June 2015 Moms
dancegurl1118
member
STM+, what do you regret buying/couldn't live without?
dancegurl1118
member
I know all babies are different, but with all baby items being so damn expensive, what do you regret buying the first time around, or conversely what was a life saver for your LO?
As a first time mom I feel guilty putting expensive stuff on a registry that I don't even know if a baby will like even though it's a "must-have"..
As a first time mom I feel guilty putting expensive stuff on a registry that I don't even know if a baby will like even though it's a "must-have"..
TTC: 1/2014
BFP: 9/24
EDD: 6/8/2015
Sorry for the poor man's siggy...ticker won't load regardless of how many tips I read.
Re: STM+, what do you regret buying/couldn't live without?
DS did not like the swing or bouncy seat, but most babies love those, so it's hard to predict. He also would not take a pacifier and hated bottles, and I had registered for a bunch of those too.
Other than that:
*My glider was the most expensive purchase, and the most worthwhile. We still use it. I slept in it so many nights that first year, that having something something comfortable made all the difference. Then DH used it for another year doing bedtime. Now we both use it for stories.
*Boppy. I personally preferred the boppy to My Breast friend, but I know everyone has their favorite. The boppy was essential for me nursing in those early days, and also functioned as a nice pillow for that glider sleeping, or car sleeping, or naps for me. It also served as a more ergonomic "seat" for my little guy that could be used before he was actually sitting. And it helped me transition him from sleeping on me to sleeping in his own crib.
*Carriers. We had a ton. At first DH used the Pikkolo and I used the Moby at home and the Babyhawk out. This enabled me to get a ton done around the house, but also actually leave the house. My kid cried every time he was in the carseat. I couldn't push him in the stroller. So I never carried the carseat around. It enabled DH and I to eat out without having to find a place for the bulky stroller or carseat. And it meant I could shop in the supermarket and have room for groceries since the carseat takes up the entire basket. (It is really really unsafe and potentially deadly to put the carseat in the top portion of the cart)
*Nursing Cover. Which allowed me to get out of the house immediately (4 days) and still be able to nurse.
We used both the swing and the bouncer. He loved the swing when he was awake, but wouldn't sleep in it, and the bouncer allowed me to shower - we kept it in the bathroom].
*** BFP #3 - angel baby at 8w2d - D&C 1.31.14 ***
*** BFP #4 - Chloe Grace, the 'C' to complete our 'A & B' - born Feb 25th, 2015 at 22w2d, lived for 2.5hrs ***
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We did not get a change table. Just painted up an old dresser and put a change pad on it. I like it because we can continue using the dresser. When he was 6 months I ended up moving the change pad into the bathroom on the floor and I've changed him there ever since.
He loved Sophia the Giraffe while teething, and still plays with it occasionally. He never did get into soothers, he preferred chewing on things.
Also loved those mesh handheld things you can stick frozen fruit/ice chips in while teething.
We have a lot of terry cloth bibs. They are all stained and gross. I plan on tossing them all and getting plastic/rubber whatever other material you can get that is easier to wipe off by next baby, but I'm getting ready to do it sooner than later for DS who is still in the process of learning to eat with utensils and such
The bundle me that goes around the car seat was awesome because DD was born in February. This LO prob won't need that being due in June.
Snap up sleep and plays make it so you only have to undress the bottom half of baby for diaper changes instead of exposing the while kid with a zipper.
We used a bath sling for DD in the sink until she was too big then stepped up to our bathtub. Baby bathtubs are a waste.
We used receiving blankets as burp cloths. I got a couple packs at the shower and that was all we really used them for.
We didn't get really any use out of our pack n plays, but if you travel a lot that may change.
I didn't like the boppy pillow, but I also didn't breast feed so that may be why.
We has the spay baby bathtub shower thing. Terrible design. Waste of money. A simple bath sling worked great.
**editted, added an item
couldn't live without: UppaBaby Vista stroller, Our recliner/glider (made by Best), Halo Sleep sacks, room darkening curtains, Boppy, Ergo carrier, Medela PISA.
As for high arms, try out some chairs and see what is comfortable. The boppy is where the baby lays and keeps you from having to lift him/ her up to your breast, but I needed the arm rests for my own arms.
I agree with @ajm11 on this one, I didn't need to recline, but the gliding really helped with "rocking" to sleep. We also had the ottoman so I could push off that instead of the floor (important if you're a shorty!)
The arms is probably height related. You don't need your elbows up by your ears! For me, just having regular arms was fine, but I definitely appreciated the arms to kind of hold us all in.
Some people love the glider/recliners. Since I would literally fall asleep while nursing at first, I would had been asleep before I could even recline. Other people love nursing while reclined - which is especially helpful if you have a forceful letdown or overspray to keep the baby from choking, so it's really a personal preference.
Stuff I will skip this time: a diaper genie (as others have said, you just need a trash can with a lid), and a boppy (I didn't breastfeed and won't this time around, either, so maybe that's why I don't like them?).
Socks. Thousands and millions and trillions of socks. I know it seems obvious but honestly I don't think you ever could have enough.
I come from a big family with lots of younger siblings, so I really found it easy to improvise without a lot of the fancy new stuff. Helping my mom growing up we never had a lot of stuff/money... As a mom I just couldn't bring myself spend a ton on a bunch of stuff that didn't seem necessary. That being said, having a good swing/bouncy seat IS very helpful and investing in a GOOD breast pump, if you choose to bf, is so important. We had a crappy one the first go round and it frustrated me endlessly.
Also, I know a lot of people can't live without video monitors, but in our case we hardly used ours (because we "accidentally co slept"... In other words, we had a baby who wouldn't sleep alone. Lol) and then the monitor broke. There are some good apps you can use too that don't cost nearly as much as an entire system, so if you have two devices in your house (a tablet and a phone) you can just use those.
Waste: the wipes warmer. One person told me their baby loved it but honestly I never even thought it was that warm. And the diaper genie is probably also a bit of a waste, as PP said.
Waste...the bumbo...he maybe sat in it twice. A bunch of rattles and toys-he was much happier with household objects.
BFP #1 5/4/11 EDD 1/12/12 natural m/c 5/17/11
BFP #2 8/9/11 EDD 4/18/12 ectopic pregnancy (methotrexate) 8/24/11 ruptured tube and removal 8/29/11
BFP #3 3/9/12 EDD 11/19/12 Logan born 11/18/12
~*~*Everyone Welcome*~*~
I couldn't justify the money so I went with a cheap carrier and then hated it. I ended up buying 3 others that were relatively inexpensive and still didn't like any of them. When it was all said and done I probably ended up spending more than just buying the ergo in the first.
I have borrowed a friends and I can tell you it is WORTH it. I can still carry my 30lb toddler and it feels like I am holding nothing. I will have to return my friends before this LO is born and so I will be purchasing one this time around.
Due 1/21/17
DS loved his swing so much we actually wore the motor out! Have to get a new one this time. The rock n play was a life saver. He had acid reflux and we had to have him propped up after he ate. The rock n play had enough of an angle it worked perfect if we couldn't hold him. We still use the glider to rock ds to sleep sometimes and he's 2. Couldn't live without it. The bouncer worked great for when I had to shower. He came in the bathroom with me. The boppy and pump were needed for breast feeding. The boppy also helped prop him up when he was doing tummy time or sitting. The pack n play we used as he got older. Not necessary for a newborn in my opinion, but great for a toddler!
Polyp removed/hypothyriod 6/2011
7/2011 IUI#1 w/ 150 Follistim/Ovidrel trigger BFN
8/2011 IUI#2 w/225 Follistim/Ovidrel trigger BFN
10/2011 IUI#3 w/300 Follistim/Ovidrel trigger (BFP)
beta #1: 195 beta#2: 502
7/2013 Back to RE because my uterus is OLD
Must haves: a swing, a bassinet on the main floor for naps, and a play mat with toys overhead. Also, sleep sacks and sleep gowns. This won't really be an issue for our June babies, but DD was born in February and I used a car seat cover that zipped all the way around her and the seat to keep her warm.
Married 10/9/2009
The beautiful Royelle Marie born 2/7/2012
Baby #2 coming June 11, 2015 (Scheduled CS)
Also love the rock and play. My friend and I trade back and forth a swing and jumperoo. Both were must haves but for very short periods of time. If you can get one on consignment or borrow from a friend this is the way to go!
Every baby/mom is different but here are mine.
Regrets: BOB stroller (selling mine and getting the citi select), carriers (dd didn't like any of them), bassinet, Moses basket, 2nd car seat base. Don't bother registering for blankets. You'll receive a ton. I regret registering for the things I didn't use right away such as a high chair and umbrella stroller. I would have picked differently now that I know more. Other things that are very baby specific that I should have waited on: pacifiers, bottles, diapers, wipes. Except for the bottles, I ended up using the brands the hospital gave us since it all seemed to work.
Must haves for us: Motorola video monitor, swing, p&p and bouncy chair on both levels, boppie (newborn and nursing), snap and go, enough bottles and pump parts to avoid doing dishes every 5 minutes, lots of bibs and burp clothes (dd was a spitter), velcro swaddlers, sleepers with a zipper (not snaps), bottle warmer, comfy glider.
Advice: Take any offers to give/loan you things. I did not initially bc I wanted all new of course. I ended up asking people for things later as it was so helpful to have duplicates in various rooms, at grandmas, in the car, etc. It also helps to test things they may not like or use for such a short time (like the bumbo).
Franco Paul born 6/4/15 at 39 weeks. Mila Francesca born 10/19/13 at 37 weeks. Both born via C-Section after 6 years of fertility treatments, disappointments and losses. Love them!!
I waited a couple months to get one because I was being cheap. I wish I hadn't waited so long! I'm bringing mine to the hospital this time.
My other recommendation would be to not be afraid to buy second hand. We bought all of DS's newborn things new and I feel like we wasted a lot of $. There were great jumperoos, swings, highchair and playmats (clean and in great condition) for 1/4 of the price.
That goes for most of the "nursery" decorations & crap too. Babies don't notice and we don't need it. I totally get that FTMs sometimes love setting up nurseries and enjoy decorating and preparing a room for baby. But it's not my thing, and for us, it's a waste of money.
My advice would be, do it if you like it, but don't feel like you have too. A newborn certainly doesn't NEED it.
I'll 3rd the pumping bra. I also was too cheap so I just cut holes in a few sports bras. Totally worked.
Franco Paul born 6/4/15 at 39 weeks. Mila Francesca born 10/19/13 at 37 weeks. Both born via C-Section after 6 years of fertility treatments, disappointments and losses. Love them!!
Maybe I'm old fashioned, but they seem expensive compared to the radio style which worked just fine for my parents. What makes the video worth it?
June 2015 January Signature Challenge: Pinterest Fails
As a separate note, I know there's a lot of talk later on about "self soothing" and I never had to worry my kid wasn't getting it, even if we did go to him when he was crying for us, because we could watch him wake up, sit up, and then put himself back to sleep. So it was obvious he could go to sleep on his own, and when he couldn't there was a reason for it.