So, we registered on Amazon. It's usually pretty straight forward. It isn't too hard to search for a registry.
@jaylii DD slept in the bassinet attachment of her PnP for the first month or two. Then she ended up in bed with us :shrug: She didn't like how much space she had in the crib. Some babies want their personal space and others don't.
Sorry, one more thought. Break things down into multiple items to give people more options/better affordability. For example instead of putting a travel system bundle on the registry separately add the car seat and stroller as items. You essentially break a $500 item into a $200 item and a $300 item.
jaylii The first like 3 months baby slept in a bassinet by our bed, then like 2 months in a playpen in our room and then we transitioned to a crib in her own room around 5/6 months.
@jaylii DD basically lived in a nightgown unless we left the house, then she got something with pants for car seat convenience. We loved the nightgown because it made diaper changes much easier
We registered at Amazon and Buy Buy Baby. My friends liked buying things with prime and my mom’s friends (who threw one of my showers) like getting stuff in person. Definitely put a combination of cheaper and more expensive items. A bunch of people went in on my breast pump while the people who didn’t know anyone else there got smaller items.
I didn’t register for any clothes and DD has 3x the amount of clothes I do. People love buying what they think is cute. I also registered for a few jellycat stuffed animals that went with her room theme and people bought those and other ones, so now we have a zoo.
Also my grandma was going to buy my car seat but I accidentally had my registry public before I could help her make the purchase and someone else bought it, so make sure if you start your Amazon registry before you are done, keep it private until it’s ready for everyone to see.
My must have items: -rock n play with an auto rocker (she slept in this or the halo for 2.5 months until moving her to a crib, but I hated the halo so mostly in here). It was so easy to move around the house so it was also where I put DD when folding laundry, showering, etc. -pack n play, but without all the fancy extras. Ours has the netting so that the mattress can be on a higher level, but no fancy bassinet or changing pad attachments. They just aren’t needed. -Stroller- one thing I wish I had done is get a stroller that could be converted to a double. Now DD is 16 months old and I have to buy a new one. Kind of annoying. Also we bought a different brand car seat and stroller and I thought the attachment would be better to turn it into a travel system, but it felt fairly unstable. My sister is using our car seat and bought the same brand stroller and it is way better. Just a thought... -Nose Frida: seems gross but we still use it all the time -Baby nail clippers/nail files: most hospitals don’t have these, and when they come out of the womb they already have sharp nails, so bring a baby nail file with you -Kimono tees or onesies: someone gave us these (didn’t register). Carters has a nice 4 pack. The sleeves had the baby hand covers attached so they can’t scratch themselves and the side snaps are really good before the umbilical cord falls off (zippers or snaps down the middle kind of get in the way) -extra infant car seat bases: we have the Chicco keyfit30 and had 3 bases (one comes with the seat). My mom, DH and I all had them installed in our cars by a car seat tech before DD was born. We ended up taking my mom’s car home from the hospital (while she drove to get us in-n-out in my car, haha) and I was happy that it was already installed in there. -We registered for Adan and Anais blankets which we used for a lot. They are swaddles, floor mats, blankets, burp cloths... no need to get so many different kinds of things when one can do them all. -I liked the Velcro swaddles someone bought us. They were sooo easy to use and then I didn’t worry about my blanket swaddle coming loose.
The light weight items (car seat, stroller, etc) are really important to me. I’m in a 3rd floor walk up, and much to the dismay of my parents, I don’t think we’ll be moving before the baby comes. Lease is up in September - and I’m busy that month! We’re considering seeing if we can switch to the first floor in our development and avoid the lease breaking fee, but we’ll see. DH is really worried about me having to carry everything up and down but I know I’m not the first or only woman to have a baby and also have stairs!
@be_love having a party to celebrate your upcoming bundle-of-joy with friends and family is fantastic. I’d just spread via word-of mouth something like “we have stuff to bring the baby home from the hospital, and don’t gave room for additional stuff right now! Of course no gifts are necessary, but gift cards to buy stuff we’ll need down the line would be great if you want to buy something”. I wouldn’t have a Registry if you’re not opening gifts at the party, personally. If you do have one, definitely don’t include it with the invites.
Its never appropriate to ask for cash, and gift cards are basically asking for cash, but as long as it’s done via word of mouth it’s fine.
And if you’re calling it a shower you have to expect physical gifts and open them there. No exceptions. So your instinct to call it something else is spot on!
@southernlady07 We only used the RNP for naps until DS was about four months old and never for night sleep. We used the cosleeper and swaddled for night sleep, to separate night sleep from naps in his routine. During the day, he wouldn’t nap without motion for a few months, and I didn’t have a swing. I never swaddled in the RNP because I felt that was too confining.
A lot of the warnings come from stories of babies developing plagiocephaly/torticollis from extended hours in the RNP (like all sleeping hours). I plan to use it only as needed and not at night if I can help it just like last time. It is an excellent baby holder and soother! I also have a second hand swing this time that I will try out.
after reading about positional asphyxiation in the rock n play we have registered for one but will only use it for supervised naps (no nighttime sleep). We will be getting the halo bassinest for a safe / flat overnight sleeping surface
@Wishilivedinflorida I think that is going to be our plan for this time around - the RNP Is so lightweight and easy to pull in the bathroom if you need to shower, etc. We also had a swing and loved it and just bought a secondhand one for this baby.
We had a super reflux baby who could only lay flat without screaming if it was more than an hour since he'd eaten....but he nursed every 1.5-2 hours. The only way for him to sleep (instead of scream and throw up) was inclined or on us. He slept mostly on me until he was a month old and his neck was strong enough that I felt OK with RNP, and even so, we made sure to turn his head to the side to help keep airway open.
I'm not saying it was "the right" thing to do, but it was that he never slept more til an hour and I never slept more than maybe 35 min at a time.
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Me: 33 DH: 32 Married 7/18/15 1st born at 35+4 on 6/6/16 Team green turned BLUE! 2nd born at 38+6 on 8/30/18 Team green turned PINK! Due with #3 on 6/6/20 Team Green
@be_love No offense, but I’d be super pissed if I went to a shower and the guest of honor didn’t open my gift after I spent the time to pick something out for them. Also, I think it is poor etiquette to request gift cards or receipts on an invite. The purpose of a shower is to shower the Mom-to-be with gifts, well wishes, etc. You can subtly suggest gift cards on your registries and hope for receipts. I think most people include receipts out of courtesy, anyway. But asking for certain things, telling people how to spend their money, and not opening gifts is a no-no in my book. Is about your guests giving things to you. Take whatever you get and be gracious. If you can’t return a gift and definitely won’t use it, then pass it along to someone who will or sell it on consignment.
I hope this didnt come off too harsh, but I don’t want your guests to think you are being rude. I get where you are coming from, but there are certain things you can’t avoid. (Like 8 million homemade blankets!)
All good @Wishilivedinflorida I totally see your point but this party is not a traditional shower, we aren't even calling it a shower, name TBD. My guest all know me well and I am comfortable letting them know ahead of time about our registry and our request for gift cards doesn't have to be subtle as you register for what you need. This is a first time big party for my partner and I as we aren't married and we look forward to spending an evening with family and friends in celebration of our growing love. There will be plenty of time for expressing our gratitude at the party and in our thank you cards.
I respect people's customs and the traditional etiquette, but this is the reason why i would never have a baby shower. I'd hate feeling all eyes on me or asking people to buy me stuff and pretend i like it if i don't. Just not my style.
Like @be_love i will have an informal get together and people's company will be more than enough. I'm trying to combine my anniversary and niece's 1st birthday (she was a premie) into a big family get together we hope to continue every summer. I couldn't have the spotlight on me.
I am grateful for this thread and I'm taking lots of notes so i can prepare myself as a FTM.
Is anyone thinking of doing a coed shower? For sure MH and Dad will attend. MH and I have been considering inviting spouses but it would increase cost for my Mom who's hosting. I'm also not sure how many guys would want to attend a baby shower. Probably not my older male relatives but maybe some of friends. Thoughts?
@jaylii I will be having a shower thrown by friends and work, and that one will be coed. I have been to a coed shower before though, and they are a lot of fun! A friend of H wants to throw him a diaper party.. so it would essentially be a bunch of guys grilling and drinking, and the only difference is they will show up with a pack of diapers.
@jaylii if it was more casual and like a barbecue or hang out kind of party I think a coed shower could work. I've heard of the guys bringing a pack of diapers and doing a dad's shower and then mom having her own separately. But I'd think that guys for the most part would not be interested unless there was alcohol haha. My dad and my H were at my shower and it was fine but we already had like 40 people and it was more than enough for me.
Ours was coed. There was alcohol (because my family doesn't throw a party without it), and we only did maybe 1-2 silly games. It worked out OK, but it was at a house, so we just did burgers and homemade appetizers, adding like 6 people, maybe 8 wasn't a huge thing.
_______________________________________________
Me: 33 DH: 32 Married 7/18/15 1st born at 35+4 on 6/6/16 Team green turned BLUE! 2nd born at 38+6 on 8/30/18 Team green turned PINK! Due with #3 on 6/6/20 Team Green
We threw a coed shower for my friend and her H grilled burgers outside with the guys and the ladies hung out inside. Since it’ll be summer around shower time it’ll be perfect for bbqs. We had female only showers last time as there were already so many people but my dad and husband came towards the end to open gifts with us. For my sister’s there were a few guys watching babies so they’d be close to their nursing mamas but it was at a location where they could hang out nearby and just go upstairs when it was baby’s time to eat.
Thanks everyone for the opinions on coed showers. This shower will be a brunch and hosted in a party room at a restaurant. Right now with only ladies, I think about 20 will attend. I'd be open to a home shower, but the only home available is mine. My mom lives out of town and no other relative has volunteered. I generally love to host, but don't want the stress of it this summer when I'm really pregnant.
@jaylii it’s really not appropriate to host your own shower, although it’s possible for someone else to host it in your home if necessary. The entire purpose of the shower is to get gifts, so hosting it yourself is really just asking for gifts, which is rude. I’d definitely recommend whoever is hosting yours to stick to the restaurant!
Personally, I think every shower should be hosted as if it’s coed. I can’t stand the argument of “oh, men won’t want to come because they won’t enjoy it”. Ummm, I almost never enjoy it. Unless it’s hosted more like a regular party that just happens to have a person opening gifts!
Ours was coed although the guys all wandered in and out. We made it into a huge family party because relatives were coming from out of town...a lot of relatives. I think there were only two activities baby related and although def baby themed, it was all just a get together.
Registry: we used the rock n play for night sleeping for prob four weeks. Just as DH was freaking out about all the articles and people with babies that didn’t transition, DD wanted to stretch out and we put her into her crib. Transition was probably two nights.
My biggest item was the owlet. Not sure what stores sell them, but DH bought it when DD was a week old. People either love them or hate them, we loved it. I wouldn’t have been able to stop checking the monitor with out it. DD wore it till probably 9 months.
@MandyMost I'm not hosting my own shower. My Mom is hosting the shower at a restaurant (as I've said in previous posts). I'm a bit more involved in planning because my Mom lives out of state and needs some help but deep breath, I'm really not trying to hold my own big present grab.
DH and I went to Buy Buy Baby today and checked out some products for the first time! It’s so cute bc now he’s like, obsessively googling bassinets and strollers lol. I’m looking forward to more product spotlight threads so I can learn more, bc right now, my starting point for everything is just to google “best ____ 2018” and the best of everything is expensive lol.
@ashh2018 those best of and best new for lists are my favorite!!! And yup. They tend to be expensive! Fortunately I usually don't care about a lot of them so I can fantasize about getting just one or two things.
@stothi like I definitely might splurge on some items, especially where safety is concerned (car seat, etc) but I also don’t mind registering for one or two pricey items bc some of our older family members have expressed that they want to buy us “nice things” - no complaints here, although apparently they’ve been secretly judging us for years for not having nice things? lol. They’re good starting points bc I can look at “the best”, see what features make it so, and then look for more affordable options. Like I don’t need a $700 stroller even if someone wants to buy it for me haha.
Let's see, I'll just ramble things off as they come to mind. -We didn't receive much clothing, but I was okay with that because it's so fun to pick your own out. -I wouldn't stock up on diapers or wipes because A) you don't know how much of what size you'll need. Some baby's never fit newborn. You don't know what brands will work best for your baby's shape and your preferences. - You won't know for sure which bottles, pacis, etc your baby will take to either. So don't buy bulk. -I didn't buy a RnP because I had read the research on the dangers of torticollis, plagiocephaly and asphixiation. However, I was gifted a hand me down and we used the heck out of it. I tried my best to not let her sleep in it unsupervised ( while I was sleeping) or overnight. However, there are times in those early days when you just do what you have to do and take calculated risks. This time I'm buying the auto-rock. -I can't say enough good things about the Halo Bassinest. Never had to get out of bed for motn feedings. DD used it for 6 months. Don't bother getting the extra bells and whistles because they aren't very good. -UO but, we skipped the crib. Just Halo then PnP. You can get a confirmation mattress when they get a little older. -Another UO, we also skipped the infant carseat. I had watched women lugging them around and struggling to get through the doors at the pediatrician office I was working at while pregnant and decided that was not for me. Everyone had a hissy fit saying we would regret having to get a sleeping baby out of the carseat, but she never woke up. Also you cannot leave a sleeping baby in a car seat - they can die. You will have to buy a larger carseat in about a year anyway so, we went straight to the convertible. We have enjoyed the Chicco Nextfit Zip. Easy enough to install and easy to unzip the cover and throw it in the wash. -I will never admit it to DH, but we do not get enough use out of our nice stroller (baby jogger city select) to justify the price. I like it a lot, it's great for running in the store with a tiny baby if you're not buying more than can fit in the basket and it is thankfully easily converted to a double. But a lightweight one would probably have sufficed and left way more room in the trunk and not weighed a ton. But we don't do a lot of walking/jogging outings so if you think you will, the city select is very nice. -Love the swaddle pods for newborns because you can just unzip the bottom for a quick diaper change without waking baby up too much. -Nail Frida clippers are the bomb and I never feared cutting baby's fingers. -Down the line when you are transitioning from the swaddle, you must get a Baby Merlin's Magic Sleepsuit. It's seriously magic. Plus they look like the kid from A Christmas Story and it's hilarious.
@smsaulino highly recommend it! We had some issues with it working with our WiFi. So the app only worked while we traveled and yet I would still buy it again. I think we may even get the newest version because I like the foot piece better. We never got false alarms, just connection alarms which are a different color. We got one red alarm and DD was in a heck of a deep sleep, too deep for my liking.
@ashh2018 all car seats pass the same safety tests... the more expensive ones aren’t safer than the cheaper ones. They might be more ergonomic to carry, or “better” colors, or look fancier, but all car seats pass safety tests. Personally, I’d recommend splurging on the stroller over the car seat.
@ashh2018 We are buying the 2017 version of the stroller we want. The bassinet is blue and the stroller is black, but who cares when they won't be together? ETA: It's essentially the exact same product as the 2018, but cheaper.
Me: 34 | DH: 33 Married Aug. 2013 TTC #1 Sep. 2016 ***TW***
BFP Jan. 15, 2017; MMC Mar. 4, 2017 at 10w6d BFP Jun. 5, 2017; MMC Aug. 2, 2017 at 11w6d BFP Nov. 20, 2017; ended in CP All the tests. Everything normal except treated for ureaplasma and DH potentially has high DNAF. BFP Dec. 25, 2017; EDD Sep. 5, 2018; DD arrived Aug. 26th My chart: https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/63f71d
What are the best places to register? STMs, when did you start it?
I did Babies R Us, Amazon, and Target. It sucks that BRU is no longer going to be an option because it seemed like people appreciated the option to do online or in person shopping. I also found being at the store in person really helpful for adding stuff to my registry.
Amazon and Target only had a few things on them and I never shared the links. They were mainly for getting the completion discount to purchase specific items.
I started my registry first tri, but really started working on it around the half-way point. I also had a fake name on my BRU registry until we told family and friends because I was afraid someone would stumble upon it before we were ready to announce. My BFF and I went to BRU together and we walked around the store adding stuff. It was helpful to talk to a mom when looking at options to get her real life experience opinions.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________ MMC 8/5/15 at 8 weeks DS born 9/13/16 BFP 1/13/18 - EDD 9/20/18 - It's a boy!
STM - where/in what did your baby sleep the first few months? I need ideas.
We had a hand-me-down bassinet from my grandparent in-laws (MH and his dad both slept in it as babies) and it was still in great condition so I was more than comfortable putting DS in it. We used that for the first few weeks then there were a few nights where I fell asleep on the couch with DS in his pack 'n play and I ended up doing that for a few months. MH was super spoiled and after the first couple weeks he did nothing MOTN while I was still on leave (not that he didn't offer, because he did A LOT, I was just really nice to him and didn't take him up on it).
Around 3 - 3 1/2 months I started transitioning DS to his crib for nighttime sleep so I could get back into my bed before my leave ended.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________ MMC 8/5/15 at 8 weeks DS born 9/13/16 BFP 1/13/18 - EDD 9/20/18 - It's a boy!
Is anyone thinking of doing a coed shower? For sure MH and Dad will attend. MH and I have been considering inviting spouses but it would increase cost for my Mom who's hosting. I'm also not sure how many guys would want to attend a baby shower. Probably not my older male relatives but maybe some of friends. Thoughts?
If you're thinking along the lines of a more traditional baby shower, I would say skip coed. I can guarantee you my friends' husbands would not have wanted to sit through my brunch shower. and I feel pretty confident saying that if MH were invited to a shower with me, I would probably still go alone.
Backyard BBQ? Much more coed friendly IMO but this is more of a party than a shower.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________ MMC 8/5/15 at 8 weeks DS born 9/13/16 BFP 1/13/18 - EDD 9/20/18 - It's a boy!
So we just had to replace dd’s monitor. I mever understood why one would need a talk back feature, hearing my voice w o me there seemed like it would only upset her more... but now that she is older, it will be great for those “I hear you, just gimme a minute” moments. Especially cause she loves to ask “can I get up all by myself??” Which would mean then come crawl into my bed w o me moving....um yes please. She can’t hear us calling to her between the noisemaker, door mostly shut, and we’re on the second floor (open loft bedroom).
bfp#1-10/29/12,EDD: 7/3/13. nothing found @ 1st u/s, natural mc 12/10/12. "Bean"
bfp#2-5/10/13! EDD: 1/18/14. "Peanut" Arrived 1/13/14. Diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis
bfp#3- 9/26/14. EDD: 5/7/15. no heartbeat found @ 1st u/s, natural mc 10/23/14. "Little Bug"
A monitor is one of the things we will need to buy for this baby so we can get one with 2 cameras. I had a Summer Infant one with DS until I dropped the parent unit and cracked the screen but I was never that impressed with it. A friend gave me her old Motorola that I like a lot more, except the screen is really small. It's old enough I can't get a second camera for it so I'll need to start from scratch.
I would love recommendations on specific monitors that people love! Or at least like! Preferably no WiFi and it has to have 2 camera capability.
Thanks in advance!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________ MMC 8/5/15 at 8 weeks DS born 9/13/16 BFP 1/13/18 - EDD 9/20/18 - It's a boy!
My daughter has slept in her own crib in her own room since the day she came home from the hospital. Just want to throw that out there so people know it's an option! We had a townhouse at the time, and her room was right next to ours, and there was no spare space in our bedroom for any kind of bassinet or anything. I had a c-section and was breastfeeding, so when she woke up my husband would get her, change her, and bring her to me to eat, then put her back in bed. We may get a bassinet thing this time just so it's easier on him...at least I"ll be able to put the baby back after eating.
We did have a mini-sized pack-n-play in our main living area (2 floors down from the bedrooms) for daytime naps, so I wouldn't have to go all the way upstairs to put her down, and then keep going up and down the stairs.
So we just had to replace dd’s monitor. I mever understood why one would need a talk back feature, hearing my voice w o me there seemed like it would only upset her more... but now that she is older, it will be great for those “I hear you, just gimme a minute” moments. Especially cause she loves to ask “can I get up all by myself??” Which would mean then come crawl into my bed w o me moving....um yes please. She can’t hear us calling to her between the noisemaker, door mostly shut, and we’re on the second floor (open loft bedroom).
*Stuck in a box*
I didn't understand the need for one either but now I want one!!! Like you said to be able to just say, "hey, buddy, I hear you. I'll be there in just one minute," or, "nooooooooooooooooooo! It's 2am! Go. To. Sleep! I'm not coming back in there! I love you. GOOD NIGHT!!!" Right now I have to shout really loud and then listen on the baby monitor to see if I can hear my voice in his room. It works mostly, but it sucks to be shouting when you are nauseous or have a migraine.
It's not super fancy but works well. I just purchased an add-on camera for $50 from Amazon in order to get my welcome box. You can actually add up to 4 total cameras (I hope to never need that feature!). No wifi and pretty good range. We can go to our neighbors' yards and still have good reception.
My mom got some new in the box Motorola from a second hand sale and I like that too, but not sure what the model # is.
Re: The great big Baby Registry thread!!!
@jaylii DD slept in the bassinet attachment of her PnP for the first month or two. Then she ended up in bed with us :shrug: She didn't like how much space she had in the crib. Some babies want their personal space and others don't.
I didn’t register for any clothes and DD has 3x the amount of clothes I do. People love buying what they think is cute. I also registered for a few jellycat stuffed animals that went with her room theme and people bought those and other ones, so now we have a zoo.
Also my grandma was going to buy my car seat but I accidentally had my registry public before I could help her make the purchase and someone else bought it, so make sure if you start your Amazon registry before you are done, keep it private until it’s ready for everyone to see.
My must have items:
-rock n play with an auto rocker (she slept in this or the halo for 2.5 months until moving her to a crib, but I hated the halo so mostly in here). It was so easy to move around the house so it was also where I put DD when folding laundry, showering, etc.
-pack n play, but without all the fancy extras. Ours has the netting so that the mattress can be on a higher level, but no fancy bassinet or changing pad attachments. They just aren’t needed.
-Stroller- one thing I wish I had done is get a stroller that could be converted to a double. Now DD is 16 months old and I have to buy a new one. Kind of annoying. Also we bought a different brand car seat and stroller and I thought the attachment would be better to turn it into a travel system, but it felt fairly unstable. My sister is using our car seat and bought the same brand stroller and it is way better. Just a thought...
-Nose Frida: seems gross but we still use it all the time
-Baby nail clippers/nail files: most hospitals don’t have these, and when they come out of the womb they already have sharp nails, so bring a baby nail file with you
-Kimono tees or onesies: someone gave us these (didn’t register). Carters has a nice 4 pack. The sleeves had the baby hand covers attached so they can’t scratch themselves and the side snaps are really good before the umbilical cord falls off (zippers or snaps down the middle kind of get in the way)
-extra infant car seat bases: we have the Chicco keyfit30 and had 3 bases (one comes with the seat). My mom, DH and I all had them installed in our cars by a car seat tech before DD was born. We ended up taking my mom’s car home from the hospital (while she drove to get us in-n-out in my car, haha) and I was happy that it was already installed in there.
-We registered for Adan and Anais blankets which we used for a lot. They are swaddles, floor mats, blankets, burp cloths... no need to get so many different kinds of things when one can do them all.
-I liked the Velcro swaddles someone bought us. They were sooo easy to use and then I didn’t worry about my blanket swaddle coming loose.
Its never appropriate to ask for cash, and gift cards are basically asking for cash, but as long as it’s done via word of mouth it’s fine.
And if you’re calling it a shower you have to expect physical gifts and open them there. No exceptions. So your instinct to call it something else is spot on!
A lot of the warnings come from stories of babies developing plagiocephaly/torticollis from extended hours in the RNP (like all sleeping hours). I plan to use it only as needed and not at night if I can help it just like last time. It is an excellent baby holder and soother! I also have a second hand swing this time that I will try out.
after reading about positional asphyxiation in the rock n play we have registered for one but will only use it for supervised naps (no nighttime sleep). We will be getting the halo bassinest for a safe / flat overnight sleeping surface
@dexnie We are looking into getting the Halo too.
BFP #1: 1/23/2012 DD: Born 9/20/2012
BFP #2: 12/30/2017 DS: Due 9/10/2018
I'm not saying it was "the right" thing to do, but it was that he never slept more til an hour and I never slept more than maybe 35 min at a time.
DH: 32
Married 7/18/15
1st born at 35+4 on 6/6/16
Team green turned BLUE!
2nd born at 38+6 on 8/30/18
Team green turned PINK!
Due with #3 on 6/6/20 Team Green
Like @be_love i will have an informal get together and people's company will be more than enough. I'm trying to combine my anniversary and niece's 1st birthday (she was a premie) into a big family get together we hope to continue every summer. I couldn't have the spotlight on me.
I am grateful for this thread and I'm taking lots of notes so i can prepare myself as a FTM.
DH: 32
Married 7/18/15
1st born at 35+4 on 6/6/16
Team green turned BLUE!
2nd born at 38+6 on 8/30/18
Team green turned PINK!
Due with #3 on 6/6/20 Team Green
Personally, I think every shower should be hosted as if it’s coed. I can’t stand the argument of “oh, men won’t want to come because they won’t enjoy it”. Ummm, I almost never enjoy it. Unless it’s hosted more like a regular party that just happens to have a person opening gifts!
Registry: we used the rock n play for night sleeping for prob four weeks. Just as DH was freaking out about all the articles and people with babies that didn’t transition, DD wanted to stretch out and we put her into her crib. Transition was probably two nights.
My biggest item was the owlet. Not sure what stores sell them, but DH bought it when DD was a week old. People either love them or hate them, we loved it. I wouldn’t have been able to stop checking the monitor with out it. DD wore it till probably 9 months.
@jaylii I’ll check it out, thanks!
ETA my boss just bought my coworker the $300 car seat from her registry, so that set a precedent... haha
-We didn't receive much clothing, but I was okay with that because it's so fun to pick your own out.
-I wouldn't stock up on diapers or wipes because A) you don't know how much of what size you'll need. Some baby's never fit newborn.
- You won't know for sure which bottles, pacis, etc your baby will take to either. So don't buy bulk.
-I didn't buy a RnP because I had read the research on the dangers of torticollis, plagiocephaly and asphixiation. However, I was gifted a hand me down and we used the heck out of it. I tried my best to not let her sleep in it unsupervised ( while I was sleeping) or overnight. However, there are times in those early days when you just do what you have to do and take calculated risks. This time I'm buying the auto-rock.
-I can't say enough good things about the Halo Bassinest. Never had to get out of bed for motn feedings. DD used it for 6 months. Don't bother getting the extra bells and whistles because they aren't very good.
-UO but, we skipped the crib. Just Halo then PnP. You can get a confirmation mattress when they get a little older.
-Another UO, we also skipped the infant carseat. I had watched women lugging them around and struggling to get through the doors at the pediatrician office I was working at while pregnant and decided that was not for me. Everyone had a hissy fit saying we would regret having to get a sleeping baby out of the carseat, but she never woke up. Also you cannot leave a sleeping baby in a car seat - they can die. You will have to buy a larger carseat in about a year anyway so, we went straight to the convertible. We have enjoyed the Chicco Nextfit Zip. Easy enough to install and easy to unzip the cover and throw it in the wash.
-I will never admit it to DH, but we do not get enough use out of our nice stroller (baby jogger city select) to justify the price. I like it a lot, it's great for running in the store with a tiny baby if you're not buying more than can fit in the basket and it is thankfully easily converted to a double. But a lightweight one would probably have sufficed and left way more room in the trunk and not weighed a ton. But we don't do a lot of walking/jogging outings so if you think you will, the city select is very nice.
-Love the swaddle pods for newborns because you can just unzip the bottom for a quick diaper change without waking baby up too much.
-Nail Frida clippers are the bomb and I never feared cutting baby's fingers.
-Down the line when you are transitioning from the swaddle, you must get a Baby Merlin's Magic Sleepsuit. It's seriously magic. Plus they look like the kid from A Christmas Story and it's hilarious.
I'll post again if I remember some more.
ETA: It's essentially the exact same product as the 2018, but cheaper.
Married Aug. 2013
TTC #1 Sep. 2016
***TW***
BFP Jun. 5, 2017; MMC Aug. 2, 2017 at 11w6d
BFP Nov. 20, 2017; ended in CP
All the tests. Everything normal except treated for ureaplasma and DH potentially has high DNAF.
BFP Dec. 25, 2017; EDD Sep. 5, 2018; DD arrived Aug. 26th
My chart: https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/63f71d
Amazon and Target only had a few things on them and I never shared the links. They were mainly for getting the completion discount to purchase specific items.
I started my registry first tri, but really started working on it around the half-way point. I also had a fake name on my BRU registry until we told family and friends because I was afraid someone would stumble upon it before we were ready to announce. My BFF and I went to BRU together and we walked around the store adding stuff. It was helpful to talk to a mom when looking at options to get her real life experience opinions.
MMC 8/5/15 at 8 weeks
DS born 9/13/16
BFP 1/13/18 - EDD 9/20/18 - It's a boy!
Around 3 - 3 1/2 months I started transitioning DS to his crib for nighttime sleep so I could get back into my bed before my leave ended.
MMC 8/5/15 at 8 weeks
DS born 9/13/16
BFP 1/13/18 - EDD 9/20/18 - It's a boy!
Backyard BBQ? Much more coed friendly IMO but this is more of a party than a shower.
MMC 8/5/15 at 8 weeks
DS born 9/13/16
BFP 1/13/18 - EDD 9/20/18 - It's a boy!
bfp#1-10/29/12,EDD: 7/3/13. nothing found @ 1st u/s, natural mc 12/10/12. "Bean"
bfp#2-5/10/13! EDD: 1/18/14. "Peanut" Arrived 1/13/14. Diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis
bfp#3- 9/26/14. EDD: 5/7/15. no heartbeat found @ 1st u/s, natural mc 10/23/14. "Little Bug"
**Psalm 139:16**
I would love recommendations on specific monitors that people love! Or at least like! Preferably no WiFi and it has to have 2 camera capability.
Thanks in advance!
MMC 8/5/15 at 8 weeks
DS born 9/13/16
BFP 1/13/18 - EDD 9/20/18 - It's a boy!
We did have a mini-sized pack-n-play in our main living area (2 floors down from the bedrooms) for daytime naps, so I wouldn't have to go all the way upstairs to put her down, and then keep going up and down the stairs.
It's not super fancy but works well. I just purchased an add-on camera for $50 from Amazon in order to get my welcome box. You can actually add up to 4 total cameras (I hope to never need that feature!). No wifi and pretty good range. We can go to our neighbors' yards and still have good reception.
My mom got some new in the box Motorola from a second hand sale and I like that too, but not sure what the model # is.