re: Preparing for Baby...what should I have?

Deff. a swing of any kind...as long as it rocks the baby will sleep more in the swing than anywhere else...lol

Quoting Kailyn's Mama:“ I decided not to get a wipes warmer and one was given to me - I still dont intend on using it. I think ... [snip!] ... Save the money, hold the wipe in your hand for a few seconds to warm it up before wiping baby with it. Just my opinion though.”

my cousin has a baby wipe warmer and it doesnt dry them out at all they love it and its always nice to be touched by something warm rather than cold you should give it a shot i mean if someone already gave it to you for free!

Quoting SuMaR bAbY:“ my cousin has a baby wipe warmer and it doesnt dry them out at all they love it and its always nice ... [snip!] ... to be touched by something warm rather than cold you should give it a shot i mean if someone already gave it to you for free!”

We've made it 6 months without it - I'm not trying it now. We are always on the go and I'm not going to deal with her pitching a fit because the wipes arent warm when we are not at home. Plus, I trashed it a long time ago, lol. And, as long as you dont live in a sub-zero house the wipes arent that cold. It doesnt even bother her. Ever.

when I did my registery at babies r us they gave a list of stuff that was recommended... On my registery I put a few diffrent types of bottles like the vented ones the non vented ones ones that are curved/angled because somebabies like diffrent types. I also put receving blankets, burp cloths, teething rings, rattles, wash cloths, towels, then i put like extra crib sheets i put a bouncy and my favoirte item was the stroller, carseat combo. I put a play pen also. I have a ton of items on my list.

Quoting MommySteffy:“ I just saw that you live in Turkey - Im not sure if they have anything like what I mentioned before over ... [snip!] ... clinics - hospitals - places like that will know if and where you would be able to find such free or discounted items....”

When it comes to shops, Turkey is pretty much like any European country (only with more American coffee shops like Starbucks), but instead of pregnancy resource centers they have the national neighborhood resource system. So neighbors I've never even said Hello to come knocking with tiny freshly-knitted baby vests, and offer baby-sitting services and old cribs. However, DH has decided that his first child is going to have all new stuff, and has asked for a list of basics as a starting-point.

Thanks, MommySteffy, for both your posts. I'm glad things worked out for you guys, and I'm sure they will for us too. Practically all my childless girlfriends have been putting off the whole baby thing for the past 8 or so years, waiting until "their finances are right." If we all waited until we had enough disposable income, the world's population would die out before the end of the century!

Are there any items which SHOULDN'T be bought really cheaply? Buggies/ travel systems seem to cost anything between 20 and 2000 dollars - what are the features we shouldn't economize on? Ditto for cribs/ bassinets/ cradles (what is the difference?!) - what should we definitely spend those few extra dollars on? How important are mattresses, for example? And onesies - how important is the fabric, as it will be touching their skin? Anything else we should give financial priority to?

Quoting tigrrboxer:“ When it comes to shops, Turkey is pretty much like any European country (only with more American coffee ... [snip!] ... onesies - how important is the fabric, as it will be touching their skin? Anything else we should give financial priority to?”

I totally agree with you about how we could wait till the end of time trying to have enough money for the things we need!! haha

For most baby things it makes a big difference on whether or not you want to spend a few extra dollars to make something last or not - example: cribs: you can get a nice regular crib that will last and is safe or you can spend a few extra bucks and get a crib that turns into toddler bed and twin later. this will save you money later bc you arent buying 3-4 different beds over the next 5 years but costs a lil more now. its the same thing about so much other things like getting an infant car seat vs an infant-toddler seat.if you just want to make sure you have what you need for the newborn - i would spend less now to make sure you can get everything you need and worry about getting the other stuff for different ages later. Not always can you afford to save yourself money- as sad as that is - it happens.

For a crib mattress you just need something firm. It doesnt need to be waterproof - stain resisitant - and name brand. You can get waterproof pads for under the crib sheets to cover the mattress. For clothes - the only thing that REALLY matters is that it fits! haha I would prefer to have cotton - cus its breatheable and least likely to cause irritation and easy to find. I'm not really familiar enough with car seats/travel systems and strollers to tell you what are features that you NEED but I know how I am going to find things out will be to go online and look at all the different reviews of each kind and decide what will be sufficient and what featuresI can do without. As long as you pick something that you can afford, that will work for your needs and you check your recall websites often - Im sure it will be fine!  

There are definitely things that you can do without - that will save you money. Everyone says Oh you NEED this swing or you NEED this diaper wipe warmer and stuff but in reality - even tho they make our lives easier - you can raise a kid without them. I wouldnt spend money on those things unless you decide YOU need to. I also wouldnt spend money on any swaddlers - as blankets can do the same thing if you fold them right -or any 'bundle me's for the car seats - blanketscover just as well -or portable changing packs - ur diaper bag and again - blankets. Some women save lots of money by using and washing baby wash clothes instead of using disposable wipes. You dont even really need a changing table in the nursery bc you can change the diaper on the floor on a blanketor drop down the crib side and do it in there. Don't get me wrong I have most of these things on my registry and will get everything I can - but when we are talking about things you really NEED they can be omitted.

Ive never done this before, either so I might not have the BEST advice but I hope this helps a little bit??!!   I just usually say - when in doubt - read reviews. People willpost if they think something was a waste of money or unsafe.

A few things that I personally dont plan on trading down for - just to save money - will be my high chair ( eating right, choking, messes, ect. are enough to worry about -I dont want to be worrying if my kid is going to fall over or slide out of it). I will read reviews and find the safest and then the cheapest. Not the other way around. I will do the same thing for the carseat and swing. Im not going to spendtons on my stroller tho - I want one that has some pockets for my things, shaded cover thing, is lightweight - just the basics really. As long as she can be strapped in good I think it will be just fine

Please let me know if there is anything else I can give some insight on - but like I said I'm new at this, too. If anyone else wants to make any adjustments to what Ive said -please go for!! Im sure that her and I both would like to have the 'right' information.

Quoting MommySteffy:“ I totally agree with you about how we could wait till the end of time trying to have enough money for ... [snip!] ... adjustments to what Ive said -please go for!! Im sure that her and I both would like to have the 'right' information. ”

One thing I forgot to mention that I feelyou can do withoutare the baby monitors that have cameras on them. Yes they are nice to have but reality is that if you hear them crying - you'll probably go comfort them or at least look in anyways. If the nursery isnt right next to your room(or you have a big house)I would go ahead and get montiors - I just think you can do without the cameras.

My mom says she is surprised at all the baby "must haves" these days. She said they didn't have 3/4 of the things we have now...and people my age and older all turned out fine, right? Lots of people think there are things you "need", when in reality, your baby could live just fine without them. So get a car seat, etc., but don't worry that money is tight! Your baby will be fine and won't notice that it doesn't have a changing table.  

Quoting MommySteffy:“ One thing I forgot to mention that I feelyou can do withoutare the baby monitors that have cameras on ... [snip!] ... next to your room(or you have a big house)I would go ahead and get montiors - I just think you can do without the cameras.”

Thank you thank you MS! I honestly thought that some things one simply had to get at a reputable store (we have a couple of Mothercare stores nearby, which I trust because my own mother shopped there for us 4 children back in the mists of time). Things like ... anything which might touch the baby's super-delicate skin, or anything that she may lick, suck, or chew. Come to think of it, that pretty much covers everything.... I will go ahead and buy some of the basics locally then. We live in a tiny coastal town at the moment due to my husband's work (real estate), and luckily the sea air seems to affect the local fertility rates, as on Sundays the park is full of waddling pregnant ladies - so we have at least 10 baby shops, all overflowing with bite-sized socks and handkerchief-scale blankets.

DH will be severely disappointed if I tell him your personal opinion on baby monitors. It was the one thing that partly compensated for having to give up on the 10000000-inch plasma TV of his dreams - the idea of kitting out his child with the most hi-tech security on the market.

Speaking of TV... Nah, that better be a new thread.

What about living space? This was going to be a temporary shelter at best - one tiny living room slash kitchen slash TV and computer room (and even I can't maneuvre around the breakfast table to my computer without bumping my bump), plus 2 tiny bedrooms and a bathroom, no more than 530 square feet in total. One of the bedrooms is wholly taken up by our bed, and the other one is a precarious pile of cases and boxes and "stuff" - our storage room. We started out here because a) it was free (company lodgings) and b) it was small so easy for a pregnant me to keep clean. How much space will the baby need initially, do you girls think?

Quoting JL:“ what should I get first?”

I would suggest starting with your basic Layette and "need" items - Diapers and wipes, bottles if you are bottle feeding (4oz size to start with) a breast pump for breast feeding, a bath set - one the little seats or an infant tub and I usually just get a Johnsons gift set - It'll have shampoo, baby wash, lotion and other stuff to start you off with since you won't really use it too much till the umbilical cord heals... A basic Layette would be a dozen onesies, sleep-n-plays and T-Shirts plus socks, I don't recommend b0othering with newborn sizes, in my experience you use them for like, a day, I always do half 0-3 and half 3-6... Some are big fans of the mitten things, but my kids would not keep them on... A Baby first aid kit, with the safety clippers and nose syringe and all that stuff... A good themometer... The car seat would go without sayin as you have to have one to take baby home... Receiving blankets and at least 2 or 3 warm ones or one of those wearable blankets... I usually try to accumulate this stuff by about mid pregnancy and get the bigger items toward the end... Crib, playpen, swing or bouncy seat, playmats and so on... Beyond the crib, playpen or bassinet, those are things you probly won't "need" the first couple of weeks at least...   Hope this helps!

Quoting Kailyn's Mama:“ I decided not to get a wipes warmer and one was given to me - I still dont intend on using it. I think ... [snip!] ... Save the money, hold the wipe in your hand for a few seconds to warm it up before wiping baby with it. Just my opinion though.”

WELL..i DUNNO ANYONE WHO HAS USED A WIPE WARMER..BUT I KNOW MY BOYFRiENDS SON HATES COLD WiPES!! HE FREAKS OUT WHEN HE SEES ME GETTiNG THEM WHEN iM GUNNA CHANGE HiM AND HE CLOSES HiS LEGS WHEN iM TRYiN TO WiPE HiM..MY MOM TOLD ME TO PUT THEM iN THE MiCROWAVE FOR A FEW SECONDS BUT i TRiED iT AND THEY COOLED OFF SO FAST AND GOT COLD AGAiN...SO i DUNNO.......MY MOM HAS BEEN TELLiNG ME iM GUNNA JUST NEED TO USE A WARM DAMP WASHCLOTH WiTH MY DAUGHTER BECAUSE ME AND MY SiSTER WERE ALERGiC TO WiPES...SO SHE THiNKS THiS BABY WiLL BE TOO.BUT i DUNNO..i GUESS iLL DECiDE WHEN THE TiME COMES..i'D TRY THE WiPE WARMER OUT JUST TO SEE..AND iF iT DOESNT REALLY MAKE A DiFFERENCE THEN DECiDE..BUT iF iTS FREE OR GiVEN TO YOU...WHY NOT TRY iT??  

Quoting HAiLEY :]:“ WELL..i DUNNO ANYONE WHO HAS USED A WIPE WARMER..BUT I KNOW MY BOYFRiENDS SON HATES COLD WiPES!! HE FREAKS ... [snip!] ... OUT JUST TO SEE..AND iF iT DOESNT REALLY MAKE A DiFFERENCE THEN DECiDE..BUT iF iTS FREE OR GiVEN TO YOU...WHY NOT TRY iT??  ”

I am not going to try it because she doesnt need it. If the baby gets used to wipes at room temp they will not pitch a fit because they wont know any different. If you try warm wipes and they like them, thats when you have a problem using room temp wipes. And I dont know about you, but I dont plan on rushing home everytime my child needs a diaper change just to get her a warm wipe. While I am sure a warm wipe would feel nice, she doesnt mind the room temp ones because she doesnt know any different.

Okay so i just had my son 6 months ago...i am a first time mom and when i went to register at babiesrus i was overwheelmed...i mean i never knew that babies need so much...only to find out they dont need that much its just a bunch of crap lol. Some of the things that i found really usefull are: A swing i got one that can be taken off and it turns into a rocking chair for an older baby and i reclined seat for a younger baby so i get three things in one. One of those moses baskets are really nice....a bath tuge that can fit into your kitchen sink..it will be a life saverr....cloths and diapers...cloths you dont really need that much seeing as how babies grow so fast. If your going to use a pacifer i like the avent ones they have covers to keep them clean and you will wanna get a pacifer thing that attaches to your childs cloths so when they drop it it dosent fall on the ground. A rectal thermoter, vasaline, desitine, gause pads if your having a boy for when he gets cursomsized they wont give you enough at the hospital, a soft brush for there hair, johnsons bedtime bath stuff is really nice, i dident use burp cloths i got those birdseye cloth diapers they work alot better as burp cloths more obsorbant. I mean yoiu kind of got to feel it out what you like.

Quoting HAiLEY :]:“ WELL..i DUNNO ANYONE WHO HAS USED A WIPE WARMER..BUT I KNOW MY BOYFRiENDS SON HATES COLD WiPES!! HE FREAKS ... [snip!] ... OUT JUST TO SEE..AND iF iT DOESNT REALLY MAKE A DiFFERENCE THEN DECiDE..BUT iF iTS FREE OR GiVEN TO YOU...WHY NOT TRY iT??  ”

im just giving you a heads up, you should type like this in BG, its against the rules and most of the people cant read it, and you will get attacked for typing like this

Quoting ... Mel ... 20 days:“ im just giving you a heads up, you should type like this in BG, its against the rules and most of the people cant read it, and you will get attacked for typing like this”

hahahaha