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baby related - registry questions
hello ladies , happy new year !
so it's a boy! and now i've got to register. talk about overwhelming. where do ya start?
what were your favorite baby things you recieved?
things i shouldn't register for/unnecessary items?
any other registry/baby items related advice? thanks !
Re: baby related - registry questions
Congrats!!!
I don't have a favorite but any of the "big" items were always nice. Of course the Boppy was a hit. I loved that thing.
I would avoid registering for clothes, bibs, and receiving blankets. People always want to buy you that stuff no matter what and you will also find yourself shopping for it because it's just "too cute"
My advice is to keep it simple. There is so much baby JUNK out there that just goes unused.
Some people will say not to register for clothes... while most people that are going to buy you clothes will pick what they want, if you see something you LOVE when you are registering, I dont see the harm in putting it on there. There were a couple of things we really liked and I'm so glad we put them on our registry... we got them from out of town friends!
As for favorite items... I LOVE the Ultimate Crib Sheet. I got 2, wish I had 3. I try to keep them both on the bed at the same time so if we have to do a change late night when DS is sick, its easier.
Swaddle Me Swaddles: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3726435&fromRegistryNumber=47297227&product_skn=279768
Put some toys for different age babies on there so you have some things for as the baby grows but before his first birthday. These are some of things my DS liked/we used a lot
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3109734&fromRegistryNumber=47297227&product_skn=60775
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12237953&searchURL=false
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3719287&searchURL=false
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3783164&searchURL=false
We got lots of use out of our Bumbo, not a ton of use out of the tray. I wasnt a big fan of the Boppy for nursing but used it a lot for other things.
Love these if you are going to make your own baby food (which is super simple)
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3719328&fromRegistryNumber=47682717&product_skn=234144
Used this SOOO much and still take it with us to friends houses when I know they have a bar I can hook him on to eat.
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2265745&fromRegistryNumber=47682717&product_skn=177005
I didnt really get much that I think was a waste.... I got lots of receiving blankets and we just didnt use many of them. I wouldnt register for a bunch of those, just like 1 3 pack or something because people will give you lots of blankets and bibs regardless of what you register for.
I never got a Bottle Warmer and never needed it... not sure if I was just lucky that DS would take a room temp bottle or if it was because I never warmed them so he didnt know the difference (I exclusively pumped from 10 weeks to 8 months)
I did use a wipe warmer until DS was in daycare/sttn. I know that's normally a "dont need" item. Once we werent changing so many diapers at night or just in general because I was at work, I put it away because the wipes were drying out.
Have fun!
I'd suggest registering for the bigger items unless someone already said they'd get it for you like your parents or the IL. Sometimes people like to go together to get bigger items vs a couple small items individually. Plus, if you don't get it for your shower, you normally at least get a discount on it you not have normally gotten.
Also specific bottles or nursing items if there are particular ones you want. Diapers and wipes are always good,too
We also registered for a packnplay, a swing, and bedding.
If you have some folks that are new to baby showers are have very little income, register for things like bath items (wash, shampoo, ) rattlers or other stroller or carrier toys as well as bedding.
Some people prefer to use only the registry, others will go rogue and get what they think you'd like or what was great for them. The last one we went to, we got a few things off the registry, and a few sleepysuits/onsies. When they are a baby, they pretty much live in those and throw up or have accidents in them so you need quite a few, but not something I'd register for because the ones you pick most likely won't be available when the person goes for it.
this is true... the clothes are seasonal, even the basic gerber onesies change patterns every few months
I agree w/ KDW, keep it simple. There is SO much baby stuff and everyone will try and convince you that you NEED ALL OF IT. You don't, and you won't really know what you (and more importantly your baby) will like until you try it out. I registered for the big items I wanted: swing, bouncy seat, stroller, carseat, high chair, breastpump, and an assortment of smaller things (a few different types of bottles, diapers, wipes, ergo baby carrier, boppy, play mat, towels and sheets etc) but didn't go overboard registering for every item imaginable.
If you've got all the basics covered and have a large family who want to give gifts and feel you need a larger registry but don't want a bazillion different baby items that you may never use, consider adding keepsake items, books, and music CDs to your registry.
i feel unprepared ... in regards to the bottle situation. I have every intetnion of trying to breastfeed, but i think once i go back to work i'll have to pump. so what do i need for breastfeeding, i mean besides the obvious breasts?
a book? a how to? i can't ask my mom and i have no sisters. help! maybe i'll go to the class the hospital offers?
I don't know of any books... I was so unprepared to BF. The Lactation Consultants and Nurses at my hospital were AWESOME so ask them as much as you can while in the hospital. I know several of the girls on here have recs for private consultants you can meet with after the baby is here, maybe even before. I think there are also BF classes you can take at the hospitals.
As for "stuff"... I think I registered for a pump in case someone wanted to buy it for me but ended up not getting it. I rented the hospital grade pump for 1 month to make sure that everything went okay with nursing before I dropped the $300 on the pump. The Medela Pump In Style Advanced is probably the most recommended one.
I used these nursing related products:
steam bags (also used on paci's, bottle nipples, etc) http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2735035
disposable nursing pads http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2403249
storage bags for freezer http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=10860618
lanolin cream http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2908604
I'm not sure where you're delivering, but Womens has a GREAT breastfeeding class and you don't have to deliver there to take it. Definitely go, and bring your husband too! It helps to have a second person paying attention for you.
I mostly agree with all of the PP advice.
Both of my kids spit up a lot. We used (and still use even though B doesn't spit up much anymore) receiving blankets instead of burp cloths. When your kid yaks up 6 out of the 8 oz he just ate a burp cloth won't cut it. We have, no lie, probably 50 receiving blankets that have only ever been used as burp cloths, we never swaddled or anything with them.
G hated being swaddled. B liked it for awhile. So really I wouldn't register for a lot of any one thing, you never know what your baby will like or hate with a thousand fiery passions and it sucks to have a bunch of stuff sitting around that you won't use or trying to remember where something came from and trying to return it.
I did get muslin blankets for B and I love them. I prefer the Aden + Anais to any other brand, but they're pretty awesome. They're huge and great for covering your infant carrier when it's sunny/windy/rainy/strangers are trying to touch your baby. Now they're in his bed with him and he loves to snuggle them.
We had the cheap Evenflo bottles for G and he liked them. With B we have the Tommee Tippee and I like those too. They're squat and fat though, so they don't fit into outside pockets on a diaper bag, but that's never been an issue for us.
Oh, and congrats!! Boys are pretty awesome. I always thought I wanted all girls, but boys are fun and pretty easy when it comes to clothes and stuff. I don't have to mess around with bows and tights and hair and matching shoes. We have jeans, khakis, shirts, two or three pairs of shoes and we're good to go
Think about how much room you have for stuff before you go crazy registering.
I got a high chair that snaps onto a regular kitchen chair so it wouldn't take up extra room, for example.
Same with a rocker. There was no room for one in DS's room so I got a plush reclining one that goes in the living room.
Items I used/use most:
-Video Monitor (Don't know how I lived without it for DD)
-Fisher Price Rock n Play (bought afterwards, wish i had registered for it)
- Halo Sleepslack Swaddles
-Bottle Warmer (for when DH kept DS once a week while I worked)
-Car Seat/Stroller Set
-Jogging Stroller
-Umbrella Stroller
-Toy Boxes
-Big bath towels. The regular baby ones are always so small. I registered for the bigger ones with animals or whatever on them.
-Gerber cloth diapers (great burp cloths)
-Large receiving blankets
-I used Dr. Brown bottles and he was fine with them. I should have only registered for level 1 nipples because I BF him until he was a year and then he went to a sippy cup so I didn't need the 2 and 3.
-Bibs that snap or go over the head. (Both kids always pulled off the velcro ones)
-Bath faucet cover
-Infant Bath with sling (got for DD and used again for DS).
-Roomy diaper bag (DH picked this out since he was going to be carrying it most).
-Crib sheets and Pack n Play sheets if you are going to have one.
-Wipes warmer (got it for DD, still use it for DS).
-Sippy Cups for when he's older, baby utensils (I like the metal tongs), baby bowls
-Dishwasher tray for bottle nipples, sippy cup tops, pacifiers, etc.
-Baby book
-Ergo baby carrier and infant insert
-Wagon (got it for DD, now use it for DS)
That's all I can think of that we actually used for DS. We also had a Boppy and a Bumbo, but we borrowed those from my SIL. I also got a breast pump, but my SIL gave it to me so I didn't register for it.
If you're interested, I have some baby stuff for sale for cheap! bottles, bottle drying rack, bottle brush, bottle warmer, the breast pump, graco car seat base, baby k'tan baby carrier ... I'm sure a few more things but just let me know if you're interested and I can get them together.
So exciting that you're having a boy! Yay, Congrats!
Collin Thayne 10.11.2010
I never read a book or went to a class and I was lucky that DD took to it so easily. I thought DS would be the same way, but the day after he was born I had weird looking spots on my breasts. Turns out he was sucking wrong and giving me blisters. I had the lactation consultant come and help me in the hospital and she was AWESOME. I'd highly recommend a class or at the very least ask the nurses to have the lactation consultant come to your room. Make sure Dad is on board too, having DH as a big support really helped with BF.
Collin Thayne 10.11.2010
I will be delivering at women's so thanks for the encouragement. I'll look at the papers tonight and see when i'm supposed to be calling I imagine it's soon! thanks for all the advice ladies ! i'm saving all this information
Congratulations!!
It is so individual to each baby/family. For example, we used the boppy and bumbo all the time. Other people will say they are useless. Emily loved her swing (Fisher-Price Snugabunny), some babies hate it. I didn't care for the ultimate crib sheet, other people love it. Emily never swaddled.
I totally agree with the Aidan + Anais blankets. They are the best and we still use them. We got tons of receiving blankets. Tons.
I will have a bunch of baby stuff to sell soon. I just need to clear it out (play mat, bottle warmer, microwave bottle sterilizer, bumbo with tray, boppy with 2 covers, some toys, Angelcare monitor) and probably a bunch more. Just let me know if you are interested!
lots of good advice here. but I wanted to say after having 2 children the things that I found great and have used for both were wipe warmer, boppy, swing, floor play mat, exersaucer, video monitor (best purchase ever), the aiden+anais blankets, crane humidifier,soft and fuzzy changing table pad cover, and a ton of burp cloths. the good gerber ones are my favorites.
as for bottles, wait and buy 1 or 2 of a few different ones once you decide to start trying bottles, some they like, some they don't. same thing for pacifiers. the hospital will give you a few if you ask for them.
and breast pumps...the hospitals rent them, and they are affordable and so very powerful and wonderful. I wouldn't buy yet either.
And congratulations. little boys are wonderful. so are little girls, but having one of each, I can now say with authority that boys are just as fantastic as girls.
Congratulations!!
I think the others have covered it all perfectly. Every baby is so different and you won't really know what you need until you have your baby.
One thing I would suggest is registering for small toys. Maddie outgrew that sleepy newborn phase super fast and was needing toys by 6 weeks. I didn't have any because I hadn't thought about it all. For example though, the Baby Einstein Takealong Tunes is the first toy I bought her and she still plays with it in the car a year later.
All the other baby stuff (swing, bumbo, bouncer, etc) are so short lived. It is easy to get caught up in thinking you need it all, but you really don't.
Congrats on having a boy!!!
Lots of good advice. I agree to register for all your big stuff. We got a lot of stuff that way. And also every baby is different too so you might use some stuff and not others. I say video monitor is a must also. Good luck!
Congratulations!! How exciting!
Swing - We used the heck out of our swing. We got this one and liked it but MIL has this one and if I had to do it over again I'd probably go with it.
Bouncer seat
Swaddles for when he's teeny
Woombie for about 6m-9m or so, if I'm remembering correctly.
Lots of burp cloths
If you register for clothes, I might suggest going for more one piece, zipper/snap pieces like pjs & sleep-n-plays. The baby "outfits" are adorable but the other options are easier for the million diaper changes. :-)
Diapers, wipes, diaper cream
Baby bathtub - We have this one and I have loved it since she was itty bitty. I think we started bathing her in this instead of the sink around month 3? It is huge, but I love it.
Your diaper bag
And a Bumbo isn't necessary but we found it handy. You might consider getting one of these used instead of adding to your registry becasue they are ridiculously overpriced.
I wouldnt' bother with registering for things like a high chair, umbrella stroller, baby proofing stuff for the house, mealtime stuff beyond bottles....that's just stuff you have to store for a while when you could be registering for things you will actually use in the first 6-9 months. JMO!
A friend of mine - with no local breastfeeding support system- attended a breastfeeding support group at one of the hospitals here in town and found immense comfort and camaraderie there. She nursed her son for a year, I think?
As for what you need, patience and reminding yourself that it may take a good 3 to 6 weeks for it to feel natural. :-) It's completely worth it, IMO, but there were many feedings when I thought to myself...ok, I'm just going to do this for one more feeding and then I can quit if I want to. It was rough at first. But we made it 8 months before my supply completely tanked. I would've kept going to a year if I physically could. It was a huge blessing and I absolutely loved that time with DD.
If he has latch issues in the hospital, ask for a nipple shield. We used one all 8 months and it worked for us. A bit of a pain to keep up with and I had like 5 on hand at any given time just incase I lost one but it worked.
And don't let the internet tell you it's bad to supplement with formula or even switch to formula if that is what is best for you and your little guy. :-)