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Nurseries and Baby Gear
faerieprincess87
member
Need registry advice from experienced mamas
faerieprincess87
member
Evening, all! I'm trying to put my registry together (Baby Josh is due in July) and I've hit a bit of a snag. I have no idea what to register for! I've looked at the checklist that the registry comes with, but I'm finding a lot of things on it I don't need. I need to weed out the non-essentials and just stick with the necessities. So I need a little help.
I need your recommendations for your must-have items. Feel free to be brand specific (since I've never done this, I've no idea which brands are best) and to give quantities on how many I should register for. Please keep in mind a few things:
1. We're currently in a 1 bedroom apartment. We're trying to get approved for a mortgage, but until then, we're stuck where we are, so saving space is ESSENTIAL. If I can get a small version of it, or better yet, do without (like a changing pad. Wouldn't a towel work just as well?) that's what I'll do.
2. I'm being gifted second-hand clothes from no less than 3 people, so I think I might be plenty set in the clothes department. I might get a few new ones, just for pictures and whatnot, but I won't be getting much. I'm also receiving second hand a bassinet, swing, bottle warmer, wipe warmer.
3. I plan on cloth diapering, with some disposables on hand for trips outside the house. (Church, store, etc.) I haven't yet settled on what style of cloth diapers I want to use, but I'm leaning heavily toward prefolds. I need to know which ones are best and how many I should stock up on. Also, how many disposables will I need for occasional use and what sizes? I also plan on making my own wipes, but plan on having disposables around for on-the-go.
4. I don't seriously plan on getting a crib. If I do, it will be a portable crib that folds up. I'd rather have him sleep in the elevated portion of the playpen I'm thinking of getting because it's so multipurpose and as I said, space is limited around here.
5. I'm going to do my best to breastfeed, but there are so many options out there for pumps, bottles, etc. I have no idea which ones are good or how many I'll need, so feel free to give me specifics on that.
6. I'm not very picky. I don't care if something comes in a matching set or whatever. We're strictly about budget around here. And most of my friends are as broke as I am, so I'm trying to keep big-tickets items to a minimum.
That's about it. So hit me with your best shot. What do I need? Cuz right now, I haven't a clue. Thanks in advance!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Need registry advice from experienced mamas
If you have a Pack n Play, then you don't need a crib at the beginning.
changing pad is nice to have, but definitely not a must. As for BFing, your insurance should cover for your breast pump. As long as you have no major BFing issues, you should not be pumping for the first 3-4 weeks, so you can wait after you deliver before getting your pump and buying bottles.
Must-haves for me for the first 3 months are:
1) BFing pillow
2) TONS of burp cloths
3) car seat & snap-n-go stroller
4) wash cloths & infant bath tub
5) swaddlemes and Halo swaddle sleepsack
Nice-to-haves are:
1) Play mat/activity gym for tummy time
2) infant carrier (didn't like K'Tan but loving the Ergo)
3) rock n play (DS was fussy as a newborn and we had to put him in the RnP to sleep the first half of night, then move him to crib for the rest of the night)
4) Comfy chair for nursing
Failed multiple cycles of Clomid+TI and Clomid+IUI
3/2011 inj+IUI #1 BFP. 4/2011 missed m/c.
Fall 2011 inj+IUI #2&3 BFN
Jan/Feb 2012 IVF#1 BFP 2/23 EDD 10/31/2012 ~~~ Halloween ~~~
Our IVF miracle, Baby Boy M, arrived on 11/8/2012!
I was overwhelmed, too, and found the Baby Bargains book extremely helpful for figuring out what we needed. You can sign up for their website instead of getting the book, too.
One other thing, keep in mind that many insurance companies now cover breast pumps...
And I would ask the cloth diapering board your question about necessary numbers...
I actually just wrote a blog post about our needs, you can see it with the link below
If you're really trying to be minimalistic and not overwhelm your space with baby things, you can. Borrowing big things is a great start, because you use them for such a short period of time and you don't have to store them when you're done using them.
You do not need a crib, a bassinet will be fine in the beginning, and if your baby outgrows it quickly, you can always use a PNP. You also don't need a bathtub, but not having one is a bit intimidating in the beginning. Maybe a Puj tub for when LO is tiny, and then just showering them with you once they are a bit sturdier (that's what I do most of the time now).
You don't need a changing pad, but I do recommend having a changing station, ours is set up on my dresser and it's working well.
You also don't need an infant carseat, though this is a personal choice. It's convenient to have a seat that can be removed from the car, but if you really want to simplify and be very mindful of the amount of stuff you have, you can do just fine with a convertible seat from the beginning. I'd definitely recommend having a wrap, sling or carrier though, you'll want something to carry LO in when you're out and about.
Call your insurance and see if they cover a pump for you. Otherwise, Medela and Ameda are highly recommended on these boards (I have a Medela Freestyle and like it a lot). Bottles also vary in preference, we have had good success with Tommie Tippie.
You'll be surprised how little you actually "need" but it varies greatly for every family. For me, our biggest around the house needs have been our carriers and bouncy chair (borrowed). We have a swing (borrowed) but don't use it. Our tub is nice, but it's just as easy to bathe with LO myself. I love our co-sleeper and only started to use our crib because I felt guilty that we bought one and weren't using it at all.
I think your must haves are:
1. BOPPY...I didn't get one, but I had my mom pick one up for me while I was in the hospital
2. Infant car seat & snap in go. If you are on a budget check carseats.org for ideas and amazon.com & albeebaby.com for deals
3. Burp cloths & lap pads (the lap pads can be placed on top of the sheet..so your not changing them so often & used as a changing pad_Carter's makes them & they are cheap)
4. Sink infant tub (I have a big one I hate), hooded towels, & washcloths
5. Swaddle blankets & cotton sleepers (nice to have ones with zippers)
6. A place for LO to sleep....maybe a bassinet, cradle, or mini crib depending on your space. There are some nice mini cribs that you could continue to use at your new place as well-they convert into twin beds.
7. Diapers, wipes, something to prevent diaper rash
8. At least 3 types of bottles to try-don't buy a lot bc you don't know what LO will like, most brands will work with your pump of choice
Early on I loved:
1. Bouncer (couldn't get a shower without it)
Everything else at that point I didn't use a lot. Maybe look at a full size easy to pack away pack in play for future use. Mine that came with all of the features was small & outgrown by 7 months (& I ended up getting a square one). I wish I had just skipped the one with the bassinet feature & gotten a big one to start.
I'm sure you've gotten lots of great tips in the prior posts so I'm just going to throw out one item that I've found to be great in the diaper changing department. My friend gave me these Carters Waterproof pads:
https://www.amazon.com/Carters-Keep-Flannel-Bassinet-Ecru/dp/B002UD660S
They can be used for lots of things, but I've used them as a "changing pad" on our bed when DS was sleeping in our room as a newborn and we needed to change him overnight. I now use them as a changing pad on the floor because DS is too squirmy for the pad on his dresser. A towel will work (and is cheaper), but when things got a little wet and messy, it was nice to know nothing was going to leak through to the bed or floor. I've tried other versions of this type of thing also, but these have lasted a long time (we've had the same ones for almost a year) and stayed in good shape. They are washable and they also come in smaller and larger sizes. And they are huge space saver - fold it up and put it away until you need it each time!
Anyway, just wanted to pass on this one suggestion! I had no idea about these until my friend gave them to me at my shower and they've served us really well!
Wow...I didn't know they made big ones. I just got the little lap pads( https://www.amazon.com/Carters-Keep-Flannel-Pads-Ecru/dp/B002UD65ZE/ref=pd_bxgy_ba_text_y) & they were great. I'll be getting the big ones you mentioned this time...they are great.
They can be used for EVERYTHING.
They really can! It's one of the best things - if not the best thing- I got at my shower. When I see posts of people upset that shower guests don't buy off their registry, I want to shake them and say - listen to your mom friends! They know what works!