What baby items do you consider essential? We have a small two bedroom condo (with no extra storage) and are expecting our first child this winter. We just aren’t going to have the space to have every single baby item out there!.
We want to live simply and not have a bunch of items around the house that we don’t need or use. My other (related) question would be: How do you explain to people that you don’t need all the “extras?” -Emily
Congratulations on your pregnancy, Emily! I love how you’re thinking ahead — what a smart mom you already sound like!
We were in a similar situation when our first baby was born and I know some of what you’re feeling as you try to determine what you need to buy and how you’re going to have room for the additional items.
Here’s some advice based upon my experience of living in a small apartment with a baby:
1. Don’t Buy Anything Until After Your Baby Shower
It’s tempting to want to purchase the adorable teensy tiny baby items that you see at Target or at garage sales, but if you know someone is planning a baby shower for you, wait to buy anything until after it’s over with. I found that people were so generous that we ended upon almost not needing to spend any money on baby supplies after our baby showers!
2. Borrow Items You Will Only Use for a Short Time
There’s no point in spending money to buy something that you’ll only use for a few months or less. And there’s a good possibility one or two of your friends have an extra baby sling, bassinet, or other such baby items in their attic or basement storage room that they’d love to let you borrow.
In addition, if you are thinking about purchasing a non-essential baby item, but you’re not sure if it will work well for you and your baby, wait until after your baby is born and see if you can borrow the item for a short while from a friend before purchasing it.
3. Accept Gifts Graciously
While it’s easy to worry about what you’re going to do about people giving you things you don’t need, focus instead on the fact that you are so loved that so many people want to bless you. If someone asks for specifics on what to purchase for your baby, you can graciously explain to them that essentials like diapers, clothing, food for your freezer (for after your baby comes), and/or a gift card that you can use toward a large ticket purchase would be the best things since you’re short on space.
However, if someone doesn’t ask and instead buys you something so you don’t think you’ll need, don’t allow yourself to feel any sort of frustration toward the gift-giver or view the gift as unneeded clutter. Just be grateful for the wonderful people in your life who are so kind to make sacrifices on your behalf.
As far as essentials go, I did a series on Having a Baby Without Breaking the Bank in 2009. Here’s the list of essentials I shared in that series:
Aside from lots of love and nurturing, here are the essentials I believe you truly need:
1. Clothes (For starting out, I think you can get by just fine with six onesies, six sleepers, a few pairs of socks, and a few hats.)
2. Bed (unless you’re planning to co-sleep) and bedding
3. Car Seat
4. Stroller (or sling/baby carrier — some people find a sling/ERGO to be more practical than a stroller)
5. Diapers and Wipes (either cloth or disposable)
6. Burp Cloths and Blankets (4-6 total, some light and some thicker).
(And if you are unable to nurse or if you are adopting, you would also need to add formula/bottles, etc. to this list.)
There are lots of other things that can be fun to have or that can make life more convenient, but they aren’t essentials, in my opinion. And babies have survived for centuries without them!
Great, simple list. My kids are 13 & 15 now, and I’ll second a few things.
1. Baby monitor is really unnecessary – especially if you have a family pet. Our Siamese was totally devoted to the babies and wouldn’t allow them to cry for a moment before coming to fetch us.
2. While they preferred different “shirts” (boy liked onesies, girl preferred the “kimono” style shirts and cried if we put a onesie on her), they both LOVED the fleece sleep sack someone bought us for his shower so much that we bought 2 more. That also meant that we didn’t need so many blankets (although people gave us a lot of them). so, even if you’re given a lot for shower gifts, wash a few of each type and try them out first – then exchange for what baby likes best!
3. Baby coats are difficult to put on and deal with car seats. My mother-in-law made a fleece cover for the boy – a piece of fleece to go under the baby (with holes for the straps), a piece to go over, with a zipper connecting them – it was perfect. In the coldest weather we added a blanket over the top.
Finally, I’ll just second the notion of accepting all gifts graciously, and trying things out – I’d pull out a gift toy on a trip or a moment of crisis and most of the time, it made things better, if only temporarily.
A roof over their head, a safe place to sleep and food in their belly. ( ok a diaper or two) lol.
The reality is that what one baby loves another may hate. A swing or a bouncy seat often allow a mom to get things done, but you don`t need both. I would not invest in these items until you get a sense of his or her personality. You might borrow these items and see which your baby likes.
A couple of items I used to keep cost down
Olive oil for moisturizing my baby’s skin. The bottle lasted almost a year and helped reduce the flaky skin.
Cloth diapers. Much cheaper and fewer rashes then my last child.
I found that foot-in pjs were a huge waste for us. We live in Phoenix, AZ, so it’s not like we need to worry about super warm bedtime clothes. The little night dresses with elastic around the bottoms have been the best thing ever. Even during the summer, the long sleeves aren’t an issue because it’s thin material. She doesn’t even wake up when we change a diaper during the night! They’re the best little thing we purchased, in my opinion.
I also found the swing to be one of our best purchases for months 0-3. She wouldn’t sleep anywhere but in that swing for 2 months…it was a life saver.
I agree with the don’t buy anything until after the shower. I also suggest consignment stores for bigger ticket items from the swing to the furniture. It’s amazing what you can find in a popular consignment shop (and use them after the fact too! Great way to recoup and/or donate used items since most donate what doesn’t sell)
Thinking back to my 10 month old’s first days and weeks at home, here are some items we couldn’t live without.
1. swing (she loved it until the minute she outgrew it. LOL)
2. baby swaddlers (with velcro–my LO could wiggle out of the best swaddle!)
3. breast pump and nipple cream (for severe engorgement :(…)
4. car seat w/stroller travel system
5. mitts for her little hands (she scratched herself/pulled her own hair A LOT)
6. lots and lots of onesies
7. PATIENCE with yourself, baby, and hubby/SO
8. FLEXIBILITY when things don’t work out the way you had planned 🙂
This is my list. It may not appeal to all. Everyone has their own preferences and/or things they’ve seen work/not work for their friends and family members. Despite all the breastfeeding trouble I was having, baby tolerated it really well. I eventually had to pump and supplement with formula due to severe engorgement. I was also recovering from an unexpected c-section, which caused an infection, and landed me back in the hospital for 3 days away from our LO. Despite all that, I wouldn’t change a thing. Our daughter is happy and healthy and that’s all that matters!
I keep thinking more about this question and coming up with more money and space saving ideas! Lots of people mentioned a changing table–either loving it or hating it. For me, a place other than the floor was essential because I had some pretty serious tears during birth. I literally couldn’t sit on the floor, not to mention the getting up and down part! Using the bed was tough too because of the angle. But we did buy one of the foam changing pads and just stick it wherever we wanted. In our room, the dresser was the primary changing table. On the first floor, we’d put it on the dining room table (yes we always sanitized it before eating). The new foam pad cost us maybe $10 (we did have 2 covers for it too), and when we didn’t need it we could tuck it behind the dresser or in the closet. I bet you could just use a bunch of flat blankets too to offer a little padding, but the foam pad is easy to clean and tote between rooms.
I’m probably in the minority, but I liked the baby bathtub because it made me feel more secure with those very early baths. I think I paid $2 for one at a thrift store. It was very bulky but we found a place to store it somehow! After a few months, though, I just got this frog-shaped foam pad and bathed my son in the regular bathtub on the pad. (I donated the bathtub at that point.) That too only cost a few bucks, I think. I did appreciate having a few baby washcloths as I found they were softer than the adult ones and easier on my son’s skin, but again not essential. The hooded towels are much easier to use too. Get the bigger size ones right away and you can use them for years. (They outgrow those newborn size ones so fast.) My 2.5 year old still happily uses the same hooded towels he’s been using since he was born! Keeps their head warmer much easier than a plain flat towel does. I got some new as gifts and then bought a couple at the thrift store for 50 cents.
Honestly, I think the baby stuff is in use for such a short time, it’s not such a big problem to have some of it just sitting out in the open, like a bouncy seat on the living room floor. Obviously you don’t want to buy or get stuff you don’t need, but in 6 months you can get rid of most of that stuff. It’s the toys that start to take over then, and that’s where you need to exert ruthless control! 🙂
And no matter how much space or money you have, you WILL get baby stuff you don’t want/need. I think we got 6 or 7 of those toy blankets with an animal head/arms (don’t know what they’re called). We kept a few, though my son barely ever played with them, and frankly I gave away the rest. Same with receiving blankets–we got many new and used ones, way more than we would possibly need. Again, I gave away almost all of them. (We had those Aden & Anais blankets and pretty much used them for everything, including swaddling, covering the stroller, as a portable changing spot, to wipe up drool/spit up, etc. If you are looking to save space, those blankets are about as multi-purpose as you can get. Plus they are super high quality and last forever.)
Oh, I forgot to add that one item that can be pricey but was so worth it for us with space at a premium was a high chair that clipped on to the table. We had the Chicco 360 and LOVE LOVE LOVED it (we used it from about 6 months until about 2 years), but there are cheaper brands too. Just make sure to read reviews and get one that clips on securely and is relatively easy to remove. I’d also suggest one with a tray. Many don’t have trays and it is harder for the baby to get to the food, not to mention messier. It was so nice that the chair didn’t take up any floor space, and it was easy to take it off when we wanted extra table space. It was also super convenient for traveling.
NOT an essential, but if you’re tight on space but looking to get a few things from that “can get by without but super helpful to have” level, a clip on high chair is a great option. Otherwise, you can always get a cheap high chair (walmart and IKEA have good options), or just do without completely and hold the kid when they eat.
I feel like a safe place to put the kid when you can’t hold them is *almost* essential–you can technically get by without it but for the added peace of mind it gives you I’d say to get it unless you REALLY can’t afford it. For a newborn, options would include a swing or bouncy seat. You can strap the baby in and know they aren’t going anywhere, and it props the baby up so he or she can look around. My son only liked lying on the floor if I was within eyeshot, but in the swing he was happier to sit for a while because he had more to look at. As the baby gets older, a safe place would include an exersaucer type toy. I admit the exersaucer is big and bulky, but for us it was VERY helpful. My son was very active and it was a great place to put him when I needed to cook dinner, take a shower, etc. He would happily jump and play for a while. All these options are short term–you shouldn’t leave them in there for hours–but for me the peace of mind was worthwhile. I knew my son was safely strapped in, especially important once he started rolling over.
With any of this stuff though, see if you can borrow one first, even if that person can’t lend it to you longer term, to see if your child likes it. Some babies love swings, some hate them. Some love bouncy seats, some don’t. (If your child really hates everything, just use the crib, if you use one, as the “safe place”. They may cry there too but at least you didn’t have to spend any extra money on it!) If space is at a premium, you could always start with something like a bouncy seat (cheap and relatively small) or swing (buy used!) and then give it away or lend it to someone when your child gets too big, replacing it with an exersaucer (cheapest and most entertaining). I routinely see used version of ALL these things at thrift stores and garage and rummage sales for $5-$10. Craigslist would be another place to find some, or just try a discount store like Walmart.
We have six children in our small three bedroom townhouse and one bedroom doesn’t even have a closet–so we have used our church nursery as a holding place for items we really liked to use for certain stages but just didn’t have room to store. Our bumbo seat and big exer-saucer toy are examples of things that stay in our nursery and get used by everyone until those months we need them and then we take them and bring them back after that stage is over. It has worked so well for us I highly encourage it. We were given those items, but things we didn’t get we either found at a garage sale super cheap and then gave away or just went without. We always tell people we want to focus on the people in our home as much as possible rather than the stuff. That can take a lot of time and stress to keep clean and organized. We did also decide to rent the smallest size storage unit once we were as organized as possible and still full. We didn’t want to get rid of everything since we knew we would have more children—so since we couldn’t afford to move to a bigger house, we just decided to do that as our “upgrade”. But we are hoping to only have it short-term as we do trust that God gives us what we need as we go. Congrats on the new little one—such a blessing!
I think this atricle is really accurate on the needs of babies but I did find that there is on versital item that can be used in a number of ways that make life easier.Its a swing. You can use it as a swing of course but it is also can be used as a high chair of sorts also a play area also helps calm and relax the baby and swings are usually not that expensive. I think I paid about $15 for one at a second hand store and when you are done with it it resells very easy especially at childrens consignment stores
My advice? Graciously say “Thank you” to everything that is offered to you – if it is something you really do need, use it and be thankful! If you find you aren’t able to use it, you have several options. First, if it is a gift with a gift receipt, try to return it. You can often get store credit in the form of a gift card – Target gift cards will buy you diapers, wipes and food and they never expire! If you can’t return it, you can bless someone else with it. Everyone knows someone who is pregnant and money is tight for most people. If you don’t know someone personally who can use it, check with your local pregnancy resource center. They will undoubtedly know someone who can use it – even if it’s a bag of preworn baby clothing. Your church may also have a ministry for pregnant moms. And you can always try reselling or giving it away thru Craigslist or Freecycle, or a mom-to-mom sale. Too busy to mess with selling it or donating it? Just give your PRC a call – the lady that runs ours would often stop by my shop herself to pick up donations…donating to them meant only making a phone call and we should never be too busy to help other mothers in need!
All of our babies were adopted so BF was out (adoptive BF is on the rise, but that was not an option for us since they were adopted through fostercare.) So an absolute essential for bottle-feeding moms like myself was the Day-n-Night warmer. It’s a refrigerator and heating source all in one. You can keep two full sized bottles of cold formula ready in your bedroom or the nursery for night-time feedings. When baby awakens, you move a bottle from the cold compartment to the heating element, hit a button and the formula is warmed to the perfect temp in about 3 minutes. By the time our baby’s diaper was changed, the bottle was ready to go.
There were 2 things I got for our first that I could not have survived without – an Itzbeen baby timer and the Ultimate Crib Sheet.
The Itzbeen was a total sanity saver – it kept track of when our son had eaten last and which side he’d eaten on so I never even had to think about it. It can also track medications, diaper changes, naps…anything you want and it’s really small and not terribly expensive (~$18 at BRU).
The Ultimate Crib Sheets (also BRU, ~$18) have been amazing as well. They cover the crib so if your little one has an accident, throws up, spits up, drools a lot, etc. you don’t have to go through the hassle of changing the whole crib sheet. You can just pull that top sheet saver off and put a new one on.
A swing! All 3 of my babies took their best naps in them when they were little! It was a lifesaver for me!
A necessity.. A Camera.. doesn’t have to be expensive but baby’s grow soooo fast!
Before you can blink, amidst sleepless nights and crazy busy days.. all of a sudden
that tiny bundle of joy is sitting up, crawling, then walking.. oh no, now they’re
running, oh my… climbing… Hey what happened… they’re borrowing the car
keys! Oh Wait… they have moved across the country and have a family of their
own.. Seems like just yesterday… a bundle of joy… pictures can recreate that
wonderment over and over for a parent!
The only thing beyond the six essentials listed that I felt like I needed was a baby swing. It gives me the opportunity to put my babies in a safe and soothing place while I do other things. I never needed it right away or for more than a few months. I also found that the travel size swing meet my needs without taking up to much space (they fold for storage/travel), and they cost much less than the larger fancier swings.
I wish I had found a list like this before I had my baby! It sounds like you are getting lots of helpful words of wisdom. Here’s my experience:
I preferred the My Brest Friend over the Boppy and consider it essential. MBF pops up on Totsy & Zulily about once a season and that’s the cheapest place I have seen it. We bought a mini-crib instead of a regular size crib and I am still happy putting my 15 month old in it
“DaVinci Mini Alpha Rocking Crib” http://www.amazon.com/DaVinci-Alpha-Mini-Rocking-Crib/dp/B000FT7NU6
She is a climber and is very close to being able to get out of her travel crib but I don’t think she’ll be able to climb out of this mini crib for another year 🙂
It was nice to have some formula on hand and a 4 oz bottle, too. I had to supplement my milk supply with formula. I like Dr. Brown’s wide neck bottles. Wide neck for breastfeeding because it more closely resembles mom’s nipple. http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Browns-Natural-Flow-Bottles-2/dp/B002GDF3T2/ref=sr_1_2?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1344048448&sr=1-2&keywords=dr+brown%27s+wide+neck
I love love love my Ergo. If I had to do it again I would still get a neutral color but I would get the Performance style simply because it dries faster and I don’t like waiting a long time after I wash it 🙂 Now I have heard that the Lillebaby is just like the Ergo but with one more position; you can also face the baby out. I liked the helpful videos on Youtube when I was ready to learn how to wear her hip and back pack style.
http://www.amazon.com/ERGO-Baby-Carrier-Performance-Grey/dp/B003VTM6IG/ref=sr_1_7?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1344048681&sr=1-7&keywords=ergo+baby+carrier
There are some great resale/consignment options out there- Divine Consign, Rhea Lana, Once Upon A Child, Kid to Kid. Once I joined my mom’s group I received LOTS of baby gear & toys from moms who just wanted it gone- if only I had joined that club while I was still pregnant, I would have saved a lot of money.
I guess a high chair isn’t essential but I really like the Joovy Nook. Been using it from four months of age. We fold it up after every meal to get more floor space.
I don’t know if these will be essential but they are two space saving items we used:
Bright Starts Comfort and Harmony Portable Swing (folds)
Baby Bjorn Babysitter Balance (it folds SO flat!! and the cover is so easy to remove & wash)
I liked the Bumbo because I could take my little girl into the shower with me! It’s water proof.
Congratulations & good luck!
Okay, lots of good comments here, but I’ll add my own two cents, and I’ll try to be brief.
1. stroller. I had Dec. and Jan. babies in Chicago, but trust me, there will be times in winter where you will want/need to get out of the house. Last winter in Chicago was mild, and if memory serves me correctly, so was it in parts of WI, so you’ll be able to move a stroller around unless there are just tons of snow. the snap and go is great because you can just leave it in a car or a garage and snap the infant car seat in there for when you are doing small errands. Also, I know it might be really hard to think so far in the future, but if you think there is even a remote possibility for child #2, you can consider getting a double stroller. I ended up getting the Phil and Teds when I had #2 because it takes up the space of a single but fits 2. I know that other brands have now mimicked the Phil and Teds design so you can probably find a more affordable style of stroller, but I LOVED mine. I knew several people in Chicago who live in apartments and condos and they would just leave their stroller outside of their inner door and I never heard of one getting stolen. I had a baby bjorn given to me and I used it a lot more for my second child but that was also quite nice to have. I bought a sling for my second child as well, but she didn’t like it as much and I found the baby bjorn much handier.
2. Infant car seat. Yes, my first was almost 9 pounds and the second was almost 8 pounds at birth, so I guess they were considered big babies, but there is nothing as nice as being able to just lift the whole seat out with the child in it. Also, I’m sorry, but as a sleep deprived mother, if your infant falls asleep in that car seat, it is heaven to be able to carry it inside the house/grocery store/where ever and keep them sleeping.
3. Crib. I never had a moses basket or bassinet. The day we got home, baby #1 went straight into her crib and was fine. I know they have some “compact” crib models, I think we got one at Walmart for only $50. Baby #2 someone loaned us their bassinet so she slept in it for a few days, but I wouldn’t have ever thought to go out and buy one, nor would I have asked for it on our registry.
4. Play mat. Both of my girls loved tummy time much more with this, and the one we had could fold in half.
5. Swing and bouncer. Both my girls loved the swing, and my first loved the bouncy seat. The second one we probably didn’t use the bouncy seat as much, but she had an older sibling to entertain her.
6. Diapers/wipes/onesies/jammies/sleep blankets/diaper pail/bottles. Never had the wipe warmer. Neither did I have a bottle warmer or sanitizer. I used the Halo sleep blankets. Don’t remember really swaddling my kids that much after maybe a month or so, plus I wasn’t good at swaddling, so I probably didn’t have more than 3 or so of those receiving blankets. Also, I had a diaper pail because I wasn’t going to go down a flight of stairs at night to throw the diaper in the trash, but I didn’t get the Genie because I heard that it really wasn’t all that. I also used some cloth diapers on my second child, and I think I used the cloth diapers as burp rags.
I bathed my girls in the kitchen sink for the first few months, then I had a foldable bath tub that served just fine. I also had a pack and play but for me, personally, that just served as an expensive diaper changing station. I never traveled with it or used it to keep my kids in when I left the room. They were probably either in the swing or bouncy seat. My mother in law had a basic pack and play for when we spent the night there, and then when we would stay at my mom’s she would just rent one. And at hotels, we would just request a crib. I think I registered for a high chair as well because, even without using them right away, it is nice to think ahead, especially when people want to get you gifts that you will really use. I had a nice compact one that could fold, even though we never did bother to fold it up because we were just too lazy. Also got a cheap attach to the table one on clearance at Target for friends to use and never had a problem with that. good luck and enjoy those first few months even though at times you will be beyond tired and your child may be beyond cranky. My girls are now 6 and 8 and it just seems like those years flew right by.
I remember being surprised by how difficult it is to bathe a wet, wiggly baby who can’t hold his head up. I found my infant bathtub to be essential. I had the kind that folds for storage. I’ve also seen little seats that look like a small “bouncy seat” that you can strap baby into and place in the tub for bathing. Those take less space than the folding bathtubs.
First, congratulations! DH & I were living in a 1 bedroom apartment when we had our first child. Due to space restraints, we registered for very little baby gear. The one thing I was glad I had despite the space it took up was a changing table with shelves underneath. It gave us an easy way to store diapers,clothes, toys and books as well as a place to change our son that was easy to clean when necessary.
I remember when my daughter was born, my mother bought me a sixty dollar bassinet and my daughter wound up co-sleeping for the first three months and then she transferred to a crib. I’ve read some studies that say going straight to the crib is better for both baby and parents but these same studies say you should go straight to babies own room and let them cry through the night so I don’t know. I liked co-sleeping and I will most likely co-sleep with my next little one. Also to save money parents can get a grow-with-me car seat but some little babies don’t do well with those and neither do little cars.
Many of my family bought me several newborn sized clothes and my daughter was nine pounds at birth so she skipped straight to three month clothes. Unless you know for sure your baby is going to be less than eight pounds I would say don’t bother with newborn sizes.
A baby swing ! Make sure it doesn’t have a loud click when it turns off. The loud noise can wake up the baby. ~ C
Also waterproof changing pads are awesome if you don’t have a changing table (I didn’t for any of my 4 kids) or to use in lots of ways as they get older (under sheets, on the couch when they’re vomiting, in the bassinet, etc). I have and still use them in all those ways!
Bouncy seat…you can move it around the house and it’s great when you need to put baby down and don’t want to put him/her on the floor. When baby gets to the separation anxiety you can put him/her in the same room while you’re doing something like cooking. Register if you have specific requests and when people ask what you need say diapers! Or say only the essentials! Congrats and enjoy your precious baby!
My six items would be:
Car Seat
Boppy
Sling
Cloth Diapers/Wipes
Clothes
Hooded Towels
-Get a booster seat w/ tray instead of a high chair.
-I can’t stand nursing pillows – I’ve nursed over 4 years total, and am getting ready to do it again, and I’ve been fine just using a throw pillow or my arms to hold the baby in position.
-Bouncy seat would be great to borrow, but it’s a bit redundant to have both that and a swing.
-Look up Crystal’s advice on not feeding baby pureed special food. You definitely don’t need to buy babyfood if you’re regularly cooking meals at home, and you might not need to make up a bunch of baby food.
-Just use plastic grocery bags to wrap diapers until they can go out, and don’t bother with the diaper genie.
-You don’t need baby monitors in small homes. You can hear the baby good enough!
-Baby tubs are way too bulky. I use the little bathroom sink at first. They sell sponge pillows things you can lay in the tub to bathe them when they get too big for the sink. The sponges are only a few dollars and you just lay the baby on that and use hardly any water. It makes bathing, and especially hair washing, so easy!
Congrats, Emily! We had three huge baby showers. We are very blessed. But it yielded lots and lots of stuff. And people really can’t pass on buying all the cute little girl clothes out there. My thought process is this: “They bought me something to actually use. If I can’t use it, I need to find a way to exchange it for something I will use.” So many, many times, I searched for where the item came from and took it back. While I tried to exchange it for the same design, just a larger size up, it didn’t always work. Still, in the end we had clothes for nearly two full years. Yes, I had to store some of that for a while. But it made sure that what I got turned out to be very practical.
Congratulations Emily!!! Children are a great and Wonderful Blessing. This site will be most helpful to you as you embark on this new journey in your life. As you have seen written here there are a great many ideas and ways of thinking. I will tell you this much. You do not need all that you will see. Mostly what you need is a place for the baby to sleep, some clothing, a few blankets, food and a car seat. Everything else is optional and to what works for you and your baby. With are first child and before Dave Ramsey I had to have everything. 6 years later and a little surprise of a baby we never thought we would have I don’t need near as much.
Put out the word you are collecting stuff for a baby. Trust me it will come. Join free-cycle in your area or your local FB online yard sale for your area. Put out the word a church ( this started a great group at our church, Now we recycle for those who need things, We call it Grandma’s closet) I put out the word of what I was looking for and Two weeks before our son came (3 weeks early) 12 bags of clothes and stuff for babies arrived on my doorstep. With the birth of our son in March of this year I did not have to buy anything until after he was born. Keep in mind it was my second child and I did not have a baby shower and we had gotten rid of everything except a pack n play and the baby bed. With all the we had gotten we had enough of everything we needed. As for a co sleeper. I was not comfortable with the little bed between us what worked better was laundry basket with a pillow in it and a blanket over that. My 87 yr old MIL made that recommendation and it worked great for us. He slept in that between us until he could turn over. GO with what works. We were given a brand new swing and we use it but We could live without it. I breastfeed and supplement with a formula. We use a lot of bath towels in my house for the baby to lay on. They are easy to clean and work for us. You can also take a twin fitted sheet or flat sheet (always find some on clearance) Fold it over and either sew it or just tuck it under some towels, it makes a great floor mat or little sleep mat. Both my children have very sensitive skin so we make our own laundry soap. Again what works for your family. I also made my own wrap. I am big busted so the sling did not work for me. Look for sales now on baby wipes and Diapers. I use cloth at home and disposable when we go out. Also look into making your own wipes. I have only spent 53$ on wipes and diapers since our son was born which includes a nice stockpile of diapers for future use. Mostly have fun and enjoy every minute they grow quick and don’t stay little long.
We loved the bouncy. It doesn’t take up too much room, and is portable. My advice for buying- check out the Fisher Price Infant-to-Toddler Rocker. We were given other bouncies, and the boys grew out of them fast. We bought the Fisher Price model, and at 13 months they still enjoy, and fit in it. (I believe the Fisher Price one is good for up to 40 lbs.)
Pack’n’Plays are also nice, compact, and portable. My boys love it!
What I wish I knew? Babies grow fast! They grew out of most items by 6 months; swings, boppies, jumpers, clothes, etc. So if you don’t need them for your sanity, don’t get them.
*I loved the boppies for tummy time, and sitting up (now they pull them out to snuggle).
Congrats on the baby ! How exciting !
It looks like you’ve gotten some great advice from MSM’s readers, so rather than list suggestions of what I DID find to be essential with my 4 boys, I’ll tell you what I did NOT find to be essential.
Obviously, every baby (and family) is different and will have different ideas of what works and what doesn’t, but here goes…
These items were completely useless to me:
– Changing table (I just set the baby on a towel on the floor to change diapers – plus, you don’t have to worry about them rolling off.)
-Crib (I nursed my babies, and it was SO much easier to have the baby in bed with me at night. We both got much more sleep this way.)
– Too many clothes (They grow SO fast. If you have too many items, it won’t be possible to use them all. It always made me sad to find an adorable outfit in the back of the closet, only to realize that it no longer fit my baby.)
– Wipes Warmer (Seriously, the stupidest invention ever!)
– Diaper Genie (We never used this. I felt much better about just taking any stinky diapers to the outdoor garbage can. Why would you want poopy diapers sitting around for days at a time? )
I think the important thing to remember is that your baby really only needs to be warm, fed, dry, and loved. Everything else is just a matter of your own personal preferences and parenting style. Good Luck !
I loved my wipe warmer! I had a winter baby and I hated the thought of putting cold wipes on his little bottom.
My mom and sisters were the exact same way!! They all live in cold parts (we’re all from North) so it ended being more practical than you think!
Do you NEED a warmer? No
Is it nicer/gentler and freak the baby out less with such a temperature shock? Absolutely
My sister had a wipe warmer and found it completely useless because by the time she took the wipe out and used it- it was already cold.
I posted this below.. But I’ll post it here too:
My mom and sisters LOVED their wipe warmer. It wasn’t too exepnsive, took up little room on dresser/changing table and used it all the time.
They all live in cold parts (we’re all from North) so it ended being more practical than you think!
Do you NEED a warmer? No
Is it nicer/gentler and freak the baby out less with such a temperature shock? Absolutely
Before I forget, also get the DVD or the book (borrow it if you can, the lessons are simple and you probably won’t watch it more than once) of
THE HAPPIEST BABY ON THE BLOCK.
Not all the techniques might work for you, but everyone in the hospital and the friends I had who worked with babies for the state suggested it. Our son wasn’t all about every technique they had, but there were definitely some saving graces in it that we were able to understand best from seeing them on the DVD.
We used a stroller frame that our car seat snapped into and it was perfect. It was also super light and stored in our trunk so not a pain to store or haul. I would add bottles if you are formula feeding.
Other than those and what Crystal listed, my suggest is to wait until you have your little one home and buy things as/if you need them. The one thing I found I just had to have (among so many things I had but didn’t need) was a bottle dryer rack. I wasn’t able to breastfeed due to surgery many years prior so had to formula feed. I attempted to just wash the bottles and put them on a towel but they never got completely dry and the formula would stick as I was trying to mix it. Such a small thing but such a big difference!
Congratulations and enjoy your wonderful blessing! God made them very durable so don’t let fear get you down. 😉
“God made them very durable so don’t let fear get you down.”
I LOVE this! 🙂
My #1 tip- don’t have a baby shower. If people offer, say that you really appreciate the gesture & it is very kind, but what would be most helpful are diapers & food for you to eat once the baby comes. Even without a shower, people are going to give you things, and it avoids lots of the extras you don’t really need.
Here were our “basics”
1. car seat (for safety’s sake, best purchased new)
2. bassinnette (borrowed from someone)
3. clothes (given to us, or picked up extremely cheaply (new) on clearance racks- no more than $1.50 for a whole outfit. I can’t buy clothes that cheaply secondhand).
4. diapers & wipes
we didn’t own a stroller before our baby was born (a january birth), and then got a snap&go to put the carseat on top & eventually a $10 umbrella stroller once he outgrew the carseat.
Thankfully we didn’t have a spitty baby, so we didn’t have burp cloths (aside from 2 that someone gave us). Also, no blankets- the pediatrician said no blankets because of SIDS risk. Just layer the clothes at night and the baby will stay warm.
Great, great advice Cassie! I like that you pointed out that “necessities” like blankets aren’t really necessities! It’s really hard to force yourself to think outside of the standard items.
Emily – to continue with what Cassie said, if someone offers to throw you a shower and you feel comfortable with doing so, (i.e. they are a very close friend who you can be frank with) ask for a meal shower. I’ve had friends who did this sort of shower and it ended up being much more fun and more centered on fellowship than others I’ve been to because there was more time to talk and move about. All the guests bring a dish to freeze so you have meals for just before/after the baby is born. The shower-thrower (?) might be able to store some of the dishes too if there are many guests or she could arrange for someone with a deep freeze to store the meals and then drop off 5-6 a week.
If a shower isn’t important to you I’d say yes, ask friends not to throw one. If you’d kind of like one but don’t need all the stuff, you could have the host let everyone know you already have the gear you need so gifts aren’t necessary, or have the host explain that things like diapers or frozen food would be much appreciated. Don’t forget you can always just create a small registry list too. Put the things you would really like to get on there, and then add the extras. Most places let you add diapers and gift cards as items on the list, so guests understand you have the other things you need already. Another thing you could do for a shower is ask guests to bring books instead of other gifts (I know they do take up space, but in my mind books ARE an essential because they foster a love of reading and learning right away), or ask for donations to a college fund.
I am a minimalist and very frugal when it comes to baby, so I agree with pretty much everything Crystal had to say. However, I would definitely go with more basic clothing. Between oozy baby poo and surprise pee, we could sometimes go through 6 onesies a day! Yes you could launder them all the time, but for a few bucks, it’s totally worth grabbing another pack or 2. 🙂
I started to read the comments but decided to just post myself instead- We lived with my mom when I was pregnant (just returned from the Caribbean- I got married after the Peace Corps and decided that since we were pregnant that it was finally time to move to the US to have the baby) so we did not have much room at all- In one small bedroom we had our bed, a crib, 1 dresser and a closet. We used the space under the crib for her toys and books and a travel swing. My daughter did not like the bigger one but loved this one. However, once she hit 4 months we got an exersaucer at a yard sale and my mom bought her something similar as well- We had to store it in the coat closet when she did not use it.
Diapers are good to have and so are wipes- I recommend not to register for too much baby products- we ended up returning a lot because we did not use them. I am still on the 1st tube of desitin bc luckily my daughter (21 months) has never had big problems with diaper rash- if it gets red at all we put it on her and the next day it is better. We don’t use baby shampoo on her because of her hair type but did use it for the 1st year. I think we used 1 bottle only. I loved my boppy, had plenty of clothes for her (luckily a friend gave me tubs of clothes), burp clothes, a few bibs and a camera are the essentials in my opinion.
Good luck- babies are amazing!
My best advice to new moms is: if you have a baby registry, be sure to put a carpet/upholstery steamer on the list! The baby WILL outgrow the stroller, but will never outgrow the need for a deep cleaning machine. When else can you expect people will splurge on you in that way? You may not need it right away, but by the time you will, you might not be able to afford it because of up and coming siblings…
Just my 2 cents’ worth.
Congratulations!
Skip the baby-tubs. My babies hated taking baths in those things. They got so cold! After a couple of unpleasant bath experiences, I opted to get the the regular tub with my babies for bath time. They were so much happier. And those two bath tubs I had? I gave them away!
I wish you lived near to me. I have a swing languishing in a closet. I don’t want to get rid of it, because it was given to me new, and I did use it some. But it takes up so much space to store, and I’m not expecting right now. Sharing big baby items makes so much sense to me!
Are you in Central Wisconsin by chance? 😉
We have a three week old and live in a 700 square foot one bedroom apartment so space is very tight {especially with all of my husbands gear– he is a Marine}. We have a diaper genie, and while others might say its not essential, it has been such a blessing for us because with all of the diapers our little man goes through, we don’t ever smell them thanks to the diaper genie! 🙂
Besides that, a good bouncy seat or swing is an enormous blessing. When baby isn’t napping/sleeping, its so nice to have a place for him to sit while he’s awake {or going to sleep} while I get work done or clean or cook. We have a swing/bouncer combo so it will last for him while he gets bigger.
I loved my Munchkin diaper pail, too. They are kind of pricey and the replacement bags can be a little expensive, too, but agreed, they keep the smell at bay. Lately, we’ve been using the Munchkin diaper bags ($2 for 50 scented at Walmart) for the smelly ones since the wet ones don’t leave lingering smells and the smelly ones get tossed in the outside trash daily.
My favorite thing was a pack of Aden and Anais swaddle blankets (can get at Target). They are really big and lightweight and I used them for everything! They are great for swaddling, nursing cover, carseat cover, laying down for diaper changes, for baby to play on, and it’s small enough to carry in the diaper bag. They ate lightweight enough to not worry about suffocation or overheating.
I love those swaddle blankets, too! They’re even great for you when you get a little cool because they’re so big. And, once your kids get older, they’re great for peek a boo!
We had too many things for our child to sit in. A bumbo seat, a booster seat/high chair that fit in a kitchen chair, an exersaucer, a jumperoo, a swing… Why did we have all those things? They are only entertained by sitting for so long. We had one in every room– living room, diningroom, back porch, master bedroom, baby’s room. I have no idea why we had all those things. Once they can sit up, a laundry basket full of toys is a perfect portable play pen. I put my youngest in the backyard in a laundry basket while my older one played outside. Until then, a bumbo seat is pretty portable, and you can get a tray to stick toys onto. Hm, I guess I could have put the bumbo in the laundry basket. Wish I’d thought of that sooner! Now they are 2 and 4 and we are all done with babies.
It’s been 9 years since I had a child and I was a teen at that time so I didn’t buy much of anything for my own child-my parents did. If I could do it now(in a few years, we will start trying), the essentials would be:
Carseat/stroller combo
Crib
7 days worth of onesies
A few “nice” going out outfits
Diapers(start stocking up now, on any brand you can)- I found out that my daughter was allergic to every brand, except Walmarts 🙂
Formula- again, stock up on any kind you can find and if the baby won’t take a certain brand, you can give to a shelter, or a friend
10-12 bottles
Diaper Bag or a backpack, which I’ve seen more of lately than DB’s
Weird! My dd is allergic to all diapers except Wal Mart’s brand too!
One last thing-so many are saying don’t buy the bathtub, and I agree. We found those little mesh angled sling type things? that are about $7 work great in your sink and tub, can just be hung or propped for fast drying between baths. Kind of the best of both, small and cheap. Look for them at Babies’r’us by the bath supplies-but you don’t need anything else. We used this from newborn to being able to sit un-assisted.
Love all the comments ladies! Keep them coming! I’ve read through all of them and realized out of 179 comments that no one has suggested cloth diapers! We CD our first (now 15mo) from 5mo and are expecting another baby in Nov. REALLY looking forward to cloth diapering her from day 1! It has been such a money saver for us and I just really enjoy doing it anyway! (with cloth diapers there are also no leaks or blowouts! Thus saving on the extra onsies =D) If you search for cloth diapers on MSM search bar, she has several articles on it!
They are in no way like our parents did for sure! (If i had to do it that way, I probably wouldn’t have considered it!)
We are considering cloth diapers…haven’t yet decided if I’m going to take the plunge! 🙂
baby wash and lotion
diaper rash ointment
bibs –my son spit up quite a bit and it was easier to change bibs than outfits 🙂
car seat cover–my son is a December baby and it was SO much more convenient to zip up the cover and put a blanket over the opening than worry about putting a coat on him in the winter
camera–while not necessarily an essential, the time will go by so fast that you’ll want a way to remember when he/she is small 🙂
diapers–you will need these for years and can exchange them to a bigger size down the road (We were very fortunate and blessed that we received about a year’s supply of diapers from friends/family. My brother had a “Diaper Shower” for my husband…our male friends and family were invited and everyone was asked to bring diapers or wipes. It was a great way to include the guys without making them sit through a “girly” shower.)
We did not buy anything for our first. NOT one item everything was given to us and I happily accepted everything everyone offered and I advise you to do as much. If you do not have the space rent some. I would take everything. You can always pass somethings along, sell some things for what you really need but did not get….. My first had everything and she did not need not one thing purchased for her until she went to school. So our budget was tight our space was way limited and my living room was full of baby stuff for a long while but I did not buy anything.
I am totally minimalist too but you do need somewhere safe to put the baby if you’re cooking, taking a shower, etc., whether it’s a pack n play or a safe area on the floor or a swing or bouncy seat.
And YES Brest Friend over Boppy and our Ergo was invaluable.
We also live in a two bedroom condo and now have our second on the way. I do have a few tips specifically for the space constraints.
I didn’t have room for a bassinet, so I bought a Moses basket @ Marshall’s for under $20 and I set it on the nightstand next to my bed. It worked great for our small bedroom.
We travel a lot, so we had to have a Pack N Play. I just never bought a crib. The nicest Pack N Plays are less expensive than the cheapest cribs and my daughter had her own familiar bed wherever we went. She slept in it until she moved to a twin bed. I splurged on a higher end model and some soft fleece sheets for it, but I still didn’t pay anywhere near what a crib would have cost me. Plus, we could move it out of our second bedroom if we had guests and have our daughter sleep in our room.
I use consignment sales to rotate things out as we outgrow them. I sell off what we aren’t using and buy what we need with the money I make. I think this is really important with small spaces. If you buy second hand to begin with, you don’t lose a ton of money by letting things go and repurchasing when the need arises.
The Fisher Price Space Saver high chair is great quality and just straps to a chair you already have. It’s also much less expensive than traditional high chairs.
We had a bouncy chair and a travel swing. My daughter could take or leave them both, but you never know what your child will like.
I agree with most, except for the swing part. I was encouraged to make that an essential and so I registered for one. It turns out, my son never really liked it. It didn’t soothe him like it apparently does many babies.
I tried to be very simple and “no extras” because of space issues as well, so I was rather bummed when I found out this large baby item wasn’t really essential.
Some things you just won’t know if they fit your situation/child until the baby is here.
I totally agree with the Essential 6 List! Here are a couple more thoughts…
You don’t need a crib and expensive bedding. Buy a pack n play with a bassinet insert…saves TONS of money and space. Baby can use that for up to two years!
I’d recommend one bouncy chair/swing idea…and borrowing would be a fantastic solution! You’ll want one extra place to put baby while you attempt to get dinner cooked lol.
Make sure you register for practical things like diapers and clothes in BIGGER sizes for those who want to buy you gifts. If you end up with a bunch of diapers, do you have family with a garage that can help with storage?
Another nice baby shower idea is a play center idea (several people can go in on one of these). This will be essential when baby is a few months old to keep him/her entertained.
I love your “live simply” idea and think that you should share it with friends/family just like you did here. Ask specifically for the above items (or even easier, have your baby shower coordinator do it for you so you don’t feel as uncomfortable). You can also do a “book” baby shower, where people don’t bring all the crazy baby gifts, just a book for baby’s library. Its a fun get together and will totally cut out all the extraneous stuff.
Congrats and good luck!!
Totally agree with the Pac & Play Bed with the built in bassinet liner. I used one of these, so convenient. Similar to the old “play pens” from my childhood but half the size. I kept my pac n play pulled right up next to my own bed. The height of the bassinet was about equal to my own bed. Very convenient for those night time feedings the first few months. I didn’t even have to get out of bed. Just reach over and pick up baby, feed, burb, change diaper (with supplies I kept close by), baby back to bed and me back to sleep without so much as barely a disruption.
Easy to move the pac n play around to other rooms during the day if needed and easy to transport when traveling to outings where a crib might be needed.
If you are planning to nurse, don’t forget Lansinoh lanolin cream. Your breasts will thank you, especially if it is winter. Start putting it on several weeks in advance if you can, to get the nipples as supple as possible.
There are other brands of nipple cream if you are allergic to lanolin or vegan.
This is such a great tip if you plan on breast feeding! I did the exact same by purchasing a tube of lansinoh cream a month before my due date. I applied it every day to my nipples and used disposable nursing pads in my bras so that the ointment wouldn’t stain my bras. I believe more mothers could nurse their newborns with more long-term success if they knew this tip in advance. If you happen to have problems with nipple pain after nursing I would highly recommend a cool gel nursing pad called “Soothies”. This provides such relief to sore nipples.
Jogging stroller! I don’t knnow how anyone uses the standard stroller! We’re a very active family and joggers handle any terrain, are much better for those over 6′, manueveur much easier and in general seem to hold up better. It does take up substantially more trunk space, but it’s worth it! We have a baby trend…it came with an infant seat. I think the set was $167 at Wal-mart. I’d highly reccommend it!
We quickly learned that a changing table was unnecessary and got rid of it to save space. We have always changed our children on the floor, with or without a little mat. Other items I would buy over and over again would be a boppy pillow (or a my breast friend). I have used it every day for the first year with all three of my children. I also really loved having a good baby carrier. Totally worth the space and money. I liked both the Moby and the Ergo the best.
Definitely agree to wait until after showers to buy. I spent $20 before my showers with my first daughter. After the shower, I was able to use all the gift cards to purchase the remaining necessities, as well as save a little for after the baby was born for clothing (we didn’t know what we were having). I only spent $30 in total out of pocket before the baby was born! Well, that and all the hospital/doctor bills 😉
All three of my children loved the swing (so did I) and it helped them fall asleep many times. It also made it easy to keep them sleeping &/or comfy wherever I was at.
Oh and another thing, if you happen to be a runner or walker and think you’d eventually get a jogging stroller, consider registering for a carseat/stroller combo in which the stroller is a jogging stroller. They make quite a few combos now with jogging strollers instead of the traditional 4 wheel strollers. It’ll save you space and money! And, although the fancy Bob jogging strollers are amazing, it is not necessary. We have found that the Babytrend brand jogging strollers (both single and double) work great for the average runner 😉 Babytrend makes several combos.
I read through some of the replies but I apologize if somebody already mentioned this because I couldn’t read them all.
One thing I have that while not a necessity, it was definitely needed, was a monitor. I have a relatively small house but I have a huge backyard and would often slip outside while the baby was napping. Having the monitor was a lifesaver and I wouldn’t have been able to get as much done while she was sleeping without it.
Also, I had a gorgeous wooden height chair from when I was a child (it had actually been used by my mother and grandmother as well) so I didn’t have to worry about that. But, when I was looking for a booster seat I wanted something that would look nice with my furniture and had a smaller footprint. I searched and searched and finally found the Sweet Seat (http://www.sweet-seat.com/). I LOVE it and we were able to use it starting around 15 months, we still use the height chair from time to time but we love the booster.
Regalo – Easy Diner Portable Hook On Chair from Wal-Mart is very similar to one we used. Convenient, didn’t take up a big area in the kitchen or dining room where a typical high chair would. Also, baby was right up at the table with the rest of the family. We also took this chair, since it was so portable, with us out to dinner at restaurants. It fit almost every table we sat at. I always felt the “high chairs” provided by establishments, were not very clean. Again, just ideas and this one is about $16.00. 90% of buyers gave it 4- 5 stars (314 ratings).
I strongly suggest a snap and go stroller. They fold up thin and you just snap the infant base to it. Things we have done just fine without…baby bath tub and diaper disposer can. We bathed our 3 babies in the sink or shallow water in the tub, and diapers stink no matter where they are. We just drop them in a small container in the garage. Items that have made my life easier…Boppy pillow for nursing, swing (borrowed for our last child), and quality breast pump. Even though I don’t work (I did with my first child), I would purchase another if mine quit working!
In terms of space saving, I really recommend 2 things:
1) Don’t get a baby bathtub. It’s just not necessary. Do spongebaths next to the kitchen or bathroom sink until baby outgrows that, then lay a bathtowel in your bathtub and put an inch or two of water in the tub, and bathe baby that way. The only time I think a baby bathtub is ever necessary is for people who only have a shower in their homes.
2) Get a hook-on or space-saver highchair and not one of those massive stand-alone high-chair monstrosities.
Totally agree with a hook-on highchair! Love mine and it saves so much space!
You can also bathe with your babies in a big tub or shower with them.
Not if you do it correctly : )
My little guy is 7 months old, and I was glad to see I had taken most of the advice here! 🙂 One thing that I realized is that it’s great (although not necessary) to have something that the baby can sit up in before he/she can sit up alone–whether that’s a bumbo seat, a walker, and exersaucer, or whatever. Mine hated the swing, so just as soon as he had head control, I’d put him in his walker (even though he didn’t walk in it yet) and give him toys to play with. He loved it, and suddenly I could wash dishes again! 🙂
Also, if you find a great deal on something (we found 140 pieces of clothing for $10), go ahead and get it and then tell all your friends you don’t need whatever. We got much fewer clothes and a lot of other necessities that way.
I know a changing table is not a necessity, but I’m so glad we had one. I had a bad tear with my delivery, and there was no way I could have changed a diaper on the floor for about two weeks. I’m sure I could have used our bed or set up something temporary, but I’m so glad we had a designated spot! Our changing table/dresser is actually a big old wooden desk–the top is the changing table and the drawers are where I store his clothes and things.
Congrats, and don’t stress too much about having everything perfect! Babies don’t read the books, so there will be plenty of unexpected things to help you be flexible 🙂
Invest in a good baby carrier, meaning a Moby, Ergo, or some type of sling. They are invaluable from about 4weeks to 3 years old.
As a foster mom, I try and keep just the essentials on hand since babies come and go. I use our stroller that reclines in the house, as well. It doubles as a high chair (has a tray and wipes up easily), can take the baby with me from room-to-room.
Another wise mom also suggested investing in some extra waterproof crib pads (found several at a second-hand store for $1) and crib sheets. I layer 2 or 3 of them so when I need a quick bed change, I just remove the top layer and there is fresh bedding underneath. also do this with my toddlers’ beds.
We also have a two bed room, a townhouse, and are expecting our second this winter. We were blessed with many clothes from newborn to 3T. So take what your friends offer if you have the space to store it. Items I thought were essesntial: a baby carrier (sling), receiving blankets, burp clothes, a bouncy seat (ours folds up for storage), highchair that fits onto a seat or hooks onto the table, nursing cover, comfortable chair for nursing (you may already have one, it doesn’t have to be a glider), plastic diaper mat (instead of a changing table). Helpful but can use things you have: boppy pillow & play gym. We store our stroller in our car as there isn’t room in the house. We had a student sized desk in the room that is now the nursery so we put a foam changing pad on it, set it on bed lifters and use that as a changing table. You don’t need a changing table, but we wanted to keep the desk so we made it useful in the baby’s room. We’ve told many people, sorry we just don’t have room for that. It helped us keep it simple & was an easy response to an unwanted item 🙂
I had unexpected complications with my third and ended up on bed rest for a week after she was born this past April. I then learned the wonders of the My Brest Friend – invaluable for nursing! I also wouldn’t want to have a newborn without The Ultimate Crib Sheet. Necessity? No. Unless you ask me in the middle of the night! It’s the easiest way to change a crib sheet!
I didn’t have time to read through all see posts….but….one thing to NOT buy is a diaper genie/champ. We, as adults, would never dream of saving our “business” in the bathroom. It stinks! Baby poop stinks too….flush what you can and quickly wrap the rest up in a grocery bag and throw it far away. That should save you $20-30 and some space.
Everyone has great suggestions. I found the best diaper rash remedy/prevention is the A&D Ointment, it’s awesome & a must have. And an extra bulb syringe (if you can grab an extra from the hospital, they work best) comes in handy when baby has a diaper rash & you don’t want to wipe. You simply squirt a little warm water on their toosh, it’s much easier than a whole bath and then blow dry on low/cool air. My little guy appreciated it and loved the hair dryer. If baby ever needs antibiotic, ask the pediatrician for samples of Florastor to help with diarrhea.
Just a note on the diaper rash… A & D ointment is great, vaseline is great, Desitin is great. But if you find a diaper rash that nothing seems to help get rid of … something I tried and it worked like a charm… I applied a very thin layer of the yeast cream (for women) to my baby boys’ bottoms and horrible yeast rash cleared practically overnight. Yeast thrives in moist, warm areas.. I told our pediatrician and she said she could have written me a rx for a yeast cream for the baby but basically it would have been the same thing. Also, I think I read somewhere here, someone mentioned to stay away from the powder. I did use the baby powder frequent because it seemed to keep the area dry. I still use baby powder on my body daily to keep dry in hot humid weather. I always just made sure to lay a cloth diaper or burp cloth over the baby’s face while I sprinkled to avoid the powder being inhaled. Only takes about 1-2 seconds and baby thinks your playing peek a boo.. a favorite!
People gave us a lot of clothes and things we didn’t think we needed, but once we tried the item we were usually glad we had it. Don’t be too quick to return things. People like to give things that THEY liked having with an infant, so give it a chance.
so… this may or may not be good advice for you… but i registered for things baby would need down the road, like his potty chair. yes, we did have to store it in our small apartment, but if people are going to buy you things, might as well have them buy you things you will need down the road, rather than a bunch of unnecessary things they got because the 6 things on your registry were already taken…
also, you could request things like a restaurant gift card, so the happy parents can have a night out without the baby sometime. its certainly not a NEED, but if people are GOING to buy you things anyways, might as well be something useful.
I couldn’t have gotten by without my boppy nursing pillow – I used that 24/7 in the beginning. I also think baby carriers are essential.
Good tips, I especially agree with not buying anything before your shower. You never know what you’re going to get, so it’s a good idea to take stock after the shower and see what else you need.
A portable high chair for later.We had one that attaches to a chair and folds up for trips to grandma’s and at restaurants. later, with the tray off it worked as a booster seat. We got 4 years of use out of it and it didn’t take up any extra room that a regular high chair does.
Hmmm my top must haves. As a mom of 4 kids ages 6 and under, I have learned the true essentials for a baby. It truly is not that much! The post covers it very well. So, I am going to list my miracle must haves and helpful items.
1. GRIPE WATER- this is the only thing that helps my little ones w/ colic symptoms at o’ dark thirty in the morning or any fussy time.
2. Sleep Wrap- I forget the brand name, but it makes bundling much easier.
3. Moby Wrap- especially for subsequent kids
4. Travel pac n play and Toddler bed- instead of buying a crib. I havent used a crib since my 1st. Once they out grow the pac n play, put them in the toddler bed. They are so close to the ground and you can use a safety first rail for the side. This eliminates the sometimes hard transition from crib to bed. If they are in a bed from 4-6 months and on, no get out of bed every 5 minutes crib to bed transition struggle!!
5. Travel Swing- they work just as well, are better for small spaces and most fold up for easy storage or to take w/ you. A wonderful if it’s the only way your baby will sleep, like my 1st child.
6. So that’s what they’re for- a nursing book. I wish I had read this before my 1st was born. I had so many struggles w/ him. I read this before my 2nd and babies 2-4 have been a joy to nurse!! Please to some reading on nursing. Not all babies are good sleepers and eat every 4 hours. Some are like mine that eat every 30 min to 1 hour day and night. This did not change for babies 2-4. I have not had more than 4 hrs sleep total in a night in 7 years. But when I was prepared and expected it, the attitude change toward nursing was 180*!! Now, instead of only thinking about how I’m not getting the sleep I want. I have embraced it and have 100% enjoyed my nursing babies/toddlers. 🙂
Other than the very, very basics, I regretted buying things before having my children, like slings (had 3), cloth diapers (certain ones, like all in ones and some pocket diapers, never worked well on my son’s skinnie-minnie thighs), nursing bras, and a bouncer. Turns out my kids both despised being held in a sling, despised the bouncer, and the nursing never worked out. I’m sure many of our friends would have lent us most of these items for a day to see if it worked out for us, at which point we could have bought our own.
Children are such individuals, even among siblings. What works perfectly for one does not necessarily work for another. My best advice is to find out who your child is and what needs they have, and then meet them as they come.
AMEN!!
Well said.
Realize that what others find essential may not fit you or your child. My son never took to the swing and those things can take up some serious real-estate when it’s at a premium!
You will get so many 0/3 month outfits at your baby shower usually. Its the bigger sizes you will likely be buying yourself. Plus you always seem to get an abundance of receiving blankets. We just had our 3rd baby in December and I found myself going back to the same blanket sleepers, blankets, etc that I’d used for the other two. So if you plan to have more kids think of it as an investment : ) Plus keep receipts you will likely get doubles of things that you may not even need.
I’m planning to reuse blankets that I had with my first. She’s 18 and I’m expecting #5. Unless it’s a blanket that turns into a favorite lovey, they typically don’t wear out!
My youngest didnt like the swing but a good bouncy seat is a lifesaver. you cant hold little one all the time and they do get bored in their bed so a seat helps a lot.
Agreed on that bouncy seat! When my now 13 year old son was 2-3 mos old, the only thing we could find to get him quiet was to place him in that bouncy seat in front of the washing machine and cut on the spin cycle. Not even the vaccuum would work. Without that bouncy seat, I’d have been out of luck. We could just leave him there in the seat and go tend to the other child.
If you have an easy baby, you don’t need all the extras, like expensive swings. But if baby ends up being colicky, you won’t care how much some of that stuff costs!
Make sure you have some clothes and diapers, and then wait and see.
And really, many a baby has slept in a dresser drawer, and turned out just fine.
yes, i agree with wait and see, and friends have lent me things to try out. I’m glad i have a swing for my son but not all babies like swings.
I would definitely say that if you are planning on breastfeeding, you might need a few more outfits and a few more blankets, especially if you don’t have a washer/dryer in your apartment. Breastfed babies tend to have some explosive poops! (I know that sounds gross, but I think most would agree!) If you aren’t able to do laundry at the drop of a hat, it’d be nice to stock up on a few extras…just in case! Best wishes to you and your new addition!
I think one of the biggest things to remember is to be flexible and look for low cost options. My third baby was born into a small house, and we did without some of the bigger baby items (just no room!). However, at around 10 months, he still wasn’t even trying to stand up, and we were facing physical therapy. My gut was saying that he just hadn’t had many chances (small house, cold floors, winter baby, and he liked cuddling under his blankets). So, we borrowed an exersaucer from someone at church. Magic! Within a week, he was putting weight on his legs, and he slowly figured it out without physical therapy. He just needed some time in that position (without an adult holding him) to figure it out on his own.
It did take up a lot of our living room, but the time was short, so I was okay with it. Likewise, he is currently 2, and he’s happy with his playpen in the living room, where he can play with his toys without anyone messing with him. Sometimes, he just needs a break from older brothers. So, we live with that hulking mess in there. I got it at a yard sale, so no big expense there either.
I am a big fan of things that grow with the baby. Car seats that can eventually be turned around and then used in a forward position are wonderful! There re many safe ones on the market now that go up to 60 lbs. Also, if you think you need a stroller, there are many that also convert as the child grows up. There is even one that has a baby bed feature (the one we got). Lastly, a crib that changes into a toddler bed is also wonderful. Each of these things may cost an extra 20 bucks now, but when you have to upgrade it really saves you money.
I found the bouncer seat to come in handy to put the baby (not newborn) in after his bath and while I finished bathing. He sat right beside the tub contently.
I want one for this baby, too.
Everyone has given such great advice! I wish I had all these great ideas prior to my two 🙂
My “space saving ” idea is a pack-n-play. It was my baby’s changing table (it came with one), bassinet (it came with that also), closet (you can store all the baby’s clothes, diapers, wipes in the bottom), and medicine cabinet (quick access to diaper cream, gas drops, etc.). I would keep my diaper bag next to it so I could refill as necessary without having to run all over the place looking for stuff. It was all right there. I kept the pack-n-play in our bedroom, so our babies were right by me day and night. Our kids didn’t see their nursery for months :o)
Loved reading through all of these comments. My two cents:
1. My ped recommended NOT using boudreauxs butt paste bc it has boric acid in it. Instead, Vaseline works just fine and is cheaper.
2. I purchase many if the baby items through amazons subscribe and save (it comes right to your door, and you don’t have to think it order it when you run out of diapers/wipes, etc).
3. I keep half of his clothes he’s grown out of and give the other half away to my friends who are expecting. Babies are expensive and if you have many baby showers to attend, you can get away with giving a small gift and giving hand me downs.
4. We use upromise to start saving for baby’s college fund now. I shudder to think about tuition costs in 16 years!
My little one is almost 7 months old and I have yet to buy him anything other than disposable diapers, which I use at night time (or during the day if we’re out and about). We were given EVERYTHING! I did buy a $3 johnny jumper (the little bouncer/jumper you can hang from the doorway) at a yardsale and that would be my favorite thing EVER!
Friends gave us tons of stuff: crib (the kind that grows with the baby – crib, toddler bed, twin bed), swing/bouncer combo (which I LOVE), clothes, clothes, and more clothes, booby, moby wrap (which, you can make yourself with just three t-shirts even if you don’t sew! Check out this no-sew-do-it-yourself moby wrap on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze3Q_zH5H3c&playnext=1&list=PL1758F3A49DDF725F&feature=results_video
A friend let us borrow a playmat, which was really nice. We also had a friend offer to let us borrow their changing table, but I didn’t want to use it – as it would take up space……the floor and bed works quite well.
We also like to keep the stroller in the back of our car. I have a regular rearfacing carseat and even though it isn’t a stroller/carseat combo – you can fit the carseat on the stroller and it works just like the combo ones (just be sure it fits snuggly).
If you end up with less clothes – use bibs!!! Bibs were a lifesaver for my washing machine! My baby would spit and go through clothes like crazy, so I finally decided to use bibs and they helped save my washer from going through many loads of clothes. I got really sick of changing my baby’s clothes after each feeding after he spit.
I bought a small dresser off of craigslist (which I had planned to use as a dresser/changing table combo), but you don’t really need a dresser – a plastic storage box works well for holding all the clothes (plus, you can use it to store all the outgrown clothes too).
Whatever you get – make sure it can fold up or can be taken apart – that is a huge space saver! I loved my bassinet and the vibration mood on it!
Congratulations!!!
The book “Good Night Sleep Tight” It’s all about sleep training and teaching your baby to sleep through the night by 2 to 3 months. This book has saved my sanity twice (two babies)!
Find out what you’ll get from your hospital if you’re going to one! Ours sent us home with a hat, blanket, onsie, CARSEAT, nursing pump, diaper rash cream, formula, and some diapers & wipes.
Crystal’s list is great! We didn’t even get most of our stuff out of storage for baby #2 and ended up selling the items in a yard sale. One thing both girls loved was a bouncer that hangs in the doorway. Other moms never used theirs though so it definitely is a personal preference, which is why Crystal’s suggestion to borrow the items before purchasing is such a great one. Also, to save on space we put a changing pad on top of a dresser for child #2 and gave the actual changing table away. The top dresser drawer was used for diapers, etc.
You don’t need as much as you think you will! And if you don’t find out the gender people will give you essentials instead of dozens of outfits that the baby will only wear a few times 🙂
Definitely definitely definitely a Sleep Blanket!! The ones that have a part that velcros around to keep them bundled in (and then you can later remove that piece). Swaddling blankets never worked for us because our babies are wiggle worms! These things definitely helped our infants sleep (which meant more sleep for us! — INVALUABLE!!!) Our oldest daughter used one until she was almost 2!
Other than that, about a week’s worth of sleep ‘n plays, a car seat, diapers and wipes. My brest friend was great for the first, but didn’t even use it with the second. Do not buy a diaper genie!! Such a waste of money! We store plastic grocery sacks in the dresser and just use one each day and throw it out at night. Oh and a swing is a must! Sometimes babies just need a change of scenery and don’t like napping in their cribs during the day. We have a swing that plays soothing music and it is a lifesaver!
And the most important things that babies need are 100% FREE… Lots of hugs and kisses!!!!!!!
Emily-
If you are even still reading the comments by the time you get to mine: hi. 🙂
We have two children under two and live in a small one bedroom condo with a tiny study. The longer we have children and the longer we live in this place the more I realize how very little we need- adults and children alike!
I was overwhelmed with the amount of stuff that we received at my baby showers. I took most of it back (even the “extras” from generous people) and gave away certain things that I could not return. I found that it was very helpful to have ONLY the basics (like Crystal’s list) when we started out. The items I returned were put onto gift cards. I was able to go purchase things as I needed them. We even bought my husband a couple of shirts with some Target gift cards. It was a financial blessing at the time since he had just started a new job after being unemployed for 11 months!
As first time parents you do not know what your parenting “style” is going to be or what the personality of your baby is for that matter. Why have 5 pacifiers opened and ready if your baby will not take 1? (They give you one at the hospital, FYI.) Why have a diaper bag if you can use a backpack?
Here are a couple things I have learned (and Crystal has mentioned similar things before):
1- Be creative with storage space. Use every inch under the bed. Use otherwise wasted space with bookshelves. Get shoe organizers that hang on the back of doors. We use one for the boy’s pj’s, shoes, etc. It utilizes space AND keeps things organized.
2- DO NOT take tags off of clothes until you know if you need them! You may get 100 newborn outfits. Guess what? They wear that size for about a month. 🙂
3- Look at the rest of the world and learn. Children and mothers have survived for thousands of years without Boppy’s, swings, mass amounts of toys and gadgets for everything. Use an item that can be versatile, if possible, to accomplish what you need.
4- Wait. Many times something will seem urgent. I have learned to wait a few days or a week and I usually figure out how to cope without it, find something different or get one on sale/consignment store. Ask a friend to borrow something first to see if you really NEED it.
5- And, if you are a follower of Jesus- pray. Pray about it! God has really taught me a new level or prayer since being a mother. He answers and gives wisdom for all things. Ask HIM if you need a stroller. Ask HIM if you need a breast pump. Ask HIM if you need a swing. He’ll answer!!! He will provide, give you wisdom and teach you how to handle what He brings.
6- The Bible. Read Scripture to your child (starting in the womb!) and sing!
Children are a blessing from God. It is the most incredible thing to see them face to face for the first time. Excited for you!
Blessings,
Jaclyn
Just so you know, I did read your comment. 😉
Please be careful using second-hand cribs. A lot of them have been recalled!
The most essential baby item would of course be…..the baby.
*ducks*
Ha! Ha! 🙂 Thanks for the chuckle!
Gas drops will save your sanity. Even if you only have to use them TWICE, they are worth every penny.
Smell the baby washes if you can (maybe from friends who have babies) before registering. I went with the kind my mom suggested, and found out that I hated the smell of it!
Our first lived in onesies, and we only have about 6. It worked fine!
It’s so funny all of the comments about who loves/hates what. The Boppy, swings, baby carriers/slings, bassinets, and bouncers are the things I would borrow before buying. I personally LOVE my Boppy, but all of the other items have worked for 1 or 2 of my kids, but not all 3. The swing was a lifesaver with my 1st, it was the only place she would sleep for the longest time, but my 2nd and 3rd never really liked it. My 1st two hated all carriers I tried, but my 2nd loves the sling a friend hand made for me. And so on… I would add some baby care/hygiene items to the list – babywash, lotion, and rash cream for example. I go natural with California Baby Super Sensitive Babywash, and plain unrefined coconut oil for rashes, eczema, and as just a regular moisturizer.
We are having our fourth soon and I have found that the more children I have the fewer things I “need.”
We do have to get a new crib although I cosleep to start with. My first didn’t enjoy cosleeping but my others did. If you don’t have room for a crib try a pack and play with the bassinet attached.
10-ish sleepers, 6-10 onsies, socks, and a few outfits. I really didn’t find “outfits” to be very practical for young children but as my kids have grown their wardrobe includes 5 good outfits and 5 play outfits and not much more other than essentials. Laundry gets done often enough that this is not an issue. Babies WILL poo and spit up through several outfits a day so be prepared to be on top of laundry if you don’t have lots of closet space for clothes (really not a big deal, honestly).
I prefer a wrap or a sling over a stroller, but that is a personal preference. I like a sling b/c I can wear them at home but also in the grocery store.
I also do like a swing and a bouncer. The swing b/c all babies like swings and a bouncer to move him around the house with me while I vacuum fold laundry. They make bouncers that turn into a toddler’s rocking chair later on. This is great multi-purposing.
Remember you can take most things back. I know my family and friends always want to send a special gift and I wouldn’t say no (you know how exciting it is to buy someone special a gift) but if I had too many or didn’t need it I would return it.
I just had baby number 4, and I must say, for me an infant seat is a must! I love carrying around my little girl, but on days when it is really hot, cold or rainy/snowy; having that seat is super handy. You can get a cover for it to keep the snow/wind/cold out, and when it is hot, it provides better air circulation than body to body heat. You can easily pop it on the front portion of a grocery cart and it locks in place so baby is safe, and you don’t have to irritate them taking them in and out constantly. A front pouch works too, but it’s rather hard to keep from unconsciously bumping them into things, and it limits your ability to bend and lift somewhat unless you have super long arms that reach past the baby on your front. One tip I would give is to find an infant seat that fits babies from 5-30 or 35 lbs(my kids where all big and tall), and if you can afford it, get a stroller that allows for popping the infant seat on top. AVOID the dinky little umbrella strollers if you really intend to use it more than occasionally because unless you live in a super manicured neighborhood with perfectly cared for sidewalks, they will be a pain to push around – also, having a basket that will fit your diaper bag at the very least is essential because there will be times when you will need to hold baby and push at the same time and you will want somewhere to put the diaper bag that does not throw the stroller off balance. If you live somewhere very hot or cold, it is also handy to be able to keep the car-seat cool, and buckle baby in before you enter the elements. I have also found it to be a handy place for them to sleep when they get the occasional cold – it keeps them propped up so they can breathe better which means more sleep for them, and you!
This is an excellent post! I am glad you are saying what needs to be heard. We made-do with a number of second hand items. We were given a lot of new and used items with our first child. And then a few more new things with our second who came 7 years later. And very little with our third. We kept tags on the baby shower gifts until the items were used. And once things were outgrown, we sold them off on eBay or gave them to other new parents. There is so much out there that make you think that it will make life easier and the child’s life more wonderfull but the truth is the basics are all a baby (and their parents) need. The most important of all is LOVE. When you are stressed out because you have too much baby stuff everywhere – moving it out of the way, cleaning it, repairing it, mending it, folding it, and putting it all away – you don’t have as much time and attention to focus on the baby and your own needs. When you are stressed out, the baby feels it and reacts to it by crying and fussyness. This can turn the entire household upside for hours, days, weeks, months.
Keep it all as simple as you can!!!!! Accept the hand-me-down clothes and put your saved money into a savings account for future needs for the baby like braces, and glasses and education. Please remember, when you borrow something to always return it to the person who it was borrowed from in the best possible condition you can. And don’t borrow anything you don’t need. I had loaned out a few items to a couple who had taken them graciously and then took the items to a consignment store and cashed them in for other items. Not nice!
My best item I bought that I felt was necessary because it was by comparison inexpensive, convenient, multi-purpose, and safe… A dual level vegetable steamer/rice cooker to sterilize my babies’ bottles! I would wash the bottles, rings and nipples then set them inside the steamer (with one of the level’s trays removed), put the lid on and set the timer for 45 minutes – I am sure less time is required, but I wanted to be certain they were sterilized. I set it at the very back of the counter so the older kids couldn’t reach it. I never ran out of sterilized bottles, never wasted time waiting for the pot to boil, or had to worry about my older children reaching up to the hot stove top, or dripping hot boiling water on myself (been there, done that a few times with my first one). When we no longer needed it to sterilize bottles we used it for steaming vegetables for the baby’s foods.
All the best to all new parents out there reading this! Welcome to the most incredible love you will ever experience! May joy and love be your light.
Essential I would say is gripe medicine to have on hand. My youngest had colic and my parents went all the way to Canada to buy the stuff now they sell it in the US and I would always say make sure to have some on hand just in case. It’ll save you a lot of time crying wondering what you can do for your little one so you can sleep for 5 min.
I agree with Crystal’s list. I will say though, that I think having both a stroller and a carrier/sling is a necessity. However, wait until your baby is born, and then try to borrow different styles to try them out before you buy one. We went through several (especially with slings) trying to figure out which one we both were comfortable in.
I also think that a bouncy chair OR swing is the only non-essential essential (if that makes sense) that you need. But again, wait until after baby is born to see which one he/she likes best. Neither of my kids were all that fond of the swing, so for us it wasn’t needed. But, I couldn’t live without the bouncy seat. It was the only way I could take a shower or do the dishes. 🙂
Good luck, and enjoy your precious baby!
Ideally, the bouncy seat and swing are something you should borrow even if a friend can only spare it for a day. Then, you can figure out what your baby likes and find something to borrow for longer or purchase (new or used). My first baby didn’t like a swing or bouncer- hated both! The second loved the swing, but the bouncer was a total waste. Every baby is different. 😉
Of course. I think it goes without saying that, aside from the carseat, you should borrow anything you can. And if you can’t borrow, buy second-hand.
As a mama to 5 (and #6 expected in November), I think Crystal gave you really great advice!
I think the only thing I would maybe “disagree” with is the number of onesies and sleepers. I had a couple that spit up quite a bit, and all had times where they’d leak a lot (usually due to loose breastfeeding poops, being sick, or the diapers not being big/small enough). I think you could certainly “get by” with half a dozen, but life may be a *lot* easier to have a few more, lol.
There are a few things people usually list as necessary that I found to be more trouble than they’re worth, even if you have the room. Baby towels and washcloths….no denying those little hooded towels are ca-ute, lol, but I just ended up using the regular ones we already had, they’re more absorbent and usually hanging nearby anyway. Another is “baby laundry soap”…..unless the baby has especially sensitive skin of course, just wash it with everyone else’s laundry — 5 babies so far and nothing bad has come of doing our laundry together with “normal” detergent. =)
(we did use All Free and Clear for awhile because of my skin being a little sensitive, and that’s a *much* cheaper option than Dreft, for basically the same product!)
Also, 2 things I would almost consider essential would be gas drops and binkies/pacifiers — they brought so much peace, I can’t imagine not having them with a newborn.
Congratulations to you and your husband and you start this new adventure Emily! =)
~ Mara
Thanks for telling me you’ve used regular detergent with five children…and none of them have been harmed! 😉 I’ve always thought “baby detergent” was a joke (for most babies, at least).
The only thing I may use special detergent for is cloth diapers, if we go that route.
I had twins so my necessities may be different than someone with a singleton. Bouncers saved my life. That’s how I bottle fed the kids at the same time ( I was unable to nurse). The stroller was important. We actually bought 2 swings. Luckily, both of my babies loved the swing, the funny part was that my MIL made fun of us for buying one of the swings we bought because of how much it was. Both kids preferred that swing over the cheaper one. One thing I think was a complete waste of money was the dr browns bottles. If those things help with gas my children would have burst had we used another bottle. Plus they are a pain to clean.
Totally agree on the bouncers for twins and feeding! We did have good luck with the Dr. Browns-I guess everyone is different-but they are a pain to clean. We also had 2 swings-but one of them used a bouncer as the seat that you could detach and use as a separate bouncer. It was space saving and really nice-something to consider for space and 2 in one price too!
I have twins and my needs were slightly different. I really needed a great stroller and we ended up selling the first one we had and buying a double jogger that is extremely expensive but worth every penny to us! I also never had enough burp cloths (cloth diapers), my kids spit up CONSTANTLY and they fold small. I agree on the waterproof pads for poop and puke as well, nice under their bodies while they sleep/play=less laundry and sheet changes. If I did it again I would get the convertible car seat right away since we used our great stroller straight from the car. Since my kids were preemie’s we used the carrier extra long but I would still save the $ and get the convertible. On another note, some friends and I were just discussing how you shouldn’t reveal the sex of the baby until your shower-you can only have so many cute small gender outfits and I got like 80 matching outfits (I had to return a LOT), people get too excited if they know the sex and buy clothes not the necessities. I didn’t get many diapers or a stroller etc and wish I hadn’t let that info out ahead-would have cut down on the clothes significantly. Borrowing is good-you use everything much shorter than you think! Good luck!
congratulations!
i learned that i only needed the crib (and bedding), diapers/wipes, blankets for swaddling/burp cloths, clothes and a bouncer. I also had the boppy pillow and loved it not just for feeding but letting him sleep on me without killing my arms. He’d snuggle up on the pillow and cuddle with me while resting on the pillow. It was great.
The bouncer was a lifesaver for doing household chores and keeping my son happy.
i thought i was gonna need all this stuff for floor time and a changing table, but I learned quickly that i didn’t really need all that extra stuff. Now he’s almost 2 and i got rid of the changing station months ago and only used the changing pad and just a couple weeks ago i got rid of that (we got it used so it was tattered) and started using a blanket on the floor. I began to wonder what i needed a whole station for to begin with.
I got EVERYTHING with my first… This time around I left most of it in the attic. Our baby girl is almost 7 weeks and I’ve used the swing, pack-and-play, car seat, and very few clothes (yay, summer babies!). I’ve barely used the crib (she probably won’t sleep there until I stop nursing) or the changing table (I just change her where we are. Our diaper bag was free at the hospital. I would suggest registering for a breast pump if you plan to nurse- mine is a small manual but it’s nice to be able to leave her with daddy for an hour or two while I’m running errands and not worry about food. This time around we’re using the baby carrier more than the stroller as well… Less set up, less space, and baby likes the carrier more anyway.
The only advice this momma of three has to give is not to purchase a used pump. I found out the hard way after purchasing one on ebay, that Medela recommends purchasing a Brand New pump unless you are renting one from a hospital. For sanitary reasons, and not just the replacement parts itself…..if milk gets into the motor, which has happen to me, there is no sanitary way to clean and disinfect this. Unless it is a closed circuit as the hospital grade ones are. Thankfully I read this information before I started using the used pump and have now purchased a brand new double pump! Yes they are pricey, however you can’t put a price on your health or your babies. And it’s still tons cheaper than formula. Hope this helps.
I (thankfully) got my Medela pump for free because my son was having difficulties nursing (the lactation consultant at the hospital wrote me a prescription) and three kids later it is still working great. I just had to buy new membranes but that was it. Even if I would have had to pay for it out of pocket it would have still been worth it!
I think the only thing you HAVE to buy is the carseat. If you are having a shower you, just fill out registries at a couple stores and you will get alot of the items on your list or giftcards so you can buy the rest of the things you need. Babyclothes and bibs seemed to be alot of what my daughter received. I made burp clothes, receiving blankets, and quilt for the baby. The best thing was gift cards!
When registering for our first baby (we had more room to store things), I tried to pick what we would need the whole first year. So I included sippy cups, spoons, plates, bowls, etc. Also, we didn’t find out what we were having so everything had to be gender-neutral. It’s harder to do today but not impossible at the smallest sizes.
With today’s medical expenses, I think you could easily ask for cash or gift cards or diaper certificates (Amazon or diapers.com).
The fact is, not having a bunch of baby stuff when he or she is a newborn is fine,.but the older they get u can.not.be running out to buy everything. U will go broke. I recommend a high chair that folds up and clips on ur table like a Phil and reds metoo , this can be stored under a crib or bed till time to use. Also I recommend buying a large (tall) basket, like Tupperware and I put all bottle essentials in it and pacifiers etc. This.was easy enough to put on a shelf out of the way bc we simple didn’t have cabinet space.
Also a bouncy or swing is a must, as there would be times u need to put the baby away. You have many options. The travel swing is good or you could get the swing frame that the car seat hooks in To. It folds up.and is out of the way . Also a doorway jumper instead of entertainer. U can store.under bed until time to use. Bottle warmers, wipe warmers bottle steralizers. Forget em. No.need. or a drying rack. We use a microfiber cloth that comes off the table after trying . Look for.closet organizers. Anything where u can store over head is great. Stuffed animal nets, hanging toy bins etc. These help. People will gift u things and u need somewhere to put em. These are all just suggestions but when our son was born.we were in a space with less room then we have now and had been living there for 7 years so we had Alot more stuff that we have since purged. Now we have too much room and too much stuff and I miss it. Tummy time mats are pointless, use a nice comforter or rug. All the extras are.unneceessary but u will need.some.stimulation toys for the first few months. Try for things that hook on to things. Strollers. Car seats cribs. We used those plastic.storage drawers in.his closet. Stacked up.and put everything in.those. we had no dressers in.the room, as we wanted a book.shelf and didn’t want to.clutter everything.
Ohhh and to repeat borrrrrrrow . Borrow monitors. Borrow bumbos borrow.borrow borrow. Boppy, carriers or slings ( can only be used.for.a certain time, ask around) join some mom groups on face book, etc. It will be helpful. I.see things go.for fractions of the price ( baby carriers for.like 15 bucks ) good luck remember. U can hang a bag in the closet too and keep things like carriers etc in there. Out of the way and no storage per say
If you can afford it and have a little space to spare, buy one new thing amongst the unessential baby items. Then, you can loan it or give it to a family member or friend when it’s their turn to borrow. (:
If you do decide to get a crib, our crib has a drawer under it where we store blankets and crib sheets. I would recommend extra crib sheets. We have 4 and have used all 4 in between laundries (pee, poop, spit up–one baby had pink eye and we had to put a fresh sheet down for each nap/bedtime, so at least we only had to wash the sheets every other day).
I used to put multiple layers of sheets and pads on the mattress. It was great for storage (none) and after a mess, I just peeled a layer off.
This is also a great idea for potty training and middle of the night sheet changes as well. We have several layers of sheet/waterproof mattress pad and it helps to not store those bulky pads too!
I am happy to read this post and agree with a lot of it. We are talking about having baby #3 soon and we know how spendy things can be. My 2 cents-
I would have a couple basic bottles on hand even if you are planning on breast feeding. We bought bottles so that my husband could help with feedings. I ended up hospitalized when my little newborn was only 3 weeks old! I was unable to eat and on meds that did not allow for me to nurse while I was hospitalized for 3 days. Life was hectic enough for my husband trying to care for a newborn without his mama without having to run to the store to buy bottles!
I found a Boppy pillow (generic) to be an essential-any time I tried to nurse without it my back was killing me and I was not comfortable. We will be buying boppy #3 with baby #3 because my boys have continued to use them even today-they really help the boys sleep with their heads a bit elevated which helps a lot when their asthma is acting up 🙂
I have found myself planning and saving a lot better this time around (we have to replace carseats as ours are now all expired) but I feel a lot better about what I really do and don’t need the third time around 🙂
My third baby is almost nine months old and I look back and can’t believe all of the stuff we got with number one that we didn’t use with number two or three.
What is really funny is that with each new baby the diaper bag gets smaller- we realized that we really only need some diapers, wipes, a burp cloth, small blanket (if I have to nurse while we are out) and an extra outfit. Half the time I don’t even have the diaper bag with me and don’t even miss it.
We had to buy a new car seat for the third baby and it killed me to have to spend the money (she is our last baby) but the old one expired. Other than that expense, the third baby has been the cheapest!
I couldn’t have lived without my highchair. I got the space saver highchair that attaches to one of our kitchen chairs. It is cheaper (about $50) and smaller than the traditional highchairs. I loved that it wasn’t an extra piece of furniture! It reclines far enough back that I started using it when my daughter was about 4 weeks old. My daughter was much happier sitting in this when I was busy (cooking, cleaning, etc.) than she ever was in the swing. I just moved it around the house to whatever room I was in. As she got older, I just sat it more upright. It also converted into a booster seat, so we are still using it at 2.5 years old.
We used the space saver highchair too. One suggestion/caution, though: consider putting a towel between the highchair bottom and the seat of the kitchen chair you’re attaching it to. Ours wore bare spots through the finish of the kitchen chair, and I suspect a little padding would have saved the finish.
We are planning on registering for the FP Space Saver highchair for sure. Our dining room barely fits our table…there’s no way we can fit a reg. high chair in there, too! (It would be in the living room, lol)
I like the tip of putting a towel underneath. That would help for cleanup, too!
This is wonderful to read! Our first is due in February and I must admit I’m a little clueless about what we’ll need. Thanks 🙂
Congratulations to another Feb. 2013 mama! 🙂
I agree with most of the ladies and the essentials but one thing that I would not live without is the fisher price newborn rock and play sleeper. It is compact and can be easily moved from room to room and folds flat. I have taken mine to hotels and friends houses. Very portable. you can find it for decent prices and it goes upto 25 lbs. My 6 month old is on the small side and is still sleeping in this. If you did not want to buy a crib right away and did not want to co-sleep this is a different option. Also works well for babies with reflux or lots of gas which my little one had.
One thing that is not an essential item for me is a changing table. We are on our third child, a boy after 2 girls, and we have never had a changing table. We use our bed, the floor, the couch, whatever surface is convenient.
Also, there are so many cute outfits out there! But a newborn can only wear so many “cute things”. Our winter babies wore pjs a lot or a onesie and knit pants, and our summer baby lives in a onesie most of the time. We have a few nice outfits for church, etc.
A suggestion for this is to just use the top of a dresser thats what we did, we had somewhere stable & didn’t have to buy extra furniture. And we could use the drawers for the babys clothes. I would also say if you don’t already have a rocking chair get one. A couple of ours LOVED to be rocked to sleep.
I’m the Emily who asked the question…I have an additional question for you experienced moms:
What are your opinions on the infant car seat vs. a convertible seat? Advantages or disadvantages?
Personally, if we do use an infant seat, I won’t be carrying it everywhere b/c it’s heavy…and I’d rather hold my baby anyways! 🙂 But I’ve been going back and forth on the car seat debacle… 🙂
When the baby falls asleep in the car, you want to be able to take the seat out of the car and bring it into the grocery store, house, church, etc. With a convertible seat, you will have to take the baby out, potentially waking him/her up. I think it is beneficial to use the infant seat for the first 6 mos. for this reason. I don’t know how many times I shopped with a sleeping infant in the buggy or brought a car seat into the house with a sleeping infant in it who maybe didn’t wake up for another hour! Also, you can’t put a baby into most strollers until 4 mos., so you need the infant seat for the stroller. Again, it is easy to transfer a sleeping baby from car to stroller in the infant seat, even after they are big enough to ride in the stroller without it!
We’ve always usee an infant seat and I loved it for the reasons mentioned above. Loved that I could pop it out and stick it in the grocery cart or pop it in the stroller!
I have to vote for the bucket for all the reasons here. In fact, I’ve used my bucket as a makeshift bouncy seat, a make shift sleeper etc. We are in New England so keeping a car seat at room temp was great. Also, it’s so huge to be able to let them sleep a bit longer. My son LOVED his bucket car seat and ended up sleeping in it for the first month. It’s not a long time, but it is a long day. It’s a GREAT present for the grand parents to give.
We had both but mostly used the convertable. I had a baby that hated carseats, swings, strollers, and anything except mom’s arms or a sling. Even though everyone does it, I think carrying those baby carseats around is bad for your back and wrists.
It may really depend on the personality of your baby and your car situation.
I think a lot of it depends on your situation. Do you see yourself having to take the baby with you to do errands a lot in the first 6 months? I agree that it is great to be able to take the baby out of the car without waking them up, or mess with buckling/unbuckling, but depending on your situation that may not happen enough to make it a big deal.
Also, not that you can know exactly how big your baby will be, but if you and your husband are taller people and were big babies, your baby might be on the bigger side too and not be comfortable in the carrier for very long. My husband and I were both over 9 lbs at birth, and our babies were 8 and 9 lbs. My son outgrew his carrier quickly and we switched him to a convertible at 7 months.
Obviously you can’t accurately predict when they will outgrow it, but it’s something to consider. If I had another baby, I would probably not have a carrier and just start out with the convertible.
We both (husband and I) hated the convertible seat. We thought we would love it. The regular rear-facing seat was so much better. We got rid of the convertible seat with our first and have used rear facing ones since then.
Like others have stated, I liked the ease and convenience of the infant seat. I found it especially helpful that I could bring it in the house to load baby into it and bring baby back inside to unload. This may not be a big deal in many places, but with the Texas heat and a summer baby this is a HUGE benefit. I could see that this would also be helpful in a cold climate. The benefit also applies to getting baby in and out of the car when you are away from home. So you aren’t having to get a baby in and out of their seat and carrying them into a store (or wherever) in the heat/cold and aren’t returning them to a blazing hot/cold seat when your errand is completed. The ability to keep the seat itself at a comfortable temperature and protect the baby from extreme temps is a big factor in some climates!
On the flip side, both of my babies were never/very rarely carseat sleepers, and if they did fall asleep in the carseat, they woke up the moment we parked our car in the garage or parked in the grocery store parking lot. So, it didn’t help preserve their nap. Most babies seem happy to sleep in their carseats, but there are the rare ones like mine who want only their bed for a good nap.
I second the weather considerations. If baby comes in fall/winter, it’s great to bring that carseat in the house in freezing weather and get him in it and properly covered and then take him back out to the car.
I used it for the first two kids but not for long. I think I only used it for 4 mo with my second. Like you said, it was heavy! And I have big babies so the combined weight was too much. I just had my third baby and the infant seat didn’t fit in the car with the other carseats. So we went right to the convertible seat this time. (I prefer Radans by Diono because of the high safety rating, slim profile and they are the only seat you will ever need to buy.) I usually wear them in a wrap when they are infants anyway so taking them out of the seat and popping them in the wrap is just as easy as anything. So no, I don’t find the infant bucket to be essential. A nice extra for the first few months maybe, but I am glad I didn’t pay for mine as it was a gift. 🙂
I totally agree especially with a summer baby or a more mild climate.
I think I used my “bucket” seat with DS2 for six weeks.
If you use a sling or wrap it can be easier to get them in and out of the car than a bucket could ever be.
Definitely used a rearfacing infant carseat til he could not longer fit in it. They are great for when baby falls asleep in the car, and also good for keeping baby contained at someone else’s house. And i loved that mine just snapped right in to the car seat base–so easy!
We use an infant carrier until the baby can sit up in a cart safely. Then we switch to the convertible seat that they will stay in until they are ready for the booster seat.
Little man #4 is due in a few weeks and I do a lot of the shopping by myself with the kids. Handling 3 kids and pushing a cart while carrying a little one is almost impossible for me. It’s nice to put the infant seat in the cart and know that he is safe and my hands are free to wrangle other kids and grab items.
I’m expecting #5 and we are skipping the “bucket” seat. Carseats are for cars (and airplanes), not for sleeping or hanging out. We will use a sling/carrier (which I already have), rather than spend a bunch of money on a product we’ll only use for a few months.
Here’s an article that might help you:
http://mothering.com/green-living/car-seats-are-for-cars
Thanks for the link. It’s a tough call because there are so many conflicting opinions!
We used an infant seat. In hindsight, we didn’t need the stroller to go with it, though. It was too big and bulky, so we never had room in the car and we always felt selfish taking up so much space in the store aisles. We ended up just putting him in the cart (not hanging on the top, actually INSIDE the cart) to go shopping.
Another benefit is when they fall asleep, they can stay asleep in the seat. Getting one of those little carseat covers to block out the light can be super beneficial, too. And it’s a safe alternative to a high chair or play pen – they can be safely strapped in next to you while you accomplish tasks. Just be sure not to put them on a table, they’re fine on the floor next to you. You can even rock baby to sleep in it if he/she likes that sorta thing.
I would add baby care items. Baby wash, baby Tylenol, gas drops, lanolin cream.
If you are going to nurse, lanolin cream is a must!!! You will use it a ton at first, and it’s a little pricey, but one tube will last forever.
Some of these essentials can be space-saving, too. Graco makes a car seat which clips into a stroller frame or into a foldable swing – meaning you can collapse the swing and the car seat when you’re not using them. Diapers and wipes are cheaper than normal when in bulk, but if you clip coupons you can get a comparable price buying one smaller package at a time with a coupon on each. And the crib doesn’t have to be just a crib – consider putting boxes under it and a sling with stuffed toys over it to save space!
I agree with this list, however if you do not have your own washer/dryer and/ or you don’t like to do laundry more than 2 times a week, I would suggest having at least 14 onsies and sleep sets. Babies barf and have explosive poops often so you might end up going through 3 outfits in a day. I think my record was 5! Little baby clothes don’t take up much room so if space is your concern you can fit those tiny clothes in a tiny drawer or basket. While I agree that you should wait until after your shower to purchase things, if you find something you want/need and it’s a great deal, I recommend buying it immediately. Since you don’t know what you will get at your shower, you could potentially be giving up a great deal and having to buy it later anyway for a higher price. Start looking at baby gear, etc 60 days or so before your shower and save your reciepts. Then if you get the same things at your shower, you can return the stuff you purchased yourself (assuming there is 90 day return policy, which I think is pretty standard at all the big box baby retailers). I can’t tell you how many outfits I have picked up off the clearance rack at target for $1.50! Also, if you are plannig on breastfeeding, I highly recommend a boppy or similar pillow. It makes holding your baby so much easier and the baby will use the pillow for tummy time and then as a back rest when learning to sit. That was the one thing I couldn’t have done without!!
Because it was just bath time at our house I would add baby wash and baby nail clippers. You also probably want some infant Tylenol on hand, inevitably it will be three in the morning the first time you need it.
I agree on skipping the gadgets, most of them are unnecessary and very short lived. That being said my all time favorite baby invention is the Boppy–I LOVE mine!
As a mama to 5 (and #6 expected in November), I think Crystal gave you really great advice!
I think the only thing I would maybe “disagree” with is the number of onesies and sleepers. I had a couple that spit up quite a bit, and all had times where they’d leak a lot (usually due to loose breastfeeding poops, being sick, or the diapers not being big/small enough). I think you could certainly “get by” with half a dozen, but life may be a *lot* easier to have a few more, lol.
There are a few things people usually list as necessary that I found to be more trouble than they’re worth, even if you have the room. Baby towels and washcloths….no denying those little hooded towels are ca-ute, lol, but I just ended up using the regular ones we already had, they’re more absorbent and usually hanging nearby anyway. Another is “baby laundry soap”…..unless the baby has especially sensitive skin of course, just wash it with everyone else’s laundry — 5 babies so far and nothing bad has come of doing our laundry together with “normal” detergent. =)
(we did use All Free and Clear for awhile because of my skin being a little sensitive, and that’s a *much* cheaper option than Dreft, for basically the same product!)
Also, 2 things I would almost consider essential would be gas drops and binkies/pacifiers — they brought so much peace, I can’t imagine not having them with a newborn.
Congratulations to you and your husband and you start this new adventure Emily! =)
~ Mara
I second the needing more than 6 onesies comments! Some of those extra outfits should include seasonally appropriate )and safe!) sleepwear and extra clothing layers for cool temps as appropriate.
On the other hand, neither of my kids would even take a pacifier (though I tried, since it seemed like a great soother) and gas drops never seemed to do much. This all depends on the baby, of course. I just wouldn’t encourage anyone to stock up a ton of pacifiers until the baby is born. Buy one brand; if it works buy a couple more as back-up. If the baby doesn’t like the brand, you could buy one other type. If they won’t take it, the baby isn’t likely to take one at all! 😉
Lol, sorry Chanda, I accidentally replied on your comment instead of the main post. =)
~ Mara
I agree that another necessity to have would be a bottle of infant tylenol. It is extremely dangerous for babies 0-3 months old to have uncontrolled fevers. I would keep a bottle of infant tylenol on hand at all times. I like Target’s Up & Up brand dye free infant tylenol the best.
I respectfully disagree with the number of onesies you need. 🙂 Both of my babies would often go through 6 onesies in a day when they were infants (birth to 3 months or so) due to diaper leaks. I think you need at least 12 onesies. In the end, you will save money and time by buying more (12 +) instead of the cost of washing the 6 every day! Many people receive a lot of newborn sizes as gifts, so you will likely already have all you need. If you need to purchase more, you can buy onesies in packages for around $2 each or find them at a thrift store for $1 or less. Well worth the cost!!
Also as I’ve mentioned a few times above, my Thanksgiving baby needed more than a onesie Dec.-Jan. and we live in SC (It was a cold for us winter, but still I know it gets a lot colder other places and the babies will need more layers)!
Exactly! Even with a summer baby, I think you need a couple of footie sleepers or a safe sleeping blanket (like a sleepsack or a swaddler). You have to keep a baby cozy enough (not overheated, of course) to sleep well or they’ll wake up due to the chill. Keep in mind, I live in Texas and I used lightweight footies and sleepers for my summer baby! 😉
Six onesies were plenty for me. We rarely used the footy sleepers, depite having a winter baby in Maryland. My son was incredibly sweaty, as is my daughter. Both were breastfed but didn’t experience the blowouts that necessitated more than a couple onesies a day. Goes to show, everyone’s needs are different, so wait until the baby’s born before investing lots of money in baby things. (Or, if you find great deals, keep them unopened with receipts til you are ready to use them!)
My advice would be to stock up on diapers and maybe wipes (it took my son over a year to use a box of 400 wipes, while my daughter seems to use that many in two months, lol!) when you can get them cheap enough that it wouldn’t be a hardship to donate or yard sale leftovers. For me, this is $3 or less for jumbo packs of diapers and less than $1 for a 70-count pack of wipes. My daughter is 18 months–and she goes through diapers like crazy–and I still probably have a thousand or so diapers in the attic.
Get anything that’s free if you can even imagine a need for it, and buy (but don’t open) things that seem to be once-in-a-lifetime deals.
Definitely don’t need a lot, I agree with MB about the swing and other such items. My son (15 months now) hated the swing from the very beginning.
One thing that did save us, however, were waterproof pads. If you get them for the crib (if the mattress isn’t waterproof) or for your bed if you co-sleep, they seriously save you some headaches and mattress stains.
Though, I must admit, clothes weren’t a must have for me and my family since we lived in Hawaii, he was usually just running around in a diaper. Granted, the winters here in the mainland make clothes a must, this summer, he’s still frequently in just a diaper. Changing him is easier and there’s no clothes to wash if he makes a mess. Plus, when you have blow outs, tossing him in the tub and taking off just a diaper is super easy.
Also, a must have for us was a Pack n Play. It’s totally worth finding one from a garage sale, but it’s easier if you need to have your child nearby and worry about them crawling away. You can’t take the crib downstairs, but you can bring a Pack n Play. Or a high chair. Some kind of baby restraint that allows you to watch them nearby and still let you get stuff done. I know how it is to need to get stuff done and have a baby to watch, so those definitely helped, depending on whose house we were visiting.
Good luck and Congratulations!!
Thanks for featuring my question, Crystal! I can’t wait to read all the helpful advice. 🙂
I would also highly recommend baby HBA such as wash, lotion, bottom creme and breast cream and pads for Mom if nursing. Baby needs non irritating products I wouldn’t use anything different personally. Oh and some form or a baby friendly thermometer to Just incase. A less expensive thermometer will due in a pinch. A little of those products goes a long way and there is just simply nothing more amazing then snuggling your new little bundle and smelling the aroma of baby products. It will put you both to sleep. Congratulations and Best Wishes!!!
Thanks for the reminder to add those to our registry (when we make it, that is!).
A baby carrier definitely! Ergo has been my favorite (a must for trying to cook dinner, do laundry etc with a baby who does not want to be put down.) and a good, functional nursing cover for nursing in public with ease! I love love love my Bebe Au Lait nursing cover. Congrats!
Ahhh! I have to share!! My baby is 8 days old, and I was in your shoes not too long ago! This will be a lengthy post, so forgive me, but here goes….introduction: I did not want to get pregnant. My husband and I had just moved into this incredible house, we were working full time, and we had only been married a year an a half. Well, guess what? God had other plans. I cried and cried when I found out because I was SO AFRAID. We just could not afford a baby. Well, we finally decided to move out of the big house that was really too big and too much upkeep for us. Since we were doing contract for deed, we didn’t have any penalties. We moved back into our small home that we had rented out. So I knew I would be able to quit my job and stay home with the baby. Now for the next big expense: supplies. I will admit, I was totally practical about this. Emotion did not play a factor in my buying because honestly I was so detached and unsure of this major change to our lives. I knew we wouldn’t have much space in our home, and we couldn’t afford much either because every spare dime we had was going towards doubling our emergency fund. So, I started yard saling. I remember my first sale. I bought a box of 10 Avent bottles for $3. Sounds ok, right? Imagine my shock when I got to the store and these little gems sold for $7.50 a piece!!! I thought “Who pays for this?!?” It only goes on from there. In the baby aisle at Walmart, you can buy a Garanimals pop-up clothes hamper for $10. Go over to the Home & Living section and the Mainstays hamper is $2.50. Moral of the story: people pay insane prices for baby stuff because it’s baby stuff and it’s cute. Don’t be one of those people!!!!!! I was very blessed and had a friend of a friend give me ALL her son’s clothing from birth to 1 year. Her baby is 11 months older than mine, so the seasons are perfect. We are using the baby crib I slept in when I was an infant. Walmart sells a carseat that has excellent Consumer Reports reviews for only $49.50. I registered at Walmart and Target both. Target sends you a 10% registry completion card to shop with to buy anything you didn’t receive but still need. I used this to stock up on all my diapers, wipes, and some formula. Some people say don’t stock up on diapers because you don’t know what your baby will need. This is true, but I wanted that 10% discount! I saved my receipt and you can always go back and exchange for the next size up or a different brand, no questions asked. Also, if I received clothes (which I didn’t need, my baby has more clothes than he will be able to wear already), I took them back and got store credit. I know some people will look down on that, but I need the basics: formula, diapers, and wipes. Everything else can be purchased at yard sales or acquired second-hand. I did get my carseat new for safety reasons, but really everything else can be acquired second-hand. The great thing about baby stuff is everything is washable since babies are so messy. So as soon as I brought something in the door, I would immediately wash any fabric with color-safe bleach and wipe any hard surfaces down with disinfectant. Long story short, I have spent less than $150 out of pocket and my baby has EVEYTHING he needs. Focus on the essentials: food, bed, diapers, and clothes, and your baby’s needs will be met. We did buy a bouncy seat for $5 and a swing for $8 because they are nice to have, but having a baby on a budget was much easier than I expected. And here’s the best part: from the MINUTE he arrived, I was totally smitten! I am so in love with my little guy, and I can’t believe I ever had one second of hesitation. He’s absolutely perfect and I would not change one thing about our lives. We are so blessed!! Good luck to you as you start building your new family. Babies truly are a miracle! 🙂 (And again, sorry so long, I just had to share my experience!!)
And during my pregnancy, we were able to meet our goal of doubling our emergency fund to $10,000 AND save out first $1,000 towards our son’s college education!
Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂 We tried to get pregnant for 2 years and thought it may never happen, so this was a HUGE surprise!
And you’re so right that many items cost more just because they’re marketed for baby’s needs. Ugh!
Maybe it is different in other states (I am in MD), but my 10% registry coupons excluded diapers and formula.
Also one trick with those coupons… don’t forget to add anything else you decide to get to the registry before you check out or the 10% won’t apply.
How awful! I got 10% off all my Similac tubs, plus I used 8 $5 checks I got with my free samples. I ended up saving over $7 a tub on the 8 tubs I bought. I’m glad we are able to use the discount on all items here in Illinois!
Yep, we added items to our wedding registry before our final shopping trip so we could use the 10% discount. 😉
Well said! I wish I had known from the beginning that I could have bought a used stroller, diaper bag, dresser, etc. I had not idea that there were used children’s stores. I tried going to garage sales for items, but they were asking $5 for ONE onesie! I didn’t find many and I gave up after that experience, unfortunately. Later someone told me about a children’s resale shop, and I went there looking for things after that.
I love that you were smitten with the baby.
I was not! I was unprepared for how newborns look, and I didn’t know that faces change so much right away (and that they can be swollen, red, and squished!)
I’ve found that it takes me about 2 weeks of serving the baby to really develop that love that comes from serving someone. It’s been that way with me with all 7 of my children. I think it just took time to come to know the child. Serving someone always increases your love for him or her.
From the second the doctor lifted him up, I was hooked! The first thing I said when I saw him was “It’s a baby!” My husband and doctror laughed at me, but it had never sunk in until that moment. I had tears streaming down my face the whole time the doctor cleaned me up because I was just so in love. So amazing!
I can’t imagine paying $5 for a onesie! That’s more expensive than a lot of new ones! I have bought a few for 50¢ that were too cute to pass up, but my goal price would be 10-25¢. Certainly not $5! We have only one consignment shop here locally, and I honestly haven’t checked it out because we are set for now. I will have to stop by the next time we have a baby need.
I know what you mean. With my first two, I didn’t “connect” right away with my babies; it took a couple of weeks. I was tired, they were needy, and I didn’t have that immediate bonding, even while nursing. The best advice my mom gave me was to remind me that not everyone has an immediate love affair with their babies, but that doesn’t mean it won’t come. Thankfully, the third time around I’ve been totally in love with my newborn – probably because I know how fast it goes!
Please be careful reissuing a crib from childhood. There arr do many safety concerns…slat width, drop sides, etc. The safety of my baby is totally worth the money (we got our rain’s cribs for $149 each…and ther
e were heaper.) Just a thought. SAME THIN GOES FOR CARSEATS IN MY MIND– NEVRR REUSE
I agree with Jess on car seats!
Some states have pretty strict rules concerning safety and car seats for children and infants – the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration has these on their website varying by state (http://www.nhtsa.gov/Safety/CPS). They also have specifications for what is safe – for example, if a car seat has been in an accident it should not be reused (they explain what kind of accident). I know that in the mid west car seats and other safety equipment cannot be sold at children’s resale stores. Stores as well like Walmart will not resale a car seat if one has been returned because it is in violation of federal law.
One other thing that gets under my skin that is becoming pretty popular is pulling out the padding of a car seat to recover to make it look prettier – this is a really bad idea because it violates state law and it makes the car seat unsafe if it were ever in an accident.
My philosophy is if in doubt remember the old adage that you get what you pay for and car seats should not be one to skimp on. You may be a great driver but someone else may not be and it only takes on accident to severely injure an infant when it could have been avoided with an adequate car seat. For those that are also really concerned about their car seat meeting state regulation, there are places you can take your car seat to have them inspected – I believe local fire stations do this – to ensure that the car seat you have is best for your vehicle and your child.
I got the book Baby Bargains at Half Priced Books, it was a fantastic resource. Great job on wanting to keep things simple, moms to be are so marketed to! If you can, don’t find out if you are having a boy or a girl, that way instead of getting a bunch of cute outfits that probably won’t fit the baby at the right time anyways, people will get you necessities for gifts.
I know – it’s crazy how moms are marketed to! We’ve waited several years to get pregnant and then wham! It was so overwhelming! Even my MIL has been hounding me about what to get!
We may find out the gender, but I still plan on only registering for gender-neutral everything — because we hope to have more kids! I’m sure we’ll still get a few gender specific clothing items, but that’s ok.
If you tell people what you’re having, be prepared to mostly get clothes. People were more willing to buy essentials for me because we didn’t know what we were having.
I totally agree. My sister and I neither found out the sex of our first babies and we received a lot more of the baby basic items then our friends who found out the gender and were bombarded with gender-specific clothing.
Also, Emily, with having a winter baby a couple of those blanket sleeper sacks would be great to register for. Since the baby is “wearing” their blanket they won’t become uncovered and wake up cold. Congratulations!
Thanks for the tip on the sleeper sacks…those might be essential for our Wisconsin winter!
Emily, when I was pregnant, I walked into a Babies R Us, promptly freaked out by being so overwhelmed, and walked out. It was just TOO MUCH! I ended up just creating a registry on line, where the products were not as overwhelming. To answer the second part of your question, register for your essentials. Even if they seem small or silly, (diaper cream, lanolin, nursing bras etc) go ahead because people will buy those for you instead of things you may not need. Register for gift cards for future use. Keep receipts so you can do exchanges, even if it’s for a gift card you can use later. Also, think about what may be essential at different ages. Yes, it takes up more room, but at different times. So maybe a few sizes of clothes. We had the space to register for the next car seat so that saved the next big expense. Also, if you register, you won’t get a pink stroller, pink care seat, pink clothes etc, so when #2 shows up, you CAN recycle. On the stroller issue, think about where you live and when you are having this baby. Do you walk around from your house outdoors before baby? If so, yes on stroller or sling. If it’s July in Houston, probably not.
My brother and his wife are raising their son in a Manhattan one bedroom apt with a dog, so I know it CAN be done! They bought a crib that is typically used at a daycare, it’s much smaller, or use just a pack and play for a crib for a while. No changing table, just a fold up pad (we did this too). Diaper bag. One drawer of clothes. Auto delivery on amazon of diapers and food so there is no big supply to store. (gift card to Amazon Prime?) We had an activity mat for our son that slid under the couch when not in use. Good luck!
Baby Bargains is the perfect book for expectant mothers! Instead of sending a, “congratulations on your pregnancy” card, I send the newest copy of the book! I also give gift cards or cash with a note stating, “use this for things you may need that you did not receive.” So many appreciate it to use toward larger items they didn’t receive or when all of the newborn and 0-3 clothes run out.
We almost didn’t find out the gender, because we were afraid of getting too many clothes, but it actually turned out to be a blessing in our case. I had two friends with toddlers who needed to get rid of all of their clothes and shoes up to 3T so they gave them to us. I then casually mentioned to people about how our baby had more cute clothes than he could wear. I didn’t get any clothes at our shower, but instead got things that we actually needed.
Look for larger items at consignment sales that many larger churches or organizations have once or twice a year. Children’s consignment shops are also a good place to look for quality strollers and baby swings at a discount. As always, examine the items closely before buying.
Great advice!
Think about how you are likely to get about with the baby… for my money, I’d rather have a good quality sling than a stroller… my stroller took up a lot of space and we rarely used it. My sling took up a corner in my dresser and I used it practically every day.
I wouldn’t spend money on a crib without trying co-sleeping first.
And if you are planning to stock up on diapers like someone else mentioned, I’d recommend not getting many in a size 1 as that is the size you are likely to get as gifts. And normal babies outgrow those pretty quickly. (I had preemies, so they spent a lot more time in size 1!)
I loved the sling for the first few months. Once my babies were more than a few months old, it didn’t seem to work as well. We used our stroller for when we went shopping, taking walks, and so many, many other outings. A double stroller became invaluable when we had two under two!
Crystal, if baby #4 comes along, you should definitely try a wrap. I had a sling with my first, and it killed my back by the time he was 14 pounds (1 month old). After a TON of research, I invested in a Sleep Wrap for my second baby (like the Moby, but fabric has more stretch so it’s easier to get a good fit). I absolutely LOVED it! It distributes the baby’s weight so well that it is even more comfortable than holding the baby in your arms. I used it around the house a lot, for hours at night when he had colic, and when we were out and about. I could still hold him in it comfortably when he was 9 months old. He’s 18 months old now (though a light-weight at 22 lbs), and I could still carry him around in it comfortably- although the wiggly boy would not agree with the situation now. haha!
I know many people make their own with a length of fabric or you can find cheaper brands. If cost is truly prohibitive, that is a great way to go. If you can afford it, though, The Sleepy Wrap has the perfect amount of stretch to make it easy to use and very comfortable for parent and baby. Plus, after countless hours of use and many washes, it still looks like new. I plan to resell it, and I think I’ll recoup 50% of my cost. That’s a good investment!! 🙂
Oh yeah, another benefit is all the options for ways to hold the baby. Though slings claim all these variations for carrying the baby, most are very uncomfortable for the parent. Wraps allow you to hold the baby in a variety of positions (cradled, side facing, mommy facing, outward facing, legs in or out, and even on your back if you have some assistance). All positions are equally comfortable for the wearer as the weight is still distributed over your entire upper body if worn correctly. And the different positions means that baby is comfortable through a variety of ages and stages- from wanting to be close and snug all the way to wanting to see the world and stretch her arms and legs.
P.S. I don’t get anything from Sleepy Wrap for this advertisement. 😉
Also, there are a variety of positions that are comfortable for both mom and baby when using a wrap. An infant is snug curled up against momma, and an older baby is happy be able to see the world and stretch his arms and legs. Though slings claim many different positions for carrying baby, almost none of them are comfortable for mom. Since the Sleepy Wrap distributes the weight evenly over your entire upper body, all the positions are comfortable for mom and baby!
Let me also say that I felt the baby was much better secured in a wrap. The sling felt so precarious, I can’t imagine using it for a baby past a few months.
As a side note, hard carriers such as Baby Bjorn are proven unhealthy for the baby’s developing spine and hips, so I wouldn’t recommend them to moms. Though a little easier to use, they are still not as comfortable for the mom as a wrap. (I borrowed a friend’s for a week and was happy to return it to her- ouch!)
P.S. Sleepy Wrap isn’t paying me for this “advertisement!” 😉
I absolutely loved the Sleepy Wrap for carrying my baby! It was very comfortable to wear and my daughter liked all of the different positions she could be carried in. I used the Sleepy Wrap from birth until about 20 months.
I’d borrow things like a swing (neither of mine liked the swing), infant seat, & exersaucer. I loved having an ergo (still using it with our 3 year old) but think about your lifestyle—we lived in a city so we took the baby on the bus, long walks in the neighborhood, etc….we used the car seat infant carrier a lot less than suburbanites do.
As someone who couldn’t breastfeed due to a surgery I had 5 years before I had kids, I have one little “expert tip” to add to the list:
If you’re going to formula feed, you might also want to add bottles to the list 😉
Oh, thanks for reminding me of that — kind of an important thing to remember. 😉
Even if you don’t formula feed, a decent breast pump is ESSENTIAL to many women. Some (the minority, I think) can breastfeed forever with no problems, but most women who breastfeed still want to pump sometimes. (Need to work, want your husband to feed the baby at night on occasion so you can sleep, need to be away from the baby for more than an hour at a stretch sometime during the first several months, breasts are engorged and painful, improper latch, etc.) You don’t need to buy this ahead of time – you may luck out and not need it! – but be ready to go out and spend ~$200 on a good one if you need it. The good news is you can buy cheap bottles (the kind that come in a 3-pack for $5) and not worry too much, because your baby isn’t drinking from a bottle all that much anyway 🙂
Breastpumps are now required by law to be covered under your insurance. Check with your insurance company about what you need– probably just a script from your doc. My insurance company Fed Exs you a Pump in Style 24 hours after they get the script. For free! (or, rather, for Already Paid).
Unfortunately, this is not necessarily true.
*New* private health plans must cover the mandates in plan years starting on or after August 1, 2012. If your plan doesn’t renew until January, those benefits won’t be available to you until then (or later, depending on your renewal date). Plus, it is possible that an existing insurance plan was grandfathered, so they might not have to provide these services. Check with your insurance provider to be sure.
No necessarily true — also they are required to cover the cost of “rental” not purchase.
Wow—-are breast pumps that expensive? When I went back to work part time, I just bought the cheapest breast pump I found at —of all places—Walmart. I think it was a Platex for $15. It worked great and I had no problem getting 12 oz or more out in about 10 min on my work breaks.
Some cost hundreds. You were fortunate. I rented a hospital-grade one, and usually got only 2-4 oz. Early morning I would be lucky and maybe get 6 oz.
Maybe it was my milk supply too. When my son nursed or I pumped on one side, the other side dripped so bad I’d have to hold a bottle or towel under the other. Once I measured and dripped almost 2 oz. It was no joke, I really do think I had enough milk for twins, so maybe that’s why the cheaper grade pump worked for me, but doesn’t for others. I’m not sure of the difference anyway.
The cheap pump worked perfectly fine for me as well. I can manually pump 12 oz in a about 10 minutes. I don’t really understand what the difference is between the expensive pumps and the cheap pumps to be honest. I have had absolutely no problems with my $15 one. That’s just my experience though.
I had a fairly expensive Medela Breast Pump (electric). I loaned ..actually I never got it back.. :-).. but since I had all the original paperwork that came with it, I was able to order the parts that the new user would not particularly want to use 2nd hand… ie the rubber seals and a couple of other small parts that could be ordered through the company. The rest could be sterilized or run through the dishwasher. So, if you know anyone who has a nice pump and isn’t using it anymore, or not planning to use it for awhile, that is something you could consider doing. Especially if costs are a big concern and insurance isn’t going to cover one . http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com for extra parts for example. Also, I had one of those FoodSaver Vacuum Sealers to preserve foods for the freezer. It wasn’t very big, about the size of a roll of paper towels but not as fat. I used the breast milk storage bags and sealed them closed with the vacuum sealer, removing all the air from the bag and sealing it tight. The bags were fresh, clean and it was easy for making different amounts such as 1-2 oz freezer bags and then larger 4 oz and 8 oz bags of breast milk. Prevented waste and I could choose the size serving I thought I needed. Easy to thaw quickly and then just tossed them out when I was done. It also preserved precious room in my freezer. I had a square ice bucket container in the freezer that held all my frozen breast milk. I always dated each bottle (bag) and made sure to put the newest in the rear. Again, not necessary items but convenience sometimes means everything to a busy mom.
I went through 3-4 onesies a day because when you breast feed their poop isn’t as solid and it was without fail a mess every time my daughter went. So you may need more than 6 if you aren’t planning on doing laundry daily.
My thoughts exactly, plus 6 onesies won’t even fill a shoe box.
My thoughts too. Not only poop but spit up and pee. Also will need extra crib sheets if using a crib. Also if born in winter, need more warm sleepers. My late March SC baby lived in onesies for months. My late Nov. baby (for one of the coldest winters on record in SC) needed more!
I agree! My son spits up all of the time, and so did my daughter. It is not uncommon for us to go through several onesies/sleepers a day, not to mention sheets and blankets. Even if I did laundry every day, I’m not sure 6 onesies would be enough. Onesies are very inexpensive at the consignment stores, or garage sales, and take up almost no space.
How about 1-2 nursing tops?
I think that depends on your breast size, not to be too personal. I bought all these nursing bras and camisoles, then didn’t really need them. I am smaller in this dept. I did get larger while nursing, but not huge. A good friend asked me for advice on buying nursing bras and I told her to skip it. I usually ended up wearing a regular bra or regular camisole and just lifting it up over my breast. She said that there was no way that would work for her (She was a size H while nursing!). She said there was no way she could lift up over her breast; she had to have the nursing bra to fold down.
But, you will need those pads to stick in your bra for leaks. I actually bought reusable cotton pads that you wash in the washer.
I personally preferred to sleep in regular camisoles with shelf bras in them. They gae me just a little bit of support, but were more comfortable than sleeping in a bra (which is the suggestion you read in a lot of books).
As a large chested nurser like your friend, I would second the need for a couple of good, supportive nursing bras especially for “well endowed” women. Only buy 1 immediately after the baby is born as your size will change some over the first couple of weeks. After that, I think it’s ideal to have a minimum of 2 quality, supportive daytime bras (2 so they will last longer and so you’ll have one to wear while the other is air drying, which prolongs their life) and 1 nighttime bra or cami that offers gentle support.
I totally agree! Quality nursing bras are a NEED for me. They can be a little expensive but are quite a small cost when compared to bottle/formula feeding over the first year. Also, if you are planning on nursing I would pick up (or borrow) a good reference book such as The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding and maybe attend a La Leche League meeting in your area. Good support and correct information is so important when you are starting out. Also, some nipple cream and breast pads will be needed. I used a Boppy but have friends who swear by the My Breast Friend pillow. Definitely something you could borrow and try before you buy. Or put it on your registry. I like the other suggestions on the list. As far as big equipment goes, we had one who loved the swing. The second kid could take it or leave it so I got rid of it. I am not really missing it now with my third. I did get another bouncer seat thing to put her in while I’m taking a shower or eating or what have you. Another space saving suggestion is to get the booster that straps on top of one of your chairs. Takes up far less room than a high chair and you can take it with you when you travel.
We have a booster seat thing that sits on top of a regular chair (it reclines for newborns). LOVED it! like, MamaK said, it doesnt take up as much space, its cheaper, and its portable.
another big space/money saver is to not buy your child sooo many toys. we just have a few out at a time and put the others away so we can switch them out and old toys are “new” again. but of course my son doesn’t play with his toys a lot anyways.
also, rent books and movies from the library instead of buying.
and we borrowed a LOT of clothing from cousins and bought a little at garage sales.
I agree that there is so much out there for babies that is unnecessary. I received several things at my showers that I never used.
For me, one other thing that would have been tough to do without (during the newborn phase) is a baby tub for bathing. Yes, I know that it CAN be done in the bathtub, but it felt so much safer cleaning my babies in the newborn tub. So much more control and totally worth the $15 that we spent.
I personally wouldn’t even consider a stroller necessary until you have two kids under the age of 3 or 4. But I otherwise agree completely. 🙂
I agree that a stroller may not be necessary, but I would say that a stroller/baby carrier is pretty much a need unless you are homebound 24/7. Out and about you need a way to transport your baby (especially if they are large like mine were!) If I had to do it again, I might forgo the stroller and opt for just a carrier (mei tai or Ergo – purchased secondhand or borrowed).
I agree. My daughter (4months) would break my back if I had to carry her around. I love my stroller!
Also, if you end up with a c-section, a stroller is a lifesaver! I particularly recommend one that you can just snap your infant car-seat into.
Yes, I’m thinking about getting a sling/wrap…we won’t be heading out much anyways in those early months since it will be Feb. in Wisconsin! I figure the wrap will get me through the beginning months. Then I’m planning on registering for a lightweight stroller that can be used when baby is sitting up.
Check out http://www.thebabywearer.com – if you’re willing to spend an hour or so learning how to work a wrap, you can skip all the fancy expensive carriers. Mine is literally a length of fabric straight from the craft store, cut lengthwise (so I got two wraps out of it). Wearing your baby in a wrap means you can go grocery shopping and actually use the whole cart, which is hugely helpful! It also calms down your baby so he/she is more likely to sleep through the whole trip instead of screaming halfway through.
I agree Wendy! I used a wrap and the best thing about it is that I could hold both of my twins in it a once! Which made grocery shopping possible since I also had a 14 month old, so she took up the front seat of the cart. Plus I have shoulder and neck spasms and other carriers just made those spasms worse, but they way the wrap is put on caused zero spasms. One of the best things!
I have a sling and a wrap and the wrap is much more comfortable! I could carry my babies in it for much longer periods of time than in the sling. My only problem with the wrap was the heat in New Orleans in the middle of the summer – but you won’t have that problem in Wisconsin in the winter :-).
I’m no sure what kind of sling you are looking for,or if you are registering for one, but this site has coupon codes (all the time) for a free baby sling, just pay shipping ($13.95). http://www.retailmenot.com/view/sevenslings.com. Order online and they shipped fast.
It really is a personal thing. I am an exercise addict and needed that stroller to walk during the first 6 weeks when I wasn’t allowed to do any other exercise. Still walk 2 miles with a stroller almost every day (20 month in it, 5 year old on his bike). I did see a neighbor walking her dog with the baby in a carrier, but my babies were 20 pounds by 6 months and it started to hurt my back. Not to mention that I walk 2 dogs with the stroller, who are well trained; however, not perfect. If a cat crosses our path and Bear freaks and starts pulling, it is a lot easier to brake a stoller and get the dog under control than try to deal with 2 dogs, a hissing cat, and a baby strapped to you–LOL! That being said, I couldn’t have lived without my carrier as far as getting things done around the house and grocery shopping when babies wanted to be held all the time.
As far as a stroller taking up space; we keep it in the car.
I like the idea of storing the stroller in the car. I had friends who did that.
I recommend a snap and go stroller. I had a graco travel system that was a huge waste of money but found a graco snap and go stroller for $15. I think I got really really lucky at the price, it was the grand opening of a second hand store. Anyways, it is really compact, easy to store, and very easy to stroll. I usually bring that into restraunts instead of having to lug in a heavy carrier. I also think you can actually purchase the graco snap and go stroller carrier combo now.
The snap and go only lasts for as long as the baby an be placed in an infant carrier and then must be stored, while they do fold small for the long term they still take up extra space when you have to buy a second stroller when they no longer fit in an infant carrier. good deal at $15!
I agree with this!
I had twins, so I found the stroller a must most of the time, especially when teh babies were little.
I had several friends who did not have a stroller with a single baby and were just fine – cart at the grocery store, arms out and about (bonus was buff arms and a baby who walked very well quite early), and less stuff dragged with you when you go out!
Honestly, I was totally amazed at the amount of “stuff” that people brought with them because they had the space in their stroller. Many, many times they had everything you can think of and then some – I had one small diaper bag for twins and preferred to carry their car seats so I wasn’t tempted to waste my precious extra time on stuff that wasn’t important.
All that said, with twins I loved my double stroller and the ability to run to the park down the street to walk the walking path or a walk to the library or post office or whatever at a moment’s notice if I wanted to. Or to be able to go to a relatively adult function and keep the kiddos contained. A friend of mine jogs and loves the flexibility the joggling stroller affords her!
This is probably highly personal but I would still be a little cautious before I consider it a “necessity”.
Lea
Oh, if I had twins, I would absolutely consider a double stroller a necessity! 🙂 Far as we know, we’re only having one…this time 😉
I have 7 children under 10, and we’re usually home; I’ve only used a stroller on rare occasions. At the grocery store or another store, a cart works fine. In other stores, a stroller just got in the way.
We have used both. I had a moby wrap for my son and loved it! I could carry him all day in it. We took it out on Halloween when he was 5 months to both a church carnival and our towns event and I wore him for a good 6 hours and chased my almost 4 year old and my back never hurt. We use a stroller now because he is too wiggly (he is almost 15 months.)
The one thing I absolutely couldn’t have survived without was my Medela Pump. It was $$$, but worth every penny!! (My daughter’s nasal passages were too small and she was unable to nurse). Because of this amazing pump, I was able to pump for my daughter for 11 months!!
Check with insurance to see if they cover part or all of the expense of a Medela pump – our insurance company covered all but $50 of the cost.
Thanks for that tip, Rachel. I’m not planning on working or really ever being away from the baby, but if I do end up needing a pump, I’m going to *try* to remember to check with insurance.
If you are planning on being away from the baby and need to pump, a good breast pump would be my top recommendation.
If you are planning on breast feeding and think that you will “never” be away from
the baby.. so never need to pump…consider….date night with your spouse, grown ups night out or event that baby stays with “grandparents or other sitter”. It’s nice to be able to provide your “pumped breast milk”.
Also, in the event you have to be away for an unplanned event, or if you become ill, even if for a couple of days with the flu… stored frozen breast milk is always nice.
And the last thing about breast feeding… some father’s feel especially left out in this area of bonding with their child. Pumped breast milk gives “Dad” an opportunity to enjoy bonding with baby. And Mom might like a trip to the grocery ‘alone’!
As the mother to five sons and breastfeeding them all.. the last one for … Oh my… 3 years and 3 months before I had to cut him off cold turkey…. I seemed particularly prone to mastitis (a clogged and inflammed, milk duct) a breast pump helps keep your breasts drained and keeps your milk supply ample. If baby becomes ill with a cold / ear infection/ and becomes fussy and not nursing well, you still want to be able to express that milk least you become extremely uncomfortable and risk mastitis. Just something to think about.
Because of the Affordable Care Act, breastpumps must now be covered by insurance. So it is a must (if you are going back to work– and frankly, if you have ANY problems breastfeeding), and you’ve already paid for it!
http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2011/08/womensprevention08012011a.html
Wow. I didn’t know that. That’s great. I agree. My Pump In Style breast pump was the only way that my daughter was able to have breast milk once I went back to work.
Benefits are not necessarily available on August 1.
*New* private health plans must cover the mandates in plan years starting on or after August 1, 2012. If your plan doesn’t renew until January, those benefits won’t be available to you until then. Plus, it is possible that an existing insurance plan was grandfathered, so they might not have to provide these services. Check with your insurance provider to be sure.
Thanks for mentioning this. I was excited to see this would be covered, but upon further review our plan was renewed on July 1, so it won’t be covered until next July — when my baby is 6 months old. I’ll still ask, but it’s good to know not all plans will automatically cover.
If you buy a bed I would get sheets. You may want more the 6 onzies and three pairs of sheets just incase you have to change sheets a few times during the night and you are so sleepy you don’t get to laundry the next day.
I agree with more onesies and 3 sets of sheets. One thing that I did that was really helpful in the sheet department was add a couple blankets on top of the sheet in the crib. Just laid out flat so it was just like another thicker sheet. That way, unless there was an epic blowout or something, the mess was usually contained in the blanket. No sheet changing in the middle of the night 🙂 Blankets are a little bigger to wash, but changing sheets is a MAJOR pain.
I think a swing is a MUST. We went though several so I don’t think it’s an item that you should borrow, they do wear out. Also another item that I didn’t buy because a nurse said they were a waste of money was a boppy. I struggled with pillows at the NICU, I would kill my hand and my back, the pillows would slide. Then once at home I tried stacking pillows and still had no luck, 4 weeks of this I turned to my husband and said I’m going to the store and I’m buying a boppy tonight. The swing and the boppy were the best investments ever. With baby #2 the boppy was the first thing I packed to go to the hospital.
So interesting because both of my kids HATED the swing. We tried for a month or two with our first but she screamed the entire time she was in it, then stored it for 4 years until our second was born and he did not care for it as well.
For our family, it was a waste of space but not money since it had been a shower gift.
{This is the Emily who asked the question}
I’ve heard the same two (fierce!) opinions about swings. I really don’t think we’re going to register for a swing as we seriously don’t have the space. One friend did mention the Space Saver swing, which is a compact swing.
I found this rocker/bouncer combo at Target (that also costs far less than a swing):
http://www.target.com/p/fisher-price-infant-to-toddler-rocker/-/A-11037179
If we do register for something like a swing/rocker/bouncer, it will probably be that. I struggle with getting a swing b/c a baby outgrows it sooo quickly! But I’m always open to suggestions. 🙂
I think the swing/bouncer combo is a great idea and wish we had had it. We did have a fold up travel swing though instead of the big one. I liked this a lot since I could easily move it from room to room and we even took it on out-of-town trips!
I was anti-swing because I didn’t want one taking up precious space in our small home. A few weeks into motherhood, I caved. We went to Kid-to-Kid and paid $60 for the biggest swing they had. I went big because it appeared safest and it could rock back-to-front or side-to-side. Turns out, my kid preferred side-to-side. He loved the thing his first few months. Total sanity saver. By 5 months, he was done with it, and we sold it back to the store for about $30.
The reason I tell you this is 1) you can’t predict what your kid will like/want/need, 2) there are low-cost options available, and 3) you really can learn to live with stuff you didn’t think you’d want cluttering up a room. Just remember its temporary. We currently have a big, ugly playpen area I call The Baby Cage. Not my preference decor or space-wise, but a lifesaver for us. I can safely let my kid play alone while I use the bathroom or do necessary things around the house. Again, it’s temporary. 🙂
Personally, I found an exersaucer to be essential once he hit 5 months.
I am stepping out on a limb w/ this but here goes. I think a swing is essential but all swings arn’t equal, I got one @ Once Upon A Child that was the old fashion wind up kind & all 3 of my kids used it & LOVED it. We were @ friends house some & I would sometimes try there battery kinds & the children hated it. I know its probably impossible to find a wind up kind now but ours was great. Our youngest is now 11 so has been a few years ago. I think every parent needs to decide that for themselves. For us it was a sanity saver.
Good luck Emily, & most of all enjoy every stage of your childrens lives to the fullest because soon they will be driving & independant, trust me on this:)
haha, baby cage….we called it baby jail when I used it for our twins. we had two sets and hooked them together and put the twins swings inside so that my older daughter (15 months) wouldn’t “help” swing the twins, and later we used them to keep the little ones in a very large safe play area. worth it!
I would suggest borrowing a swing for a short period of time, perhaps a week or two, to try when your baby is particularly fussy. My niece absolutely loved her swing, and it was sometimes the only thing that would calm her down. When my daughter was born, we borrowed a swing first and I’m so glad we did because she hated it! She really loved her bouncer seat though, and it was much smaller and more mobile. I would even put it in the bathroom with me while I showered, and she would often nap away. Every baby is different.
Also, I personally couldn’t get by nursing without a Boppy. A pillow just won’t cut it for me or my back. You can probably borrow one of those to try out first as well. And if you do decide on any of these items, I would suggest checking out a consignment store! They have higher standards than a thrift store, and you can easily check to make sure items haven’t been recalled before you buy them. And since babies grow out of things quickly, you can trade clothes and items you don’t need for things you do. It makes it a little easier to get your money’s worth on items you only need for a short period of time.
I like the idea of borrowing items…I’m hoping we can do that. We just don’t have any friends (nearby) who have babies!
I have that infant to toddler rocker and my child Loved it!
This bouncy/rocker is GREAT! My boys grew out of their other bouncies within a couple of months. A year later, they are still using this Fisher Price model. Best investment so far (financially, and space)!
My first three babies barely tolerated a swing. My fourth did all her sleeping in it for the first few months. Every baby is different!
My 4 and 6 year old loved our Fisher Price swing that can rotate so it swings back and forth or side to side. Now my 9 day old loves it too! It originally came from a yard sale so we’ve had great luck with it! With the older two, we also had a travel swing that someone got for us off our registry. I think it was called the Take Along Swing and it came from Target. It folds up compactly so would be great for small spaces. Unfortunately my mother in law had it at her house and didn’t know we were thinking about baby #3 so she sold it at a yard sale. We’re going to be missing it when we travel!
I would recommend a few more than 6 onesies. I think my son is in his 5th for the day! Between peeing on himself when I’m changing him or a leaky diaper, we seem to need a lot of onesies. I also really like the sleep gowns for nighttime so you don’t have to deal with snaps in the middle of the night.
This isn’t something you can register for but something that we have LOVED having is a dimmer switch in the baby’s room. That way in the middle of the night when you have to change a diaper but don’t want even lamplight, the lowest setting of the dimmer switch is great!
Good luck with your new arrival! Start stocking up on diapers now, in various sizes but other than that, wait to see what you get from your shower!
All four of my kids also HATED to swing, but at the same time I will say the fold up travel swing was one of the best things I had. I would not turn on the swing function and they loved sitting in it watching the light-up bar at the top and trying to grab at the toys (once old enough). It was so handy to just throw in the car and take anywhere with us. I recently got rid of all our baby stuff except that swing and the pack-n-play. Good to have around for friends’ babies. 🙂
I think you should maybe try out a swing before you buy if possible. Two of my children loved it, but my new baby hates it. My front carrier has been life saver though, because she really wants to be in my arms most of the time.
For me, I don’t think I could have survived without a bucket swing that goes side to side. My kids LOVED that thing. I have back issues so slings and bjorns were so painful for me and a big waste of money. The kids were happy in the swing though, and I could get something done. My daughter would take 2 hour naps in it as an infant. That being said, the one I got was a hand me down and we handed it down again.
One of my kids loved the swing and hated the bouncy. The other was the total opposite!
When I was little my mom said they couldnt have lived without my swing. I got colic a lot and constantly needing a humming noise (like the electric swings make) and some sort of motion. She said I NEVER wanted out of my swing.
There are also combination swing/bouncers out there now. I saw one and wished we had it so that we had less space.
Depending on your access to laundry/how often you want to do laundry, I might go with a bit more clothes than Crystal suggests. It was easy to go through 4 onesies in one day. My one born in Nov. (then it got cold the week after and stayed cold all winter needed heavier clothing than just a onesie).
And for me, I couldn’t live without my front carrier. Some people prefer slings. Both of my babies, one moreso than the other, went through periods of time when they wanted to be held ALL THE TIME. With the carrier, I was able to fold laundry, do dishes, do prep work for cooking, etc. instead of sitting on the couch all day. I could even grocery shop when he would get unhappy in the car seat. This might be a personal preference thing and one of those things Crystal mentioned that you can borrow from someone to try out before you purchase.
Also, Crystal mentions the possibility of formula, which also means bottles. I breastfed both, but did go back to work, which meant bottles and breast pump. I never bought a bottle warmer or a bottle sanitizer. The dishwasher sanitizes just fine and a cup of warm water warms up a bottle sufficiently.
I kept a crock pot with water in it on low for the day when my sitter heated up milk. It heated up the milk quickly.
That’s the method we used when I worked at a daycare center!
One of the best things I did when I used formula was to keep a bottle of water on the counter. All formula was made then and served at room temp. SO MUCH EASIER than constantly warming bottles. Even when I was nursing, I only warmed up milk to room temp.
We used a crockpot to heat up refrigerated breast milk. When I could no longer breastfeed, we kept a pitcher of water on the counter. They had no problem with room temp formula. (Our pediatrician also approved.) It was great for when we were away from home, no heating up bottles necessary. After talking to other new moms, I’m glad we got the twins used to room temp liquids. I have met moms that wished they would have done it this way.
My kids all had to rough it- they all got cold breast milk when I was at work : )
My first born started bottles in the SC summer and actually preferred them cold; can you blame him?
Mine too! He never cared.
I have a 7 week old baby girl. We spent very little ourselves, and were amazed and blessed by the generosity of our friends and family. For nursing, I received a Boppy as a gift, but found that it just didn’t work for me. I went out this weekend and My Brest Friend at the suggestion of my sister in law. It has been worth every cent! This is the perfect example of something your could borrow.
I agree with the other necessities Crystal mentioned.
I’m sure this has been mentioned here before: If you’re planning on diapering using disposables, start watching sales NOW and buying them when they’re a good price! I aim to spend $5 or less per jumbo pack, and haven’t had too much trouble finding them at that price. I ended up with over 1200 diapers before our daughter was born, in sizes 1-3. I haven’t had to worry about buying them yet, and am so appreciative of that. I taped the receipts to many of the packages as I bought them, so I can exchange as necessary. Many stores are extremely understanding and will let you do even exchanges for diaper sizes without receipts. I also purchased wipes when I could get them for $1 or less per pack of 60 or more.
I totally agree about the My Brest Friend! What a back saver ! I also had a boppy…once i switched, I never used it until baby was ready to start sitting up and for tummy time.
Here are my ‘ essentials’ 🙂
Diapers, clothes, wipes, sling, natural baby wash,
*baby rash cream ( both desitin and Budreauxs Butt paste along with some lotrimin antifungal cream for when baby gets diaper rash. The lotrimin and desitin combined as a 1:1 ratio cures any yeast type diaper rash without the costly prescription. Do NOT even bother with baby powder…it can feed a diaper rash nd make one worse.) Budreauxs Butt Paste does not burn, while desitin type creams can. I did not like desitin for that reason, but only used when it was warranted( yeast based doper rash).
Baby blankets for warmth and receiving blanket style ones are perfect for burp cloths
Pacifiers( there are ancient versions that have been found that our ancestors all have used and I am certain there is a reason mothers have needed them since the dawn of time!) my children have easily weaned from them and only used for trouble sleeping.
Big Bouncy Ball (only $10-15!) exercise ball-In lieu of a rocking chair everyone seems to think is a must( mainly my elder lady relatives;) I bounced my boys when they needed soothing and it worked like a charm!
Essential advice i wish i had before having kids: If you plan to nurse, cut out cows milk dairy that means NONE ( no butter, margarine, cheese, processed foods that always have even trace amounts are a huge no-no) That is the number one essential thing to ‘do’ in my personal opinion. I hope you are able to breast feed, but if not, I pray your baby is not sensitive to cows milk. Many are. If you notice fussiness, try and switch to the soy based. Lack of cows milk in the diet will make your baby less fussy and bonus, your baby weight will be long gone and you will feel amazing! I only was forced to do this due to my son having a severe casein allergy as a baby, which he outgrew by age 1 and I gave him goats milk as a substitute for cow milk once he was weaning.
There are many unnecessary items for babies. I liked my big swing for them and the bouncy seat was amazing. I think a good bouncy seat it great and takes up little space.
Don’t waste your time with a Diaper Genie…they seem nice but then you have to pay to replace the special bags which are a total waste of money.
Good luck and congrats!
Please do your reseach about soy before jumping on that bandwagon. The phyto-estrogens in soy can have many unwnted side effects!
Good point! We avoid a lot of soy. There was a study published a while ago that a baby on strictly soy formula is taking the equivalent of 4-5 birth control pills worth of estrogen A DAY!!!!! Crazy!
Soy has also been linked to sterility in baby boys… I know the horrors of soy personally after it about destroyed my female health & fertility. Be VERY cautious!
Yes, soy is an allergen, and I am sorry I failed to mention that, as well. Also most soy is genetically modified, unless it is certified organic. My son could have zero casein, or he’d have Continued bleeding internally through his intestines. Soy would have been an option, if I had not nursed.
However, some moms simply need to use formula and I would not want to make any mother feel like less of a mom because she cannot nurse her baby. I know several moms who have been physically unable to do so and it is heartbreaking for them.
I agree that dairy can cause fussiness. All three of mine benefited from eliminating dairy products. I did not replace with soy.
NEVER EVER had a problem with dairy and nursing my baby. He is 2 months old now, we found he is sensitive if I eat anything wheat though. I feel every baby is different. Make sure you are intaking enough calcium to support your own health as well, no matter what you are eating. My 3 year old daughter was breast fed and never had a problem when I ate dairy as well.
My son had no soy, either. He was exclusively breast fed. My kids have never had soy milk or formula. I definitely do not agree with replacing regular milk with cow milk, for example in older children, either. Overall, I think soy is not a good thing to eat…unless absolutely necessary like in some babies who cannot be breastfeed or are casein intolerant. There are even still other options, but sometimes soy formula is what works and it is all some moms can do. But, when I ingested organic soy products( like on my cereal at times)he did not have issues. I did not even try eating it( or nuts and other big allergens) until he was 6 months old just because his case was so severe( his intestines were bleeding- very scary).
60 percent of babies that are sensitive to dairy are also sensitive to soy.
Yes, you are Absolutely right, but some moms must try other things, soy is just one of them. Soy worked for my friends’ baby girl who was severely allergic to dairy and could not even tolerate the expensive prescription formula ( Neocate, which is just more broken down cows milk formula) and mine was fine when I ingested soy on after he was 6 months old. I had another friend who could not physically breast feed, and she very reluctant,y gave her son soy for the same reason. Sometimes, moms have to use formula. In my son’s case, he was bleeding internally because of the cows milk that I ingested. I don’t know what I’d have done had I needed to give him formula. For some moms, it is their only option, though and I did not want to offend mothers who need to use it. Thank God for giving them the option.
I wouldn’t cut out dairy for no reason. I’ve nursed three babes with no issues with dairy. Only if there are issues would I do something drastic like give up cheese and chocolate!
I preferred the Boppy over My Breast Friend.
Great ideas… I didn’t buy that much before the shower except I did start buying the cloth diapers. I wish I could go back and register for those though. I also highly recommend a baby carrier like the Ergobaby – I use mine ALL the time – even more than a stroller!
I agree, baby carriers like the Ergo and others are lifesavers! I would recommend a sling, the Baby K’tan (modified wrap carrier) a wrap carrier (like the Moby) or Mei Tai over a Baby Bjorn type since the baby will have a better “seat” in it–instead of having baby’s legs dangling which is better for the both of you. If possible I would start out with one carrier (Ergo, sling, or wrap) and try them on/practice before baby comes.
Learn more and find a local group at Babywearing International (http://babywearinginternational.org/)
Not much other advice, except research well before choosing your stroller. Bouncy seats and Exersaucers are handy to occupy baby and give them a safe place
Don’t bother with a bassinet. A Pack-n-Play works as a bassinet, and is portable.
I found the following items essential:
Baby Swing
Car Seat
Stroller
Diapers
Wipes
Clothes