[chica4chocolate]

For those who already have kids, I was thinking we could make a list of the things we found MOST useful (and maybe even things which were a waste of money) and we could compile it for everyone? I know I wish I knew about some of this stuff my first time around, and to this day I STILL hear great ideas from other Moms. Could we possibly make it a sticky so we could have it to refer to as a list of things we want to get? I'd love that but I'll settle for tracking down the post and printing it out later if I have to.

Here are the things I liked:

Boppy: Great for breastfeeding, propping baby on while lying down, propping baby on while learning to sit, using as a random pillow, etc.

Bumbo: Awesome! Helps babies who can't sit up straight be able to "sit" up and look around- which makes them happy. Which makes Mommy happy.

Video monitor: I know, pricey. But you can get one cheap on ebay and this "luxury" is so worth it to avoid trying to sneak in to check on baby and waking him/her up...or just to gaze lovingly at their little face from afar. Or when you wake up at 3am in a cold sweat because you are convinced something bad happened. Or when you are trying to let them cry a little but wish you could watch to make sure they are ok.

Angelcare movement sensor monitor: A monitor which senses if your baby stops breathing (it senses the movement of each breath) and will sound a very loud alarm. Pricey but totally worth it for the peace of mind. Much cheaper on ebay and there is no need to get the newer models with extra features. We have the basic model and it works great!

Pacifier clip: You will realize you need this item when the only pacifier you have with you falls onto the floor at Walmart and gets run over by someone's shopping cart- thereby rendering it completely germ infested. Meanwhile baby starts screaming.

Swaddling blanket thingies- Those swaddling blankets with the velcro closures so you don't have to be a swaddling expert to do it right. Swaddling works miracles for some babies but not for others, so only invest in a couple at first (although due to newborn diaper blowouts we did go through several in one night many times).

Nursing cover with "hoop" to view baby through: Sell for $40 by brand-name but you can find the EXACT same type in many prints and colors on ebay for about $12. (Cue angels singing)

Bouncy seat: Easy to move around from room to room, many come with music/lights/vibration, plentiful on craiglist or ebay. Indispensable with both my kids.

Medela portable breast pump: The little one...what's it called? Agh. It was so expensive but I'm sure it's much cheaper now. Don't be afraid to buy it used because the tubing is all sold separately so you are just buying the motor unit. It was by far the best breast pump I have ever used!!

Thin waterproof bibs: Made out of some silky type material and sell for $6 EACH at BRU- but last forever, have a catch pouch in the bottom and squish down into any small space in your purse.

Carter's drool proof bibs with cloth on both sides: The bibs with cloth on ONE side and plastic on the other cause chafing of baby's skin. The carter's ones have waterproof lining in the middle and cloth on both sides. Work sooo great for that super drooler. (My son drooled gallons and his clothes would get soaked without these)

Ok that's it for now. Sorry this is so long. I would really love to hear other's suggestions and I promise to come up with more of the smaller items later. I realize I listed mostly big ticket items!

Disliked:
~Bedding set (expensive and half of it is useless because of SIDS risk...buy what you need separately)
~Bottle sterilizer kits- Seriously, this is just their way of making money off mommy paranoia. Wash your baby's stuff in the dishwasher on the hot water/sani cycle (top track) and it will be fine.

See I already thought of one more thing, LOL. There is a baby carrier called a Mobi-wrap which sells for $30-$50. It rocks but you can make your own!!!! Google "homemade moby" or whatever. Here is a pic of DD in the one I made for $4 last time:

[BrittneyLA]

I do get the microwave sanitizing bags! I used them when pacys fell on the floor, to sanitize my breast pump stuff quickly and for those who dont OWN dishwashers its nice to be able to sanitize your stuff once every week!!

I also liked the nipple/binkie cage for the dishwasher.

I also totally agree with the bouncy seat!! Both of my kids did not care for their swings but loved their seats!!

A small food puree thingy for homemade baby food, unless you have a food processer.

Burp clothes!! I used cloth diaper inserts.

I cant think of any that you didnt list

[jess75]

Loved our bumbo!

travel high chair is a must!

[ashj_1218]

GREAT idea!! Very helpful. I also find it funny how some things you found essential were total busts in this house. But Liam was a HARD baby...he hated everything we tried. Hopefully this one will mildly easier So most of the things I guess depend on the child and the mother's style.

My absolute essentials:

Bouncy Seat: It had to have lights, vibrations, and toy clips...but this was the ONLY way I got a shower in the morning!

Mei tai or Moby wrap: Again, one of the only ways I managed to get anything done around the house or out of it. He lived in my Mei Tai for several months (and I still use it now, he is 15 months!)

Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper: We adored this contraption. He was literally right next to me, attached to the bed, in his own little space. When he wanted to nurse, I popped him right out and when he was done, I put him right back in. Safe and convenient!

Mam Pacis: They were the only ones small enough at the newborn stage for him to keep in his mouth. And to this day my boy loves his paci. And he was entirely breastfed, there was never any "confusion" issues (he had it from day one). It was a lifesaver with his acid reflux, that we did not know about til month three. I am a total paci advocate. But I know it is not for everyone. But for those wanting to introduce it, the mams are so tiny for newborn stage that they can keep them in their little mouths.

White Noise Machine: We use a humidifier in the winter and the fan from the humidifier in the summer. We could not make it without it in his room. Just enough to block the dogs barking, the doorbell ringing, but not so much that he can't sleep in quiet or if the power goes out. It is great for taking places too, since he has a familiar noise and still gets the "block it out" power in strange places.

One of those clip-on high chairs: We use it here, we use it at restaraunts, we use it when we go on vacation. We keep it in the car for unexpected trips. It is really a cool little contraption. And very portable.

IF you travel to other's houses often, I really recommend an easy to tote and set-up pack-n-play. It has been great because we are at my parents house once a month, his parents twice a year (they live further), a family reunion twice a year, and whatever other trips we make to my grandparent's house, etc. We have a cheapy cosco one and it works like a charm.

Absolutely pointless items in my book:

Nursing cover: I never used it. My son hated having his head covered during a feeding session. And I sorta rebelled against the idea that he should have to. I wore a tank top under my shirts (no nursing shirts, my boobs were too big) and pulled the shirt up and the tank down. I also did not use nursing bras, just easy-to-pull-up bras. Again, my boobs were too big for nursing bras. I was NEVER exposed.

Changing table or changing table pad: We used the pack-n-play we had here until he was around 5 months. Then we used the floor with a recieving blanket. It was a great arrangement and was basically free, since we had the pack-n-play anyway. We did not even buy a changing table for his room.

Any additions the carseat: Not only are these not really necessary, they are unsafe and will void the warranty of your car seat if you use them I am big into carseat stuff and using a winter cover, additional strap protectors, or head positioners that are not sold with the seat is unsafe and if you ever got in an accident, you may not have your new carseat paid for (as they must be replaced if in an accident) if the reports state you had these items on your carseats. We just used blankets on Liam when we left the house and put them in the seat beside him while he was in the warm car. Snowsuits or thick all-in-ones are also unsafe as kids should not have coats or thick things on in the carseat. It can compress in an accident and eject the child from the seat. *Off my soapbox* LOL!! I have my hang ups, as you can tell.

The bumbo, the swing, and the boppy were also pointless in our house. Liam hated the first two and I hated the latter. I just used a regular pillow under him when he was nursing as a little one. I imagine they might have more use with a more easy-going child. If AT ALL possible, borrow a swing to see if your LO likes it before investing $150 in one. Same with the bumbo, lots of people have those sitting around, since they are sorta limited-time use items. Once the baby can get out of it (around 4 months here), they became unnecessary.

[11eleven]

WOW I am loving this thread as a first time mom. More please!!

[Banned-KiennasMom]

When Kienna was a baby, the only way she would nap was in her swing. I'd suggest one of those.

[chica4chocolate]

Thanks for the contributions so far, keep them coming! I am adding a Mam pacifier to my list because we love pacifiers and they DO fall out of newborn's mouths alot. I know not everyone wants to use a pacifier, but my friend who is a speech therapist for young children, actually RECOMMENDS them...because most kids want to suck on something and the pacifier is something you can take away later on. It is much harder to break a thumb/finger sucking habit. Just my two cents on that.

See not all the items work for everyone but it is good to read why or why not. We didn't use a changing table but had a dresser with a changing pad on it which I still use for my 2 year old...saves my back when getting her ready for bed or changed in the morning.
I am going to use this post to make a checklist of things I need to get- since we got rid of alot of baby stuff!
More ideas from me:
White noise machine- Yes totally agree. We got a clock pretty cheap from bed bath and beyond that makes like 8 different continous white noises. It's very portable and helps tremendously with helping baby sleep or if you are travelling in a strange environment.
Lovey/blankey You know those little blankie things with an animal head attached? Carter's makes a bunch. Anyway, chances are your baby will get attached to something as a comfort object. It's just easier to pick it out ahead of time, encourage your child to use that particular object to cuddle with or comfort themselves with, and have a few spares. My son is still very attached to his "puppy"...which is no longer in production and sells for $50 on ebay!
Disposable changing pads Or alot of small towels. When they are tiny, the diaper blowouts can be messy...and pee goes everywhere sometimes too. I found out the hard way the while boys "spray" the room when exposed to cold air...girls pee too when you change them and then it all goes up their back! (Hint: for boys open the diaper to expose the area to air, then leave it covered over for a minute while you get your wipes out or whatever. Or quickly place a small washcloth over him)

[Mumba]

Our MUST HAVES:

Bouncy Chair. I cannot explain to you how important this was. DD would ONLY Sleep held or in her vibrating seat. this saved us COUNTLESS hours of precious sleep.


travel system: I am all for convertibles, but in the first few months when NOTHING worked to calm her down. Plopping the carseat in the stroller and walking til she fell asleep then just take out the carseat to bring back inside.

Infant tub: Seems a little dumb to buy a whole new tub, but it is very helpful when you have a tiny little baby to plop it in the sling in the infant tub. Very reassuring for me.

Space Saver Highchair: The ones that clip onto the chairs and recline. Lets us eat and feed the baby at the same time.

[natty]

Bobby- i used it everyday until she weaned at 13 months for more than nursing

Bouncer- dd loved this and hated the swing and it is much smaller

Reviving blankets- we used them all the time for wayyy more than just burping

Pack and play or basinet- dd slept in it until she was a month old until she moved to her crib

Baby positioner- if you plan on using your crib when baby is still very small this helps them feel snuggled and gave me piece of mind

Low dresser- because you will not use you changing table as much as you think a low dresser you can out a changing pad on works well

Sleep and plays- they are the best outfit for hanging at home and easy

Noise machine- we just use a fan but it really does help baby,s sleep

Nursing pads- if you plan on nursing yiu will need a lot of these i leaked with dd until she weaned it never "evened out" for me

Paci- dd loved soothes so i suggest maybe getting one of a few kinds to see what they like if you plan on using them

Baby monitor- dd was in her room at a month so we used this a lot still do the sound one worked fine as an infant but when they get bigger it is nice to have the viedo monitor, we upgraded and you can see if they are accullly sleeping dd occasionally cries in her sleep

That is all i can think of right now

[ashj_1218]

At the very least, this list is GREAT for finding the absolute must-haves, the one we all seem to agree on.

I am totally with the loveys and the travel system. I loved mine not only for the whole 'calming down' thing, but also because babies sleep in their carseat a lot in the beginning and I would hate to disturb them taking them in and out the carseat for a set of errands. We love ours and will reuse it. Liam picked his own lovey...and it was also discontinued and cost an arm and a leg on ebay. I got lucky finding a friend who had one that had never been used. But I totally agree with urging them toward something you know you can have a couple of!!

[PurpleTurtle]

My top thing on my must have list is BUM GENIUS cloth diapers! We have a dozen from last time, but even though this is hopefully our first pregnancy that sticks we got lots of input from family and friends who use this brand. They really are wonderful. My cousin had twins while on the mission field and used these. Said they were indispensable. My SIL also uses them with our nephews and I have seen the difference myself.

I've done a fair amount of nannying, so there are a few things I have in my head as desirables. I am pretty firm that I don't want a load of stuff, though, so trying not to get too attached to ideas at this point! Some things I'd really like include
a nice electric breast pump
Moby wrap!
lots of thick floor blankets as well as smaller swaddling/burping blankets
a special bear -- my family has a tradition that every child gets a really large bear to grow into, generally about the size of a 1-2 year old. I still have my "friend bear" and my bros have theirs. Very treasured.

[OhBrooke]

I'm going to bookmark this thread so I can easily find it when my pregnancy progresses- what a great idea, especially for us first timers. Thinking about what you need is pretty overwhelming. And, even if one thing works for one baby, and not the next.... still a great list to go by. THANKS!

[natty]

Originally Posted by PurpleTurtle

My top thing on my must have list is BUM GENIUS cloth diapers! We have a dozen from last time, but even though this is hopefully our first pregnancy that sticks we got lots of input from family and friends who use this brand. They really are wonderful. My cousin had twins while on the mission field and used these. Said they were indispensable. My SIL also uses them with our nephews and I have seen the difference myself.

ed.

I have some of these and hate them, i guess it depends on what you like you can buy a sample pack with several diffent kinds of cloth diapers to try, we use mostly blueberry one size pockets dd has been in them scince she was 2 weeks old

[erihum]

The only thing that I can think of right off the top of my head is wearable blankets, since it will be chilly here when we have the baby these things are a blessing since they tell yuo not to use blankets. I felt much better knowing he was all snuggly warm.

[Mumba]

Originally Posted by natty

I have some of these and hate them, i guess it depends on what you like you can buy a sample pack with several diffent kinds of cloth diapers to try, we use mostly blueberry one size pockets dd has been in them scince she was 2 weeks old

We LOVE Ragababes. But we're using a clover trial for our new bean. That way I wont be buying NB diapers to cloth full time when this will be my last baby.


I think cloth is worth a try for anyone though. We have a LOT of snow storms/power outages etc. and to have cloth I dont need to worry about going out in the mess to get diapers.

[ashj_1218]

Natty knows I will second cloth diapers Although we also did not like BumGenuis brand. We use a home-based brand any love them. We bought a few Happy Heiney's Mini to use with this babe. We have a decent stash for when he/she gets bigger.

I totally think that cloth is worth a try. It is not as hard as lots of people think. And so much cheaper than sposies! Especially for a first baby where you are planning to have more. You just pass them down to the next one and voila...no diaper expenses

[BrittneyLA]

I hope I can give cloth a try this time, with my previous ones I didnt have a washer and dryer so we just used sposies, BUT I would like to do half and half this time to cut back on money