baby mega store aversion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got the Baby Bargains book and used the Consumer Reports online reviews. I registered completely online except going to the store to test drive the infant seat and stroller.

I also registered entirely online using the Baby Bargains book. I didn't go the store to test drive anything, although I think I would now! In hindsight though, I would advise against the Diaper Champ and go with the Diaper Genie. The mega stores were overwhelming to me too.

[Anonymous]

Definitely come up with a list of what you need and which brand you want (Baby Bargains is an amazing resource for this -- I also used Consumer Reports but the benefit of Baby Bargains is that they come right out and tell you which brand is best and why, so if you don't have a clue you can just go with what they say and if you have other preferences you know what you're giving up).

And once you get to the store, stick to your list. Don't let them convince you that you really need a wipes warmer, or you'll end up with a thousand things on your list that you will never use.

Buy Buy Baby is better than BRU if you have trouble finding what you are looking for, because there are people in the aisles all over the store who can answer your questions and find things for you. Some of the people are laid back and just want to help you find what you're looking for, but others are absurdly pushy. Two different women, at two different points in time during our second trip there, told me that my registry printout was way too thin and that I needed to add at least 10 more pages to it. My husband (who was supposedly on board with just getting what was on the list until the BBB folks convinced him he really needed throw pillows and a growth chart that match the sheets and drapes he decided he was in love with) would ask questions like "What do you recommend" -- that is a surefire way to be oversold and overwhelmed at BBB. If you know exactly what you want and don't mind going it alone -- or would prefer to go it alone rather than being pushed around by the people in the store, BRU is the way to go.

Oh, and while this is my first, so I'm far from an expert, I've been to so many baby showers that I can guarantee you that there is absolutely no need to register for any clothes or toys or blankets unless there is something specific that you have your heart set on. People who go to baby showers LOVE going to baby stores and picking up the cutest outfit, or the softest blanket, or the most adorable toy they can find, and you'll get tons of them. They may be the wrong sizes and you may need to get a few more right before the baby is born to round things out, but you'll probably have to do that even if you register, and maybe you won't end up with a roomful of clothes and toys you never get around to using. And blankets. I don't think it's possible to use the number of blankets people bring to baby showers.

But really, buy Baby Bargains and read it and take notes, and then come up with a list. You will be WAYYYY less overwhelmed, and you can probably get away with registering for everything online without even going back to a megastore. I would recommend trying out the stroller before you buy (although I didn't take my own advice b/c I couldn't find any stores that carried the one I wanted).

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Count me as another voice in praise of Baby Bargains and making your own list before you go to register/make major purchases at a baby mega store! In addition to reading through Baby Bargains (which has a great and very pared down suggested registry list in the back), I also made notes on interesting items as I read through pregnancy and baby magazines, and I also took a look at the "suggested registry" lists from a few of the big stores just for kicks. Having our own list in hand made getting through the store and getting registered so much easier - without it, I think we both would have given up when faced with 15 different bouncy seats and 10 different high chairs.

I personally prefer Babies R Us over Buy Buy Baby for a registry experience- it was really nice to be left alone at BRU as we did our registry, but that may be in large part because we went in pretty much knowing what we wanted to put on our list. While it's great not to have to hunt down a helpful salesperson at Buy Buy Baby when you've got questions about a specific item, it can also be a little overwhelming to be asked if you need help every three steps through the store (it also drove my husband crazy). That said, I have had fabulous service at Buy Buy Baby - we exchanged our stroller and car seat for another model and not only was it completely easy, they had a new stroller shipped to us in two days for free.

Another piece of advice - you can always start your registry in store and finish it online. It is really nice to see the larger items or things you may not be as familiar with in person, but it's also nice to be able to fill in whatever you may have missed in store at home.

Good luck!