Not having a baby shower

mrs.hughey · March 2014

Due to our crazy family, we are not having a baby shower. I am hoping you ladies can help me compile a list of must have items. My Hubby and I are in a 1 bedroom so we will be room sharing. I am hoping to make the best use of space and also not purchase too many things that we won't be needing for a while. We just found out that the shower won't be happening @ almost 7 months so I'm feeling a little overwhelmed and underprepared. Thanks girls! Happy baby making!

Hairstylist16 · March 2014

Sorry your not having a shower but I think it's still doable.
1. Pack in play (or whatever or wherever you'd like baby to sleep) (cosleeping?)
2. Diapers & wipes & formula (unless bf?)
3. Clothes (couple jammies and onesies with pants) but not necessarily newborn since they grow out of that size fast unless a preemie
4. Blankets & swaddlers
5. Swing/vibrating chair ( not entirely necessary but did come in handy and the vibrating chair is smaller then the swing).

I'm sure there are a couple things I'm forgetting (or that others will think you need but I was trying to keep the list easy and apartment friendly

)but your husband spends a lot of time in the store the first couple days after baby is born getting the couple things needed anyway.

cristykaye · March 2014

Maybe a tub and grooming stuff. They have those little kits at target I know. Also maybe a thermometer if its not in the kit. A couple towels and wash cloths. I don't know if you really need baby towels or not.

nunzchucks · March 2014

This thread has a pretty comprehensive list: https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12212941/essentials-list-for-ftms-stm-my-ocd-begs-you-for-help

kibean · March 2014

LilNunz1 said:

This thread has a pretty comprehensive list: https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12212941/essentials-list-for-ftms-stm-my-ocd-begs-you-for-help

I have this same thread bookmarked. Definitely a good resource!

fsumom · March 2014

I don't know your budget but I bought the Nuna Sena mini which is like a pack-n-play and it's very small! I definitely recommend it for small spaces and portability.

Rosebud2587 · March 2014

ugabamafans said:

1. footed sleepers (like 5), a 5-pack of onesies and a pack of pants
2. a couple of blankets
3. pacifiers - just one pack
4. q-tips, alcohol and if you are having a boy who will be circumsized, vasoline
5. a pack and play or somewhere for baby to sleep - sheets for said sleeping place
6. if you are formula feeding, bottles and formula
7. diapers and wipes - don't go overboard with NB size
8. I considered my son's vibrating bouncy seat a necessity
9. baby wash and baby lotion
10. a carseat - if nothing else, you need to go ahead and get a carseat. You can't bring baby home without it. Everything else, you could pick up on the way home.

My hospital gave us a thermometer, pacifier, diapers, wipes, nasal aspirator and formula samples.

Shop consignment sales and garage sales. https://consignmentmommies.com/ has local consignment sales listed. You do NOT need to buy new! The only thing on that list that I would buy new (other than the toiletries) would be the carseat, unless I knew the person. Carseats expire after a certain amount of time (they do have stickers with the mfr date) and are not designed to be used after they are in a wreck. But that is just me. I buy everything else used.

Sorry you are having family drama. Take a deep breath, babies really don't NEED a lot. It's just easy to get caught up with all the cute extras.

If you don't have much to spend on a car seat I'd suggest buying the Cosco Comfy Carry Elite (make sure it's the elite version) for $60. It's a very basic car seat but it fits newborns well, has a front adjust, and is very affordable. If you want to skip the infant seat and go straight to a convertible my suggestion would be the Evenflo SureRide/Titan 65 which you can get for around $100, less if you have coupons. The Titan 65 can also be bought as a 2 pack from childsource.com for $122.40. The SureRide/Titan 65 will probably give you the most bang for your buck as you could theoretically use it until your child is ready to transition to a booster.

stephpaez · March 2014

I would say get onsies, pants, and layets for clothing. Diapers and wipes; bottles if you will FF; a small crib, like one from IKEA, we got ours from there and it fits a full size crib mattress but it is less bulky and takes up less space; and some swaddling blankets, these can double as BF covers and car seat covers too. Hope that helps

stephpaez · March 2014

Oh and definitely a car seat!

flerlgirl · March 2014

Babies need:

Food.

Shelter.

Car seat.

Some kind of diaper.

Everything else is just a bonus

Good luck!

mrs.hughey · March 2014

Thanks ladies! I just started shopping last week and I am starting to feel a little more ready.

rastrau · March 2014

ugabamafans said:

10. a carseat - if nothing else, you need to go ahead and get a carseat. You can't bring baby home without it. Everything else, you could pick up on the way home.

My hospital gave us a thermometer, pacifier, diapers, wipes, nasal aspirator and formula samples.
[...]

Sorry you are having family drama. Take a deep breath, babies really don't NEED a lot. It's just easy to get caught up with all the cute extras.

This. Can't bring kiddo home without a car seat. And all they NEED is a place to sleep, something to eat, diapers and some clean clothes.

As PP have mentioned - a pack n' play. Nearly all Graco brands come with a bassinet insert that works for newborns and can be taken out as baby grows (not to be confused with the "newborn napper" which is unnecessary). I'd suggest a bouncer over a swing for two reasons a) swings take up more room and b) IMHO babies outgrow swings sooner. I'd also suggest some bottles even if BF - I hear it's nice to give your boobs a break when they hurt, and it also gives DH a chance to bond through feeding.

And go used when you can! Our glider and bouncer both came from Craigslist at a huge discount off retail, and both had removable covers that I could take off and wash for peace of mind. Used clothes are also great - you can often find groups of items on Ebay or CL rather than buying piecemeal. Costco and Amazon Mom/Prime are good for diaper discounts.

Good luck!

curlylocks3 · March 2014

As for a tub, you could skip that and bathe baby in your sink for quite a while. We don't have a huge bathroom and I didn't want to deal with storing a baby bathtub so we are actually just getting a sponge for baby to lay on in the sink or tub (we are getting this one)- and when you're done you just rinse it out and let it dry!

wtfisup · March 2014

flerlgirl said:

Babies need:

Food.
Shelter.
Car seat.
Some kind of diaper.

Everything else is just a bonus Good luck!

YUP.

And you can get the car seat + place to sleep on CL, if the budget is tight. Thrifting and CL are also a great way to get clothes. Some folks are weird about cleanliness, but you an put them through a wash and dry cycle and they should be good, unless stained. I often see entire garbage bags of newborn clothes for $20 on there. Then you can save money for buying trendy clothes later on when the kid's growth cycle isn't so fast.

ElTrain5 · March 2014

Id also reccomend putting some items on a registry and putting down a fake shower date. Once that's passes you get a completion coupon you can use towards everything on your registry. Generally 15-20% off.

JNYLP · March 2014

ElTrain5 said:
Id also reccomend putting some items on a registry and putting down a fake shower date. Once that's passes you get a completion coupon you can use towards everything on your registry. Generally 15-20% off.

^ This! That way u can also add/remove items online from home and that will make planning what you need easier!

Plus, you may have some family or friends that want to give you a gift, ask you where you're registered.!

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