A few weeks ago I started a Target baby registry online. I added a few things here and there but I wanted to do the bulk of it in-store so that I could see/touch/compare things, and also so I knew that SOME of the stuff I wanted would be available in store for shopping purposes.
So, since my shower is about a month away, Jacob and I headed over to Target today to bulk up our list. The first thing out of Jacob's mouth when we got into the store, "Is this going to take 4 hours?" Apparently he was still having some PTSD from our wedding registry experience. ;)
We got our little scanner gun and set out in a systematic way through the baby section. To be honest, I have NO IDEA what I'm looking for or what we're going to want/need. So, if it looked good, we scanned it. But there are SOOO many choices for things like bottles and play pens (apparently now called "Pack-n-Plays"). When it came to car seats, we had no idea... so we have three on our registry. lol We figure we would be happen with any of them, so we'll give people different price point options. If we get two, great! One for each car! If we get three, we can return one and buy some other stuff that we didn't get. I think we'll be ok. =)
What did you all get for our babies that you are SOO grateful for? Or what did you NOT get that you ended up really wanting/needing? Help a girl out here. =)
4 comments:
OK, here's my two cents worth. But it's probably three times as much as you want to hear, so lets call it my 6 cents worth.
You don't need a ton of stuff. This is an area where the marketing kings reign supreme. If you're getting a standard infant car seat like the Graco snugride, get an additional base to put in your other car. I bought a used car seat just like the one I had for $10 off craigslist and just used it for the base.
No offense if you registered for one, but I think wipe warmers and diaper genies are a waste of money. I would wait for things like an exersaucer/jumper until you know your kids temperament. Neither of my kids have liked to jump at all, and Ben never liked to be put in an exersaucer for more than a minute.
A must have for me is a high chair on wheels. We got an inexpensive one by Evenflo and it has held up brilliantly. I would wheel Josh into any room with me, plus I feel it is more sturdy than the ones that just strap to chairs because the base is so much wider. But I have rough and rowdy boys who love to slam their bodies around in it.
Another must have is different types of diaper cream. My favorite is Balmex, but some rashes have responded better to a/d cream. Get multiple types because it's a fact of life that you're baby will get a nasty diaper rash when she starts pooping until the skin can toughen up some.
Another must is having some gas drops on hand, otherwise I promise Jacob will make a late night run to get some when you can't get the baby to stop crying and you've tried everything else. And speaking of that sort of thing, get yourself a stool softener like docusate because... yeah... you'll need it. Trust me.
So was that way more than you wanted? :)
I agree with Lauren that a lot of stuff isn't necessary or helpful. But, of course some thing definitely are... in our experience here is what has been helpful for us:
*wipeable changing mat
*travel swing (more compact and easy to transport when visiting family/friends)
*soft blankets for baby to play on
*jersy knit blankets to wrap baby that are soft and snuggly
*white noise machine (we just use our computer or radio)this will save you from hyperventilating trying to soothe baby (which we seriously almost did one night)
*pacifiers
*moby wrap/ baby carrier
*microwave bottle steriliser (easier to store and use in my opinion)
*lots and lots of burp cloths
*baby tub OR seat to bathe newborn baby in sink WITH sponge pad to make it more comfy
*baby sleeping gro-bag (keeps them warm and comfy while preventing SIDS)
i agree that there are a lot of items that aren't NEEDED to welcome baby...but some things come in handy none the less.
For example, we ADORE our wipe warmer...and it could be because we live in the frigid northeast and the warm wipes are nicer on our baby's behind during diaper changes! Hahaha!
I would recommend you check out consumersearch.com to compare baby car seats and strollers...there are lots of safety features to consider! Register for 2 strollers...a nice durable one...and then a little and light umbrella stroller. There are strollers that adjust to fit a baby's carseat into them...keeps it simple.
Love the lists above. Exciting stuff right!!??
I'm all for limiting the number of things you get. Here are a few of my suggestions:
*Wipeable diaper changing pad is great since it'll likely get peed/pooped on at some point.
*Towels that will actually be big enough for your growing little girl as she gets out of bathtime. Our munchkin passed up the baby towels several months ago.
*As Sadie, said, LOTS of burp rags. We went through tons per day and I was doing laundry for Grace every day for awhile.
*Don't bother registering for clothing items, but you might suggest that people buy you larger sizes (maybe 9 months+?) so you don't get stuck with bunches of newborn clothes.
*If you are registering for clothing, I've found that pants with attached foot portions and lots of girls' tights have been helpful for keeping legs and toes warm.
*I love my Boppy pillow. I found it great to sit on after getting home from the hospital, great for extra support while breastfeeding, and also great for me for sleeping.
*We have a highchair that attaches to the chair ("spacesaver" kind) and it's been great.
*Grace has enjoyed her Bumbo-type seat with an activity tray around it (I think ours is the Summer brand). It's kept her busy a lot.
*Grace LOVED her bouncer, but we got that from a friend who was passing it around. Don't spend money on those types of things. Ask around. Join "mommy" groups. See if people will want to swap anything.
*As far as carseats go, an infant carrier was great for us because we could take it into restaurants, stores, etc. and Grace could sleep in it while we were doing other things. We only had one base and then at a carseat clinic they told us how to install it quickly and easily without the base, too.
*We use Desitin diaper cream.
*Right now we're loving the Munchkin brand mesh feeder thing. You can put foods in it and your kid can suck on them without a choking hazard.
*Grace loves her crib mirror still, but it might be dependent on your kid.
*You should probably get some sort of baby monitor. We use the Summer brand regular monitor and it's worked out just fine.
*Get sleepsacks or wearable blankets in different sizes. We still use one because you're not supposed to let kids under 1 have a blanket. For reference, Grace is about 22 lbs at 8 months old and is in the 95th+ percentiles for height/weight in case you're trying to gauge sizes.
*I'm incredibly thankful to have a nice breastpump. Mine is the Medela brand. It's allowed me to get out of the house when I need to.
Hope this all helps!
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