Advise Needed From Veteran Moms: What Equipment, Etc REALLY helped you w/ your Baby?

[Fossette]

Just curious what you consider absolute necessities.

We went way overboard and got *everything* with my twins. Most ended up never getting touched.

As far as I'm concerned the only things I need to have to bring him home are:

a place to sleep (we have pack and plays from the kids, but I want a bassinette)

Diapers

Warm clothes

Feeding system (ideally the breast for me)

car seat

Everything else can be gotten later or as needed.

I'd like to have a bouncy seat already (i want the fisher price baby papasan) but again, we could always run out and get that later too.

[RobinL]

I think it's so funny that you posted this!! I wanted to write something similar on the pinned post up above, but I didn't want to be seen as a baby "scrooge"!!! I try to keep things simple too. I remember my mother saying that in her day, some people brought the baby home and let it sleep in an open bottom dresser drawer!! The baby business really is such a business! It's like getting married. I feel like everyone wants to make money off of you. Really, you just need a place for it to sleep, food, clothing, diapers, a safe carseat and love. Everything else is really extra! Everyone stresses so much about what to buy ahead of time, but you really don't need EVERYTHING and you really don't have to have it all by the time the baby is born. Scrooge! I know!
Of course, all that other stuff IS fun!!

[Elizabeth]

I don't think the word minimalists is in my vocabulary but I'll try to play along!

This baby will have his car seat, at arms reach co-sleeper (in my room), bassinet for the great room (because I already have it), the nursery will be set up and completely decorated and furnished (but that's not absolutely necessary) and I feel a swing that reclines is a must. It saved my life with Madalyn - when nothing/no one could get her to sleep the swing worked like a charm! And of course food (preferably the breast here too), diapers and clothes (which I'm pretty much set in that area)!

I do think with our babies (fall) being due so close to the holidays that it will be easier to get things/shopping done before they arrive. At least that was my experience with Madalyn. She was born on Nov 15 and it was nice to have everything already bought.

[allidee]

When we were in Oklahoma waiting for ICPC clearance after Adrianna's adoption she did just that! We took the bottom drawer out of the dresser and made it into a makeshift bassinette. She was none the wiser, and has turned out just fine.

After two kids and now expecting number three I have finally taken a pared down approach to baby gear. With each one I have relaized that there is so much that can be easily done without. Adrianna had brand new everything...Sophia has done quite well with her sisters hand-me-down clothes and toys...and Zachary will be wearing a lot of wonderful clothes that my girlfriends boys wore.

As far as gear goes right from the start...we will use an infant car seat and a sling for getting Zachary from point A to point B...he'll sleep in an antique bassinette that my aunt restored, Adrianna finally got to sleep in that when we got home from OK and Sophia slept in it is as well. I can't see doing without a bouncy seat and we too are looking at the FP baby papasan...the bouncy the girls used is really beat at this point. Besides the above items I won't need bottles and such unless we have feeding problems like we had with Sophia.

Great thread!

[Cheez-It]

Also glad to see this post!! And Robin....crack me up...you baby scrooge you!

About four months ago I made a baby needs list on my spreadsheet program. Complete with numbers of items, prices etc. And it was TWO pages worth of stuff. As time has moved on and I've actually explored the stores and also checked my budget and my sanity, which is directly related to my budget, what the heck was I thinking with this list!!!!

Once the crib, mattress and drawers were bought my mom proclaimed...well you have just about everything you need except the car seat, changing table and basic layette items like sheets and layette clothes. Oh no! I've got to get the electric diaper eater (Genie), the wicker hamper and basket set with gingham liners, the over priced crib set even though you can't use the comforter/quilt, the soft carrier, and hard seat carrier, the this...the that...the right amount of toys to build her intellect etc etc

Yet somehow the kids in my family did just fine in my mom's nursery which was a crib, a chest of drawers, and a BATHINETTE which ya just can't find a good one here. (it is for those that don't know a changing table that the top lifts up and underneath is the baby tub which I would desparately love with my arthritis) And of course the slothes we had side snap t's (not sure they had onesies back then but mom likes them), gowns, pjs, a few play outfits, socks and of course the sweater because mom says so.

So I have knocked things off my list...I'd say the basics and absolutes for me are:

crib, chest of drawers (I have NO closet or drawer space) and a changing table...bathinette if I can find one. Yes to the hamper and even the genie (but I do not really need the fancy wicker with liner hamper) and a cheap waste paper basket for qtips swabs etc.

a few sheets, a few blankets for swaddling and the Halo sleep sack for cold weather sleeping, a few washclothes and towels. A package of cloth diapers for burping and "messy scenes."

car seat, basic stroller (not a fancy one) and one soft carrier. (I've taken all the great advice to my thread on travel systems to heart)

Diaper bag and health items like thermeter etc.

breast pump (I'm planning on continuing BFing when I go back to work so I will need to pump), one set of bottles, and pads and creme and bras.

As for clothes I am buying minimal of the two small sizes (0-3 and 3-6) because I have no idea which size she will be in. I do know she is growing big so just to make sure I am getting each size but only one package a piece of say onesies till she is here and I can gauge what size we are really dealing with. So: onesies, side snap ts, 2 gowns, and a few pairs of pjs, socks, and a few summer rompers, a sun hat, and yes even though she is going to be an August gal...socks.

[comp13]

After having twins and receiving a lot of generous gifts, I realized too that there are things you just don't need. Like everyone said I MUST have a vibrating bouncy seat. My kids hated it! They preferred their carseats. I'm glad I only purchased 1 swing, that's all I ever needed. I also never had a need for a bottle warmer. I pumped for the girls and just warmed the breast milk up with tap water and it was must quicker and easier to operate at 2 in the morning. Also, I was given a TON of beautiful 0-3 months outfits that they only wore for about 3 weeks!

Things I definetly need this time:
Boppy (a life saver with my girls)
Crib
Cradle (for the first 6 months)
New crib sheets (NOT a fancy comforter set)
Swing
Car seat
Breasts (for feeding)
Pump/bottles (so my dh can feed too)
Stroller
Only a FEW 0-3 month outfits (which I have covered it it's a girl!)
Diaper Genie (a must for my very small house!)

comp13
Twin dd's 3/21/01
#3 Sched c/s 7/28/04

[Fossette]

Hey comp, we haven't seen you on multis in a while Glad to hear of your pregnancy

Its funny how different kids are. We loved our bouncy seats but sold our swings because my kids hated them. I'll look at consignment or borrow one this time to see if he likes it.

For those of you who have had full or near full term babies, how big were they that they only wore 0-3m stuff for such a short period of time? I think my perception is skewered because mine were preemies. I have 2 gowns and maybe 5 or 6 sleepers in 0-3. Should I stop there and start 3-6?


fossie

ps. i agree abou tthe bottle warmer-can't use one for two babies anyway and I found they often got too hot. When the kids were eating every 2-3 hours we'd feed, then take another bottle from a very very cold fridge (almost frozen) and let it warm bedside-it would be perfect by the next feed (breastmilk as well)

[Elizabeth]

Madalyn weighed almost 9 pounds but wore her 0-3 month clothes for at least 3 months!

[comp13]

Thanks Fossie! I expect to be on the multiples board more often. . .I stop work in July Congrats on pregnancy too!

I think you have enough sleepers, but you may want to pick up a few extra gowns to be safe. As you know, with having two of everything with twins-I'm not too sure what the normal count is. The girls were only 7.01 and 7.12 at birth, but they were pretty long (21 Inches). They were out of 0-3 by 2 months.

I really feel like this baby is getting "jipped" too. We had everything you can think of for the twins. . . now I'm having trouble thinking of things to actually purchase for the baby.

comp13
comp13
Twin dd's 3/21/01
#3 Sched c/s 7/28/04

[MamaBear]

Fossie...I think it totally depends on baby's birth size and then how quickly they grow afterward. My boys weren't "huge" at birth one was 8 lbs. the other 8 lbs. 7oz. and still drowned in 0-3 mos. clothes at birth. But, they grew really fast, especially Aidan who was 15 lbs. at 2 mos! My sister's girls on the other hand were smaller at birth than my boys, and are petite girls and stayed in those sizes a lot longer. Funny thing about Aidan, though he grew so fast initially, it has slowed and even 2T's are a little big on him now sometimes and he's almost 2 1/2! That's a very hard thing to judge ahead of time. I definitely wouldn't go over board buying 0-3 mos. but I wouldn't not get enough either, especially considering how many outfits a newborn can go through in just one day!