To All My Momma Friends
As most of you know I am going to be a new Mom. It still hasn't sunk in yet but I know that she will be here soon enough. As we get closer to the due date I am starting to panic a little due to the fact that I only have a crib and some clothes bought for her. My problem is there is so much out there. Now, I am not the type of person who has to have everything but I know there are things that I will need and must have. That is where all of you come in. My question is What are your favorites and something you couldn't live without? You know favorite brands of diapers, best kind of rocking chair, swings, toys, etc. things like that. I already have the carseat and stroller chosen. But other than that I am really at a loss.
So to all my Momma friends please help me out. I would love your advice and your list of must have's. It will be much appreciated.
18 comments:
Hey Yvonne,
Did you read the side update? I figured you didn't because you probably would've mentioned that I am starting the same program in the Fall too! I didn't like the MSW program. It's funny because the Director is our Stake President of the MFT program--pretty crazy! It would be SOOO awesome if you guys came out here. We would help you guys out with houses/apt., wards, everything! It's super cheap to live here too!
I know it is so overwhelming to know what you need/don't need! here is a long list of my/our favorites:
bouncer: we have the FP infant-to-toddler rocker & love it. it worked as a bouncer/jiggly seat when chase was a NB & a little chair for feeding when he started eating solids & he is almost big enough to use it as the toddler rocker now. $30-ish.
diapers: seventh generation or pampers. (you can order them by the case on amazon.com & save time/money & get free shipping, too!)
baby carrier: mei tai asian style carrier at joeypocket.com THE BEST. my friend owns this business & you can custom order your carrier. I also had a peanutshell, which was nice when chase was a newborn but he got too heavy for a 1-shoulder sling quickly. we also have a babybjorn & I liked that too, but the joeypocket is by far the most versatile & comfortable (& cute).
sleeping stuff: the "swaddle me" was great to have to secure that swaddle nice & tight! I also recommend the "halo velboa fleece deluxe sleepsack" - we use that thing every night!! white-noise machine from target or BB&B - THE BEST, we use it every night & for every nap... it blocks out other noises so you don't have to SSSSH when the baby's sleeping. jammies favorites: gerber 3pack zip-up cotton onepiece sleep & plays (the target ones aren't as good, in my opinion, the zippers sometimes rip out), gymboree snap-up tight-fit jammies.
other good buys:
wipes warmer - definitely something chase appreciates!
bumbo seat, found mine on craigslist for $20, it was great for feeding/sitting when he was less mobile & will be a great booster seat later.
high chair - we got a used graco $90 on craigslist for $25! you don't need this for 6+mo anyway.
bath: FP aquarium bathseat - LOVE it, we still use it at 13months...
nursing stuff: boppy pillow, lansinoh pure lanolin, "soothies," medela swing pump, lansinoh pads, gillian & o'malley nursing camisoles from target (the best, I wore them under everything)!
bottles: Dr Brown's (they screw right into the medela pumps, so that was nice.)
binkies: nuk orthodontic
This is long!!!! Sorry
that is a funny question, I have found the "must haves" for each person and baby are sooooo different. I almost feel it best to get the basics and wait to see what your baby wants/needs. I had two babies who hated being in a swing. Ashlyn LOVES it and I couldn't live without it. I am now only using it 3 babies later! Some babies love being held and a baby carrier like the Baby Bjorn would be great. Other babies like being put down or in a swing! I would seriously wait on buying the bigger items until you know her personality. But for some basics,
DIAPERS: I love pampers! Especially the newborn Swaddlers. Again, everyone loves different diapers, must be the baby's shape and how often they go through diapers!
BATH: Get a baby bath that lets the baby lay in it without you having to hold their head up. So it should be elevated a bit.
CLOTHES: don't buy tooo far ahead until you know if she will be small or large for her size. Plus every brand's sizes are just a little off. Old Navy runs small, Children's Place and Gymboree are pretty much right on, maybe a titch big. Target runs small, but looks big until they are washed and dryed! I love the little sleep and play type clothes that are one piece, have feet in them (cause it is hard to keep socks on, at least my kids!) and are comfy to wear!
If you bottle feed, get ones that release air, like Avent or others. I didn't like the Dr. Browns, too many pieces to put together and wash everytime you need to use it!
Here are a few other things to have before the baby!
wipes
diapers (don't get too many NB sizes, they grow fast!!!!)
wash cloths
baby towl (i love the ones with hoods!)
lotion
basic clothing, onesies, etc.
somewhere for the baby to sleep if not in her crib. I always have my babies in my room for the first little bit! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the mini co-sleeper!!!
blankets
bottles/formula if using (don't buy too much until you know how she tolerates each type!)
For YOU
nursing supplies, etc.
comfy clothing!!
Lots of HELP!!!
Good luck and know whatever you have or don't have, it is easy to get or return later. We don't live hours from stores or anything so it is fine to wait on some things, in my opinion!
Hey Yvonne! Thanks for getting in touch! Jac and I are so excited for you and your husband! You are going to be a great mom! A little girl! You are going to love it! I love my Elle! She is my little sweetie!
We are very excited to be having another one. We will find out what we are having at the end of March or first of April. I will keep you posted!
Kelly
I know it’s probably hard with a million choices out there. But here is my list of favorites and you can pick and choose what you like!
My favorite carrier: The Ultimate Baby Wrap Also known as The Moby Wrap
I absolutely LOVED this! I gave mine to Talia and she loves it also. It is great to have so your baby can snuggle close to you while you shop or make dinner. There are like five or six different ways you can position your baby in it also. I got mine from BabiesRUs.com. But I know they have some brand new ones on eBay and other places, too. The brand I like is Parents of Invention because they include an instructional DVD with the wrap.
(I tried the Maya sling and didn’t really like it but this one was amazing!)
Pacifiers: After about two months, the only pacifiers Mason would take are the Nuk pacifiers by Gerber…they were definitely a lifesaver. But if you aren’t sure which ones she’ll like, you can always ask the hospital for a couple extra pacifiers before you leave. They’ll most likely give them to you.
Hospital: If you ask your nurse at the hospital for extras of anything, they will usually give them to you. Hospital undies, the itching spray that they will give you, pacifiers, diapers, the baby scrubbers they use for baths, the blue bed pads…anything. They always have extras that they can give you to take home! And take whatever you want from the room …it all has to be thrown away anyways after you leave.
Co-Sleeper: This one is my all-time favorite. It was so nice to have! It is called the Arm’s Reach Mini Co-Sleeper. You can find it at BabysRUs.com. It starts out as a bassinet and attaches to your bed. One side rail lowers and allows the co-sleeper to be flush with the top of your bed. Your baby can safely sleep right next to you. When she gets a little older, the rail slides back up and the middle part goes down and the co-sleeper converts into a play-yard or crib. It was my absolute favorite thing to have! I had a hard time giving it to Talia, even though I didn’t need it anymore…I loved it so much! I looked online and they have also updated it a little. I guess now it has a storage unit underneath and wheels on one side!
Clothes: You will NEVER have enough onsies! And one-piece footed pajamas are great to have also!
Diapers: I buy Huggies diapers because you can get them at Costco for SUPER cheap.
The only problem with this is that Costco only sells them from size 2 and up. So you would have to buy them from somewhere else until then. I tried other brands, and didn’t like them. I don’t like the smell of Pampers or Luvs’ diapers (sorry Carrie!), and Parent’s Choice diapers always leaked through.
Bottles: I tried the Airflow ones, Dr. Browns, and others, but Mason only liked the Nuk Bottles. What a picky child ;)
As far as a rocking chair: Anything comfortable! The old-fashioned rocking chairs may look really cute, but it won’t be so fun when your baby is still eating twenty minutes later and all you have for arm support is 1 ½ inches of wood. :)
Also Great to have (but not entirely necessary):
A really great sleep positioner. The brand Especially For Baby makes a great one.
A monitor so you can do other things while she sleeps (if you aren’t sleeping, yourself)!
A huge, gigantic diaper bag with as many pockets as you can find!
I think one of my fave's for baby was having the boppy. They are great for nursing or even bottle feeding- they help give your arms a rest. It's also great fro tummy-time and a place to set your baby too! This is something to bring to the hospital too.
For diapers I liked Huggies when they were newborn, then I bought Luvs when they were a little bigger.
Both my kids liked Nuk pacifiers, but they took different bottles, so you will just have to try things out.
I noticed that the 3-6months on clothes were ones that lasted a while, so those were some you could stock up one.
A night-light for your room if that is where you will be feeding your baby, so hopefully you won't have to turn the light on.
If not up to date on baby tunes, get a cd of songs or download some from i-tunes. After Hobie was born, I had forgotten all the baby nursery rhymes and kept singing Christmas songs to him!!!
I am soo excited for you guys!! Have you been thinking on any names yet?? Keep us posted! And hope to see you when I come out!
Yvonne - I am so excited for you. I was going to post yesterday but figured you'd get a hundred people telling you a hundred different things. I have to say I mostly agree with everything Carrie said...except for the papers...sorry. Actually, I have to admit I am a Pampers convert recently though. They seem to fit my chubby baby better now that she is older and can still get away with the size 5 in pampers but not huggies. I have used Huggies with all of my kids. I totally agree with Carrie though, that you shouldn't get too much too soon. As long as you have a few diapers, wipes and clothes, you'll survive. You really have to figure out what works best for your baby. Each baby is so different. Like Carrie, I never used my swing until Brooklynn. My kids LOVED bouncy seats. I think I've been through about 5 of them. That is one thing I couldn't live without. Bottles, pacifiers, those are such a personal thing unique to each baby. Tyler took a very specific kind and I literally tried about 20! The girls, not one of them would take one. I really like the Avent Bottles. Formula...I could go on for an eternity about those. All my kids had to be formula fed and the trial and error with that could fill a book. They do grow really fast so don't get too much of anything. Clothes are so hard to buy. Each store runs totally different. Again, Carrie really nailed that one. Brooklynn is currently wearing between 24 months and 4T. Depends on the outfit, style, brand, etc. DON'T shop by the size. Ex. your baby is 3 mo. but she might not necessarily wear that size. The sizing is screwy on baby clothes. One thing I got with my last baby was the SwaddleMe. I LOVED these so much!!! It is so hard to swaddle a baby like they do in the hospital with blankets and these work like a charm. Also, the BundleMe from JJ Cole was my favorite new item with Brooklynn too. It is the warmest, snuggliest thing for the carseat. It stays in the carseat and you never have to put them in a coat and worry about adjusting the straps. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this. I don't like the knock-off brands though. Mostly, I realized after 4 kids that you really don't need half of what they sell. I wish I had the co-sleeper Carrie and Pene talked about. That sounds very nice. I would also invest in a really good stroller. I have a Jeep Stroller/Jogger that I love. There are so many to choose from and they can be so expensive. I suggest going to the store and test driving them. Can't say about carriers. My babies were always way too big to tote around on my front after about 2 weeks old. Good luck!! I can't wait to meet her. Take care and GET PLENTY OF REST!!! You might not see sleep again for a while! :0) Love, Michelle
Yvonne, you should be proud that you are getting my first ever comment on a blog! Here you go asking about parenting products and I'm spurred to action.
Love the diaper debate. Maybe it runs in the family, but I am a Pampers girl through and through! Especially with a boy, I found that Huggies were so narrow through the middle that everything leaked out. I love how Pampers fit.
I also LOVE their "sensitive" wipes. I got a wipe warmer as a shower gift and have really liked it. Not necessary, but nice to have.
There are so many things I could mention, but I will just post the things I found I needed at the very beginning, which I know is probably what stresses you out the most. I had Carson 4 weeks early and didn't have much, but what I needed just to get by were:
Lots of onesies
Lots of receiving blankets
Lots of burp cloths (he was a reflux baby)
Something for him to sleep in (he slept in a pack-n-play bassinet in my room for 3 months. I wish I had the co-sleeper!)
A good breast pump (Medela) if you plan to nurse. These babies are expensive, but so worth the money.
Other products I loved:
SwaddleMe blankets (thank you Michelle for giving me my first!)
JJ Cole BundleMe carseat blanket (especially with a winter baby)
For later, we loved the Baby Bjorn, but didn't use it for very long. This time around, I'm looking into a sling.
I agree about everything else, as far as swings, bottles, pacifiers, etc. go. You just have to see what your baby is like, and not stress out when you feel like you are single-handedly buying out the entire baby aisle at Target. For bottles, though, we were big fans of Avent.
Good luck, and congrats! Sorry I haven't posted sooner!
Hey! You are so funny. Don't buy many newborn diapers, ask the hospital for extra package. And don't buy a lot of newborn clothes...the sleep and play are wonderful (definately with a zipper if you can find them). Buy 3-6 mo. clothes. Both my newborns lived in a bouncy/vibrating seat. It was nice to put the baby in while I made dinner or did laundry, etc. And, I'm a Huggies mom. Love Costco. Hope this helps.
Yvonne, I can't believe Stacie posted a comment on a blog.... you really are lucky :)
Everyone has listed everything I would say, so you have a good list! I can't wait to see your baby!! :) Good luck!
Yvonne-
Everyone pretty much got it. But, for the car you will want one of those mirrors that you can see the baby in the back seat with (she'll be rear-facing for a while) and I always hated not being able to see my kids in the back. I bought a big one that faces the baby in the back seat, and then you can also buy one that fits on your front window to see the back mirror through.
I'm really excited for you guys...countdown!!!
Hey Yvonne! This is Alicia, your cousin. Congratulations!! I don't think I have actually commented on your blog before even though I do check it here and there, but you lured me in with your question! Good luck with everything! Here are my suggestions:
1) For you: Lily Padz if you are breastfeeding. They are the only nursing pads that won't scratch and turn backwards on you. They don't work for extended periods (like 8 hours) but they are a lifesaver when you are so raw and trying to heal.
2) For you: Chocolate or your favorite candy at the hospital. You just lost tons of weight overnight, and worked so hard - Indulge!! Have it in your hospital bag. =)
3) A SwaddleMe blanket - they keep the baby cozy and because they feel snuggled they sleep longer (Sheldon would sleep an average of 3 hours longer!)
4) Pampers swaddlers and then cruisers when they get older are probably the best diapers, but if your baby blows out of them (like mine did all the time) Huggies has an elastic backing that holds blow-outs in better until they get past that stage.
4) AVENT ANYTHING - I had the Medela Pump In Style breast pump and traded it in for the Avent Isis pump because it is so convenient and you can use it with their bottles which also work fabulously and then their bottles can switch around with their sippy cups so you can pump into a bottle and put a sippy cup lid on top if your baby stops taking a bottle (like mine did). If you are planning on nursing, definitely get a breast pump - it lets you get out for those 1 hour periods that help you keep your sanity those first few weeks! Avent pacifiers also work well and they have a little lid that snaps easily on to protect the nipple part - unlike a lot of them that are hard to click on. Their sippy cups are also made to transition from the breast/a bottle so you don't have to go through 50 sippy cups to find one your baby will take.
5) Carter's onesies have the best fit, stay the nicest and are made out of the best kind of cotton.
6) I live in an urban setting where carriers are EVERYTHING. I'm telling you the very best carrier out there is the Beco Butterfly or the Ergo (Becos are more expensive and cuter and you can use them easier with newborns). They both work from newborn to 55 pounds (my friends use them while shopping or hiking with their 4 year olds because you can pop them on your front or back like a piggy back ride). Their both kind of pricey though, but if it's an investment for a few kids, I totally think it's worth it. I love my Ergo and if Beco had been out when I was buying I would have gotten one of those. Baby Bjorns are great from birth to 18 pounds, but if you are just getting one carrier, I would go for the Beco Butterfly.
7) A swing that swings side to side, not front to back rocks babies to sleep much better. I have the fisher price jungle one and I love it (and so did my baby). A swing is really nice because if your baby isn't sleeping
8) JJ Cole BundleMe is awesome for the stroller or car seat, couldn't live without it. =)
Good luck!! I'm so excited for you. Good luck with those first few weeks, they are such a blur of happiness and craziness at the same time. Take time to count toes and fingers, but take time to breathe and sleep, too! And really, don't worry about doing dishes or any of your normal stuff, that will all fall into place - if it is 3:00 pm and the only thing you have accomplished is keeping your baby alive and brushed your teeth, consider yourself normal. =)
Oh, I can't believe I forgot! Pene mentioned a sleep positioner and I couldnt not agree more. My baby literally started sleeping 3 hours longer when I started using it!! Get a good one, they might be expensive, but they're worth it. Also, make sure it is on an incline - it will help them if they have acid reflux (like mine did). I think this is a necessity!
Yvonne,
Hey girlie! I am so glad I found your blog and am so happy for you and James with the baby on the way. I hope we can stay in touch.
-Amy Packer (Monks)
Hey Yvonne. One of my favorite things was the boppy pillow. With Hollie she was huge and I didn't even use it for feeding I sat on it. It realy helped. Once I was feeling better (about 6 weeks later) I used it to feed her. I used the same one with Trevor.
Wow, I love this blogging thing. First off, congratulations to your husband on your up coming arrival. How in the world are you? Still in Utah? How's Brad? I'm book marking you so we can keep in touch, ah, the blogging world!
Go simple- you're are going to be amazing!!
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