July 2009 Weddings
Dear Community,
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.
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
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.
Baby Registry
The thought of registering for baby is super exciting and super overwhelming. Some friends want to throw me a shower when we're in Kansas City in June, which is fabulous, but it's going to be only 3-4 weeks after we find out the gender, so I feel like I'm going to have to register in a hurry.
Any advice as to how to start? I think I've heard some of you talk about a book that was helpful, but I can't remember the name of it. Also, where did you register and why?
Thanks girls 
Re: Baby Registry
Target & Babies R Us - Both easy for people and had a good selection.
I took a friend with me who is a mom when I registered. She helped me decide what was needed/not needed. I highly recommend that!
Baby Bargains is the book. It's great! It breaks down products by type and brands and grades them based on safety and value and tells you what's needed and what's not. I found it incredibly helpful when deciding what to go with. Also, I like the Nursery and Baby Gear board on the bump. We registered on Amazon and at Buy Buy Baby. BBB is incredibly overwhelming to walk into. It's basically a Bed, Bath, and Beyond but with baby stuff, so if you go, just be prepared and have an idea of things you want to look for. For us, testing out strollers and carseats were the major thing, and BRU and Target didn't carry all the strollers we were considering, only BBB had them, they have every brand you can imagine, so it's great if you have some specific ones you'd like to see not available other places. Lucie's List is also helpful, http://www.lucieslist.com/.
ETA: We chose those places to register because we're in MD and our families and friends are spread all over, plus my shower will be in FL in June, and we'll be flying out for it. So Amazon with their free shipping and cheaper prices seemed like a better choice since everything is going to be sent to us and at the shower I will just open pictures of the gifts. I also do much of my shopping on Amazon and will continue to shop for baby things on there. BBBaby because they have them in FL & MD, plus the return policy is just like BBB's wedding registry, and you can use the BBB 20% off coupons as long as they aren't expired.
Also wanted to add, you can register for most things gender neutral, in fact, that would be my suggestion. Don't register for clothes, people will give you tons of clothes once you find out the gender or the baby is born. If you plan to have more children, stick to neutral for the big things, add those now or soon, and then if you want some smaller gender specific things add those after your anatomy scan to round out the registry. But things like carseats, strollers, PnP, bouncer, swing, etc, don't need to be pink or blue.
Awesome, thanks for all the info. We're definitely planning on going gender neutral for the big stuff. I'm mostly indecisive about bedding and nursery stuff and not sure if I'm going to register for that or just buy it (depending on where I find it).
Is this the book? http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Bargains-Secrets-furniture-maternity/dp/1889392405/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333810618&sr=8-1
Yup, that's the book! As for bedding, you have plenty of time, you could also just put gift cards on the registry and then once you decide on bedding, use them for that. Half the time now they don't even recommend buying a bedding set, because they all come with bumpers and those are becoming a no-no due to the suffocation risk. Many books and such will suggest just doing a fitted crib sheet, crib skirt, and if you must have bumpers, the breathable ones. FWIW though, I got an entire set from PBK and am uncertain if we'll use the bumpers or not, but I wanted the quilt for decoration wether on the wall or draped over the glider, and for when baby is older for a toddler bed and as their "special" blanket. Like I said though, you have plenty of time and could always check out any deals at the box stores, Target and BRU always have sets on sale, so you could register for the majority of things now or in the coming weeks and work out the nursery stuff down the road. I'm halfway and our nursery is still a guest room and we have nothing but a steal of a deal PBK bedding set from eBay and a recliner right now. Hopefully we'll order the crib and buy the dresser soon and start putting it all together.
Plus, with one shower in June, and not being due until what, October, right? I'm sure you'll have another shower in Nashville with family/friends and not just the KC one, so you could always add more after the first shower. Just a thought!
I agree about the bedding set. It was the biggest waste of money. I do use the bumpers though. His room would look the exact same with a plain sheet and plain bumpers. I did some decoration on the wall that matches the bedding set.
You can always add after the first shower and see what you need. I also agree with not adding clothing. If people want to buy from your registry they will, others will not.
I agree with the Baby Bargains book. I found it super useful even though I'm in Canada and a lot of the stuff is different. Well worth the $10.
I also agree about not bothering with clothing on there. Even better if you don't know the gender yet in that sense because I find most people, here anyway, buy clothing.
And, honestly, besides clothing and bedding most stuff you would get would be gender neutral anyway. Have fun. I found picking baby stuff so stressful. If you have any friends who are mom's try to bring one of them with you to help you out!
Ditto pp, but re the bedding-with an older kiddo I use the quilt daily, and when a was little I used it on the floor for a play space.
I think amazon has the best prices and availability. Go look at strollers or go to the local mall and check out what moms are using. I get asked at least once a week about my stroller and baby carriers and I love to share the pros and cons-most mOms do! Don't be afraid to ask a mom for her opinion.
Thanks girls- this is all great advice. I'm definitely going to have a friend with kids or my SIL help me register. The more I think about it, I really can register for most things ahead of time and can add more things (if I need to) after the first shower or after we find out the gender. I've started bookmarking stuff at BrU. I also ordered Baby Bargains today and it will be here on Tuesday!
Now, any specific recommendations for must-haves, or brands that you love?
Lucas didn't like to lay flat so this helped him sleep longer stretches at night. He would sleep right by our bed.
http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Newborn-Rock-Sleeper-Yellow/dp/B002M77N22/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333856175&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/The-First-Years-GumDrop-Pacifier/dp/B004GY8A58/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1333856297&sr=1-1
He got an orange one from the hospital but he LOVED them. he doesn't care for them much anymore but it got its use.
http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Discover-Grow-Kick-Piano/dp/B004V8VQC8/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1333856223&sr=1-1
He LOVES This toy. His feet go a mile a minute. It's so cute.
A humidifier.
I love love love my Aiden & Anais swaddle blankets. I don't use them as much right now as I did when I was still swaddling her, but think that I will more when as it gets warmer out. They are huge and nice and light weight.
Also loved the Summer Infant "Swaddle Me" blankets for when she was a newborn.
We didn't use our swing much, she didn't like being in it. But the bouncy chair was a saviour when she was a newborn, that's how I got my daily shower
We have the Baby Einstein Around the World play gym, that we purchased at Costco for cheap and she loves it. Still likes to lay under it occasionally or sit beside it and play with the toys.
Sleepers with zippers are awesome. Especially for those middle of the night changes.
We got a space saver high chair that straps onto one of your kitchen table chairs and I love it. My 2 1/2 year old niece can sit in it as a booster when she comes over, Kenzie sits in it now and it also reclines back more for before they can hold their head up so they can sit in it then too.
We also have the Rainforest jumeroo which she loves but isn't allowed to be in anymore until we meet with the hip specialist
We got a bumbo from a friend and she sat in it a few times, but I wouldn't really bother.
We have a mirror for in the car so that we can see her in the rearview mirror in her carseat and it lights up and plays music. I find that good to distract her if she gets fussy.
That's all I can really think of as I look around my living room
ETA: I also love our monitors - we are a big crazy and have both a video monitor and an Angel Care monitor (If i was to do it again I'd probably just get the Angel Care Video monitor). I love being about to see what she is up to in there without having to peek in and risking her seeing me and I think that will become more and more valuable as she gets older. Also, the Angel Care gives me such peace of mind. We had a couple false alarms when she rolled into the corner of her crib, but I'll take a couple false alarms for the peace of mind. We got the Levana "Safe n See" video monitor, but I would NOT recommend that brand.
A video monitor is a must! We didn't get one until January this year, and I'm not sure how we lived without it. I'm super paranoid that something is going to happen to Parker and with that whole Baby Lisa thing happening right here I was even more paranoid. I used to go into Parker's room multiple times a night to check on him and I always seemed to wake him up. This is the one we have. You can zoom in and out, pan the room, 2-way talk, adjust the volume, add cameras, and tons more.
A nasal aspirator is also super helpful. They will give you a bulb one at the hospital, but I find the Nose Frida one to be a lot easier. They also have battery powered ones, but I haven't used one so I don't know how they work.
I would recommend getting a high chair that you actually like the looks of. My dad got us the fisher price ocean wonders high chair, which is great because it has toys attached to the trays that were really helpful when he was first sitting in the chair. I hate that thing now because it is bright and doesn't go with our dining room. Parker just got this yesterday from Grammy and Grandpa so we are going to get rid of the obnoxious high chair ASAP! I might actually buy a booster type that straps to the chair also like Lindsay suggested.
Parker was a super easy baby who didn't require much at all. We never used the swing, I never ever had to use burb cloths, he hated being swaddled, never really used a pack-n-play, etc. so I don't have that much experience with a lot of things.
Peronsally, I would stay away from Target. Their return policy sucks and my experience has been that they don't carry much in store and you have to get a lot online. I would much rather buy online from Amazon. Plus, they seem to add things to your registry that you don't want.
I wish I would of saw this sooner becuase I could go mailed you my copy of baby bargains!