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Expectant and Postpartum Moms
Registry help: Must haves
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Anonymous
| tub was not a must have for us. we bathed DS in the sink for 6mo. much easier on our back. |
Anonymous
Did you ever consider that some of your friends, or colleagues, gave you what they could afford. If there are "must haves" then the parents should be purchasing these items, or grandparents. You may have a great deal of disposable income but most people do not. How about a little gratitude because someone was thoughtful and gave you a gift for your child? This goes for all of you, particularly if this is your 2nd or 3rd child. No, I don't give washcloths, I give a savings bond of $100.00 for first child and zip for any other. Enough is enough. |
Anonymous
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Congratulations on your soon-to-be arrival! DS is 5 months now and these are the things I have found indispensable:
Aden & Anais blankets. Pricier than other blankets but so worth it. Sleepers and onesies and tiny socks. Baby bedding--get at least 4 crib sheets as you will go through them before you can get to the laundry. I normally put 3 layers of sheets on the crib mattress with those waterproof flat (not fitted) flannel pads in between each layer, so if there's a late-night blowout I just pull off the top layer and there's another clean one waiting underneath. Pacifiers. Get a few each of a few different kinds so you can see what baby likes. In the hospital they use Soothies or Gumdrops but my DS ended up preferring Nuks. A playmat. This was probably the first toy-type thing we really used. This is the one we have but there are tons of options: http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Einstein-Neptune-Ocean-Adventure/dp/B000TFGUC8 Bumbo seat--not a newborn essential but a nice registry item b/c it's a good price point for gifts and you will use it eventually. A "sleep sheep" (white noise machine) so you don't have to tiptoe around everytime the baby naps. Baskets to put in your dishwasher to wash bottle and/or pump parts. We have the munchkin ones that are probably like 4 bucks, but super useful. Also a drying rack for the countertop. We really liked having a diaper caddy to organize diapers, wipes, etc. downstairs. We have this one and ended up buying one for upstairs too. http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/187-5620312-4511310?asin=B002VK0EU8&AFID=Froogle_df&LNM=|B002VK0EU8&CPNG=baby&ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001 For a bigger-ticket item, a cradle swing is really nice to have (we have the fisher price bunny one and love it). Outside of the Aden & Anais, I would not register for or buy any receiving blankets or baby towels. These are very popular gifts and you will likely end up with more than you can use. Good luck! P.S. 19:04 is insane. |
Anonymous
| 19:04 here. I'm insane because I draw the line at giving a gift to the first child and because I am appreciative of a gift? I'm not qualified to comment on your sanity but from your comment about me and my gift, I can say that you are an ingrate. Also, it is highly improper to have a baby shower after 1st child then it becomes tacky. Afterall, you should have kept all the things from your first child and not have to beg with another shower. |
Anonymous
Who said anything about a baby shower for the second? OP is pregnant with her first and the only person who mentioned having a second said nothing about having a shower. The washcloth thing was just a suggestion of what not to register for. |
Anonymous
This is getting nowhere but as I said earlier, "must haves" should be purchased by parents, grandparents, very close friends or siblings, not office colleagues. I am so sick and tired of the constant asking for contriutions for weddings, babies, and then indicating specific amount, usually $50.00 and above. Also, an earlier PP said she received a billion washcloths. She should have made a quilt. |
Anonymous
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PP, you are absolutely outrageous. Go troll on a different thread. OP never said anything about office colleagues. These things could all be purchased on her registries by close family and close friends. Who are you to crash some new mom's thread about what stuff she needs for her baby? I know we are building our registry based on what we need and plan to buy what we need ourselves with the completion discount. Or whatever - friends and family will look at it and want to send stuff. If they want to give a bond, that's great. If they want to give nothing - well fine, I'm not expecting anything!
Go back to your hole. |
Anonymous
It's too crowded in the sewer wth you. |
Anonymous
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diapers
wipes car seat simple stroller onesies unisex easy outfits[unless you know] some bottles,etc somewhere for baby to sleep-crib crib pads, sheets blankies [use as burp sloppers and wraps] baby thermometer baby bath soap baby laundry detergent tiny hair brush |
Anonymous
| I've bought and received countless baby gifts over the years, and plenty of people want to buy you those must-haves, not just family and close friends. It's not at all unusual for your office colleagues to pitch in for the exersaucer, the pack n' play, something like that, especially if you work with a lot of other mothers. |
Anonymous
This is a good list except I would not register for any onesies/clothing. You will get plenty as gifts without registering for it. Plus, people like ot pick that stuff out themselves when giving a gift. |
Anonymous
| Digital baby thermometer. This is the one thing we got when DS was born that we still use today. |
Anonymous
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We've found the following items very useful with our first baby.
http://www.itzbeen.com/ http://www.homedics.com/home/sensory/soundspa-lullaby.html |
Anonymous
i'm the person who posted about the washcloths. OP asked what we all found useful, so i said i didn't find washcloths useful. that doesn't make me ungrateful or rich (neither of which i am). it just means i didn't use washcloths for my baby. i donated them to charity. geez.
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Anonymous
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Here's what I recommend (and will use for baby #2)!
Hardware: 1. A great, lightweight stroller, easy to fold, with snap-in for car seat. LIGHTWEIGHT is key. You still have to grocery shop after all... 2. A car seat that (a) has a base that is attached to your car, while the car seat snaps out for placement in the stroller (see above) 3. Stand-up changing table/bureau with easy access to wipes and diapers (check out the plastic wipe/diaper stackers that sit next to the changing pad) 4. Baby bathtub that fits your space and needs. We live in a small townhouse, so we opted for a storable foldable one that didn't take up much space. 5. Baby monitor with good range, preferrably two receivers (okay, won't use this for #2, but for #1 I was always obsessed with knowing if she was okay  )
6. Safe, wonderful crib of good quality that might be used again for #2 and/or be transformed into toddler bed (we did not co-sleep, and our master was too small for a bassinet) 7. Baby furniture (e.g., wardrobe) that your child can grow into as a toddler 8. Rocker or glider. I spent a TON of time in mine. 1 am, 4 am, and now that DC#1 is 2.5, we still use it for story time. I'm replacing the small one with have for a bigger one so DC#1 can sit next to me while I hold upcoming DC#2 in my arms. 9. For working mums committed to breastfeeding, a great pump. The Medela pump-in-style my sisters bought me was used for over a year... and will be again with #2. 10. Adjustable feeding chair with snap-tray (that has NO "cupholders" or other crevasses) for age 4-6 months onward. I preferred one that strapped onto the chair and could adjust in a semi-recline for babies and grows with toddler (DD age 2.5 still uses hers). 11. Babyproofing stuff: at least something for the electrical outlets! 12. Eventually, a stairs gate Clothing: 1. Onesies with easy snaps or zippers at crotch (be as stylish as you wish!) 2. Eventually at age 4-6 months, little cloth bibs. Then graduate to bigger waterresistant bibs with the "food tray" to catch food. 3. Some sort of on-body baby-toting device for quick, easy outings if you don't constantly want to be folding and unfolding the stroller 4. Some burping cloths--I recommend cloth diapers for this. Handy for draping over the changing pad, too, so you're not always having to wash the pad fitted sheet! Toys: 1. Baby play-gym for when he/she gets to be about two/three + months old 2. Hangable baby-safe mirror for the crib -- once babies discover themselves, nothing pleases them more than you! 3. Pull-down music box for the crib -- a nice cue for the baby to sleep 4. Soft safe plushies for chewing and squeezing at age 3 months and up 5. Activity boxes with things to spin, pull, ring, etc for age 6 months and up 6. Safe toys for shaking, pulling, exploring (I like Haba brand) 7. For you: lullaby CDs for you to brush up!
For travelling: 1. A few lightweight knitted blankets for throwing over your baby while breastfeeding in public (and tucking baby into stroller). Those breastfeeding capes never worked for me... 2. For newborns, one of those co-sleeper mini-matresses that you place between you and your partner for baby to sleep safely. 3. Backpack for baby stuff -- easier to handle when active as compared with over-the-shoulder diaper bags (which I actually do recommend as a gym bag for adults: so many handy pockets!) Seasonal: 1. Bunting for stroller on cold days 2. Plastic cover for stroller to protect from rain 3. Maybe, a very lightweight portable crib, if you anticipate taking your baby to family dinner parties, travelling, etc... though at hotels we just used the cribs they provided. Schlepping one more thing around sucked. May or may not work for your baby: 1. Bouncy seat (my child was not thrilled) 2. Batt opp swing (child napped in here for first 6 months at least) 3. Vibrating seat (my child's review: "eh") 4. Activity chairs for age 6mo + . We didn't have enough room for this, but my daughter clearly was delighted when she visited homes that did. Don't know what the longevity of interest is, tho. For me, worthless: 1. Baby towels and baby washloths - those things pile up! Just use the regular towels in your home if you'll be pinched for space. 2. Wipe-warmer (wha-at?) 3. Microwave sterilizers for bottles. Ugh. Just use dishwasher! Later, when your child gets older: 1. A zillion of the same socks -- when one goes missing, no worries: just take any one of the others in your drawer! |