PSA: before you register/buy gear

pugznploons · February 2012

buy this book and it will answer most of your questions regarding safety, features, what is really necessary vs. just "extra", and it gives recommendations for the best options in several price ranges. Covers the big stuff like cribs, furniture, strollers, car seats, high chairs, monitors, mattresses, clothing, pumps, bottles, etc. Goes over what to buy new, what is okay used, best places to shop, current safety standards, and so on.

about $11 on amazon, you can also buy versions for your kindle or nook.

https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Bargains-Secrets-furniture-maternity/dp/1889392405/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330283185&sr=8-1

also post/lurk on the Nurseries and Baby Gear board, same questions are asked over and over there so you'll quickly learn what items are the favorites of bumpie moms. Bonus: people post pictures of their nurseries for inspiration.

https://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/4236749/ShowForum.aspx

figured I'd post this since there are so many FTMs here and so many gear questions starting to pop up. Do some reading/research and you'll feel much more knowledgeable when you go to the store to register and hopefully less overwhelmed since you'll be able to easily locate the brands/products that stand above the rest.

CourtneySue · February 2012

Agreed! I used this a lot with DS. It really helped to narrow things down.

The best advice was not buying bedding. We have a breathable bumper & 2 crib sheets & that was all we used.

pugznploons · February 2012

seriously, bedding sets are so overpriced, you can't use the quilt or the bumper, and I think 99% are fug, but I am picky about fabrics/bedding!

workingmama · February 2012

Love it! I just wish they published annually. I had a "fresh" book with DS - not so this time around.

Also, while the book is great, you still need to think about your lifestyle and needs/wants when buying. For example, I am pretty sure we are going with a car seat they give a "B" (Britax Chaperone). They give it that rating because of its size, but it will fit in our car and I like it so much more than the Graco Snugride, which is what we had with DS.

pugznploons · February 2012

yeah I wish they maintained a website with up to date information, the orange one was published in May 2011, so no reviews on 2012 products of course.

raza13 · February 2012

LOVE IT!!! It has been so helpful. and ditto PP about not buying bedding. I get weird looks when I tell people that but I don't care because I know I'm right!

DemoDoll · February 2012

Thanks for posting this!

We aren't going to buy bedding either, my SIL suggested jersey knit fitted sheets from Target that match the nursery colors. I plan on buying a bumper set on etsy or something so I don't have to buy the whole nursery set.

Are they still saying that you should use bumpers in a crib? Everyone I know has them in their LO's crib.

MrsT0522 · February 2012

DemoDoll:
Thanks for posting this!
We aren't going to buy bedding either, my SIL suggested jersey knit fitted sheets from Target that match the nursery colors. I plan on buying a bumper set on etsy or something so I don't have to buy the whole nursery set.
Are they still saying that you should use bumpers in a crib? Everyone I know has them in their LO's crib.

They say you SHOULDN'T use them...for multiple reasons, but the big one being that they restrict airflow. You can get a breathable bumper, it's like a soft mesh, and it will keep the baby from getting arms and legs stuck between the slats of the crib.

They advise against them for older babies, because once a baby can stand, they can use the bumper to stand on then launch themselves out of the crib.

pugznploons · February 2012

yeah there is really no reason to use bumpers. They restrict airflow which increases the SIDS risk, and can be a suffocation risk as well if baby were to get pressed up against them.

JayandEmm · February 2012

Agreed! Love this book!

I bought this when we first found out, and read it from front to back.

raza13 · February 2012

yes, to top it off with bumpers they really don't protect the baby from bumping it's head. Once a baby gets to the point where they can roll over, the crib slats still aren't that hard that a baby can seriously hurt his/herself on it. If for some reason a baby is rolling over and hurting themselves in the crib or even just for the parents' peace of mind they make mesh/breathable bumpers. Most babies don't need them though.

SayAnything84 · February 2012

Sometimes I think I am the only person on The Bump who thought this book was a total waste of money. I really don't like it, I think the authors are biased and all the main things they talk about are discussed constantly on these message boards anyway. That was just my experience with it anyway.

Steph73005 · February 2012

I recommend getting it from the library to create your registry. It was a great help in creating my registry with items that I knew were ranked well since I was overwhelmed as a FTM. I plan to check it out again down the road when I need to get a bigger carseat or other items.

workingmama · February 2012

FWIW, the AAP now recommends not using any bumper, including the breathables.

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