STM stuff you need/don't need/could need, etc.

[grumpycat]

Recommend your registry must haves for FTMs. Or STMs who need to go shopping.  

[grumpycat]

+ whatever to the nose frida. It's nasty but oddly satisfying. Always use saline with it to loosen up the boogers.

Baby carrier of some kind. Babywearing actually helps strength baby's core muscles (just like tummy time, but less screaming). It's also nice to be hands free sometimes.

HANDS FREE pumping bra. Ain't nobody got time to sit there holding suction cups for 15 minutes.

[quinn]

Nose Frida

Baby Breeza (if you formula feed)

Lots of onesies

Butt Paste

The makers of nose Frida make nail clippers too, and it works so well. No cuts on little fingers.

When I think of more I'll come back ☺

[cdnfarmgirl]

Muslin blankets. (Need)

A cheap swing- we got the mammaroo and my daughter hated it. Much preferred the one that my parents had that went faster

Baby carriers are handy

Lots of receiving blankets. My daughter was a puker so little burp cloths wouldn't cut it. She needed the full blanket

A diaper bag that isn't huge. I would always stuff it full and it's heavy to lug around.

[shibes]

Bumbo with tray. Seriously don't even need a high chair.

Muslin/Bamboo swaddle blankets (I've been hoarding Tula ones so I really don't need to buy anymore).

One piece long PJ dress like things with the stretchy elastic bottom and the little cuff things that fold over the hands. No fighting with pants for diaper changes and no scratched up face.

If I pump I will get some sort of system where I pump directly into the bag it stores in. +1 to the Hands free nursing bra.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[quinn]

Those swaddle suits that Velcro. They work much better than blankets when baby starts to escape.

A boppy.

A mirror for the car so you can see them in the rear-facing carseat.

Paci clips so you don't have to search under their butt for a lost paci.

Instead of mittens, just use baby socks for their hands to keep from scratching. They stay on better IMO anyways.

[peggels24]

Jun 1, 2017 11:41:36 GMT -6 cdnfarmgirl said:

Muslin blankets. (Need)

A cheap swing- we got the mammaroo and my daughter hated it. Much preferred the one that my parents had that went faster

Baby carriers are handy

Lots of receiving blankets. My daughter was a puker so little burp cloths wouldn't cut it. She needed the full blanket

A diaper bag that isn't huge. I would always stuff it full and it's heavy to lug around.

So true to the diaper bag - I was carrying the diaper bag into the babysitter's today and I was like "what the hell is in here?  I need to empty it out"  

[peggels24]

The best advice I have is not to get too much of one thing. Your baby may hate being swaddled and you need regular sleep sacks instead of swaddling ones. Your baby may react to butt paste (which I adore) but maybe Aquaphor works wonders. Same thing with body wash / shampoo - try to get the travel size in the beginning so you can see if you like it. You never know what your baby is going to like / react to.

If you can borrow a swing (even for a little bit of time), do it - then you can determine if it's worth buying one - not all babies like it.

I love the pjs or the long sleeve onesies / shirts with the mittens built in.

I wouldn't survive without my changing table but I know some people prefer changing on the floor / couch / etc.

Boppy

+1 to Nose Frida and pacifier clips


Zipper sleep n plays - the little sleepers with the snaps can be super annoying when you are changing baby for the 10 millionth time that day (if you worry about baby being cold when you unzip it to change them - either have a onesie on underneath or just toss a blanket over baby's chest while you do the diaper change).

If anyone has a suggestion for a diaper pail, I'm all ears.

[doxiemama]

I'm in the market for a 2 camera monitor set if anyone has one they love.  I currently have a summer infant one that interferes with my wifi and generally I just don't love it so I'm going to buy a new set and leave this one at my dad's house, rather than buy an additional camera.

I love this white noise machine and will be buying a second.  www.amazon.com/Marpac-Dohm-DS-Natural-Sound-Machine/dp/B00HD0ELFK/

Halo swaddles were my favorite.  I did not have the attention span to learn how to burrito a baby with a blanket in the newborn haze.  Also I liked that they zip open from the bottom so MOTN diaper changes were easier.

Zutano booties were way better than socks so I'll be buying another set or two for this fall/winter baby.

Boon lawn drying rack for pump parts/bottle parts/sippy cups/wine glasses.  I still use ours 2+ years later and might keep it out forever. 

Did not end up using: bottle sterilizer (PITA, just throw them in the dishwasher or boil them in water), baby mittens.  Also I got so sick of cleaning our Crane drop humidifier so I bought a different one last year.  The Crane ones are so hard to clean and the shape makes them hard to fill, too.

[thatgolfb]

Swaddle blankets, Aden and Anais is the best brand

Halo swaddle sacks while they cant roll and then sleep sacks after they can roll

Hands free pumping bra. I had this one and loved it.

Rock and play with vibration for before baby can roll. It was the only place my kid slept for a few weeks.

Bassinet to keep in my bedroom for fhe first few months. We moved DD to her crib at 3 months or so but many parents keep their kid in the room longer. It does make it easier for BFing.

Baby bouncer. Easy to move and can plop them in there and put it in the bathroom to take showers while you can still watch them

Highly recommend a rocker or glider

Lots of onesies and sleep and plays. My kid was basically always in one or the other for months.

Stroller with bucket seat attachment. I love our Britax B agile stroller- super light and easy to fold with one hand, and the Chaperone bucket seat attached.

Do not need: anything other than a fitted sheet for the crib

We never used a diaper genie or bottle warmer. My kid was fine with room temp bottles.

For milk storage, I used Lanisoh milk bags, lied flat in the freezer to freeze, then organized in a shoe box in the freezer by date. It worked great.

I'm sure I will think of more as I read.

[thatgolfb]

Oh boppy is great. I didn't use the nursing one (just used pillows), but I used the one I could just plop baby in.

Oh highly highly recommend the pack and play with newborn sleeper and changing table attachment.

[thatgolfb]

We never used a bumbo.

[thatgolfb]

We used a regular trash can for diapers and just got little deodorizer pods.

[thatgolfb]

Jun 1, 2017 12:48:00 GMT -6 peggels24 said:

The best advice I have is not to get too much of one thing. Your baby may hate being swaddled and you need regular sleep sacks instead of swaddling ones. Your baby may react to butt paste (which I adore) but maybe Aquaphor works wonders. Same thing with body wash / shampoo - try to get the travel size in the beginning so you can see if you like it. You never know what your baby is going to like / react to.

If you can borrow a swing (even for a little bit of time), do it - then you can determine if it's worth buying one - not all babies like it.

I love the pjs or the long sleeve onesies / shirts with the mittens built in.

I wouldn't survive without my changing table but I know some people prefer changing on the floor / couch / etc.

Boppy

+1 to Nose Frida and pacifier clips


Zipper sleep n plays - the little sleepers with the snaps can be super annoying when you are changing baby for the 10 millionth time that day (if you worry about baby being cold when you unzip it to change them - either have a onesie on underneath or just toss a blanket over baby's chest while you do the diaper change).

If anyone has a suggestion for a diaper pail, I'm all ears.

Oh 100% yes to zippers >>>> snaps. Or God forbid actual buttons. Nope.

[bazi]

Velcro swaddles
Rock n play with vibrations
Some kind of babywearing device - I liked K'tan for around the house and Ergo for long walks
Merlin sleepsuit for when they cant be swaddled anymore
Triple paste for diaper rash (and really any other skin irritation)
Nose frida

[thatgolfb]

Yessss to white noise machines. We had a little portable giraffe one for the pack and play and for travel and one in her room.

[bazi]

+100 to the zippers and white noise machine.

And agree with not buying too many of one thing...I had like three miracle blankets only to discover my ninja newborn could bust out of them in seconds.

Other things I did not like - the fisher price bassinet. It was a bitch to clean and did not rock smoothly. We ended up using the pack n play bassinet. If you use that and your baby is a spitter - buy a lot of extra sheets.

[you]

This is very non traditional, but I also currently shopping for luggage cubes for a diaper bag.
A bag for diapers and wipes, toys, clothes, food/drink.
People gifted us nice totes custom made for J at his birth and everything gets lost in them.

[peggels24]

Jun 1, 2017 13:02:40 GMT -6 bazi said:

+100 to the zippers and white noise machine.

And agree with not buying too many of one thing...I had like three miracle blankets only to discover my ninja newborn could bust out of them in seconds.

Other things I did not like - the fisher price bassinet. It was a bitch to clean and did not rock smoothly. We ended up using the pack n play bassinet. If you use that and your baby is a spitter - buy a lot of extra sheets.

Oh agree on the PNP sheets.  We used the PNP downstairs for naps (and containment when I needed to do something else) and I was constantly changing the sheets.  

[peggels24]

Jun 1, 2017 13:00:31 GMT -6 thatgolfb said:

Yessss to white noise machines. We had a little portable giraffe one for the pack and play and for travel and one in her room.

We still use her sleep lamb every night.  

[peggels24]

Jun 1, 2017 12:59:04 GMT -6 thatgolfb said:

We used a regular trash can for diapers and just got little deodorizer pods.

We have been through so many diaper pails.  I think that the diaper genie is the actual worst for odors

[bubbles]

+1 to sound machine, nose Frieda, and using a garbage can instead of a diaper genie.
I also gave bottles at room temp that way I didn't have to worry about when out of the house.

Pajamas with zippers instead of buttons. Fumbling with buttons in the MOTN isn't fun.

[grumpycat]

+1 to the pack n play with changing station and bassinet. I'd bring DS downstairs in the MOTN and put him in the bassinet to sleep so DH could get some rest before waking up for work. Also, my couch is super comfy so I'd just curl up and sleep there. He also napped in the bassinet downstairs or the rock n play.

We used a dropcam for a monitor. It uses your wifi and you watch through an app on your phone. It's password protected as well.

We still use a diaper pail. The version that came out before this one: www.target.com/p/munchkin-pail-153-diaper-pail-powered-by-arm-hammer-153/-/A-49180061

Borrow baby clothes, buy from consignment stores. Don't get too much NB sized stuff. DS was a peanut so he was in NB for like 2 months so I ended up going out and buying more sleepers for him. But most babies are only in them for a few weeks if that.

+1 to borrowing a swing/bouncer/rock n play/as much equipment as you can. It's stupid expensive and you can usually wash all of the cloth components. Also, if baby doesn't like something, at least you didn't pay for it!

When people ask what they can get you, DIAPERS. We didn't buy diapers for at least 6 months after DS was born because our friends/family members would just bring a pack over or sent them as baby gifts. Obviously doesn't apply if you are doing cloth diapers.

We did not have a rocker or slider when DS was little. I honestly didn't mind. I'd throw him in the k'tan and do my business, but my MIL/mom complained. DS was a velcro baby and just wanted to be held/walked. My MIL eventually just got us a rocking chair. To this day, I've never used it to rock him to sleep. *shrugs*


Looking back
Would not get: highchair -- would have just gotten the kind that you stick on the side of your table, fancy clothes -- DS was in sleepers for most of his first few months, who cares what a newborn is wearing -- ALSO they poop A LOT and it's messy.

[you]

Food - try to get as many free samples of bottles as possible before buying them. One kid was picky and the other wasn't. Try the simpler bottles first - no one has time for washing complex parts.
If you pump, get spare parts. Look to see for you can pump directly into the bottles with an attachment. If you use the spectra pump, use the Medela bottles with the attachment.
I pumped and drove a lot with D. Car charger was a must.

Baby containment - I bought the basic pack n play and never regretted it. They didn't have these available, but I think there are more portable containment devices now that they can nap in and play. Maybe it is called lotus?
Both kids hated the swing. A portable resting place for baby is very helpful though.
Our kids went to daycare and used the bumpo there. We didn't have a need at home, but the boppy is great for early sitters.

White noise machine is baby crack.

One of my kids was a spitter and needed lots of clothes. The other wasn't. We still use receiving blankets as a pad to change diapers.

One loved to be swaddled. The other didn't. We barely used those special wraps. The kids broke out. We used a swaddle technique with a receiving blankets and swaddle blanket that was amazing. We liked the sleep sacks to keep them warm.

No diaper pail. Just a small regular trash can that closed well.

[thatgolfb]

Jun 1, 2017 13:07:39 GMT -6 peggels24 said:

Jun 1, 2017 13:02:40 GMT -6 bazi said:

+100 to the zippers and white noise machine.

And agree with not buying too many of one thing...I had like three miracle blankets only to discover my ninja newborn could bust out of them in seconds.

Other things I did not like - the fisher price bassinet. It was a bitch to clean and did not rock smoothly. We ended up using the pack n play bassinet. If you use that and your baby is a spitter - buy a lot of extra sheets.

Oh agree on the PNP sheets.  We used the PNP downstairs for naps (and containment when I needed to do something else) and I was constantly changing the sheets.  

+1

[AnnPerkins]

Target has footed sleepers that have the zipper end at the foot rather than neck. Get those. Or ones with snaps. Anything that requires as little hassle to get to the diaper as possible.

[quinn]

peggels24 I use Dèkor diaper pails. I have 1 in his room and 1 in the downstairs bathroom. They work well and I like the design.

[clucky]

Mine turned into a list with tips 

Muslin blankets - great for covering baby in the car seat to keep sun out of eyes, covering baby once in car seat (layers on top, not under harness), aying on the floor for tummy time, etc

BabyComfyNose gets my booger sucker vote

Swing that has different angles

mini crock pot - perfect for heating bottles and it is meant to stay on and hold temp, plus under $2 at 2nd hand stores or free from a friend with one in the cabinet.

The fat stack of Gerber cloth diaper insert things to use as burp cloths

Woombie = swaddling for dummies and no LOUD velcro, your welcome. Mir also doesn't creep up around their faces

white noise machine is helpful too

heating pad - lay it down to warm up the spot baby will be moved to - remove first, then lay baby down

Diaper bag that is LIGHT without anything in it and has good organization inside

Butt paste

Little baby wash clothes and baby bathtub (our hospital gives them out)

The peri bottle will come in handy for baby bath time, so keep it and clean it


Breastfeeding aids: empty wipes container to freeze milk bags flat, store in marked gallon ziploc bags

Find an IBCLC to help your journey.  Look up local breastfeeding groups.

Hands-free pumping bra - mine is from Simple Wishes

Lanolin and breast pads (I really like Johnson and Johnson disposable, Bamboobies are a great washable)



not necessary 

Do not stock up on NB or size 1 diapers, they will fly though them

You don't need to buy a wipe warmer - unless you are CD a/o making your own wipes

my kids didn't fit in the boppy, even though they are skinny with skinny legs, they would get stuck

none of my kids liked the PNP

There also isn't really a need for a full comforter/bedding set.  Bumpers are only useful once LO gets big enough to stand and chew on the bedframe.  The comforter isn't used for anything but decoration.  Buy a few crib sheets and waterproof mattress pads.

[bethers]

No to wipe warmer, bottle warmer (never felt like it worked) and definitely no to sleepers that snap! Can't tell you the number of MON diaper changes where I missed a snap and had to start again. No to winter coat! Never used it because he was so small that if he was outside, it was just to go inside from the car and he went in his car seat with blankets.

Peggels had it right - don't stock up in too much of anything. For example, DS leaked in Huggies but did better in Pampers.

Loved: our swing (fisher price), halo sleepnsacks (because I was terrible at swaddling), stroller with car seat adapter. Also for what it's worth, our Land of Nod crib sheets have been going strong for 2 years and still look great. Oh - make sure you have a waterproof mattress cover - very important!

Recommend having bottles even if you intend to breastfeed- sometimes things don't go according to plan, and you may need/want to supplement or pump. Also - learn about your pump before giving birth! I had to pump and was scared of the contraption!!

[pootsen]

Don't buy too many of one type of bottle. I bought like a 50 pack of those Aveda bottles and never used them. Get one or two, try them out, and you can always buy different ones if baby doesnt take to it. DS ended up liking dr. Browns bottles and they were a PITA bc they have like 4 pieces (with a vent thingy) but he never had any issues with gas so it was worth it.

I also used to hand wash and sterilize his bottles- this took so much time and wasn't necessary- just throw everything in the dishwasher.

+whatever to the nose frida. Pissed DS off but it worked great.

My parents gifted us a big cushy recliner and it's the best- I would choose it over a glider any day. There were so many times that I would recline while holding DS and we would both sleep. Actually this just happened last week and he's 3 haha.

Things on wheels- bassinets, high chairs- were great for moving baby around.