Like I said in my last post, Andrew and I are going through the process of registering. And I just have to say I am so excited about it! I know I must be driving him crazy, though. You see, when I went in the hospital with Sydney (at 25 weeks), we had not even looked at anything in the store yet. So, I sat in my hospital bed on a really slow internet connection and looked for hours at online stores. Then, Andrew and Brook went to the stores and actually did most of the registering. He would bring the list back and I would look at things online again, but I did not actually get to choose things that I could see in person.
Needless to say, I am so pumped about it this time! My problem is this...I know nothing about what kind of things we need to register for. I was so excited when my friend, Nicole, posted a link to a list of Top 10 Most Useless Baby Items. I was actually surprised at some of the things on the list because I was planning on getting several.
So, all of you experienced moms out there, please help me out! What things do you think are must haves for a new mom? What things are just hype? What things should I register for that may not be obvious right off the bat? I would really appreciate any feedback you can supply!
Sydney Danielle Lough 3/11/07
My Inspiration
Saturday, September 13, 2008
I Need Some Advice!
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13 comments:
Obviously I'm not a mom but I just looked at the list and my sister and one of my friends absolutely love the shopping cart cover. My sister was just raving about it on the phone with me earlier this week. And another friend of mine couldn't live without her Bumbo Baby Seat.
Top 10 Most Worthless Baby Items
#10 Diaper Pail (Genie and Champ)
Did not have one b/c we put dirty diapers in garage and they didn't smell bad because of breastmilk.
#9 Shopping Cart Cover
MUST HAVE. Make sure you have one that TOTALLY covers the cart, not just front and back of seat. Need to cover the sides as well.
#8 Boppy Nursing Pillow
Used this more for laying baby on the floor so they could sit up a little or using it to get tummy time.
#7 Infant Shoes
Cheap infant shoes (slipper like) are good for keeping socks on during the winter.
#6 Hanging Diaper Stacker
Did not have. Just used a basket.
#5 Bumbo Baby Seat
FABULOUS invention. Must have. Very good for when baby is first starting to eat baby cereal. I hear the tray is worthless though.
#4 Baby Robe
Hmm. I would register for hooded baby towels before a baby robe.
#3 Crib Bedding Set with Bumpers and Quilts
I am guilty of using the bumper, but our baby didn't sleep in there bed at night for quite a while.
#2 Wipe Warmer
Just ball up the wipe in your hand and that will warm it up.
And the most useless thing of all?
#1 Bottle Warmer
Very true, especially if breastfeeding. Warm water works fine and some babies don't mind cold or room temp milk.
That list was pretty interesting; I agreed with about half and strongly disagreed with the other half!!
Infant shoes - I love the Robeez shoes, but they're really expensive. Target has a cheaper brand that works just as well, and they're fantastic. I'm really hoping to find a pair big enough for Wendy for this winter - she wore them 24/7 last winter.
Bumbo - We really liked ours. Wendy got to sit on the kitchen table while I was folding laundry, or on the kitchen counter while I was cooking. You do have to be careful when setting them on high things because they can tip over, but ours worked well!
Diaper Genie - they work fine for awhile, but then the smells get embedded in the plastic and it just gets gross. We switched to cloth & threw away the Genie, and had much less problem with smells.
The Boppy pillow didn't work for us for nursing; it wasn't high enough to use as a support for me. We did use it for propping her up occasionally, but you could just as easily use something else.
One suggestion I'd make that might help things - when you buy his little socks, just buy all of the same kind. Then you won't be driven quite as crazy with matching them up.
Also - I found the zippy sleepers to be easier to use than the snap sleepers. It's hard to line up all those snaps in the middle of the night when you're exhausted. :-)
I've never had a shopping cart cover or a Bumbo. This isn't to say that I might not love them if I did have them, but I don't think they're essentials. As for infant shoes, Graham just wore socks until it started getting hot out. He's been a barefoot boy since then.
I'd say my essentials are:
- a pack 'n' play (which is where Graham usually is when I'm trying to get things done)
- a changing table (it's easier on the back than using the floor, although I do that when we're downstairs and I don't want to lug him up to his room)
- a good diaper bag with lots of pockets and a changing pad. Alex would like to add that he prefers the backpack style. He says it's because it's easier; I think it's because it looks less like a purse. :) Land's End sells a nice one.
- A reclining high chair. My sister-in-law has one that attaches to a chair. It takes up so much less room than the big, freestanding one that we have. I think hers reclines enough to accommodate a pretty young baby, too.
If you are having a boy a wipes warmer is a MUST HAVE!! Little boys pee when their "thing" is exposed to cold air... Or... cold wipes. If the wipes are warm when you wipe him, he'll be less likely to pee all over you.
I never used my boppy pillow. I used a diaper pail but the smell just gets SOOO bad, and I had the kind where I could only get refills online. I didn't own a Bumbo (or whatever) seat, or a diaper stacker, or a cart cover. The bottle warmer is pretty useless I had one of those avd hardly ever used it. I made myself use it a couple of times so I wouldn't feel guilty for not using it. haha. As for crib bedding... I had the bumper and just recently... like two weeks ago, switched Audrey to the toddler bed and took the bumper out. she's still been sleeping with it all this time, and plus it makes the crib look cute.
I would agree with most of the list except for the Boppy pillow -- I really use mine, and it totally saves my back. I didn't take it on a trip a couple of months ago, and I came back with a really sore back...then I took it with me on our Labor Day trip, and it was sooo nice to have it and not have to try to prop my arms up on my knees when I was in the car or nursing on a bed. If you don't plan to breastfeed, it wouldn't be an asset, I don't think...
This time around we borrowed Brei's Bumbo seat, and I'm liking it! We put him in it up on the counter while I'm cooking, and he likes being up high and interacting. Now, before he could sit in the BUmbo, I did that with his car seat, but it took up a lot of space.
I think that a Pack N' Play is very useful as well as a stroller that fits with your car seat...also several crib sheets, receiving blankets (especially really thin, long ones for swaddling), cloth diapers to be used for burp cloths, sleepers, changing table (I agree with Nichole), changing pads (the waterproof kind -- really need these, in my opinion)...that's all I can think of for now...
I never used a wipes warmer -- had one, but never used it because I didn't want them to get used to having warm wipes and then to throw a fit out in public when I had to use cold. For the pee problem that Becky described, we just always put a burp cloth or something over him while changing.
I guess I am alone on this diaper genie stance, but I enjoyed mine. I kept it in the boys room, and used it when I changed a diaper in there. If I was elsewhere in the house, I would just wrap it and knot it in an plastic bag and pitch it in the regular trash.
Never used a diaper stacker, wipe warmer, or a changing table for that matter. I either used the crib or the floor. I kept a basket of diapers and a box of wipes in the nursery, living room, and downstairs. And that worked out fine.
The porta-crib/play pen thing was a neccesity for us. Although we only use it when we travel.
Also, I loved the car mirror for when the boys were in their car seat facing the back. And there is a little rearview mirror that you can attach you yours in the car, so it is always adjusted to look at the baby. It's comforting. Also for the car, we have a car seat pad protector, which is great because it protects the car from spills, to a degree, but also has pocets to keep a baby toys in. You'll be finding yourself reaching for anything to hand to him when he's fussy in the car.
The bumbo is great. I never really used the boppy for breastfeeding, but it is a good support pillow for when he is learning to sit up by himself.
Also, a carrier/car seat blanky-zipper protector thing.... totoally loved. I didn't have one with Jagger and his blanky would always fly away in the parking lot, so annoying.
The bottle warmer it ridiculous. Had one and returned it.
Also, I am obsessed with sleeping sacks for newborns. No trying to wrestle their little legs into the leg holes of their jammies.
Hope that helps!
-Brei
Okay, I have to say that all my girlfriends LOVE "My Breast Friend". They say it is the most wonderful nursing pillow - I didn't nurse so I'm not sure. But I do know they bought some for the church nursery so they could have them their also.
My favorite gift to buy for new moms is the Diaper Champ. You can use any garbage in it - no special bag needed. And it honestly does not smell. I can tell you this b/c you will understand, we left a diaper in our upstairs Diaper Champ for months and it NEVER smelled until we opened it. (we had stopped using the upstairs one and just changed downstairs - I'm lazy)
One important note, you HAVE to learn to swaddle. There isn't anything in the store that will really help. Babies are used to being in a tight space (your belly)when they come out they need to feel secure still. Ask the hospital nursery staff to teach you how to or I will come out and teach you how to wrap your little boy like a burrito - I promise it will save you!
I could go on and on and on and on... We'll have to talk on the phone or you can come see me!
Have Andy give Jr. a kiss for me!
--Mandy
I agree with Brei about the warm car seat cover -- with your little guy coming in winter, it would be a great way to keep him warm.
If you're on the line about something, I'd go ahead and register for it.
Thanks for all of the advice! Keep it coming! I appreciate any advice you can pass on to help us out!
Okay Here is my two cents...The boppy saved my back and neck when nursing maybe because of the scoliosis but I love mine. I used a diaper genie with Gavin but never got it back out with Cameron and I haven't missed it. The wipe warmer I had just dried out the wipes and so far I've only been peed on once with 2 boys. And I have heard some bad things about the bumbo seat. I heard that when they start moving around alot they can be pretty easy to tip over. Infant shoes are pretty much a waste of money to me..they are in jammies most of time with feet and socks worked just fine for us. And after reading all the comments on the link I'm going to buy a shopping cart cover..Brook
The things that I used the most was a baby monitor when I went on weekend trips, wipes/wipes/and more wipes, hoodie towel, burp rags, baby carrier pouch (over the shoulder and body) to take my little one with me everywhere. I didn't use anything on that list, but they didn't have that little seat when I had Gabe. I did use a small seat that straps to the dining room chair. It was great and didn't take up room like a big high chair. I could also take it with me on trips to see friend/family. I would also recommend more than one blanket that you swap every couple of days so that your son does not get attached to just one particulary blanket. That is all I can think of for now. Have fun with the shopping gun.
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