@clc515 We haven't started our registry yet (officially) but I'm going to try to split it up between two places... An actual storefront, and Amazon. Hopefully it won't looks so massive since I'm a FTM. I'm sure yours will be just fine though!
The thought of doing a registry stresses me out. I’m the worst at making decisions. At 23 weeks a couple family members are starting to ask.
I am a FTM and obviously need baby gear. Moms with experience, how closely do people stick to registries? Im super picky, always have been. My fear is people will just pop into target and buy the first newborn boy outift they see, not necessarily looking at the registry.
@nightnurse92 big items that you are picky about I would just purchase for yourself unless you know family is going to go in on it and buy it for you. As far as smaller gifts go I got tons of newborn outfits and blankets, so many blankets. I feel like people want to shop for something that they'll enjoy giving and as opposed to some of the more practical things. Some of my friends who were recent mom's bought me some of the must haves though. I never put clothes on the registry, I think when it comes to clothes people will always buy what they like.
@nightnurse92 , I always stick to registries, too, but I have been known to toss in a set of swaddles that I think are cute (and might match the nursery, etc.) I do think it's very common for people to choose clothing on their own, vs. on a registry. From what my friends have shared, they got a lot of clothes at their showers, because people might buy a registry gift of something more 'practical', and then they want to pick something cute, too! I have registered for a few outfits/packs of clothing, but mostly just the other things like pack and play, sheets, bath time stuff, etc. that I wanted to be sure to choose.
Someone mentioned this on page one but it got lost in the shuffle. Talk to me about video monitors. Do you have one that you love? What features are important??
Has anyone tried the Angelcare video and motion monitor? Both DH and I are relatively high anxiety people, and the idea of peace of mind is really appealing to us both. Specifically, something like this. It was rated well on the Bump, and in a few other spots. I like that once we don't necessarily need the motion monitor anymore, it functions as a normal video one. TIA!
I put a bunch of clothes on my registry mostly because I was trying to show that we prefer simple things. My big Italian family LOVES big bows and frilly stuff and leopard and gold and we are just not like that at all. I registered for a bunch of simple onesies and a few bonnets and bloomers. I get that people are going to get what they are going to get, but I am trying to project the idea of minimalism, in both styles and amount.
we are definitely purchasing big items ourselves excluding stroller/car seat combo. Going to register for just a couple gender neutral clothing items in case the next one is a girl. Hoping people will take a hint!
Does anyone recommend their sit and stand stroller? DD1 will be 2.5 in February and she is already 37 inches tall. We looked at them today in BRU and I wasnt overly impressed.
Does anyone recommend their sit and stand stroller? DD1 will be 2.5 in February and she is already 37 inches tall. We looked at them today in BRU and I wasnt overly impressed.
I hated my sit and stand. Part of the problem was my kids, 2 and 4 years old, fought over the seat and had little interest in the bench part. And it just didn’t push easily and was heavy and bulky
@mayapple44 I bought a double Britax side by side style and love it. We have a wagon with a canopy use occasionally to go to city market. I prefer to push something over pulling a wagon behind me.
Thanks for those of you who commented re: changing pad!
I thought it was on this registry thread but maybe I saw it somewhere else and can't find it now... but how many do we really need of: > swaddle blankets > bibs > burp cloths > pacifiers > crib sheets
@clc515 I hope this helps you out! > swaddle blankets= I loved my muslin ones because they are super versatile, one pack of four would be enough especially if you have receiving blankets for when they are smaller. My daughter was long so I couldn't get as much use out of the receiving blankets for swaddles. > bibs= I received a ton but really only needed maybe 7. My daughter wasn't a huge drooler and I did not go the puree route for food. So I think this one depends on if you'll do purees or baby led weaning(BLW) > burp cloths= I didn't buy them specifically just used receiving blankets or the Gerber cloth diaper things > pacifiers= I bought 4 so I could have 1 for home 1 for my daughter and then a backup at home and in the diaper bag > crib sheets= I have four or five that way between blowouts and spitting up I know I don't have to do laundry right away
Thanks for those of you who commented re: changing pad!
I thought it was on this registry thread but maybe I saw it somewhere else and can't find it now... but how many do we really need of: > swaddle blankets > bibs > burp cloths > pacifiers > crib sheets
TIA!
My response is different from PP so maybe it depends on your kid?
i have ten A&A swaddle blankets. I def needed them all... both DS and DD went through 2-3 a day with spit up/blow outs. They LOVED being swaddled and would often fall asleep just from being swaddled.
bibs I didn’t need bc of BLW. I just bought two or three of the nice long ones that I could wipe off without washing. DD still uses them at 2yrs old.
I had 12 burp cloths and really needed more... but my kids were super sensitive and spit up A TON till around 4mo old
pacifiers I had one clipped to baby for the house, one clipped to the car seat, and one in the diaper bag. I wouldn’t buy a lot till you find out what kind your baby likes though. I had to try 4 or 5 different brands before DS or DD liked one.
2 crib sheets was plenty for me. I rarely needed to change it due to leaks or spit up. Disclaimer: both spend the first 6-8mo in my room though.
Thanks @Starynightsky24 and @gymmonkey95! Sounds like 2 totally different experiences! We were lucky to get some hand-me-downs so adjusting my registry #s accordingly
I wanted to share a book/website that has been really helpful for us in figuring out what to buy. Right now, we have our registries "private" so that we are the only ones who can see it, and we are adding everything that we think we will need - big and small items. When we have been promised some hand-me-downs or bought an item ourselves, we take it off the registry. It's been helpful for us to have it a full accounting of what we (think) we will need!
Anyway, the book is called Baby Bargains and it is updated every year, so it has really up-to-date info on what is on the market right now. There is also a website that seems to have everything included in the book, plus more. We went ahead and bought the book because it's easier to take to a store, but rely heavily on the website for researching big-ticket items.
I have really appreciated the book because it provides a good explanation on items (e.g. the differences between the million different types of strollers), what it is or isn't useful, and provides recommendations for a variety of price-points. Highly recommend it!
@texaskindofway GREAT RESOURCE! We had one from the year DS was born and it was SO helpful! I like that it explains the different between things--as well as real reviews about the product. Def. suggest this book!
We "finished" our registry this weekend. I am having my SIL and another friend who recently had a child look it over to give us suggestions. I figure after that if we missed it we'll just buy it. I feel much better now that it's done since our shower invites go out this week.
What are your thoughts on latch system vs click tight car seats? We have talked to a few salespeople but wondering real life experience. Does it make that big of difference? Do you take out and put back in the car that often?
And where do do you put your car seat? I have read the center in the back seat is the safest, but our latch system is only behind driver or passenger. Thoughts?
@clc515, I think how many of those items you need will vary by baby and parenting style. For us, we did not need a lot of swaddle blankets. We found swaddle blankets to be useless after only a few days. Instead, we used the swaddle me Velcro things. My son busted out of every swaddle we did ourselves. Bibs were not needed until teething started and eating of solids started. We were gifted so many bibs. I would not put many on your registry in case you get tons for gifts. We did have a drooly baby, so went through one or two a day. Think about how often you do laundry (it will be more often when baby gets here) and plan accordingly. For burp cloths, we just used all the swaddle blankets we had that we were not using. We had nothing that was specifically a burp cloth. For pacifiers, I am planning on having about 4 from different brands or styles. My son would not take a pacifier at all. I would not over buy, but I want a variety before giving up all together. For crib sheets, I would say about 4 was a good number. We layered our sheets in our crib so it was mattress, mattress protector, sheet, mattress protector, sheet. There were always two layers of sheets on the bed. That way when there was a blowout, leak, or spit up/vomit in the middle of the night, I just had to take off the dirty sheet and mattress protector and it was clean and ready to go. We went through a lot of sheet and needed to do this in the middle of the night a lot.
ETA: Our son slept in his crib from day one, so maybe that is why it needed to be changed so often.
@lainikins , I've heard of that trick before with the sheets, and it's so smart! So much easier than changing sheets at 3:00 (I would *think*... FTM here, but sounds genius).
Is a wearable baby monitor necessary? I've seen the Owlet sock and some monitors that clip on baby. I don't think we need a video monitor since we live in a one-floor small apartment.
@jennifer_m21 I've heard they go off unnecessarily a lot and cause lots of stress for mom's because of that. I also have a small apartment and will be using a bassinet as long as makes sense so personally I'm skipping it.
@mblomq2 I've heard the same! I'm a FTM, so I'm nervous about SIDS. I'm sure I'll be checking on the babe like every 5 min to make sure he's breathing!
I've had an angel care monitor for my last three kids. I wouldn't say there were a lot of false alarms. In that time I've had one only. It was worth it for the peace of mind
DD born Oct 2011 - DS#1 born Jan 2014 - DS#2 born Apr 2015 - DS#3 born Sept 2016 - LO#5 due Feb 7, 2018
...I'm going to disagree with the snap statement. I loved only needing to unsnap a portion of pjs instead of unzipping all the way and basically taking them off. This is dependent on space but my swing/rocker combo saved me! I could put DD in there and she would be content for a while so I was able to get things done. I didn't buy until after I had her because I thought I wouldn't need it. ...
It depends on time of year for me. The zippers are much faster especially with blow outs and bath times but the snaps were convenient for cold days and nights where you didn't want to strip the whole baby to change a diaper. Given that the average temp is 20 degrees Fahrenheit for my area in February, I think the snap ups may become more handy than I anticipate.
I love that this snap vs zippers conversation is stil going! I never took baby's arms out when I unzipped just the legs, their chest is minimally exposed for a brief amount of time .The three buttons on the crotch area are the worst! But to each their own!
I'm not having a baby shower but I have started an Amazon wishlist for anyone interested in getting the baby anything. I still have a bunch of larger items like swings and bouncy seats from previous pregnancies but so far I've added: Carters short sleeved onsies in 0-3/3-6 (our house is over 100 years old and drafty, I layer the babies) Carters fleece footed onsies blankets Gerber Fleece burp clothes KidCo Go Pod (I love how compact these are) rechargeable batteries (those swings eat up batteries like crazy) Nose Frida The First Years Take and Toss 28 Piece Feeding Variety Pack Bottles Bottle brushes Pacifiers Graco Pack n Play Play mat/floor gym Hypoallergenic wipes a few boxes of diapers in various sizes
The brand selections are preference based on past experiences. Like, for instance, the Safety First Pack n Plays are really wobbly in my opinion and Gerber clothing items always seem to run small.
Another suggestion: Teething bibs are amazing! The double layer Carter bibs were a favorite of mine
What are your thoughts on latch system vs click tight car seats? We have talked to a few salespeople but wondering real life experience. Does it make that big of difference? Do you take out and put back in the car that often?
And where do do you put your car seat? I have read the center in the back seat is the safest, but our latch system is only behind driver or passenger. Thoughts?
Latch can only be used up to a certain weight limit (usually around 40lb) at which point you have to use a seat belt. The britax clicktights are nice if you switch cars frequently, however, make sure the person installing is educated because they can break easily if the seat is not installed or removed correctly.
That being most seats in the price range are relatively easy to install. It is part of the bells and whistles included in the price tag.
The safest location is the seat where you get the best install. You cannot latch barrow in the center unless both the car and seat allow. If you can get a tight seatbelt install in the center that is cool, otherwise I would not lose sleep installing on the side.
@jlcrunchberry I think if you turn that into a "registry" you'll get a coupon close to your due date for a certain percent off those items! We have some high priced items on our registry that we don't necessary expect anyone to buy, but that we're hoping to use the coupon to purchase. Worth considering!
@jlcrunchberry I think if you turn that into a "registry" you'll get a coupon close to your due date for a certain percent off those items! We have some high priced items on our registry that we don't necessary expect anyone to buy, but that we're hoping to use the coupon to purchase. Worth considering!
We did this too. Put a lot of stuff on the registry we don't expect anyone to buy just to get the completion discount for ourselves.
@jlcrunchberry I think if you turn that into a "registry" you'll get a coupon close to your due date for a certain percent off those items! We have some high priced items on our registry that we don't necessary expect anyone to buy, but that we're hoping to use the coupon to purchase. Worth considering!
We did this too. Put a lot of stuff on the registry we don't expect anyone to buy just to get the completion discount for ourselves.
**Stuck in Box** We are also creating a registry with the sole purpose of coupons/discounts.
@jlcrunchberry I think if you turn that into a "registry" you'll get a coupon close to your due date for a certain percent off those items! We have some high priced items on our registry that we don't necessary expect anyone to buy, but that we're hoping to use the coupon to purchase. Worth considering!
We did this too. Put a lot of stuff on the registry we don't expect anyone to buy just to get the completion discount for ourselves.
**Stuck in Box** We are also creating a registry with the sole purpose of coupons/discounts.
I'm so glad I'm not the only one doing this. Thanks ladies!
Have any of you heard anything about the Graco Simple Sway Baby Swing?
I put the Fisher Price My Little Lamb on my registry because everyone I know uses that swing.
But the price is a little better on the Graco (and there are elephants, which is absolutely the main reason I am considering switching. But obviously if it doesn't work as well than that would be the end of it).
Re: Registry thread
I am a FTM and obviously need baby gear. Moms with experience, how closely do people stick to registries? Im super picky, always have been. My fear is people will just pop into target and buy the first newborn boy outift they see, not necessarily looking at the registry.
I do think it's very common for people to choose clothing on their own, vs. on a registry. From what my friends have shared, they got a lot of clothes at their showers, because people might buy a registry gift of something more 'practical', and then they want to pick something cute, too! I have registered for a few outfits/packs of clothing, but mostly just the other things like pack and play, sheets, bath time stuff, etc. that I wanted to be sure to choose.
we are definitely purchasing big items ourselves excluding stroller/car seat combo. Going to register for just a couple gender neutral clothing items in case the next one is a girl. Hoping people will take a hint!
Thanks for the insight!
I thought it was on this registry thread but maybe I saw it somewhere else and can't find it now... but how many do we really need of:
> swaddle blankets
> bibs
> burp cloths
> pacifiers
> crib sheets
TIA!
> swaddle blankets= I loved my muslin ones because they are super versatile, one pack of four would be enough especially if you have receiving blankets for when they are smaller. My daughter was long so I couldn't get as much use out of the receiving blankets for swaddles.
> bibs= I received a ton but really only needed maybe 7. My daughter wasn't a huge drooler and I did not go the puree route for food. So I think this one depends on if you'll do purees or baby led weaning(BLW)
> burp cloths= I didn't buy them specifically just used receiving blankets or the Gerber cloth diaper things
> pacifiers= I bought 4 so I could have 1 for home 1 for my daughter and then a backup at home and in the diaper bag
> crib sheets= I have four or five that way between blowouts and spitting up I know I don't have to do laundry right away
i have ten A&A swaddle blankets. I def needed them all... both DS and DD went through 2-3 a day with spit up/blow outs. They LOVED being swaddled and would often fall asleep just from being swaddled.
bibs I didn’t need bc of BLW. I just bought two or three of the nice long ones that I could wipe off without washing. DD still uses them at 2yrs old.
I had 12 burp cloths and really needed more... but my kids were super sensitive and spit up A TON till around 4mo old
pacifiers I had one clipped to baby for the house, one clipped to the car seat, and one in the diaper bag. I wouldn’t buy a lot till you find out what kind your baby likes though. I had to try 4 or 5 different brands before DS or DD liked one.
2 crib sheets was plenty for me. I rarely needed to change it due to leaks or spit up. Disclaimer: both spend the first 6-8mo in my room though.
Anyway, the book is called Baby Bargains and it is updated every year, so it has really up-to-date info on what is on the market right now. There is also a website that seems to have everything included in the book, plus more. We went ahead and bought the book because it's easier to take to a store, but rely heavily on the website for researching big-ticket items.
I have really appreciated the book because it provides a good explanation on items (e.g. the differences between the million different types of strollers), what it is or isn't useful, and provides recommendations for a variety of price-points. Highly recommend it!
And where do do you put your car seat? I have read the center in the back seat is the safest, but our latch system is only behind driver or passenger. Thoughts?
ETA: Our son slept in his crib from day one, so maybe that is why it needed to be changed so often.
Carters short sleeved onsies in 0-3/3-6 (our house is over 100 years old and drafty, I layer the babies)
Carters fleece footed onsies
blankets
Gerber Fleece burp clothes
KidCo Go Pod (I love how compact these are)
rechargeable batteries (those swings eat up batteries like crazy)
Nose Frida
The First Years Take and Toss 28 Piece Feeding Variety Pack
Bottles
Bottle brushes
Pacifiers
Graco Pack n Play
Play mat/floor gym
Hypoallergenic wipes
a few boxes of diapers in various sizes
The brand selections are preference based on past experiences. Like, for instance, the Safety First Pack n Plays are really wobbly in my opinion and Gerber clothing items always seem to run small.
Another suggestion: Teething bibs are amazing! The double layer Carter bibs were a favorite of mine
That being most seats in the price range are relatively easy to install. It is part of the bells and whistles included in the price tag.
The safest location is the seat where you get the best install. You cannot latch barrow in the center unless both the car and seat allow. If you can get a tight seatbelt install in the center that is cool, otherwise I would not lose sleep installing on the side.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/diono-car-seats-recalled-may-not-protect-kids-in-crash/2017/10/12/68ae417a-af4e-11e7-9b93-b97043e57a22_story.html?utm_term=.1023aec25319
older siblings: ds 16 dd 14 ds 13 dd 11 dd 7
Have any of you heard anything about the Graco Simple Sway Baby Swing?
I put the Fisher Price My Little Lamb on my registry because everyone I know uses that swing.
But the price is a little better on the Graco (and there are elephants, which is absolutely the main reason I am considering switching. But obviously if it doesn't work as well than that would be the end of it).