What to get before #2? What to wait on...?

cindybaf

Double stroller? I bought a ridiculously expensive one before LO was born, and used a snap n go way more. Should I just buy another snap n go with stroller seat for now and wait on the double stroller til after #2? LO will be 22 months around #2 due date in July, and I will have another csection so I won't be going anywhere by myself for a month or so. I do have a sling and a baby bjorn.

New crib? I'm planning on getting a crib that is lower to the ground(something like the Ikea Gulliver) and convert it to a toddler bed as needed for LO. #2 will be sleeping in our room in a bassinet for the first two or three months so I think we can wait on this, but at the same time, won't we be too busy to go crib shopping after #2 comes?

Changing table? We use a changing pad on top of a dresser in LO's room, but we want a changing table to put in our room while #2 is in there with us. I keep seeing that it's a 'waste' of money, but I think we are going to have the girls separate for the first year anyway until #2 is consistantly STN so it will be nice to have a changing table for each room.

Tell me if this makes sense or not, I'm having a strange anxiety over all of this. Like I know what to expect, but really overdid everything last time and had spent way too much money/bought too much stuff because we really thought LO was going to be it...  

kcisthebombdotcom

double stroller-wait. Unless you find a steal on craigslist in the time being.

new crib-wait. We survived just fine with 1 crib. If you need it, you'll be fine to do shopping with a 2-3 month old.

Changing table-I stopped using a changing table after my 2nd was born. It was just easier to change the kids on a changing pad in the room we were in instead of coordinating moving one to another room while leaving the other one alone. Another vote for wait.

Daisy22

double stroller - depends on your life style and how your 1st is about walking. AFter my rcs with DS2, we were out and about after I got out of the hospital then I was alone going out after 1 1/2wk pp. Since DS1 was 15 months old I needed a double stroller for them even through I did use a baby k'tan with DS2 when we went grocery shopping. But my boys also didn't like the infant car seat.

Crib - You could defnitely wait on this if you don't plan to use it. I'd have an idea of which one you want now then just go buy it when you need it.

Changing table - I just change the boys on the floor, couch or bed. I'm one of the ones who think it's a waste to have a changing table.

Under.the.Rose

Our second baby isn't here yet, but here's what we did:

Double stroller: 
Purchased. We sold our single stroller and used the money towards the double. I'm having a repeat c-section so I'm not going to be able to comfortably baby-wear for a while. I'll be bringing my sling to the park though because I'll have to be able to chase Connor around if I'm on my own and have my hands free. 

Crib:
We bought a second one (Ikea, second-hand for $50). It's convertible and so is Connor's. We'll be good for a while this way. I don't want to transition Connor out of his crib until we absolutely have to. Connor didn't use his crib much until he was 8-9 months old, but things will be different with Claire since she won't be able to just sleep on the couch like Connor did (etc.). 

Changing table:
We never had one with Connor -- we used a dresser. We bought another dresser for Claire's room and will be putting a changing pad on top just like we did for Connor. I didn't want to just use Connor's because I want to have her diapers and clothes close at hand when changing her. We also need as much storage as we can get! 

celiabwatson

Double Stroller: We chose not to buy one yet. My son has been fighting the stroller since he was about 18-20 months. We only really used it for walks around the neighborhood anyway, we would babywear when he was little and now that he's older he just walks when we're out. So since we weren't using our stroller we didn't see a need to get a double. My daughter is getting old/big enough now that I sometimes want her in the stroller when we go for walks and at first my son protested and wanted to ride, but the protests didn't last long. Our plan was if they did we'd go ahead and get a double because it is easier and more relaxing to go for a walk with him in the stroller. It's all about what works for your family. 

Crib: We had a toddler bed given to us and we obviously have a crib from my son. We also have a very sturdy bassinet. If my son hadn't been ready to transition we could easily still have my daughter in the bassinet for a while until he is ready, and maybe try to accelerate the process if she started getting too big. However, if you know that your plan is to have a convertible crib for each child then I see no reason not to go ahead and buy one now. If you think you might transition your older child out and pass the crib along to the younger one then you can wait and see how the timing works out. Either way I think you can do the research now and have the crib you want bookmarked and then just order it when you're ready. Keep in mind that assembling a crib with a toddler running around is not an easy task, and might be easier now than in 6+months.

Changing Table: I have and love my changing table. It's the one from when I was a baby that myself and all my siblings used. It's old school and sturdy and has lots of storage. We cloth diaper so I actually don't do well with just changing all over the house or whatever because we have a limited supply of diapers and I don't want to try to keep each area stocked properly. I also don't want 6 different dirty diaper pails in my house. I like to keep all that contained to one area. Now, my kids share a room and the changing table is in there so we didn't buy a 2nd one. However, I've since learned that I should have because if one of them is sleeping I have to change the other "around the house" and as previously mentioned I don't like that. I wish I'd set up a changing station somewhere else for that purpose, but I didn't and it's taken me until now (almost 4 months) to finally get that figured out. If they have their own rooms they should each have a changing table if you like a changing table, you don't want to try to share the one in your older child's room, because of the sleeping issue. 

hecallsmecat

Double stroller - It depends on your needs. I live in a city so my stroller is a must-have, but space is limited in the house and the trunk of the car, so I invested in a good carrier (Beco butterlfy II) so I can wait on the stroller until I really need it.

Crib - We are having #2 sleep in our room in the pnp bassinett for the first few months then will get a new crib when he/she moves in with #1 in her room. DD will be too young for a toddler bed then, but if she was older I would get her one and give her crib to the new baby.

Changing table - I have almost never used mine. Maybe in the early days with DD, but I mostly change her on the floor downstairs during the day or on my bed upstairs when she was still sleeping with us. I'd say that was a waste of money for us.

The only other thing I bought for this baby was a new diaper bag because my old one was too small to carry 2 kids' worth of stuff.