XP from PAIF: Getting ahead of myself, but....

lhcooper · January 2012

I'm really, really wary of thinking about baby stuff before it's super clear to me that there will really be a baby (our 2nd ultrasound is this Friday at 9w4d and I'm very nervous), but still: I know NOTHING about the "right" baby stuff (whatever that even means) -- strollers, car seats, wraps, carriers, cribs, co-sleepers, blah blah blah. I know, I can and will ask friends who have recently had kids, I'm just not there yet. But other than that, and short of subscribing to some mom's magazine which I will not do, how on earth do you figure this out? I can't see reading endless consumer reports for each item....

I'm sure I can figure this out, I just wonder if ladies who are farther along, or who are on their second child and already have their "stuff" have any thoughts to share about this kind of "research."

Mrs.McIrish · January 2012

lhcooper:

I'm really, really wary of thinking about baby stuff before it's super clear to me that there will really be a baby (our 2nd ultrasound is this Friday at 9w4d and I'm very nervous), but still: I know NOTHING about the "right" baby stuff (whatever that even means) -- strollers, car seats, wraps, carriers, cribs, co-sleepers, blah blah blah. I know, I can and will ask friends who have recently had kids, I'm just not there yet. But other than that, and short of subscribing to some mom's magazine which I will not do, how on earth do you figure this out? I can't see reading endless consumer reports for each item....

I'm sure I can figure this out, I just wonder if ladies who are farther along, or who are on their second child and already have their "stuff" have any thoughts to share about this kind of "research."

I hope you take this in the humorous way I mean it but I am totally laughing at you! Take all the time that you used for IF research (5-6hrs a day, right?) and find that perfect stroller! Hopefully you can laugh at me someday:-)

Brosis · January 2012

Ditto on the Baby Bargains book. It gives you all the "must have" items, including the amount of clothes you'll need for a layette. I researched the top picks on baby gear including a crib, stroller/car seat system, etc. & really helped keep our spending on track. It will help you to start a registry too.

BTW - I was terribly confused looking into baby stuff for the first time. For example, play pens are now called "Pack N Plays". You'll have an exciting time figuring it all out though. GL w/your u/s appt!

jessandandy09 · January 2012

what you "need" is very different than what people tell you that you need and what they think you need. It really all depends on if you like having stuff. Just like everything else in life, you can have a lot or a little. I tend to be a do-er not a have-er, so I need my breasts, clothes, a crib and a car seat. hmmmm. not too complex. My sister however needed a full nursery decked out in whinny the pooh, and every plastic gadget known to man (swings, bouncers, 3 carriers, boppies, 3 mobiles, bottles, clothes for every phase of the first year, every little accessory etc.... the list goes on and on) Was one of us right and one wrong? Nope. My child is great and so are her children. she is freaking out that I dont' want ALL of her stuff for this baby tho. and my MIL won't stop dumping her baby stuff on us that is WAY too old and probably not at all safe. Good luck, its a fun adventure.

karenannmark · January 2012

Im the same, not buying anything yet until im atleast 7-8mths which is prob so late!!!!! I havent a clue about stuff but thankfuly my already mammy friends are teaching me and im inheriting bits of stuff from them. A lady posted a list of stuff for FTMs which was so great of her, i will find and post it on to you, its VERY helpful. The best of luck on your u/s, im very much a worrier like you, it will be all good, with all my worrying before my 13wks scan my BP on that day was worryingly high but its actually perfect, was just me!!!

karenannmark · January 2012

Baby necessities list. Very helpful for all moms. -->

Tooling around
_____Car seat.
_____Stroller.

Beds and linens
_____Crib.
_____Crib mattress.
_____Bassinet/cradle (if you don't want to put your baby in a crib right away).
_____Two to three fitted crib sheets.
_____Four or more waffle-weave cotton receiving blankets for swaddling baby
_____Two mattress pads.
_____One to two waterproof liners (for crib or bassinet).

Diaper duty
_____Diapers. Disposables: One 40-count package of newborn (birth weight under 8 pounds) or of
size 1 (birth weight over 8 pounds). Cloth: Two to three dozen, plus six to 10 snap-on, waterproof
outer pants, and two to three sets of diaper pins, eight to 10 all-in-ones or diaper system covers;
two to three dozen diaper system inserts.
_____Diaper pail (with refills or bags as needed).
_____Diaper bag.

Dressing baby
_____Four sleeping outfits or one-piece sleepers with attached feet.
_____Six side-snap T-shirts.
_____Four to six one-piece undershirts that snap around the crotch.
_____A small baby cap (although the hospital will probably give you one).
_____Six pairs socks/booties.
_____Two to three soft, comfortable daytime outfits. Get only a few items in newborn size. Then, go for
clothing in the 6-month size--your baby will grow into it quickly. But don't buy baby sleepwear
that's too big--it's a safety hazard.
_____Cotton sweater or light jacket.

Winter babies
_____Snowsuit with attached mittens or fold-over cuffs, or heavy bunting.
_____Heavy stroller blanket.
_____Warm knit hat.

Feeding time
If you're planning to breast-feed:
_____Three to five nursing bras.
_____A box of washable or disposable breast pads.
_____Breast pump if you expect to use one (manual or electric).
_____Four small baby bottles with newborn nipples for storing expressed breast milk.
_____Bottle-drying tree.
_____Bottle brush.
_____Insulated bottle holder for diaper bag (the hospital may give you one).
_____Three packs of cloth diapers or burp cloths.

If you're planning to bottle-feed:
_____Six 4- to 5-ounce bottles, plus nipples, rings, and a dishwasher basket if you use a dishwasher.

Bathing/Grooming
_____Plastic infant bathtub.
_____Three soft hooded towels.
_____Two packs of baby washcloths.
_____Baby body wash that doubles as shampoo.
_____Pair of blunt-tip scissors or baby-sized nail clippers.
_____Zinc-oxide-based diaper rash ointment.
_____Soft brush and comb.
_____Mild laundry detergent.

Medicine chest essentials
_____A pain-and-fever reducer recommended by your baby's doctor, such as Infant's Tylenol.
_____Cotton pads/swabs.
_____Nasal aspirator.
_____Digital rectal thermometer.
_____Rubbing alcohol.
_____Petroleum jelly.

Keeping baby happy
_____Pacifiers.

Extras: Nice but optional
_____Baby monitor.
_____Changing table.
_____A rocker or glider.
_____Sling or strap-on soft carrier.
_____Boppy, a doughnut-shape pillow designed to make holding baby during breastfeeding or
bottlefeeding easier.
_____Nursing coverup. Attaches at your neck and allows for private breastfeeding when you and your
baby are in public.
_____Infant swing.
_____Bouncy seat.
_____Night-light.

aurora1974 · January 2012

Well, I had an idea on some things from when I had DD, but since it's been 17 years I just took it one thing at a time and researched each thing. Then I would give DH 2 or 3 options (all he wanted) and we would decide on the 1 we wanted. I was really overwhelmed as well, but that's my own fault because I wanted a whole nursery. My reason for that is that I wasn't able to do that for DD because I was young and living with my parents so her and I shared a room for the first 2 years of her life. Did DD suffer because she didn't have a nursery? Not at all. But since I have the ability to do it this time around I wanted that experience. So as PP said, I have just about every plastic thing known to Babies R Us. And I'm proud of it. LOL

YaraC · January 2012

Hmmm, that list seems a little outdated or uniformed given its reference to diaper pins when it discusses cloth diapers. But I'm a cloth diaper junkie and I digress.

Seriously, don't sweat it. You will figure it all out. Read the message boards and see what items people are discussing. If you see someone with a stroller that looks interesting, ask them what kind it is (people are happy to discuss these things) and then go read some reviews. See what you mommy friends have.

At the end of the day, for me, my only must haves for a newborn are:

Boobs, fleece sleepers, swaddling blankets, diapers, and a co-sleeper.

I have a WHOLE lot more stuff than that of course. I like things.

stever · January 2012

It is super overwhelming. I figured out what we ended up getting by making a list of what worked best based on our needs then by reading lots and lots of reviews.

jessandandy09 · January 2012

karenannmark:

Baby necessities list. Very helpful for all moms.

-->

Tooling around
_____Car seat.
_____Stroller.

Beds and linens
_____Crib.
_____Crib mattress.
_____Bassinet/cradle (if you don't want to put your baby in a crib right away).
_____Two to three fitted crib sheets.
_____Four or more waffle-weave cotton receiving blankets for swaddling baby
_____Two mattress pads.
_____One to two waterproof liners (for crib or bassinet).

Diaper duty
_____Diapers. Disposables: One 40-count package of newborn (birth weight under 8 pounds) or of
size 1 (birth weight over 8 pounds). Cloth: Two to three dozen, plus six to 10 snap-on, waterproof
outer pants, and two to three sets of diaper pins, eight to 10 all-in-ones or diaper system covers;
two to three dozen diaper system inserts.
_____Diaper pail (with refills or bags as needed).
_____Diaper bag.

Dressing baby
_____Four sleeping outfits or one-piece sleepers with attached feet.
_____Six side-snap T-shirts.
_____Four to six one-piece undershirts that snap around the crotch.
_____A small baby cap (although the hospital will probably give you one).
_____Six pairs socks/booties.
_____Two to three soft, comfortable daytime outfits. Get only a few items in newborn size. Then, go for
clothing in the 6-month size--your baby will grow into it quickly. But don't buy baby sleepwear
that's too big--it's a safety hazard.
_____Cotton sweater or light jacket.

Winter babies
_____Snowsuit with attached mittens or fold-over cuffs, or heavy bunting.
_____Heavy stroller blanket.
_____Warm knit hat.

Feeding time
If you're planning to breast-feed:
_____Three to five nursing bras.
_____A box of washable or disposable breast pads.
_____Breast pump if you expect to use one (manual or electric).
_____Four small baby bottles with newborn nipples for storing expressed breast milk.
_____Bottle-drying tree.
_____Bottle brush.
_____Insulated bottle holder for diaper bag (the hospital may give you one).
_____Three packs of cloth diapers or burp cloths.

If you're planning to bottle-feed:
_____Six 4- to 5-ounce bottles, plus nipples, rings, and a dishwasher basket if you use a dishwasher.

Bathing/Grooming
_____Plastic infant bathtub.
_____Three soft hooded towels.
_____Two packs of baby washcloths.
_____Baby body wash that doubles as shampoo.
_____Pair of blunt-tip scissors or baby-sized nail clippers.
_____Zinc-oxide-based diaper rash ointment.
_____Soft brush and comb.
_____Mild laundry detergent.

Medicine chest essentials
_____A pain-and-fever reducer recommended by your baby's doctor, such as Infant's Tylenol.
_____Cotton pads/swabs.
_____Nasal aspirator.
_____Digital rectal thermometer.
_____Rubbing alcohol.
_____Petroleum jelly.

Keeping baby happy
_____Pacifiers.

Extras: Nice but optional
_____Baby monitor.
_____Changing table.
_____A rocker or glider.
_____Sling or strap-on soft carrier.
_____Boppy, a doughnut-shape pillow designed to make holding baby during breastfeeding or
bottlefeeding easier.
_____Nursing coverup. Attaches at your neck and allows for private breastfeeding when you and your
baby are in public.
_____Infant swing.
_____Bouncy seat.
_____Night-light.

I think this is a good list, it talks about what you need right off the bat and gives a list of optionals that are good :-)

UOduckBride2be · January 2012

"I hope you take this in the humorous way I mean it but I am totally laughing at you! Take all the time that you used for IF research (5-6hrs a day, right?) and find that perfect stroller! Hopefully you can laugh at me someday:-)"

My decaf mocha almost came out of my nose! This is what I was thinking but didn't say. For me seriously, I have simply switched my obsessions from getting pregnant to all things maternity and baby. It's hard to let go of obsessing when it was 6 YEARS, (Even though I am shy and mostly a Lurky Lou now!).

Everyone has a different opinion and different priorities on all the baby stuff. Me for example: I bought one of the most expensive eco-friendly crib mattresses on the market, (retails for $550), but bought a $99 Ikea crib, (I like simple and modern). To me it made sense because they spend so much of their young life sleeping there breathing whatever is off-gassing and I was sold on the ability to throw the damn thing in the washer and not have a waterproof plastic-y layer; to others this is lunacy. Unfortunately no one can tell you what is going to work for you and your family...Lots of people will be happy to give you their opinions though I am sure!!!

I thought finally being able to jump into all these decisions was pretty exciting, but I am weird. I love researching! Good Luck!

MrsJordanalmond · January 2012

agree with many PP

baby bargains is the way to go. with my first son, every time i got overwhelmed or freaked out, i would check the book. the authors really break it down for you ... necessary, nice to have, waste of money. they also rate products and give pricing. for me, the best part was how they also tell you when you need certain items ... like an exerciser is awesome ... but you don't need it until 4-5 months.

good luck ...

bdgallagher · January 2012

I went with a good friend who's also a mom to Babies R Us and just looked around at all the different things that were there. I asked her a ton of questions too - like, what is a receiving blanket and why do I need them? I also wrote down brand names so that I'd have a place to start with my research.

When it came to car seats my husband is a safety nut so I had him do the research. He found that Britax had the best safety ratings, followed by the Chicco Keyfit. (We ended up going with the Chicco b/c the Britax did not fit in my Mini Cooper).

We also went to physical stores to play around with strollers and some other items before settling on a brand. Again, we wrote down brand names that we liked in so that we could go online and do research later.

And then I did a TON of online research. Yes, it was long and exhausting and it made my eyes a little watery staring at my computer for so long. Over all it took me about 3 or 4 days to research everything we needed, and that was looking on line for probably a total of 2 hours per day. (I did 30 minutes here, 40 minutes there)

I'm a FTM so I probably went overboard, but it is doable. Just start with small steps and you'll figure everything out ) Good luck!

lhcooper · January 2012

Mrs.McIrish:
lhcooper:

I'm really, really wary of thinking about baby stuff before it's super clear to me that there will really be a baby (our 2nd ultrasound is this Friday at 9w4d and I'm very nervous), but still: I know NOTHING about the "right" baby stuff (whatever that even means) -- strollers, car seats, wraps, carriers, cribs, co-sleepers, blah blah blah. I know, I can and will ask friends who have recently had kids, I'm just not there yet. But other than that, and short of subscribing to some mom's magazine which I will not do, how on earth do you figure this out? I can't see reading endless consumer reports for each item....

I'm sure I can figure this out, I just wonder if ladies who are farther along, or who are on their second child and already have their "stuff" have any thoughts to share about this kind of "research."

I hope you take this in the humorous way I mean it but I am totally laughing at you! Take all the time that you used for IF research (5-6hrs a day, right?) and find that perfect stroller! Hopefully you can laugh at me someday:-)

Touche'! Fair enough. Of course I'll find the time to do the research, it's more that I just didn't know where to start actually doing it. Really grateful for the Baby Bargains suggestion and the other ideas here -- thanks, everyone!

leffe1 · January 2012

I think I first went shopping after our big u/s. We were clueless when we registered to be honest. I figure what I don't have I can always buy after the baby. You really don't need everything all at once only the essentials. You will figure it out :-)

cautionwillburneyes · January 2012

Well, you aren't alone. You should see my list of favorites on my computer. I have become a baby "stuff" junkie over the last week. I've been researching everything from mattresses to car seats and diaper bags. I haven't bought anything yet, but I will probably start after I hit 12 weeks and everything looks good.

JennyP1 · January 2012

BABY BARGAINS! That book is awesome and will take the guess work out of selecting all of the baby stuff. I also have BABY 411 and TODDLER 411, they are great too!

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XP from PAIF: Getting ahead of myself, but....

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