10.23.07
Calling All Parents (Blegging For Advice)
We are working on getting our registry together — man, why do we need so many strollers on the market? Haven’t the marketers of baby supplies ever read The Paradox of Choice? (Okay, I haven’t read it either. It is on the bookshelf in my to-read queue. But I am familiar with the concept.)
Anyway, I am seeking the advice of the experienced parents out there. What are the items I might not think about, but that I absolutely won’t be able to live without? What are the items that appear on most registries, but just aren’t that necessary?
Megan said,
October 24, 2007 at 11:56 am
call me, i’d love to help you navigate the baby product waters. but just off the top of my head: no baby wipe warmers!! unless you want your precious bundle to loudly protest the (many) times when you are wiping her bottom away from said warmer.
i posted a comment a while back about loaning some of our baby things indefinitely to you guys but it didn’t show up for some reason. so i’m extendinging that offer again.
in the same comment, i also wrote a response to your question about how my parents felt about me getting baptized a second time. my approach was (though not this eloquent) “my adult baptism is my personal statement of faith in Jesus, just like my infant baptism was an extension of yours.” This path had already been forged by my sister several years ago anyway, so they were pretty cool about it (though they did not come. . .) I encourage you to be baptized now if you’ve only been sprinkled as a baby like I was. I hear ya about the stumbling block thing, but I think that is more applicable in personal preferences (whether or not to eat meat) whereas I have come to believe after studying passages about it (mostly in acts) that baptism is a command for all believers. You may not come to that same conclusion, but we can still be friends regardless :).
Ruth Ann said,
October 24, 2007 at 6:58 pm
Addison (and her parents) loves hers, and being away from the warmer is quite manageable.
Jim Kane said,
October 24, 2007 at 11:19 pm
1. Cloth diapers: thumbs up. They make pretty good burp cloths, and you won’t feel bad about washing them in hot hot water (this will make more sense in a few months).
2. Boppy: thumbs up, we did use ours quite a bit both for its intended purpose and for propping up the lil’ urchin.
3. “Le Pump”: thumbs up! In fact, you’re welcome to ours (there are some replaceable parts that will need to be purchased). If I say anything more on this Wendy is going to knock the laptop from my hands.
4. Changing table: neutral. Move your crib mattress to the highest setting and try not to make such a big mess.
5. Stroller: what, your company didn’t buy you one? Yeah, that was bad.
6. Ultra-low lighting: not really a registry item, but it’s great for getting up in the night. I’m talking tiny night lights, just enough to change a diaper by while ensuring clean hands without actually waking the baby.
7. Liquor: normally this isn’t a requirement until the 2nd or 3rd kid, but it never hurts to get an early start.
8. Bottle warmer: we didn’t have one of those, and I wish we had. Would have been super-handy for thawing frozen milk, which always seems to take too long when it’s 3AM and the baby is unloading 90dB of dissatisfaction in your ear and it’s mommy’s special time and why can’t you just take care of the baby for 30 minutes so I can rest?
That’s all I can think of right now. Aren’t you glad?
Jill Wondel said,
October 25, 2007 at 11:50 am
Okay, so this is a response to the baptism thing, but if you want the Methodist view let us know. =) But just for starters, infant baptism isn’t just about your parents commitment, (that’s christening) it’s also about God’s prevenient grace reaching out to you, before you can reach out to him. Think about it like circumcision for Israel. The thing is, that confirmation is then supposed to be your opportunity to reach out (like the Bar Mitzvah), but in a lot of churches this isn’t explained well, so people get baptized again, because they feel like they didn’t have an opportunity to proclaim Christ for themselves. Okay, so I said ask, and then I gave you my opinion anyway. =)
Wendy said,
October 25, 2007 at 4:40 pm
I know Jim already commented but I have one of my own:
Onesies
LOTS of onesies! The kid will end up going through more clothes than you realize. Yes, you will get lots from your baby showers, but they need some “at home” clothes rather than the fancy, lacy dresses. When it’s warm, you put them in a onesie and a diaper at home. When it’s cold, they make good undershirts.
And Jim said cloth diapers, which make good burp cloths. They do, but we didn’t have any. We used regular burp cloths and hand towels (our oldest had reflux). We used disposable diapers. (godsend!)
TReddin said,
October 25, 2007 at 5:41 pm
I would certainly have to say onesies and burp cloths/cloth diapers.
I was trying to be more original, but really those are the things I go through so much. I also had the thought that the 0-3 mon size doesn’t last as long as you might hope, so don’t fill your closet with that size. Mine have only gotten worn maybe once or twice by the baby. (but then again I have big babies)
I love my changing table so I have to disagree with the neutral fellow who wrote previously.
I never used the wipe warmer we were given.
I didn’t use the diaper genie for very long. It was MUCH easier to use Wal-Mart sacks (and cheaper) and put the dirty diapers in a pail in the garage (next to the cat dish — doesn’t deter him; he still hangs around :)
**Personally for Jennifer–buy yourself some extra nursing bras (if you plan to nurse of course; and you can ask me if you want to know why)
If I think of something else, I’ll let you know.
Megan said,
October 29, 2007 at 4:21 pm
okay, i have some more thoughts on this subject, but let me just say that you will come to learn what works for you and what doesn’t, and it’s just a little different for every family.
Things I personally wouldn’t go without: two diaper bags–a small one for just running out the door for a couple of hours and a larger one for longer (or overnight) trips/leave with the grandparents when they babysit kind of thing. I didn’t learn this until baby number two, but it has been a huge help! Medicine: I always carry a bottle of tylenol infant drops because ya never know when teething or fever will be an issue (but you can almost bet you won’t be at home or near a wal-mart when it is). Diaper cream: good to have with you, but not necessary with every diaper change (yay!). We just use it when one of the boys has reddened skin on their bottoms. A baby carrier (like one that you wear): again, something that I didn’t find until the second child, but I use our Ergo carrier just about every day, especially when I go grocery shopping or to church. I recommend the Ergo specifically, or if you feel the price is a little steep (which is understandable), some kind of sling-type carrier. I would steer clear of baby bjorns or the snuggli type carriers because they put the baby weight on your shoulders and you tire quickly. I don’t know how the slings work, but they seem to be versatile enough to accomodate several different carrying positions and so is the Ergo. We have a stroller too, and it is very useful to us. But the baby sling/carrier is nice for those times when you need to get in between aisles or are already going to be pushing something (like a grocery cart). They are also nice when you need to see to some housework but the little bundle wants nothing else but to be held. A little wipes box: about an inch thick, it can hold about 20 wipes or so, and I NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT! I really don’t know what I did before having one :). Diapers: all disposable diapers are about the same really. I usually get whatever is on sale, though I prefer pampers best. I like the kinds that have stretchy tabs because they seem to fit better and leak less. Diaper pails: I agree with the above comment about diaper genies. We have a diaper champ (target carries them), but we still keep it in the garage because it just doesn’t keep the stink in. Often I just use wal-mart sacks and a regular trash can too, still out in the garage of course. I’m for changing tables, or at least some kind of flat surface that is closer to waist-height. It’s much easier to change a diaper if you’re not all hunched over. Infant car seats: I like the ones that double as a carrier, but if you have big babies you can only use them for about 6 months or so before they outgrow them. This is something that would be good to borrow. And you can certainly borrow ours, if you don’t mind that it’s navy blue and not very girly. Otherwise, a convertible carseat that accomodates children 5 to 100 pounds is a good investment and is useful for many years. Clothes: onesies for around the house, pants over the onesies to go out, and footy PJs to sleep is how we roll. I know nothing about baby girl clothes. Shoes are not really necessary until walking (socks are just fine for keeping toesies warm), but if you can find a cute cheap pair they are nice as accessories.
Okay, now, about baby equipment: high chair, bumbo seat, boppy pillow, vibrating bouncy seat, swing, exersaucer, and the baby gym mat all have proven to get lots of use in our house. But most, if not all, of these things were gifts. I think the high chair is a neccessity and all the other things are luxury. However, I do recommend at least one piece of equipment to put the baby in where you can have your hands free but be nearby (again, housework and, gasp, eating can be accomplished this way). And of course we have a crib. The first few months, though, both our boys stayed in a little bassinette next to our bed when they were nursing so frequently. It’s nice to have a little travel crib like that too so you can, well, travel with it.
Officially my longest comment ever. I hope it is helpful to you.
Amy said,
November 19, 2007 at 10:21 pm
Hi, I am Megan’s sister, and I just had my first baby (well, 6 months ago now)…I know that I am coming late to this party, but I can’t resist sharing my bit of wisdom that can be summed up in two words: Baby Bargains. It is a very useful book full of suggestions about what you need and what you might not need. It is especially useful in helping you sort out the stroller, car seat, and the other big ticket items. There is no way you can test drive all the stuff there is (and much of it can only be found on-line these days and not in the store). And then once you’ve used their wisdom to make your choice, you can look for an on-line deal; I got both my breast pump and my stroller for over $100 less than they were selling it at Target and Babies R Us. Also, the book is especially useful in helping you decide what you need now and what you might want to wait until you meet your little girl (such as a stroller or even a crib, depending on what you guys decide works best for you as a family).
Hope that helps!
Suzanne (JoyfulChaos) said,
November 21, 2007 at 12:50 pm
speaking of late to the party… i just found this and it’s been on my mind to post about it lately. so i think i will and then let you you know when i have! much to say on this subject!
things you really need for a new baby (aka: post as long as the title is) « JoyfulChaos said,
November 28, 2007 at 10:05 pm
[…] they are having their first baby (everyone get ready to welcome anna!) and asked for suggestions here a while back. hope this helps and feel free to put me on speed dial for middle of the night […]
things you really need for a new baby (aka: post as long as the title is) — TheBlog said,
June 17, 2008 at 1:05 pm
[…] they are having their first baby (everyone get ready to welcome anna!) and asked for suggestions here a while back. hope this helps and feel free to put me on speed dial for middle of the night […]