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Baby gear - 1/13/2010 4:18:47 PM
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anne-girl
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OK, so my husband and I are expecting our first at the end of April.  We must not be super into baby shopping as we have bought exactly one item so far: sleeper DH bought while on a business trip. So we're just getting started on our research of stuff-to-get for baby, and I thought I'd start a separate thread about all baby stuff (since the nursery and babywearing threads don't cover it all).
To all those who've had one or more babies: what did you buy/receive that you loved? That you found useless? That you wished you'd waited to get until after baby was born? That you bought later and wished you'd gotten sooner? Where do you think are the most logical places to splurge or save? What books did you love or dislike?
Already taken care of: we have a dresser and a desk that are the right height for change tables; we may put one downstairs and get changing pads for each.
Our first priorities: a car seat (bucket style), a crib (on the small side, to fit in our room), maybe a stroller. Other stuff we need to research/get either before baby comes or some time after: safety gear (gates, plug covers, handle thingies, cabinet thingies), nursing bras. I imagine we'll get most of the clothes we need at baby showers. If we register, is it kosher to only put the big stuff on it, or should we register for specifics that we might not need just yet (eg bath tubs)?
We're not on a super-tight budget, but we do want to be frugal, and we certainly don't want to spend the average of $10K that first time parents spend on baby stuff in the first year here (ie in Canada). 
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Jen's chilling with her baby boy!
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RE: Baby gear - 1/13/2010 4:42:23 PM
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SweetLittleErin
Posts: 1831
Joined: 7/20/2005
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What I loved....
our swing. We used that thing until he literally climbed out of it!
Receiving blankets. Those were our blankets, burp rags, and towels for a year or more.
Snap up rompers and sleepers. I was hesitant and nervous about pulling stuff over his head, snap up stuff you could lay him on and snap around him!
Cloth Diapers for burp rags.
Useless...
bottle warmer (it was a gift) we never even used it when we were doing bottles.
Playmat (with the overhead toys) Isaac showed almost no interest in it and it took up alot of floor space.
Bottle Sterilizer (it came in handy when we were in the hotel for pump parts, but that was it, at home it was just another piece of "stuff")
What I wish I would have had before he was born. (Obviously my situation was different but these are things we bought on the way home from NICU on day one or very soon after!)
Breastpump
Nursing Bras
Bra Pads
Baby Book (to record info, footprints, etc)
Informational Baby Book (like Dr. Sears')
Things we bought much (a few months) later on.
Bumbo Seat (we loved it since Isaac was delayed in sitting up)
Highchair (we used the Bumbo with tray for a good while when it was needed)
Most toys. We didnt have a single toy other than some special stuffed animals. We just picked up things as he got ready for them.
If you are doing bottles at all, dont just pick what bottle you like and get alot of them. Isaac was picky and we went through several bottle/nipples until we found a match!
Same way with pacifiers.
Of course you'll need the
"first aid" basics...thermometer, baby Tylenol, gas drops, Gripe Water.
Hygeiene Basics...soap, wash cloths, diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream (we didnt need any until he was several months old but some babies need it regularly). If you have a boy who is circ'ed you'll need Vaseline.
On registries, I'd put a little bit of everything (even some clothes, diapers, etc) to kind of give people a feel for your style. I like to look at registries to see if mom is BFing or FF, whether she likes cutsey babyish stuff or classy stuff, if she has a theme for the nursery, etc. THEN I usually pick up something that I come up with that fits her style.
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~Erin~
Wife to Klay
Mommy to Isaac
A Glimpse Of Pink (My Blog)
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RE: Baby gear - 1/13/2010 5:04:42 PM
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Mrs.Wifey
Posts: 2664
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From: The Gorgeous plains of Colorado
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Essentials-
Baby carrier
diapers
bottles
pacifiers
somewhere safe to sleep
basic clothing
breast pads
bouncy/papasan chair
Nice to have-
Bumbo
swing
snazzy clothes(these really should go on my essential list, but they aren't technically essentials)
Stroller or Snap and Go
toys
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Ryanne- trying hard to be my husband's girlfriend and my daughter's mother.
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RE: Baby gear - 1/13/2010 5:23:28 PM
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SurpassingPeace
Posts: 1340
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I really recommend having a changing station of some kind on each floor of your house. With my daughter, for some bizarre reason (cared too much about what the house looked like) I only had one upstairs in the nursery. Silly, silly me. With Logan, we actually moved the changing table into the dining room because the 1st floor is where I am all day. I do not know what I did before.
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Karen
Proud Member of the Imperfect Wives' Club
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RE: Baby gear - 1/13/2010 5:24:49 PM
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Mrs.Wifey
Posts: 2664
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From: The Gorgeous plains of Colorado
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Oh yeah, a changing table was essential for us as well.
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Ryanne- trying hard to be my husband's girlfriend and my daughter's mother.
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RE: Baby gear - 1/13/2010 7:47:29 PM
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Flintejae
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One thing you'll never know is what your kid likes. Some kids love bouncers - others like swings. My son LOVED his play mat. It was a life saver for us, but other kids could care less.
Things I found wonderful:
1. swaddling blankets/swaddlers for when they are younger. MUST.
2. Crib/car seat/changing table
3. Bouncer/play mat/swing - and eventually one of those stand still/won't move crawler. That SAVED me.
4. Lanolin/breast pads/good nursing bra (if you are bfing)
5. I loved our hanging diaper holder
6. ZIPPER pj's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7. Infant Ibuprophen/mylicon/thermometer/baby wash/shampoo
8. Portable bathtub. The big plastic thing is nice, but the portable one is just as great and more portable.
9. Dr. Smith's diaper cream! Da Bomb! A MUST in our household
10. If you want to wear a baby - a wrap of some sort. Or something your hubby can carry him/her in
Let me think on other stuff and I'll post later...
don't bother:
1. Baby towels. If you do, get like two. Same with the wash clothes. they just turn into cleaning rags. Oh and a bathrobe... cute, but never used.
2. wipe warmer
_____________________________
- Janine
Wife to Jason. Mother to Jadon and Joshua.
"Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
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RE: Baby gear - 1/13/2010 7:54:32 PM
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Abbreviated
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From: Kansas
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By kid 2 we were changing diapers on the floor. Just had a bag/basket with diaper & wipes handy.
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Jackie
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RE: Baby gear - 1/13/2010 8:03:17 PM
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SurpassingPeace
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Oh yes, I adamantly second the zipper sleepers. In the middle of the night, the last thing you want to do it try to button all those little buttons. You will button them wrong and have to start over, and over.
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Karen
Proud Member of the Imperfect Wives' Club
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RE: Baby gear - 1/13/2010 8:19:19 PM
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manda59
Posts: 7387
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From: Hampshire, UK
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Wouldn't have had the room for a changing table and didn't miss not having one! We just used the floor - at least then the baby can't roll off!!
I was SO GLAD that I had the carrycot on wheels (it also converted to a stroller), as it made a great daytime bed downstairs, *and* I could then easily rock the babies to sleep.
Loved our lightweight car seat with carrying handle that we had for our second child.
quote:
or should we register for specifics that we might not need just yet (eg bath tubs)?
I never once used a baby bath tub for either of our two!
I wouldn't have wanted pj's with a zip - would have been too afraid of catching the baby's skin in it.
Both ours had pj's with poppers, and never had any problems with doing them up, even at night.
NEVER USED: pre-packaged baby wipes or baby lotion. I used a roll of cotton wool (like this) pre-torn up into strips, and then dipped in warm water at each use (then thrown away). Far cheaper than wipes, no allergy issues and, being a natural product, they're totally biodegradable.
A baby bouncer (the sort you hang from a door frame or a beam) was a LIFE-SAVER with our ds, but our dd didn't like it at all. Thankfully, we'd bought it secondhand (as we had done with most of the baby stuff, including the cot (crib)).
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"What Manda said; well-stated and wise." deermousie, September 2010
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RE: Baby gear - 1/13/2010 9:02:46 PM
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Sideways
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quote:
ORIGINAL: manda59
I wouldn't have wanted pj's with a zip - would have been too afraid of catching the baby's skin in it.
Both ours had pj's with poppers, and never had any problems with doing them up, even at night.
Isn't that funny? I hated poppers, loved zippers. Haven't snagged any baby skin yet.
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Well behaved women rarely make the history books.
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RE: Baby gear - 1/13/2010 9:04:49 PM
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sharonjef2007
Posts: 3353
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Ok....here is my list:
Must Haves:
-car seat
-stroller
-carrier if your car seat does not double as one
-safe place for baby to sleep
-clothes (mostly sleepers and onsies at first)
-sleep sacks (essential to us but not to everyone)
-diapers and wipes
-blankets
-breast pump if you are breastfeeding. Nusing bra, nursing pads and Lanolin
-Plenty of bottles if you are not. A couple cans of formula. Don't want to get too many in case there is a reaction to it and you have to get something different.
-boppy pillow
-bouncer
The only thing I found to be a total waste were the baby gowns. They were hard to put on and take off quickly. We really enjoy our moby wrap but I wouldn't call it essential. The bouncer, sleep sacks and boppy may not be essential for everyone, but they were to us.
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RE: Baby gear - 1/13/2010 11:13:22 PM
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purejoy
Posts: 454
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My essentials
-stroller/carseat travel system
-three wipes containers...our bedroom, her bedroom, living room
-boppy, lanolin, nursing pads
-baby gowns... I LOVED these, especially at night, when I wasn't at all good at doing buttons 
-pack 'n play with bassinet, then crib
-Moby wrap
-Socks
For new moms, some helpful things I found that I now get them:
-baby gowns
-mesh feeders/teethers
-diaper trash bags (these are great for in the diaper bag. If we're out and she has a messy diaper, these are scented and the diaper has been able to stay in the car or diaper bag for some time without getting nasty. Also good for bringing home messy clothes.  )
-toy chain links - used these for a million things
As for registering, I registered for everything except clothes. We didn't find out what we were having, and that was great for a couple of reasons. Mainly, we didn't end up with tons of green and yellow clothes- people just bought us "stuff." Which was much more useful in my opinion, and will last us through a few more babies (hopefully.) We had enough sleepers to get us through the 0-3 month size, and as soon as she was born, her closet seemed to explode with pink clothes anyway. Also, I put things on we would need later as well...plastic utensils, bowls, etc. Figuring if someone wanted to buy it for me now, it would be less I would have to buy later.
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RE: Baby gear - 1/13/2010 11:44:37 PM
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sharonjef2007
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One peice of advice....
If there is something that someone says they thought was stupid or a waste and yet it is something you think would be really useful...go ahead and get it. As you can see, what works for one person or family is not going to work for another. But, it may or may not work for you!
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RE: Baby gear - 1/14/2010 12:34:54 AM
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Flintejae
Posts: 883
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I agree with Sharon!
and BOPPY!!!!!!!!!!! I concur!!! ALSO, if breast feeding, a good nursing wrap. I can't say ENOUGH about my 'hooter hider" or bebeaulait. A MUST have.
_____________________________
- Janine
Wife to Jason. Mother to Jadon and Joshua.
"Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
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RE: Baby gear - 1/14/2010 8:52:37 AM
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SurpassingPeace
Posts: 1340
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Keep the receipts for any diapers you by. Logan came home from the hospital in size 1 diapers so all the newborns had to go back. One thing that helped was a I bought diapers often before the baby came. I bought in a variety of different sizes. It really helped to have a supply of diapers.
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Karen
Proud Member of the Imperfect Wives' Club
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RE: Baby gear - 1/14/2010 12:59:57 PM
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Flintejae
Posts: 883
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OMG!!!!!!!!!! speaking of MUST HAVE'S!!! If you plan on breastfeeding, I can't say ENOUGH about this nursing cover. And, baby steals has it for HALF OFF today!
http://www.babysteals.com/
_____________________________
- Janine
Wife to Jason. Mother to Jadon and Joshua.
"Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
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RE: Baby gear - 1/15/2010 10:36:54 AM
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Mrs.Wifey
Posts: 2664
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From: The Gorgeous plains of Colorado
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Someone remind me how many nighties/sleepers I want to have? I'm thinking 10? We are basically starting over as far as clothing and I can't remember how many I liked having with Gabby.
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Ryanne- trying hard to be my husband's girlfriend and my daughter's mother.
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RE: Baby gear - 1/15/2010 10:48:27 AM
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purejoy
Posts: 454
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Ryanne, I don't remember for sure, but counting in my head now I had around 10-12 I think. I don't remember ever running out, but I definitely wouldn't go less.
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RE: Baby gear - 1/15/2010 11:27:05 AM
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anne-girl
Posts: 1676
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I like the look of those poncho-ish nursing covers, but we'll see what I pick in the end. Most of my colleagues are telling me I'll barely use one but it's hard to know how much of that is practicality and how much is the cultural difference re modesty, since they're not Christian.
Went to the dept stores downtown last night and discovered that if I were in dire financial straits, I would be in luck. They had a crib on clearance for $80, which had an incredibly flimsy-looking drop side with a plastic mechanism, and some stroller systems on clearance, probably last year's models... not sure I want a car seat that's been sitting on the shelf for months since they have expiry dates! You could tell they weren't super-keen on selling their products; two of the stroller floor models had broken handles! Looks like there aren't all that many options for reasonably-priced merchandise that isn't so cheap I wouldn't trust it. Other than Ikea, but they don't sell strollers or car seats. 
So far, the only thing I have (almost) picked out is the crib (the Ikea Gulliver). I'm thinking the car seat is the bigger priority, but it's a bit more overwhelming to shop for... I know the crib will fit my bedroom, and I can't be sure the car seat will fit my car!
_____________________________
Jen's chilling with her baby boy!
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RE: Baby gear - 1/15/2010 11:36:03 AM
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Mrs.Wifey
Posts: 2664
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From: The Gorgeous plains of Colorado
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Jen, see if you can find a boutique place, usually they will let you try the seats in your car. Or check out the car-safety.org forums, they are basically all about carseats and they have a section specifically for Canadians(IIRC) and they can give you advice about what will fit the best in your car.
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Ryanne- trying hard to be my husband's girlfriend and my daughter's mother.
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RE: Baby gear - 1/15/2010 11:38:25 AM
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anne-girl
Posts: 1676
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Oooh, I didn't realize they had a Canadian page. I did stumble across that page earlier this week when doing a search on my car's make/model re car seats.
Apparently even BabiesRUs will let you take the car seat out to your car, but I've heard really varying reviews of their service--anywhere from amazing to awful, depending on which store clerk you get. Do they have car-seat-installing clinics in the US too? Ours used to be run by the police/fire dept but now they're volunteer-run.
_____________________________
Jen's chilling with her baby boy!
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RE: Baby gear - 1/15/2010 11:48:38 AM
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Mrs.Wifey
Posts: 2664
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From: The Gorgeous plains of Colorado
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We do have clinics, but I won't use them unless they are run by certified car seat techs. Usually if I have a question I call the guy who runs the program at the hospital where I had Gabby. We haven't ever had much of a fit issue because we have a larger vehicle, but adding a second hulking carseat is proving to be a bit of an issue. Not sure what we are going to do...
HERE is the Canadian and International area.
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Ryanne- trying hard to be my husband's girlfriend and my daughter's mother.
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