Early 30's TTC #1

[rosababy]

it's been a looooooooooong time since i've posted on this thread (over a year!), but just wanted to say congrats to everyone on their babies and also to you soliel breeze. i check this thread often just to see how everyone is doing. has anyone heard from arriane?

wow, sarah! I didn't realize you did ivf...congrats on your twinnies! It's been sooo long!

Haven't heard from arriane, no. I hope she's doing okay. How are you?

 

[Regalpeas]

Hi Sarah!

I was also wondering if anyone has heard from Crumbs lately? How is she and he LO doing?

 

[Soleil Breeze]

But before I do that, CONGRATS, Sarah! A boy AND a girl! That is fabulous!

So I would like some advice. I won't be doing up a registry for a few more months yet (probably go home for a shower in July), but I would like some feedback from you guys regarding baby stuff. What did you register for and get that you found was not so hot after all? (E.g. I've heard lots of people say that the wipe warmers are a waste of money...). What are some items that you feel are essential, and what do you wish you had asked for, but had to buy yourself later on because it wasn't on your registry?

I'm not really a shopper and find the whole process to be a little overwhelming. I would really, really appreciate any thoughts that you have!

 

[rosababy]

I hate shopping too, but I love registries!

Yes, wipes warmers are a waste...although I do have one. hahaha!!! I use them for my cloth wipes. It keeps them wet without getting mildewy.

I used large, white multipurpose waterproof pads a lot. For a make shift changing station in the living room, in the pack and play to protect the sheets from puke when he was really little, etc.
https://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4086291

Jack LOVES his play gym. We have the jungle one with lights and he still plays with it. He also loves his exer saucer, but you can get one of those at a consignment store, or used because they're expensive.

Do NOT register for blankets unless there is one you really really want. People love to buy clothes and blankets. You end up with tons of them and you don't need that many. Toys are the same way...you'll get lots.

We did a shower where we asked people to bring books for Jack. We ended up with a ton of great books.

I really preferred the "my breast friend" pillow to the boppy. However, we did use the boppy a lot for tummy time and now for supported sitting.

I don't suggest registering for too much breast feeding stuff...you never know if it'll work out and then you'll have all this stuff that you can't return. I even tried to return some stuff that I hadn't opened yet AND I had the freaking gift receipt AND it was on my registry, but because it was after 90 days of purchase, I couldn't return them. I.Was.Pissed. Especially a pump...just wait until you know you can breastfeed. YOu can always rent one from the hospital for a week until you purchase one. AND you might be able to get one from insurance.

I don't like babies R Us...their return policy is terrible (see above story ) and they're rude. But we did go with them because they're within walking distance of our house and it was convenient. Buy Buy baby is great.

You don't know what kinds of pacifiers and bottles your baby will like, so consider registering for one or two of a few different kinds.

hope this helps.

 

[Aisak]

i had a registry at BRU but ended up getting rid of it. i'd add stuff to my registry, and then the next time i'd look at it, half of it would be unavailable because they discontinued those products. That happened several times, so i gave up. Plus, i agree with Rosa - our BRU store is a mess/stuff is always out of stock and the employees are rude. However, i have bought stuff there because it's convenient and they frequently have sales.

i ended up registering at a different store (West Coast Kids - pretty sure it's Canadian). However, i only received a couple gifts off my registry at my shower.

i agree with not registering for blankets - i've received several larger blankets (stroller blankets i guess you would call them). As far as clothes - not as much, but i think it may be because people are waiting to find out the sex. Gender neutral clothing isn't as fun to buy.

 

[MsJMouse]

We don't really do gift registries here so I got lots of things I wouldn't have necessarily picked out or even thought of. We got given a bouncer which I love and have used a lot. Also the play mat has been really useful. We got lots of clothes mostly. We also got lots of baby lotions etc which means we have lots of things we don't use and I am not sure what to do with them as they are big bottles.

 

[MsJMouse]

I agree with Rosa on selecting a couple different bottles and pacifiers as we have recently had the fun of trying to find a bottle/teat combination that Amelia will drink from.

 

[MrsPTTC]

Congrats Sarah!v

Regal no not heard from crumbs in quite a while

Soleil we don't have registries in the UK that I know of, but as far as what's great to have is:

Milton mini steriliser for the dummy (pacifier)
Buggy buddy clip for the pram to carry shopping bags
Nappies (diapers) with wetness indicator
Lots of Muslins as so many uses!
Disposable change mats (I also use on top of ordinary mat to stop it getting soiled as its a posh mat that goes with the nursery & was expensive )
Black & white baby book
Slumber buddy bella butterfly (heartbeat setting & penny likes the music even though it sounds like lift/elevator music
Nursing bras & tops
Lansinoh nipple cream
Rocker/bouncer chair
Playmat
Cellular blankets

I'm sure there's lots more but penny is so little she doesn't do a lot yet!

As far as things we got given that were duplicated were:

Outfits - NOT babygro's which we needed
Bibs
Rattle soft toys
Comforters

HTH!

x

 

[mrsmax]

Oh - how exciting SB!!! As MrsP said, we dont have registries here but.....

We got sooooo many blankets - and really dont use them all. I only really like the celluler ones (eg with holes) so I dont have to worry about suffication.

As for must buys:

Baby sleeping bags - found these much better than rugs and blankets (see above) and she doesnt kick them off. I like the fact she cant suffocate in them

A zip up swaddle like the Woombsie - much easier than swaddle blankets (oh, and stick with swaddling - I wish we had!!!)

A "sshhhh machine" - dont know what their real name is but a whote noise machine that clips to the cot (plays wave and rain sounds) - this has been the best buy ever!! Honestly is like a magic machine

A diaper organiser
A fold up changing mat (mine came in my changing bag)
A decent changing bag

Dont buy too many newborn bottles - they need more than the 4oz size quite quickly.

A machine that transmits colours onto the ceiling - Eva loves watching this. Ours is Tomy Dreamshow.

As for outfits - funnily enough we didnt have enough of the starter size as everyone bought 3-6 months clothes, but dont buy too many as they grow out of stuff so quickly and you really just need babygros until they are 2 months or even longer.

And as they others have said a good baby gym.

Ok, hope that helps!!!

Would love to hear from Crumbs and Jogu again.

 

[sarah10380]

Thanks...I am doing great and so are my little ones. They are really good babies, so i'm lucky

SB here are some of my suggestions:

- baby bath (we have one that fits in our kitchen sink)
- play gym mat - the kids love this
- bouncy seat - we used these all of time the first few months, but not so much anymore
- jumper or exersaucer - the kids love this
- swing - i know a lot of people rely on swings to put their kids to sleep or just to calm them, but mine didn't really like them...they actually cried more when i put them in the swing
- bumbo seat - my son loves his, but not my daughter
- like Rosa i prefered the mybreastfriend pillow for breast feeding (even though i only did it for 1 month), but we also have boppys which we ALWAYS use (for tummy time, assist in sitting up, or just laying by us on the couch when they were super little)
- onesies and sleep and play jammies (i registered for these, but nobody bought them...i got a TON of other clothes which weren't on my registry) - with the sleep and play's i would get the ones with the zippers opposed to the snaps, because it's much easier to unzip to change a diaper in the middle of the night then to fiddle with the snaps
- bottle warmer - i got one of these, but have never used it...my kids are ok with cold water and formula
- wipe warmer - i was also told this was a waste, so i didn't get one
- i agree about the bottles and pacifiers - some babies are picky in what they like so maybe wait on these...my kids however do LOVE these pacifiers https://www.wubbanub.com/
- i also agree about the blankets, don't register for these...you will get a ton. also another thing i didn't register for were bibs and i got sooo many, i do use a lot of bibs though...my kids are drooling like crazy right now
- i have a diaper caddy basket thing that i keep downstairs with diapers, wipes, etc so that i don't have to keep going upstairs to the nursery to change and i also have a changing pad that i keep downstairs for this purpose too
- sheet savers - they lay in the crib to protect the sheets from pee and spit up (LOVE these)
- Pack and play with the bassinet attachment - haven't use ours that much because the kids have slept in their cribs from day one, but plan on using it a ton when we start traveling to the beach soon
- car seat (unless you don't have a car in nyc) and stroller of course
- i would get a sound machine or at least a cd with white noise - we have a cd with just the sound of a hair dryer that puts my kids right to sleep (very weird...but it works)
- swaddle blankets - i love the aden + anais brand. we swaddled for the first 4 months or so and then after that we put the kids in sleep sacks which worked out great.


I also agree with Rosa about not registering for the breast feeding stuff. I had issues with my milk coming in so I only breast fed for a month and spent over $200 on a pump that I didn't use for very long. You can always rent a pump first to see if it works for you. I also registered at BRU and wasn't a huge fan. I got a lot of double items and also the prices are pretty high. I like Buy Buy Baby and Target.

 

[MsJMouse]

Congrats on the twins Sarah.

Soliel - I agree with Mrs Max on the swaddle suit. I was wrapping Amelia in a muslin wrap to start with and she would work her arms out most of the time but then a few weeks back I woke to find she had pulled the wrap up over her face. Scared the crap out of me. My friend had happened to give me a swaddle suit that week so now we use that. We also got a woombie swaddle suit but Amelia doesn't like that one as she likes to put her hands up. The one I got from my friend is Love to Dream swaddle suit which allows her to keep her hands up and she sleeps great in it and I don't have to worry that she is going to suffocate herself.

We only got given maybe one blanket but then I did have a summer baby.

 

[pink80]

Hi Ladies

It's great to hear you are all doing so well!

SB congrats! My advice for what it's worth as I've found that all babies are very different

I needed newborn stuff for a very short time, and tbh I didn't get much of that for gifts anyway. Nappies and more nappies, my little man pooed 'all the time' to start with and was being changed so often I didn't care what they were, just needed a lot of them! If you are breast feeding and want to express, don't bother with lots of bottles of one type, my son flatly refuses a bottle now, so you mind end up trying a lot of different ones. I got lots of toys at my baby shower and when he was born (oh and Christmas) so I wouldn't buy too many of those. I didn't have a Moses basket and I'm glad I didn't, he wouldn't have been in it long! Can't think of anything else at the moment - brain fog!

 

[rosababy]

There's also a thing called a Swaddle Strap and we loved it. Totally wished we had it when he was first born.

https://www.annaandeve.com/home

Perfect for summer babies, as it's not a blanket, but literally a strap that velcros around his arms to swaddle his arms in. We liked it for naps because it was annoying to put a swaddle blanket on for naps. We felt like Jack got too hot in them and I was not about to take his clothes off for every nap. We just left this right in the crib and strapped it over whatever he was wearing.

 

[Soleil Breeze]

That was AMAZING information, girls! I'm really grateful - especially given that you're either pregnant and tired/busy OR a new mom and tired/busy!

I also learned some cultural things - like no registries in the UK or Australia.

I have literally written down your suggestions on two sheets of paper. I guess it would have been easier to copy and paste. May go and do that yet.

I really appreciate the tips, too, regarding the newborn stuff, the 4oz bottles, cautions against babiesrus and the other cool website suggestions.

A question for you, though. Did you go straight for the crib or did you find a bassinet/cradle useful? Also, I've been reading some mixed reviews on getting a changing station. Some people say just get a pad [like some of you gals were suggesting anyway] and put it on a bed or bathroom counter, while others say get the station. Any thoughts?

Finally, what do you think of those strollers that have the piece that also serves as a car seat? Yay or nay?

THANK YOU AGAIN!! I actually feel a little inspired now; like this registry thing/buying for baby might just be doable.

 

[hakunamatata]

We used a bassinet and Ani slept in our room til about 4 months old or so. We use a changing pad on top of a low bureau that has worked quite well. I always have a hand on her and of course I never ever walk away.

So glad you're excited SB, big hugs!

 

[hakunamatata]

Also if you end up using bottles I highly recommend Tommee Tippee. Will definitely use if we have baby#2.

 

[rosababy]

A question for you, though. Did you go straight for the crib or did you find a bassinet/cradle useful? Also, I've been reading some mixed reviews on getting a changing station. Some people say just get a pad [like some of you gals were suggesting anyway] and put it on a bed or bathroom counter, while others say get the station. Any thoughts?

Finally, what do you think of those strollers that have the piece that also serves as a car seat? Yay or nay?

Jack slept in a pack and play in our room until he was almost 3 months. Just before he turned 3 months, we moved him into the crib full time. For a few weeks before that, he would take a nap or two each day in the crib to get used to it. It was nice to have him in our room while he was waking up 3 or 4 times a night. Even though it's a short walk down the hallway, it was a long short walk.

We did get a changing table because the room is not huge, so we thought that a long, wide dresser (which some people put a changing pad on top of) would take up too much square footage. Plus, when he's too big for diapers, we'd be stuck with this huge dresser that took up a lot of floor room. We have a tall dresser, which takes up less room and holds just as much stuff. We also had a changing station in our living room and some supplies in our bedroom. Now that he's only in his room at night and doesn't need 10 diapers a day, we only use the changing table in his room.

I like our stroller, and it is the kind that the car seat clips into. It's really nice when you're running errands and around town. We also had a snap and go, which was REALLY nice because it's way lighter and more convenient to get in and out of my little car's trunk. Now that he's bigger, he still fits in the car seat and I could totally still clip it into the stroller, but he's big enough to sit in the real part of the stroller and enjoys looking around. I do wish I had bought a 3 wheeler/jogger stroller though, even though I don't jog. The shocks are a lot better and if you have a bumpy sidewalk or a trail or something, the 4 wheelers don't work so well.

 

[MrsPTTC]

Aww you know Soleil its lovely seeing you so excited & happy, looks like you're much more relaxed

We've got Penny in a Moses basket now & will put her in her cot in her own room either once she's outgrown it or when we feel she's ready to to in there. They say in the UK for them to be in your room for 6months but most of my friends have had their babies in their own room by 2 or 3 months...I'm just going to play it by ear. We have a quinny buzz 3 wheeler & the car seat bit is so convenient, I'd defo recommend. And we have a cot top changer in the nursery & a second mat for downstairs.

Mrsmax DH has downloaded a white noise app for his phone & works a treat!

x

 

[readyORnot]

wow, I love how much advice everyone has! I just want to say I love that our car seat clips into the buggy frame, even at almost 10 months old I still find it really handy, especially when he's fallen asleep in the car and I just want to pop into the supermarket without waking him up.

 

[MsJMouse]

We have a cradle in our room and Amelia sleeps in it. We are also advised to have bub sleep in same room for at least six months. Not sure how long A will stay in the cradle - her room is at the other end of our house so a long walk in the middle of the night. We have a change table/station as we went with a tallboy for her clothes. A's room is just off our lounge room so she always gets changed on her change table. We even move the change table into the kitchen for when we bath her (baby bath gets put on the kitchen counter.)

Glad to hear you are excited Soliel.