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Less waste for baby
My husband and I are expecting our first child and are busy trying to wade through all of the baby "stuff" everyone says you need. We don't have a lot of room and I want to limit what we purchase and register for to only essentials, to save space and frankly be less consumerist. Some things we have already decided we don't want:
- baby bathtub/bathtub seat
- baby towels
- crib (we're planning a montessori style nursery, with mattress on the floor)
- disposable diapers
- disposable wipes
- plastic or electronic toys
- pack n play
- infant carseat (bucket type) (we'll obviously choose something that is safe and age/size appropriate, I found one that goes from 5-40 lbs, to save having 3-4 carseats for one kid)
- pack n play
- changing table (just going with a pad on a dresser)
A couple things we're undecided on:
- stroller
- breast pump
Any input or experience on things? Anything you could've done without? Anything that was a lifesaver?
Re: Less waste for baby
I am expecting too and totally in your situation where we don't have a lot of room. A lot things you really only need for 3-6 months so I'm borrowing a lot of stuff from friends, ie bassinett, swings, etc. I will be a first time mom so I cannot personally recommend things, but in speaking with so many of my friends who are mothers, they all tell me the infant carseat is a must. This is one thing I will be buying because it seems very convenient to me to take the baby out of the car without waking him. I will also get the accompanying travel system so I can go places with him. Now, one may argue that you can just then purchase a sling/baby carrier but it's all on your personal preference, and probably the baby's too, which we will not know until he arrives.
And as for the breast pump, it really depends on whether you will have time. Many people tell me if I go back full time to work, it's best to get the electric pump so it's efficient. If you just plan on pumping to relieve pressure, then a small hand held one should suffice. All of my friends seem to have at least one type of breast pump.
Anyway, hope this helps!
Sorry, probably hard to read because I was not able to change the font on my responses. Good luck! I think you are very smart for not getting a ton of stuff.
We have a 5 month old, and like you we didn't see the need to have a ton of baby stuff he's only going to use in the first year. I'll give you my input on these items
- baby bathtub/bathtub seat: I can agree with this. However, you may want to invest in a non-slip mat for the tub. Even young babies can be squirmy enough to slide around in a slick tub.
- baby towels: Definately agee. We only have baby towels because we got them from showers, but the adult towels work just as well. Just make sure you use a clean towel for baby and not one you/DH had just used.
- crib (we're planning a montessori style nursery, with mattress on the floor): I wish we waited on getting the crib. We ended up cosleeping, so the crib was out of use for 5 months. We only recently crib trained, so it's finally getting some use. You may want to put up some kind of barriers around the mattress though just in case LO falls off the mattress.
- disposable diapers: We cloth diaper as well
- disposable wipes: If you get baby washcloths from baby showers, use them as wipes. Just squirt water on them and toss them in with the cloth diapers. They work so much better than disposable wipes anyway.
- plastic or electronic toys: DS owns nothing electronic. Plastic toys are easier to clean than wooden/cloth, but I can understand your reasoning.
- pack n play: It's useful for trips as it gives baby a place away from home to sleep, but you could figure it out by borrowing pack n plays from others when you travel.
- infant carseat (bucket type) (we'll obviously choose something that is safe and age/size appropriate, I found one that goes from 5-40 lbs, to save having 3-4 carseats for one kid) : Carseats are convenient for carrying a sleeping infant. It's also less bulky in the car to have it rear facing than a convertable seat. If you don't mind waking a sleeping baby when you reach your destination and you have the room to have the convertable seat rear facing, then go for it.
- changing table (just going with a pad on a dresser): That's the set-up we have. We just drilled the mounting strap from the pad on the back of the dresser for safety.
- stroller: You can get by without it if you have a wrap or carrier. You may want one when baby gets bigger as it's tiring walking around with a 20lb baby strapped to you. Just check the safety recommendations for newborns before putting a newborn in the carrier you get.
- breast pump : Hand expressing is an option for storing breastmilk for the occassional time away from baby. However, if you plan to go back to work, go ahead and splurge on a pump.