I agree with @gazelle319 about the rock and play. My SIL had them for her twins and they both had to wear helmets, they also had torticollis. They were told to stop using them immediately.
I'm sorry they had torticollis, that's not an easy thing to go through. I do want to point out, though, that Rock n' Plays do not cause torticollis, and flat heads are a symptom of that. You're correct in that babies with torticollis should not use a RnP, but it would be misleading to claim that was the cause.
Oh I know that it didn't cause it. I was just saying they were told to stop using them. Edit to add, that I didn't say that the RnP causes the torticollis, sorry if that was misleading.
DD born August 17, 2010 DS born October 13, 2014 Baby #3 due March 2018
Loved: nose frida summer infant swaddles then zip sleep sacks after that (weaning from the swaddle was tough) tula (I like it better than my ergo, other than that they like to face outwards as they get older) mamaroo (ds used this multiple times per day) pnp with infant attachment sound machine exersaucer (for when they're older, but was the best occupier for months)
- We have a vibrating rnp and I loved it. We used it for just the first 2 nights for night time sleep, then we transitioned to the bassinet insert in the pnp. We went through a phase when DS would sleep in his crib great at night, but not for naps. He would only sleep in the rnp or if I was wearing him.
- nose Frieda is amazing. I thought it was disgusting and I refused to get one. DS got his first cold and I caved and bought one. I've never looked back.
- video baby monitor - we have the Infant Optics brand and I have no complaints. We will be purchasing a second camera for this baby and we can watch both on the same monitor.
- baby gear - you can ask 10 people and get 10 answers here. Every baby is different. My best friend's baby loves the Bumbo. My baby hated it. We registered for everything we thought we might need, but any big gear that wasn't gifted (with the exception of safety items), we tried to buy second hand. We got a $150 swing for $50.
I hated the reusable nursing pads. They got soaked so easily and were very uncomfortable. The disposable ones were sooooo much better. They lasted through the night, which is crazy considering how much I leaked... they were like a diaper themselves, they hold so much liquid! And I don't think they are as noticeable under clothing either.
Seriously, I could not have enough swaddle blankets. The muslin swaddles are amazing, especially in the warm and hot months!!
And agree with everyone on the clothing... I bought a lot of cute stuff that was a total pain and all he ever wore in the beginning were PJs. And when babies are tiny it's completely acceptable for them to be out in public in their jammies all the time. You will go completely insane with PJs with buttons. Go for zippers every single time!!
We LOVED our swing... it went forward swinging and side to side. That is wear DS spent a ton of time because he wouldn't nap in his crib until 3+ months.
*TW*
DS slept in the Rock n Play for the first 3 months next to our bed and he napped in it also. It really was amazing, he slept soooo well in it. He was sleeping 7 hour stretches at 6 weeks old. But for LO I am not allowing the RNP for night sleeping (or any time when I am sleeping too). I read a very devastating blog by a woman whose baby suffocated in their sleep because of the angle of the RNP. I don't care what it takes or how frustrating it is, LO is sleeping on a flat surface no matter what.
*END TW*
Definitely a play gym... the kind where the baby lays on their back and looks up at things. Make sure it has lights for them to look at because DS could stare at those for like 25 minutes at a time. It takes a couple months before they seem to notice and interact with toys, but this was one of his favorites when the time came!!
A moby wrap or some other soft wrap was essential for us. He slept on us so much in the beginning. For awhile I just enjoyed it and laid on the couch all day but eventually I needed to start getting some chores done
I hated the reusable nursing pads. They got soaked so easily and were very uncomfortable. The disposable ones were sooooo much better. They lasted through the night, which is crazy considering how much I leaked... they were like a diaper themselves, they hold so much liquid! And I don't think they are as noticeable under clothing either.
So much this. I really wanted the reusable ones to work but I was a leaker and they soaked through every time. I stocked up on lasinoh disposables on Amazon and they were awesome. No nipple show through in unlined bras or when going braless too! (Not that I ever really went braless with those nursing knockers i had, ha.)
i also read read that article about the RNP and feel the same way about the nighttime sleeping, BUT I think I might invest in the owlet monitoring sock and I guess that would sort of help the situation. Also I bought a different type of rock and play (not fisher price, I don't think) that was flatter and had mesh sides but was the same idea and I think I'll use that one. I'll try to find a link to it if it's still available and share it here.
If you have a two story house, you might want to invest in a pack and play with a newborn lounger or removable seat/changing area for naps and changing without having to go all the way upstairs to the nursery. I had one for DD that we never used because we had a ranch, but now that we're in a colonial i know it'll get a ton of use.
I never used the scratch mittens, but DD LIVED in the sleeper gowns. They usually have foldover fabric at the end of the sleeve for that purpose, and they make diaper changes so easy, plus they're breathable.
for toys, a hanging stroller/car seat toy is key, and the banana brush is awesome for teething. the stacking cups were a hit for many months, and the baby Einstein take a long music toy was great for early on. I always buy the tiny love take along mobile as shower gifts because it's awesome for travel, clipping onto a rock n play or a stroller. get the toy straps that keep toys, cups, pacifiers, bottles, etc anchored to the high chair or stroller so you don't lose any or have to keep picking them up.
New items I want to try this time - boppy newborn lounger (or I heard the pod one is just as good too) and comotomo bottles.
We got the Mamaroo swing and DS hated it when it was moving, he only tolerated it when it was still. It was the most expensive chair ever.
The best thing we got we got was the aiden and anis muslin easy swaddle thing that wraps around their body then snaps. It made swaddling so so easy! I want like 15 more. DH was the only one who could actually swaddle DS so I had tonuse the "auto swaddle" as I called it.
FYI if anyone gets thrush on the nipples, reusable nursing pads are recommended because they breathe. The disposable pads have a plastic backing and hold moisture. Bamboobies are awesome when you have thrush. other than that reason, I loved the disposable nursing pads. Medela and Lansinoh were my favorite!
I agree with many PP that the rock n play was awesome! We also have one with mesh type fabric on the sides. FWIW we never had any flat head issues.
We also really liked having a portable high chair once our LO could sit up. We eat out often and found that most of the restaurant high chairs were too low and DS was not able to play with the toys that we brought.
For working/pumping mamas, I would recommend getting extra parts to either store at work or so that you do not have to wash every night. I forgot to pack parts on more than one occasion and ended up running to Target on my lunch break
My number one recommendation is lansinoh soothies gel pads. They are heaven the first few days/weeks of breastfeeding. I used them much longer because both my girls were tongue tied and I was completely shredded until they fixed the tongue tie. These are a life saver.
I also second the infant optix video monitor, rock n play, and white noise machine.
@heatherdubrow, did your girls' pediatrician snip the tongue tie? I didn't really have any time to prepare/research before we were sitting in the ped's office and he recommended it for DS. He did it, and it really improved breastfeeding, but part of me felt a little ill prepared to make such a choice for him. Are your girls older and talking? I think I worry about it impacting his speech, but that's probably a totally baseless worry.
My SIL bought us a Rock & Play, and we really resisted using it as much as possible, partly because of all the concerns, but also because we really wanted DD to sleep in her crib or pack'n'play. HOWEVER, it was really a life saver sometimes. Especially during her 4-month sleep regression, we were desperate to get her to sleep, and she would only sleep in her R&P. (DD never had any flat head issues.) And in the end, she obviously outgrew the R&P and learned to sleep in her crib just fine. So for Baby #2, I think I will resist the R&P a little less.
I also swore I'd never use a Nose Frida, because that's gross. (I didn't realize there's a filter to keep the snot out of your mouth. Yes, I actually thought moms were sucking their kids snot into their mouths.) My DD's first runny nose, though, her nose actually started bleeding because I had to keep putting the aspirator in and out, in and out, so we bought a Nose Frida, love it, and still use it after every bath.
Only regret was going for cheapy cloth diapers. (Diaper Rite All-in-Ones - I don't think they're even sold anymore.) They started leaking out the stitching within 5 months of use, so we switched to BumGenius All-in-Ones (almost twice the price per diaper), which are great.
The rock n play was a godsend for both of my kids. I cannot live without that. Definitely try it. I also bought a white noise app on my phone. Look into the "happiest baby on the block". You can probably get the DVD from the library
I regret buying an infant car seat rated for 35 lbs. It was very heavy, cumbersome and had trouble fitting in restaurants, etc. I wish I had gotten the smallest size. My daughter is 3 and only weighs 30 lbs. We could have easily gotten away with an infant car seat rated for 20 lbs since we moved both kids to convertible seats around 8 months anyway.
@LiveNLove44 with my first it took 7 weeks (ouch!!) to identify and I ended up seeing a breastfeeding specialist MD who figured it out and clipped it. With my second, the same things happened so I knew right away. For me it was either clip or stop breastfeeding because I was in so much pain and had open wounds. From what I understand clipping a tongue tie typically improves speech. Both of my dd's have an understandable vocabulary.
Oh, and we decided to buy an infant seat (Keyfit 30, I believe) rather than a convertible seat, and I'm so glad we did. I had a 2-door car, and it would have been awful trying to slide into the backseat in the middle of winter to buckle/unbuckle a newborn. We bought an extra base (at a garage sale) for my husband's car - also worth it!
My DD is tiny, so she fit her infant seat until she was 1.5, and now we'll still be able to use it for Baby #2.
Lucies list was a website that was recommended to me when I had my son. She goes through all the categories for babies and compares different brands. I thought it was very helpful, especially when buying the bigger items like car seats and strollers.
If anyone is looking to use a convertible from birth, double check your hospital policy. My hospital policy required an infant seat and the installation and buckling of the newborn was inspected before discharge.
We were always pretty basic because of space issues. The PNP with bassinet is my favorite. It has been very durable as well. I also had a bouncy chair that was excellent. None of them liked the swing. We had two cribs, but they hardly slept in them. I loved having a bunch of diapers before they arrived. I loved the umbilical notch on the Pampers and Huggies.
Wipe warmer: My husband loved it till it died (fyi he never used it for the kids lol). Bottle warmer: We used it and it was fine. It did seem to get the breast milk a little too hot at times. They might be better now. That was one we bought with my first. Travel system: Loved I haven't used this for any of my kids (I don't know that it existed when they were babies), but I bought it for my friend last year. It was fabulous for c-section moms. Ingenuity InReach Mobile Lounger and Bouncer.
I noticed some people said they hated the reusable breast pads but I LOVED them... I found disposable ones to be a waste of money when the reusable ones were so easy. Also, everyone will say not to buy newborn clothes/diapers, which may be true for some but each baby is different! DS wore newborn for nearly three months! I've also seen some say you'll only use a handful of onesies/outfits but that also was not the case for us. DS was a happy spitter and we literally went through 6+ outfits a day and ALL our bibs/burp cloths (over 20!) in 2-3 days... so again, you just never know!!! ETA... if you have the talent at all make your own burp clothes! I bought flannel fabric and terry cloth and made them and they were way better than the ones from the store that we had.
I agree with @katester91... Lucies List is pretty great. And the best resource I found for the whole postpartum what to expect deal.
I agree with everything @scoogy19 said as well--I hated disposable ones. They itched and rubbed and irritated. I recommend Bamboobies. And DS also went through 3-6 outfit changes a day and a ton of burp cloths. Also, the basic Gerber cloth diapers ((found at Walmart)) are amazing for burp cloths. My MIL sewed an extra piece of flannel on one side and then they didn't leak through either. I used those with my A+A swaddles.
My biggest registry regret was a nursing pillow. I got the Ergo Baby brand, which I thought would be great because it was ergonomic, but I could not for the life of me get it situated right and found myself just wanting to kick it across the room during middle of the night nursing sessions. We also found out our little guy had reflux and I needed to nurse him in more upright position - so no nursing pillow at all would have helped with that. Regular pillows to help keep my arm comfy worked just fine.
I also think the swing was unnecessary for us (we had the FP Snugapuppy). DS was just as happy, if not more so, in the vibrating bouncer, which was 1/3 the price, took up way less space and was extremely portable. My husband would put the baby in the bouncer, lift it and sway it side to side and it was like magic for getting him down, but he'd never go to sleep in the swing.
Also, we did not like the Comotomo bottles. Our baby would only drink bottles if they'd been warmed, and those are made of silicone, which is heat resistant, so it took a long time to get them warmed up. Plus, they aren't narrow enough to fit into a bottle warmer.
Some of our favorite items were/are:
Pack n Play Bouncer Lillebaby carrier (also worked great for getting baby to sleep) BOB Stroller Swaddles (both muslin and velcro kinds) Zipadee Zips for transitioning out of the swaddle and then regular sleepsacks for after that Infant Bathtub with a mesh sling Inflatable Duck tub for after he outgrew the infant tub (we're still using it at 13 mos.) IKEA hooded towels, which are actually big enough to keep using for quite a while
The playmat...the brighter the better even if it doesn't cordinate with your living room. I got a pretty one my DS hated and my mom had a cheap crazy colored one he ended up loving (and I ended up stealing it)
also so don't be afraid to register for things for the whole first year, not just the infant stage. Think high chair, walker, toys...that stuff comes in handy when your 6 months into paying for diapers and formula and don't have much extra cash to spend on things!
I second the Gerber cloth diapers as spit rags! They're super absorbant and durable, as well as cheap, and they have a variety of other uses once the spit up stops.
Also second the colorful play gym. Not just the mat, but the full gym with stuff that hangs from the crossbars. DS loved his from age two weeks to nine months when he learned to crawl. We're using the same gym for #2.
I also went through lots of clothes - spitting and leaks! And I do prefer cute outfits because ummmm babies are cute and baby clothes are darling! Not fussy though! I wouldn't taken the tags off nb sizes though till you know. Mine never wore nb diapers (with the notch!!) let alone clothes. They were 8.4/5/6 so not huge.
We are pretty minimalist and I tried really hard not to get sucked into buying all the gadgets. Some of our favorite things and things that got a ton of use were... - Nose Frida - the thing is AHHH MAZING - BOB Stroller - I literally use it EVERYDAY - Halo Sleepsacks - I had at least two in every size so I didn't have to worry about one being dirty and not having another. - Endless amounts of burp clothes - seriously oh cannot have enough - Muslin blankets - Lillebaby carrier - Boppy Lounger - Guava bassinet/crib - Comfortable nursing bras - I had to buy a few until I found some that were comfortable - A small owl light (target I think?). I used it to walk from my room to R's room for middle of the night feedings and diaper changes. Also had a dim turtle light in his room I turned on when changing him so I didn't have to turn on any bright lights. - Bibs with a catcher tray - We have 3 and use them every day and take them to restaurants, too. - EZPZ mat for meal time (solids)
Thing that were a waste... - Travel system. We used the stroller a handful of times but once we got the BOB the Britax stroller went into the basement and has never seen daylight since. - Vibrating chair - This was handed down to us, thankfully we didn't spend a dime. R hated it. - Cloth bibs - That I sewed myself. Things didn't absorb squat. But they looked cute.
Basically, every kid is going to be different. My advice would be not to spend a ton on "extras" before the baby gets here but to play it by ear.
My one splurge this pregnancy is going to be a nice diaper bag because I HATE the one we have for our son. Any recommendations one that you absolutely love?
@Ambybambi I'm really loving our Ju Ju Be B.F.F. diaper bag in backpack mode. It has tons of room - enough for 2 kids (maybe not with CDs though) and lots of pockets.
Me: 30 H: 30 Dx: PCOS Married: June 2013 TTC#1: January 2015 BFP #1 8/24/15 | MC 9/3/15 at 6w2d BFP #2: 12/12/15 | DD born 8/29/16 TTC#2: June 2017 BFP #3: 7/15/17 | DS born 3/20/18
Loves Rock N play BOB single and double backpack as a diaper bag is so much better (diaper bags always fell off my shoulder and it was hard to find everything) Gerber diaper cloths as burp cloths (can use as dust rags afterwards...the best) Diaper Booster pads for night time sleeping A couple vibrating play seat (I kept one on the first floor and one on the second) Soothie pads for the first few weeks of breastfeeding New Mama bottom spray (amazing for all the pain down below afterwards) Motherlove nipple cream Halo Sleep-sacks (at least 3 per size) Pottery barn chamois crib sheets and changing table pad cover (my oldest especially was sensitive to regular sheets and she would startle when we put her down to sleep and the process started all over again. Someone recommended these and they are amazing) Bumkins bibs pack n play with bassinet Then newest ErgoBaby carrier with mesh insert Some sort of playgym Books and more books (can't have enough)
Regrets Bumbo seat Not the biggest fan of the Boppy and will look for something different this time Swing. Takes up a lot of space and my girls were not the biggest fans Boon drying rack
Also does anyone have the snoogle? Was it a waste or worth it?
Omg. so worth it. At least invest in some kind of pregnancy pillow. I used multiple regular pillows for a while and the snoogle was just so much better.
We never used our bottle warmer. Not ever. When I pumped, my son just took a bottle cold. This was born mostly out of laziness, but I think it also ended up being a good thing because if we were out and I brought a bottle of BM, he was cool with drinking it cold.
I regret buying a cheap-o travel system with my first. We invested in a City select and a Bob with my second and I want to kick myself for wasting money on that crap stroller I got first. Also, we love the Halo sleep sacks so much.
Re: Registry regrets and purchasing tips?
Edit to add, that I didn't say that the RnP causes the torticollis, sorry if that was misleading.
DS born October 13, 2014
Baby #3 due March 2018
nose frida
summer infant swaddles
then zip sleep sacks after that (weaning from the swaddle was tough)
tula (I like it better than my ergo, other than that they like to face outwards as they get older)
mamaroo (ds used this multiple times per day)
pnp with infant attachment
sound machine
exersaucer (for when they're older, but was the best occupier for months)
- nose Frieda is amazing. I thought it was disgusting and I refused to get one. DS got his first cold and I caved and bought one. I've never looked back.
- video baby monitor - we have the Infant Optics brand and I have no complaints. We will be purchasing a second camera for this baby and we can watch both on the same monitor.
- baby gear - you can ask 10 people and get 10 answers here. Every baby is different. My best friend's baby loves the Bumbo. My baby hated it. We registered for everything we thought we might need, but any big gear that wasn't gifted (with the exception of safety items), we tried to buy second hand. We got a $150 swing for $50.
Thanks for all the tips ladies! Keep em coming!
Seriously, I could not have enough swaddle blankets. The muslin swaddles are amazing, especially in the warm and hot months!!
And agree with everyone on the clothing... I bought a lot of cute stuff that was a total pain and all he ever wore in the beginning were PJs. And when babies are tiny it's completely acceptable for them to be out in public in their jammies all the time. You will go completely insane with PJs with buttons. Go for zippers every single time!!
We LOVED our swing... it went forward swinging and side to side. That is wear DS spent a ton of time because he wouldn't nap in his crib until 3+ months.
*TW*
DS slept in the Rock n Play for the first 3 months next to our bed and he napped in it also. It really was amazing, he slept soooo well in it. He was sleeping 7 hour stretches at 6 weeks old. But for LO I am not allowing the RNP for night sleeping (or any time when I am sleeping too). I read a very devastating blog by a woman whose baby suffocated in their sleep because of the angle of the RNP. I don't care what it takes or how frustrating it is, LO is sleeping on a flat surface no matter what.
*END TW*
Definitely a play gym... the kind where the baby lays on their back and looks up at things. Make sure it has lights for them to look at because DS could stare at those for like 25 minutes at a time. It takes a couple months before they seem to notice and interact with toys, but this was one of his favorites when the time came!!
A moby wrap or some other soft wrap was essential for us. He slept on us so much in the beginning. For awhile I just enjoyed it and laid on the couch all day but eventually I needed to start getting some chores done
i also read read that article about the RNP and feel the same way about the nighttime sleeping, BUT I think I might invest in the owlet monitoring sock and I guess that would sort of help the situation. Also I bought a different type of rock and play (not fisher price, I don't think) that was flatter and had mesh sides but was the same idea and I think I'll use that one. I'll try to find a link to it if it's still available and share it here.
If you have a two story house, you might want to invest in a pack and play with a newborn lounger or removable seat/changing area for naps and changing without having to go all the way upstairs to the nursery. I had one for DD that we never used because we had a ranch, but now that we're in a colonial i know it'll get a ton of use.
I never used the scratch mittens, but DD LIVED in the sleeper gowns. They usually have foldover fabric at the end of the sleeve for that purpose, and they make diaper changes so easy, plus they're breathable.
for toys, a hanging stroller/car seat toy is key, and the banana brush is awesome for teething. the stacking cups were a hit for many months, and the baby Einstein take a long music toy was great for early on. I always buy the tiny love take along mobile as shower gifts because it's awesome for travel, clipping onto a rock n play or a stroller. get the toy straps that keep toys, cups, pacifiers, bottles, etc anchored to the high chair or stroller so you don't lose any or have to keep picking them up.
New items I want to try this time - boppy newborn lounger (or I heard the pod one is just as good too) and comotomo bottles.
The best thing we got we got was the aiden and anis muslin easy swaddle thing that wraps around their body then snaps. It made swaddling so so easy! I want like 15 more. DH was the only one who could actually swaddle DS so I had tonuse the "auto swaddle" as I called it.
other than that reason, I loved the disposable nursing pads. Medela and Lansinoh were my favorite!
We also really liked having a portable high chair once our LO could sit up. We eat out often and found that most of the restaurant high chairs were too low and DS was not able to play with the toys that we brought.
For working/pumping mamas, I would recommend getting extra parts to either store at work or so that you do not have to wash every night. I forgot to pack parts on more than one occasion and ended up running to Target on my lunch break
I also second the infant optix video monitor, rock n play, and white noise machine.
I also swore I'd never use a Nose Frida, because that's gross. (I didn't realize there's a filter to keep the snot out of your mouth. Yes, I actually thought moms were sucking their kids snot into their mouths.) My DD's first runny nose, though, her nose actually started bleeding because I had to keep putting the aspirator in and out, in and out, so we bought a Nose Frida, love it, and still use it after every bath.
Only regret was going for cheapy cloth diapers. (Diaper Rite All-in-Ones - I don't think they're even sold anymore.) They started leaking out the stitching within 5 months of use, so we switched to BumGenius All-in-Ones (almost twice the price per diaper), which are great.
I regret buying an infant car seat rated for 35 lbs. It was very heavy, cumbersome and had trouble fitting in restaurants, etc. I wish I had gotten the smallest size. My daughter is 3 and only weighs 30 lbs. We could have easily gotten away with an infant car seat rated for 20 lbs since we moved both kids to convertible seats around 8 months anyway.
My DD is tiny, so she fit her infant seat until she was 1.5, and now we'll still be able to use it for Baby #2.
I loved having a bunch of diapers before they arrived. I loved the umbilical notch on the Pampers and Huggies.
Wipe warmer: My husband loved it till it died (fyi he never used it for the kids lol).
Bottle warmer: We used it and it was fine. It did seem to get the breast milk a little too hot at times. They might be better now. That was one we bought with my first.
Travel system: Loved
I haven't used this for any of my kids (I don't know that it existed when they were babies), but I bought it for my friend last year. It was fabulous for c-section moms. Ingenuity InReach Mobile Lounger and Bouncer.
Also, everyone will say not to buy newborn clothes/diapers, which may be true for some but each baby is different! DS wore newborn for nearly three months! I've also seen some say you'll only use a handful of onesies/outfits but that also was not the case for us. DS was a happy spitter and we literally went through 6+ outfits a day and ALL our bibs/burp cloths (over 20!) in 2-3 days... so again, you just never know!!!
ETA... if you have the talent at all make your own burp clothes! I bought flannel fabric and terry cloth and made them and they were way better than the ones from the store that we had.
I agree with everything @scoogy19 said as well--I hated disposable ones. They itched and rubbed and irritated. I recommend Bamboobies. And DS also went through 3-6 outfit changes a day and a ton of burp cloths. Also, the basic Gerber cloth diapers ((found at Walmart)) are amazing for burp cloths. My MIL sewed an extra piece of flannel on one side and then they didn't leak through either. I used those with my A+A swaddles.
I also think the swing was unnecessary for us (we had the FP Snugapuppy). DS was just as happy, if not more so, in the vibrating bouncer, which was 1/3 the price, took up way less space and was extremely portable. My husband would put the baby in the bouncer, lift it and sway it side to side and it was like magic for getting him down, but he'd never go to sleep in the swing.
Also, we did not like the Comotomo bottles. Our baby would only drink bottles if they'd been warmed, and those are made of silicone, which is heat resistant, so it took a long time to get them warmed up. Plus, they aren't narrow enough to fit into a bottle warmer.
Some of our favorite items were/are:
Pack n Play
Bouncer
Lillebaby carrier (also worked great for getting baby to sleep)
BOB Stroller
Swaddles (both muslin and velcro kinds)
Zipadee Zips for transitioning out of the swaddle and then regular sleepsacks for after that
Infant Bathtub with a mesh sling
Inflatable Duck tub for after he outgrew the infant tub (we're still using it at 13 mos.)
IKEA hooded towels, which are actually big enough to keep using for quite a while
Me 39 - DH 41
Married 8/26/07
TTGP #1 Jan '15 -
BFP 9/11/15 - DS born 5/31/16
TTGP #2 July '17 -
CP July '17
Blighted Ovum MC Dec '17
CP June '18
BFP 1/30/19 - EDD 10/13/19
also so don't be afraid to register for things for the whole first year, not just the infant stage. Think high chair, walker, toys...that stuff comes in handy when your 6 months into paying for diapers and formula and don't have much extra cash to spend on things!
Also second the colorful play gym. Not just the mat, but the full gym with stuff that hangs from the crossbars. DS loved his from age two weeks to nine months when he learned to crawl. We're using the same gym for #2.
I wouldn't taken the tags off nb sizes though till you know. Mine never wore nb diapers (with the notch!!) let alone clothes. They were 8.4/5/6 so not huge.
11/18/16 missed m/c 9w1
08/03/17 no hb 8w
- Nose Frida - the thing is AHHH MAZING
- BOB Stroller - I literally use it EVERYDAY
- Halo Sleepsacks - I had at least two in every size so I didn't have to worry about one being dirty and not having another.
- Endless amounts of burp clothes - seriously oh cannot have enough
- Muslin blankets
- Lillebaby carrier
- Boppy Lounger
- Guava bassinet/crib
- Comfortable nursing bras - I had to buy a few until I found some that were comfortable
- A small owl light (target I think?). I used it to walk from my room to R's room for middle of the night feedings and diaper changes. Also had a dim turtle light in his room I turned on when changing him so I didn't have to turn on any bright lights.
- Bibs with a catcher tray - We have 3 and use them every day and take them to restaurants, too.
- EZPZ mat for meal time (solids)
Thing that were a waste...
- Travel system. We used the stroller a handful of times but once we got the BOB the Britax stroller went into the basement and has never seen daylight since.
- Vibrating chair - This was handed down to us, thankfully we didn't spend a dime. R hated it.
- Cloth bibs - That I sewed myself. Things didn't absorb squat. But they looked cute.
Basically, every kid is going to be different. My advice would be not to spend a ton on "extras" before the baby gets here but to play it by ear.
EDIT: Bump ate my post.
Dx: PCOS
Married: June 2013
TTC#1: January 2015
BFP #1 8/24/15 | MC 9/3/15 at 6w2d
BFP #2: 12/12/15 | DD born 8/29/16
TTC#2: June 2017
BFP #3: 7/15/17 | DS born 3/20/18
Rock N play
BOB single and double
backpack as a diaper bag is so much better (diaper bags always fell off my shoulder and it was hard to find everything)
Gerber diaper cloths as burp cloths (can use as dust rags afterwards...the best)
Diaper Booster pads for night time sleeping
A couple vibrating play seat (I kept one on the first floor and one on the second)
Soothie pads for the first few weeks of breastfeeding
New Mama bottom spray (amazing for all the pain down below afterwards)
Motherlove nipple cream
Halo Sleep-sacks (at least 3 per size)
Pottery barn chamois crib sheets and changing table pad cover (my oldest especially was sensitive to regular sheets and she would startle when we put her down to sleep and the process started all over again. Someone recommended these and they are amazing)
Bumkins bibs
pack n play with bassinet
Then newest ErgoBaby carrier with mesh insert
Some sort of playgym
Books and more books (can't have enough)
Regrets
Bumbo seat
Not the biggest fan of the Boppy and will look for something different this time
Swing. Takes up a lot of space and my girls were not the biggest fans
Boon drying rack