Experienced moms - help. Do I need all this stuff? (list)

[Mintastic]

Help please.

I am 33 weeks today and started to make a shopping cart on Diapers.com (I am in the US - I have a 15%off coupon) of things I did not get at my shower last week.
The total came out to 108.65.
Our budget is very tight due to an unexpected financial pitfall shortly after we conceived.

There are plenty of other things I want/need but right now I am just trying to get the bare minimum in case baby comes early (a higher possibility for me).
So, do I need all of these things?
(Or, do I need much more of some of these things right away, or can it wait?)

Here's the list:

Pediacare Infant's Acetaminophen Fever Reducer/Pain Reliever 2 oz
$7.29

Little Remedies Little Noses Stuffy Nose Kit (spray + aspirator bulb) .5 oz
$5.59

Naty Eco-Sensitive Nursing Pads - 30 ct
$5.29

Summer Infant Comfy Bath Sponge (I do not have a baby bathtub)
$5.99

J L Childress Full Body Changing Pad (do not have a changing table - diaper bag came with very small pad)
$12.91

Munchkin Bottle & Nipple Brush
$3.99

Avent Natural Glass Bottle 8 oz (bottles only. times 2)
$19.62 (for 2) (we have one other bottle the avent natural (plastic) 4 ounce)

Avent Natural Nipple - Slow Flow - 2 Pack
$5.38

Avent Soothie (pacifier/dummy) 0-3 Months - 2 pack
$3.79

Bumkins Waterproof Zippered Wet/Dry Bag
$13.45 (we have 1 wet bag, with no dry compartment and I was told more than one would be needed)

My Brest Friend All-Natural Organic Nipple Cream - Lanolin Free - 2 oz
$12.29

WaterWipes Baby Wipes 240 ct
$15.99


-----------
That's it - a few of the other things I would really like but figured were non-essential and stopped myself were:
-A hands-free pumping bra
-Swaddler sacks/sleep sacks (we have one Woombie and plenty of muslin cloths).
-A better nasal aspirator besides just the bulb (bebesounds electric - I cannot do nosefrida, please don't suggest it).

Thanks for looking, any and all advice from experienced moms is very much appreciated!!

 

[atx614]

Hi! Your list looks great actually! Some of the stuff you may not need right away, but you will need so it is good to have and nice to get the discount now. The stuffy nose kit is the only thing I didn't use! I also bathed with my or used the sink with a folded towel until she could sit up so we didn't need a tub or sponge either!

For a hands free pumping bra, I cut two holes in a sports bra and it worked great! Also, if you want to save a few bucks, you can use old tshirts or wash clothes cut up for wipes and just wash them with your diapers. Just spray them wet and use! You can also use coconut oil instead of nipple cream! Definitely 2 wet bags! Good call!

We are on a budget too, so know the feeling! Good luck!

 

[atx614]

Oh one more thing! If you register at target in the goodie bag is a bottle and paci! The hospital also gave us a few Pacis! If you register at babysrus or buy anything from motherhood maternity, both of those goodie bags have a bottle!

 

[Islabella]

I found the nasal bulbs useless and just bought a 1.99 saline spray (much better!) everything else looks good.

 

[Cattia]

We also didn't get on with the nasal bulbs. I'm assuming you are planning on pumping from the start? If not you could leave the bottles / pumping stuff until later which gives you more time to spread the cost. The other thing I found invaluable was a good in the ear thermometer in case you need to take baby's temperature.

 

[Sarah1508]

As I am from Scotland I struggled slightly to understand some of the things on your list but I think I've figured them out now

I wouldn't say the stuffy nose kit was an essential just because we never used anything like that with our lo. Also the bath sponge isn't necessary either, especially if you have a lot of muslin cloths you could use one of them as a bath cloth as for the changing mat if you are on a budget that's not a must have either , I mean we used ours when lo was little but a lot of the time we just changed him on our lap and if we where out at friends without the mat we just either used our lap again or put a towel down With the bottles and teats I'm sure you can actually buy sets of them for cheaper then that? Where the bottles come in packs of two or three with the first size teat with them as well (you just have to buy the next size sepperate when baby needs a faster flow) I know they do them packs in the UK for sure! .... What is a wet dry bag? as for the nipple cream I actually bought some with my first but never used it, there are pleanty of cheaper and even natural alternatives and finally the baby wipes! Personally I used and still use a ton of them! but I know some mothers (mainly ones who use cloth dipers) use cloths that they just wet when cleaning baby then wash them after , again idk because I've never done it but maybe a muslin cloth could do that job too? And if not just cut up some old bits of fabric personally that would gross me out too much though I'm that type of mum that uses a billion wipes for one poop and uses them to clean up just about every spill mess ect ever since I had lo... I even use them to clean my make up off at night!

 

[Cattia]

As I am from Scotland I struggled slightly to understand some of the things on your list but I think I've figured them out now

I wouldn't say the stuffy nose kit was an essential just because we never used anything like that with our lo. Also the bath sponge isn't necessary either, especially if you have a lot of muslin cloths you could use one of them as a bath cloth as for the changing mat if you are on a budget that's not a must have either , I mean we used ours when lo was little but a lot of the time we just changed him on our lap and if we where out at friends without the mat we just either used our lap again or put a towel down With the bottles and teats I'm sure you can actually buy sets of them for cheaper then that? Where the bottles come in packs of two or three with the first size teat with them as well (you just have to buy the next size sepperate when baby needs a faster flow) I know they do them packs in the UK for sure! .... What is a wet dry bag? as for the nipple cream I actually bought some with my first but never used it, there are pleanty of cheaper and even natural alternatives and finally the baby wipes! Personally I used and still use a ton of them! but I know some mothers (mainly ones who use cloth dipers) use cloths that they just wet when cleaning baby then wash them after , again idk because I've never done it but maybe a muslin cloth could do that job too? And if not just cut up some old bits of fabric personally that would gross me out too much though I'm that type of mum that uses a billion wipes for one poop and uses them to clean up just about every spill mess ect ever since I had lo... I even use them to clean my make up off at night!

Actually I agree about the bath and the change mat. We have a cheap change mat from the pound store as that's what I ended up using with DS, I found the big padded one a hassle and half the time I just ended up changing him on the floor or bed.

 

[d_b]

Most looks good! We just got the nasal saline drops and when they were empty started making our own. Here the sprays are not for newborns. We also just changed DS on a blanket on the floor. I guess you're cloth diapering, that's why u need a wetbag? I usually just use a plastic bag from a store. That seems expensive for wipes, have you checked Walmart? We also used cloths for wipes for the first few weeks.

 

[rosegarden620]

We also didn't get on with the nasal bulbs. I'm assuming you are planning on pumping from the start? If not you could leave the bottles / pumping stuff until later which gives you more time to spread the cost. The other thing I found invaluable was a good in the ear thermometer in case you need to take baby's temperature.

Babies first thermomemter for the first sixth months should always always be rectal. (I'm a PEDS nurse).

Paci's, nipple cream, baby wipe cloths, and nipple pads all came from the hospital I delivered it.

Nasal bulb syringe is necessary to have on hand if baby gets congested or there is aspiration. To no suction, and not suction correctly could leave you with a hypoxic child and in addition that is also given to me at the hospital I deliver at. The goodie bag most hospitals send you home with is a godsent!

 

[rosegarden620]

I found the nasal bulbs useless and just bought a 1.99 saline spray (much better!) everything else looks good.

Bulb works better when you do a saline bullet/spray first to thin secretions out and make them easily accessible.

 

[Cattia]

We also didn't get on with the nasal bulbs. I'm assuming you are planning on pumping from the start? If not you could leave the bottles / pumping stuff until later which gives you more time to spread the cost. The other thing I found invaluable was a good in the ear thermometer in case you need to take baby's temperature.

Babies first thermomemter for the first sixth months should always always be rectal. (I'm a PEDS nurse).

Paci's, nipple cream, baby wipe cloths, and nipple pads all came from the hospital I delivered it.

Nasal bulb syringe is necessary to have on hand if baby gets congested or there is aspiration. To no suction, and not suction correctly could leave you with a hypoxic child and in addition that is also given to me at the hospital I deliver at. The goodie bag most hospitals send you home with is a godsent!

Guess it depends where you are, here the doctor advised us to use saline drops when DD was congested as a newborn and when she was in hospital at three months with suspected meningitis they always used an in the ear thermometer. We are in the UK so maybe different protocols?

 

[DebbieF]

The Water Wipes seem quite expensive to me, especially for a small 240 count. (Wipes go quickly!)

Also, the wet & dry bag seems unnecessary to me. (I never had one)

Edited to add, I looked at the changing pad you listed and I think that is unnecessary. For changes in public restrooms I just use one of the many blankets I already had. Same goes for at home changes.

 

[mel28nicole]

Don't need the changing pad. Never used one, other than the one in my diaper bag while out.

The bottles seem a bit outrageous to me. Then again, those are glass so that may be your choice. DD never cared for the type of bottle and I used the cheap Parent Choice bottles from Walmart that was $2.86 for a 3 pack.

I agree on the wipes being too expensive. I get a 800+ count of Pampers sensitive for $20 at Sam's Club and online at Amazon

 

[mod19]

I'm also a FTM, so I can't give advice really, but I am going off of what my sister's and friends have done/told me.
-we do not have a changing table either. Will be changing her on a blanket or towel, at home or out and about
-I'm breastfeeding also, but those bottles do seem quite expensive
-wipes you can get 820 of them at target or Walmart for around $20. Walgreens or cvs may even have them cheaper than that website.
-if you register at target and/or buy buy baby you get a free bottle in each, along with Pacis and other samples and coupons.
-nursing pads, got a bug box of the lanoish ones for $11 at babies r us. I love it when they have the buy one get one for 40% off sales, and they do it a lot with bottles and breastfeeding supplies. Just call ahead if you done have one near by.

 

[rosegarden620]

Guess it depends where you are, here the doctor advised us to use saline drops when DD was congested as a newborn and when she was in hospital at three months with suspected meningitis they always used an in the ear thermometer. We are in the UK so maybe different protocols?

I'm sure that's the major difference. I've heard from various people UK and US differ in medical care and protocals set in place. The reason the protocol is set like that here is bc rectal temp is the most accurate temperature and babies, particularly 2 months and under with a fever of 100.4 Farenheight and above require immediate care and special treatment. Here when we see a new baby with a temp it's alarming and most physicians will do a full work up: spinal tap, blood work, urine cath etc... To find the culprit and rule out scary diseases. Being that the work up is sooo invasive rectal temp allows us to see an accurate temp that will give us an idea of what needs to be done if anything at all. Truthfully, rectal temps are mandatory for every locale I work at for infants 6months and under but realistically it's MOST important for babies 8 weeks or less (especially 4 weeks or less) since new babies should not have fevers and are a huge cause for alarm. ☺️

 

[kajastarlight]

Seriously, the bulb syringe is one of those things you need when you need it! The whole "snot sucker" thing is not its only use. Yes, it is handy to have in that case but really you can wipe the nose often or use sailine as others have said. The big thing is if baby asperates -- hopefully it never happens (it didn't with either of my kids) but you will NEED the ball syringe for that!

Depending on how very tight your budget is - the wipes and changing pad could go - you can use old tshirts for wipes and towls for changing pads as others have said. The bath spounge could go as well.

 

[Cattia]

Guess it depends where you are, here the doctor advised us to use saline drops when DD was congested as a newborn and when she was in hospital at three months with suspected meningitis they always used an in the ear thermometer. We are in the UK so maybe different protocols?

I'm sure that's the major difference. I've heard from various people UK and US differ in medical care and protocals set in place. The reason the protocol is set like that here is bc rectal temp is the most accurate temperature and babies, particularly 2 months and under with a fever of 100.4 Farenheight and above require immediate care and special treatment. Here when we see a new baby with a temp it's alarming and most physicians will do a full work up: spinal tap, blood work, urine cath etc... To find the culprit and rule out scary diseases. Being that the work up is sooo invasive rectal temp allows us to see an accurate temp that will give us an idea of what needs to be done if anything at all. Truthfully, rectal temps are mandatory for every locale I work at for infants 6months and under but realistically it's MOST important for babies 8 weeks or less (especially 4 weeks or less) since new babies should not have fevers and are a huge cause for alarm. ☺️

This is basically what happened to my daughter, she was three months old and her temp was 40 plus she was vomiting. They took her straight in and told us that they had to treat it as though it was meningitis even though they weren't at all convinced it was. She had a lumber puncture and IV antibiotics. Turned out to be just a stomach bug! Such a traumatic time but I'm glad they didn't take any chances with her.

 

[Christina86]

We got the changing pad from our registry. Actually we probably have way to many! We have 1 that comes with the pack n play (which is nice bc I won't have to leave the bedroom to change baby in the middle of the night), 1 that came with the changing table in our furniture set for the nursery, 1 travel one that came with the diaper bag, and 1 that family gave to keep downstairs so when we are downstairs we don't have to constantly go up and down. I thought about changing baby on the floor but we only have an area carpet and the floor is concrete so I wanted something as a buffer between baby and an extremely hard surface.

As for wipes.... I have found store brands the cheapest. Target has a box of like 700 or so wipes for $15. I havent checked walmart yet.

I'm a FTM so I am just going with the flow and taking some advice from those around me with kids. We are also on a tight budget as I lost my job back in September so I get it with needing to not spend a whole lot of money.

 

[VerbingNoun]

What is the wet bag for? I mean I only know them for cloth diapers so...is that what you're going for?
I have a wet bag for outings and went and got a $3 Homer bucket from Home Depot as my cloth diaper pail if thats the case.

I second saline spray. I remember trying to use those bulbs on my brother when he was a baby. Yeah no. Nice warm bath and Boogie Wipes for us. That might just be me though.

You don't need a changing pad though. A towel on your bed/couch/whatever works for all ages and you already have it!

 

[luz]

I don't think you need a bath sponge, wet/dry bag, changing pad, or stuffy nose kit.

I lay my kids on the carpet or on top of a towel or blanket when i change them. They don't care that they don't have a changing pad under their bums I also would recommend buying a pack of baby washcloths instead of a bath sponge. I never bought a baby bath, and instead just fill the tub up with an inch or two of water and put the baby in it. I just use my hands to wash the baby, but the soft baby washcloths are nice to have to wipe their faces off.

I throw a few grocery sacks down into the bottom of my diaper bag and if i need to change clothes those work great for holding the wet ones until we get home.

With both of my babies (who were born in different hospitals) i came home with a little bath sponge, a bulb syringe, rectal thermometer, pacifier, nipple cream, and more. I would definitely buy the infant tylenol, but maybe wait on the other things? See what your hospital sends you home with and then you can have someone run to the store and buy what you end up needing.