I wanted to let everyone know that the results came back on the quad screen test- no problems at all! So thanks to everyone who was praying for us!
I also decided to post a new picture- with clothes on my belly this time! In the last few days, several people have mentioned that I look more pregnant than in the belly pics- which is what I've thought all along! So here is a picture that I just took in my pajamas! So was I right?
Finally, I need some advice from the mothers out there (esp moms that have had babies recently and know what products are currently on the market since they change so often!) I am starting to research and pick out everything that I will need to register- and I am beyond stressed about it! For example, do you get a travel system stroller with a carrier that fits into a base (and then later buy a larger carseat), or do you get a conversion carseat that is good from birth- 60lbs? And then what about when you have a 2nd child? Do you switch to a double stroller? So feel free to leave comments about your favorite strollers, carseats, pack and plays, monitors, bottles, and the list goes on and on! I've been reading the Baby Bargains book and researching tons online, but I think that has just got me more confused and overwhelmed! I thought this was supposed to be fun? HELP!?!??!
18 comments:
OK, first take a deep breath. I got totally stressed about all the baby gear and it was crazy. Just try to think, what's the worst that could happen if you get something you don't like? You can always take it back and get another. Plus they really don't need much for the first few weeks anyway. As long as you can get them home from the hospital you will be fine. Having said that, here's my FWIW:
-Angel monitor by Bebe Sounds. It senses motion and goes off if they stop breathing. Now this sounds a little OCD and I thought it would just stress me out more, but I ended up loving it once I realized it really works. I slept so much bettre knowing he was o.k.
-skip the diaper genie, champ, or any other pail that claims to hold in diaper odors. None of them work. Just buy some of those scented diaper baggies and take the diapers out.
-gotta have a Boppy. We used it for so many things...nursing, propping, etc.
-a good mobile. I loved my Tiny Love Barnyard Friends mobile that Dallas Hill Henderson told me about. Clayton loved it and would stop crying everytime we laid him under it.
-Pampers Swaddler diapers...really they're the best. Especially if it's a boy. They were the only ones Clayton didn't tee-tee out of and they're so much softer.
-As for carseats, carriers, strollers, etc...we went with a carrier/stroller combo and then moved to a carseat that goes up to 80 lbs. Love the carseat...not so much with the carrier/stroller combo. All were Britax. I highly recommend the Britax Marathon carseat (it can also be rear facing). Skip the Britax infant carrier and Roundabout stroller combo. They're heavy and hard to operate. I've heard good things about Graco in that department.
Good luck and have fun! It's almost as fun as registering when you get married!
I used a Graco infant car seat/stroller and loved it. You'll probably want the infant car seat for sure, because when they're little, you can take that out of the car easily and keep them in there while you shop, go out to eat, go to church, etc.
One thing we got that we loved was a portable swing that sits lower to the ground instead of the big swing. It swings them the same, James was so happy in there, I could take it with me to people's houses easily, and it wasn't such an eye-sore.
Another thing I was told was to buy a Baby Bjorn, not any other brand, because it was the best made and best on the back.
If you're going to breastfeed, I HIGHLY recommend a Hooter Hider (that's what it's called, not my name for it:)). It's made so well, so that you can easily breastfeed in public if you need to, and feel cute and stylish while doing it.
Hope that helps! You look great, btw!
I recommend you take a friend with you when you register who you can tell you what you need and don't need. I wish I had done that for the small stuff.
My mom read Consumer Reports about just about everything for me and I read a lot of the reviews online for the big stuff and that was helpful.
Here's my opinions...
- Ditto on the infant car seat. I really wish I hadn't been so anxious to get Morgandy to a convertible car seat. It may have been heavy having her in the infant seat but it was WAY easier than getting her in and out of the carseat.
- I borrowed a stroller frame that the infant seat snapped into and loved it. They are light and easy to fold. It made running errands and trips on planes so much easier. I highly recommend it.
- I LOVE my Graco Quattro Tour Stroller. It's easy to fold and leans all the way back, you can put the infant seat in it and has a sunglasses holder, two cup holders up top, a snack tray and cup holder for Morgandy and a big enough bag to hold the diaper bag and my purse. The only things I don't like about it is it takes up all my trunk space in my Civic.
- I really like my Diaper Champ, true it doesn't completely hide odors anymore but it is easy to get the diaper into the pail w/o a lot of effort. I agree about the odor shield trash bags.
- I had a Snuggly and ended up not liking it. Instead I got a sling from Slinglings.com and I love it. It was much more versatile than the Snuggly and definitely cuter. I also felt like Morgandy was more comfortable in the sling.
- When people ask me what my favorite/most useful gift was I say my "Diapee Wipee" case. It holds a few diapers and wipes together and they come in all sorts of fun patterns.
Hope that helps!
I bought the book Baby Bargains and loved it. It went over every baby product, gave pros/cons, and a grade. It is not associated with any company so I felt like it was pretty unbiased. They also have a website that has an extensive stroller section. It just helped me to narrow down what was out there. I also took one of my friends who had a baby six months before I did to register.
The product that we could not have lived without was a vibrating bouncy seat. There were times when we could not get Layton to stop crying and once we put him in that he did.
I would recommend getting a breast pump after you have the baby. If for some reason it does not work out, you will not have spent all of the money on it. In my case I had so many issues with it, my Dr. ended up prescribing one and our insurance paid for it. So I was glad that I waited.
I really liked the Dr. Brown's bottles also. They did start leaking a bit after 6 months of putting them in the dishwasher, but so did every other bottle I tried.
As far as the stroller/car seat. We had a Combi travel system and I was very pleased with it. The stroller is very light weight. The basket underneath is not very big, but I bought some hooks that I could hang shopping bags off of. Several of my friends who had some of the bulkier travel systems bought smaller strollers once their kids did not need the baby carrier any more. The only reason I bought the jeep stroller we have now is becuase we moved and needed something a little more all-terrain since we do not have a car. The Snap N Go strollers that just hold the baby carrier are very light weight and not expensive. That would be a good option and then move into a more lightweight stroller. We also bought a Britax Marathon and have been very pleased with it.
Sorry this is so long. I will let you know if I think of more things.
First of all, I like your pjs, I have the exact same set! ;)
I know exactly how you're feeling and actually compiled a list of "must haves" from a few friends of mine that had babies recently before me. In true accountant fashion, I made a spreadsheet. I will forward that to you.
We ended up with the Graco MetroLite and love it. It's so lightweight and pretty compact for a travel system. We have the convertible seat already too for when she outgrows the infant car seat and that one goes up to 60 pounds or so.
Ditto on the Diaper Champ. It's not totally odor free after a little while, but if you clean it once in awhile and used scented bags, it's not bad.
For bottles, I wouldn't stock up right now. I would buy one or two of a couple different kinds because each baby likes different nipples/bottles.
We had the Baby Bargains book too and it was overwhelming at first, but once you get into it, you can start skimming sections and go straight to the reviews. Bring it with you EVERYWHERE. We had it while registering and while shopping for furniture.
Good luck!
HEY! I always hate giving "must have" advice because everyone is so different and every baby is so different. BUT, I am so glad to offer up what we like and the things that have worked for my kids...
We like the diaper champ. It has been great for us. Once your child has "man poop" like Hudson does now at 2, it will stink. We just clean it more often now. PLUS...it really makes me want to have him potty trained NOW! Also I love how it uses regular ol' trash bags.
Boppy, a MUST have for all moms. Even if you aren't breast feeding...you'll love it. Be sure and get a cover because spit-up and all kinds of baby fluids will get on it.
I love the bouncy chair. I put Harper in it while I take a shower and get ready. I also put her in it now when we feed her cereal. She loves it.
I love our Bumbo chair too. It was great with Hudson and now Harper loves it too. The whole recall thing was for the not so smart parents who put their kids on the counter and wasn't watching them....now they have a warning on the box about leaving your child unattended. But we love our Bumbo.
Diapers are YOUR CALL! Don't go out and buy millions of one brand. We did with Hudson and were left with a TON of diapers we did not like. Again, each baby is soo different. I read above of the mom who loved swaddlers for her little boy. I hated them with Hudson. He leaked every single time he wore them. Seriously, in the beginning I had to change his clothes every time he went potty, but once we switched to Huggies it never was a problem again. So with him I loved Huggies and still do. Now Harper, I like both a lot. I found everyone "swares" on one brand of diaper. Just buy a few of the different brands and see what works best for you.
We have a noise maker in both of our kids rooms. It makes a white noise sound. I LOVE it and cannot live one day without it. They both sleep so good and it muffels out background noise.
We have the Britax travel system. I really like it because the stroller is very portable and not bulky at all. BUT now we have a double stroller. I still use the Britax stroller for when I just have Harper. I love it. We also used the carrier until Hudson could sit up on his own then switched to the Britax marathon. It's great and you can use it until they are 60 lbs. It's pricey, but it is worth every dime. We are planning on buying another one for Harper too. I am very happy with anything Britax.
Lastly, I agree about not stocking up on one type of bottle. I had MILLIONS of bottles and Hudson NEVER took a single one of them. So I was stuck with tons of bottles that I never used. (I opened and washed them all and had them all ready for Hudson)...not smart! Just get one of several kinds then go back and buy the type that your baby likes the best. Being that these babies are so tiny, they sure do come out with strong opinions!
I hope this helps some, Whitney. I am NO expert on baby products and they are constantly changing. Just keep your receipts on everything so you can take stuff back!
Good luck!!!
First of all...I'm cracking up that Joni made a spreadsheet, of course I can totally understand though. I mean it seems like the sensible thing to do.
Second - I sadly have no advice. All of my friends love their Boppy, have used different diapers, bottles, car seats, strollers, etc. All I ask when you register is be sure to put items on so that I can do a theme gift, i.e. bath, bedding, etc. Ha ha! I need the gift to go together!
Oh and cute preg pic. :)
Here are some tips that worked for out family!
1)graco travel system is great. The infant car seat is easy to get out of car and click into stroller and vice versa.
2)We bought a double stroller when our second was born (Graco duoglider Metropolitan). Love this stroller! So, I only used the single stroller when I had one child. I have since sold it in a garage sale.
3)After the infant car seat we moved our kids into the Eddie Bauer convertible car seat. Even though it is able to be used for an infant we only use it for after they grow out of the infant car seat. I like these a lot and they are comfortable for sleeping, etc. I have heard Britax is the best in this department, though. They are just so darn expensive. I couldn't bring myself to pay for one.
4)I agree with Tesney about Pamper's Swaddlers. They are the BEST! I tried all kinds of diapers before I discovered they were the best. Make sure the package says "swaddlers." There are a few different kinds of Pampers diapers for infants.
5)I agree with anyone who said the diaper genies, diaper champs are a waste of money. I bought one for my first baby and have since sold that in a garage sale as well.
6)The Medela pump is awesome if you plan on breastfeeding. They are expensive but I think worth every penny. They last a long time. I am using one that is about ten years old that my sister-in-law gave me! I have seen them being sold at baby consignment sales for 50.00. If it grosses you out that someone else used it you can always order new parts without having to buy a new pump.
7)If you really want your baby to fit in his/her "coming home" outfit I would suggest buying a couple preemie outfits. Even if your baby isn't preemie - the first week or so those 0-3 month outfits seem to swallow them. Now, if you plan on having an 8-9 pounder just forget all that!
8)Instead of a mobile I used the Fisher Price Ocean wonders Aquarium. You attach it on the side of the crib. It does a little light show and plays soothing music (very Enya-like music). It also makes different water sounds, etc. All my kids loved this! Once they get old enough to sit up or stand in their crib it is something they can play with as well.
9)Pack-n-play. I think these are a must-have. I have a Graco and love it. It is very easy to set up and take down. I think all of them come with a bassinet attachment which is great for when your baby is still an infant. Also, if you get the pack-in-play don't forget to get pack-in-play sheets! They are at Babies-r-us.
I hope this helps a little. I knew nothing about baby stuff before I had my first. Like Tesney said, try not to stress out about it and have fun!! It's a very exciting time for you!!
Thanks for this post! I am reading too! It is very helpful! :)
I have a lot of friends that have the Chico travel system. They say it is lighter than the graco and they love it. I don't know, I really like the Chico travel system, but they don't have them for 2 babies.
I don't know, I am learning all of this with you. We are going to register after Thanksgiving.
I have to agree with a lot of what was said already. We used a Graco travel system and infant carseat. I went through the store picking up every infant carrier and came home with the lightest one.(Good thing too, since I had a 9 lb 9 oz baby!) I think it is great for when they are little to use the infant carrier, since you can take them anywhere in that. Also, if the baby is asleep in the seat when it comes time to get out of the car, you don't have to get them out of the seat, just take the whole seat out, so baby can keep on sleeping.
I also use a stroller frame that the carrier just snapped into. It folded up smaller.
Boppy is a must. I ended up not using it much for nursing, but it was great for propping Lena up at other times. Get a cover for it so you can take it off and throw it in the wash.
A vibrating bouncy seat with an entertainment bar is great. Lena loved hers.
A pack-n-play is good for when you travel. But don't get one that is small, because then it won't last you as long as they get older and longer.
We used the Avent baby bottles for when I pumped. I also used the Medela double pump. Medela is the best. I would NOT recommend getting a used one, even if you were to buy new sheilds and parts. It's such a personal use product.
We used Pampers Swaddlers in the beginning--She always leaked out of Huggies. Now we use HEB brand or Parents Choice. Those are great for when they are older. Just try and see what works for you.
I used a snuggly and it wasn't very easy to get Lena in to it and snap it onto me.
A floor mat with bars over it where you can hang toys from it is great. Lena loved hers. I can't remember what they are actually called.
Also, when you do find out what you are having, don't go buying everything for that specific gender. Some things can be used for boys or girls and it saves you from having to buy another one when you have a second baby that is not the same sex as the first.
I hope all this helps. Now that Lena is going to be two in less than a month, it took me a bit to think back to the first year and what we used then.
There is just so much out there in baby stuff it can get very overwhelming. I know stuff changes all the time but I have three favorites that if I had another child (not) but if i did I would go buy immediately.
1. Kiddopotamus swaddle blanket-this is from babies r us and is great. I used for several months.
2. The Snap n go stroller, or graco similar version. This is just the stroller frame but is great for when they are little it fits the infant car seat and is super light and has a basket under it. The Graco is for Graco infant car seat and the snap n go is for others. It is universal. Love this!!
3. A boppy-I used it for everything from feeding to play time for some sleep time( I watched Katie carefully).
The one thing I wished I would have had is a video monitor. I didn't but would have loved it.
Good Luck you will do great and enjoy all the little stuff because they grow up so fast it is amazing.
Okay, I haven't read anything anyone else wrote, so a lot of this might be a repeat:
Bumbo seat...a must have
Boppy...great for nursing and proping your baby up on the floor
Car seats...I love the combo because if your baby is sleeping (and chances are, at the beginning, he/she will be) when you get home, you can just take the whole carseat inside and not wake up the baby. Nora was so little that she stayed in hers until about 13 months and then we used the "big girl" car seat. We looked at Consumer Reports when purchasing everything.
Chicco umbrella stroller-I know Kristen has the same one, it's the best!
Maclaren double stoller-a little pricey, but if you are looking for a double stroller in the next few years, this is the one to get! It fold with one hand and folds up super good!!!
A video monitor-a must have! It gives you such a peaceful feeling!
Wipes warmer-don't bother with it! You're not going to have warm wipes when you are at a restauraunt, so don't get them spoiled to the warm wipes from the beginning. Neither of my girls have ever complained :).
Heathy Sleeping Habits for a Healthy Child-a great book to read before the little tyke arrives.
Happy shopping!
So much information. Here's a few thoughts:
Both my kids loves the bouncy seat and portable swing. And they were both easy to take with us when traveling.
We had a Graco travel system and I liked it. I don't think the brand matters, but the infant carrier makes things so much easier.
I love my jog stroller and use iton walks and running. I got a fairly cheap one and it works just fine.
Mobiles are great for above the crib and really helped both my kids get to sleep.
I liked the Playtex bottles that you could put drop in liners in and then just throw them away. Easy to clean, but you may want to get different kinds in case your baby has a prefernce.
Good luck!
Great post!
We are fans of the Graco Metro Lite Travel System, it is really easy to use and not heavy at all.
I love my video monitor.
We couldn't live without our White Noise Machines, we have 3 of them!
I am a fan of the crib Aquariums. Hannah loved that much longer than her mobile.
Hannah was a Huggies girl so I assumed Caleb would be. Oh no, Pampers Swaddlers and Cruisers were the only diapers that worked. I have recently tried the Costcos brand and they have been great. I can get double the amount for the same price so that is nice since I have had atleast one child in diapers for the past 4 years. I am sure that is an amazing amount of money right there.
Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child booked saved us the first time around.
I don't know what we would have done without our Baby Einstein DVDs. We own every single one of them!
We have talked already on the phone about a lot of this, but one thing that I loved was registering (and then receiving) some toys that were for a 6 month old+ I loved being able to go to his closet once he could sit up on a quilt and have something already there to pull out for him to play with (stacking rings, light up things, etc.) It might have made a difference that for us that his birthday and Christmas are just a few weeks apart (so there was no "holiday" to get him some toys between birth and his first year), but maybe that will help in your registering decision!
You are getting LOTS of good advice and tips (my kids BOTH loved the baby aquarium too!)
Ooooo fun! My must have, best purchase was the boppy pillow. I LOVE that thing. Followd by the Baby Bjorn carrier. I love being able to strap in baby and go. Most of the time he just wants to be held but I want to continue doing things around the house. And it saves my arms, b/c even 9 lbs gets heavy after a while. We ended up not getting a travel system. I hate those giant caddy's you have to manuver around people at the mall and store. So we went with one of those car seat frames for the first 3 months and then got a Maclaren stroller, LOVE that thing. It is so light (13lbs) and has all the features of those tanks. Just not as big and bulky. But before we decided on that route we were going to get the Graco Metro Lite. Lightest tank from all the test runs in the store. And if you have a boy, be sure to get LOTS of those cloth diapers, the little hoses like to shoot around when the diaper is off, need something to cover it up until you can get another diaper on. We went with the Graco car seat, Pack N Play yard w/ bassinet. Oooo and if you decide to get a swing, go for one that plugs into the wall. Save yourself a fortune in batteries. WE got the Fischer price one they have at BRU. I think its the only one that can go on batteries and plug into the wall.
Is your head spinning now with all this info?
Yes it is, April- but thanks everyone for your input! It has really helped! Shane & I went to Babies R Us last night and picked out a lot of the stuff that we want to register!
Post a Comment