Buy Immediately versus Registry

[Anonymous]

Is there a starter pack of things the parents should buy in advance versus what can be on the registry?

For example, I know we need to buy a car seat and have it installed early and can't wait to have that on the registry.

Along those lines, what did you have on your registry that ended up being useless?

[Anonymous]

Depends. I had trouble making enough milk for my oldest so the Formula Maker was a dream! I had an oversupply with my second baby and never touched it. Choose your stroller yourself after trying them out. Don’t put blankets on your registry because you’re going to get hundreds of them.

Everyone needs a bottle warmer.
Play mats.
Larger clothes.
Black and White books.
A bouncy seat.

[Anonymous]

You could probably put a carseat on your registry; presumably your shower will be months before your due date If you're going to have more than one carseat, you could put just one on your registry.

I didn't need a bottle warmer.

[Anonymous]

I'd definitely put a car seat on your registry. Hopefully you'll have the shower at like 30 weeks pregnant (not 38 like my inlaws thought was fun so they could "see me really pregnant" when I wasn't even supposed to be traveling that late). If you go into labor before 30 weeks, you would still have time to get a car seat (2 day amazon delivery!). Car seats, cribs and strollers usually always show up at the showers I've been to. Usually those are presents that parents or grandparents give to the new baby.

Definitely never needed a bottle warmer.

Things I'd focus on would be getting the nursery set up. I really enjoyed painting, decorating and sorting my nursery when pregnant. It helped me imagine the baby and kept the anxiety away that I wasn't doing enough. Also, having organizational stuff ready was great for when the onslaught arrived.

I have a 4 month old right now and I'm almost ready to move her into size 4 diapers. I've only used 2 boxes size 1 (squeezed her in until they were used up), 2 boxes size 2, 1 box size 3. She was 9lbs and didn't fit into the newborn diapers the hospital gave us.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you!

Culturally we don't do the baby shower until after the 7th month so I'm a bit worried about all the supply chain issues so want to make sure we have the essentials purchased at home. Does one need a stroller with a newborn? (clearly a first time mom here)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd definitely put a car seat on your registry. Hopefully you'll have the shower at like 30 weeks pregnant (not 38 like my inlaws thought was fun so they could "see me really pregnant" when I wasn't even supposed to be traveling that late). If you go into labor before 30 weeks, you would still have time to get a car seat (2 day amazon delivery!). Car seats, cribs and strollers usually always show up at the showers I've been to. Usually those are presents that parents or grandparents give to the new baby.

Definitely never needed a bottle warmer.

Things I'd focus on would be getting the nursery set up. I really enjoyed painting, decorating and sorting my nursery when pregnant. It helped me imagine the baby and kept the anxiety away that I wasn't doing enough. Also, having organizational stuff ready was great for when the onslaught arrived.

I have a 4 month old right now and I'm almost ready to move her into size 4 diapers. I've only used 2 boxes size 1 (squeezed her in until they were used up), 2 boxes size 2, 1 box size 3. She was 9lbs and didn't fit into the newborn diapers the hospital gave us.

OP here, thanks for this. What types of organizational stuff was helpful? We had heard that a nursery wasn't really used until 6 months with the baby in some kind of bassinet by the bed. Has that been your experience?

[Anonymous]

This is what we used in the first month: car seat (hospital will not let you leave without it), blankets, burp cloths, baby monitor, sound machine, bassinet or crib, keekaroo, size NB diapers, water wipes, glider or rocker, side table for next to your glider, size NB and 0-3 jammies, since it is winter i would get a hat, booties, and a jacket, detergent, 4 ounce bottles, bottle brush, bottle soap, drying rack, sterilizer for bottles, stroller (we did like taking walks from very early on, though probably not necessary for the first week) unless you need it for the pediatrician. for pediatrician we just carried our bucket though.

our nursery dresser didn't come until the baby was 6 weeks old and while that was a pain in the ass, we survived.

[Anonymous]

How did you guys warm breastmilk bottles without a bottle warmer? The hot water in the bowl took forever!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you!

Culturally we don't do the baby shower until after the 7th month so I'm a bit worried about all the supply chain issues so want to make sure we have the essentials purchased at home. Does one need a stroller with a newborn? (clearly a first time mom here)

I wouldn’t worry about supply chain issues. We haven’t had a problem at all!

I had a stroller with a buggy basket I used on day two! I loved getting outside with the baby but I delivered in spring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd definitely put a car seat on your registry. Hopefully you'll have the shower at like 30 weeks pregnant (not 38 like my inlaws thought was fun so they could "see me really pregnant" when I wasn't even supposed to be traveling that late). If you go into labor before 30 weeks, you would still have time to get a car seat (2 day amazon delivery!). Car seats, cribs and strollers usually always show up at the showers I've been to. Usually those are presents that parents or grandparents give to the new baby.

Definitely never needed a bottle warmer.

Things I'd focus on would be getting the nursery set up. I really enjoyed painting, decorating and sorting my nursery when pregnant. It helped me imagine the baby and kept the anxiety away that I wasn't doing enough. Also, having organizational stuff ready was great for when the onslaught arrived.

I have a 4 month old right now and I'm almost ready to move her into size 4 diapers. I've only used 2 boxes size 1 (squeezed her in until they were used up), 2 boxes size 2, 1 box size 3. She was 9lbs and didn't fit into the newborn diapers the hospital gave us.

OP here, thanks for this. What types of organizational stuff was helpful? We had heard that a nursery wasn't really used until 6 months with the baby in some kind of bassinet by the bed. Has that been your experience?

PP here. Not my experience at all. I have a 4 month old and it's my 3rd baby. All 3 used the same nursery. Where are you going to store clothes and diapers if not in their room?

Bassinet until 3 months next to my bed, and then they went to the crib. We used the changing table in the nursery for all changes. I also had a pack n play in my family room downstairs with the changing table feature and we loved that. Baby napped in the crib most days. The closet was used A LOT. Even if the baby doesn't sleep there, there's a lot of diaper changes, clothes changes and rocking that goes on in the nursery.

For organization we had a closet system put in- 3 sections of clothes and then the middle is drawers. The drawers are PJs, hats/bows, onesies, pants and socks. Everything else was hung up. The hanging sections- 1. next size up 2. play clothes/daycare clothes (dh needed this to help him dress the kids in the morning) 3. cuter outfits or holiday outfits.

We had our changing pad on a dresser. The dresser had 3 drawers. 1. baby medicine/nose frida/thermometer 2. extra diapers and wipes 3. clothes in larger sizes. And on the top of the dresser was a basket with wipes, lotion and diapers.

Next to the rocking chair have a small table with a lamp and a long iphone charger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did you guys warm breastmilk bottles without a bottle warmer? The hot water in the bowl took forever!

Baby gets room temperature bottles. Much easier once you're out and about with the kid - don't set them up to only take a warmed bottle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did you guys warm breastmilk bottles without a bottle warmer? The hot water in the bowl took forever!

I put a mug half full in the microwave for 30 seconds, take it out, put the bottle in it and it is warm in about 5 minutes. I usually do it before I go and get the baby up from his nap or in the morning. But my son doesn't require it to be perfectly warm, he will drink it on the cool sign if need be. I fed him cold milk when he was an infant to get him used to it so he didn't turn into a diva.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did you guys warm breastmilk bottles without a bottle warmer? The hot water in the bowl took forever!

I breastfed and baby never took a bottle at home. At daycare they only heated it slightly so the milk wouldn't separate. Babies quickly learn to drink it cold. Formula babies never got it warm. FWIW I think bottle warmers take forever too- like 5 minutes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did you guys warm breastmilk bottles without a bottle warmer? The hot water in the bowl took forever!

Baby gets room temperature bottles. Much easier once you're out and about with the kid - don't set them up to only take a warmed bottle.

+10000. Best parenting hack.

[Anonymous]

I didn’t have a baby shower so I made a registry, never sent it to anyone, and used the completion bonus to buy a bunch of things at once. If you put in your due date as way sooner than it is, you unlock the completion bonus earlier.