As the big day approaches, I have been starting to get ready for the baby’s arrival. I’ve had a few lists passed on to me of things that other moms have written up of items they found to be useful.
Design Mom – Preparing for Baby
Babble– Baby Registry Guide
Liz’s Baby Basics
FOR MOM
- Maternity Jeans – spend some money on these – you will live in them over the weekend
- Maternity Pants – Gap made some really cute ones
- Maternity Tops/Sweaters – don’t even need to buy them – just buy larger sizes at inexpensive stores like H&M, Limited, Gap
- Nursing tank tops
- The absolute best are Gilligan & O”Malley (Target carries them). I swear by these. They look just like a regular tank(black, white, pink or gray) and you can wear them under a cardigan. I wore these every single day while on maternity leave. Much easier than a nursing bra. Never even bought a nursing bra.
- BellaBand
- This is a band that can extend the life of your pants. You can wear pants unbuttoned and put band over to create seamless line. Also great for when shirts/sweaters become too short b/c you just see the band which looks like a t-shirt underneath the shirt.
- Disposable Lansonihl nursing pads
- Lansonohl breast cream (purple tube for breasts)
- Email list – put together mass email list for baby’s arrival announcement
- Birth Announcements
- Print labels before baby is born and select announcement so ready to go (I didn’t send mine out until baby was 6 months – wish I had done sooner)
- Tinyprints.com – great selection of announcements
- Monogrammed thank you cards – If you are really organized and know the baby’s name, you can order personalized thank you cards in advance b/c you will need them as soon as baby is born. TinyPrints and PeekabooPumpkin have good selections.
- Breast Pump ( Medela Pump in Style – borrow one if you can b/c you may not take to it)
FOR BABY
- Swaddles (Kiddopotamus Velcro or any brand) – we used for first 3 months
- Basic white tees (get the ones that have side snaps rather than ones that have to be pulled over head)
- Basic onesies
- Sleep Sacks or gowns – great for newborns b/c much easier to change diaper in middle of night
- Zipper Footy PJs – once a bit older, I recommend PJs with zipper b/c easier than buttoned pjs to change in middle of night
- Bibs (velcro on the side of neck is best b/c doesn’t chafe back of babies neck when being bed in cradle position)
- Cheap burp clothes
- I preferred the inexpensive ones b/c they were softer. The cuter ones with patterns were too stiff to wipe babies mouth, so never used them.
- Bottles (BornFree)
- Nipples (Level 1 to start….at 3 months go to level 2 and at 6 months go to level 3)
- Formula (Enfamil is good, so is Nestle Good Start or Similac)
- Powdered formula containers (3 of them snap together and you can premeasure formula so all you need to do is pour into bottle of water – great for middle of the night!)
- Pacifiers (try a few different brands to see what fits baby’s face)
- Diapers (Pamper’s Swaddlers)– Size: Newborn
- Wipes (Pamper’s Sensitive)
- Travel size wipes for diaper bag
- Thermometer (traditional is better – ear is not accurate read for babies)
- Grooming kit (just basic with curved scissors, hair brush, toothbrush)
- Changing pad (to put on table – all brands are the same)
- Changing pad cover
- PeeWee’s Disposable Multi-Use changing pads
- These are essential. If the baby goes to the bathroom while being changed, you don’t need to wash changing pad cover – just throw away disposable pads. I use these every day.
- Sassy Diaper Bags – blue scented bags to throw dirty diapers in
- We do not have a diaper genie and don’t even need one with these bags. We never smell anything once diaper is in these disposable bags.
- Dishwasher caddy (to put bottle parts in for washing)
- Mustela Shampoo, Lotion, Bath Gel
- Baby Tylenol/ Motrin
- Saline nose drops (for when stuffed up/has cold)
- Diaper ointment (A&D, Balmex, Mustela – any are fine)
- Small/ soft washclothes ( not full size b/c too big for newborns)
- Hooded towel for after bath
FOR BABY’S ROOM/ FURNITURE
- Bambi Baby (www.bambibaby.com 877-882-2624)
- I bought my baby furniture here and they will beat ANY price you find. They beat Buy Buy Baby, Babies R Us, and other smaller local stores in price by a few hundred dollars. And their customer service is fantastic. You deal with the same person every time you call.
- Glider – Microfiber Upholstered Glider (color: Sage) $379
- We tried every chair and this one is SO comfortable! The sage color goes really well in a boy’s or girl’s room and the chair is very comfortable for a man or woman. Highly recommend. Carried at Babies R Us…and I think Buy Buy Baby
- Foot Stool – I found this to be very comfortable when feeding. I still use it.
- Co-Sleeper/Moses basket/bassinet
- I loved the co-sleeper – nice to have baby right next to bed for first month or so before you move them into crib
- Matress – any brand that meets regulations is fine (some people prefer Organic)
- Waterproof mattress pad covers (for under crib sheet)
- Mattress pad sheets
- Crib Set
- Hangers
- Clothes Hamper (I like Kids Line Folding Hamper)
- Trashcan (If you do not do Diaper Genie, which is not necessary, recommend just buying a SimpleHuman can that you can open with foot. If using blue diaper bags, won’t smell in room at all.)
- Baby Monitor (Fisher Price) – don’t need if live in an apartment
- Nightlight
BABY ACCESSORIES/ TOYS
- Stroller and car seat
o Graco Snap & Go is great – definitely the easiest for city living
o I’d recommend getting car seat for up to 30lbs so that you don’t need to trade up to larger size so quickly
- Rain cover for stroller (any brand is fine)
- Head positioner – put in stroller/car seat so head doesn’t bobble all around
- Bundle Me – will need lightweight and fleece one for winter
- Sun Shade for stroller – This is a must. Protect-A-Bub Single Canapy is good and works on any stroller.
- Stroller Caddy (recommend Joovy Cool Essentials on amazon.com)
- This fits across handle bars of jogger strollers and is the best. You can put your wallet, phone, blackberry, keys, etc in it. I wish I had bought this sooner b/c I hated having to put all this stuff in the carrying area below the baby.
- Toy bar that attaches to stroller bar (for jog type stollers)
- Kids love this – will play with it and kick at it as you walk
- Recommend anything like Sunshine Kids AG Twirly Whirly or Whoozit Activity Spiral
- Once you graduate from Snap & Go (which can be used up until 9-10 months depending on size of baby), recommend Phil & Ted’s if looking to do long walks or MacLaren for around town
- Britax Car Seat – highly recommend for when baby is 1 year old
- Bouncy Chair that vibrates (highly recommend Fisher Price Rainforest )
- Swing ( never used one, but people swear by the Fisher Price Papasan)
- Baby Bumbo chair (don’t need for first couple months)
o Great for before they can sit up on own b/c gives them different vantage point – also great to use when feeding little babies before they graduate to high chair)
o I got a different brand than Bumbo that I really liked – had a tray that attached with a toy that babies love
- Activity Saucer
- Highly recommend Evenflo 3-in-1 ExerSaucer Triple Fun
- This is for babies about 4 months up – they LOVE it
- Mobile for crib
o Highly recommend Tiny Love Symphony or Delux Symphony in Motion
- Boppy Pillow – for breastfeeding
- Activity mat with overhanging toys (Recommend Gymini 3D or Baby Einstein- all babies love that at some point during first 6 months)
- Pack and play and sheets for it (any Graco is fine – no need for most expensive….but it is nice to have the changing table)
- Baby Einstein DVDS
- These are priceless! Babies love these from 2 months on. You can buy entire boxset of 24 DVDs online for $95….or individually for $20/each
- Bathtub
- Any of the newborn ones are fine (I liked one that fit over kitchen sink)
- The BEST one to buy once baby outgrows first tub (around 4-5 months) is the Primo Eurobath – it’s the only one to buy!
- Leap Frog Learn & Groove Musical Table – this is for when they begin pulling themselves up on things…this is fantastic – hours and hours and hours of fun for baby
- Highchair (Peg Perego Highchair is the Mercedes of highchairs – it’s a must)
THINGS WE DIDN’T LOVE OR NEED
- Baby Bjorn – people swear by it, but we thought it was difficult to use
- Bottle Warmer – baby doesn’t know difference and if you always do room temp, they will be fine with it.
- Jumper for door way (I never used this – thought it was hard to put baby in/out)
RECOMMENDED BOOKS
- What to Expect in the First Year (great)
- Baby 411 (this is a MUST for every mom! Includes answers at a glance to every question you will have in the first year.)
- Baby Wise, The Baby Whisperer or other sleep book
Jill’s Baby Registry List
Bathtub and accessories:
- Fisher Price Aquarium Bath http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=14994793&RN=7051&
- The First Years Multi-Use Bathing Cushion (for you to kneel over big bathtub) http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=15002077&RN=7052&
- Ocean Wonders Corner Cubby Bath Toy chest by Fisher Price http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=14845160&RN=7052&
- Baby wash cloths (any brand) http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=115436&
- Baby towels – you can use regular towel – you will definitely receive hooded towels as gifts
- You can’t put the baby in the little tub until the umbilical cord comes off – some people get a giant sponge to rest them when you sponge bath. Don’t bother, just make a cushion out of a bath towel.
Bottles, etc:
- I don’t know anything about breast feeding and related accessories
- I use Avent BPA free.
- Avent sterilizer – if you have the counter space, this is awesome. Also great for traveling because it makes it easy to clean bottles even in a hotel http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=14909168&RN=7065&
- You need a drying rack – there are traditional ones but the Skip Hop is more attractive
- Bottle brush (with built in nipple brush) http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=14990852&
Crib and bedroom:
- Crib, dresser with changing table attachment/changing pad, some sort of rocker
- Mobile http://www.buybuybaby.com/searchSKU.asp?order_num=-1&sstr=mobile&RN=7018&brnd=0&color=0&limit=0&IPPSearch=40
- Bumper, dust ruffle and 1 cute sheet
- 3 – 4 Ultimate crib sheets http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=14845488&
- Breathable bumper (once the baby can move, you have to take out the bumper and this is a great compromise. You can skip the cuter plush bumper and go straight to this one if you want to be practical) http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=15941456&
- 2 changing pad covers
- Baby monitor – video if it works in your apt/or some sort of digital. The video has too much static for our apt so we have two Avent (Phillips) – one for each of the kid’s rooms… http://www.buybuybaby.com/searchSKU.asp?order_num=-1&SSTR=monitor&go=1&
- Diaper pail and refill bags. We used a diaper pail for Ethan but now we just use these diaper bags (multi-use for pee diapers but take out immediately for poop bags) http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=15127864&
- Clothes hamper or laundry bag (suggest mesh) – we have this hanging inside the closet door because no extra room for a hamper. Also suggest a small mesh lingerie bag for socks.
Stroller, car seat, play, travel, etc:
- Bugaboo Cameleon (NY city people – not great for burbs because it doesn’t fold, you have to take it apart) http://www.buybuybaby.com/searchSKU.asp?order_num=-1&SSTR=bugaboo&go=1&
- Bugaboo footmuff http://www.buybuybaby.com/searchSKU.asp?order_num=-1&sstr=bugaboo&LIMIT=0&COLOR=0&RNT=40&BRAND=445&IPPSearch=40&
- Bugaboo sun canopy http://www.buybuybaby.com/searchSKU.asp?order_num=-1&sstr=bugaboo&LIMIT=0&COLOR=0&RNT=80&BRAND=445&IPPSearch=40&
- 2 Bugaboo cup holders http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=14968636&
- Graco SnugRide and car seat base http://www.buybuybaby.com/StylePage.asp?order_num=-1&rn=7021&rnt=0&
- Graco attachment for Bugaboo http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=14971360&
- Graco pack n play and 2 sets of sheets. Also suggest getting a quilted sheet for extra cushion http://www.buybuybaby.com/searchSKU.asp?order_num=-1&sstr=pack+n+play&RN=0&brnd=329&color=0&limit=0&IPPSearch=40
- Peg Perego high chair (you won’t need this for 4 – 5 months, and can return to Buy Buy Baby until you need it, but worth registering for it) http://www.buybuybaby.com/searchSKU.asp?order_num=-1&sstr=pack+n+play&RN=0&brnd=329&color=0&limit=0&IPPSearch=40
- ERGO or BabyBjorn carrier http://www.buybuybaby.com/StylePage.asp?order_num=-1&rn=7035&rnt=0&
- Bouncer (you need immediately) http://www.buybuybaby.com/stylePage.asp?order_num=-1&RN=7082
- Head rest – use in Bouncer and then later in Bugaboo when you convert from basinet to seat http://www.buybuybaby.com/searchSKU.asp?order_num=-1&SSTR=head+rest&go=1&
- Exersaucer (you don’t need until around 5 months) http://www.buybuybaby.com/searchSKU.asp?order_num=-1&SSTR=exersaucer&go=1&
- Mirror – crib/play http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=15126566&
- Activity mat http://www.buybuybaby.com/stylePage.asp?order_num=-1&RN=7088
- Umbrella stroller – Mclaren Quest or Triumph http://www.buybuybaby.com/StylePage.asp?order_num=-1&rn=7031&rnt=0&
- 1-2 swaddle blankets – you will get more as gifts (Ethan hated being swaddled and broke out within 1 week but Sydney liked it) – http://www.buybuybaby.com/searchSKU.asp?order_num=-1&SSTR=swaddle+blan+ket&go=1&. I like the Aden guaze blankets – good for swaddling and for extra warmth, stroller, protection, etc.
- Diaper bag
Stuff:
- Pampers swadlers (Diapers.com)
- Pampers sensitive wipes – get refills and one box of Huggies sensitive wipes (Huggies has a better box but Pampers makes better wipes) (Diapers.com)
- Grooming kit http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=15131730&
- Dreft (Diapers.com) and Shout gel (to clean stains)
- A&D (day time ointment), Balmex (night time ointment), Aquaphor (Diapers.com)
- Alcohol and baby q-tips (to clean around umbilical cord)
- Cotton pads to clean for the first few weeks before you start using wipes
- Saline nasal spray (to use with nasal aspirator – they usually give you the nasal aspirator at the hospital)
- Thermometer
- Cloth diapers to use as burp clothes, and pee diapers (cover boys while you change them because they pee upward). http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=15010193&. You will get nice burp clothes as gifts but can register or buy some as well http://www.buybuybaby.com/searchSKU.asp?order_num=-1&SSTR=burp+cloths&go=1&
- Musela products (register or get at Diapers.com)
o Derma cleansing body and hair http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=15097752&
o Body lotion http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=15034700&
- Face moisturizer http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=15034874&
Mom readers, what baby items did you find to be incredibly useful (or useless)?
-m
2 sisters 2 cities 