Stuff for the baby?

[Ladybugbc]

Hi every one; Just wanted to put this out there for those who have been through the process to give me your valuable input.
I am 24wks along with our first baby and my DH and I are starting to think of buying stuff for the baby. We recently moved to this province and do not have many friends or family here to except much stuff off of a gift registry of baby shower.
I was wondering what I should start buying first and any thing that you thought turned out an absolute waste of money that you bought?
Crib, Car seat+stroller, Diper Genie, Nursing chair, Changing table, tub  and of course baby clothes are so far on my list. Any suggestions?? Thanks ladies!! :)

[adgal]

Awww, the age category doesn't matter.  We have quite a few "underage" posters here..lol.  All are welcome.  Glad your finding it helpful.  We have taken a similar path.  I moved to Calgary from Vancouver several years ago.  My husband is from Regina and I lived there for a while as well.  Haven't made it to Halifax yet, but with us, who knows!!  Welcome again!!

[Ladybugbc]

Thank you for all your input ladies. No words to tell you much I appreciate this info as I really have no one to turn to for information.
Just to give some background info about me .. For the last 4Yrs, I have lived in British Columbia(Vancouver),Alberta (Calgary) and now in NS(Halifax). My husband is in the airline industry so his job takes us around the country.

I am not quite in the age category for this forum, but I really found this useful and informative so decided to join and so glad I did.

I am going to start making the shopping list and will keep you posted.

Thanks again!!!

[limpet]

These are all great posts. I dont have too much to add other than I totally agree with the boppy - I could not have lived without one.

Changing tables are needless, you end up changing them where they are, I just have a portable change pad. At my birth class all but one of us was on our second child and they all said the same thing about changing tables.

I hated the diaper genie!!!!! we fought with it, it wouldnt lock right, it still smelled as if you had it in the regular trash and getting the bags out made my DH so mad that on the third day he picked the whole thing up and chucked it outside (mind you he was covered in baby poop so this was very funny!!!)

onsies and sleep sacks are the absolute best!!! .

Mylecon is wonderful. And crib savers are on the top of the list too.

Oh and a suction bulb is a must. (didnt need this much but was very grateful to have it when I did.

Good luck

[momuvtwo0130]

A boppy is a contoured pillow that actually wraps around mommy to help support baby during breastfeeding (or even bottle feeding)...later you can use it for floor play for baby.  An Occupational Therapist I work with told me when my girls were little that they are great for helping babies gain muscle for sitting up and for tummy play.

I also forgot to add to my list earlier that instead of buying expensive burp clothes, I buy an extra set of cloth diapers and use those as burp clothes.  I washed them in dreft several times b4 baby came to soften them up...They are extremely absorbent...if you have kids that spit up a lot like I did, they were ideal=)

Oh...and Vaseline...best diaper rash treatment you can buy!  Recommended by my Ped...works great to heal and protect!

[oceanv]

Ok, I meant bouncer and I meant you can't carry them around all over the place all the time,

I'm not a fan of shoes
My husband is not a fan of complicated outfits, so he'd be happy with just sleepers (well actually he'd be happy with just onesies) the zippered sleepers are way easier, don't have to be fancy, i got some at wal-mart 2 for $14 pooh ones that we've used a lot.
You don't need too many socks
Burp Cloths, but you can use the cotton receiving blankets for those as well
Some bibs
Washcloths

Gripe Water, Gas Drops
Breastfeeding pillow makes things easier

[oceanv]

A Sleep wedge goes under the crib sheet, its different than a positioner, it just elevates the head a bit.

Bounder and Swing  - lifesavers if your baby likes them - it gives you somewhere to put the baby as you can't carry them around all over the place - our baby like vibrating bouncer.

We have a very tiny room for the baby and I had a change table but now have a dresser with a contoured change pad attached to it - this worked better for us.

I got the whale of a tub and I don't mind it, she's still in it and is 15 weeks tomorrow

Where in BC are you?

J

[adgal]

Sorry to hijack your post ladybug, but I have a few questions when I see some of the other's comments..sorry!

What's a boppy?  Also, the SIDS Foundation website recommends against positioners, wondering if that is what you mean by sleep wedge, or am I confusing two different items.  And the bathtub...I bought one that comes with the bouncy chair in it for him to lay on, and has a small shower attachement...it looked great.  Do you think that was a waste?  I haven't taken it out of the box yet.....just curious.

[momuvtwo0130]

Yep,,,these lists sound great...I definitely second the boppy pillow and sleeping wedges!  Also, onsies were a staple for me no matter the season!

[melimeli]

I never used a changing table just my bed..  you need a bouncer!  I mean it is gods gift to mothers.. a swing is great later on but the first month the bouncer is the best.. doesn't have to be fancy but it is good..  Also a boppy for breast-feeding is wonderful!!!  You don't need a ton of socks, no shoes, also I found a baby tub is useless for me.. I liked the thing shaped like the bouncer that goes in the regular tub.. the recline on that while you wash them.. much better than the hard baby tub that my dd hated!  Loved the swaddlers too better than receiving blankets.  Also you only need like 2 towels and a pack of cloths.. as long as you are washing them it is fine, same with the crib sheets.. I bought a ton but really only need 3....  

[Ashelen]

I just have to chip in... get those safety sleeping wedges. I used them with my daughter and they helped me sleep SO much easier knowing she couldn't accidentally roll around...they can adjust for back OR side sleeping (if the doctor recommends side sleeping for some reason). We have a beautiful changing table that we used for maybe 2 or 3 weeks....now it's just a catchall, so I would say that one of the dressers that can have a pad attached to it, like adgal said, is the best idea. It also saves space!

[adgal]

In terms of changing tables I bought a dresser that you could attach a change pad to.  Sort of a two in one.  Mind you, my little one's bedroom is not very big, so this worked best for us.

This is my first as well, and everything listed above is pretty much what I have bought.  I also bought those halo sleep bags and a few swaddlers.  

Out of curiosity, which province did you just move too?  I am in Alberta myself.  

Good luck and congrats on your pregnancy!!

[Fugitive06]

I really don't think that changing tables are necessary.  The pads are great but the floor & bed work fine.  And on the floor. you don't need to worry about them rolling off.

[Ladybugbc]

Thank you Victoria.. looks like I was waaay off the mark.. eh? lol!!  :)

[Victoria01]

Baby blankets
Pacifiers (just in case even if you don't plan on using them)
Bottles/breast pump
Infant Tylenol
Towels and wash cloths
Diapers/wipes
Hats
Crib/bassinet sheets
Diaper rash cream
Baby wash
Infant nail clippers and/or little mittens so they don't scratch themselves.

That's all I can think of right now. :)