Moms- Do I really need?

mesa81 · August 2011

I wasn't intending on purchasing these items and am now wondering if they are something I'd benefit from:

- nursing cover

- sleep sheep or whatever thing that is that makes noise (Did anyone use one? I was at a shower last weekend and the new moms there raved about it).

- anything to clean bottles? I didn't buy a bottle brush or anything like that...

- brush/ comb

- first aid kit

- humidifier

- baby meds

- baby memory book-- buy one or just use a blank journal I have?

CD mamas

- what type of diaper pail did you use? regular plastic trash can with lid? Did you drill holes?

ETA: I should have prefaced this saying I'm a minimalist with what I've purchased so far... I feel like most of those things can be purchased afterwards... I'm waiting to see what type of baby she is before we get a swing and will see if I can get my breastpump covered thru insurance.

NineTwentyOhEight · August 2011

Obv I'm as in-the dark as you, but here's my opinion anyway. hah!

- nursing cover - I think the A+A blankets are great for this from what I've heard

- sleep sheep or whatever thing that is that makes noise (Did anyone use one? I was at a shower last weekend and the new moms there raved about it). - one of my BFFs swears by this to help HER sleep through the baby's noises, not to help the baby sleep. A fan is a suitable white noise machine, I don't know that you *need* one of these specific ones, though they are cute.

- anything to clean bottles? I didn't buy a bottle brush or anything like that...I think you do need a bottle brush, but not sure it needs to be a specific brand or anything. I think if you run them thru the dishwasher you don't though

- brush/ comb couldn't tell you

- first aid kit couldn't tell you, but to me this seems like a waste if you have a well-stocked medicine cabinet at home. You could easily just have all the stuff you need - bandages, antibacterial ointment, etc.

- humidifier I think this depends on your house - ours gets super dry, so we will need one. My nose/skin gets really dry in the winter. Also be sure it is a cool vapor not hot one, the hot vapor ones are not good (harbor/grow bacteria and I think are supposed to increase SIDS risk)

- baby meds I think some things are good to have on hand, ask your pediatrician about this - you don't want to be sending DH to the store at 2am for fever reducer, that might be a good one to have.

- baby memory book-- buy one or just use a blank journal I have? I am planning on doing a box where I can just dump stuff. I know realistically I won't ever do a book, this way she will have a pretty box with stuff in it and she can go through it later. I might write her letters, etc too. I was also thinking of setting up her first email acct and writing to her that way. Then everything is logged/saved in one place.

CD mamas

- what type of diaper pail did you use? regular plastic trash can with lid? Did you drill holes?

rbagsgirl · August 2011

- nursing cover- Never used, I just used a receiving blanket to cover up

- sleep sheep or whatever thing that is that makes noise (Did anyone use one? I was at a shower last weekend and the new moms there raved about it). Didn't have and have NO idea what it is

- anything to clean bottles? I didn't buy a bottle brush or anything like that...I had a bottle brush but for the most part they went right into the dishwasher

- brush/ comb - never used

- first aid kit - used but later

- humidifier - used but later

- baby meds - Used but later

- baby memory book-- buy one or just use a blank journal I have?- Had one and stopped filling out after a few months...I just didn't have time

PrettyInPearls23 · August 2011

mesa81:

- nursing cover I'm no help here since I didn't nurse (I pumped)

- sleep sheep or whatever thing that is that makes noise (Did anyone use one? I was at a shower last weekend and the new moms there raved about it). B has a Fisher Price Seahorse that he LOVES. He's loved it since he was a few months old and still sleeps with it.

- anything to clean bottles? I didn't buy a bottle brush or anything like that... Yes, you'll need a bottle brush for sure

- brush/ comb I still use B's baby brush for his hair

- first aid kit Thermometer, YES. And steal the asiprator from the hospital -- they're far better than any others I've had

- humidifier You can probably wait on this one -- i didn't get one for B until he got his first cold

- baby meds Baby Tylenol in case of fevers. you can probably wait on anything for teething

- baby memory book-- buy one or just use a blank journal I have? I have a cute one from Carter's that I love and have actually been really good about filling in

cherrys · August 2011

mesa81:

- nursing cover *I didn't nurse

- sleep sheep or whatever thing that is that makes noise *I had a musical/light machine that we used occasionally.

.

- anything to clean bottles? *Definately need a bottle brush. And a good sturdy one, the cheap wire ones break after awhile.

- brush/ comb

- first aid kit *A friend of mine got me a little kit that has brush/comb, thermometer, nail clippers, emory boards, medicine spoon, etc. I use half the stuff.

- humidifier *I used one in the winter when Levi had colds. However, get one that mists the water UP. Levi's has the vents at the bottom, so the mist goes directly to the floor.

- baby meds *I would keep on hand, infant's motrin and infant's tylenol. I also bought some baby Orajel when he first started teething. And I prefer A&D ointment for diaper rash over Desitin, Boudroux's Butt Paste, or Balmex.

- baby memory book-- buy one or just use a blank journal I have? *I don't have anything. I knew I wouldn't continue with the upkeep of it.

mesa81 · August 2011

Thanks ladies! I added the sleep sheep thing to my registry in case I end up wanting it but I was tempted for some odd reason.

Amanda- most likely the nasal aspirator is latex... I need to check on that since I will have to find a non-latex one if that's the case. I knew that was on my list of things to look into.

How many baby socks do you need?!

amanda914 · August 2011

mesa81:

I took the minimalist appraoch with DD as well, so this is what I did/ have...

- nursing cover- never bought one, I just used a blanket I always carried around to cover up. I used the blanket anyways since I wanted her cover while in public, so I figured I didn't need to carry more stuff. At this point, I'm not shy about nursing in public, and as long as my boob is covered, I nurse.

- sleep sheep or whatever thing that is that makes noise- I don't have this either, but our monitor has two sound settings (waves and music) so it doubles as her noise machine.

- anything to clean bottles? this I would suggest. I don't feel like DDs bottles are clean unless I can get in there good.

- brush/ comb- I'd wait. DD has a ton of hair that tangles very easily so I've had to use the comb many times, but with DS I never used one.

- first aid kit- I'd buy just the basics and have them on hand. No reason to go out and buy an actual kit (you pay more in the end that way)

- humidifier- for me I'd say yes. DD has had stuffy nose issues for months so we run her humidifier every time she's sleeping in her room. Although, we did not buy it until the issues started, so maybe this can be a wait and see.

- baby meds- if you feel comfortable giving them to your LO, then I'd say yes,have them on hand. There's nothing worse then waking up in the middle of the night with a sick, fussy baby and you have nothing to give them. Also, they don't expire for a while so it won't be wasted spending.

- baby memory book-- I bought one for DS and it sits half completed. So with DD and decided to do an electronic version that I will print out after she's a year old and put it together scrapbook style.

CD mamas

- what type of diaper pail did you use? regular plastic trash can with lid? Did you drill holes? - I'm still figuring out my dirty diaper storage so I'm not much help here. Although currently I do use a medium trash can with a lid.

rbagsgirl · August 2011

mesa81:
How many baby socks do you need?!

Josh is like me and HATES socks so I"m no help...He would get them off when he could so I would just put him in footed things to keep him warm.

cherrys · August 2011

mesa81:

How many baby socks do you need?! Depends on how often you want to wash socks! I'd say atleast 12 pair. That includes some fancy ruffled ones.

SugarhillHnA · August 2011

- nursing cover : No. You can use a burp cloth or receiving blanket easily. Also, by 4mo Mariela refused to nurse under a cover and pulled it off, so really we rarely used it. Most times I nursed her in public when I could use a cover, I did it in the car b/c I wasn't comfortable enough yet to do it in the open.

- sleep sheep or whatever thing that is that makes noise (Did anyone use one? I was at a shower last weekend and the new moms there raved about it). No. We don't have one and won't buy one. I do have the seahorse, but it did nothing for Mariela except kept her awake longer.

- anything to clean bottles? I didn't buy a bottle brush or anything like that... I washed our bottles using the dishwasher and sanitize cycle. No brush needed unless you don't rinse them right away or leave them out with milk in them that dries. I did find a drying rack for bottles and parts helpful and a bin to wash small bottle parts and pump parts in the dishwasher a must.

- brush/ comb Depends if your LO has hair. M didn't have much hair until just the past month, so I never combed her hair until now.

- first aid kit Yes. It doesn't hurt to have one on hand for you guys as well as DD, but is it a necessity? Probably not.

- humidifier Yes. You can wait until baby's first illness or be prepared and have one already. Inevitably, you will eventually need it.

- baby meds Yes. At least have baby Tylenol or Ibuprofen on hand b/c you never know when a fever will spike. Of course in a newborn, you most likely won't give it to them b/c some pedi's prefer they fight it off themselves unmedicated, but it really depends on the baby and your pedi's opinion and baby's other symptoms. This is another item that you probably won't need right away, but inevitably at some point you will and it's better to have on hand than to have to run out in the middle of the night to find some with a miserable sick baby in tow.

- baby memory book-- buy one or just use a blank journal I have? I bought one, but I'm the sentimental type. I think this is really a personal decision only you can make.

amanda914 · August 2011

rbagsgirl:
mesa81:

How many baby socks do you need?!

Josh is like me and HATES socks so I"m no help...He would get them off when he could so I would just put him in footed things to keep him warm.

Agreed. My sig pic is the first time I put socks on DD in almost 6 months. But I live in FL and it's warm here all year round so she didn't need socks. Sleep-n-plays are the best.

wrldtravler2525@yahoo.com · August 2011

- nursing cover - I have one but Norah HATED when I tried to use it and made things way more obvious than if I had just "whipped" it out, the A&A blankets or any receiving blanket will work just fine.

- sleep sheep or whatever thing that is that makes noise (Did anyone use one? I was at a shower last weekend and the new moms there raved about it). - We got one as shower gift, it helped a little but Norah started sleeping without it pretty young. I don't know if you need to have one prior to baby. Maybe something to try if you are having sleep issues. But I agree with Claire a fan for white noise could be sufficient.

- anything to clean bottles? I didn't buy a bottle brush or anything like that... - I hand washed my bottles because I always ran into the issue whether or not my dishwasher was full enough to run, I wasn't going to run it for just bottles. I still use my bottle brush to wash the sippy cups.

- brush/ comb - Probably not needed right away. They give you a comb at the hopital and that is still my favorite to use on Norah's hair.

- first aid kit - I got one for the nail clippers, but I agree with Amanda steal as many asperators from the hospital as they will let you take, they are by far the best. Merlin ate one and I am glad we took the second because the one in the kit was worthless!

- humidifier - You will probably need this, we used one for Norah's room from October through April.

- baby meds - I would have some kind of Mylacon or Gas reducer and a Fever Reducer on hand. Any fever in the first few weeks you need to call your pedi, but it is nice to have it on hand for when you do need it.

- baby memory book-- buy one or just use a blank journal I have? I have one, but I haven't been very good about keeping up with it. It is nice to have a guide of things to record.

CD mamas

- what type of diaper pail did you use? I have a regular white target trash can with a step pop up lid. regular plastic trash can with lid? Did you drill holes? no holes were necessary. I just have to make sure my pail liner doesn't go over the little lever that pops up the lid. Also, I have some of those arm and hammer baby smell disks that you can get at target in the bottom. They work great at keeping the stinkies at bay.

CTri17 · August 2011

mesa81:
I wasn't intending on purchasing these items and am now wondering if they are something I'd benefit from:

- nursing cover- yes, I think this is wise, that way baby can't pull it off while you are NIP

- sleep sheep or whatever thing that is that makes noise (Did anyone use one? I was at a shower last weekend and the new moms there raved about it).nah- but we weren't big on any of that we didn't want her to have to use that to fall asleep and I know many moms will disagree with me on this

- anything to clean bottles? I didn't buy a bottle brush or anything like that...nope

- brush/ comb nah

- first aid kit I think basic stuff you have around the house is fine

- humidifier - YES!

- baby meds- I'd pick up some infant tylenol and maybe some colic calm but really I don't think you are supposed to give them anything until 2 mo because any fever before 2 mo you should go to the pedi. Infant motrin starts after 6 mo

- baby memory book-- buy one or just use a blank journal I have? I didn't do this, though I kind of wish I had.

CD mamas

- what type of diaper pail did you use? regular plastic trash can with lid? Did you drill holes?We use a planetwise hanging wet/dry bag

ETA: I should have prefaced this saying I'm a minimalist with what I've purchased so far... I feel like most of those things can be purchased afterwards... I'm waiting to see what type of baby she is before we get a swing and will see if I can get my breastpump covered thru insurance.

HTH!

reps14 · August 2011

- nursing cover no, I used a large muslin receiving blanket if anything at all

- sleep sheep or whatever thing that is that makes noise (Did anyone use one? I was at a shower last weekend and the new moms there raved about it).didn't use. We do have the homedics sound spa with projector that we have to put on every night still.

- anything to clean bottles? El Cheapo. Ikea sells them for $1, or I get them at target.

- brush/ comb P didn't have hair for a year, but the hospital gave us a set

- first aid kit ? Specific for the baby? Just make sure you have a rectal thermometer to start

- humidifier YES YES YES. P can't sleep in the winter without it, he keeps himself up coughing. It is also good for when they have a cold and runny nose, seems counterintuitive, but it really works

- baby meds when he got older we use(d) infant tylenol, children's benadryl, infant motrin. I always check with pediatrician or consult the askdrsears website for dosage charts

- baby memory book-- I have one, I'm not the best at writing things in but I think it's cute (and my mom had one for me, so I wanted to get one for P)

CD mamas

- what type of diaper pail did you use? regular plastic trash can with lid? Did you drill holes? I got a regular diaper pail with a pedal that lifts a small hole in the lid and a washable pail liner

I'm a big fan of being a minimalist.

MrsAD · August 2011

- nursing cover I use mine all the time.

- sleep sheep or whatever thing that is that makes noise (Did anyone use one? I was at a shower last weekend and the new moms there raved about it). I just bought a second one for Eli to bring to daycare!

- anything to clean bottles? Yes, you will definitely need a bottle brush.

- brush/ comb I've used mine maybe once?

- first aid kit I haven't needed to use mine, but I do have one.

- humidifier Haven't used it yet.

- baby meds So far, we have only used baby tylenol, but I was happy to have it on hand when we needed it.

- baby memory book-- buy one or just use a blank journal I have? I have two and have yet to fill up one page!

slensic · August 2011

- nursing cover- I use mine pretty regularly but Brynn is not a huge fan and does try to pull it off

- sleep sheep or whatever thing that is that makes noise (Did anyone use one? I was at a shower last weekend and the new moms there raved about it). -We don't have one and Brynn is sleeping just fine, we do run a fan however.

- anything to clean bottles? I didn't buy a bottle brush or anything like that.-I have a bottle brush and use it daily

- brush/ comb- I use mine daily too, but she was born with a lot of hair

- first aid kit- I have used the nail clippers and the thermometer

- humidifier- we have one but haven't used it yet

- baby meds- this is a good idea, I would suggest gripe water or some sort of gas reliever and baby tylenol. We have used both not a lot but it was good to have them on hand. The tylenol we have only used after her shots so far

- baby memory book-- buy one or just use a blank journal I have?-We have one and so far I have been really good about keeping up with it so I am hoping to stay on top of it.

Moms- Do I really need?

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