question for parents re:baby gift registry

[lynetteSC]

Hi guys! Ok, we are going soon to register for our 1st baby at the area baby store. Obviously, we haven't done this before so I have several questions:

~ What did you forget to register for?

~ What do you wish you would have registered for?

~ What was/were the one or two items you couldn't live without?

Basically,we are just asking for any and all advice!

I know we need to ask for the basic stuff (onesies, bibs,blankets, bottles, etc) mainly, we are wondering about the things that are not so obvious. Example, someone told us don't forget to get (not necessarily register for) batteries for the swing and bouncy seat if required.

Thanks in advance!

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

I absolutely could not have gotten by without an Exersaucer. You won't need it until around 4 months.

I've used many different car seats with my 3 children. My all time favorite is by Britax. They are expensive but worth every penny!

Lori

 

[wuv tigger]

EXTRA BINKIES OR PACIFIERS (if your baby uses them) & the clips to keep them attached to the baby while outside the home ... there is NOTHING worse than being out & having to find a store that has the "specific" brand your baby uses ... this usually happens to us when we have traveled & are NOWHERE near a WalMart.

AN EXERSAUCER!!!

BULB SYRYINGE (1st years has one w/ an wash out plug)

DIGITAL RECTAL THERMOMETER - find the one that is HUGE looking (you CAN'T put it in too far: which is always my fear)
*** our peds MD wants us NOT to use ANY mecury thermometer**

SWING- this is something that can be borrowed

EXTRA DIAPER BAG (packed & to keep in the car for use during emergencies)

NEW SHIRTS for YOU both that will hide the soon to be noticed spit up stains

SHOUT stain remover (COSTCO has a refill along w/ a gallon jug of this for a reasonable price)

PACKNPLAY: try it out in the store, take it down, set it up & try to fit it back in the bag (our Babies R Us helped us with ALL of this & it made my choice so much easier)

NICE HANGERS

SLEEP ... but we're still not sleeping through the night & grandparents in our church tell us this won't happen any time soon

Hope this helps,
Judy

 

[swea_pea1]

The humidifier was a God-send for me. Another gift I really liked (but didn't ask for) was a baby time capsule thing. You can keep bigger stuff than in a baby book and I just love to pull it out and look at her first little booties....

 

[floridaminnie]

Cloth Diapers...used them as burp/spit clothes.

 

[KimRaye]

film/camera, batteries, memory, whatever

stamps to mail pictures

photo albums/baby book

just a few

 

[MerryPoppins]

a sling ( I liked it much better than a front pack)

a package of cheap adult washcloths (they are great for spitup or just wiping any mess and they wash great)

ample blankets (I don't like the size of many receiving blankets)

night light for the baby's room (it's nice to change a diaper without getting them too awake when you turn on the light)

knit crib sheets (the ones that feel like a t-shirt are easy to get on and off and sooo soft!)

a radio (suggested to me by the nurses at the hospital - they played one all the time and said noises would never bother my kids if I kept them used to the music while they slept. It worked like a charm and we even had barking dogs! And I varied the station, so they listened to classical, rock, easy listening. My kids are very musical and I wonder if it's partly due to all the music they heard.)

I'll add more if I think of anything!

 

[mom2bandp]

Ultimate Wipes Warmer (I didn't really think this was a necessity with our first baby, but after I got one with our second I fell in love with it! It's especially wonderful during the winter!)

Baby Gowns (Used these on both sons; made middle of the night diaper changes so easy because there are no snaps to deal with.)

Sheet Saver (It's great to not have to change the sheet just because of spit-up; you can just remove and launder the sheet saver.)

Disposable Bibs (Really nice to have at restaurants...and Disney!)

Disposable Changing Pads (Used these underneath the changing pad that came with my diaper bag, to keep it just a little more sanitary.)

Antibacterial wipes (For when you're out and want to wipe down a restaurant high chair, shopping buggy, etc.)

And I totally agree about the Exersaucer, cloth diapers (for burp clothes), pacifier clips and ample sized blankets (although the actual receiving blankets are good for swaddling)!

Congratulations on your upcoming arrival!

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

My son and daughter loved their bouncy seat. I also agree about the exersaucer. Son loved the swing, sat in it for hours. My daughter will stay in the swing for 20 min. max. My son loved his jumper(you attach it above the door) and they jump away. Daughter is too young for it yet. Alot of the everday stuff you'll use like wipes, diapers, pacifiers etc is hard to buy prior to baby, especially with the 1st. You don't know which ones you'll like. And with pacifiers, babies prefer one over the other. At least my daughter does. She loves her avent pacifier, spits out the others. LOL Son never took a pacifier. Also may need head support for car seat. Some kind of music type thing that attaches to the crib. Oh how about one of those music, light things the baby lies under. My daughter has the fisher price one and she loves it. Good Luck!

 

[CEDmom]

The vapor-eze waterless vaporizer. No need to mess with water or worry about getting burned or making a mess. Here's a link:

http://www.onestepahead.com/jump.js...6&itemType=PRODUCT&iProductID=1076&change=117

An activity mat is great for when your baby is a few months old buy not really mobile.

 

[mtemm]

best advice is to get the book Baby Bargains by Alan and Denise Fields. They give some great breakdowns, and have a sample registry in the back. Really helped me when I registered when pg with my son.

As for 2 items I couldn't live without?

bouncy seat and baby bjorn!


one or 2 items I could live without? hmmm....let me think on that and I'll get back to you. Off to take my glucose test (lucky me!) and I'll think about it during the wait.

Congrats and have fun registering!!!!

 

[Pooh67_68]

How about a fire alarm for the baby room. I know that most people have fire alarms in their house, but I think one in the baby's room is a good idea. A couple of years ago I bought one for a friend who just happened to work as a dispatcher for the police and she thought it was one of the best gifts that she recieved.

 

[skuttle]

~What did you forget to register for?

I think the only thing I forgot to register for were baby socks. I definitely should have registered for more bibs! We go through those things like crazy now that DS is on solids, but even before when he was just on formula. Don't forget to register for things that baby will need later down the line, like sippy cups, spoons, bowls, bath toys, etc.

~ What do you wish you would have registered for?

Exersaucer...we didn't register for one because we thought they were expensive and we wouldn't use it much. Around 4 months we decided to get one for DS after doing more research and it has been a lifesaver lately. DS LOVES to be able to stand up!

~ What was/were the one or two items you couldn't live?

Couldn't live w/o:
Travel system
Without a doubt the swing!
Lots of bibs, onesies and socks.
Comfy glider and ottoman

Could live w/o:
Wipe warmer
Baby monitor (our house is small and DS is loud. )


My DS NEVER took a pacifier, so I wouldn't register for too many just yet. I did register for a few to have them on hand.

I did register for the cloth diapers to use as burp clothes, but I rarely use them. DS never spit up much. Plus, I found the cloth diapers too thick...I rathered the "real" burp clothes because they were thinner.

Don't forget extra sheets, changing pad covers, etc.

Also, I registered for a lot of stuff for breastfeeding because I planned on doing it. I tried to breastfeed in the hospital but it didn't work out. So if you do register for and get breastfeeding stuff, I wouldn't open it until you know for sure you can breastfeed successfully.

 

[huey duey & luey]

Definately a swing, baby Einstein dvds. If you plan on going for a lot of walks, you must look into a jogger stroller. They are fantastic. A lso depending on where you will be spending most of your time, I found that a 2nd changing table in that room was really helpful.
Tara

 

[Kimberle]

If you're planning on using bottles, don't register for or buy to many before the baby comes. But just 1 or 2 of several different styles.

I tried about 4 different styles before I found one that Brittany liked. I ended up throwing away several hundred dollars worth of Advent bottles, barely used.

When your babe "tells" you which bottle s/he prefers, you can buy more then.

 

[sap1227]

Recharagable batteries. I tried to convince DH that we needed to get them when I was pregnant with DS#1 and he did not think we would need them. In the last month we have spent a small fortune in rechargable batteries, but we will be ready when this baby comes!

Christy

 

[Shannon G]

The bouncy seat was the best! DD loved to sit in it, and would fall asleep in it too. It was also lightweight enough that it's very convenient to move it from one room to another, so she could see me, and yet I could get things done.

A pack n' play is also a good idea. We didn't use it much when DD was really young, but from about 8 or 9 months on we have used it a lot! It's great when we go out to a friend's house for the evening or something like that - we can just set it up in a bedroom and put her to bed at her normal time while we visit. I actually keep it in my car all the time so we always have it with us.

DD also loved the exersaucer (starting at about 5 months, I think) and the jumper that hangs up - she LOVED to bounce around it that!

Lots of burp cloths, t-shirts, gowns, sleepers. I agree that it's tough to get a lot of pacifiers or bottles before the baby comes, because different babies like different ones. DD liked the Nuk pacifiers - she didn't want any other.

 

[lynetteSC]

Thanks everyone! I knew you guys would think of things we didn't!!!!!

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

Lynette,

Lands End sells the softest knit crib sheets. The pockets are extra large and that helps when changing the sheets. It is a royal pain to change crib sheets. You can not wear these sheets out. They will last for many babies to come. You can go to landsend.com or now that Sears' has bought out Lands End you might be able to find them at Sears.

mtemm,

Sorry to hear about the glucose test. I would almost gag having to drink that stuff. Pure Torture! I hope everything comes out okay. I was gestational diabetic with my middle child. I lost a lot of weight before my 3rd and I was lucky not to have gd.

Lori

 

[DD2Disney]

my one must have item was the baby swing. It saved our lives. I just wanted to agree with some of the people above about buying some stuff early. My son only liked one kind of binky (pretty normal) he only liked one style of nipple on the bottles. And he was too big for the newborn size diapers when we brought him home and silly me had already opened up the packages and put them in the diaper stackers...lol don't do that.

Have fun what a wonderful time.

Tricia