I am so excited!!! My sister, who is in her early 40's, is going to have a baby girl at Christmas!!! She and her husband have been married for 15 years, and this is their FIRST child!!!
My mother, who is a quilter, immediately was envisioning the quilt she would be making for her new granddaughter. So she asked my sister what color the nursery would be... my sister replied, "What's a nursery?"
My sweet sister is all the way in California, across the country from me. I am also over 6 years removed from the new-baby phase of life. So I need help! I want to send her some recommendations of what she most needs when she brings her precious baby girl home. She has put off acquiring much, but I think the nesting instinct is kicking in. I know for me, there was a lot of baby gear that we just didn't need. And, of course, things we couldn't live without for all three of our children. My sister will probably only have this one child, so I am sure she wants to choose wisely.
So please, click on the "Comments" link below and add your tips and product recommendations for a new baby. I will compile them and send them to my sister! To thank you for participating, I am going to choose one commenter to receive this sweet Summer Fun Paper Album. You can use it to show off some of your summer pictures, or give it as a gift. I will choose a winner Thursday morning! Thanks for your help!!!
UPDATE: Dawn won the giveaway! You can still comment, but the giveaway is closed.
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11 comments:
oh my gosh, i could talk all day and all night about baby gear - i just LOVE it!
my first piece of advice is that a baby truly grows out of most of the gear very quickly and if this will be her only child, i say shop wisely. i know all to well, with jaelyn i virtually had to start over and since she is probably our last, i had to keep that in mind when buying things. it is different if you are buying things for several babies to use and pass down. with that being said, borrow items, shop sales only and check out craig's list!! i acquired a lot of stuff for jaelyn that way. and within no time she has outgrown most. of course if money is no issue that is a different story.
i LOVE our chicco key fit infant car seat - LOVE it. this is the only item we bought brand new and paid a good chunk of money for. but it has been well worth the investment - safe and comfortable and not too heavy to carry around. (oh i suggest a lily pod for the handle - super cute fabric stuffed for comfort when carrying it - had one this go around and LOVE it!)
i suggest a midsize stroller, one that fully reclines and has some bells and whistles but collapses easy and is light weight! i have a peg perego pliko and i LOVE it (it is pink too!!!) bonus ~ our infant seat fits in it, so when she was little it was perfect!! now she rides in it without the seat and loves. it. i bought this off craig's list. oh, chicco makes coordinating strollers to their car seats, i have heard great things about those too!
i love to wear my babies, so i highly suggest a baby sling! LOVE LOVE LOVE them!!! that i know is a personal choice - babies love to be snuggled against mommy in them!!
i loved having a bouncy seat/infant chair at our house, as a newborn our babies spent lots of time sleeping in there! they are comfy and can easily move from room to room. i like having my babies near me, so that was perfect for us!!
definitely a great blanket for swaddling babies - i had a super soft light weight blanket from babyGap for jaelyn that i loved!
seriously, terri, i could go on and on!! if you have any other specific questions i would LOVE to help you out and answer them!! i just don't want to be a comment hog!!!
Finally, an area where I'm an expert!
Definitely a swaddler in at least small and medium. The kiddopottamus is the one I would recommend.
A "chair" that can bounce, soothe, rock, move whatever. There are lots of them to choose from on the market.
If she travels a lot a playyard is a must. It can be used indoors, outdoors or whereever you are!
At least 4 or 5 quality crib sheets and 2 or 3 waterproof pads so that she can layer the mattress so it will not have to be "changed" often. If the darling spits up or a diaper leaks, wisk off the top layer and the next one is ready!
Two diaper bags. One that will hold enough for a quick trip out and one for daycare or longer outings. Keep them both packed and ready to pick up.
If she is bottle feeding the infant powdered formula holder is very handy. Pack the powder and fill the bottle with sterilized water. Mix when needed.
For my children a jumper was a necessary item. They could "hang and play" in the doorway of whatever room I was working in at the moment.
A good and easy to clean highchair is a must.
A stroller is also a necessary item.
There are many "little" items but honestly they vary so much from baby to baby that I would wait to see the temperament of the child before purchasing.
If she does secondhand shopping I would definitely look for one of the little Bumbo seats. They are awesome for that in-between stage when the child wants to sit up and play but just can't quite do it yet. However they are fairly expensive new for an item that will be used for a couple of months.
Happy shopping!!!
Well, I'd have to say I have learned sooooo much in the last few years as well.
My one recommendation is an Ergo baby carrier. I wear Megan on my front or back ALL the time - to every store, all grocery trips, the zoo, etc. It is super high quality and lasts until like 40 pounds!
www.ergobaby.com
Blessings,
MP
Congratulations! When I read this will be her first baby, tears immediately. I'm such a sap. What a wonderful, exciting time this is for you all!
Advice? Skip the high chair. Just get a booster seat with a tray. It can stay in your kitchen or travel to grandmas. She'll never regret it.
Hugs and happiness and so much FUN to all of you!
Well, I know we couldn't have made it without a swing...one with the ticking noise. Then my next son hated the regular swing and wanted a bassinet type swing like he was in at the hospital...then he was fine. And I saw a cool fold up stroller {kinda like the umbrella stollers I used} buy it had big wheels to go off roadin' in the park. :-) How fun!
~Kim
Wow! I am so excited for your sister! This is such a blessing.
Things I couldn't live without:
Swing
Britax carsea
Stoller (that steers easily)
Swaddler
Noise machine
And, I know this baby will have the prettiest scrapbook there has ever been, because her Aunt Terri will make sure of that!!!!
Well, I'm 14 years removed from the new baby stage so the only thing I have to offer is advice: Save your money! If you think a new baby costs a lot just wait until they're teenagers. I'm so not kidding!
Congratulations to the new parents, grandparents and auntie!
I am grateful for all these suggestions!!! You all have jogged my brain a few times aready with things I did or used that I forgot about. Keep the awesome tips and recommendations coming!
Congratulations to all and Best Wishes!!
I, too, have middle schoolers of my own, but still love to shop for babies for family members and co-workers. I typically get them cutesie-clothes (try to buy 6-12 months cuz everyone else will get her newborn stuff!).
Outside of clothes, I think one of the best investments we made was an electric breast-pump. If she doesn't plan to breast feed, then not a great suggestion, so my next piece of advice would be to clip coupons, clip coupons, clip coupons - and use them!! Especially diaper coupons, Johnson&Johnson products, etc. and starting stocking up now. But, I wouldn't just go out and buy them "whenever", I would only buy when on sale, that way you get the best price possible. As others have said.....babies are expensive, and they certainly don't get cheaper as they get older!
Again - congrats and have fun!
Some of my favorite things:
1) pack n' play with bassinet insert
2) "Ultimate Crib Sheet" -- get 2 or 3
3) bouncy seat that vibrates and plays music
4) high chair/booster seat that straps to a chair and has a removable feeding tray and washable padding.
5) thick burp cloths (cloth diaper-type); the little ones are for the birds!
6) simple baby bathtub that will last until the baby can sit up in the tub
7) Flanders Buttocks Ointment -- the best stuff I found for diaper rash ever. You just have to ask for it at the pharmacy because they keep it behind the counter.
8) A diaper disposal container that doesn't require special bags (Diaper Champ, for instance).
Hope that helps! Missy
Terri, first off, thanks for your visit to my blog and the kind words!
I'm only a couple years removed from the baby stage, but I've already forgotten a lot.
A couple of things I enjoyed having:
1) A swaddle blanket (the "miracle blanket" sold online is fantastic!)
2) The bumbo seat for infants is nice to have as well.
Congrats to your sister! I had a December baby as well, and it's a crazy but wonderful time of year to welcome a baby home!
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