@ThePecks When I was registering with my first, it really helped me not feel overwhelmed to go through products one at a time. Choose a stroller. Then take your time and choose a car seat. Then take some time and choose a monitor, etc. When I focused my attention on one item I found it much easier. (For which reason I shopped almost entirely online-- I don't even want to go in one of those stores now!).
Thanks @xath. It's between the britax and diono which both seem awesome but I love the idea of the Diono being good for 10 year (2 kids worth?) and just backpackable.....even though it's super heavy! (well, they all are).
Do you guys move car seats or do one per car? We only have one car but our inlaws will be around and have 2 cars so I could see a cheaper second seat or something.
If you are an Amazon Prime member, the Diono RXT is on sale for $230 (vs. $300 for non Prime). Amazon also has a special coupon for $8.62 off orders of $50 or more for today only.
My friend had a diaper bag that basically turned into a changing table - pretty awesome. I have no idea what brand it is, guess I should ask what she thought about it .
Is anyone else just completely overwhelmed by the amount of stuff and choices out there? I went to BRU the other day and just couldn't even focus outside of the furniture we went there to browse. My eyes were just like wide and I was just thinking how the hell does this even work lol.
Yes! But STM tip: you don't need any of it. Swear. A few items here and there will make your life easier, but the agony over which version will end once the baby arrives and you have somewhere to focus your mind. Maybe that's an early UO but seriously, babies don't actually need much.
THIS! You actually need sooo little for a baby, so try not to feel too overwhelmed. We seriously had onesies, sleepers, diapers, swaddle blankets, a boppy pillow, and a bassinet (we accumulated hand me downs and gifts along the way but rarely used ANY of it)!! Babies don't need much.
@virginiaunicorn11is preaching the truth. I don't even know what we have for a newborn but besides diapers and a take home outfit I'm not buying anything else unless it's to replace broken stuff we definitely used.
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.
I wanted to skip out on the changing table aswell but everyone's been telling me the same @CarsonsMommy i still feel like there's so much to buy. During the first trimester since I was feeling very fatigued all I did was shop online and this is the list I finalized
changing table (very low budget though) car seat (compatible with my stroller, not yet decided) stroller (mountain buggy cosmopolitan geo) matress crib (land of nod) hammock (for breast feeding ... totally optional though)
@BusyZee another thing that everyone says is to buy a super firm mattress. Well my son didn't like sleeping on a rock, so we bought him a memory foam crib matress. Best purchase ever. I definately prefer having a bassinet. It is nice to have baby at arms reach for those middle of the night feedings, and ours lasted 6 to 7 months. Having such a hard time finding a stroller I like that isn't stupid expensive.
Xath said: @Katie______ I've traveled on an airplane with 2 Diono Radians. They're heavy AF, but pretty easy to install and my boys were happier in them than they are in normal plane seats. We've done it by piling the seats onto the stroller (do not recommend) and using this thingy. Using the luggage strap was muuuuuuch easier. I lost it, but I'm buying another one for our trip home this summer.
That thingy is pretty neat. My MIL gifted us this for our cruise this past summer, and it was awesome...until the cobblestones broke the wheel off. I wish more companies would attempt making something like this. For a shorter flight, we brought my mom's Cosco one, which is super lightweight, and it was great. (LuciesList recommends it for travel, and it's a good grandparent carseat.)
@CarsonsMommy@BusyZee I used the changing table a lot as well! We actually used the top of the dresser and put in a changing station on top. We got ours off overstock and it is basically a wooden frame that the changing pad fits in. I still use it with my 18 month old because now she likes to flip herself over, mid-change, and take off running, if she is on the floor getting changed.
My friend had a diaper bag that basically turned into a changing table - pretty awesome. I have no idea what brand it is, guess I should ask what she thought about it .
Is anyone else just completely overwhelmed by the amount of stuff and choices out there? I went to BRU the other day and just couldn't even focus outside of the furniture we went there to browse. My eyes were just like wide and I was just thinking how the hell does this even work lol.
Yes! But STM tip: you don't need any of it. Swear. A few items here and there will make your life easier, but the agony over which version will end once the baby arrives and you have somewhere to focus your mind. Maybe that's an early UO but seriously, babies don't actually need much.
THIS! You actually need sooo little for a baby, so try not to feel too overwhelmed. We seriously had onesies, sleepers, diapers, swaddle blankets, a boppy pillow, and a bassinet (we accumulated hand me downs and gifts along the way but rarely used ANY of it)!! Babies don't need much.
ETA: we bought a car seat too of course.
Yes to all of this!! Anything else is just an 'extra'. But add Dr brown bottles, formula and bottle brush to my small list of needs.
@LoveLee85 Agreed, I just didn't want any bottles or formula in the house because of my overboard devotion to breastfeeding, but yes, FTMs definitely get a few bottles and formula just in case!
@chiquita928 My inlaws may already have the costco a used one from a grand kid (just outgrew it)..but wow that carseat rolling thing is cool!!!!!!! I haven't figured out how much this kid and I are traveling but I am trying to keep it in mind before we buy 200-300 car seats!
My friend had a diaper bag that basically turned into a changing table - pretty awesome. I have no idea what brand it is, guess I should ask what she thought about it .
Is anyone else just completely overwhelmed by the amount of stuff and choices out there? I went to BRU the other day and just couldn't even focus outside of the furniture we went there to browse. My eyes were just like wide and I was just thinking how the hell does this even work lol.
Yes! But STM tip: you don't need any of it. Swear. A few items here and there will make your life easier, but the agony over which version will end once the baby arrives and you have somewhere to focus your mind. Maybe that's an early UO but seriously, babies don't actually need much.
THIS! You actually need sooo little for a baby, so try not to feel too overwhelmed. We seriously had onesies, sleepers, diapers, swaddle blankets, a boppy pillow, and a bassinet (we accumulated hand me downs and gifts along the way but rarely used ANY of it)!! Babies don't need much.
ETA: we bought a car seat too of course.
Yes to all of this!! Anything else is just an 'extra'. But add Dr brown bottles, formula and bottle brush to my small list of needs.
I hated dr. Browns bottles. I love playtex nursers, as you can squeeze the air out of the liners and less cleaning. I feel that dr. Browns just made things too complicated, and I love the wider base of the playtex nipples. They also make travel super easy.
-diaper bag: still use a skip hop. I chose one that I would use as a purse.
-car seat: We used a Chicco keyfit 30 with dd and will reuse with this one. We purposely bought a neutral, gray/black material so we could reuse. *DD stayed in her infant bucket seat until she turned 1. Then she moved to the Graco 4 Ever. They still fit in the bucket seats even in their legs hang over. Sounds weird, but it's true.
-stroller: We are upgrading to the Chicco BravoFor 2. It's a smaller sit n stand. I've checked it out at target and like it.
-changing table: We still use the changing pad on top of the dresser.
Eta: -monitors: We use the nest camera and love it! Dh travels a lot for work and is able to check on and talk to dd through the app on his phone.
@alcrimmins ah I loved the Bravo for 2. We didn't have a chicco bucket which ultimately made our decision about the britax but I think that is an awesome long term double!!
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.
@stokesm21 can't help on where to get the adapter because we got ours at a local store. Definitely check out the states, strollers can be way cheaper down there (even with the terrible exchange). I'm sure you already know this but don't get sucked into a deal on a car seat in the states. Even if it's the same model as one in Canada it can't be used here if it was purchased out of the country.
Thanks @xath. It's between the britax and diono which both seem awesome but I love the idea of the Diono being good for 10 year (2 kids worth?) and just backpackable.....even though it's super heavy! (well, they all are).
Do you guys move car seats or do one per car? We only have one car but our inlaws will be around and have 2 cars so I could see a cheaper second seat or something.
@Katie______ When we were in the US we did one per car because we varied who would do drop off/pick-up and moving them is sort of a PITA. Since we moved and can walk both kids to school/daycare, we only have seats in one car and just move them if we ever need to swap.
I will say I also bought the Radian because it looked like it'd be the last seat I ever needed to buy, but DS2 is an average size 5yo and his shoulders are about to hit the head wings on the highest setting. It looks like they resolved this with the newer models (ours are 5 years old.). I'll still probably end up getting a good amount of time out of them between the 3 kiddos. But I think the 10 years is only as a seatbelt booster; IiRC, the straps are only good for 6.
My friend had a diaper bag that basically turned into a changing table - pretty awesome. I have no idea what brand it is, guess I should ask what she thought about it .
Is anyone else just completely overwhelmed by the amount of stuff and choices out there? I went to BRU the other day and just couldn't even focus outside of the furniture we went there to browse. My eyes were just like wide and I was just thinking how the hell does this even work lol.
Yes! But STM tip: you don't need any of it. Swear. A few items here and there will make your life easier, but the agony over which version will end once the baby arrives and you have somewhere to focus your mind. Maybe that's an early UO but seriously, babies don't actually need much.
THIS! You actually need sooo little for a baby, so try not to feel too overwhelmed. We seriously had onesies, sleepers, diapers, swaddle blankets, a boppy pillow, and a bassinet (we accumulated hand me downs and gifts along the way but rarely used ANY of it)!! Babies don't need much.
ETA: we bought a car seat too of course.
Yes to all of this!! Anything else is just an 'extra'. But add Dr brown bottles, formula and bottle brush to my small list of needs.
I hated dr. Browns bottles. I love playtex nursers, as you can squeeze the air out of the liners and less cleaning. I feel that dr. Browns just made things too complicated, and I love the wider base of the playtex nipples. They also make travel super easy.
I only purchased the Dr. Browns wide bottles, much easier to clean and had wide based nipples, also!
ETA: I never used any other bottle so I can't speak for trying anything else. We never had gas issues or tummy/spitup issues with bottles, so no clue if it was the bottles or luck?! I would rinse/soak them immediately in hot soapy water and it never seemed like a hassle.
@BusyZee another thing that everyone says is to buy a super firm mattress. Well my son didn't like sleeping on a rock, so we bought him a memory foam crib matress. Best purchase ever. I definately prefer having a bassinet. It is nice to have baby at arms reach for those middle of the night feedings, and ours lasted 6 to 7 months. Having such a hard time finding a stroller I like that isn't stupid expensive.
the mattress i registered for is 'dual sided'. It has a firmer side for infants, and a softer side for toddlers. I figured it was a good choice since we don't know what baby will like. If she doesn't like the firm side, we can flip it and try the softer side.
@stokesm21 can't help on where to get the adapter because we got ours at a local store. Definitely check out the states, strollers can be way cheaper down there (even with the terrible exchange). I'm sure you already know this but don't get sucked into a deal on a car seat in the states. Even if it's the same model as one in Canada it can't be used here if it was purchased out of the country.
Someone mentioned that to me yesterday but I assumed since we had the exact same ones in Canada it would be okay. Thanks for confirming! Although when it comes to the carseat, because of it's "lower" cost than the stroller it wouldn't be worth it for me to purchase it from the US anyways with the dollar and everything else.
@BusyZee another thing that everyone says is to buy a super firm mattress. Well my son didn't like sleeping on a rock, so we bought him a memory foam crib matress. Best purchase ever. I definately prefer having a bassinet. It is nice to have baby at arms reach for those middle of the night feedings, and ours lasted 6 to 7 months. Having such a hard time finding a stroller I like that isn't stupid expensive.
the mattress i registered for is 'dual sided'. It has a firmer side for infants, and a softer side for toddlers. I figured it was a good choice since we don't know what baby will like. If she doesn't like the firm side, we can flip it and try the softer side.
Does anyone have the Guava Family Lotus travel crib and bassinet kit? How did you like the bassinet? We love the travel crib but didn't get the bassinet kit as DS was too big when we bought it. Wondering if it is as awesome as the travel crib. We have a pack n play that we used in the early days with DS but I'm looking at the Lotus bassinet and thinking I might prefer using it.
We are thinking of getting one of those pack-n-plays that have a bassinet and changing table to use in our bedroom for the first year before we move the baby into the nursery. Does anyone have experience doing that as a bassinet/co-sleeper alternative?
@Twinkiedoll That's what we did with DD. She moved into her room at 6 months, but we used the pack n play until then. It was great! It was on my side of the bed and when I was so tired and sleep deprived it was nice to have everything right there. Ours had a vibrate setting that DD loved. We plan on using again this time around too.
@Twinkiedoll Ours was also a Graco, but it was a specialty print from Buy Buy Baby that's been discontinued so I can't link it. But it's very similar to the one you linked. It looks like from the picture of the one you posted it has that same feature. Ours had a soothing vibrate and music feature.
We are thinking of getting one of those pack-n-plays that have a bassinet and changing table to use in our bedroom for the first year before we move the baby into the nursery. Does anyone have experience doing that as a bassinet/co-sleeper alternative?
@Twinkiedoll That's what we did with DD. She moved into her room at 6 months, but we used the pack n play until then. It was great! It was on my side of the bed and when I was so tired and sleep deprived it was nice to have everything right there. Ours had a vibrate setting that DD loved. We plan on using again this time around too.
edit:clarity/add
+1. Then after we stopped using the bassinet part, we bought a real mattress for the bottom, and DS slept there until he was 13 months. We knew we were moving so didn't want to get a crib, but honestly, it worked great. We also travel a lot, so we would load the PnP and mattress into the car, and DS always slept in his own bed, wherever we went.
I really need help picking a double stroller! I was thinking something like the Graco duo stroller because it seems compact enough and the front seat had a tray for snacks and a sippy cup. Any suggestions on a small double stroller?? Just no side by side doubles.
@mrscate88 I recommend going to as many places as possible to look at doubles. Alot is personal preference and what you will be using it for. I loved my kinderwagon hop but it's not ideal for everyone. I also need to get these kids walking or upgrade because it's getting harder to push/steer their combined weight of 43lbs.
@Katie______ we had Britax for our first two and they've been great. Now that we have our third (surprise) baby we have to buy the diono rxt so we can fit three car seats. We got two sets as we are a two car family but got my MIL a cheaper set because she doesn't drive them around as much. Cheaper ones are just as safe in many cases just perhaps not as durable or "comfy".
@BusyZee I don't even know what a Moses basket is and I'm going on kid #3 so I'd say it's not a must. The baby can sleep in the crib right away but I think for the first 3-6 months moms like to have them closer to where they sleep which is why temporary options like pack n plays get used. We started using the crib around 4-5 months and a little sooner than that for naps so they'd get used to it.
I have a question, when can the baby sleep in the crip? Is a Moses basket a must?
My sons doctor said he recommends room sharing for the first 12 month for reduced odds of SIDS. We still room or bed share A LOT at 17 months old. My husband and I love it. Those snuggles are amazing. When LO was tiny we had him in a Moses basket because he would not sleep in the pnp. The mattress that comes with it is basically a piece of padded cardboard. Don't blame the little guy. I would warm it with a heating pad and that helped a little when it came to transferring him from our chest to the pnp. The Moses basket, I think little giraffe brand(gift can't remember) was a lifesaver. Small, portable and he took naps in it until a year old when he got to long for it!
Re: Baby Gear Questions and Recommendations
Do you guys move car seats or do one per car? We only have one car but our inlaws will be around and have 2 cars so I could see a cheaper second seat or something.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/351895/amazon-offers-8-62-off-orders-of-50-or-more-today
ETA: The Essex color is the one that is $230. Mist is $232. I think certain other colors are discounted to varying degrees.
ETA: we bought a car seat too of course.
i still feel like there's so much to buy. During the first trimester since I was feeling very fatigued all I did was shop online and this is the list I finalized
changing table (very low budget though)
car seat (compatible with my stroller, not yet decided)
stroller (mountain buggy cosmopolitan geo)
matress
crib (land of nod)
hammock (for breast feeding ... totally optional though)
My inlaws may already have the costco a used one from a grand kid (just outgrew it)..but wow that carseat rolling thing is cool!!!!!!! I haven't figured out how much this kid and I are traveling but I am trying to keep it in mind before we buy 200-300 car seats!
-diaper bag: still use a skip hop. I chose one that I would use as a purse.
-car seat: We used a Chicco keyfit 30 with dd and will reuse with this one. We purposely bought a neutral, gray/black material so we could reuse.
*DD stayed in her infant bucket seat until she turned 1. Then she moved to the Graco 4 Ever. They still fit in the bucket seats even in their legs hang over. Sounds weird, but it's true.
-stroller: We are upgrading to the Chicco BravoFor 2. It's a smaller sit n stand. I've checked it out at target and like it.
-changing table: We still use the changing pad on top of the dresser.
Eta:
-monitors: We use the nest camera and love it! Dh travels a lot for work and is able to check on and talk to dd through the app on his phone.
I will say I also bought the Radian because it looked like it'd be the last seat I ever needed to buy, but DS2 is an average size 5yo and his shoulders are about to hit the head wings on the highest setting. It looks like they resolved this with the newer models (ours are 5 years old.). I'll still probably end up getting a good amount of time out of them between the 3 kiddos. But I think the 10 years is only as a seatbelt booster; IiRC, the straps are only good for 6.
DS1 - 7/2011, DD 12/2012, DS2 - 4/2014, MMC - 12/2015
ETA: I never used any other bottle so I can't speak for trying anything else. We never had gas issues or tummy/spitup issues with bottles, so no clue if it was the bottles or luck?! I would rinse/soak them immediately in hot soapy water and it never seemed like a hassle.
Met: 08/2001 ~ Dating: 07/2004 ~ Engaged: 11/2009 ~ Married: 06/2011
TTC: Since 09/16 ~ BFP 10/28/16 ~ EDD 7/5/17
Team Pink * Canadian Bumpie
Met: 08/2001 ~ Dating: 07/2004 ~ Engaged: 11/2009 ~ Married: 06/2011
TTC: Since 09/16 ~ BFP 10/28/16 ~ EDD 7/5/17
Team Pink * Canadian Bumpie
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PTL14IM/ref=br_it_dp_o_nS_ttl?ie=UTF8&colid=1WE1DP1C6VNLN&coliid=I1XZ68FSLDKTSA&vs=1
edit:clarity/add
Any mom's out there use the joovey caboose ultra?
ETA auto correct
Edit: crib was written crip somehow...