[sara~b]

I'm trying to get a grip on the financial side of things right from the start this time. The cheer mom i told offered to throw me a shower since I didn't have one with Gemma. I'm figuring Shane, me and my family will buy the crib/bassinet and carseat. Everything else is probably fair game for a wish list. So I'm researching BF'ing and cloth diapering. AND I'M LOST! I did disposables and formula with Gem and I have no clue where to start with this stuff.

What do you need for BF'ing? Creams? Nipple Guards? Etc?

What do you need for CD'ing? What kind is best for what ages? Proper care of the them? Etc?

Anybody have some good links to articles or blogs that don't use all kinds of abbreviations and shorthand? I'm so lost and I need the basic tutorial version for these things! Help!

[soImarriedAnerd]

For breastfeeding you need boob LOL I got some nipple butter from Earth Mama Angel Baby that I love. You really don't need anything else. I got a pump only because I donate milk to another mama. I didn't need one till then. Heck I don't even have a nursing bra I just use sports bras. OH you WILL need breast pad(s)....THESE ARE AMAZING! Jess told me about them...I only own one pair and they have worked up till I no longer needed them! I had one cheap pair for wash days but I only used them then.
For CD....thats harder to tell you since its such a personal preference. How about you tell me WHY you want to use CD then I can give you may suggestions (money, cute, feeling, easy, etc).

[SandKmommy]

Hey I'm one too

You need a boob like Angela said
I have and issue and have to use a nipple shiled but I'd advise against it unless its the only possible way to nurse. Nursing pads, I found these really cool ones Posh Pads. And a nursing cover if you want, I dont have one but I won one and will be getting it soon, and I also love my boppy type pillow.

Join us over at the Breastfeeding board, link is in my siggy (the co-host link)

I like pocket diapers but we didnt' start cding till Kieran was almost 4mo old so I didn't have an issue with newborn sizing or anything like that.

[Frozendesire]

BOOBS! That's all you really need for breastfeeding Nipple cream is nice to have in the very beginning. Also a nice trusted pair of breast pads! I love the lansinoh product line for nursing mothers, the pads and nipple cream.

CDing has SO much too it! The easiest is to answer Angela's questions about what you want out of CDing. Cheap, cuteness, easiest, etc etc.

I perfer a AI2 style.. where you have a reusable cover with a changeable insert. I love Gdiapers with cloth inserts. I make my own inserts and I can get the gpants at a local london drugs. I also like Apple Cheeks. You can either stuff the insert in or lay it on top and i just lay it in. I also love using BG 3.0 for over nights, but I find them rather bulky. I also adore snaps

[sara~b]

Thanks girls! I want to cloth diaper for the savings! And the fuzzy ones are really cute too! I'm really not a picky person. I didn't stick with one brand of disposable diaper for Gemma and I am really not too style sensitive. I just want to not go broke getting ready for this! I'm hoping if I buy a couple CD's a month then I will be all set when baby comes! A list of what you bought to start, what you actually ended up needing/using/liking and what you recommend would be great (especially links). I'm going to make a chart of each month and what I plan to buy that month so I can manage the costs effectively.

I need to go through our baby stash boxes and make a list of what we have so I can figure out what we need. I'm so excited to finally break out all the stuff I've gotten from SS's over the years plus Shane's stash of Snoopy baby gear! (I got rid of all Gem's stuff so this baby will get all new).

I could have done just fine CDing with only prefolds, snappis and covers at first.

I didn't use anything for BFing other then the boobs and occasionally pads. A pump is nice if you plan on doing that, and pads like Angela posted are nice too. I have a crazy let down so they help with that.

I have all sorts of breast creams and I never needed any of them. That can be said of a lot of stuff I bought, actually

[sara~b]

Originally Posted by Frozendesire

I perfer a AI2 style.. where you have a reusable cover with a changeable insert. I love Gdiapers with cloth inserts. I make my own inserts and I can get the gpants at a local london drugs. I also like Apple Cheeks. You can either stuff the insert in or lay it on top and i just lay it in. I also love using BG 3.0 for over nights, but I find them rather bulky. I also adore snaps

What's the difference between these and what do all the letters stand for? Also what's the difference between prefold and other types? I'm such a noob to this!

[ShannonMVT]

I used Lansinoh breast cream (imo you will need some type of breast cream in the beginning). Also nursing bras (best to get most of them after your milk comes in and you know better what size) and breast pads. If you go back to work then I recommend a pump. It's also good to make sure where you deliver will have a lactation consultant. BFing can be tough at first for many women so getting help and support in those early days can help you to be sucessful at BFing.

For cloth diapers, if you are doing it to save $, you might actually want to just skip the newborn cloth diapers and do disposables. Others might have more info on the cost savings and if it's worth it, but I know Matthew didn't stay in his newborn diapers for very long at all and I don't know that it was really worth it financially to do cloth for that stage.
I like the BumGenious 3.0 one size diapers, he started to fit into them when he was a couple months old I think.

[SandKmommy]

Originally Posted by sara~b

What's the difference between these and what do all the letters stand for? Also what's the difference between prefold and other types? I'm such a noob to this!

Prefolds are the "Old fashioned" diaper the kind our parents would have used, the flat ones you fold and put on baby and a cover

Fitteds have elastic in them, some have velcro/aplix, snaps or you need a snappi/pins

Pockets are usually a layer of water proof fabric on the ouside and a layer on the inside and you "stuff" them to make them soak up the wetness

AIO's are All in Ones they are like pockets but the stuffer is sewen in, the whole thing is

AI2's I'm still slightly confused on but they are like AIO's but they also have an extra layer that you can usually snap in I believe.

[Resi]

Boobs, breastpads, maybe a pump, and some nipple cream. Nursing bras can be nice but not a must have.

Diapers depend on what you want to go with as everyone else said. I loved prefolds with covers when Oliver was younger. They are cheap and I went through a lot each day. Now that he is older I love all in ones which are closest to disposables. My advice is to get a couple of each and test them out. What I love you might hate and what you love I might hate. Each baby is different and it's hard to know what will work. When I was pregnant I got a lot of prefolds and covers. I also got a couple all in ones and pocket diapers to try out. After I got use to CD'ing I tried a few other brands. GL! It can be overwhelming at first but once you figure out what is what it gets much easier to understand. Try to see if there are any CD'ing companies in your area or groups that you can get together with to learn about the different options. That is what I did and it made it so much easier to know what I needed to get started.

[sara~b]

Thanks girls! I'm going to take a trip to BRU this weekend or next week and see what I can learn there. At least I can see them close up and get an idea of what's what. Plus start pricing them out. Maybe I will ask for a GIANT box of disposables in newborn size and then switch to cloth once those run out. Ugh! So much to consider....

[Frozendesire]

I think Target carries BGs. Atleast the one nearest me does. I like to touch and feel what I want to purchase! That's why I like apple cheeks, and g diapers cause they are local

I got all different types for testing out too, except prefolds and covers. I thought I would love the All In One's/pockets but I didn't! So that was a surprise!! I'm glad I only bought 1 or 2 of each.

[Resi]

I don't think BRU carries any cloth diapers. Last time I checked the only thing they carried was the G Diapers. I don't know a whole lot about those but I think they have covers with a disposable liner??

[sara~b]

Thanks for all the info girls! i've been researching non-stop tonight!

Now I've come up with another question! Do you or did you use a wrap like a Moby-type? I was thinking it would be convenient for BF'ing and keeping baby close while I take Gem to cheerleading or work around the house. Thanks in advance!

[IamMom]

Never did CD so I have no idea....but I would say with BF'ing don't buy anything except breast pads up front....those you'll need whether it goes bad or good. I wouldn't even buy a pump until you know you'll need it or it'll work for you...pumping and me did not go together and I wasted alot of money on that pump. I also wasted money on creams since I never had sore cracked nips...my kids must have really gentle mouths Just my

Good luck girl - you'll be drowning in info on both I'm sure in the next 9 months!

ETA the Ergo carrier is like the BEST thing in the world. You can nurse baby in it. We LOVE it!

[Chelnae6]

Thanks ladies. Im def taking notes! Good ?s Sara!

A while ago, someone had a thread that listed the useful items that people needed/used for the baby. Does anyone know the name of that thread and who started it?

I'm going to try to find it b/c i think it'll be useful to all of us prego ladies.

[sara~b]

Chelle, I just made an Excel spreadsheet of everything I plan to buy. I made 4 columns: Item Name, Price, Number we have and Number we need/want. I will see if there's a way to post it here or on my blog so you can check it out. I Googled 'baby necessities' and just compiled the items most often listed and ones that I remember needing/wanting with Gem. A few of them aren't really necessities but are great to have!

newborn onesies
0-3 month onesies
3-6 month onesies
6-9 month onesies
socks (pairs)
Bibs
Diaper Bag
Receiving blankets
Burp Cloths
Bottles
Pacifiers
Wash Clothes
Moby Wrap
Pack N Play
Bassinet
First Aid Kit
Bouncer Seat
Swing
boppy
Baby Monitor
towels
bottle brush
breast pump
breast pads
hat
sleepers
baby wash
baby tub
changing pads
car seat
stroller
disposable diaper newborn size
cloth diapers
cloth diaper covers
diaper pail

That's the list. I picked the arbitrary number of 10 for the amount of each size onesies and socks to start us off with. I'm also figuring on 2 Moby wraps (so one can be in the wash) and 2 car seats (1 for each car). I figure a stroller and crib can actually be bought AFTER baby arrives. And the Pack N Play and bassinet are mutually exclusive (we will either get one or the other). I also won't buy a breast pump or more than a couple storage bottles until I am sure my milk comes in well enough and BF'ing is going well. pacifiers are another maybe (I didn't really like using them but will if baby is fussy). Hope that helps!