Advice? Baby List

Hmmmmm...thinking back 9 years.....
I'd forget the Diaper Genie & similar shams!
I loved the $2 yellow, bear-shaped sponge mats for the tub (Target), and if I had to do it over, I'd go ahead and get O. of those comfy kneelers for beside the tub for bath times for my knees. I spent WAAAAAY more years kneeling there than I thought I would!

Oh--LOTS of baby washcloths.

Lots of onesies and receiving blankets! I loved the swing and exersaucer; a bouncy seat for infants. You don't need a lot of rattles - my kids never played with them. Start with very, very few toys. You'll get more from relatives and friends than you'll know what to do with. I never used socks on babies (they just fall off any way). We went through a lot of A&D ointment and the baby gas drops. We only used Pampers. I agree the Diaper Genie was a waste - fortunately we got it as a hand-me-down but still didn't use it very long. We had a nice Lands End diaper bag that came with a changing pad. Stock it with some diaper disposal bags for when you're out and about. The towels with hoods were a silly waste of money - just use regular towels. Baby monitor was very useful. And get a good digital camera. They grow up before you know it :)

How about a short list of things you don't need even though the baby industry says you do? You do not need a changing table! It takes up space and is useless after the baby is out of diapers, and most are too rickety for changing a toddler's diaper, so you'll stop using it sooner than you think. Don't bother with these things -- change the baby on the floor (when wiggly) or on a bed (when very small, and with a good waterproof changing pad). The money you put into that useless changing table can be better spent on both disposable pads and a few good, washable changing pads!

You also do not need a "baby wipe warmer." What a total scam. I know one mom who felt that using warm wipes meant her son stayed asleep through nighttime changes better since a cold wipe might have woken him but still -- to me it's a waste of money on something you won't need for long.

You do not need crib bumpers. These have been shown to be a suffocation hazard just like all other soft bedding, which infants do not need to be comfortable. Several different crib bumpers have been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission as entaglement (read: strangling) hazards (go to cpsc.gov and search "crib bumpers"). And you do not need a matching comforter/bumper/pillow/ etc. set. They're pretty and utterly useless because infants do not use pillows or comforters at all because of the suffocation hazard. Spend that money on something more useful.

You do not need a "walker" since these encourage infants who are too young to control their movements well to scoot around --and down the stairs, and over a threshold that tips them, and so on. Dangerous. You may like instead to get a "baby bouncer" that just vibrates and gently bounces the baby but does not GO anywhere.

You DO need a good diaper bag but it does not have to be expensive. Look for one with a totally waterproof inside (to contain spills of a bottle or leaks from a container of wet wipes) and be sure you can live with the design or color for two or more years. I would hate to be stuck with some nauseating color or pattern that's too babyish and screamed "New mom" all the time. I found one that was black and looked like a purse.

Basically, keep it simple. Don't load up the nursery with stuff that is going to be useless in a year to two years. Don't be afraid to change a diaper wherever, or to use a wipe straight from the box, or to say, "We don't need that Pooh patterned comforter set just because we have a Pooh nightlight." What you really need are a few outfits, a couple of good swaddling blankets, whatever feeding system you need if you're bottle-feeding, and a high quality and safe crib (no hand-me-downs, NO drop-sides which are no longer considered safe). And be sure to get good, well-fitted sheets for the crib so they do not pop off the corners, which is another strangulation hazard. Invest in good quality sheets. That's it.

The bouncy seat was what I had to have with my boys. The slept in it for naps for the longest time. And if you are nursing and having to go back to work a good pump. Don't get a cheep one get a good one I recoment the Medila pump in style.

A bouncy baby seat & the swing. My last baby wouldn't nap unless she was in the swing or held. Those were two of our lifesavers to be able to get things done sometimes. When mine were a little older they all had exersaucers or that type of activity center. Another must...numerous blankets. I don't think you can ever have enough blankets for your baby. Each of mine had their favorites but it would have been a rough night one of them got sick or got wet & didn't have a backup blanket.

an infant seat. My son took most of his naps in it, and now with my daughter I have to keep her in a seated position after she eats for about 15minutes or she spits up everything. For us the playpen was a waste. by the time I used it my son had a bottom tooth and he kept sticking it through the mesh and pulling it real hard. (I still get chills thinking about it) We used all store bought diapers (and still do) because you can get twice as many for the same price and we never had any problems with them leaking. For my daughter we can't live without those swaddleme blankets, my husband can't seem to master the fine art of swaddling with a regular recieving blanket, but my son hated being swaddled. It really is different for every baby. Another example is my daughter falls asleep with her paci, and my son hated them and never took them. I also love the jumperroo. We have the Fisher price precious planet one.

I loved my "My Brest Friend" nursing pillow. I also had a Boppy but the Brest Friend nursing pillow was much more comfortable. I used the Boppy for tummy time.

Also, although I bought a couple of different brands of bottles/nipples, I ended up using the Playtex drop-ins...it was much easier to clean just nipples rather than whole bottles - and this wasn't until my son was one since I breastfed the first year.

If you are breastfeeding, I highly recommend the Lansinoh breast pads, as well as the Lansinoh double pump - there is no milk back up in the tubing so I never had to worry about sterilizing and water condensation in the tubing. Also, it is very inexpensive, compared to some of the other pumps.

Also agree with some of the other responses...no need for a diaper genie (I just threw out the dirty diapers in the trash can outside) and no need for so many plush blankets. Burping clothes/washclothes though - lots of those!!

Oh, and I bought a whole bunch of those one size fits all outfits...the ones that have the elastic at the bottom. Did not use any of them! First, although the body fits well, the arms are way too big. Also, the diapers (and its contents) stay better secured with onsies or pants.

Insofar as swaddling blankets/jammies - you have to figure out whether or not your baby will like to be swaddled. I bought a few and luckily, was able to figure out at the hospital that he was not going to like them. From day one, my son managed to stick his little arms out of the blanket and uncover himself. I may have been swaddling wrong but the nurses did it too and he hated it!!

A boppy pillow and Medela breast pump, if breastfeeding.
A good, large enough, and slightly stretchy blanket for swaddling.
The book or video "Happiest Baby on the Block" by Harvey Karp.
For infant, a Moby Wrap or Baby Bjorn.
For slightly older infant to young toddler, an Ergo.
An infant vibrating chair to "place" them. I never even turned it on (and I also used the boppy for this.
A floor mat/gym.

We ONLY used Pampers brand diapers. The swaddlers especially are so great for the newborns.

As far as the larger baby items, we used one of those pack 'n' plays with the bassinet for the day naps, and it had a changing table attached that was handy. We used the jumperoo and when the babies were newborns we had those bouncer seats, they were comfy for them to sit in just to chill.

The bumbo seats are awesome.

I never used our boppy much, that was sort of a waste. May be good for breastfeeding though, not sure.

Also, a rocking comfy recliner is a must-have.

I'll post more if I think of more.

humidifier- one thing that I did not put on my registry, but have used multiple times since our toddler was born . . . it is one of the only things that you can do when your child has a cold up to age 6 (when cold medicine is proven to actually work)

moby wrap or any type of carrier/sling etc- something to make baby feel held while freeing your hands

A stroller with a shade that is adjustable (all the way up and down), to be able to block the sun no matter what direction you are walking

Boppy, or other breastfeeding pillow- even if you are bottle feeding only, these are great!

Jumperoo

Swing

Vibrating or bouncy seat

I would not register for many blankets . . . we received so many, we have 2 shelves of our linen closet full of baby blankets only (and that was after returns of the ones that came with gift receipts!)

There were few questions just like yours within a week or so, excellent answers. Please look it up.

It's really different with every baby, every mom's lifestyle, and size of your house :) if you SAHM then you need few more things because you play with the bay all day long, rather if the ba y is in daycare you might not require as much gear etc. if you exclusively breastfeed then you don't boxes of bottles. If you only bottle feed, then you don't breast pump :) if
you have two level 5,000 Sq ft home, you need bassinet, playpen and a crib but if you have one level house, crib will do.

Congratulations!!!!!

If you get baby wipes, make sure to get the scent-free kind incase your babe has sensitive skin.
We also used scent free (Aveeno) baby wash, & body cream.
We used vaseline or A&D after every diaper change during newborn stage so that the meconium wouldn't stick to the skin & cause diaper rash when wiping it off. (Didn't learn this trick until baby #2 and it made such a HUGE difference!! Baby #2 never had a diaper rash. Never.)

Get a LARGE SQUARE blanket that can be used for swaddling - the small ones work for a week. Once my babes outgrew their swaddle blanket, I sewed 4 of them together to create a super-huge swaddle blanket and we used it until about 6 months. It has to be a perfect square.

a NICE stroller!!!!! (one with a cup-holder and a key-holder)

pack n play

LOTS of burp cloths

rent "Happiest baby on the block" from library and learn the 5 s's :)

glider, boppy pillow (esspecially if breastfeeding), bumbo or my youngest (didnt sit up till 10 months), dr browns bottles they are the best, #1 must have for both my kids was the bouncy chair though couldnt have lived without it.

The only thing we bought that ended up being a waste of money was the swing both my kids hated it.

Our Baby Bjorn was the single best shower present we got. Also, a good diaper bag, with a portable changing pad.

If I could get one gift for new parents though, it would be 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, boxes of baby wipes. And even that wouldn't be enough ;)

A must for my son:
-a floor fan- I had a colicy baby...
-a binky-until he was 11 months
-pampers sensitive baby wipes
-pampers swaddlers diapers- great for boys
-gripe water- great to dip in binky if the baby is crying (all natural)
-tylenol- for me because I was so exhausted :)

congrats!!!

Things that were a waste:
-baby wipe warmer
- bottles dryer rack
- diaper genie
-rocking chair

The Cushie Pushie Pillow!!!!! For a BIG busted woman trying to get everything positioned it's AWESOME! I don't think I nursed without it the first 6 weeks!

I just used regular old bed pillows to position the baby, but the Cushie Pushie was a MUST for getting ME postioned!

lots of places to put the baby- swing, bouncy seat, little play mat. They can't do much but sit there so it's good to mix it up. At the end of the day you can't hold them on your lap and stare at them all day (though you really want to!)
Also a baby bjorn or sling of some sort to wear them around and have hands free.
The cheap-o umbrella stroller that is small and folds up quick. Can't use it for a few months but much more convenient to grab and go later in their baby-hood, and toddler-hood

I wouldn't bother with a bottle seterilizer, or a diaper genie.

Carseat/stroller combo makes it easier to attach carseat to stroller when needed with a newbie & makes it more comfy for them.
Pack N Play that has an on board changing tabloe & bassinet then all comes off when oler to use as a play pen
Bouncer I love the Bright Starts from Walmart.com (the online store well a bit more pricey)
Swing with music & a timer to save on batteries
Nursing pillow will be buying another soon for my lil gal
Nursing bras if your bfing in many styles to fit your clothing wardrobe/encourgement
Pampers sensitive wipes all I will use for a while
Diapers using pampers newborn & Huggies newborn
those tiny socks plenty of them & a net zipped laundry bag to wash them in so for they don't lost
many onsies & pants not all in size newborn but upto 3-6 months
0-3 months sleep n play outfits,baby hats receiving blankets I bought a pack of 4 & now she has outgrown them she is only going on 2 weeks none of my kiddos liked to be swaddled,but if your does then buy swaddlers,all I use mine for is the pack N play changing table,burp cloths & in the diaper bag for just in case
dipaer bags for me in all sizes
plenty of sheets for the crib,bassinet,pack n play
infant nailclippers most come in the infant care package with all the essentials
Go for the practical,what you know you need use then go from there.Good Luck

Receiving blankets & onesies! OH and my rocking chair! STILL have my rocking chair!