Adoption
Need help for a friend please re: what to bring
My friend is wondering what she should have with her when they fly out to pick up their new baby. This is what she has so far (she'll be there 2 weeks):
supplemental nurser
two cans of formula (or if I am so lucky frozen breast milk)
diapers - how many, what sizes?
wipes
4 wash cloths
3 blankets
1 really warm blanket (It will be cold there!)
1 hooded towel
baby soap
car seat
co sleeper
10 outfits
10 onesies
10+ pajamas
pacifier to try
socks
bottles just in case
diaper cream
alcohol for the umbilical cord
thermometer
receiving blankets
swaddle blanket
gripe water
a hat
burp cloths
Anything else? Thank you sooooo much!
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Re: Need help for a friend please re: what to bring
hey! email me, i have a list I compiled for myself
[email protected]
supplemental nurser: what is this? probably don't need it
two cans of formula (or if I am so lucky frozen breast milk): doesn't need it. the hospital will start the baby on formula and will supply her with lots of nursettes or formula to take with her - and you can always just get this at BRU when what the hospital gives runs out.
diapers - how many, what sizes?: hospital will give her a lot. we brought some with us for newborn and DS was 5lbs - so what we brought was too big for him - it all depends on size of baby
wipes
4 wash cloths: imo you will want more - they will be staying there for two weeks right? I think we had like 15-20 baby wash clothes but maybe that was too many but I hated doing laundry every day in the hotel
3 blankets
1 really warm blanket (It will be cold there!):
1 hooded towel: I would have at least 2. I'm not a fan of re-using baby stuff two or more days in a row - I would rather just use wash cloths and towels once.
baby soap
car seat
co sleeper
10 outfits
10 onesies
10+ pajamas
pacifier to try: chances are the hospital will have started LO on a paci and sometimes after that it is hard to switch brands. DS will not take anything but soothie since that is what the hospital started him on
socks
bottles just in case
diaper cream: hospital gave us lots of this - never used it
alcohol for the umbilical cord: unless it is the wipes I would not bring a bottle of alcohol - the hospital may be able to give it or a run to BRU which will end up happening anyway for diapers, formula and other incidentals
q-tips
thermometer
receiving blankets: LOTS of them or just buy some at BRU
swaddle blanket
gripe water: I'm assuming this is a newborn - if they will only be there for two weeks then I don't think they will be able to use the gripe water. I think it's best not to use anything unless pedi says okay or the child meets age/weight requirements for such things
a hat
burp cloths
stroller or on-body baby sling/carrier (going for walks with baby and getting out of the stuffy hotel is good for parents and baby
quarters for hotel laundry (amazingly this was the hardest thing about doing laundry in a hotel - they seem to never have quarters)
we actually brought our contoured changing pad (though we drove) but they do have them that fold up for travelling (the nice plush ones not the ones that go in the diaper bag), this was great for giving sponge bathes, for diaper changing and even ... sleeping on - he loved it because it contoured his body.
We thought we would co-sleep with a sleeper and also about PNP sleeping. Unfortunately, DS is a VERY loud sleeper and so co-sleeping was out and he hated the big open space of a PNP. So he slept on the changing pad (buckled in on the sofa) and in his swing (which they can't bring I know).
I would create an excel spread sheets with the headings (DATE, TIME, OZ of FORMULA, STATUS OF DIAPER, COMMENTS). After a few sleep deprived nights you will forget what you have done and when, and when spouses are taking turns this keeps the other up to date on what is going on. It is also useful when going to that first pedi visit after you've been sleep deprived and doc starts asking all kinds of questions.
Don't unnecessarily pack when flying. Most stuff can be bought with a trip to BRU/Target. We drove and I think we still went to BRU at least 2 times during our 2 week stay out of state.
sanitizer wipes (always used these a lot in the beginning especially when travelling and staying in hotel)
some form of bacteria spray like lysole (can be bought in birth-state) because hotels, no matter how nice are germy.
Got to run - that's all I can think of right now.
Keep it simple for the trip there...if they don't have many baby items yet, buy it when you get there. Seriously! It is much easier to do a big BRU shopping spree when you get there AND do some laundry than schlep everything on a plane with you.
We brought it all and it was a NIGHTMARE of packing. You try to anticipate every little thing you will need and end up over packing and getting things you don't need.
Take a few diapers and some wipes, starter clothes, car seat...buy the rest there. Don't buy formula until they land....hospital will give you some and you may buy the wrong thing anyway. The hotel can provide a PNP but I brought my own sheets. We bought a travel baby swing at our destination and shipped it home.
Of course if they have a ton of stuff already...this advice won't help them much.