Registering for Baby items, tips, tricks?

tippster11 · July 2014

Unlike my wedding registry, I hope to start early with the registering process and register mostly online. This is our first, so I really don't know what is recommended and which strollers, etc. to get. What are your tips or website with good recommendations? I'm a pretty frugal person, and while we will have other children down the road, we will also have WAY more money down the road to buy better stuff.

I guess what I'm looking for is suggestions for the "bare minimum" stuff we absolutely need and brands, etc not to skimp on.

Cat&S · July 2014

I registered at Target and Amazon (BRU isn't convenient to where I live), and found most people used the Target one. Having the option to buy in person or online seemed to be important.

Target also has great deals. I have a Target Red card (the debit one), and the completion code for the registry gave me 15% off plus the extra 5% for the Red card. Very worth getting one if you don't have it. They also have great online deals and coupons on baby stuff pretty often. Look at their ads and online coupons each week...for example, I paid $125 for a $250 crib, $220 for the Chicco Nuevo stroller system (which I think is regularly $280), and I just got a $280 dresser for $180, plus other smaller deals. I bought stuff as it came on sale, and marked it off the registry. If I got a duplicate at my shower, I just returned it for store credit.

path75 · July 2014

You may want to go in one store. The items online are not always available at the store. You may end up getting alternatives and not what you really want. Good luck.

Unknown · July 2014

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tippster11 · July 2014

Great thoughts. Thanks for those tips!

Leysin97 · July 2014

I registered on amazon.com and buy but baby. The items I registered for are fairly identical but since bbb has the 20% off coupon and people can use the bed bath and beyond ones I created one there. That way if something is cheaper on either one they can go with the cheaper one. I also got an offer in the mail from target for a $20 gift card if I register with the . Since they offer the 15% off for completion I went ahead and registered but only for things like diapers, wipes, and food. I am not going to share this registry but I have it for the discounted diapers later.

Disneygeek77 · July 2014

I would register at one store. Many people wait till the last minute to shop and by then, online shopping might not be an option for them.

MrsDL · July 2014

Baby bargains is a great book. If I had to pick one thing not to skimp on, it's the car seat. Buy the best you can afford and NEVER buy one second hand. For infants, we had the Chicco Keyfit 30 - rated very highly. DS was a large baby and always off the charts for height, so we had to buy a new one at 7 months - purchased the Britax Advocate. We could have gotten the Britax when he was a newborn, but I wanted to have the snap-and-go infant carrier. In hindsight we didn't carry him in it all that long. Britax also makes excellent car seats and has excellent customer service so I recommend that brand.

greeneyed_bride · July 2014

After I registered (at BRU,) I emailed my registry to some close friends with babies/young children and asked them to look at it and be honest about what should stay/go/be changed. They were able to give some really helpful insight. For example, I had registered for a baby swing that only runs on batteries (which is true for a lot of them,) and one friend recommended that I register for a specific swing that gives you the option of batteries or plugging it in so that I wouldn't use up so many batteries. Considering that my son took every single nap in his swing until he was six months old, that advice saved me a LOT of batteries!

(If you're interested, it's this swing - https://amzn.to/VSlSQz - I couldn't find it on the BRU website anymore, but they have it on Amazon.)

Beevol · July 2014

If you plan on breastfeeding, get a nice double electric pump and the hands-free attachment - this is a place not to skimp! I loved my medela and the bottles/replacement parts are really easy to find.

I got a consumer reports subscription for a month and read a bunch of amazon reviews to find the car seat (this is one place where more $ =/= better - the infant seat we got that had the highest ratings was less than $100 - Safety 1st On Board 35). The problem with car seats though is that they brick and mortar stores usually only stock the fancier versions with cupholders and stuff which are usually rated lower in crash tests - we were only able to find the "safest" seats on amazon in our area so instead of registering, when my dad said he wanted to buy us a big ticket item we just sent him the link.

In terms of the random stuff like swings and bouncy seats - every baby is going to be different. Just make sure that you have safe places in your house to set the baby down - I had a light weight bouncy seat that I could carry around to different rooms so that I could clean/cook/bathe with DD in the room with me (I carried it empty - do not carry the baby around in a bouncy seat!). My sister used a bumbo seat for the same function with her kid. I swore by that bouncy seat and got it as a hand-me down from a coworker. We also love having a pack n play for excursions (we go camping and it lets DD have sleep overs at Grandma's house!) but we got that second hand too.

abbyful · July 2014

Beevol said:
I got a consumer reports subscription for a month and read a bunch of amazon reviews to find the car seat (this is one place where more $ =/= better - the infant seat we got that had the highest ratings was less than $100 - Safety 1st On Board 35). The problem with car seats though is that they brick and mortar stores usually only stock the fancier versions with cupholders and stuff which are usually rated lower in crash tests - we were only able to find the "safest" seats on amazon in our area so instead of registering, when my dad said he wanted to buy us a big ticket item we just sent him the link.

This is completely wrong information. All car seats pass the same safety tests, there is no "scoring better or worse", it's a pass/fail system. And cupholders have nothing to do with safety of a carseat.

The more expensive car seats have better features/comfort, but they are no more or less safe than any other car seat. Your child is equally safe in a Britax or a Cosco.

For REAL advice on car seats, check out the Facebook group "Car Seats for the Littles" or the forum https://www.car-seat.org.

Unknown · July 2014

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MrsDL · July 2014

abbyful said:

I got a consumer reports subscription for a month and read a bunch of amazon reviews to find the car seat (this is one place where more $ =/= better - the infant seat we got that had the highest ratings was less than $100 - Safety 1st On Board 35). The problem with car seats though is that they brick and mortar stores usually only stock the fancier versions with cupholders and stuff which are usually rated lower in crash tests - we were only able to find the "safest" seats on amazon in our area so instead of registering, when my dad said he wanted to buy us a big ticket item we just sent him the link.
This is completely wrong information. All car seats pass the same safety tests, there is no "scoring better or worse", it's a pass/fail system. And cupholders have nothing to do with safety of a carseat. The more expensive car seats have better features/comfort, but they are no more or less safe than any other car seat. Your child is equally safe in a Britax or a Cosco. For REAL advice on car seats, check out the Facebook group "Car Seats for the Littles" or the forum https://www.car-seat.org.

This is true, but while all seats sold have to pass minimum safety/crash standard tests, just like actual vehicles, they are not all the same in terms of safety just because they pass the minimum. Some of the "safety" tests and ratings are based on independent crash test results that go above and beyond minimally required tests - testing with greater blunt force to different areas of the car seat, roll-overs, higher speed collisions, etc. It's sort of just like buying a car - all vehicles pass certain crash standards, but ones that are rated higher from certain organizations like JD Power, Consumer Reports, etc. do perform better in test accidents that simulate different and more severe accidents. Many of these organizations test infant dummies in the car seats to measure estimated injury impact, etc. - and those results are not all the same based on the type of crash. So while hopefully most people will never be involved in a high-speed, high-impact crash with their infant/child, not all seats produce the same results with all conditions. It's not just about all the bells and whistles as far as price goes.

allrightmeow · July 2014

OP just a heads up. I got a travel system with DD and it was big and bulky. With DS we use the car seat and stroller frame combo Chicco brand. We all love it! When he grows out of it we are moving to a mid priced umbrella stroller. We had a Chicco brand in that one too. I liked it because it was lite and the seat reclined all the way back.

abbyful · July 2014

MrsDL said:

abbyful said:

Beevol said:
I got a consumer reports subscription for a month and read a bunch of amazon reviews to find the car seat (this is one place where more $ =/= better - the infant seat we got that had the highest ratings was less than $100 - Safety 1st On Board 35). The problem with car seats though is that they brick and mortar stores usually only stock the fancier versions with cupholders and stuff which are usually rated lower in crash tests - we were only able to find the "safest" seats on amazon in our area so instead of registering, when my dad said he wanted to buy us a big ticket item we just sent him the link.
This is completely wrong information. All car seats pass the same safety tests, there is no "scoring better or worse", it's a pass/fail system. And cupholders have nothing to do with safety of a carseat.

The more expensive car seats have better features/comfort, but they are no more or less safe than any other car seat. Your child is equally safe in a Britax or a Cosco.

For REAL advice on car seats, check out the Facebook group "Car Seats for the Littles" or the forum https://www.car-seat.org.

This is true, but while all seats sold have to pass minimum safety/crash standard tests, just like actual vehicles, they are not all the same in terms of safety just because they pass the minimum. Some of the "safety" tests and ratings are based on independent crash test results that go above and beyond minimally required tests - testing with greater blunt force to different areas of the car seat, roll-overs, higher speed collisions, etc. It's sort of just like buying a car - all vehicles pass certain crash standards, but ones that are rated higher from certain organizations like JD Power, Consumer Reports, etc. do perform better in test accidents that simulate different and more severe accidents. Many of these organizations test infant dummies in the car seats to measure estimated injury impact, etc. - and those results are not all the same based on the type of crash. So while hopefully most people will never be involved in a high-speed, high-impact crash with their infant/child, not all seats produce the same results with all conditions. It's not just about all the bells and whistles as far as price goes.

=====

The "minimum safety standards" are pretty damned strict. We're talking (if they were scored, which they aren't) like a score of 99.7 vs 99.5, not a score of 99.7 vs 65.

MaybeKatie10 · July 2014

Maybe I'm weird, but the best thing I did as a first time Mom was NOT register. Everyone already knew I didn't have any baby stuff, but because I didn't register, they felt free to really think about the things they used/loved with their own kids and just got me that stuff. I read time and time new mothers noting that they didn't use half of the baby stuff they received and registered for....but had to go out and get later (when they were sleep deprived and desperate) things they would never in million years think they need.

I skipped that step and just let the experienced Mothers I know use their best judgement. Don't regret it a bit. The things they thought of were a lifesaver!

Fabulousfaces · July 2014

SPAM

edited by mod

good lord that was scary to wake up to

Fabulousfaces · July 2014

SPAM

edited by mod

nikkitaplin · July 2014

ummmm....one of everything...unless it looks cool then register for more than one.

Just kidding.

There is a book that lists all the items of quality in each price range. I can't remember the name of it. I have it...somewhere...although I didn't use it much because I got a lot of stuff from friends and family and garage sales. (my dresser for the baby was $15 at a garage sale and LIKE NEW!)

I think you should go to a baby store like babies r us or buy buy baby or whatever you have close. Check out and feel the items you like...maybe pick more than one and decide at home based on reviews etc. I chose a jogging stroller...with the three wheels-front swivel wheel that I can use for outdoors, running and in the mall/stores instead of having more than one. I also decided against a pack and play. Unless you travel a lot, IMO it isn't needed and if you want one just in case, don't get the Cadillac of pack and plays..just a simple one. Also, SIT in the rockers/gliders. Make sure they will be comfortable enough to use A LOT! You and your significant other. There were some I liked that he didn't and some I like that he didn't. I also have a dresser that will double as a changing table...why buy an extra piece of furniture that wont be used passed the first year or 18 months (give or take).

I am IN LOVE with swaddles and sleep sacks so I have more than I should of those. I also love long sleeve onsies so I have more than I will ever use of those...

I am also a big review person. Check what other people are saying. I fell in love with a crib/changing table combo and after reading the reviews of how they were have flimsy and don't stay together well, I quickly changed my mind.

Sorry for the rambling...good luck!!

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