Share your best (and most used!) baby items

[momxx5]

Okay, a young, new, inexperinced mom would need a great safe carseat and stroller. You would be looking out for the baby's best interest.

Maybe have DBF have her look on line to pick a pattern or register.

 

[Forevryoung]

THANK YOU! I knew you guys would have some great products for me to look into.

I'm not going to purchase the stroller or carseat- I think he wanted to get them at least one thing that would be super helpful and wonderful but not necessarily a necessity, if you know what I mean. (Her parents are going to be helping out from what I understand).

I'm going to consider a bouncy seat and a convertable highchair instead of just doing the swing and I'll look into putting together a basket of smaller supplies (mylicon, tylenol, thermometer, soap, shampoo, lotion, bath supplies, diaper cloths...), as well as a boppy. DBF can include a gift certificate to Babies R Us for diapers, formula or anything else they need (including a stroller or carseat if they choose).

 

[Princess-in-Training]

Hi! A very quick vote for a sling/pouch, too! My Comfy Joey pouch is a life saver, and I've used it since DD was born (she's 21 months and I'm still using the pouch). check out www.comfyjoey.com -- the owner is an amazing person and these pouches are GORGEOUS!

 

[Perditamarie]

The things I absolutely needed for my babies were a swing and bouncy seat. Those papasan swings sure look comfy and the bumbie seats look fun too -- babies like to sit up and see around!

In retrospect, I wish I had known about Maclarens much, much earlier -- the travel system strollers are too heavy and bulky, but a Maclaren can be used from babyhood, toddlerhood and preschool and beyond if necessary!!!

Another idea could be some safety/babyproofing stuff like, especially gates and furniture straps (to secure heavy pieces like bureaus to the wall so they won't fall on baby when he/she starts to climb).

I also loved to take my kids for professional photos -- Sears had a club and the sitting fee was waived and specials were offered, etc. Maybe check that out, or also JC Penney's or The Picture People. I always thought a photo club membership or session would be an awesome gift.

 

[dunbarfamily]

You have a lot of advice here already. If you have room in your budget, why not buy some books? A good baby care book (like Dr. Sear's Baby Book) or some good children's classics (Goodnight Moon, Dr. Suess, etc).

Its never to early to build a child's library. I get each new baby I know a book. Parents love it! I'll write a little something on the inside, something like, "Welcome, baby x. May you enjoy many, many stories. Love, xxxx"

 

[isla bonita]

So much stuff you get is hardly used. I think you best bet is a carriage. I know we put a ton of miles on our combi.

 

[ksumn1]

I agree with the car seat and stroller suggestions as well as the bath and bascis idea. I don't know just how well you know her, but how about throwing in a nice nightgown or pj set to wear in the hospital or at home. Maybe one that buttons for easy nursing, Just so DM gets a little something too.

My family pitched in and cooked for us as well as cleaned a little. Maybe either your or other co workers could get a gift certificate to one of those advance meal preparation places or for a maid service. It really helped me out. Even the thought of cooking or cleaning in those 1st few weeks wore me out. And BTW, your DH sounds lake a GREAT guy.

 

[MouseLover]

A good car seat, stroller, and crib are mandatory. Since these will probably already be covered with grandparents help, I highly recommend a swing.

I do not have suggestions on brand, style, etc. My baby is almost 11, and I was thrilled with the open-top swing, which was relatively new back then. My daughter did not like her bouncy seat much.

I suggest getting the swing, maybe a bouncy seat and nursery monitor, and some of the small items mentioned. One of my very favorite things was an infant gown. These are unisex, made kind of like a dress, with an elastic/open bottom. So quick for middle-of-the-night diaper changes! Also a baby wipes warmer. It's a heating pad that wraps around the wipes container so they aren't so cold on baby's bottom.

You generally get lots of newborn and 3-month size baby clothes, that I generally buy bigger sizes. This is very useful for when your baby outgrows everything (which happens quickly) and you don't have lots of $$$. Anything left, I would put on a gift card to ToysRUs/Walmart/Target/etc. so they can buy diapers, formula, or whatever else they need. Babies can be choosy -- My daughter was bottle fed, and she liked exactly ONE kind of silicone nipple on her bottles and pacifier. Also, Pampers & Luvs fit her well, but Huggies tabs rubbed on her waist and just didn't fit as well around her legs. I liked Huggies wipes the best, because they felt really soft and weren't too wet or sudsy.

It is also nice to make a casserole and send over.

 

[Nanu57v]

One thing people said I wouldn't need was a microwave sterilizer. I got the AVENT one and used it a lot...even though DD was breastfed. I know you shot down the swing, but the one we loved was a cradle swing. We got Fisher Price Aquarium cradle swing (full size). Its on amazon. Also necessary were those gloves so baby wouldn't scratch her face, and good baby nail clippers. A bath sling. CD player. Cute diaper bag instead of the free ones from the hospital are a nice thing. I had a cute one that the plastic liner broke fairly soon (Winnie the Pooh from Walmart) so I used the hospital ones. I just bought myself a HAIKU toddler to go bag and it gives me a smile everytime I use it because its my one "nice" thing I got for myself. A nice fuzzy baby blanket (something I wanted but didn't get). Pampers Swaddlers (my fav. diaper but lots don't get because they are more expensive). Some Carter's terry cloth sleepers.

Fisher Price has a fairly new swing that operates on electricity (just plugs into the wall) OR batteries instead of just batteries like all other models. Very good idea if you her baby is a swing addict like mine (you can go through batteries VERY quickly!) Anyway, it's called the Fisher Price Power Plus Swing ($85) I am preggo and just bought one for this baby even though I have a perfectly good swing from my almost 3 year old sitting in the garage.

Have you read the reviews on this? I think I read that the power level on electricity mode was VERY slow, that's why I didn't buy it for our daycare...I got rechargeable batteries instead.

 

[Melct]

The best $100 I spent was on my Angel Care movement monitor. It senses babies breathing and sounds an alarm when it doesn't detect movement for 20 seconds. It is also a regular sound monitor too. If everyone got one of these it would save so many lives lost to SIDS.

mel