No, I haven't been pulled over (lately). The other day I experienced a fit of panic when I realized that the baby is coming in 3 1/2 months, and the only baby gear I owned was a fleece blanket, one bib, and one burp cloth. Oh, and the free spoon and deadly plastic-containing bottle that came in the gift bag from Motherhood.
I'd begun researching baby essentials and compiling a mental wish-list of items that baby and mama will need. I also figured that the best way to keep track of what I need (and want) compared to what I have in-hand would be to register somewheres.
I'm still clueless in the baby-clothes and itty-bitty accesories departments, but I've at least identified the majority of the big items that we'll need before November. No, this isn't a plea for y'all to start shopping, but if anyone does happen to ask, "Where is Jen registered," you'll be able to answer.
Target
Amazon
The cool thing about the Amazon registry, is that if we manage to spend at least $750 on registered items before September 30, we will receive 6 months of free diapers from Seventh Generation (greener, environmentally friendly, hippy diapers).
And one final plea... if you think of things I should add to the lists, either from your own mama experiences or from other mamas you know, please let me know! I'm still trying to figure out all this tiny, tiny stuff.
2 comments:
I spoke to Angie Piras and she's going to send me a list of her favorite things after her first year of motherhood. Her only big advise was to buy a crib that becomes a toddler bed. . . i guess they get big fast!
So I was reading your blog and saw your preggo picture (you are SO cute!!!) and although I have not yet looked at your registry, I can give you a quickie (or not so quickie) list of things I could not EVER have lived without:
-Dr. Brown's bottles (yup, they're plastic). I don't think they contain BPA, since our pediatrician recommended them when Ian turned EVIL with colic at about 6 weeks. They saved our LIFE.
-Mylecon gas drops
-If you're going to formula feed (or if you're going to supplement, like I did), skip all formulas and buy Enfamil Nutramigen or Similac Alimentum (same thing). They're more expensive, but baby girl Teal's belly will love you for it.
-If you're going to breast feed, watch your diet. Ian's tummy would get upset if I ate tomatoes (or tomato sauce), chocolate, too much dairy (really, any dairy), or garlic. And don't buy a breast pump unless you're planning to nurse for a LONG time. You can rent one, and unless you're going to spend lots of $$ on one (Medela is the way to go), they are crappy. And don't let the lactation consultants in the hospital freak you out. They're creepy...
-More long sleeved onesies than you could ever imagine. And about 10-12 short sleeved ones as well.
-Dreft. You'll be a laundry freak.
-Don't buy a lot in the 0-3 month size - she'll outgrow it VERY quickly. Stock up on 3-6 month size.
-Baby swing. Amazing. If it vibrates or plays music, that's even better.
-A convertible crib. But DO NOT buy Jardine or Simplicity brand. Go to the Bassett Furniture store. And keep her in the crib as LONG as you can. Ian is almost 19 months old and is still in a crib.
-Sleep sacks - they're like zip-up blankets. And since babies cannot sleep with blankets and little girl will be born in the winter, these are awesome.
-Swaddlers (Koala brand? Babies R Us sells them). It may seem easy to swaddle a baby with a blanket, but it's not. These are velcro contraptions and they rock.
-Baby Bjorn - wear your daughter around the house while you're cleaning, cooking, etc. It was sometimes the only way that Ian would sleep during the day.
-1-3 Baby Einstein DVD's
-Vibrating bouncy seat
-MULTIPLE mattress pads for the crib and bassinet, as well as sheets. Good trick - layer them. Put on more than one layer on the bed, and if she wets the bed in the middle of the night, all you have to do is pull off the first layer instead of changing the sheets.
-A co-sleeper bassinet (Babies R Us has one that vibrates and can be attached to the bed, or not. Good stuff)
-2 Pack and Plays. You'll want one downstairs and one in your bedroom. They come in VERY handy when you want to take a shower and you're home alone with the baby.
-A travel system stroller/car seat with multiple bases (one for your car and one for John's). The stroller is BULKY as heck, but they're awesome. I recommend Graco Snugride - has not been recalled.
-A video monitor - when you make the move to put her in her own room, it is great to be able to check on her and not physically go into the room
-A white noise machine
-LOTS of Desitin. And use it proactively.
-Baby bathtub and hooded towels
-A bigillion pairs of socks
-A bigillion binkies. They disappear.
-Diaper genie. We tried a generic diaper pail without the magic genie component, and I'll tell you that baby poop STINKS!!!
-A wipe warmer. Those cold wipes make babies MAD - especially in the winter.
-Bumpo seat. And start using it at like 3 months - it will teach her to sit up earlier, and that's a GREAT thing.
-A black and white disposable camera - put it in your hospital bag and take lots of B&W pictures of her when she's first born. We did, and those are my favorite pictures.
-SEVERAL seasons of TV shows on DVD. Makes the time during labor go MUCH faster.
-Pack your hospital bags no later than 31 weeks. Make sure John has comfy clothes packed. And pack some socks with tread on the bottom.
-Get a baby book and fill it in as you go. The "pregnancy brain" doesn't go away too quickly (I'll let you know when mine's gone)
-And finally, take pictures of EVERYTHING. Use the camcorder often. The time goes by so fast, and it's so awesome to have photos and videos of your memories. You will fall in love with your daughter in a way you could not ever imagine. Enjoy every single moment.
Love and ((HUGS)) -
Kirstin
kwatts5878@yahoo.com
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