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The other day I walked into a consignment sale for children and baby things. As soon as I walked in I was completely overwhelmed. There are so many things out there for babies and I don't know what is good and what is not. I am not sure of the things I need to have and the things I will never use. This being my first pregnancy I am at a lost for what baby supplies are necessary (besides the obvious like the car seat, stoller, crib, diaper table). So I am asking all you moms out there what baby items are your favorite that you don't think you could do without and what are those items that you might have bought and never really used? Thank you for any advice.
Gripe water here in the uk hasnt contained any alcahol for years, and all health visitors and midwives tell you not to use baby powder as its related to respretry problems. Is talcum powder safe for babies?
To be honest that list from toys r us is a costly crazy one theres stuff on there you would never use let alone need and so many things you wont need for months maybe even a year, there are perfectly good guidelines on places like the huggies site and pampers.
I warn you now though there is so much conflicting advice its crazy and i do believe that when it comes down to it your gut instinct goes alot farther than you realise.
Gripe water here in the uk hasnt contained any alcahol for years, and all health visitors and midwives tell you not to use baby powder as its related to respretry problems. Is talcum powder safe for babies?
To be honest that list from toys r us is a costly crazy one theres stuff on there you would never use let alone need and so many things you wont need for months maybe even a year, there are perfectly good guidelines on places like the huggies site and pampers.
I warn you now though there is so much conflicting advice its crazy and i do believe that when it comes down to it your gut instinct goes alot farther than you realise.
I could not use talcum powder either, because it irritated my baby's skin as she had cradle cap and it effected her neck and inside of elbows too.
I agree with CBW, buying all the things from the Toys R us list is not neccessary, and that by buying the basic neccessities is good,but other than that best is to follow own instincts.
And babies outgrow clothes and booties, better to have one good pair that fits and is comfortable.Clothes that could be easily changed are good to have (especially for when the baby is at home) as they get dirty so quicky with drool and formula and "throw ups".
The baby suits that have buttons at the bottom are so easy, to change and clean whenever neccessary.
If you Bekha plan on breast feeding, get some clothes/tops with buttons in the front, easy for feeding.And a nursing bra too is good to have.
And girdles, I had one and it helped support my back and tummy the first month.
hi, the list is endless, apart from the obvious, i would recommend you buy some kind of medicine or solution for colic, my boy had it from 3 days old and he wud cry non-stop, cos of the windy stomache, i luved and used infacol (in the UK might be different where u live) i used to give it him a while before his feed time and it wud sooth his stomach. i also never bought any baby toilitries the only things i used on him was baby oil/olive oil for his massages, water and cotton wool to clean his face, eyes and bottom - no baby wipes, and for his bath just warm water and that all. its not as if babies get dirty so i recommend dont use harsh shampoos and lotions on their delicate skin.
Essential items you will need:- moses basket or basinette - easier than crib cos you can take it up at night and put it beside ur bed, depending on size of baby they last bout 6 months and then u can invest in a cot, my wee boy has a cot bed, when he turned 2 i turned it into a bed, money saving and the cot gets good use out of it, bouncy/rocking chair great to keep the baby in, and theres new ones out now which have an automatic rocking and music feature on them so you dont have to do anything, just press the button, there great if ur working in the kitchen or in the garden, take baby along with you, playmats with dangling toys, great to keep babies entertained, my boys spent most of his baby days under that thing - lol. bottle steriliser, baby monitors these are all items you can buy and invest in over the years as long as they are neutral colours which go for both girl or boy.
one last thing i wud like to say is dont buy alot of clothing before the birth, i know its hard when ur shopping and cant keep urself from buying those cute outfits, im also guilty of this but my husbands the one with his head screwed on. i only bought a pack of baby vests and a 3 pack of baby romper suits (the top til toe suits) both in the unisex range as i didn't know wat i was havin. as soon as the baby was born - a boy @ midnite my husband went out the followin mornin and bought sum boyish clothing, and then on top of that his grandparents - both sides, aunties, uncles, cousins friends, neighbours all gave him clothing gifts and before i knew it he had a better wardrobe collection than me - lol.
anyway this post is gettin wayyy toooo looong, i wud just like to add think practically with wat u buy especially if finances are a problem and babies are expensive. and all the best and hope you have a great pregnancy anda great time shopping. hope i was helpful
the disposable breast pads, tuks pads (for your lady parts), a binky clip (best invention ever!), the baby sleep bags (awesome for easy changing and naps), sleep and play outfits (easy access), milk storage bags (these are awesome if you pump, because you can freeze them and stock up for when nursing isnt the easiest) birdseye diapers (make great burp clothes), those travel bags for diapers that you just roll out of the little clip (great for when no trash can is around), mylecon, buy different types of binkys if you plan on using them, as your child will most likely reject the one you stock up on...lol..., butt paste (it is actually called this) best diaper creme I have ever used, Hylands teething tablets (I swore by these, but some parents I talked to said they didnt work for their child), oscillating (bouncy) chair (god's gift to mothers), the infant carrier rather than the carseat that stays in the car (a lot of parents are choosing the kind that stays in your car to save some money in the future, but it is so worth it for the ability to snap the carrier out of the car and into the stroller or vice-versa without waking the baby...) if you are expecting a winter baby - a bunting (coat that covers the whole body like a bag with a little hole between the legs for the carseat belt to slip through - much easier than blankets) I cant think of anything else that hasnt been mentioned, and I may have repeated some things....
Here's a list of things I bought or received that I rarely if ever used:
Baby wash cloths and towels - really soft regular wash cloths work just as well if not better. I had around thirty of these things and just donated a good 20 of them unused and still folded the same way they were before my daughter was born. And you can use the regular ones that are designated for baby use well into the toddler and past years, or as long as the regular wash cloths last;
A baby tub - I really planned on using this but never did. After her cord came off, I used bath time as a Mommy-Daughter bonding experience where I brought her into the tub with me. I kept a comfy basket with a large (i.e., adult sized) soft towel next to the tub to place her when I got out. Now I use the basket for her laundry.
Fifty-million white t-shirts and onesies - I have about 49,999,990 of them still new ready to be donated. I kept her in footed pajamas from day one and didn't really get around to putting her in those t-shirts. You will need onesies, but try to limit yourself to ten. I love the footy pajamas. They are much more practical.
Tummy Time Mat - Okay, I had two of these, but guess what we used most often? A polar fleece blanket big enough for baby and a parent with baby's favorite objects just out of reach. More comfy and great for other uses, like snuggling with a toddler during reading a couple years later.
Too many toys - babies just don't need that many toys. A teether, a whoozit that can go anywhere, a rattle and a crib mirror are pretty much all that are necessary until the kid is old enough to sit up and/or crawl. Nothing like being a parent and shaking one of the million toys you bought for your brand new baby, only to hear her cry and want nothing but to be cuddled and sung to.
Now, the things I found I really needed:
Infant swing - while this item may only be useful for the first few months of life, it will give you some much needed sanity. I recommend the papasan cradle swing. You can change swinging from back-front to side-side with little effort. More naps will be taken in the swing than anywhere else.
cloth diapers to use as burp cloths - don't waste money on the flimsy things sold as burp cloths. Get the cloth diapers, thick gerber ones. They will absorb everything and save you that nice dress that you bought to go to dinner with your spouse for the first foray outside the house when Grandma comes to babysit.
bassinet or pack and play portable crib - I may not be in the majority, but I kept her in my room for the first few months. The family got more sleep as a result, and I didn't have to get out of bed to feed her every two hours.
swaddling blankets - I went through 1-2 of these a day. She loved to be swaddled tightly. They kept her warm and comforted during the day.
firmbeliever agrees: I have heard butt paste solves more than nappy rash..
Oh yes, its kind of pricy, but it works on heat rash, yeast infections, diaper rash, all kinds of things. and it works FAST! whch is so important with a baby in pain.. It really is amazing.
oh! I cant believe I forgot to add this to my list. its been a life saver for us with both my boys. LANSINOH. Its great for sore nipples when breastfeeding, but is an amazing diaper rash cream. virtually every one of the rashes were gone within 24 hours. comes in a purple tube, (usually in the feeding isle with bottles etc)
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