What kind of baby furniture do we actually need?

[leighe]

I know we need a crib - I've ordered that already. We already have a white three drawer chest, a white bookshelf, and a white lingere chest (that's what my mom calls it - it's a tall thin chest of drawers). Lots of new moms have told me a changing table is a waste of space and or money. All the furniture we have will be attached to the wall so she can't pull up on it and pull it over. I was thinking about maybe an amoire or one of the changing tables that you can add a hutch/bookshelf type top to.

Any suggestions or advice?

 

[bananiem]

We had a 3 drawer chest that had a changing table piece that bolted onto the back. When we were done with it we took off the changing table part and ds still uses the chest.
I think a rocker is handy too. I didn't have one in the bedroom but I had two glider rockers in the living room then.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

I put the changing table in the corner of my room (after using it maybe 10 times) and used it as a storage (aka junk) for 12 years!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I like the changing table for the newborns. My suggestion is buy a cheap one and get rid of it when you are done with it. I can't imagine changing a newborn on the floor or bed...

 

[golfgal]

We had a dresser and a crib and that was plenty. Baby clothing is really small and doesn't take up a lot of room. I wouldn't bother with the changing table. I know some people like them, but most people I know just use the crib or the floor. You don't want to load up the room too much because you won't have anyplace to put all the toys! I would also get a small lamp for the room an put in a very low wattage lightbulb, 15 watts or so, for going into the babies room at night. It will give you enough light to see, but not so much that it really wakes up the baby.

 

[CEDmom]

I got a high/low dresser for DD with a contoured changing pad that attached to the top. I used the changing pad for a while but honestly it was easier to just change her on the floor. I had a large waterproof mat that I'd put down and I'd be done really quick. Also, I found that about 80% of the time we were downstairs when she needed changing. While climbing stairs is great exercise after a while it got crazy.

What's great about the furniture piece we got is that now my 6 yo DD is still using it.

We had a rocker in DD's room that was a God send. Also, I kept a sleeping bag and pillow in her closet for the nights she was sick or just really fussy and I didn't want to be away from her.

 

[llij]

Our dresser was a changing table as well which worked out great! I also couldn't live without my glider! We just got a new one for this little guy.

 

[Maleficent13]

I second a rocker.

I am one who likes my changing table. It comes in handy in the mornings for changing, dressing, etc. Plus, I don't worry about making a mess on it (like if the diaper is really messy, or we have an accident mid-change). If something gets on the pad, I just take the cover off and throw it in the washer. I don't know about most cribs, but my crib mattress is really tight to the crib frame, and changing the sheet on it is a PITA!! So I don't want to have to do it because I changed her in there. Just my $0.02.

 

[minkydog]

I liked my changing table. We have a two story house, so I kept the changing table downstairs. It saved me MILES of walking up the stairs with a baby. I kept diapers, et al, on both levels.

As far as other furniture, you really don't need a lot. A dresser to put their little things in, a place to store the diapers, a crib and rocker. That's about all you need for now. As your child gets older you'll want to change things, so don't buy too much at this point.

 

[DisneyBug1995]

Both of my kids loved their swing. There were times when they were fussy that the swing was the only thing that calmed them down.

 

[Nancy]

I had a dresser that had the changing table pad on top and it worked out great. All the diapers and things I needed were kept in the top drawer out of sight, but still easy access. I could never change the babies on the floor...too much trouble to have to put everything down there, get down on the floor and then back up...plus then having to put everything away....way more work than I needed to be doing.

edited to add: we still use those "changing tables" today. After you take the pad off they look just like a dresser. My oldest is 17 and she still uses hers, you just buy the mirror to put on it and you would never know it was originally a piece of baby furniture. The second one we bought is also still used by DD #2. With #3 we just used the same table because I only had 2 bedrooms, otherwise we would have bought a 3rd changing table/dresser for her too.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Both of my kids loved their swing. There were times when they were fussy that the swing was the only thing that calmed them down.

Would have been lost or crazy without it!!

 

[Texan Mouseketeer]

My changing table is a hutch as soon as you remove the pad and DD is 14 months and we are still using it for her. She rolls away when we try the floor.
I have used my rocker/glider a ton for my two kids. By the time I get rid of it, I will probably have to give it away because it will be so worn out!
We bought the new portable swing for DD and it was so much better than the big one we bought for my son! It was great to carry to the inlaws and took up so much less space.
Something I did for #2 that I didn't think of for #1 - I bought a lot of clear plastic tubs and put them in different areas of the house like the office, her room and the living room and filled them with the small newborn toys. So everywhere we took her she had 'new' things to play with to keep her interest. It also kept one particular room from being so cluttered with toys.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I think it really depends on you whether you'll want a changing table. We had one and I really liked it and used it, especially when we were in a smaller house and it wasn't too far to the bedroom where the changing table was. In this house we didn't use it as much (we have 4 kids and lived in all kinds of places with our various babies). I like the idea of having a regular dresser that you attach a changing table that can be taken off in the future. I think that is the best of both worlds and something that I didn't think about when buying ours. If you don't buy a changing table then set up a changing station (or two if you have a multi level house) with a nice portable changing area (not just a soft mat) with all your supplies.

T&B

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Our most used purchase was a cradle swing. It has the cradle attachment for newborns and the seat for older babies. We used it a lot! After our 3rd baby it broke and we bought another one for our 4th and last baby--we liked having it that much.

T&B

 

[soccerchick]

Dont forget a toy chest w/ a safety hinge!

Congratulations!!

 

[lil mermaid]

I love my glider rocker, and still use it. It is one thing that we have used just about every single day since DD was born.

I am also another one who likes the changing table. Actually, we don't have a seperate changing table, but a dresser with a contoured pad on top that will come off later. I can't see changing a newborn on the floor, and I can't do it now either because DD always tries to get away. For some reason, she (mostly) will lie still while on the table.

I do agree that a seperate changing table may be a waste of money because it is one more thing to buy, but I do recommend someplace where you can stand at the right height to change your baby.

Congratulations on the new little one!

 

[froglady]

I second the swing, but we kept ours downstairs. I had a carriage, which I kept in the living room, so I didn't have to walk upstairs for naps. I set up a "satellite" changing area downstairs, but most houses don't have that option.

I had a changing table and used it all the time. I also had a bed in the room, which was used for years afterward, but which I used after some of those 2AM feedings.

Forgot to add: A rocking chair, and radio/music system close by. Trust me, sometimes you can feel sooo alone in the middle of the night while tending your newborn. DH would set up a cooler for me with water and snacks, and a warm quilt to wrap around my shoulders while I nursed and rocked.

 

[justhat]

We put one of those plastic-covered foam changing pads on top of a 6 drawer dresser (3 drawers side by side) and that's our chaning table. Madison is 18 months old and I still use the changing table for every diaper change. She's way too interested in other things to change her on the floor cause she tries to run away! Typically I dress her on her bed (she's in a toddler bed, I never did that with the crib), but sometimes I dress her on the changing table too if she's getting a diaper change as well. When she's done with diapers!!! then I'll just take off the pad and the regular dresser will be back.

Oh, that 'changing table' is actually my dresser. Madison has an armoire with 3 shelves and 2 drawers for her stuff. Whatever doesn't fit in there gets hung in the closet. Aside from the armoire (and obviously the crib, which is now a toddler bed) we also had a cosleeper when she was a newborn, which I found to be sooooo convenient, a rocking chair, a couple of toy boxes and a bookshelf. The toy boxes didn't come till later though, closer to her 1st birthday when the toys started to get out of control!

 

[pfishgirl]

We had a Changing Table and All we ever did was use it for storage !!
Diapers, Wipes, Powder, Diaper Rash Meds, Clothes, etc..