Baby Goals: The Goods
This pregnancy seems to be just flying by. I’m already 16 weeks! I guess we’ve just been so busy I haven’t really had time to sit and think about how far away August is.
But, we’re starting to get cracking on our goals to get done before Baby B makes his/her appearance. The main one? All the stuff we’ll need…this is our first baby after all.
We’re kind of minimalists when it comes to baby goods. We don’t think babies need tons of flashy toys or gadgets. But our baby’s got to wear something and sleep somewhere! So, here are the lists of things we’ll
need and want so far:
Needs:
-Crib and mattress
-Bedding and blankets
-Rocker or glider
-Stroller
-Car seat
-Clothes and supplies
-Some kind of carrier or Moby Wrap
-A baby gate
-A few bottles and a pump (for the days when I need to be away from our baby briefly)
Wants:
-Play pen
-Swing
-Baby bath (this really is almost a need…I’m not comfortable washing our newborn in the kitchen sink!)
Some things we might want but don’t really “have-to-have”:
-Monitor
-Bouncer or walker
-Extra toys (I’m sure we’ll get plenty from friends/family, and we’re not into electronic gadgets)
Besides my sister (who just had twins in November), I’m the first to have a baby in a while, so I’m definitely “feeling in the dark” somewhat. Any advice would be gladly taken! What are some of the things you use/don’t use? What do you recommend for different types of baby car seats, carriers, etc?
But, we’re starting to get cracking on our goals to get done before Baby B makes his/her appearance. The main one? All the stuff we’ll need…this is our first baby after all.
We’re kind of minimalists when it comes to baby goods. We don’t think babies need tons of flashy toys or gadgets. But our baby’s got to wear something and sleep somewhere! So, here are the lists of things we’ll
need and want so far:
Needs:
-Crib and mattress
-Bedding and blankets
-Rocker or glider
-Stroller
-Car seat
-Clothes and supplies
-Some kind of carrier or Moby Wrap
-A baby gate
-A few bottles and a pump (for the days when I need to be away from our baby briefly)
Wants:
-Play pen
-Swing
-Baby bath (this really is almost a need…I’m not comfortable washing our newborn in the kitchen sink!)
Some things we might want but don’t really “have-to-have”:
-Monitor
-Bouncer or walker
-Extra toys (I’m sure we’ll get plenty from friends/family, and we’re not into electronic gadgets)
Besides my sister (who just had twins in November), I’m the first to have a baby in a while, so I’m definitely “feeling in the dark” somewhat. Any advice would be gladly taken! What are some of the things you use/don’t use? What do you recommend for different types of baby car seats, carriers, etc?
Labels: baby
posted by Unknown @ 2:51 PM
7 Comments:
At February 23, 2012 at 7:23 PM ,
Courtney B said...
Sooo exciting! I can't wait until we're having a baby and can make these lists :)
It might actually give you piece of mind to have the moniters when you move your baby from your bedroom into the crib in another room. Hearing your baby breath through the night will be the most comforting sound ever.
Plus you'll have a baby shower and I'm sure your friends/family would be more than happy give some of this stuff to your baby!
At February 24, 2012 at 11:12 AM ,
Unknown said...
The planning is really fun! You're probably right that it would give me better piece-of-mind!
At February 24, 2012 at 1:37 PM ,
LeAnna said...
Definitely bump the swing/bouncer into the need category! If you have someone who will let you borrow one, even better. Both of my kids hated the swing. I searched high and low for one that was battery operated, so we'd be ready for battle, but to no avail. They were bouncy/vibrating seat kids. But, there are some babies who LOVE the swing, and hate bouncy seats. Either way, budget for one. They're life savers for when you need to take a shower, or even eat. ;) Now the cool thing is that you can get them in a sort of combo!
I've used tons of carriers, and my favorite has been the Baby K'tan, which works like a Moby, but with much less fabric. I have a mei tai style carrier (brand name most widely known is Baby Hawk, but I bought mine from a WAHM on Etsy) and I have an Ergo which is GREAT for when they're older. The K'tan was my favorite for the newborn/early infant stage.
You'll want a baby monitor. Maybe I was crazy, but I kept my son in our room for the first 6 months and even though he was only across the room I had a baby monitor on at all times. I can definitely attest to the fact I was much more relaxed by the time my daughter was born.
Loved the Chicco carseats. Only a few problems: They don't latch onto the shopping cart, which is kind of annoying and made me paranoid. Also, they're very hot in the summer time. Only go up to 22 pounds, which wasn't a big deal for me. All of my babies outgrew their carseats in length before they did height, but if you had a chunky munchkin' you could find yourself needing to change carseats before you're ready. BUT, they were so cushy and comfy for baby. Some of the others aren't as padded, or weigh a ton. The chicco was compact and lighter in weight, I liked that.
I could obviously go on and on...but I'll stop. ;)
If you do have a shower from friends and family, you will get SO much stuff. If you register, don't hesitate to register for anything and everything you think you might find helpful. That includes nursing pads, nursing cami's, whatever! People like to have options, even though half of them never use the registry, they usually glance at it to get an idea.
At February 24, 2012 at 1:38 PM ,
LeAnna said...
And I totally meant they outgrew their carseats in length before they did weight, not height. I'mmmm okay. Promise. ;)
At February 25, 2012 at 11:51 AM ,
Ashley said...
I've been lurking here for quite some time now, and have really enjoyed reading your blog (and renovation updates)! I had to comment on this post as we just had our first child this past July, and are now expecting our second this June! :o)You and your husband are going to have so much fun with your little one! They are truly precious bundles of joy that bring so much richness and delight to your life!
As far as car seats go, we got a Graco SungRide 35 (means it can fit an infant up to 35 pounds) and have been very pleased with it. The only downside we've noticed is that our daughter became hot/sweaty when riding in it, but yet we had an extremely hot summer. I don't know if this is a problem with other car seats or not. An added plus is that it 'snaps' onto the shopping carts!
We also have a Infantino 'Flip' baby carrier - it can be worn with the infant front facing you (for use when they are very small), front outside facing (when they can support their head), and on your back (when they can sit up). It has been indispensable when our baby was fussy or just needing some 'mommy time'. I've never used a sling, but would like to try one at some time.
A few things we have found helpful to have was a 'tummy time' or 'playmat' that has dangling toys. This really helped our daughter as she progressed into the rolling or moving around stage - she was getting frustrated and was ready to move on to the next stage of exploration. In the same token, an exersaucer has been a lifesaver as well. Here again, she was getting frustrated and was ready to move on to the even more active stage! :o) Now.... well, she's working on crawling and sitting so the pack-n-play (which doubles as her bed) is in use.
We haven't bought many toys and have had trouble finding more 'basic' non-electronic toys. She loves chewing on her rubber ducky, making noise with her 'crinkly' book, and playing with a vibrating bug that goes up a string when pulled down. Board books seem to keep her occupied for a bit as well. I'm finding that she likes 'unconventional' toys - such as spatulas, lids to spaghetti jars, bottles, and pretty much anything that we have that is big enough for her NOT to completely fit in her mouth. I would love to get some wooden toys though.
I can't think of much more to add, as we are still learning what are realistic wants and needs. I would say that everything you have in your 'need' category is right on. The only thing I would add is for yourself... 'breast pads' for nursing. My mom made me some (100%cotton flannel - you can easily make these yourself!) and I used them constantly for weeks! I can't tell you how many times they 'saved my clothing'!
Anyhow, I've rambled on enough!!!! I could literally talk baby/infant things for a long time! :o) I hope this helps!
~Ashley
At February 27, 2012 at 11:13 AM ,
Unknown said...
Thanks for all the tips! I definitely feel overwhelmed by all of the options out there! The ladies at our church usually throw a very nice shower, but the women usually give really cute, fancy little outfits mostly. So, I'll definitely be trying to register for the stuff we'll actually need.
I should also have mentioned that we have some very excited (and generous) grandmas and aunts-to-be, so we'll never be without toys or clothes!
And thanks for the info about the baby carriers...I'll have to check those out! For some reason they're not "big" in my area, so I have no one to ask about them!
At February 27, 2012 at 3:10 PM ,
Unknown said...
Thank you for all the advice! We are SO excited about this little one, but very overwhelmed with what to buy and what kind of everything. I'll have to look into that baby carrier...I've never heard of it.
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