Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Help me prepare for parenthood
A few disclaimers:
a. I apologize in advance for ignoring recommendations in the past (I'm sure the products have improved or been recalled by now). I'm sure you don't really open the posts that don't apply to you at that particular time too 
b. I'm not using the search feature. See above and it doesn't work anyway.
c. You can assume I know nothing.
So far in this pregnancy I've managed to buy clothes for myself on an as-needed basis and register us for childbirth classes. However, I'm pretty sure that's not going to cut it past August (we're due in early November).
We need everything. So a few basics to get me started:
1. Where did you look for/buy nursery furniture?
2. What products (stroller? what else?) could you absolutely not live without (and where does one purchase it/them)?
Baby M is a boy, if that matters.
TIA - this time not only will I read, I will save!
Re: Help me prepare for parenthood
1. We didn't have a ton of money to buy furniture and I also didn't want to spend a ton of money of stuff that was going to be chewed and peed on. We went with a crib from Walmart that has held up to my crazy child using it like a chew toy and jumping up and down on it like it's his job. The crib decision just about crippled me and in the end I just made sure it was safe, in our price range and looked nice in his room and called it a day. I'm glad I didn't go crazier over that decision.
The rest of the furniture is the Malm line from IKEA. I love it. I use the tallish dresser as the changing table and that is one thing I could not live without. It has saved my back!
2. Just a few things I couldn't live without.
Our swing - We had the Fisher Price Little Lamb http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=2011&e=detail&selcat=bgsw&pid=45667. If you're looking at this swing it is run by batteries so stock up because there's nothing worse than running out of them while your kid is screaming and the swing is the only thing that calms them. Also it makes a knocking noise, it's not broken because of the noise and I swear that little knock lulled him to sleep. I have to admit I did no research on the swing. I saw the little lamb ears and I was hooked. The matching vibrating chair was a waste for us though, he hated it.
Rock and Play sleeper - http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3739296. I bought this because a bassinet seemed like a waste of space when it use it for so little time and a pack and play would not fit next to my bed. I was mainly drawn to it because it was light and folded flat and I figured it would be easy to travel with. Little did I know my kid would have reflux and the incline of this sleeper saved us.
As for strollers I got the Chicco Discovery travel system. I wouldn't say I hate it but I don't love it either. I will say it was nice using the infant car seat because we could move him in and out of the car and not disturb him. We each had a base for our car and it was convenient. It's also nice to be able to snap it into the stroller and just go. Downside, my kid hated the car seat. With a passion. Not sure if he would have been that way no matter what but he was always over heated in it and screamed. A lot. After a few weeks of lugging that car seat in and out of the car your back is ready to surrender. Those suckers get heavy. The stroller is not my favorite, I feel like it's narrow in the shoulder area and I can't work the brakes in my flip flops. I do however love the big Cadillac feel of it. I enjoy having a spot for my drink at the handle and there is a little covered compartment for me to throw stuff in. The basket isn't huge but I throw the diaper bag over the handle of the stroller anyway so it hasn't been a huge deal. I also bought a mommy hook at BRU which I hook all my shopping bags onto.
Good luck, try not to let picking out baby stuff overwhelm you too much. I almost cried in the bottle aisle when I registered at BRU because I was just SO overwhelmed. Take a friend who just had a baby and let them help you. I also found the book Baby Bargains to be really helpful.
I cannot answer any of your questions (but will be taking notes!) but I wanted to let you know that if you haven't seen it already, Abington Hospital does free carseat evaluations once a month: http://www.amh.org/classesandevents/event-search-results-detail.aspx?eventId=5aff4e50-77a4-de11-80f1-00151786b055
My CW informed me that on her recent search for inspection places, not every fire house does them because they have to be certified.
#1 12.11.11
#2 10.23.13 EDD
Buy the Baby Bargains book http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Bargains-Secrets-furniture-maternity/dp/1889392405/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310148620&sr=8-1 It helped me immensely
1. We bought from Norman's, the brand is Baby's Dream and we are really happy with it
2. I could not have lived without a good stroller, I use it just about every day. Now we use the double. I have the Maxi Cosi Foray which I loved. I also hear raves about the Baby Joggers.
My other serious could-not-live-without necessities were double electric breast pump (Medela Pump In Style Advanced), bouncy chair with vibration mode (Fisher Price) and SwaddleMe blankets.
We registered at BRU - a lot of people hate them but we didn't have a problem. I had a small registry at Norman's for bedding and things that BRU didn't have
Good luck! We can discuss further if we ever plan that dinner we have been talking about
DS 3.12.08
DD 7.11.09
DD 8.01.13
1. ours is from ikea (crib), overstock.com (dresser.changer), and urban (rocking chair). we spent more money on the organic mattress then the crib. if i had a crazy budget the stokke crib would have been mine, instead i quit my job and bought the ikea gulliver and we love it.
2.
elfa closet system: we hang all milo's clothes, folding little baby clothes seemed stupid to me
cloth diapers: they aren't for everyone but we put out 400 from birth to potty training and i will never have to buy a diaper again
in the begining milo lived in footed sleepers the rest of clothing is a waste when they are under 3 months
stroller- we have the quinny which fits with out car seat and had a bassinet
**lightweight stroller we have the phil and teds smart.
**if you live in the burbs/mild city walking and don't plan to go off roading i highly recommend the smart it has a bassinet, reversible facing and has a graco carseat attachment
ring sling: loved having this could hold him from the start, paid 27 from sleeping baby productions
**now i carry him in the sling or ergo for long walks the infant insert is a waste
BOPPY! if you breastfeed you need one of these or a my breast friend
I really like my freestyle medela pump
The swing that was recommended, for 10 dollars more has a plug, just an FYI. We registered for it and just got it, and it's awesome.
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4360510&fromRegistryNumber=46845576&product_skn=233592
You have the option to use batteries too. I'm no help because my baby isn't due until October.
1) We got our furniture from Norman's, and I copied Eagles stuff. Fun fact from the Norman's guy (who by the by, is awesome -- he was outside chain smoking when I got there. He is my second person after Nicki the Stroller Pixie, see below), at least for the Philly crowd, they get a ton of people who buy convertible cribs that convert to full size beds who end up coming back to buy twin size beds because the rooms they go into really don't accommodate full size beds when you add other furniture/a desk/toys as they get older. Something to think about. Our crib converts to a twin size bed.
2) You are sporty, so you need a good stroller with decent wheels. I say go to Buy Buy Baby in Cherry Hill, even if you don't register there. BRU's in store selection blows. At BBB you can try out everything. Same with carseats. If you want to, you can always register for it at BRU -- they have the better stuff available online.
I have never once, ever, encountered a helpful BRU employee who knows anything about baby gear. But Nicki the Stroller Pixie can help you at BBB.
3) The Fisher Price Rock N Play. It is cheap, requires no batteries, and light weight. Baby Numbers slept in it in our room for the first month -- IMO much more useful than a bassinet, which are total ripoffs. He still will nap in it now.
4) A Medela pump. Especially if you are going back to work -- they are the only ones that get the job done.
5) Halo Sleepsacks with the swaddle attachment.
6) The FP Little Lamb swing, or the new bunny version. Infant Baby Numbers would take three hour naps in that bad boy.
Ditto Norman's. We got a little fancy because we had a super nice offer from Mom. And ours will go to a full size and we didn't get that shpeel from the Norman's guy and will therefore get a new house based on room size for Francey.
Ditto BBB for helpful stroller advice from Nicki the Stroller pixie. I like our Bumbleride pretty much (although for the life of me I cannot get the straps super tight on her). They say , though, that the Bumbleride - as a jogger - sucks. For me, it powers great on city streets. It doesn't fold all that great, however. and has no snack tray. So I guess I like my stroller and am not going to get a new one, but I am not 100% I would recommend to others.
Ditto the rocknplay. We used it in our room and then on the first floor for naps.
Summerinfant Swaddlemes. Loved them.
Cardboard books for babies. She loves them and loves to eat them.
Video monitor. Though some say that it can turn a parent neurotic, we really love it. We keep the video off, most of the time, and just check here and there to see what position she is in (nowadays she is always butt-in-the-air and we laugh endlessly). It gives us peace of mind too when she is crying because we can see her grab for her wubbanub (pacifier with a little stuffed guy attached. I recommend, if you are a person who is OK with pacifiers). We have the summer infant slim color version and have had to return it and get a new one because the screen went wonky. But their customer service didn't suck.
I forgot to add this little guy!
http://www.cloudb.com/ssandf/sheep.html
He has slept with it attached to whatever he was sleeping in almost since he came home. The ocean waves turned up all the way would stop him dead in his little screaming tracks. I think it has the basic SHHH sound that HBOTB is all about. He still falls asleep to it every night. It has a velcro strap to it so it attaches to the outside of the crib.
He also has this
http://reviews.fisher-price.com/6194/43203/reviews.htm
I know putting a stuffed animal in the crib is controversial but we've never had a problem with it. It glows and plays classical music. I would press it for him when he was little but once he had better use of his hands he would press it in the middle of the night by himself and it would put him back to sleep.
Stroller: We love our bugaboo chameleon...we do a ton of walking and wanted to really good, smooth-riding stroller. Oliver slept in the bassinet for the first 2 months, too. The city mini is also a great option, but a little less expensive. We also have a Maclaren Triumph for shorter trips. It's a great stroller and we can't live without it --- we got it on albeebaby.com when they were having a 30% off sale. Both strollers were worth every penny.
Here are some other things we love/recommend:
* Aden + Anais swaddling blankets (we have 2 packs of them and still use them daily)
* Ergo carrier (you don't really need the infant insert...you could use a swaddling blanket folded instead)
* Sophie the giraffe
* For bedding, we bought individual crib sheets vs. a whole crib set. We love DwellStudio so I just bought a sheet in the pattern I liked. We only just started using a bumper, and we got a plain one from BRU.
I am due in September, and I just finished my registry. I can't help you prepare for parenthood, but I think I can help you get through the registry alive.
1. Baby registry is not like wedding registry at all- do not expect to do it all in one day. Go in one day and register for big stuff like stroller and a carseat. Feel accomplished. My first trip to BRU I left in tears.
2. Do not go anywhere near that Infant Care section until you have a) done your research on breast feeding/ bottles and b) a mommy friend with similar views. I went with my SIL (who has two kids) and she was able to help me pick out everything I needed and help me sort out what was a waste of money.
3. Don't be afraid to get other opinions. When I was finished with my registry, I sent the links to a couple of my Mommy friends-- or as I called them 'The League of Extraordinary Moms'
and asked if I was missing anything. They were able to spot a couple things that I did want but had forgotten about.
4. As far as those swings go, I registered for the Fisher Price How Now Brown Cow. It's bascially the same thing as the Little Lamb version, but not white. Babies can be messy, and I didn't want something that stained.
5. I did not register for a video monitor because my SIL pointed out that you don't get to know your baby's cry by staring at the little TV all the time. She said you are going to be super paranoid and checking in on them the first time around anyway, so why waste the money. But hey, different strokes for different folks.
Like I said, I just finished my registry. If you want any ideas, I can PM you the links.
Ditto this, as the entire post was kinda of a big eye roll for me. You're not "through" your registry until you actually know what you used and what you didn't. If you're worried about babies making a mess and having to clean up easily then you're going to be one busy momma. Part of being a mom is having that mystery stain on the back of your shirt that you didn't know was there.
>>If you're worried about babies making a mess and having to clean up easily then you're going to be one busy momma. Part of being a mom is having that mystery stain on the back of your shirt that you didn't know was there.
<<
Exactly. Hence why I decided to forgo the pretty fluff white (easily stained) fabric and get the fabric with the big dark pattern that can hide stains easier
..and as far as the video monitors go, it was just another opinion. You don't have to agree with me. Like I said, different strokes for different folks.
Also, I didn't say I would be able to help her prepare for motherhood. I just said I could help get through the registry process because I know it can be very daunting.
Just to give a shout out to Dreft stain removal spray, my kid had explosive diaper issues when he was put on a certain formula and unfortunately it happened in his swing once. I wanted to cry because I swore it was ruined but I sprayed it with Dreft and threw it in the wash and crossed my fingers. No stain at all. I swear that stuff is magic.
First, Hi. Congrats. I'm not sure if I've said that yet. Little boys are the best.
I read Baby Bargains, made a spreadsheet with what brands I wanted/needed, decided what I was taking hand me down/buying myself and registered with that. Otherwise, I was overwhelmed.
Crib and mattress is from Baby Supermart in... Broomall? Great experience. Changing table is from BRU. Good experience as well.
Car seat is Combi Shuttleride as I wanted the max size possible (33 lbs/33" long). And pretty. The buckle is a pain in the a$$. But it's pretty.
As I didn't know what my stroller needs would be, I took a hand me down snap n go. Great decision. So easy. I also have a hand me down jogging stroller and hand me down umbrella stroller. Jogging gets used most for walks around town, rubber tires are much easier to maneuver on sidewalks. Umbrella comes with us for shopping.
The products I love the most...
Summer Infant video monitor (Mobi is a piece of crap)
Everyone says get a Maclaren umbrella stroller
CA Baby wash and diaper rash cream
Any lightweight bouncy seat to easily move from room to room (never used a swing)
Sleep saks in every size/weight, with swaddle option for NB in case baby likes it/needs it
Gerber long-sleeved side snap tees with mittens (hard to find anymore but they're my top reco for newborns for those first few weeks)
Carters onesies after that
Kicky pants PJs once older
Yes to Carrots baby lotion
Medela double electric pump
I registered from BRU as it's inevitable that's where gifts will come from. Nine months later I'm still returning/exchanging there. Easy and convenient. I have so much in merchandise credit at this point. Also shopped at Buy Buy Baby and, after baby arrived, diapers.com and amazon.com/mom religiously. Not needing to leave the house for dish soap those first couple of months = priceless.
and good luck!
Hi! Can I ask a question about this? Do you have the Chicco KeyFit carseat? We are trying to decide between the Graco SnugRide30 and the Chicco KeyFit30. We are going to get a snap and go (whichever is compatible) and the City Mini. We're just trying to decide on a car seat. One of the reasons we were going to choose the Chicco is the fabric seemed more breathable than the Graco, but if your baby was overheating...then maybe not? Any advice or thoughts on Graco vs. Chicco?
Thanks!
It's funny, I had to look up if it was a Keyfit 30 (it is) and the second reviewer wrote that the infant seat is really hot. For what it's worth, I had him in May so he was in it all summer. It was so bad though that if I took him to the mall I had to take him out and lay him in his stroller so he wouldn't scream but then by the time we got back to the car and seat had been in the hot car he ended up screaming the whole car ride and came out of the seat soaked. I would definitely try using the seat again with our next kid since we have the bases and the system but if the next kid screams like a banshee I won't feel bad getting rid of it.
I don't really know much about the Graco SnugRide 30 except I remember that it was always neck in neck in popularity and safety to the Chicco Keyfit 30 when I was researching.
Jonathan Dean 4.5.08
Anna Capri 5.4.11
The Graco snugride, at least for my May baby, was hot. She is still in it at over a year and she still gets super hot in it. But I think that's just the nature of infant car seats. Don't think it's a graco vs. chicco thing. I do agree with LD that the canvas fabric would probably help. We have the velvety fabric, didn't even think about it, and regret it. It's also hard to clean.
We didn't start with a video monitor. I picked one up a couple months ago cheap on kids.woot.com. It is a life saver. Especially now she is up and about. And whining. Now I can see if she is just whining and will go to sleep in a minute, or if there is really a problem. Don't know how we lived without it. I wish it had a little smell detector to let us know when it's a dirty diaper. That would be a money maker.
My kid is over a year old and I have no idea what her cries are. Unless it's a frantic pain scream/cry, I usually figure out how problem by either smelling for poop, or looking at the clock to see what time it is for food...or nowadays it's just teething 99% of the time.