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Hawaii Babies
Baby Registry
Hey ladies,
Just curious about baby registries. At first I started one on BRU strictly to keep track of what I need, prices, etc. Now that my shower is about a month away and 60 people are invited (20 of which are co-workers of mine) I'm wondering what I should add/keep/remove. Are there any must have items that you had on your registry or any items I should avoid? I know we will get a TON of clothing so I have no clothes added (plus we'll get clothing passed on to us from my SIL/brother as well). Any other input would be great 
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Baby Registry
just b/c you know you'll get a lot clothes doesn't mean you shouldn't register for them - you want people to know what your "style" or taste is like
not all baby clothes are equally cute IMO!
i don't think you need to remove stuff. just like wedding registries, just make sure you have a broad range of prices for things so people can shop w/in their own budgets.
register for things that you absolutely want brand new and know you wouldn't want to buy used or on consignment (i.e the car seat) or any splurge items that you probably wouldn't buy for yourself if no one bought it for you
things you might want to include
changing pad + cover
swing, bouncer
high chair
car seat
activity mat
crib, crib mattress, bedding set
diapers + wipes if you care for a particular brand
diaper pail (though we use a regular kitchen trash can w/a step lid)
nursing tanks if you plan to BF
bottles
diaper bag
baby carrier
Jaime & Brent
Oahu, Hawaii | Sept. 9, 2005
My Food Blog - Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats
I love Hawaii!
Tara & Ian . 4/24/2008 . The Kahala Planning . Married
Good post Tara! We are planning on registering at the end of this month so this post will be helpful.
Has there been a post where the moms have suggested how many of each to get? LIke sheets, bibs and stuff?
Hmm, good Q, perhaps there was one? I did find some sample registries online that suggest quantities but it would be nice to get feedback from the Mamas here
I love Hawaii!
Tara & Ian . 4/24/2008 . The Kahala Planning . Married
I ended up taking off all clothing from my registry since we had more than enough in hand-me downs and *tons* of people gave us clothing at the baby shower anyway =P
I kinda wished I didn't include the miracle blanket. Yes, it works really well for swaddling but for $30, it didn't really swaddle much better than a regular receiving blanket (they taught us how to swaddle with one at the hospital). And we were forced to use a regular blanket to swaddle anyway when the one miracle blanket we had got dirty in the middle of the night.
I also wished that I didn't get the whole first-aid/grooming set because we got all that for free from the hospital (except I don't know if all hospitals do this) so now we have two thermometers, two syringe bulbs, two combs. Oh, except for nail clippers. I would recommend adding that to the registry. I've used it every week since the day he was born--babies are born with long nails (due to no trimming inside the womb) and they grow fast!
I also wished we got more changing pad covers. I just bought a third one last week. Esp with little boys, those covers get dirty fast.
Things I've put into good use thus far: electric breast pump, nursing pads, nursing cover, nasal saline spray, bottles, dishwasher rack/basket for bottles/nipples, baby laundry detergent, wash cloths/burp cloths, hooded towels, baby toiletries, travel pack wipes. Unfortunately, we haven't put the bottle warmer into very good use--it's been faster to just run the bottles under warm water.
We started out having the baby in the crib, but he ended up in our bed b/c it was just too hard to do the feedings and check on him whenever he fussed (which was always 30 min after we laid him down), so we ended up changing *our* sheets all the time now! We'll probably transition this out as he sleeps more at night. Given how much we've changed our sheets, I would say about 3-4 sheets is good.
I use bibs/wash cloths/burp cloths interchangeably and I go through at least 6 a day (for his spit-ups and for my leaks from one side when I'm nursing him on the other). We have about 8 wash cloths, 6 burp cloths and more than a dozen bibs, but our LO spits up a lot and we got most of the bibs as hand-me-downs.
And for changing pad covers, for boys, I feel like you need at least 3. Probably less for girls
Another thing to keep in mind is that we do baby laundry about 2-3 times a week (but we also don't use CDs)...so if you want to do less laundry, then you may need more =P And if you're CDing and doing lots of laundry anyway, then you may be able to get away with less...
good advice already.
in terms of sheets Jack is in the co sleeper and we only have 2 sheets for it. I change them weekly or as needed (if he spits up or pees on it since we do diaper changes in there too). If he was a consistent spitter or had lots of diaper leaks I would think about getting 1-2 more. (total of 3-4). Same would apply to crib sheets.
We didn't get many clothes (didn't register for any) because we were team green. I had a shower after he was born and got lots of cute clothes there
And close family/friends brought tons of clothes to the hospital or days immediately after his birth.
all very good points!
I think this depends on your baby. if he/she is a little houdini then the miracle blanket is much better at swaddling than rec'ing blankets, just b/c it's designed so the baby's weight is holding down the flaps so it's harder to break free from. that said, a woombie might be even better since it's even harder to break free from. every baby is different though and A only broke out of her miracle blanket a few times. i got 2 brand new ones on ebay for $28 w/shipping. definitely wouldn't want to pay full price
yes!!! i forgot about this. we got a thermometer, bulb syringe, and comb from the hospital. they wouldn't let us trim the nails at the hospital though - they said too many parents clip the fingers when they are that little. so we filed them the first week. after that i clipped them. her nails grow so fast i have to do it 2x/wk.
we have one and it's plenty because it came with a mat on top. it's this one. what i did was always lay a prefold on top of that so when it got dirty i just threw it in the wash and then the layer that came w/the cover was still there to protect against messed. (that said we've had maybe 3 or 4 times when it got dirty b/c we're pretty good about putting a new diaper under her bum right away after pulling the dirty one off) if you aren't CDing you'll still want to get some gerber prefolds/diapers b/c they are great for this..also for spit ups etc. i always put a prefold under my boob when i was BFing b/c she was a very messy eater
oh and i highly recommend the ultimate crib sheet! fitted sheets on a crib mattress are such a royal pain to change b/c you have to remove the crib mattress from the crib. we have one fitted sheet that is always there. then we put the ultimate crib sheet on top. 2 would be good so you have 1 on while the other is in the wash. i got 4 but that's just b/c i got them used off ebay and they came in a set of 4. so much easier though.
bibs - we got a TON as gifts. i bought about 10 at a consignment sale and then we got a ton more as gifts. we use 1 daily, sometimes 2, b/c she drools so much. i like having a lot of these b/c i wash them separately. inevitably the velcro gets off on some of them and it gets caught on something. i'd rather not ruin any of our clothes by washing the bibs w/them so having a lot of bibs to last til i can wash them is nice.
washcloths - 2-3 is enough for us. i use them when she gets a bath and since we do CD laundry often we don't need many. if you plan to use them as diaper wipes then you obviously need more. we have about 36 cloth wipes for her bum but 24 would be fine i think.
receiving blankets - i got about 4 as hand me downs and i use them as a nursing cover and under her head when she's nursing now for any dribbles. i'm sure you'll get some as gifts so don't buy any
burp cloths - not very useful IMO b/c they are too small. a cloth prefold is much better and more absorbent for spit up. again, if you aren't CDing then get the cheap gerber cloth diapers/prefolds and you'll find many uses for them.
oh and if you want to get more things for when baby is older...aside from the high chair you'll want to think about things like a pack n play or a some kind of baby gate/play yard
Jaime & Brent
Oahu, Hawaii | Sept. 9, 2005
My Food Blog - Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats
haha, that made me laugh. If I was going to clip my baby and draw blood I would rather be at the hospital and have them tell me it's ok and he will survive. haha.
But I was a filer too - it seemed easier.
our hospital sent us home with a thermometer, syringe (2), comb and brush. And some random large medical scissors they used on Jack's foot alarm when it had to be replaced (once they are used they can't be reused I guess).
I like temporal thermometers - got a really nice one as a gift from a family friend that is a dr. - I have read they can be slightly inaccurate for babies so if it were to ever register higher than his normal I would probably check it with another form of thermometer too.
everyone is so different!
I really like burp clothes and have them all over the place. Jack rarely spits up but I use them while nursing in many ways. put one under his head while side-lying because he always dribbles out, put it under his chin while nursing normally to make sure nothing gets on my nursing bra/tank, wipe his drool to keep from changing bibs so often, keep one with my pump to put down as a prep area and to wipe off the parts if needed.
we got tons of blankets - from small 1ply flannel receiving blankets to the soft fluffy kind, to large handmade quilts. My go to's are the muslin swaddles (great for swaddling - and large enough to last and I also use them as nursing covers). We keep a soft fluffy one in the car to cover him up in his carseat when it's cold and use the large quilts as floor covers since we don't have carpet.
I don't know think BRU sells much aden and anais stuff but I love it all - the cozy sleep sacks, the muslin blankets and the burp cloth/bibs are my new favorite.
This is a great thread! I need to bookmark this.
I'm starting to register for things and find myself feeling bad for registering for more expensive items. I know that's what the registry is for, but I still find myself researching like crazy to make sure I'm registering for the best deal. I'm also worried about shipping costs. Some of the things I want to register for don't seem to be available locally and whoever buys it for us will also need to pay the shipping charges to Hawaii. I know it will be their choice to purchase or not, though. Am I just overthinking this?
yep. i think you just need to go with it. I hated registering at BRU because things were always more expensive there - but my SILs are who threw me the biggest shower and BRU is pretty much the only option in their town and most people were not going to order things online (so I doubt a myregistry or amazon's universal registry would have worked well) so I just went with it.
Can't help you with feeling bad for registering for more expensive stuff - I felt the same way. But, the one item I cheaped out on (a lightweight stroller since I knew someone else had already bought a BOB b) is the one thing I hate and regret and now feel bad about replacing.
so true! i just find the burp cloths so small so i use a prefold instead for all the uses you mentioned
plus when she had RSV and was vomiting up ALL her milk after a feeding the prefold was able to absorb much more than a burp cloth would...i know there are different kinds though. the ones we got as a gift were just like a long piece of fabric.
Jaime & Brent
Oahu, Hawaii | Sept. 9, 2005
My Food Blog - Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats
So we ended up "imitating" the miracle blanket by using two receiving blankets. We use the first one strictly for holding down his arms and tucking the flaps under his body, then just fold up the remaining blanket from the bottom. Then, we use the 2nd one for wrapping around him like a normal receiving blanket swaddle. It ends up working just as well as the miracle blanket for us
I think a woombie seems like it works better overall for houdini babies
You can ask Lisa in Oz about that since she's the only one I know of who uses them!
I don't know if they sell them or not at BRU, maybe in the US they do? I don't think so in Canada. It's a bummer because BRU Canada isn't *exactly* the same as BRU US. I guess we'll just have to cross border shop a bit more because of it, not to mention the prices are lower
I love Hawaii!
Tara & Ian . 4/24/2008 . The Kahala Planning . Married
I think so
I guess it's somewhat similar to a wedding registry. I had a big shower and almost everyone bought off of our registry. In the end I regret registering for miscellaneous things - spatula, serving platters (rec'd a TON of these) and the like. One of the best (wedding) gifts was a pots and pan set that was nearly $600 and we obviously use it every day. Another one was a KA food processor. I guess I'm saying you never know what people will want to buy or if there will be a group gift? I know what you mean though because I still feel the way you do, we are alike that way 
I'm also trying to be smart and not just register for every.little.thing but useful items we will have to buy.
I love Hawaii!
Tara & Ian . 4/24/2008 . The Kahala Planning . Married
oh I see - we got different ones. The gerber interlock ones and the "fake" prefolds that come in pretty colors. So they are still not as thick as prefold but thicker than those other terry cloth strips or whatever they are.
the A+A ones?? sooo nice! They are thick like a cozy sleep sack, perfect (large) sized, and have snaps on them so you can use them like a bib.
ooooooh those DO sound nice!
Tara, I don't know if they are sold out but I did see some A+A stuff on the babysteals archive. plus you could always check the resale section to see if anyone is selling A+A stuff, I know I've seen it there. maybe you could even find some canadian mamas selling stuff so you could save on shipping/duties
Jaime & Brent
Oahu, Hawaii | Sept. 9, 2005
My Food Blog - Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats
I really like our Woombies, but they don't work for all babies. They're impossible to escape from (which works well for us because Will can kick out of damn near anything) and they still suppress the startle reflex, BUT they're less restrictive than a traditional swaddle or a Miracle Blanket. The fabric is stretchy and they can move their arms from their sides to their chest, etc. So if you have a baby that likes to be really tightly swaddled to the point of immobility, a Woombie may not work for you.
I've read from other parents that they often seem to work best if you use them from birth so that your baby is used to them (i.e., no traditional swaddling at all) or as a transitional method between regular swaddling/Miracle Blankets and something totally unrestrictive like a sleepsack. Our boys sleep fine in them but I have noticed that they tend to sleep for shorter periods while in them (presumably since they can move around more) so we use them for naps during the day and still go with Miracle Blankets at night.
I would mention because I'm not sure you PG ladies know this, I certainly did not... There are TWO kinds of bibs. The small cloth ones are for use from when they are newborns until teething -- FOR DROOL!!
Personally, we did not use these AT ALL..... But my mom friend used several each day.
You'll then need a whole different kind of bib for eating FOOD!! That's because wet puried food seeps through cloth bibs and stains clothes and gets all over. For eating real food, they need waterproof bibs, preferably with a pocket. We have tried several brands and like Bumpkins best.
Also, speaking of food.... You can wait on the high chair since they won't need this until they start solids at 6 months. And even then, it depends on how big they are. We didn't start using the high chair until Alexa was 7-8 months. So it's definitely something you CAN register for, or you can wait on. Some people prefer clip-on high chairs because they save space. And we used the Bumbo chair to feed her in for the first 1-2 months before she fit into the high chair.
Malia & Dave & Alexa
Happily married since 2-17-08! Three since 9-9-09!
Baby Blog
Sheets -- 2 (Plus mattress, mattress pad, breathable bumpers)
Changing pad & Changing pad covers -- We have 2 covers, plus 4 pads that go on top of the changing pad
If you have a pack and play, get 2 sheets and at least 2 changing pads for that too
Don't forget a bottle brush! And a bottle drying rack! I really like the microwave sterilizer bags and wipes. Oh, and bottles too.
Night light is good. Humidifier? Diaper genie & liners?
I like Boogie wipes and saline drops...
I used regular prefolds for burp cloths and they were great
Register for a nice baby carrier, like an Ergo!
Exersaucer...
Video monitor
Infant Tylonol
Triple Paste diaper rash cream
Method baby soap/shampoo
Toy to hang from infant car seat handle bar
Activity Mat!!!!! Bouncer or other infant seat!!!!
Oball / Sophie the Giraffe / Winkle / Links (her early favorite toys!)
Shade for car window
Infant bath tub / spout guard
We actually use a TON of washcloths... We have like 30 and use them all the time.
And we loved our miracle blanket!! SO worth it!!
That's all I can think of... HTH!
Malia & Dave & Alexa
Happily married since 2-17-08! Three since 9-9-09!
Baby Blog
I used to think you couldn't have too many burp cloths, but now I've changed my mind and think you can't have too many bibs. Kaya drools like crazy so we go through them quickly. I mean, seriously, they are often soaked within an hour!
We go through washcloths quickly, too, because we don't wash her bath ones with her diapers like Jaime does. We wash all the diapers separate from her clothes and bath stuff. And since we bathe her nightly and use 2 washcloths each bath, we need to wash every 5 days or so. I think I might buy more, actually.
I registered for a monitor but ended up returning it because our house is pretty small and Kaya is LOUD so we ended up not needing it. If I want to check on her I just go into her room.
I just remembered this link that someone posted a while ago; https://pregnant.thebump.com/pregnancy/baby-registry/articles/registry-101.aspx
It has some good info and I referred to it when I started our registry.
I love Hawaii!
Tara & Ian . 4/24/2008 . The Kahala Planning . Married
BOPPY
hawaii 10.2008 plan ;P married bio ???
hi hi hi
i'm not a momma but i'm an auntie/older cousin. so i've had my fair share of babies although i understand it's not the same because i don't have actual kids of my own.
so if you want to ignore my post, then that's fine
i LOVE the boppy. my arms would get tired so the boppy was a great support. we would also put the baby in the middle of the boppy while we watched tv. i love it
i also love the bumbo chair.
also, depending on who you have watching your babies, it doesn't hurt to register for 2 things. for example, my parents or my gfs' parents will have the kids sometimes, so they would register for 2 car seats, 2 care seat protectors, 2 graco foldable cribs. just so that they didn't have to lug the stuff back and forth. but that's something you'll have to think about only if your in the situation and/or whoever is watching the kids are amenable to it.
hawaii 10.2008 plan ;P married bio ???
As a nurse, I wouldn't recommend this method. We always ask parents their temp when they come through the ED and if the parent says temporal then it all gets tossed out the window because it's not accurate. I would recommend something that can be under the arm or rectal. If babes has a temp during the first 6 weeks, pedi's prefer to know the rectal temp.
I agree with the bibs thing totally! We got a million of the cloth bibs and Bella isn't a real drooler so we rarely use them. I wish we had less of them. However, we love the pocket bibs. The Bumpkins are best because the shoulders are a little wider than some of them and the pocket catches more than I thought it would. She gets about 75% in her mouth and 25% gets caught in the pocket
As for the highchair. We bought a $150 high chair off CL for $65-70 (I can't remember for sure). It was like brand new, no scratches or anything. I checked it all over and then washed it like crazy when we got home. We've been using it since we started cereal around 6 months... I like that she "sits" at the table with us
i have yet to break any out. i'm more in the use common sense category (after 6 weeks of course). if he feels hot then I would start to monitor and like that I could do it in the least invasive way possible and go from there.