What Type of Baby Items Needed for Pre-toddler?

a chinese girl is going to be pretty small. I would say 18 month clothes.

At 21 months, you can skip the highchair and get a booster seat instead. Fisher Price makes a great, inexpensive one ($20-30) that straps to the chair so it won't slide off (we've been using this with my daughter since she was able to sit...we never did a highchair). Definitely a stroller, at least an umbrella stroller. You can get one at Babies R Us for about $20. Obviously a car seat. We LOVE or Britax! Kids books definitely! Along with a few active toys...puzzles, blocks, etc. Good luck & Congratulations!!!

Hi M.:

Let me tell you what we have been doing.

Our baby is turning 3 next month and we JUST got rid of the high chair. He is still learning to stay in his chair at mealtimes. I almost wish we had kept him in the high chair even longer.

He isn't too keen on getting into his stroller most of the time. However, he will sit in it if we are going on long treks (shopping trips or long walks). He always has the option to walk for a bit, then get in and out of it.

Being that your baby girl is still not quite two, I would suggest baby-proofing your house.

Forgive me for being ignorant, as I have never been to a Chinese orphanage... Things in the U.S. will be very new to her. I would err on the side of safety on every issue.

I wouldn't worry about brand names for your gear, though. She will probably only be using her 'baby' things for another year or so. You can get a good stroller for under $100. IKEA sells great highchairs for cheap. The idea is to get her strapped in and high enough to reach the table, right? IKEA has one for about $25. At this age, basic is key. She won't need the recline option, or tray.

Have fun! And congratulations on your new daughter!

get a range of clothing sizes from 18 month, 24 mos., and 2T. I would buy 1 or 2 12 month outfits, just in case you have a petite kiddo. You only need a lightweight weight stroller as long the baby can sit up. You will need a rear-facing and forward facing model of an infant/toddler convertible car seat, if the baby is less than 20 lbs you will need them to ride rear-facing. I recommend buying a baby sling that has a high weight capacity-- 30lbs+, to help you hold this baby because you will be doing that a lot in order to bond to this child that has been through so much. Also do not waste your money on a highchair, get a booster chair with tray that straps to one of your regular chairs Graco has a great one. this keeps the child at the table and a part of the family. Good luck!!

PS I would check once upon a child stores for these items as they will not be in use very long.

i would also recommend getting toys that say the name of shapes/colors/numbers/abc's etc. because she will be learning english now & that will help her a lot. also i would expect her to be more behind than advanced, she may even still take a bottle (my sister did when we got her although she was a bit younger), she was behind for her age here.

Congratulations!
For an almost two year old I wouldn't worry about a stand alone high chair, but I would invest in a booster seat version of some sort. I don't love mine, but my SIL has a fisher price Space Saver. She loves it! She still uses it for her daughter who is about to turn three.

I think a stroller is a must! You can find lots of deals on gently used strollers on craigslist.org. I have been happy with my graco. Just look for one that has a cup holder for you and a snack tray for baby girl (and almost all brands have these features these days).

As for clothes...there is no telling. My guy was little and still wore 18mth sizes when he was two. But his cousin was in a 3T by then. I would probably shop for 24 months and up...it may be a little big, but better too big than too small.

Don't forget the little things...sippy cups, toddler silverware, plastic plates (we liked the kind with suction cups on the bottom so they were harder to turn over). Around two is when my little one started needing a night light too. I also still used the baby monitor at that time. Step stools - so he could turn on his bedroom light.

You may want to think about a crib. We bought a convertible crib (turns in to a bed) and never used that part of it. My son transition into his own bed a little after he turned two, but your situation is obviously different, your little one may need the security of a crib for longer. If you travel a lot, a pack and play may be a good investment. We used ours with our son until he was 2 1/2. Again, check craigslist.org.

As for entertainment...ball dropping and ball popping games have been popular in house (there are a variety of these our there!).

Hope this helps! Congratulations on your newest addition.

I think for this age an umbrella stroller is ideal and convenient, and less expensive. I would also get a highchair and a crib. She will not be accustomed to staying put when you set her down to eat and sleep. Also, my kids got a sense of security from these "stay-put" items. And she will need a sense of security in her new surroundings. Congrats. How wonderful!

(PS - my friend adopted from China and her biggest mistake was putting the crib in the master bedroom. She regretted it for years, literally! So start her in her own room!)

Congratulations! She might be little but then she could be a big girl so it's hard to say for clothing. I'd say probably 18 months for clothes but 24 months might work better, she can always grow into them. I'd hit Finders Keepers Kids in NRH and Kid to Kid to find some basic clothing like shorts, tees, cotton dresses, that way if you have a size issue you won't have spent a ton of money. My son was always pretty on target as far as sizing goes but all kids grow differently! You really could get away with just an umbrella type stroller at this time but you might want to go with one that has few more whistles and bells than a standard umbrella - we have an Uppa Baby G-Lite that my 3 1/2 year old still uses. It's lightweight and folds like an umbrella but nicer than the cheap ones you can buy and has gotten us through airports, Disney World, trips to the beach, downtown Chicago, the zoo, etc. A lot of people have the MacLaren or Chicco versions. You will probably want a crib, I'm guessing it's what she's used to, you might want to find a convertible one. A booster seat that straps to a kitchen chair is probably the best solution for eating. You'll also want cups, dishes, spoons and forks. As far as toys, go with developmental and open ended play types such as blocks, things with colors, letters, animals etc. She'd probably like some little cars or something that she can push/pull around. My son had a little dog on a string that he loved to trail around behind him at this age and also anything musical. He's still a big fan of the Leap Frog refrigerator toys. Good luck in your travels to complete the adoption!