The weekend went by so fast its unbelievable but I had a great time. I got to hang out with my friend JJ on Saturday and then Sunday I got some rest and bought some baby stuff and a dress for myself at the mall. Koby's mom drove in town around dinner time yesterday and we went out for breakfast this morning. It was super yummy!
Anyway, we will be registering for baby stuff soon and I thought I would ask all you moms (and dads) for some advice. I know most things can be returned/exchanged if they don't work, but I want to try to register for the exact thing I need. I'm not too worried about the little stuff, but I could use some advice about things like:
- strollers (I know for sure we want one that is tall-people friendly)
- car seats (safe of course, but I will be dropping baby off, Koby will be picking baby up. Do they make them where you can buy two bases?)
- monitors (want one that will last but not super fancy)
- bassinets/pack-n-plays (absolutely clueless)
- breast pumps (again, clueless)
Any advice would be appreciated!
What I'm ExCiTeD about...
I have an ultrasound tomorrow and I'm very eager to see what baby Olivia looks like now. Last time she moved around a whole bunch but I couldn't feel it because she was still so small. I have a feeling it will be very different this time around! :)
9 comments:
* strollers: the key is to take it off the shelf and practice breaking it down and putting it together. you'll quickly figure out which one(s) you like best.
* car seats: 5 point harness is the safest. yes they come with two bases, or you can order an extra one.
* monitors: pick one, any one
* bassinets/pack-n-plays: can't help you there, don't agree with them.
* breast pumps: if you're working full time and pumping go with electric like medela. otherwise the avent pump is what i swear by.
Although I'm merely Olivia's sugar daddy and not her biological father (at least until the paternity test arrives) I recommend asking for tons and tons of diapers. Although cute and cuddly, that thing's gonna be a pooping machine.
Since Irene had no help on the Pack N Play front, I would suggest get a basic one. We have used ours a lot when we travel, esp. staying in a hotel or whatever. Also, if I'm babysitting a baby or toddler who needs to nap while they're here. I think ours was about $60 and it has no bells or whistles so I can't comment on fancy ones, but it has done just fine. As for bassinets, I never had one. Kellen slept in a swing or bouncy seat for the first few weeks, and Bonnie pretty much slept with us for the first 2-3 months.
I can also suggest www.babyage.com if you find an item you want but can't get it at a local store. We used them to buy our double stroller. The good thing about them is that shipping is flat rate. (I think it was $5 a couple of years ago but now has probably gone up.)
My two cents-
-If you get the all-in-one deal (stroller and car seat), you can easily order another base from the manu. In fact, I saw a phone # on my base the other day to order an additional base.
-Monitors - I have an expensive one and a cheap one. My nicer one had the lights and music which C and P both used to go to sleep in the middle of the nights. But, it's definitely not necessary.
-Pack-n-play - nice to have but we don't use it much. A simple Graco will do the trick. My sister used hers a ton though when they traveled.
BP - a double electric Medela is the best if you'll be pumping a lot. They are expensive though.
I'm in agreement with mostly everything that's already been said.
Ditto, Aaron--diapers are like gold. We received so many that I didn't have to buy diapers until after Norah's first birthday...and that was a HUGE blessing--those little poop-catchers aren't cheap!
Medela double is the Cadillac of breast pumps...which, if you're planning on working (ie--pumping a lot), I would think it might be worth the investment--be prepared--they are high. I know first hand, if you don't have a pump that you're comfortable with, it will make you want to stop pumping (by the 2nd month, I quit pumping and just nursed Norah every time so I wouldn't have to pump)...and baby formula is MUCH more expensive than the free alternative God gives us.
We got a cheap monitor, and I think I attempted to use it once... we just didn't need one. Our house isn't that big, so if the baby was crying, I didn't need a monitor to figure it out...and hearing all the little noises she made in her sleep only made me nervous, so I'd run down the hall and find her sleeping soundly.
We never used a bassinet. My personal opinion is that a swing is a way better investment. You'll use it for longer, and most babies LOVE to sleep in them. (We kept ours in our room for the first couple of months and Norah slept there every night, until we weren't scared to let her sleep in her crib)
I love my Pack & Play. I don't use it at home (or as a jail cell) but it makes traveling much easier. We have a Graco and one of my favorite features was a removable changing platform that could go on the top. When we travel, it is Norah's crib, and she loves it. Mine also came with a stationary mobile, which was great when she was tiny and loved looking up/watching it.
Also, like Denise, I highly recommend the all-in-one travel system. Its wonderful, because when you're baby's still tiny, you can leave her in the car seat, remove it from the car and it snaps right into the stroller (so you never have to wake her up...and most babies do tend to fall asleep in the car) The stroller also functions without the car seat, when the baby grows bigger. The only downside is they only come with one base, but you can order a second one from the manufacturer, and its GREAT to have two! One more bit of advice, I recommend picking up the car seat in the store, to see if it is comfortable to carry--different brands have different handle directions/grips, and we have friends who hated the one they bought so much that they ended up buying another one. Good luck, registering is fun!
Here is my list of can't-live-withouts:
* Swaddle-me blanket
* Floor Gym w/toys (life saver)!
* Exersaucer (4 mos. +)
* Bumbo
* OXYCLEAN SPOT REMOVER!
* Diaper Decor
Thought I had to have, but found out I didn't need:
* Bottle warmer
* Wipe warmer
* Monitor
* Playpen
* Shopping Cart cover (she pulls it off and gums the car anyway)
Wish I would've gotten:
* A baby sling for those times when she just wanted to be held.
* A jogging stroller.
Hope this is somewhat helpful. It's totally different for everyone, though!
I have a gift registry section in the "Mommy Corner" of my blog.
We have the Graco Ultraclear Monitor. I think it's on the cheaper side, and I have no complaints about it. We actually took it downstairs and out into our street to listen for Caroline on the 4th of July and we heard her when the fireworks eventually woke her up.
We opted for the pack 'n play instead of a bassinet. Ours has a bassinet insert, so we were able to let Caroline sleep in that for the first few weeks that we had her in our bedroom. It's nice b/c you don't have to bend down very far. The one we got is a Graco and it has an attachment that has a 3 setting light (easy to check the baby in the middle of the night), sounds, and a vibrator. We actually kept using the vibrator by shoving it under the regular crib mattress since it seems to help Caroline sleep in those early days. Ours also has a changing station part - also good for when the baby is in your bedroom. I've never used it for "play."
I recommend Pampers Swaddlers for diapers (newborn and size 1) but now I like Huggies best. I don't know why, I guess I think they are more absorbant/
Thanks for all the advice. I feel like I can never have enough right now. I wish we had a Babies R' Us in College Station though...I hear they are pretty neat!!
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