Baby stuff and registry

[sparks19]

AHHHHH..... kinda frustrating

I don't think i want a registry lol.

for the most part we are going to be buying for ourselves or our parents will be. What do I need a registry for.

I don't know any women..... well I mean I know a few but very few. my family lives in Canada and I would rather just get gift certificates from them that I can bring here and use rather than have to cart stuff over the border and pay duty on all of it.

I am apparently having a baby shower in July sometime. My MIL wanted to have it at a tea room etc etc. We said no that was not nessecary as for one I am not a tea room kinda girl lol AND there isn't really gonna be anyone there. Like I said.,... I know very few women. So it will only be my MIL, and Brians Aunt and females cousins and maybe one or two women that I know.

I have NO idea what I want as far as a nursery theme goes. there is so much stuff to choose from. I have no idea what to get lol.

Everyone knows what a baby needs.... blankets, clothes, bottles (even though i will be breastfeeding you still need bottles sometimes) towels... etc etc. You know generic baby things. I don't need a registry for that do I? lol

I havne't even set foot in Babies r us yet. I'm not due until September 22nd so I still have time.... but eventually I will have to deal with this stuff lol. it all seems so overwhelming and especially since it's not really practical for MY family to buy things for us. it's likely that I will not be having a baby shower up there and if I do I think I will just instruct everyone to get Gift certificates that are good in the US. LOL so much planning to be done.

[lizbud]

I didn't use a registry either. Our familes all knew what we needed. :)

Why don't you take your MIL up on her offer for using the tea room.It
probably would make her very happy. That is, if it wouldn't be too
uncomfortable for you.

[Sirrahsim]

The upside of the baby registries on Walmart.com or target.com is that people can pick things and just have them mailed directly to you... I agree with Lizbud, it's nice of your MIL to want to have something for you in a tea room, even if it isn't your thing :D
I just had a diaper shower at the local tea room and it turned out really nice and relaxing :) There were only 7 of us including me so it was small and personal.

[sparks19]

I didn't use a registry either. Our familes all knew what we needed. :)

Why don't you take your MIL up on her offer for using the tea room.It
probably would make her very happy. That is, if it wouldn't be too
uncomfortable for you.


I woud just hate for her to spend all that money renting a room for only a few people. The cost to rent one of these places for the day is a couple hundred bucks. I don't need anything that fancy.... and I am definately not a fancy kinda girl lol. Hubby's aunt is perfectly willing to hold the shower in her nice basement. I would just hate to see her spend that kind of money when there is only going to be a few people there. AND I also feel bad because I don't know hubby's cousins and stuff THAT well.... I hate to feel like I am asking them for gifts when I've only met them a few times.


HMMMM I didn't think about having it mailed directly here from online. I also feel bad because my mom will not be able to participate in this baby shower.... in fact I don't know if she will be able to have a baby shower for me at all. I know she is excited but we live 8-9 hours apart. But the mailing thing is a good idea.

but where to start :eek: there are so many things to choose from.... i dont know what is good and what is not lol. It's so.... overwhelming to look at babies r us or what have you lol. What kind of crib? what kind of car seat do you need? what are good features in these areas? lol I'm so lost lol.

[Sirrahsim]

but where to start :eek: there are so many things to choose from.... i dont know what is good and what is not lol. It's so.... overwhelming to look at babies r us or what have you lol. What kind of crib? what kind of car seat do you need? what are good features in these areas? lol I'm so lost lol.

It is very overwhelming and it can add up fast!! For a carseat, a 5 point harness hooked into your car using the LATCH system is the very safest but a 3 point harness buckled in properly is safe too. I swear by GRACO carseats/strollers/safety products. As for the crib... In my opinion it doesn't matter all that much. Your little one isn't going to care if you got your crib for $100 at Walmart or for $1000 at a designer store. As long as it is sturdy they will love it. Convertible cribs are great too because many convert to a toddler bed and later to a full size bed but consider that if you plan on having another baby in a couple of years you will need another crib/big kid bed anyway. Tyler's crib was a convertible crib but only spent a few months in the form of a toddler bed before we got him his own big kid bed and turned the crib back into a crib.
I could go on and on and on and on :p

[Lobodeb]

I had 5 baby showers. Yes, 5! My mom threw one for me back home in New Mexico, my sister-in-law threw one for me here, my co-workers threw one for me at work, my hubby's co-workers had one for him at his job, and another department collected money for us and gave that to us as a kind of shower as I couldn't go to them because of their secure work areas. The only ones who went of my registries was my side of the family in New Mexico. Everyone else just got what ever they wanted, not what I wanted. I was really kind of disappointed because I thought that was the whole purpose of a registry. For example, my SIL got us a high chair, but not the one we wanted that matched everything else. My BIL got me the travel system he wanted, not what I registered for, which BTW was a crappy stroller, I ended up buying another one anyway.

And, I have to agree with what Missy said about Graco products. They are truly superior. The crappy stroller I got was Cosco. I strongly advise against that brand. They aren't made very well and they have several complaints against them at the BBB. As far as car seats go, I think it's the law now (at least in the US) to use 5 point harnesses. It's much safer than the 3 point. Again, Graco travel systems are awesome.

Other things you will need are lots of onesies, clothes, wipes and diapers. Hopefully, people will get you various sizes rather than all newborn because they grow soooooo fast. I had packs and packs of newborn stuff I never even opened. Partly because I had a near 10 pound baby. lol

Also, don't rule out bottles. I know you said you were planning on breastfeeding, but there may be issues that could prevent you from doing that you you might want to be prepared. Hugito didn't latch on right and I wasn't able to tolerate the pain, so I opted to pump for a while. So, you may want to consider a breast pump. Don't go cheap on that. The electronic are much better than the manual ones. With that, you'll need something to store your milk in as well.

Another thing I will buy for every new mother from now on is baby Tylenol, Motrin, Mylicon and Benadryl. These are MUST haves. With all of Hugito's allergies and stuff, I'm quite sure that Benadryl has saved him. The first time he got a fever, I about panicked.

You can hold off on the high chair for now, obviously, but a swing was a life saver for me. That was where Hugito first slept through the night.

I can't think of the site right now, but one of them had an excellent checklist for everything that you'll need. If I find it, I'll PM you.

As an alternative to registering, you could just ask people to get you gift cards to Baby's R Us. I would recommend going there for all of your things. Target and Wal-Mart are good, but Baby's R Us is really a one stop shop.

Oh, I'm having so many memories about when we were getting ready for Hugito. I'm so happy for you.

Have fun and enjoy this time. It is really special.

[Lobodeb]

Oh, and as far as your theme for your nursery goes, I tried to think of things that would be easy to find for everyone. My cousin's wife wanted Baby Looney Toons. I had the hardest time trying to find stuff to match. I ended up paying like $45 for a little mobile on ebay. It was outrageous. A girl I used to work with had everything Shammy Lamby. I never heard of it, but once I found it, I was shocked at how expensive the stuff was.

I opted for Pooh. Not Classic Pooh, just regular Pooh. I know it's very popular, but it was easy for everyone to find and it was the most gender neutral as we didn't know that Hugito was going to be a boy.

However, if you know the baby's gender, that'll help tremendously, I would assume. Had I known he was a boy, I would have opted for a sports theme. If it was a girl, I probably would have gone for Disney Princesses or butterflies or something like that.

[Husky_mom]

I´ll admit I haven´t read all replies but i wanted to give you my input before i forget about it......

USE A REGISTRY!!!...... even if you are buying your own stuff, some registries give you some sort of points or accumulate $ for future thing, so register ALL you want, even if you are going to buy it this way you accumulate either points or $$ and that way you can buy more stuff...... just check how each registry works, but it´s great, some will even let you register non-baby stuff.....

and maybe someone might be able to buy you something through the net and get it delivered to you...... I think it´s nice for all people that live far from you and you might even get lucky and get them buy you some nice things for the baby....... JMO ;)

now to read all above posts ;)

[sparks19]

Thank you so much everyone. Your posts were great and gave me a lot of info. Lobodeb... if you can find that checklist that would be AWESOME.

I did get a graco catalogue yesterday in the mail. I looked through it and I did find a cute little set.... it's cows haha. it's blue but I am not picky... girls can be in blue stuff :D (if it's a girl. we don't know)

this is the car seat I really liked http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/product.aspx?modelNumber=8643PWC3&CategoryID=1 and it says it is 5 point harness... for new borns they have to be reverse facing right? I think this one is. they have a whole little set for that one. a "pack n play" thing.... which has a raised up section for new borns too.

but I can't find any cow stuff for the nursery lol. I was thinking "woohoo I found my theme" but no such luck haha.

I did not know about the baby registry points thing. I will definately have to check that out. I know I have signed up for just about every coupon I could find though lol.

And I will definately mention that I want onesies and things of that nature to be in all different sizes. LOL I was a ten pound baby and I am terrified that my first is going to be a large baby like me lol.

Thanks again for all the info everyone. VERY VERY helpful. I am so excited yet so overwhelmed at the same time lol. I know I still have about 5 months to go... but it seemed just the other day I had 9 months to go lol time is really flying by and I am feeling the time crunch. :D

[JenBKR]

I can't think of the site right now, but one of them had an excellent checklist for everything that you'll need. If I find it, I'll PM you.


Could you possibly PM me that site too? I have looked at a few checklists, done a little in store looking around to get ideas, and I am amazed at how much space a little baby can take up! There are so many things to get.....it's all sort of overwhelming......

[Husky_mom]

I saw one checklist at Baby Depot back when my time was almost due.... it really helped me realize I was missing a few things I had NEVER thought about..... :rolleyes: and if you ask me I have completely forgotten :o :p ......

ETA: I found this!!! themed nursery (http://www.thethemeroom.com/western_baby_bedding_cowboy_crib.htm)

cow stuff (http://www.adorablebabygifts.com/adorable_products/gifts/y_pinkcowblnktset_d.htm)

[lizbud]

I woud just hate for her to spend all that money renting a room for only a few people. The cost to rent one of these places for the day is a couple hundred bucks. I don't need anything that fancy.... and I am definately not a fancy kinda girl lol. Hubby's aunt is perfectly willing to hold the shower in her nice basement. I would just hate to see her spend that kind of money when there is only going to be a few people there. AND I also feel bad because I don't know hubby's cousins and stuff THAT well.... I hate to feel like I am asking them for gifts when I've only met them a few times.




Still think you're missing out on an opportunity to LET your MIL honor you
in this way. It could be a way to get to know his family members & other
relatives. Hope what ever you do, it turns out great & you get many nice
gifts for the baby, O.K. , I'll shut up now. :p

[prechrswife]

When we registered before Mary Joyce came home, we registered at both Target and Babies R Us. Both places had good checklists to go by. We had to pick and choose because she wasn't a newborn and some things just didn't apply, but it was still helpful to have some kind of a guideline.

On car seats, we have a Britax Marathon for our daughter, which we love. It has the highest safety rating by Consumer Reports and is a convertivle seat. It is a bit pricey (we got ours due to a generous gift), but it is well worth the cost for peace of mind. We have an infant carrier style seat for the coming new baby. This was highly recommended by other moms of newborns, as you can go from the car into the stroller, into the house or a restaurant with the baby still in her seat. Later, we will invest in another convertible seat. I think our infant car seat is an Evenflo. The big full-sized Babies R Us stores generally have a "sample" car seat so you can get an idea of how the baby seats will fit in your vehicle. Some seats are quite large and may not be a good fit for every car. Also, make sure you can fasten and unfasten the straps easily. One couple we know just returned their seat for another brand because the mom could not undo the harness easily and feared for what would happen in an actual emergency.

On strollers, go to the store and try them out. Push the stroller a bit to find out which one works best for you.

The newborn stuff is new to me, too, so I'm not a lot of help there.

[Husky_mom]

there is this baby wipes warmer that is SOOOOOO handy in cold weather..... and you´ll be having a newbie in the winter months..... there are this ones that warm them up and don´t dries them and is really nice when having to use them un the warm toshies.......

also get some crib mattress protector, it´s really handy for those "accidents" ;)

there is also a shampoo to use dry, just like mousse, and you don´t have to wet the baby when too cold.......

[sparks19]

I saw one checklist at Baby Depot back when my time was almost due.... it really helped me realize I was missing a few things I had NEVER thought about..... :rolleyes: and if you ask me I have completely forgotten :o :p ......

ETA: I found this!!! themed nursery (http://www.thethemeroom.com/western_baby_bedding_cowboy_crib.htm)

cow stuff (http://www.adorablebabygifts.com/adorable_products/gifts/y_pinkcowblnktset_d.htm)

Those are awesome :D too cute.

I wonder if baby depot has a website and if they do they might have the checklist on there.... I will have to check it out.

there was a checklist in one of my magazines... but alas I think I threw it away lol.

A baby wipes warmer.... interesting. Might have to look into one of those.

LOL my MIL has already been sending us lots of stuff so I already have a head start. got some cute outfits, some pacifiers, even diapers lol. She's really excited. She also gave us the baby blanket that she used when my hubby was born.... I love stuff like THAT. Stuff that has a history.

I wish I knew how to knit or crochet.... or sew for that matter LOL. I wonder if my MIL knows how. I will have to ask her.

Have any of you seen those bunting bags.... you are supposed to put them on the baby to sleep at night instead of a loose blanket? I saw them somewhere... I wondered if they work just as well as a blanket. they say they are better because it can help prevent SID's.

[Sirrahsim]

I have a few of those sleepers. I have always seen them marketed as "sleep sacs". I guess they're a good idea but a good tight swaddle is just as effective and makes a new baby feel more secure. For the first couple months of his life Tyler slept SO much better if he was swaddled as tightly as we could manage :) Those sleep sacs seem like they'd be useful once you're past that stage though :)

[sparks19]

I have a few of those sleepers. I have always seen them marketed as "sleep sacs". I guess they're a good idea but a good tight swaddle is just as effective and makes a new baby feel more secure. For the first couple months of his life Tyler slept SO much better if he was swaddled as tightly as we could manage :) Those sleep sacs seem like they'd be useful once you're past that stage though :)

Some friends of ours gave us this swaddling blanket that has velcro on the sides to keep a nice tight swaddle.... they said it was a God send when they had their son lol. Now I just have to figure out how to swaddle correctly :D

[Sirrahsim]

Some friends of ours gave us this swaddling blanket that has velcro on the sides to keep a nice tight swaddle.... they said it was a God send when they had their son lol. Now I just have to figure out how to swaddle correctly :D

Once you get the hang of it, it IS fabulous!! We didn't have one of the ones with velcro but I bet that wil be great :) Chances are very high that they will swaddle your little one for you in the hopsital and you can always have them teach you how to do it with a regular receiving blanket.
Tyler preferred a kind of modified-swaddle with his hands up by his face with little mittens on
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid172/pfa189ddc1cc928af3d64b24e5a6b44db/f3c0ba92.jpg

[sparks19]

Once you get the hang of it, it IS fabulous!! We didn't have one of the ones with velcro but I bet that wil be great :) Chances are very high that they will swaddle your little one for you in the hopsital and you can always have them teach you how to do it with a regular receiving blanket.
Tyler preferred a kind of modified-swaddle with his hands up by his face with little mittens on
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid172/pfa189ddc1cc928af3d64b24e5a6b44db/f3c0ba92.jpg


Oh good I hope they will teach me. How did you discover that he likes to be swaddled that way?

[luckies4me]

Buntings are awesome! Swaddling is a must for newborns though. It makes them feel a lot more secure, but once out of this stage buntings are great. A wipes warmer is fantastic as well, especially during the winter months when a cold wipe can send your little one into hysterics. ;) A good brand to look for is Prince Lionheart. It's anti-microbial and doesn't brown your wipes, which is common with the cheaper brands, and it won't dry your wipes out.

Don't forget to stock up on safety supplies, shampoo/lotion and diaper rash ointment, a rectal thermometer, lots of burp rags, waterproof changing pads and hats. Newborns lose a lot of their heat through their head.

One thing I want to mention are wraps. I practice Attachment Parenting and even Dr. Sears recommends "wearing" your baby. It makes them feel so much more comfortable as newborns, and heck you can even breastfeed while doing the dishes. :D

And don't forget about mom either! You'll need gel soothies in case of sore/cracked nipples, lanolin to keep your nipples soft, pads, a nursing bra and nursing pads! You don't want to be out and about with no protection when you start to let your milk go. It can be quite embarassing. :o

I have a list around here somewhere that I will try to find and post for you and all the other expectant mommies on Pet Talk. Though I've been through this before (I have a 5 year old) you do forget many things along the way, and having a list can be a nice memory jogger. :)

[sparks19]

Buntings are awesome! Swaddling is a must for newborns though. It makes them feel a lot more secure, but once out of this stage buntings are great. A wipes warmer is fantastic as well, especially during the winter months when a cold wipe can send your little one into hysterics. ;) A good brand to look for is Prince Lionheart. It's anti-microbial and doesn't brown your wipes, which is common with the cheaper brands, and it won't dry your wipes out.

Don't forget to stock up on safety supplies, shampoo/lotion and diaper rash ointment, a rectal thermometer, lots of burp rags, waterproof changing pads and hats. Newborns lose a lot of their heat through their head.

One thing I want to mention are wraps. I practice Attachment Parenting and even Dr. Sears recommends "wearing" your baby. It makes them feel so much more comfortable as newborns, and heck you can even breastfeed while doing the dishes. :D

And don't forget about mom either! You'll need gel soothies in case of sore/cracked nipples, lanolin to keep your nipples soft, pads, a nursing bra and nursing pads! You don't want to be out and about with no protection when you start to let your milk go. It can be quite embarassing. :o

I have a list around here somewhere that I will try to find and post for you and all the other expectant mommies on Pet Talk. Though I've been through this before (I have a 5 year old) you do forget many things along the way, and having a list can be a nice memory jogger. :)

What kind of safety supplies?

Is there a particular diaper rash ointment you would recommend.... there are lots out there but I don't know the difference.

also.... diapers? pampers or huggies lol. I have heard a lot of people don't like huggies.

Gel soothies? Hmmm I will have to look for those. I never heard of them and would have over looked something like that :D

[JenBKR]

Boy am I glad we have so many experienced moms here to guide us! I sort of feel like I have no idea what I am doing. The diaper question is a good one, what is the best brand to use? There are many, many different brands and I don't even know where to begin.

[sparks19]

Boy am I glad we have so many experienced moms here to guide us! I sort of feel like I have no idea what I am doing. The diaper question is a good one, what is the best brand to use? There are many, many different brands and I don't even know where to begin.

We are in the same boat jen lol. it's all so overwhelming. there are so many options and I would like to avoid the trial and error with diapers if I can hahaha.

[JenBKR]

We are in the same boat jen lol. it's all so overwhelming. there are so many options and I would like to avoid the trial and error with diapers if I can hahaha.

Boy are we ever! Talk about confusing. Someone told me that Luvs is a good brand too, and a little less expensive than other brands. Maybe we should start a new thread, a diaper poll....hmm not a bad idea....

[sparks19]

Boy are we ever! Talk about confusing. Someone told me that Luvs is a good brand too, and a little less expensive than other brands. Maybe we should start a new thread, a diaper poll....hmm not a bad idea....


Good idea.... in the poll....

Pampers
Huggies
Luvs

What other brands are there?

[JenBKR]

Good idea.... in the poll....

Pampers
Huggies
Luvs

What other brands are there?

haha I was at wal-mart the other day and there were many different brands...think I can remember any now? Ok, I think White Cloud is a brand, then maybe we could add store brands and other. I can't think of any other brands...

[luckies4me]

This thread is getting fun. :D

I personally dislike Pampers. They always seemed to leak when I used them with my first. Huggies is OK, but I prefer Luvs. I've never had a leakage issue with them before. But diapers are always changing and Pampers might have some good diapers out by now. Just make sure you use the newborn diapers with the notch cut into them the first week before their umbilical cord falls off, so that they aren't irritated. If you don't have diapers with the notch cut out you can cut it out yourself with scissors. Of course there are always cloth diapers as well. I have cloth diapers on hand just in case, along with a few pairs of plastic pants. I'd love to use cloth diapers full time but it's so darn expensive to wash clothes here and unfortunately there are no places locally that offer a diaper service. Plus, cloth diapers make great burp rags! :)

As far as diaper rash ointment I personally LOVE Aveenos or Berts Bees. If you want something a little less expensive though Desitin creamy is nice. It's not super thick like all the others so it wipes away easily. You're not spending ten minutes wiping it off.

As far as safety supplies go you'll need a baby gate, door latches, latches for the dishwasher and fridge, corner protectors, outlet covers, safety swabs for the ears, baby nail clippers etc.

Gel soothies are little round pads that you can stick in the fridge to help soothe sore breasts. If you have a lot of milk like I did with my first sometimes your breasts become swollen and this helps ease the pain a lot.

http://www.expressiva.com/baz_product.asp?p_prod_id=A310

[caseysmom]

Well my kids were babies many years ago but I liked the toys r us brand of diapers and they were very reasonable.

My health care provider sent me to a class to learn to swaddle and nurse and it helped a lot.

[Husky_mom]

haha I was at wal-mart the other day and there were many different brands...think I can remember any now? Ok, I think White Cloud is a brand, then maybe we could add store brands and other. I can't think of any other brands...

glad you mentioned diapers....

Huggies I didn´t like them cause they are way too expensive and worked just as good a store brand....
Pampers caused rash........

I guess you have to stick with what works for you and your baby, one advie thought get the ones with velcro type.....(thingys which you close diapers, sorry forgot word for that) because the "glue" ones once you are done, trash they go, even if you just went to check..... adn also if you happen to have some cream or powder, bye bye diaper....... velcro ones rock!!

don´t buy too many newborn, stage 1 size diapers they outcome those REALLY fast...... stage 2 a few, stage 3-4 way too many LOL...... as for wipes try ones that are soft but don´t desintegrate in your hands as you use them...... wipes I´ve used huggies (which can be same price as store brands here were i live) you can use some johnsons (not sure if they sell the purple ones there, very nice) or you can go with pampers (those were good too) some store brands are good but you have to try them BEFORE you buy the big box......

GET A BREAST PUMP!!!....... I don´t you if you´ll be the same but when you have so much milk produced IT HURTS!! better get it out......;)

I would advie not getting so fancy stuff, because less expensive will work just fine and you can use the differential $$ in other more useful things....(this is were you can decide where you go cheap on ;), just feel comfortable with what you buy)

I post too much but all i can help for you both Sparks and Jen

[Sirrahsim]

Oh good I hope they will teach me. How did you discover that he likes to be swaddled that way?

He would squirm and fidget and stretch his little tiny body until he got his arms out and was able to hold them by his face :p The techs there (military hospital!) experimented with wrapping him different ways and discovered that that worked that best! :D :D :D

[sparks19]

This thread is getting fun. :D

I personally dislike Pampers. They always seemed to leak when I used them with my first. Huggies is OK, but I prefer Luvs. I've never had a leakage issue with them before. But diapers are always changing and Pampers might have some good diapers out by now. Just make sure you use the newborn diapers with the notch cut into them the first week before their umbilical cord falls off, so that they aren't irritated. If you don't have diapers with the notch cut out you can cut it out yourself with scissors. Of course there are always cloth diapers as well. I have cloth diapers on hand just in case, along with a few pairs of plastic pants. I'd love to use cloth diapers full time but it's so darn expensive to wash clothes here and unfortunately there are no places locally that offer a diaper service. Plus, cloth diapers make great burp rags! :)

As far as diaper rash ointment I personally LOVE Aveenos or Berts Bees. If you want something a little less expensive though Desitin creamy is nice. It's not super thick like all the others so it wipes away easily. You're not spending ten minutes wiping it off.

As far as safety supplies go you'll need a baby gate, door latches, latches for the dishwasher and fridge, corner protectors, outlet covers, safety swabs for the ears, baby nail clippers etc.

Gel soothies are little round pads that you can stick in the fridge to help soothe sore breasts. If you have a lot of milk like I did with my first sometimes your breasts become swollen and this helps ease the pain a lot.

http://www.expressiva.com/baz_product.asp?p_prod_id=A310


AH good tip about the cloth diapers.

And thanks for the recommendation on creams.

that is what I thought you meant by safety stuff.... I will definately have all of that stuff.

Oh those Gell soothies sound like they would be good to have NOW lol.

[Sirrahsim]

Never ever ever ever ever ever ever (etc...) insert anything into your baby's ears!! Even "safety swabs" are not safe as it is extremely easy to damage the eardrum. Even adults should never ever ever ever ever (etc..) insert anything into their ears. Nature has its own way of getting rid of excess waxy buildup and if it is bad enough to need to go digging for then it is a doctor's job!

I can't believe that some medical people still say that this practice is ok *faint*

Many of the older generation will tell you that it is ok but just do some googling... it's an old fashioned practice and it's dangerous!!
That being said, q-tips work GREAT for applying rubbing alcohol to the umbilical stump to help it dry up and fall off. Even using those there is questionable though.

[sparks19]

So much great info. I love this. I am definately keeping this thread handy.

So much I didn't know about diapers and creams and q tips and stuff. Awesome.

So it is OK to pump sometimes even if you are breast feeding.... can these extra pumpings be used for daddy's turn at night time feedings? ;) lol

[Sirrahsim]

absolutely you can pump to have Daddy feed :) It is recommended to wait to feed baby a bottle until about 6 weeks if you are breastfeeding to avoid nipple confusion but Tyler didn't have any problems switching between breast/bottle of breast milk/pacifier. It depends on your little one's temperament. Don't know if you are on any sort of assistance, but if you qualify your local WIC program can probably hook you up with a hospital grade pump for little to no charge if you plan on pumping a lot.
I only pumped occasionally and LOVED my Avent Isis hand pump :)

[catnapper]

I have a big bin of clothes to give you, if we ever get a chance to meet up! its been in my car for two weeks now ;) Most of it is baby girl clothes (my psychic powers say you're having a girl ;)...ok the truth is we had them left from when we bought clothes hoping Cameron would be a g irl LOL)

As for registry items, register for whatever you like. The moms will buy what they know you'll need and non-moms will buy what they think is cute! :D

[Sirrahsim]

some docs encourage you to pump in the beginning to help build up your supply. Even if you do have Daddy do a feeding you will probably need to wake up to pump anyway. If you go too long between feedings/pumping it can hurt your supply, you can become engorged :eek: and you will most likely wake up in a puddle of milk :D
I wouldn't trade a minute of the tiem that I breastfed Tyler. I think it is so special :)

[caseysmom]

I went back to work after 4 months and my daughter would SCREAM when she saw the bottle, I thought I would have to postpose going back to work, with my second I gave one bottle a day right away.

[Sirrahsim]

I went back to work after 4 months and my daughter would SCREAM when she saw the bottle, I thought I would have to postpose going back to work, with my second I gave one bottle a day right away.
I read somewhere that between 6-12 weeks is the best time to start because by then they shouldn't get confused and they shouldn't be "set in their ways" as much :D

[sparks19]

I have a big bin of clothes to give you, if we ever get a chance to meet up! its been in my car for two weeks now ;) Most of it is baby girl clothes (my psychic powers say you're having a girl ;)...ok the truth is we had them left from when we bought clothes hoping Cameron would be a g irl LOL)

As for registry items, register for whatever you like. The moms will buy what they know you'll need and non-moms will buy what they think is cute! :D


LOL your psychic powers.... all the wives tales point to a girl too lol.

Thank you that is very kind of you :D now we just have to get around to meeting up lol. BTW are you feeling better?

[luckies4me]

Never ever ever ever ever ever ever (etc...) insert anything into your baby's ears!! Even "safety swabs" are not safe as it is extremely easy to damage the eardrum. Even adults should never ever ever ever ever (etc..) insert anything into their ears. Nature has its own way of getting rid of excess waxy buildup and if it is bad enough to need to go digging for then it is a doctor's job!

I can't believe that some medical people still say that this practice is ok *faint*

Many of the older generation will tell you that it is ok but just do some googling... it's an old fashioned practice and it's dangerous!!
That being said, q-tips work GREAT for applying rubbing alcohol to the umbilical stump to help it dry up and fall off. Even using those there is questionable though.

I think the majority of us know that already. ;) There is no need to stick a q-tip into the ear canal, but they are great for cleaning up excess wax on the outside, and especially great if the baby gets an infection, to help remove crusty material from the outside. Also great for cords too...not sure why that would be questionable??? It's surely not going to do anymore harm than using a cotton ball, unless you're jabbing your baby with it, in which case you have issues lol. :p FYI, safety swabs are much too big to even fit inside a babies ear canal. ;) Shoot, they couldn't even fit into mine! They are much too big. Might be able to fit up my nose though lol. :p

[Sirrahsim]

I didn't mean to sound like I was attacking you luckies4me :D Most people knwo that but there are still some who are out there who don't know it. I may be a little over sensitive to the issue because my husband is a q-tip user and it makes me squirm everytime :rolleyes:

[luckies4me]

I only pumped occasionally and LOVED my Avent Isis hand pump :)

I second you on that one! I thought it worked wonders for me!!! Plus sometimes you just need to pump. I had so much milk I could have fed three kids, so I had to pump. I would store it in the freezer to use at a later date. :)

[luckies4me]

I didn't mean to sound like I was attacking you luckies4me :D Most people knwo that but there are still some who are out there who don't know it. I may be a little over sensitive to the issue because my husband is a q-tip user and it makes me squirm everytime :rolleyes:


LOL. I am too, but only because I have allergies and the only way I can ever itch my ears is with a q-tip. I hate it.
:( It gets so bad sometimes that I can hardly sleep. Plus I can't stand water in my ears after I take a shower....drives me insane! I really need to try and talk to the doctor about eleviating the itch. :(

[Sirrahsim]

oh man :( that would be annoying!

[Sevaede]

This thread is getting fun. :D

I personally dislike Pampers. They always seemed to leak when I used them with my first. Huggies is OK, but I prefer Luvs. I've never had a leakage issue with them before. But diapers are always changing and Pampers might have some good diapers out by now. Just make sure you use the newborn diapers with the notch cut into them the first week before their umbilical cord falls off, so that they aren't irritated. If you don't have diapers with the notch cut out you can cut it out yourself with scissors. Of course there are always cloth diapers as well. I have cloth diapers on hand just in case, along with a few pairs of plastic pants. I'd love to use cloth diapers full time but it's so darn expensive to wash clothes here and unfortunately there are no places locally that offer a diaper service. Plus, cloth diapers make great burp rags! :)

As far as diaper rash ointment I personally LOVE Aveenos or Berts Bees. If you want something a little less expensive though Desitin creamy is nice. It's not super thick like all the others so it wipes away easily. You're not spending ten minutes wiping it off.


I agree WHOLEHEARTEDLY!! :D

I was helping to take care of my niece from the time she was 9 mos old right about until we left (so for almost 1.5 years). Luvs are, imo, the best disposable diapers. Aveenos and Burts Bees are also, imo, the best of their products. Another thing I love about those ointments is that they don't leave so much of a greasy residue and is easier to wash off your hands. Like, you put the cream on the butt of baby but then it's on your hands and is really creamy and greasy and kinda hard to come off? Well, those particular brands are easier to wash off of your hands, it seemed.

[Lobodeb]

I am so sorry! I lost my internet for a few weeks and am just catching up. :o

I couldn't find the checklist that I used, but found one that should be pretty helpful.

Here you go. (http://www.kohlscorporation.com/ecom/valueadded/PDFs/Babychecklist.pdf)

[JenBKR]

I am so sorry! I lost my internet for a few weeks and am just catching up. :o

I couldn't find the checklist that I used, but found one that should be pretty helpful.

Here you go. (http://www.kohlscorporation.com/ecom/valueadded/PDFs/Babychecklist.pdf)


Oh good thank you!!