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Babies: 0 - 3 Months
Question for all you new mommies
Alright, its time for me to really start figuring out what I am going to need for baby (I have an idea) but I wanted some input. Sooo I have a few questions...
What is the best investment you made for your baby? (furniture/accesory/etc)
What has been the most useless item you received?
Of all the "necessities" (crib/bassinet/changing table/etc) are there anything that you find yourself not using as much as you expected?
What items could you NOT do without?
Is there anything that's helped more than you expected or anything you wish you would have gotten?
I know it seems a little redundant, but I keep looking at my registry and thinking things like "well, do I really NEED a bassinet?" "what am I forgetting?" "what if I don't have room for all this?" I'd just like to get input from the ladies that know it best right now. 
Thanks
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Re: Question for all you new mommies
Personally I did not use a swing, that big feeding pillow ( I can't think of the name at the moment) or any type of swaddling device (he constantly kicked out of them) The greatest investment weren't until a couple of months later - Breathable bumper and a Bumbo chair. It's a little hard to decide beforehand because every baby is different. You'll never know what will work for baby and what doesn't... Good luck!!!!
The best investment for us has been something easy and cheap - the bottle rack. DS is FF, so keeping the bottles neat, clean, and in one spot has been fabulous. We went the first month without one and just a kitchen cabinet, but the rack is SOooooo much better! Oh, and mylicon drops. We actueally use the Target generic ones and they work just as well.
THe most useless item for us were swaddling blankets. DS *hates* being swaddled. We keep trying and he keeps screaming and wiggling out of it. He also hates footie pajamas. SO, my advice is to buy the stuff, but only was 1 or 2 items, not everything, so if your LO doesn't like it, you can return it.
The most useless "necessity" for us has been the crib. DS slept the first 6 weeks in a rolling bassinet, but has been in the bassinet part of the pnp ever since. We're going to start transitioning him to his crib and his room at 4 months.
We absolutely could NOT live without our bouncy chair. DS hates his swing and loves this thing. It is a place for him to sit when I'm showering, cooking, cleaning, etc. We have a Moby as pp also suggested, but most of my chores involve bending over in some way and I felt DS was going to fall out. The bouncer is where he spends that time, for us. He also uses his playmat daily. It is another place he will happily play so I can get work done.
I wish people gave less clothes and more toys. DS is at the age where he's starting to be interested in toys and I keep having to go to BRU or target to keep him intertained.
Soon to celebrate the day we met, even if the day before marks when we said goodbye.
A couple "Bests" -
Miracle Blanket, wouldn't get more than 2hrs of sleep at a time without it! Swing, she takes her naps in it. Glider/rocking chair, likes to be rocked before bed and helps calm her. Precious Planets Mobile, wouldn't transition to crib w/o it.
"Useless" -
Wipe warmer - shower gift, used it maybe 6 times. It dries the wipes out all the time. Also by the time you get the wipe from the container to the bum it isnt so warm anymore. Also useless to us, expensive bottles (Avent, Born Free) she hates them, the formula comes pouring out of her mouth, love Playtex Drop ins.
"Couldn't live w/o"
Playtex Drop ins w/ latex nipple.
On a side note - Some things take baby longer to like than others. My DD hated her swing and bouncy for the first 1.5 mths...now she loves her swing and is starting to like her bouncy. I recommend both, but use the swing more.
HTH
You need a quality baby carrier - DO NOT skimp on this. The ones carried at BRU pretty much suck. I'm a woven wrap lover but lots of people like a stretchy wrap like the moby to start out with for newborns. A mei tai like the baby hawk or a soft structured carrier like the ergo are other good options - see my siggy for more info.
Aside from that, I'd say a travel size swing and a bouncer. I co-sleep so I haven't used the crib yet (although my dad made it so I didn't have to buy). I also have a co-sleeper instead of a pack-n-play.
Breastfeeding Counselor with Breastfeeding USA
Babywearing Guide ** Newborn Carriers
Cloth Diaper Guide
Safe Bed Sharing Info
I could have went without a bassinet. I use the PNP more than I thought I ever would. She has been sleeping in it for 10 weeks. I thought I would move her to her crib sooner & I still haven't made the jump quite yet. The swing has been a life saver. She takes all of her naps in there. The playmats are expensive, but around 12 weeks DD started to love hers. I didn't know they would enjoy them so young. They are great.
my glider, pump, bosom buddy nursing pillow,pnp, bouncer, activity mat are things i use and love
bassinet-not needed
Unfortunately a lot of the 'can't live withouts' and 'useless items' won't occur to you until you have LO and you see what they prefer. However, I am generally of the mindset that if you are consistent and what you first introduce and expose the LO to is what they will do with just fine with (ie: where to sleep, bottle style, pacifier style).
Useless for us: PNP, vibrating chair, swing, bassinet, bottle warmer. As he grows some of this might become something he decides he likes.
What we like: miracle blanket, bum genius 3.0 cloth diapers, ready made formula (expensive yes, but it is what he got used to taking from day one and the two weeks following birth we spent in a hotel), butt paste (we don't really get rashes with CDing but when ever I see a slight amount of red forming - I put a bit on and within a new hours it is gone), for summer babies a black mesh-style bug net that will fit over the car seat/carrier as well as a rain shield for the car seat/carrier.
We don't use our changing area as much as we thought (we have the pad that goes on top of the dresser), but I'm ok with having bought the pad instead of the whole table. We do use it sometimes, and I think we'll use it more now that he's starting to eat less often--if he eats, we bring him to the living room to feed him and change him out there. Now that he's not eating as much, sometimes he just needs to be changed and we don't have to bring him to the living room.
We NEEDED the bouncy chair and also use the swing quite often. He slept in the bouncy chair for the first week because it was on an incline and he was really congested.
I'd say the best investment was the travel system. We have the Chicco KeyFit. Some people swear by the Graco one, but I've seen it being used and don't like it as much as the one we bought.
1.) Huggies diapers leak--get Pampers. 2.) DS is still in newborn sized everything--diapers, clothes, etc. The next size bigger is WAY too big still and he's about 10-11 lbs. 3.) Get some kind of diaper pail. We have the Diaper Genie and it's great. 4.) We have 2 diaper bags--one smaller for when we just go out for a few hours and one bigger one for when my mom or MIL watch him. It works really well because we don't have to carry this huge thing when running to Target and the grocery store.
Must haves:
1. Happiest Baby on the Block book or DVD. Saved.Our.Lives. Buy and read (both you and DH) before baby is born.
2. Moby. I love it! I'm now getting into other wraps so I can try different holds and wear DS on my back to get more stuff done. We take DS out in this all the time and he always does very well in it.
3. Boppy. Used it to nurse for the first 11 weeks. It didn't rest on my c-section incision. Also used it to prop DS on when he would only sleep in my arms the first couple of days.
4. Play gym. DS loves this although not until he was about 2 month old.
5. Homemedics sound spa (baby crack machine). We leave the ocean sounds on all night long and during naps. This helps him to sleep better and he's not disturbed by other household noises either.
I also wish I had thought to read several different baby books on sleeping. Seems like a lot of LO's have trouble with this and if yours does you will not have the energy to read a ton of books. Even if you need to read some as refreshers in a couple of months you will have a better idea of which ones have philosophies that line up with your parenting style. That would have been a huge help to me.
Wastes of money:
Diaper genie, bottle warmer,
Have way too much of for now at least - BLANKETS...he can really only use them in the car seat, not to sleep in - my advice is to invest instead in a wide range of blanket sleepers which we use every day, both light and heavy.
I ended up not really liking my Boppy for nursing. Just too bulky, I got one from the hospital instead that I love and hope I use the Boppy more when he is sitting, tummy time, etc.
LOVE the pack n'play - we have a home with 2 floors so he naps there during the day and we change him on the table part while we are on the main floor. Therefore, we did get a bassinet for next to our bed and I really love looking over at him it. I am going to have a hard time when it is time for crib!
I think you are having a girl but for others, the peepee teepee is a waste - he just rolls, knocks it off, and pees if he wants!