuchessOfCambridge@rms924@elsieisamoocow The Nuna Pipa also has a load leg but it also has rigid latch for a secure connection (I don't know of another infant seat with rigid latch). It's a light seat so easier to carry but still super safe. With the European seats, part of what makes them so safe is the load leg in the base and the European belt path for baseless use, which a lot of American brands have (including the Pipa). The Pipa also has a dream drape which is a built in car seat cover that is crash safety tested for use while driving and since it's not a 3rd party product you can use it safely while driving and if anything happens it doesn't void the warranty on your car seat. I may or may not have been researching carseats for over a year.....
Just chiming in to say that I am using www.babylist.com also! As @cmessamore mentioned, you can register everything you love no matter what the site - totally awesome. Perfect for me, since I have a variety of stores I want to register items from!
ETA: They offer a button extension for Chrome, so it can be as easy as pushing the button and registering the item! Simples!
We're going tomorrow to a consultation to set up our registry! I love this thread so much and have been grabbing ideas ...it's still very early for us (7w) but we wanted a registry in place when we tell our family on Easter. I KNOW my mom will want to buy something right away
@DuchessOfCambridge if you are on Facebook, I would search the group "car seats for the littles" it is a very informative group, moderated by certified technicians. You can private message them to ask for car seat selection guidance based on your needs, budget, and vehicle. I find the group very helpful!
Everything is so personal it's hard to say what you "need" to have. My only suggestions/recommendations are get all the burp cloths. All of them. We bought 10 packs of 6 and kept opening new packs until we had enough to have some dirty, some in use, some clean, and some in the wash. We used Dundee Burp Cloths/Diapers. They are holding up very well and we bought them 4 years ago when our oldest was born.
The other piece is for pumping mamas. I had to pump for 9 months with my first due to latching issues and biting. I'm not going to lie and say it was glorious, it wasn't, but what made it worse were the flanges that came with my pump. They were awful. I HIGHLY recommend Pumpin' Pals flanges. They pop into most pump set ups and are angled, not straight, so they are actually shaped like boobs. They come in three sizes although I honestly only used the medium size. First time I used them it was amazing. I went from pumping maybe 5oz total from both sides to 5oz on each side. Major difference!
@Tourmalily (I think?) I've been studying CDs for about three or four years now, and for me it's all about cost. We decided the cheapest route was covers and flats, and we're doing Alvababy covers with flour sack flats and a few Alva bamboo charcoal inserts for doubling. Diaper sprayers are good for those with septic but not really necessary (you can use a liner and flush or make reusable liners from cheap flannel blankets). In all my stash of two small wet bags, two hanging pails, 20 wipes, five covers, 30 flats, 20 inserts, and two Boingo fasteners comes out to only $150 ($90 if we get some of those items from the registry). Some people balk at "China cheapies" but Alvababy, Sunbaby, Kawaii Baby, and a few others are the most recommended for Chinese-made diapers and are often cheaper. In fact the Alvababy covers are said to be the exact same size as a Bumgenius diaper.
As for myself, I'm a diehard minimalist so I actually don't have a lot on my registry. And really I think most of the stuff moms buy now are not necessary and my mother agrees with me (her youngest is 11 so it's not been a long time out of babyhood and childhood for her). I have swaddling blankets, diaper bag, all the bare essentials. Very little baby gear as I don't believe it's beneficial to baby. Most of my fellow baby mom friends love my registry for how much of it is simple and multiuse. They're all kicking themselves for how much stuff they got that they don't use.
25 - FTM - BF Mom - Using CDs - Blogger and Soap Merchant Married for two years to my Honeybear and expecting a little Honeybee on our homestead in Belgium.
@Tourmalily (I think?) I've been studying CDs for about three or four years now, and for me it's all about cost. We decided the cheapest route was covers and flats, and we're doing Alvababy covers with flour sack flats and a few Alva bamboo charcoal inserts for doubling. Diaper sprayers are good for those with septic but not really necessary (you can use a liner and flush or make reusable liners from cheap flannel blankets). In all my stash of two small wet bags, two hanging pails, 20 wipes, five covers, 30 flats, 20 inserts, and two Boingo fasteners comes out to only $150 ($90 if we get some of those items from the registry). Some people balk at "China cheapies" but Alvababy, Sunbaby, Kawaii Baby, and a few others are the most recommended for Chinese-made diapers and are often cheaper. In fact the Alvababy covers are said to be the exact same size as a Bumgenius diaper.
As for myself, I'm a diehard minimalist so I actually don't have a lot on my registry. And really I think most of the stuff moms buy now are not necessary and my mother agrees with me (her youngest is 11 so it's not been a long time out of babyhood and childhood for her). I have swaddling blankets, diaper bag, all the bare essentials. Very little baby gear as I don't believe it's beneficial to baby. Most of my fellow baby mom friends love my registry for how much of it is simple and multiuse. They're all kicking themselves for how much stuff they got that they don't use.
Every mom and every baby is different. Maybe something that you don't think is "beneficial" will be a lifesaver for another mom. Like most of motherhood, people will find and do what works for them.
I agree that everyone is different, but I am also leaning towards minimalism when it comes to baby stuff. Right now I have a registry on Amazon but it's just for me to keep track of necessities and bigger things that I really want (jogging stroller, baby carriers, etc). We will register in-store when we get a better handle on what we really will need, but I still think I'm going to keep it simple and small. We are also getting some hand-me-downs so that helps. We shouldn't need clothes at all for the first few months.
Someone at work told me I NEED a wipe warmer. I think I don't. I mean, it is very possible that baby would like it but I think s/he will survive with cold wipes for a couple seconds. Any other thoughts on this because it seems like a waste to me...
@DuchessOfCambridge I had one with DS1. It was nice, especially for nighttime changes, so it's not a shock to baby when you put the wipe on their bottom. But I didn't use it with DS2 or 3 and they were just fine without it. I also found that it dried out the bottom bunch of wipes, so I felt it was a little wasteful. I vote to not register for it and if someone decides they really want to get you one anyway and gets it for you then go ahead and give it a try.
I dont have a registry..... but i have a list on my fridge in order of what needs purchasing first to last. Does that count?
I have never had a wipes warmer but I'm a bit of a minimslist. I know some mums love them.
I'm torn between a Baby Jogger Premier pram and a RedsBaby Metro still. Am going to a demo day for the Metro next month so hopefully that will help me make up my mind. I was sold on the premier as i love the previous models of pram from Baby Jogger but I didnt love it as much as I wanted to.
Cot and Changer on order......so my list goes:
Cot Linen Sleep sacks & Amber beads Order pram and capsule fittings Nappy bag Swaddles and muslins Sling Car Capsule (we are hiring) Bouncer Highchair Avent Steamer and Blender
@DuchessOfCambridge I've never met a mom who has ever owned one, but I also lived in Texas. Even my friends here in Belgium don't have them and it can get really cold. It's up to you but I couldn't justify it for myself and won't be getting one.
25 - FTM - BF Mom - Using CDs - Blogger and Soap Merchant Married for two years to my Honeybear and expecting a little Honeybee on our homestead in Belgium.
@Tourmalily (I think?) I've been studying CDs for about three or four years now, and for me it's all about cost. We decided the cheapest route was covers and flats, and we're doing Alvababy covers with flour sack flats and a few Alva bamboo charcoal inserts for doubling. Diaper sprayers are good for those with septic but not really necessary (you can use a liner and flush or make reusable liners from cheap flannel blankets). In all my stash of two small wet bags, two hanging pails, 20 wipes, five covers, 30 flats, 20 inserts, and two Boingo fasteners comes out to only $150 ($90 if we get some of those items from the registry). Some people balk at "China cheapies" but Alvababy, Sunbaby, Kawaii Baby, and a few others are the most recommended for Chinese-made diapers and are often cheaper. In fact the Alvababy covers are said to be the exact same size as a Bumgenius diaper.
As for myself, I'm a diehard minimalist so I actually don't have a lot on my registry. And really I think most of the stuff moms buy now are not necessary and my mother agrees with me (her youngest is 11 so it's not been a long time out of babyhood and childhood for her). I have swaddling blankets, diaper bag, all the bare essentials. Very little baby gear as I don't believe it's beneficial to baby. Most of my fellow baby mom friends love my registry for how much of it is simple and multiuse. They're all kicking themselves for how much stuff they got that they don't use.
Every mom and every baby is different. Maybe something that you don't think is "beneficial" will be a lifesaver for another mom. Like most of motherhood, people will find and do what works for them.
I meant no offense! It's just I live in an apartment and don't have room for a bouncer, a play set, and all the other stuff people insist baby "needs" and I've never babysitted or done childcare for a baby that has used them. I figure if all those other babies I've cared for didn't need them then mine doesn't either.
I think the only "gear" we've got is a shopping cart cover because I'm paranoid about shopping carts. That and a single play mat.
ETA: There's also some studies that show evidence that things like bouncing chairs can actually cause hip dysplasia in babies so that also influenced my decision to forgo those types of gear.
25 - FTM - BF Mom - Using CDs - Blogger and Soap Merchant Married for two years to my Honeybear and expecting a little Honeybee on our homestead in Belgium.
@DuchessOfCambridge We had one for DS because DH insisted on it. It was so frustrating when the other parent would forget to fill it with wipes that we'd end up using cool wipes anyway. We ended up abandoning it within a couple months.
Thanks everyone. I do plan on getting things like a bouncer and play pen etc because I think those can be useful (at least for me, if not for baby ) but some stuff that's being pushed I feel is just actually unnecessary even though it coulddd be nice to have like the wipes warmer, and a bottle warmer and a baby food processor. Can't I just put a bottle in some hot water and let it heat up that way and use my own food processor for baby food? It's those kinds of things that make me go hmmmm.
@DuchessOfCambridge I know exactly what you mean. I have a pack n play (for my mom's house) but you really don't need a dedicated processor or wipe/bottle warmer if you don't think you'll use it. I know I wouldn't!
25 - FTM - BF Mom - Using CDs - Blogger and Soap Merchant Married for two years to my Honeybear and expecting a little Honeybee on our homestead in Belgium.
I tried to be a minimalist and now my house is full of baby crap I found the swing, bouncer, diaper bag, sleep sacks, swaddle blankets, and gas drops to be the things I couldn't live without. For the first 3 months of his life we couldn't do much of anything (DS was colicky and we could rarely put him down) I showed up a daycare one day and he was content as could be in the swing. We promptly bought one and a whole new world opened up for us. We could cook dinner again and pick up the house and tons of things that set by the wayside. We still use our playpen for overnight trips. I never bought a wipes warmer because I had a lot of people tell me it was a waste. I may have loved it if I bought one. Who knows? I also didn't buy a bottle warmer because I didn't want DS accustomed to warm milk. Once he switched to formula it was easier to be able to feed on the go with a room temp bottle instead of a hot bottle. With that said, my best friend gave me her warmer after she was finished. We did start warming up his middle of the night bottle in hopes that a warm bottle in his little belly would encourage longer sleep.
This thread has been really helpful. Despite the research I've been doing, I'll still read your guys' lists of "absolutely necessary items" and probably every 1 out of 5 things listed I've never heard of. Like - no clue. Gas drops? Car capsules? Major learning curve over here.
It's overwhelming. And the baby industry is pernicious in its marketing. When we all have our kids we'll all see what we need. Best advice I've been given is "buy the basics and wait".
25 - FTM - BF Mom - Using CDs - Blogger and Soap Merchant Married for two years to my Honeybear and expecting a little Honeybee on our homestead in Belgium.
@DuchessOfCambridge - the nosefreida is necessary. I would say the other stuff is buy as you need.
In addition to the nosefrieda, I would have saline drops, baby Tylenol, baby motrin, and a thermometer on hand. DNW to make a middle of the night run to the pharmacy.
We bought a wipe warmer for my toddler because changes in winter became unbearable when he decided he hated them. It was nice! I don't know if we'll use it for the baby or not bother letting her know those kinds of luxuries so it won't become a necessity lol
I've had to edit my list some. Still trying to figure out and prioritize what we need this time. DS decided he really wants a double stroller to be able to ride next to his sister. It's adorable. But also ridiculous because he will be five. However, he does still ride in his stroller sometimes now and my friend thinks since he's asking to ride with her, it might be an easy way to cut down on some initial jealousy. Sooo not sure about that.
Edited bc mobile's weird autocorrect totally changed the meaning of one of my sentences
@DuchessofCambridge - I don't have the nose frida but I have a similar product from HydraSense - for me it's a must. When they are so little and they have a cold you feel so bad for them and you really can't give them anything so being able to alleviate congestion and help them breath - it's great!
I'm not sure how the hydrasense one compares to the nose frida - they seem to do the same thing.
I never used or felt like I needed a wipe warmer. I would just wad up the wipe between my hands and blow some hot breath on it for a second to take the edge off. In my mind, a nice cool wipe might feel nice after being trapped in a steamy diaper. My daughter never seemed to mind that particular part of diaper changes. She mostly just didn't like laying on her back (because colick) or all the fuss of getting undressed/redressed.
As far as other baby items, I agree that it varies by baby and you definitely don't need ALL THE THINGS. Our swing saved my sanity, my daughter hated the bouncer, and also hated the baby carrier I got until she was about 6 months old. She was either in her swing or laying belly down in our arms while we walked around. Nothing else worked.
@MississippiCatfish We have the mamaroo. We used it religiously for about 2 months but then he started to hate it. It is now an expensive noise machine. We got more use out of the swing. Every kid is different though so maybe our #2 will like it more. I don't have a dockatot but several gals in my Dec 15 mom group used them and said they were worth every penny.
@av2323 - Speaking of Dock-a-Tot which in my opinion is crazy expensive - I have two friends who are pregnant and we were talking about it on the weekend and one of them said they saw a hack where you can make a dock-a-tot out of pool noodles - I'll try and find it.
I could not live without the swing and rock and play. Those two helped me the first 6 months. Especially the rock n play was so easily portable for trips and stuff. However I think we need a pack and play too as neither the swing or RnP are recommended for full night sleep.
Re: Baby Registry
My lo loved the swing whenever we'd have playdates etc. Just my 2 cents.
DS: 18 months
Dx DOR AMH .2
<a href="http://www.thebump.com/?utm_source=ticker&utm_medium=HTML&utm_campaign=tickers" title="Pregnancy"><img
ETA: baby bargains book is the bomb
DS: 18 months
Dx DOR AMH .2
<a href="http://www.thebump.com/?utm_source=ticker&utm_medium=HTML&utm_campaign=tickers" title="Pregnancy"><img
eta words for clarification
TTC since August 2018
ETA: They offer a button extension for Chrome, so it can be as easy as pushing the button and registering the item! Simples!
I like the idea.... really do. Just dont know if it's worth the hype.
The other piece is for pumping mamas. I had to pump for 9 months with my first due to latching issues and biting. I'm not going to lie and say it was glorious, it wasn't, but what made it worse were the flanges that came with my pump. They were awful. I HIGHLY recommend Pumpin' Pals flanges. They pop into most pump set ups and are angled, not straight, so they are actually shaped like boobs. They come in three sizes although I honestly only used the medium size. First time I used them it was amazing. I went from pumping maybe 5oz total from both sides to 5oz on each side. Major difference!
@BumpAdmin @bumpcaitlin-2 @BumpCarley can we please please sticky this?
As for myself, I'm a diehard minimalist so I actually don't have a lot on my registry. And really I think most of the stuff moms buy now are not necessary and my mother agrees with me (her youngest is 11 so it's not been a long time out of babyhood and childhood for her). I have swaddling blankets, diaper bag, all the bare essentials. Very little baby gear as I don't believe it's beneficial to baby. Most of my fellow baby mom friends love my registry for how much of it is simple and multiuse. They're all kicking themselves for how much stuff they got that they don't use.
Married for two years to my Honeybear and expecting a little Honeybee on our homestead in Belgium.
I have never had a wipes warmer but I'm a bit of a minimslist. I know some mums love them.
I'm torn between a Baby Jogger Premier pram and a RedsBaby Metro still. Am going to a demo day for the Metro next month so hopefully that will help me make up my mind. I was sold on the premier as i love the previous models of pram from Baby Jogger but I didnt love it as much as I wanted to.
Cot and Changer on order......so my list goes:
Cot Linen
Sleep sacks & Amber beads
Order pram and capsule fittings
Nappy bag
Swaddles and muslins
Sling
Car Capsule (we are hiring)
Bouncer
Highchair
Avent Steamer and Blender
And thats it.
Am I forgetting anything?
Married for two years to my Honeybear and expecting a little Honeybee on our homestead in Belgium.
I think the only "gear" we've got is a shopping cart cover because I'm paranoid about shopping carts. That and a single play mat.
ETA: There's also some studies that show evidence that things like bouncing chairs can actually cause hip dysplasia in babies so that also influenced my decision to forgo those types of gear.
Married for two years to my Honeybear and expecting a little Honeybee on our homestead in Belgium.
Married for two years to my Honeybear and expecting a little Honeybee on our homestead in Belgium.
I never bought a wipes warmer because I had a lot of people tell me it was a waste. I may have loved it if I bought one. Who knows? I also didn't buy a bottle warmer because I didn't want DS accustomed to warm milk. Once he switched to formula it was easier to be able to feed on the go with a room temp bottle instead of a hot bottle. With that said, my best friend gave me her warmer after she was finished. We did start warming up his middle of the night bottle in hopes that a warm bottle in his little belly would encourage longer sleep.
Married for two years to my Honeybear and expecting a little Honeybee on our homestead in Belgium.
In addition to the nosefrieda, I would have saline drops, baby Tylenol, baby motrin, and a thermometer on hand. DNW to make a middle of the night run to the pharmacy.
Edited bc mobile's weird autocorrect totally changed the meaning of one of my sentences
@DuchessofCambridge - I don't have the nose frida but I have a similar product from HydraSense - for me it's a must. When they are so little and they have a cold you feel so bad for them and you really can't give them anything so being able to alleviate congestion and help them breath - it's great!
I'm not sure how the hydrasense one compares to the nose frida - they seem to do the same thing.
As far as other baby items, I agree that it varies by baby and you definitely don't need ALL THE THINGS. Our swing saved my sanity, my daughter hated the bouncer, and also hated the baby carrier I got until she was about 6 months old. She was either in her swing or laying belly down in our arms while we walked around. Nothing else worked.