So, there are a few things you only do once in your lifetime. Come
into this world, graduate from high school, celebrate your 21st
birthday...you get the drift. Well, I'd like to add, you only have your
first child once. Which means you'll (most likely) only have one baby
shower. Now I've had CS which makes me a wizened mama! Well, not
quite, but I would like to think that almost four months in, I have
learned a thing or two. And one thing I've noticed is that, although I
asked for some good items for my baby shower, there are others I
definitely should have asked for (and some I didn't need at all!) Now,
some of these may not apply to you, so take it with a grain of salt. :)
Baby Registry Tips!
Must haves!
1. Diapers & wipes: Now
before I went all hippie-mama and started cloth diapering, I thought
I'd be using disposables, and let me tell you, some of the best
gifts i received were diapers and wipes! Actually, I've never had to
buy wipes--between a three pack my aunt got me, a traveler pack from my
soon to be sister-in-law, and a box of wipes from mother &
sister-in law, I was set. I still have three packs left. You can never
have too many diapers, especially different sizes and kinds. I found
when I was using disposables, I had my favorites. Some I felt didn't hold as well, some didn't fit CS's chunky thighs, so I preferred Pampers versus any others. Similarly, if you plan to cloth diaper, then you can always ask for a starter pack or a few so you can try different kinds. You can always spread that via word of mouth or some websites have registries you can do. I know if I hadn't had my cousin's wife, who also CDed, I'd have been lost as to what kinds were good or not.
You can't tell but that giant duck in the background was filled with two layers of diapers rolled up like on a cake. We had a Dr. Seuss theme, as you can see.
2. Bottles: Regardless of if you're going to breastfeed or bottle feed, put a few bottles on your list. Yes, I know, motherhood and solidarity and all that, yay breastfeeding, and I totally agree. I fully intended on breastfeeding, but because of complications, I wasn't able to continue. Hello, formula. Thankfully the hospital and my doctor had given us a ton of samples (which I took even though I planned on nursing), but the only bottles we had were three that John had picked up in the clearance aisle because he can't resist a deal. (Then again they were three large sized Avent bottles for $8.00. I'm not complaining.) When we realized we'd be switching, we had to make a quick-run trip to the store and it was an extra hassle I wish I hadn't had to deal with, especially when I was still recovering from a c-section and trying to get a handle on motherhood.
3. Swing: I know, swings can be expensive. But I consider this item probably the most useful of the big items we received (minus the car seat--that obviously was top). CS is a swinger. His daddy liked to swing, and so does he. Without the swing, I'd be a nutcase by now.
4. Boppy: Absolute must-have for breastfeeding! Makes life so much easier. And even if you don't nurse, I've found it's great for propping baby up or assisting with tummy time if your baby is not a fan.
5. A good playpen: I usually try to keep any registries I make under a certain dollar limit. For example, I didn't have a car seat on the list (thankfully got it anyway) because I thought it was too expensive. Pack-n-plays aren't honestly that expensive, but depending on the variety, they can be. I splurged and asked for a bassinet/playpen combo because with my family living in Indy, I knew we'd be traveling from a very young age. (I also didn't think I was getting a bassinet--my mama is a good woman). That said, do your research and find what works for you. If you don't have a lot of space, and want things that are multi-use, I'd go for a fancier playpen so you can have the bassinet. Some even come with a changing space. That way, you don't need a separate bassinet and take up more space. Then, as the child gets older, the bassinet part comes off and can be put up until the next child (or never, whatever is your preference).
My fancy Pack n play bassinet...complete with diaper goodies in the corner
6. First-aid stuff: Yes, I know I said only five things each, but I just remembered this one, and felt it's pretty darn important too! By 'stuff' I mean thermometer, nasal aspirator, etc. Mainly those two. We have quite a few nasal aspirators and I'm sure they'll all come in handy. Mind you, the best one we have is the one the hospital sent us home with, but it's always good to have one or two (or five) extra lying around.
Well...maybes
1. Burp cloths: This was kind of a toss up. I did ask for some,
and got the ones I liked. But now with baby starting to teeth and him
being a bit spitty anyway, I tend to use an ugly, old (like from Sears
& Roebuck old) hand towel that I got to use in my sewing projects
from the mother-in-law. Turns out they hold spit a lot better than any other burp cloths.
*TIP*
If anyone gets you sets of cloth diapers--the really thin ones tons of
people use for burp cloths--fold them in half and sew or double and
sew. They held absolutely nothing for us, and I got so frustrated I
finally ended up folding them in half and sewing them. They work much better now.
2. Baby towel/washcloths: I didn't ask for any, but I still received a couple. I do think the hood especially is nice for wrapping up baby if it's winter or when baby is younger, but I don't consider them necessary. I've used a regular ole' towel and washcloth when I ran out on CS, and he didn't care. He actually seemed happier with the towel--it's thicker and kept him covered better.
3. Medicines: Yes, it would be nice to be a leg up and have some when you need it; conversely, what happens if you have a really healthy child and don't need it for awhile? Then your medicine is closer to expiring/already has and that helps no one. Better idea is to have a mama you know and trust help you with what you could need the first time baby's sick. I have a cousin who, if Carson gets sick, I can go to and have her help me find the right stuff.
4. Diaper creams & baby wash/shampoo: Honestly, people will probably get you this anyway. Expect a lot of Destitin and tons of Johnson & Johnson. That's not a bad thing though, seeing as you'll be using baby products for quite some time with a little one. The one thing I'd advise is to put some Aquaphor on your list as well; I found out the hard way Destitin doesn't work worth crap on my child. That was a stressful week. But thankfully someone had been kind enough to give me a travel-size of Aquaphor and it was seriously a miracle-worker!
5. Toys: Another item you'll probably get some of; however, it's nice to choose some that you really want; whether that be an activity mat or car-seat toys, or jangly things for when she's older. We received a few toys, but most of what I have now are hand-me-downs or garage sale finds (John & his family are big garage-salers--can you tell?)
Don't bother!
1. Onesies: Nearly everyone will get you clothes. There's just something about baby clothes that people love. I didn't put any clothing on my registry and I still have enough to not do laundry for nearly two weeks (and that's with CS changing outfits during the day because of massive drool/spit up incidents. Not to mention you can pick up garage sale baby clothes for cheap.
2. Bibs (and Pacifiers): See onesies.
3. Blankets: Let's face it, unless you have a very specific theme for your nursery, I wouldn't register for them. people are going to buy you blankets regardless. Plus if you're lucky and have other relatives passing on hand-me-downs, you'll have plenty.
4. Changing table and/or changing pad: Ideally, you'd easily take baby to the changing table everytime he needs changed. There you'll have a well organized center where you can easily grab a diaper and wipes and throw it into your diaper pail to take out to the trash later and...yeah, doesn't happen. Now, I actually did want a changing pad initially; I thought they'd be useful. Didn't get one and have managed fine. By this time you change baby wherever you have an open spot. The bed, the bassinet. We actually have our pack and play in the living room where all of Carson's diapering things are since nine times out of ten, we change him in the living room. We always have a few diapers in the bedroom in case, but we hardly have to use them.
5. Wipes warmer: The whole idea seems like a money-making ploy to me. I promise you, the baby will not be scarred for life if his tush gets a little cold from a wipe.
So...I didn't realize the post was gonna be so long! I hope it helps though--I had fun writing it at least! Most of all, whatever you end up registering for, make sure it's something both you and your baby daddy (or baby mama) want and need. There were more I could put on my list but...I didn't wanna overwhelm you too much.
So what do you think? Anything I missed? Ones you thought were necessary that ended up on my 'don't bother' section? I'd love to hear your feedback!
No comments:
Post a Comment