New Upcycle ideas 758
1 day ago
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
I Need Advice!
Ok so next week we find out what we are having so while we both have some time off of work and school during Christmas break we decided that will be the perfect time to get some baby shopping done but we want to start looking around right now to see whats out there. So all you mothers out there I need your help! I want to know the things that you can't live without and the things that you bought for your baby that ended up being a total waste of money. Also we want to start looking for cribs, strollers, and all that big stuff so tell me the brands you like and the ones you didn't and the features you like and dislike. Some people have suggested buying a used crib or an inexpensive one because they are going to bite it and chew on it and that is something I didn't even think about. All I picture is a cute little baby sleeping in it, not destroying it! I have no idea about these things so any advice you have on anything would be greatly appreciated!!!!
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13 comments:
oh- you've come to the right place! On the Crib issue...only certain babies chew on things (i.e.brayden) others not so much (i.e. broc). So, I would say get a pretty decent crib..remember it has to go through 6 kids, right? The things you must HAVE...Bouncer....Boppy....lightweight blankies as well as good quilts to lay them on the ground...my kids never liked swings, so that is up to you....monitors of course!....but a lot of this stuff you can get for your shower! so register at target for all your baby needs and let us get you a bunch of stuff! You focus on the crib and bedding that's the fun part! I'm so excited! I already have one thing in the making for the babies room! hehehe
- Changing table. I know a lot of people that didn't buy them to save money, but I use it EVERY single time I change Nathan. Nathan already knows that when he is on that we are just changing his clothes and/or diaper and he just lays there like a good boy.
- Swing. It is a must. Nathan took so many of his naps in ours for the first 3 months. He still does sometimes, but not as much. So, if you can get this I would. Even used if need be.
- Boppy. Not only did I use it when I nursed a ton at first, but Nathan used it for tummy time at first and he now uses it to help him situp!
- Bumbo. A SUPER MUST. We had Nathan in it when he was just 3 1/2 weeks and he hasn't stopped since. He sits in it while I do the dishes or fold the laundry.
- DON'T BUY one of those little tub things with the netting in it. I did and I think I used it twice. I have tried a couple things, but now I use those $5 little sponge things in the bottom of the tub and LOVE LOVE LOVE it. They are cheap and work the best! The netting thing was nice for the baths the first week until the umbilical cord fell off, so if you want to borrow our basically new one for that you are more then welcome to.
- TRAVEL SYSTEM. I got a lot of mixed advice when I asked people whether to buy a travel system or just a car seat. I ended up buying the full travel system, because I figured I would be having more then one kid and I am soooo glad I did. Nathan never just laid in his car seat in the store, so I always pull out the stroller and he would sit up in it and be fine. It has 4 adjustments, so at first he would be reclined. Now he can sit up in it straight. The only downfall would be how much space it takes in the trunk. But, I love it! So, if you can afford it I would get the full travel system. Plus I love that it has a place for the diaper bag, which most the smaller strollers don't have.
Crib - A lot of cribs come with the plastic cover over the main bar. Which, protects it from bite marks. Mine does... I think most do. But, Nathan is not to the biting stage yet, so I might still have some surprises to come.
Clothes: EVERYONE told me not to waste my money on newborn clothes. Well, Nathan was 8lbs 7oz and he fit in newborn clothes for a month. I was able to start him in SOME 0-3 around 2 1/2- 3 weeks, but he seriously fit in some newborn clothes for 1 1/2 months. So, my advise would be buy SOME newborn clothes. I got soooo sick of those 4 outfits when he was first born.
Also, up to 3-6 months don't buy too many outfit outfits. You will hardly put him/her in them. You are mostly at home and you want to them to be comfy. The soft comfy pants and a onesie is what I put Nathan in 80% of the time. Even up to this day I don't put jeans and a shirt on him unless we are running errands.
Good luck buying everything! I can't wait to find out what Little Blad is going to be!
Oh one more thing. Gymboree blankets are the best. They are the only blankets I used... until probably 2 weeks ago. I will given a lot of others, but I would ALWAYS choose the Gymboree blankets over the others. Nathan has recently fell in love with fleece blankets, plus he is a little big for them now. The Gymboree blankets can be a little pricey, but you if you just watch their clearance racks then you can sometimes catch them on there.
Oh also, (sorry things just keep popping in my head) we bought monitors, but I NEVER use them. Our house is 2000 sq ft and I can hear him no matter where I am. So, it really just depends on your house... so take that into consideration.
Well, the last time I had a baby...
awe I am so excited for you! It is so fun to get all the new stuff for baby. I bet you get a lot of clothes from people and plenty of baby bath stuff. I laugh as I read others comments because I think each person is so different in what they use. I will agree, a bobby is must. The vibrating bouncer and swing are used all the time at my house but not every child likes them. I have not used a bumbo before and probably never will. I have the bath tub with a net and I really like it for when the baby is little because then they aren't submerged in the water and I feel like it is safer but I have not ever used the sponge thing either and it probably works great. I love my matching travel system(car seat and stroller) but now that I am on my second kid, I look back and think, I could have gotten a car seat and a little stroller to hold me over until I needed a double stroller:) Which I now have as well, bought it for $15 off of www.craigslist.com which you may be able to find some stuff you need, like a crib, I have seen a few cute cribs on there lately. Anyway, I think I would wait to buy too much until after your baby shower because everyone loves to buy gifts for babies:)
And as for the moniter thing, I have one and I still use it and my house is tiny... I don't need it because I can hear my little girl scream from anywhere...lol but I remember loving it because when she was tiny, I was peranoid that I wouldn't know if she was breathing or not... and you can hear them breathing on it too. Kinda wish I had a moniter with a screen so I can see my kids too...
Good Luck!
I would buy the furniture, but wait on the other stuff. People like to get you stuff you will use for your shower, so wait on the other stuff, like bouncer, boppy, bumbo. I had a walmart crib with the boys and it worked perfectly. You might look into a pack and play for your room though. But a little bassinet works great. My other tip wait till the very end before you buy you stroller/carseat. Your chooses may change and your taste. (Just from personal experience!) You always think you need everything before the baby comes, remeber you can buy the other things after too. There was so much stuff I never used! Very exciting!
Hi, this is Sally Robinson I went to school with Jared but Ryan is my age.
Anyway, talking about baby things was to tempting for me to resisit. I for sure agree with the gymboree blankets. I have probaby 15 other blankets that I NEVER use but I use my 5 from gymboree over and over, and they are really the only blankets that i carried over from my first to my second baby.
My crib has a plactic cover on the bar, but neither of my babies have chewed on it.
Changing table FOR SURE. I use it every time and it is so much nicer than laying your baby down on the floor. I would get one with drawers so it can double as a dresser.
I got a travel system with my first and loved it at the time but didn't use it again for my second I have all britax car seats now and i LOVE them, they are so comfy for the babies, expensive but worth every penny, they are the very safest ones made and is your babies car seat really the place to be cheap?
I have a monitor with a screen and it is definetly one of my top 5 favorite things. Everyone who sees it loves it. I could probably hear my kids without it, but to be able to actually watch them without bothering them in their room is so so so reasurring.
I also used my swing, boppy, and baby tub a lot.
Sorry, for these random comments from someone that you don't know. I just know that I took all the advice I could get.
Good luck with baby Blad!
If there is one thing you cant live without it is, of course diapers and you can never have too many. With Kinlee I didnt do this but my last two I did and it made a WORLD of differance. Buy a bag of diapers every trip to wal mart or the groc store, just rotate the size you buy. I dont know if you plan on going back to work but most people somehow become poor when they have kids, so buy the unfun stuff while you have the money to do it. Plus you will get lots of stuff at your shower :)
p.s. can I tell you how much I love your Baby Blad countdown? That is too cute! I like it a lot more than those creepy growing baby things...
I loved having my carseat that snaped into the stroller, I love to shop, and that was so nice to have when I went shopping, the baby would be asleep in their carseat when we got to the mall and I could just grab the whole carseat and snap it into the stroller without the baby waking up. It also made it easy to cover the baby, which is good for places like the mall where there are a lot of people, and when you go on a walk it protects from the wind.
Shan--It has been so long and then you drop this great news on me! I am so excited!! I would have to agree with so may others get a good car seat but wait until you are about 7 months because then you will know what you want, get a boppy, get a good comfy rocking chair or recliner that you can nurse in and if you are going back to work call the hospital and talk to them about a breastpump!! I know it sounds crazy but trust me you won't be sorry and your breasts will thank you. I swear by the swing and get one or at least put on on your gift list that takes batteries. This is so cool just don't get too caught up in the big things.
Some one mentioned that you buy a pack of diapers every time you go to wally. I did that with Ian and I don't think I bought diapers until he was at least 8 months old. It was great!! Good luck and keep me posted Annie
Electric breast pump-don't mess with the hand ones, you can always get a an attachment for your car if you are worried about convenience. Boppy, recliner with an ottoman to put your feet up. Get a really cute nursing cover that covers everything so that you don't have to struggle with that in public. (: Lots of stretchy blankets to swaddle-I agree Gymboree is the best. Swaddler diapers for those blow-outs and a piddle pad -for the carseat blowouts. The travel system is the way to go with the carseat and stoller, also a Graco pack and play, get Playtex bottles with the drop-in backs or the ones with the bottle on an angle so they get less air while feeding. Classical music or white noise for getting them to sleep and a definitely would go with a baby monitor. A vibrating bouncer, not the kind that they have to bounce or you have to do it-you won't have time to. Also start stocking up on easy dinners-stir fry's lasagna, just go to Costco and stock up because dinner is the last thing you will have time for and at some point people will stop bringing the food over. (: I can't wait-I can't believe you find out next week...I better be on speed dial!
Let's see..in the beginning...the hardest thing for me was breastfeeding, it hurts like Hell and you'll start to understand where the phrase "tough titties" comes from! ;) Hang in there, it gets better after 2 weeks, and eventually will be no biggie. Make sure you get the Lansinoh lanolin, it's a lifesaver. I got a used little comfy rocking chair for the nursery and LOVE having it in there. I also really like those little dome push nighlights that run on battery, you can put them wherever you want and it's nice to not have to turn the light on when you get up at night to change and feed. PAMPERS are the BEST diapers! I love my monitor. Love my changing table. If your baby has hair, get a blanket or something that's silky to sleep on so she (i think it's a girl) doesn't rub her hair off the back of her head! Flannel sheets do it the worst. She loves her activity gym, her bouncy chair with lots of toys on it to look at. I like the car seat strap covers cause they rubbed on her neck. You can never have too many socks, burp clothes, or onesies! Stock up on those! Buy your nursing bra before you have the baby, probably 1 cup size bigger. Buy your baby tylenol and gas drops DYE FREE, the pink stuff stains everything. Breast pumps are good to have, I got a single mini electric medela on ebay for $12. There are no stores that sell cribs besides Wal-Mart and those stores, I really liked using nextag.com when looking for my crib and crib set. Strollers are nice when they're newborns just to take a stroll around the block to get out of the house! Someone told me not to get a wipe warmer, but I think I would like one. Well, there's my novel. :) Moms seem to have a lot to say. Hope it was helpful!
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