Okay all you experienced mothers (and fathers). I need your advice and suggestions. As I start to make lists of what I need/want to buy before this baby comes, I get lost and confused and overwhelmed!
Please share with me.....
...................any items you think are MUST HAVES.
...................any items that are not worth getting.
...................suggestions on good carseats, strollers, cribs etc. (or if you got one you didn't like, tell me what it was and why you didn't like it)
...................anything else you want to share!
12 comments:
Ok... Think, Think, Think!
Evenflo car seats are ok. Graco are better!
When you start looking for car seats you need to look at the visors, this is the most over looked thing on baby car seats and the most annoying thing when you realize what a (POS) you just bought.
Play with the models at the stores. Lift the visor pull is as far over the front and as far to the top of the car seat as you can. If it falls over the back and doesn't stay over the baby's head or even over the baby it's crap.
Don't buy anything from Wal-mart. It may looks cute or even look like a good deal. It's not worth it. Everything will brake at least six months down the road and you will have to replace it.
You may have to spend a lot to get a nice crib (if you don't already have one) but the nicer the better. You will love your investment. We hate our $100 crib. it's a 3 in 1 it works ok. But the nicer ones, you can have grow with your child.
With having a BOY you are going to need to stock up on clothes. He will grow WAY faster than girls. For the first year he is going to go through so many different sizes you wont know where the time went. He will most likely only fit in newborns and 0-3 months for the first 2 weeks to 1 1/2 month.
Hayden was in 24 months clothing by the time he was 12 months old.
Cloth bags for baby socks are great when you need to do the laundry. After each load I suggest running your hand around every crack and every hiding spot in both your washer and dryer. Socks love to hid in there.
Oh... and Camera with you at all times! Your going to want to take pictures of everything.
Birth... DUHH!!!
2 week check up! etc..
I took pictures of Hayden almost everyday for the first year and a half. I love them and I am SO... glad it did!
The most important thing I can think of to tell you is. That your Baby Boy is going to be hard on you when it comes to trying to nurse. But you will want to stick with it. For your sake and for his. He wont latch on very good for the first month or so probably. Here and there he'll get it. you just have to deal with the pain and be super patient. You can do it!
BUY LANOLIN BY LANISOH for you. It's the best. And buy the wipes by the same company as well. As long at your nursing. If he gets any kind of diaper rash the lanisoh wipes will clear it up (for the most part) by the next diaper change.
Wow your friend Rachael has great advice I nodded my head to everything she said.
My big things that I loved were the sleep positioner to make sure he stays on his side.
And with X I loved having the baby cam. I'd run in there 5 times a night checking to make sure he was still breathing after the baby cam I could just flip on the monitor to make sure the blankets weren't wrapped around his face. Plus I could stare at him sleeping with out turning on his light to see him. I love a sleeping baby:)
And I love my Jeep stroller, the one with the hard wheels so I never have to worry about them getting holes in them and Freddie's car seat fits right on it perfectly. I like it way more then the stroller that came with the car seat.
And last thing with the whole nursing. Get gel packs, Medella makes them and they're reusable. They were the very best thing for me. And don't forget the chap stick when ya go to the hospital!
YOUR GETTING SO CLOSE!!! CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE LIL GUY!
Oh man, seriously there is so much I could share, where to start?
I would say with a carseat to make sure you get one that goes up to 30 lbs. just to be safe.. I've had a couple friends who have had to buy two carseats in the first year because their kids passed 20 lbs. and lots of carseats only go up to 20 or 22 lbs. I would say Graco and Chicco are very comparable, just different styles and Chicco are more expensive..
We got our crib from Downeast, it's Pottery Barn so it's a durable, nice one but we didn't pay a whole lot, do you have a Downeast out there? :)
You're a good sewer, you should make your bedding!! It's really not hard and I bet you'd make something super cute and you'd get to choose whatever you wanted!!
Nursing was so hard at the beginning, but so worth it for me!! Like your friend Rachael I say stick with it if you can! Tea bags helped me for soreness, the lanolin stuff didn't because I was so cracked (sorry TMI :) Also, it only took 2 weeks for her to get better, and some people it doesn't even take that long, and with me what eventually helped was when I stood up and bounced her when I nursed, worked for me, maybe it'll work for other people? Worth a shot!
Do you guys have Costco out there? I love the Kirkland brand diapers (and usually they're cheaper, just make sure you check the unit price because I like the Huggies you can get at Costco too..) Their wipes are great too, don't go generic, you end up using a lot more since they're not very good :) Also, I always try to put some type of diaper rash cream (I liked Desitin Original or Balmex, it's thicker so you use less and it stays on better) because, at least for Selma, it seems like she gets a diaper rash if I don't put it on..
With clothes, I would make sure to try on clothes that you don't even think will fit him yet because you'd be surprised what does and then they can't wear it very much because they're almost grown out of it! Yikes!!
Okay, sorry, I'm kind of rambling and just trying to think of stuff.. I guess I would just say make as much stuff as you can, you're soi talented!! At least if you like doing it.. I love sewing so I save a lot of money sewing her stuff.. And speaking of saving money, we bought some big ticket items off KSL, like her swing, normally retails for $140, got it for $50 and barely used, we just bought a new cover for $14 off the manufacturer's website.. I know you're in Ohio but maybe you're relatives could pick stuff up for you? :)
Anywho, none of that probably really helped.. Biggest advice? Go with your gut, it's amazing the "mommy instinct" that you have.. I even ask my mom for more advice than my pediatrician, that's just me though.. Do what you think is best and don't worry about what other people think! You know what's best, you're the mom! :) You'll be great!!
#1, you are SO small!!! I am SO much bigger than you I'm embarrassed! Yes, this is my third, but I am jealous.
Agree with the car seat suggestions from the others. Go with Graco or Chicco, ONLY. I HATED the travel system only because the stroller is so big and such a pain. I've learned from the previous two. This time I am buying just one of those stroller frames to fit the infant seat and than a nice lightweight stroller to follow. Don't go with an umbrella, but something a little bigger. When your baby grows out of it's infant seat only go with BRITAX!!! Expensive, but I promise, the best car seats ever! You can't put a price tag on your little one who rides in so long.
Those are my main suggestions. You will do fine and you will learn what you like and what you don't. Everyone is different with all the little suggestions. You'll find what works for you.
Hmmm You have had a lot of great advice. I don't know if I have much more to add.
I agree with your friends on the car seat. I would definitely put my money into getting a good car seat that holds up to 30lbs, just in case. Olivia is still under 25 lbs but I liked having my car seat a little bigger.
I like smaller strollers too, they are so much easier to go shopping with, I had a stroller frame and loved it and now I use a Combi stroller (It's really cute and fun but the wheels on mine are kind of annoying).
Jared and I love our play pen that we bought Olivia and really got our money's worth out of it. She has slept more in that then her crib (I know that's weird but she always slept better in there).
The only advice I have with clothing is that Carter's shrinks like crazy!
And I would NOT buy a Genie for dirty diapers! I bought one for Olivia and it worked for like a month and then stopped, the room smelled SO bad all the time.
Well I know I didn't give much advice if any but I hope it works.
I know Steve and you will make great parents! Jared and I are soO excited for the two of you and can't wait to meet your cute Robby!:)
Usually when I read these kind of posts I disagree with a lot, but I think you've gotten a lot of really good advice!
One small thing I thought about which I love, is this little cushion thing that straps on to the carseat and pads your arm when you carry the baby around in the carseat. I love it! It saves your arms from getting super sore! I can't remember what it's called like something-bug.
I also wanted to agree with others who said to put your baby in bigger sizes. I have small kids and it was still true with them. It's so sad when you save an outfit until they are actually that age and then you put it on them only to realize it is too small.
I can't really think of anything else! Good luck!
Wow, lots of great advice! Shortly after Gracie arrived, some friends of ours suggested we purchase a bouncer. I'm SO glad we listened! I think that was the most used piece of 'furniture' we used! It was nice to have somewhere Gracie could sit and be entertained so I could have two hands for awhile to do things like take a shower!
Also, as little Robby begins to learn how to sit on his own you may want to think about buying a 'bumbo'. This works great as a sort of portable high chair as well!
Nintendo WII, Playstation 3, Fly rod with a nice collection of dry flies and nymphs, a learner's permit for driving. You'll need to get him a job as soon as possible to assure he earns his keep. I like Harley Davidson motorcycles, so I could keep it for him until he's a year or so old if you want to get him one of those too.
Grandpa K
HI, Cute Jenni!!
You're looking so cute. I can only add:
Buy your favorite baby wipes and binkies in bulk!!
Boppies are great.
Those little long jammy gowns are wonderful for the first couple of months. Kourtney kept her legs curled up underneath her for the first six weeks of life and practially lived in those.
A few must haves (in my book):
Boppy pillow (for nursing)
binkies (for your sanity. Some doctors say not to let your baby have a binky for the first few weeks while nursing, Kyler started out with a binky and did fine. KAhri.. well....quark, you know what I mean but she didn't have a binky for the first bit)
those strings that hold the binky and hook to the baby's shirt
a baby wrap to carry the baby around
a swing or bouncer just the little ones that can sit on the floor, the ones from walmart are reliable
a couple bottles and a can of formula even if you are planning on nursing
a hooter hider if you are planning on nursing
I like jogging strollers. We have the "safety first" one and we bring it everywhere. They turn really nicely.
We got our crib from Ikea, not expensive at all, very reliable and sturdy, kinda small. Converts into a toddler bed.
Things I don't think you need but are cute and fun to have if you've got the cash:
baby towels/washcloths (really, babies can use normal towels and washcloths)
a baby bath (use the sink or only two inches of water in the tub)
Advice:
the strongest pain medicine your doctor recommends for the first few weeks of nursing, with kyler I took it and he is fine and nursing was a breeze with Kahri I had quark and you saw where that got me. (I've also heard that it is a good idea to rub your nipples BEFORE the baby arrives every morning in the shower with a damp washcloth so they can build calluses but I would never post that as a comment on your blog)
FROM THE BEGINNING always make Robby sleep in his own bed. As an infant he will fall asleep in your arms quickly but I would make an attempt to lay him in his crib BEFORE he falls asleep as much as possible from the beginning. Kahri LOVES to snuggle until she knows she's ready to fall asleep and then she BEGS to be put in her crib.
That's all I got for now. You're going to be a wonderful mom! Love you!
I love love love the Chicco car seat and stroller system. But, when you go to a double, I had a hard time finding something that fit the chicco car seat, but still totally worth it. I also use my boppy every time I feed my kids, they are great to have if you are planning on breast feeding. One other thing that is a must, a swing, it will save you some days!
One other thing that crossed my mind, don't get a diaper genie. They are a waste of money. They only work until the kid starts eating solids,and then they stink no matter what! Just save all your grocery sacks and tie them up in those.
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