overwhelmed

blusun

So I made my first real trip to Babies R US with my mom just for kicks this weekend.  Bad idea!  I'm a first time prego mom without many friends with kids and I was completely overwhelmed.  As in come home and hide under the covers overwhelmed.  This was a planned pregnancy and believe me I am thrilled under the surface but the planning anxious person on the outside is freaking out a bit about what to buy, strollers, cribs, changing table set, colors, blankets - wow!  Please tell me someone else out there is freaking out a bit too!  I am 11.5 weeks and know I still have plenty of time to figure this all out. I just want to enjoy this right now but why the heck are there so many choices!!!  By mom said she had 3 strollers to choose from 30 yrs ago - not 300!

ksmel2

I was that way with my first last year....my advice, and know that everyone will give you their opinion, is to go and tackle one section at a time. Like for travel systems we went and spent an hour pushing around different strollers to see what was comfortable for both dh and I. Dh is 6'7" and I'm 5'11" so we're tall. Then next trip was just for cribs...etc. it made

Oops. It posted before it was done. But as I was saying, it made it manageable and not overwhelming at all. Everything they sell is obviously safe for babe. Just depends in your style and what fits your needs..

sbrina23

I walked in to a TRU/BRU to get preggie pops to help with the nausea and was immediately overwhelmed. I literally walked to the aisle where the cashier told me the pops would be and then got out of there as fast as possible. My best friend recommended the book Baby Bargains. That's where I plan to start! good luck!

KdgTeacher

I suggest the book Baby Bargains and remember that baby does need 90% of the stuff you looked at and baby won't care about colors. 

JennyLynne

I've barely even started looking because of that very same reason--I know I'll freak out. And I'm already freaking out about other things. You are not alone!

rondosa

I'm totally overwhelmed too. I'm a total planner and researcher and I usually have to look at every last option before deciding. The baby industry is even worse than the wedding industry.

Strollers are the first thing I'm trying to tackle and it is ridiculous. I have watched all these videos on YouTube and read all kinds of reviews and I still don't know. I feel stupid...how am I going to outfit a nursery?

Bah! 

sophie206

That store is still overwhelming to me after having done it once.

I like PP's idea of focusing one 1 or 2 areas/products per visit. (Assuming you have a store nearby)

 

Carrie3102

Ok, here's my thoughts take them with a grain of salt. Baby needs a place to sleep, some stimulation toys, diapers, and very few other essentials.

These are the items that I loved:
Swing, we got a cheap small unisex one.
Bouncey seat, it had a limited lifetime though but was nice the first month or so.
Jumperoo, that was a godsend from about four months till 7 months.
I loved our evenflo travel system I still use the stroller even though dd doesn't use the carrier anymore. We got it used from dh's cousin.
Then we have two pack'n'plays one is at my mom's and one at the sitter.

As far as "equipment" that's what I used the most. The rest was just sort of in the way.

I suggest cloth diapers for burp rags as what they try to pass off as burp cloths are crap in my opinion.

Baby vicks, ibuprofen, saline nose solution, and a vaporizer, cold mist was recommended by my pedi, are all necessary IMO.

Buy a good practical diaper bag expensive doesn't always mean
practical.

Don't be overwhelmed there are a lot of options, yes, but like pps have said. 99 of the stuff you see isn't necessary, and all if it is safe, so choose what fits your style and you plan on having more babies I'd go with more neutrals in your big items so you don't have to buy them twice.

new2011mommy

I was also super overwhelmed with what to buy last time. We have the Fisher price snug a bunny swing and I chose it because it ran off a plug and not batteries. DS loved it. I also had a bouncer seat and this was nice to be able to take to different rooms with me. I could put DS in it with a toy and take a quick shower when he was about 4 months old. I have a pack n play and really only used it in the beginning. I used the changing table attachment to change DS and we used the newborn napper. After that I barely used it. I also recommend a baby gym. DS loved his from 1-6 months. He stopped using it when he started to situp. He also loved his jumperoo. For strollers, you can test them out at the store. I have a graco travel system, which worked fine. I did get a jogging stroller for walks and trips to the zoo and I love it. DH got it brand new for $100 on ebay. I liked having the infant carseat because if DS fell asleep, I could just snap him in the stroller and do my errands without waking him. My travel system came with the seat that goes to 35 pounds, but I stopped using it when DS was 7 months because it was heavy. We was not even 20 pounds then so we never got close to maxing it out. Sorry if this is too much information. Once you start shopping around, it will get a bit less overwhelming.

Darklight25833

I feel the same way. I got somethings planed out and right now I can't do any shopping without having a panic attack but I think soon I am going to buy our first real big item.  

*Big items Unisex because my family is famous for having kids one right after the other, birth control or not. Even if I do end up keeping to plan I can use them again anyways or help out a friend ect. 

*Leaving out some items that aren't nesseity or for a way older child.  

*Buying the cute clothes I like in two to three diffrent sizes because baby's grow fast.

 The only thing I am WTF over is the price of breastpumps! Gosh they are expensive. =/

new2011mommy

Darklight25833:

I feel the same way. I got somethings planed out and right now I can't do any shopping without having a panic attack but I think soon I am going to buy our first real big item.  

*Big items Unisex because my family is famous for having kids one right after the other, birth control or not. Even if I do end up keeping to plan I can use them again anyways or help out a friend ect. 

*Leaving out some items that aren't nesseity or for a way older child.  

*Buying the cute clothes I like in two to three diffrent sizes because baby's grow fast.

 The only thing I am WTF over is the price of breastpumps! Gosh they are expensive. =/

I recommend waiting on a breast pump. If your baby does not having any latching issues, the lacation consultants will tell you not to pump right away so you will have time to buy one after having the baby. My DS would not latch so the hospital gave me a prescription for a medela hospital grade pump and my insurance covered all except $5 per month. I had already bought and opened a breast pump and I could not use it. The nurses told me a regular pump is not strong enough to build supply. My friend did not have any issues breastfeeding, but her doctor gave her a prescription. She was able to get a medela freestyle pump for free from the medical supply company with her prescription.

AngieG87

KdgTeacher:

I suggest the book Baby Bargains and remember that baby does need 90 of the stuff you looked at and baby won't care about colors.nbsp;

This is a great book! Also, I research one item at a time online by looking at reviews it helps a lot. In my pjs, cup of tea, and I can just close my computer if I start getting frustrated. I did this as well for my wedding registry. One time I tried going to Macy's to use the scanner thingy and it was like sensory overload. If you have some info about a few particular strollers before you go, for example, you can focus on just a few options that you know you like instead of starting from scratch out of all 300 options!

blusun

Thanks guys for the tips and helping me realize I'm not the only one!!!

Breathing and enjoying things for now!!!

CarlaAndJames

i agree with the book baby bargains! And hang around the board, around 20 weeks when everyone starts registering there will be 20 questions a day about this stuff, and you can add yours. I remember wanting to cry buying friends baby shower gifts. Now I could find a package of boogie wipes with my eyes closed!

ellewoodsSC

It all sort of falls into place as you get further along, so don't sweat the small stuff. If you don't have other people to help you with gear recommendations, you can get a lot of info lurking and asking questions on the Nursery and Baby Gear board.  

I would highly recommend Lucie's list for the breakdown of registry must-haves:

https://www.lucieslist.com/1-car-seats-and-rtollers/

Liz4444

DH had a nervous breakdown at the wall of nipples and smoke coming out of his ears in the stroller section.

My advice, register online... It's so much easier and more organized.

Also, check out www.lucieslist.com. If you are going to go in store, research first, pick your top 2 or 3 options, and just look at those.