Anyone else planning what they need?

[Geigerin]

I'll start by saying that DH and I bought a crib in January at the CP Morgan sale before we were even TTC. (They were a home builder in our area that went under, and they were selling furniture from the model homes...We got a really nice Pottery Barn crib that will probably never be used now that I've learned more about nursing and co-sleeping...lol).

This is our first, so we're totally jumping the gun on everything. I've already started researching cloth diapers, sleeping arrangements, car seats, jogging strollers. Next weekend, we are going to make a cat-door in the basement door and move the litter downstairs since it's currently in what will be the nursery.

We have so much time, and it's so early. DH is type A and I'm just so thrilled...it's a bad combination.

Sooo, what have you done so far?

[cocoanib]

What have we done- nada
What have we talked about- pretty much everything

We are still in the research/planning stages and will probably move full steam ahead after my firt appt with the midwife in 2 weeks.
We will be purchasing and getting everything in order early on as to not go coco loco in months 8 and 9.

Were'e also working on moving into a bigger place, so that poses some challenges as well.

[catchthewind]

Well since this is our second, we won't need much. But I already bought a few diapers off of diaperswappers.com lol. Other than diapers (we didn't love the cloth diapers we used when Meredith was little so I ended up selling most of them), we're going to get another carrier (probably a Beco), a new car seat, a few clothes since this baby will be a totally different season (but we barely had to buy any clothes last time since so many were given to us she never ended up wearing a lot of them!), and some wool to get my mil to make me some shorties for next summer. I'm wracking my brain, but really can't think of anything else! We are planners too though. We actually sat down today and made a list and estimated pricing and we're going to be putting money away into savings each month so we can buy things as we find good deals.

[dosergirl]

DDC crashing from September. . . i was the same way. i spent sooo much time researching everything early on. i think it is good for you. i would say hold off on buying too much until you are in your second and third trimester because there is so much to research you might end up changing your mind with the more info you read.

i would take a month and concentrate on one thing, like, cloth diapers. then one month on strollers or baby wearing. jump over on the specific boards on mdc. by the time you buy things it will be so worth it!

congrats on your first!

[Right of Passage]

I've bought the birth pool! Months ago. We don't need much. We're not going to cloth diaper this time (as much as I love it), so the only thing we'll need is clothes if it's a girl.

I take that back. I will be getting a new bouncy seat, a new wrap, and hypnobabies. Other than that we have so much stuff left over from last time, including a carseat that's still good for a few more years.

[Kikelet]

We are definitely loving the planning! Believe me - I *want* to go overboard and buy stuff, but I'm staying strong and holding off. This is my first pregnancy, and although I consider myself to be very intuitive, I'm waiting because I can't really feel this one out. strange. But, just because I'm not buying anything doesn't mean I haven't been researching a TON of baby gear and whatnot online and in the stores!! I've already picked out the diapers (GroBaby) and my breast pump (Medela Pump-n-Style), just haven't actually bought them yet

We are also planning on long-term breastfeeding, baby wearing, and co-sleeping, so there's not a lot of stuff we need as far as more traditional things go. I am already wondering how I am going to politely ask for no random bottles, disposable diapers, diaper genies, wipes, pacifiers, bouncy chairs and baby swings at the baby shower. I think when the time comes I'm going to ask you all for more input as to how to handle the situation Worst case scenario - just take back what's not needed!

I already have an awesome stroller that has been used to help take care of the many munchkins that are at our house (it's a Baby Jogger City Mini.. LOVE IT), and a beautiful black and white floral sling. And... my guilty items.. two adorable girl outfits for summer. I know! I don't even know the sex of the baby yet, but I'm hoping just a little ^^ Bought them on clearance at Target when we were TTC.

Really, we just need to figure out which car seat we'd like. So far the Maxi-Cosi and Baby Trend are in the lead. They both fit with the stroller. That's all for now! Happy Planning!!

[cocoanib]

Originally Posted by dosergirl

i would take a month and concentrate on one thing, like, cloth diapers. then one month on strollers or baby wearing. jump over on the specific boards on mdc. by the time you buy things it will be so worth it!

congrats on your first!

Great advice!

Originally Posted by Kikelet

We are also planning on long-term breastfeeding, baby wearing, and co-sleeping, so there's not a lot of stuff we need as far as more traditional things go. I am already wondering how I am going to politely ask for no random bottles, disposable diapers, diaper genies, wipes, pacifiers, bouncy chairs and baby swings at the baby shower. I think when the time comes I'm going to ask you all for more input as to how to handle the situation Worst case scenario - just take back what's not needed!

I wondered about this too, but our friends and family know us pretty well, so I'm sure they will know not to give us things like that. Even though it's the thought that counts, it would be such a waste to have a bunch of stuff you don't use or need.

[catchthewind]

Originally Posted by Kikelet

I am already wondering how I am going to politely ask for no random bottles, disposable diapers, diaper genies, wipes, pacifiers, bouncy chairs and baby swings at the baby shower. I think when the time comes I'm going to ask you all for more input as to how to handle the situation Worst case scenario - just take back what's not needed!

With Meredith, I talked to my sister long beforehand about the shower and told her straight out I didn't want any of that stuff. (I knew she would likely be the one planning it.) I told her I'd heard about one baby shower that had a book theme: each guest brought their favorite childhood book for the baby and wrote an inscription inside it. My sister got the hint and so instead of a bunch of stuff we wouldn't use, we got some gorgeous books, and the inscriptions inside some of them are great too. It worked really well for us.

[1babysmom]

We don't really need any baby items, unless it's a boy, we'll need clothes since we have 2 girls right now (but we never find out the sex so we have plenty of GN stuff to get us by for a little while). I'll need pregnancy and birth supplies, though.

[staceychev]

Originally Posted by Kikelet

I am already wondering how I am going to politely ask for no random bottles, disposable diapers, diaper genies, wipes, pacifiers, bouncy chairs and baby swings at the baby shower. I think when the time comes I'm going to ask you all for more input as to how to handle the situation Worst case scenario - just take back what's not needed!

Remember that not all parents are going to be as AP as you--as much as we'd like them to be. If you get that stuff at your shower, don't fret: donate! There are a lot of really needy families out there, and I'm sure you could find an organization (think woman's shelter or something like that) that would be grateful for the donation.

As far as planning, I'm not really thinking about baby things right now. First, because we have so much already. Second: I want to take DD (4) to Disneyworld before baby comes, so I'm in "planning-and-convincing DH" mode!

[Geigerin]

I like the suggestions on here, so far. We are also in research mode. I like the idea of taking time with one item at a time. The other day, I was researching car seats and got so overwhelmed, I moved on to other stuff. There is just so much information out there. I don't know what/who to trust.

[magrat]

Even if you do plan on doing AP there still might be some mainstream things you'll find useful. Don't underestimate the bouncy seat as a comfy place to set baby down for a few minutes while you go to the bathroom or get dressed or whatever. I didn't actually end up babywearing around the house much with my first because I was sitting down most of the day and she didn't like being in the sling if I was sitting, she preferred to lay across my lap. I'll probably be doing it a lot more this time now that I have a toddler to chase!

Really, I can't think of anything I need to buy for #2. I'll need to buy boy clothes if it ends up being a boy, but most of the 0-3 month clothes we have are gender neutral. I was *so* into buying stuff and researching things to buy for #1 but I'm not feeling it at all this time.

[BelovedK]

I am so excited to pick out cloth diapers and little clothes, but I am going to wait until I am into my 2nd trimester. It almost still doesn;'t seem real because I am only just starting to feel a bit ooky. I still have my mayawrap from DD, but I have nothing else, it has been around 10 years since I have had a baby and I have given everything away. I even need all new maternity clothes. (I can't wait to be in Maternity clothes)

[1babysmom]

Originally Posted by BelovedK

I am so excited to pick out cloth diapers and little clothes, but I am going to wait until I am into my 2nd trimester.

I'm going to wait to buy the few things we might need, too.

[DoulaVallere]

Originally Posted by Kikelet

We are also planning on long-term breastfeeding, baby wearing, and co-sleeping, so there's not a lot of stuff we need as far as more traditional things go. I am already wondering how I am going to politely ask for no random bottles, disposable diapers, diaper genies, wipes, pacifiers, bouncy chairs and baby swings at the baby shower. I think when the time comes I'm going to ask you all for more input as to how to handle the situation Worst case scenario - just take back what's not needed!

We're a very attached, co-sleeping, babywearing family, but don't write off a good bouncy seat or swing for those times when you need to take a shower.

To answer the orriginal question, this will be number 3 for us, so the only things I feel like I will *need* are newborn covers. My BF will be giving me a lot of her newborn/infant prefolds, but I just don't have any covers. We'll probably pick some of those up along the way, or ask for those as a pressent at my belly blessing. If it's a girl, I wouldn't mind some girly print BG's too...

My first 2 were boys, though, so if this one ends up being a girl (which my eldest is REALLY hoping for...he says he already has a brother, he needs a sister LOL) then we'll need girly clothes. And I can't imagine my mom and MIL not going absolutely nutty overboard FINALLY getting to buy girl clothes (DH and I are the only kids on either side who are married, much less with kids).

The only major purchase I'm thinking about is a birth tub, and I might try to go the renting route. Any extra money that comes our way is going into the midwife fund right now, since we'll have to pay totally out of pocket. I think we're set on carriers and all the other random baby things.

[judybean]

Really, the only thing we *need* is a new car seat. Maybe some diapers to round things out (I have to go back through the used stash.. the newborn diapers I made before will be four years old by that point and I need to see if they're still usable! I've made a few more already and I'll be making more!). And we'll need clothes if this is a boy... since we have LOADS of girly clothes having had three girls thus far.

Everything else is extra. I do have a sling I can use (I made it years ago.. just carried the 3.5 year old in it yesterday a bit!), I have a mei tai that I made years ago and still works great ...

We're not going to set up a crib. We just don't ever use them, so all they do is take up space! And our house isn't that big! And with FOUR children soon to be living in it.. eek! We need to keep all the nice space we can! We co-sleep always, so we don't need a crib. By the time we'll be done co-sleeping, Cuatro will be in a 'big kid bed'.

WAIT! One more **NEED** item: Sexy nursing bras! I know, it *might* sound frivolous, but to me, it's a completely necessary item! I went through #3 with just *two* nursing bras and they were CRAP and by the end of our nursing time (dd3 was 40 months when she self-weaned), they were SICK! SOOOOOO embarrassing!!! So this time I'm getting great nursing bras that fit great and look sexy! Just something to make me smile

[SuzyLee]

I got put on bedrest before we were ready last time so I will be super prepared this time.

Our main needs are:
Newborn and small cloth dipaers- I will sew most of them.
New swing- hopefully a shower gift, if not we will live without it
Double stroller- DH was laid off so unless it is a gift or he gets a job fairly soon we will live without it

If we have a girl I am sure we will get lots of clothing as gifts and I will also sew some.

So we are pretty set. If we go absolutely nothing done in the next 9 months we would live

With DS we were planning on cosleeping, etc, but we still did a (basic) nursery for him which was a ton of work. We thought he would move to his own room at 6 or 12 months and we wanted it to be ready. Well, he is almost 2 and still in our bedroom- what a waste that was!

I agree that the bouncy seat and swing were lifesavers. We didn't use them constantly but when we needed them, we *really* needed them. Other stuff that you definitely aren't going to use, just donate, or sell on craigslist or return. With #1 I didn't get any awful stuff- mostly basics like blankets, snow suits, a baby bathtub, etc. So I wouldn't worry too mjuch about that ahead of time.

[Kikelet]

Originally Posted by DoulaVallere

We're a very attached, co-sleeping, babywearing family, but don't write off a good bouncy seat or swing for those times when you need to take a shower.

Yes! I completely agree. I was looking at them today and I was saying to my BF, hey you know, the more I think about it, I'm going to need SOME PLACE to put the baby down that's safe if you're not home. I'm going to need to shower or do whatever else. I guess my mentality is that it would be unfortunate to receive more than 1, which isn't such a big deal :P

This sort of brings me to a point that I was going to post a new thread about, so I'm only going to briefly touch on it. It's about the various "surrogate mommy plastic holder thingies" that so many folks are buying. I don't underestimate their value for busy parents I just question whether or not it is necessary to have your baby in them for extended periods of time. Will post new thread..

[brightskye]

I don't think we'll need too much, but what we need is going to cost.:

A cosleeper to attach to my side of the bed. I've never had one before, we've always had the babies in the bed, but this time I can't push two beds together to fit us all in, and I can't bear the thought of pushing my Niky-baby out of my bed when he'll only be just 2. So I'll try to have the new baby in the cosleeper and my Nik in "his spot" right in the middle between dh and me.

The other thing we need, the costly item, is a new car that will fit us all in!! The one we have now barely fits our 3 current kids in.

[magrat]

Originally Posted by Kikelet

I guess my mentality is that it would be unfortunate to receive more than 1, which isn't such a big deal :P

Ha, I have one from the last baby and I'm going to look around and see if I can borrow another one this time, I got so sick of carrying that thing up and downstairs last time, ideally I'd have one in every room in the house! At the very minimum I want one in the bathroom all the time, and then the other one can travel from room to room