baby purchase intimidation

Skk1977 · October 2012

I'm starting to think about what kinds of things a baby needs and I'm not really sure where to start. There are a lot of lists of baby essentials but I'm really confused about what kind of car seat and stroller to get. I know this is way too early and a little funny to be concerned about but I don't have the advantage of having had kids and knowing what will be convenient.

One thing I'm caught up on is whether to get an infant carrier that snaps into a stroller or get a convertible car seat or a jogging stroller and a separate infant carrier.

Any suggestions? (My parents might make some baby purchases this Christmas.)

vpr105 · October 2012

I don't think it's too early to start thinking about all that stuff. I have been researching and beginning to plan myself. My family wants to shop baby stuff for Christmas as well. I recommend Baby Bargains 2012..........you can get it for about $10 on amazon. Someone recommended it to me and it has been really helpful.

evilgreencows5 · October 2012

I was super excited to buy baby things but as the time gets closer I get more and more intimidated. There are somethings I know like I want a car seat that clicks with a stroller and I want a car seat that sits on a shopping cart. But there are so many things that I just have no idea about. I go into the baby section and walk around just to get an idea of things, not to buy anything and this usually helps me.

JustDoIt62009 · October 2012

evilgreencows5:
I was super excited to buy baby things but as the time gets closer I get more and more intimidated. There are somethings I know like I want a car seat that clicks with a stroller and I want a car seat that sits on a shopping cart. But there are so many things that I just have no idea about. I go into the baby section and walk around just to get an idea of things, not to buy anything and this usually helps me.

NO car seat sits on the shopping cart. Though people do it, it is strictly not allowed in ALL manuals! Sorry to go OT here, I just hate seeing this every time I'm at the store. It scares the beejeesus out of me. I've read too many stories this year of babies passing away after toppling out of the cart because their moms thought it clicked on.

summer828 · October 2012

We did a carrier for a long time. It gives you the freedom to move the baby from car to wherever you're going quickly. Also, if your LO falls asleep, you don't have to wake them when you get where you're going. We have the Graco Snugride 35, which goes up to 35 pounds. My son is 17 months, and is nowhere near the weight limit yet. We switched to a convertible car seat a little after a year.

The snap n go is really convenient for the same reasons we liked the carrier. I think we started using a regular stroller around 4 months or so, but still used the snap n go for a while after that too.

Our stroller is the City Mini, which is really easy to steer and fits into pretty tight places. I can also fold it up with one hand. The only downside is that there isn't much storage space for cups and gear.

JustDoIt62009 · October 2012

vpr105:
I don't think it's too early to start thinking about all that stuff. I have been researching and beginning to plan myself. My family wants to shop baby stuff for Christmas as well. I recommend Baby Bargains 2012..........you can get it for about $10 on amazon. Someone recommended it to me and it has been really helpful.

I highly recommend Baby Bargains as well! It was a great book that helped me make a ton of decisions. I ended up with a infant carseat that clicks into the stroller, though I didn't use the stroller until she was older- I wore her when we were out. I like the longevity of convertible seats from the beginning, but I liked being able to easily take baby inside if she fell asleep in the car. It's all going to be about your personal preference.

Edited: spelling

Skk1977 · October 2012

JustDoIt62009:
evilgreencows5:
I was super excited to buy baby things but as the time gets closer I get more and more intimidated. There are somethings I know like I want a car seat that clicks with a stroller and I want a car seat that sits on a shopping cart. But there are so many things that I just have no idea about. I go into the baby section and walk around just to get an idea of things, not to buy anything and this usually helps me.
NO car seat sits on the shopping cart. Though people do it, it is strictly not allowed in ALL manuals! Sorry to go OT here, I just hate seeing this every time I'm at the store. It scares the beejeesus out of me. I've read too many stories this year of babies passing away after toppling out of the cart because their moms thought it clicked on.

Akkk! See...intimidating!

ScottsdaleMama · October 2012

In a similar post awhile back someone recommended lucieslist.com
I have really enjoyed reading the recommendations and it has a lot of helpful information. I have started a registry at BBB as a way to keep track of which products I read about and decide on, I'm just taking it one thing at a time! Good luck.

Skk1977 · October 2012

summer828:
We did a carrier for a long time. It gives you the freedom to move the baby from car to wherever you're going quickly. Also, if your LO falls asleep, you don't have to wake them when you get where you're going. We have the Graco Snugride 35, which goes up to 35 pounds. My son is 17 months, and is nowhere near the weight limit yet. We switched to a convertible car seat a little after a year.
The snap n go is really convenient for the same reasons we liked the carrier. I think we started using a regular stroller around 4 months or so, but still used the snap n go for a while after that too.
Our stroller is the City Mini, which is really easy to steer and fits into pretty tight places. I can also fold it up with one hand. The only downside is that there isn't much storage space for cups and gear.

Thanks, i'll check this stuff out.

Skk1977 · October 2012

vpr105:
I don't think it's too early to start thinking about all that stuff. I have been researching and beginning to plan myself. My family wants to shop baby stuff for Christmas as well. I recommend Baby Bargains 2012..........you can get it for about $10 on amazon. Someone recommended it to me and it has been really helpful.

Thanks for the Baby Bargains tip.

Skk1977 · October 2012

evilgreencows5:
I was super excited to buy baby things but as the time gets closer I get more and more intimidated. There are somethings I know like I want a car seat that clicks with a stroller and I want a car seat that sits on a shopping cart. But there are so many things that I just have no idea about. I go into the baby section and walk around just to get an idea of things, not to buy anything and this usually helps me.

This is what I'm hoping for, too--a universal car seat that clicks everywhere.

JustDoIt62009 · October 2012

Skk1977:
JustDoIt62009:
evilgreencows5:
I was super excited to buy baby things but as the time gets closer I get more and more intimidated. There are somethings I know like I want a car seat that clicks with a stroller and I want a car seat that sits on a shopping cart. But there are so many things that I just have no idea about. I go into the baby section and walk around just to get an idea of things, not to buy anything and this usually helps me.
NO car seat sits on the shopping cart. Though people do it, it is strictly not allowed in ALL manuals! Sorry to go OT here, I just hate seeing this every time I'm at the store. It scares the beejeesus out of me. I've read too many stories this year of babies passing away after toppling out of the cart because their moms thought it clicked on.
Akkk! See...intimidating!

Totally not trying to intimidate. Most people just don't read their manuals, and they see other people doing it and just do it, especially if they hear it click. Not going to lie, I did it once or twice but was really uncomfortable with it. I wore her when we shopped, or put her car seat in the main part of the basket if I didn't have a lot to get. I've since become a huge car seat advocate, and am looking into becoming a CPST. It's so crazy/scary how misused the most used piece of baby gear is- something like 93% of people don't use their car seats correctly!

Skk1977 · October 2012

JustDoIt62009:
vpr105:
I don't think it's too early to start thinking about all that stuff. I have been researching and beginning to plan myself. My family wants to shop baby stuff for Christmas as well. I recommend Baby Bargains 2012..........you can get it for about $10 on amazon. Someone recommended it to me and it has been really helpful.
I highly recommend Baby Bargains as well! It was a great book that helped me make a ton of decisions. I ended up with a infant carseat that clicks into the stroller, though I didn't use the stroller until she was older- I wore her when we were out. I like the longevity of convertible seats from the beginning, but I liked being able to easily take baby inside if she fell asleep in the car. It's all going to be about your personal preference.
Edited: spelling

I'll check out Baby Bargains. What brand of wearable baby holder thing do you recommend?

JustDoIt62009 · October 2012

Skk1977:
JustDoIt62009:
vpr105:
I don't think it's too early to start thinking about all that stuff. I have been researching and beginning to plan myself. My family wants to shop baby stuff for Christmas as well. I recommend Baby Bargains 2012..........you can get it for about $10 on amazon. Someone recommended it to me and it has been really helpful.
I highly recommend Baby Bargains as well! It was a great book that helped me make a ton of decisions. I ended up with a infant carseat that clicks into the stroller, though I didn't use the stroller until she was older- I wore her when we were out. I like the longevity of convertible seats from the beginning, but I liked being able to easily take baby inside if she fell asleep in the car. It's all going to be about your personal preference.
Edited: spelling
I'll check out Baby Bargains. What brand of wearable baby holder thing do you recommend?

I used a Moby in the very beginning- it's a lot of fabric and can be intimidating, but once you get used to it it's great. I then switched to the Ergo. This time I plan on trying a ring sling from sleeping baby productions.

ETA: I love my Ergo and still use it regularly. DD is 22 months and 26lbs and I never get any aches from carrying her.

sugarmamma · October 2012

Ergo carrier
Snap n go stroller
Infant car seat
Extra base for DH
2 convertibles for when LO is too heavy to carry around and wants to be more upright
Maclaran umbrella stroller
Pack n play
Swing
Exersaucer
Bouncy/vibration seat
Monitor

I also did not purchase a bedding set or bumpers. Just sheets.

Just some ideas :

brighteyes2123 · October 2012

When you look at buying a crib... whether it is new or used, make sure it is NOT drop down style! My mom bought DS a crib on craigslist and was told by someone else to avoid the drop down style!

Skk1977 · October 2012

sugarmamma:
Ergo carrier Snap n go stroller Infant car seat Extra base for DH 2 convertibles for when LO is too heavy to carry around and wants to be more upright Maclaran umbrella stroller Pack n play Swing Exersaucer Bouncy/vibration seat Monitor I also did not purchase a bedding set or bumpers. Just sheets. Just some ideas :

Oh, I like this list! I'll just have to look up what a convertible is.

Skk1977 · October 2012

brighteyes2123:
When you look at buying a crib... whether it is new or used, make sure it is NOT drop down style! My mom bought DS a crib on craigslist and was told by someone else to avoid the drop down style!

Is the drop down style crib the same thing as a convertible crib?

sugarmamma · October 2012

A drop down crib means the side drops down. You do not want one if these. They are constantly recalled.

A convertible means it goes to toddler bed and then full sized bed. However, you must order the toddler attachment and the full size rails separately. Buy them when you buy your crib just incase your crib becomes discontinued.

Ceefome · October 2012

I say get the infant carrier. Newborns really don't fit into a convertible carseat well, even if they do start their ratings at 5 lbs. No one is putting a 5lb baby in a convertible carseat. And being able to snap the carseat into a stroller is a huge convenience than having to take a sleeping baby out of a carseat and put them in a stroller.

GoMaltby18 · October 2012

I will highly recommend the snap n go and say DO NOT get a travel system. Caveat: if you live in the suburbs and only go places that are huge, sure get a travel system. If you live anywhere else the snap n go is way more streamlined (on sidewalks, in restaurants, etc) and it also weighs way less than the huge travel system strollers. I made do with the snap n go for 6 months with DS1 and then took him with me to decide what stroller I wanted. I thought I wanted a Macleran because everyone loves them, but DS didn't like it and preferred something with a tray.

There are a few different brands of snap n go (baby trend, and graco has one similar) and once you choose a carseat (I like to check out consumer reports for ratings) just google to see which stroller frame it will fit in. As far as a second base, it's only worth it if you use more than one car frequently. We have two, but we never take MH's car anywhere with kids, so we haven't used it since DS1.

For carriers I like the baby k'tan, it's essentially a dumbed-down version of the moby. BUT! Can I recommend waiting til your baby is here to go find one? I went to a store that sold various styles and took DS with me so that I could try one on and have all my questions answered. Made it a lot easier than just trying to pick something while I was pregnant.

Kimmy9j · October 2012

Everyone is going to find that something diffrent works for them but I am also in the Carrier Car Seat plus snap and go camp travel systems are bulky as snap and go are light weight and take much less space.

When DD got bigger we bough a city select so we could add a seat or seat adaptor for our 2nd when the time came (it has!)

and I also love my ergo, and plan to get a ring sling for around the house

AmyNicole622 · October 2012

I don't have a ton of advice but a few things I learned with DS.
Both H and I are tall and fat babies which resulted in mr chub's so around 4 months the infant seat was just too small and narrow. I wouldn't put too much investment in the 06 month age stuff... They grow so quickly!
Wait on buying lots of clothes. We didn't buy nb sizes but LO came out small but literally overnight he by passed 36 month size. If people ask tell them to buy 6 months or older. You'll get much more wear out of the items.

~Kat~ · October 2012

Baby "must-haves" IMO-

Crib

Mattress

Sheets

Pack n play

Baby bouncer

Swing

Stroller

Car seat

High chair (we used ours for holding DS during mealtimes even before they could eat)

Things like blankets and clothes can wait until after the shower or at least until later on. We got a ton as gifts.

babykuz · October 2012

I second the BOB stroller (its a jogger) and you can buy an adaptor for it that you can snap on the infant seat and use it as your main stroller (that is what I did b/c I didn't want a million different strollers) as well as when the baby is 6mo or has good neck control then you can use it to jog too. this was the BEST decision I made...still use it for LOs.

ali26 · October 2012

I loved my infant car seat and was bummed when DD outgrew it. Most convertible seats say they are from 5/6 pound up, but they really do not offer as much support as the infant seat. Plus, the first few months or so it feels awkward putting your tiny LO in and out of the car seat so it's nice if your just running a quick errand to pop the whole seat off the base and carry it along.

I have a Chicco seat, the keyfit 22. Might be worth buying the 30 model, especially if you have a boy as they tend to get bigger faster. My nephew was 22 pounds by 7 months! (And then only 23 at one year). My DD out grew hers in height before weight.

For convertible seat I have a britax boulevard. One thing I've noticed is these seats vary so much in length so if you have a smaller car you should try it out in your car before picking one out. If you are registering for items just remember after around 90 days you cannot return an item. That can be an issue if you change your mind on a seat since you might not even use it for 6 months or more.

I love my ergo carrier. We got a standard crib instead of a convertible since I plan on buying DD a twin bed and reusing her crib for this baby instead of converting her crib to a queen. Standard cribs are cheaper and have a smaller footprint so if you don't think you'd use it as a full or queen you can save money that way.

Id say other must-haves for the beginning are:

bassinet, rock and play, cosleeper, or something similar for sleeping

bouncy seat and/or swing

burp cloths, bibs, blankets (aiden and anais swaddle are my fave)

swaddler/sleepsacks- not all babies like but good to have at least one of each

if nursing: pump, bottles/storage bags, nursing pads, nursing cover, boppy (you may need the pump if they have trouble latching on, otherwise you may not need it for a few weeks. If you pan in returning to work get the best model available)

if bottle feeding: a few different brands of bottles since you don't know what will work.

ali26 · October 2012

Also, I'll add: I didn't think I wanted a travel system either, but ended up getting the chicco one bc it was less expensive than buying the seat and snap and go separately. Plus, even the though snap and go is light it still takes up a lot of trunk space. I've been happy with the chicco stroller but now at around 36" DD is a little too long for it. I walk and run a lot with DD so I have a jogging stroller for that, use the chicco stroller for shopping. If I lived in a city I'd definitely want something more heavy duty but for my suburban area the travel system worked out fine. Now I'm looking into strollers that can accommodate one or two kids for this LO.

CopperDog39 · October 2012

ScottsdaleMama:
In a similar post awhile back someone recommended lucieslist.com I have really enjoyed reading the recommendations and it has a lot of helpful information. I have started a registry at BBB as a way to keep track of which products I read about and decide on, I'm just taking it one thing at a time! Good luck.

This!

MommaG123 · October 2012

There will be a million and one posts later on where everyone debates the merits of each and every purchase possible. Don't worry there is still plenty of time!

I also recommend the baby bargains book and I also second PP who said no infant car seat should go on top of the shopping cart! Wink Super dangerous.

Skk1977 · October 2012

cesmiley:
As I was reading thru, the 2 big things that stood out to me,#1 were drop side cribs--they are illegal to sell, for 2nd hand stores also!--any recalled item is illegal to sell and the seller can be prosecuted. #2 carseats on top of shopping carts are a HUGE no...I can't remember who else emphasized this at the moment, but its huge. She is right on the statistics, around 93% of people don't use their car seats correctly, and this includes the installation in their vehicles. I always encouraged parents to have their seats checked by a certified CPST professional. (I used to work for a large baby retailer and carseats/strollers were my specialty and passion) You can make just about any stroller besides umbrella strollers into a 'travel system' to fit your lifestyle. For instance, I will not be using a preboxed travel system like the Graco or Chicco ones that you commonly see, because it doesn't fit my lifestyle. My husband and I will be using a BOB stroller with an adapter to make it into a travel system and then our carseat will snap in to it.
Please feel free to message me if you have any more direct questions. I know it can be confusing and a stressful time. That is the biggest part of my old job that I miss...walking the store with new moms helping them pick out items.
Good luck!

Thank you that is very sweet and I will keep this in mind!

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