First-time mamas! - Page 15 « Back to Group Discussions

[pennywhistle]

(what's EC?)

[eleuthia]

Yay for viability! 

I am kind of tearing my hair out over trying to "complete" a baby registry for my shower (at the beginning of June). My sister is insistent that I choose one with items available at a physical store rather than just Amazon (because she thinks most people don't know how to buy things online?!), and she tried to push me into Babies R Us or Buy Buy Baby, but neither of these are at all convenient to me for choosing items, returning/exchanging them, or spending gift card balances. Plus they just do not have what I want/need. So I've been working on one at Target but it is still hard to find things people can buy in-store, or even many online items. This whole thing is making me feel like a brat (I shouldn't complain about asking people to buy me stuff!) and part of me wants to just freak out and put a bunch of non-baby stuff on the registry. Like a SodaStream seltzer maker - hey, a nursing mom needs to stay hydrated, right? 

[monkeyscience]

EC = Elimination communication - Basically learning to read your baby's signals that he/she needs to use the bathroom, and assisting them to use the bathroom in a toilet or potty, as opposed to in their diaper.

[DesertSunsets]

eleuthia-  We had the same problem with Target.  They have so much more selection online only. We made an effort to making some choices that were available in the store, but it was a bit of a stretch. Really it ended up mostly being clothes that I know no one is going to pay attention to anyways. I wish there was a way to put a few different options of the same thing (ex. moby wrap), so there can be the online one that I really like or an in store one that I just don't like as much.  I'm still debating on how I feel about registering for a breast pump and necessary supplies... is it too personal?  I totally agree on wanting to register for all sorts of things for me instead of just the baby! 

monkeyscience-  Glad DH is on board.  We've been wavering on what the best choice is for us.  I think we are going to have a small supply of cloth diapers, have some back up disposables, and then do a little EC so we can see which option works the best for us.  I just don't want to make a choice yet!

Hope everyone is doing well!

[Veritas Vitae]

I had the same issue with trying to put a list together.  The stuff I did like at Target wasn't available in store. I ended up registering completely online, and since I'm flying back to Florida for my baby shower, my sister is including on the invitation to please order online and have it shipped to my NC address, or purchase a gift card, since we can't really fly back with a ton of baby stuff. So that part sort of worked out. My main worry (and perhaps your sister's worry as well, Eleuthia) was that people who aren't parents don't think ahead to purchase a gift for a baby shower, they stop on the way to the baby shower to purchase a gift (I know because that is what I always did), but since everyone will just be having the gift shipped, it doesn't matter if they do it last minute.

[eleuthia]

My shower is in MI and I live in PA so I won't be able to take much back with me either. One of my sisters is coming out the week before I'm due & mom is coming after, but if I deliver early I'm gonna be missing some things I would've bought myself but had to put on the registry to fill it up. Also my car seat isn't available online and that is a must-have before birth.

[Waffler]

i finally started a registry last week (on amazon) and am feeling PRETTY good about it (though always guilty! ugh). DesertSunsets, i struggle too about whether or not to put a pump on mine. I feel the same as you, is it too personal? I've been adding things like that to my Wishlist instead...to remind me that I researched/decided on something and can then add it to the registry if i feel like it. 

Eleuthia, how am I just noticing that you're in Philadelphia also? I'm not sure there are too many people out there that aren't comfortable ordering something online...and in any case, if someone buys you the same thing at a physical store that's on your registry somewhere else, amazon gives you the option to note that. maybe your sister would buy into that explanation? But to Veritas's point, if she's worried about people buying at the last minute, that might not be very helpful. 

for anyone who's interested, i started a thread with some of the info i learned re: vax. i feel like i have a lot more info now...and a better sense for what might help shape our decisions. 

hope everyone's having a good week!

colleen

[LeAnn A Doula]

Monkey - We're planning to do the same - some cloth, ec and a pack of sposies to start. Then we'll expand on what works best for LO. I really need to learn more about EC, I'll hav eto check out the 2nd book you mentioned.

I spent the morning w a bunch of moms w young ones. They all did something a little different when it came to dipes. One couldn't CD because her LO is super prone to yeast infections. Another couldn't keep up w the laundry, one used only a certain kind of CD because it fit her LO best and her DH got too confused when she had more options. So it really does seem like its so individual. Basically, I'm feeling like I can't buy much at all until this LO is here. Still no registry for me but I did get the Sears' Vax Book and the Baby Book, The Womanly Art of BFing and Father's First Steps are next.

[iixivboots]

I have no idea which breast pump to register for, I'm not shy about it but I don't know! The Pump N Style seems so expensive.

Also, does anyone have any recommendations about an infant tub? We had the eurotub on amazon on our registry, but it's so huge. I think I just want something small for the kitchen sink.

[eleuthia]

Waffler I live in Philly but my family is all in Michigan (and my partner's family is in Kansas). I have had issues in the past with people buying xmas gifts that were on my amazon wishlist at a different store and NOT updating amazon with the info, but that seems like an issue of common sense versus knowing how to use the internet! I think I will be fine with the Target registry, though I need to get my sister's "approval" first.

I didn't register for a breast pump because I'm hoping my sister will give me her Pump In Style. I've gotta ask her and if she's done with it then I can add the accessory kit at least. And otherwise, I get a $50 credit from my insurance (and might be able to use flex spending money for the rest) so I would probably buy a pump on my own. I DO have a lot of breastfeeding/pumping accessories on my registry, like milk storage bags, lanolin, and Booby Tubes. My immediate family is really comfortable with breastfeeding, and anyone else who isn't can just... skip by that stuff. 

Boots I also had trouble picking out a tub. The Puj tub looks cute in theory but it wouldn't work in our bathroom (no counter space) and our kitchen sink is too big. I ended up just adding a regular old plastic tub w/ mesh newborn sling thing; it will fit on the kitchen sink. It will take up more room than I'd like, but we will probably start having him bathe in the shower with us when he's past the newborn stage so it'll just be a temporary thing. 

[andaluza]

We registered kind of blindly for some things and I just discovered that the tub we chose got some bad reviews on Amazon, so I need to research a different option. I put milk storage bags on the registry, but we haven't settled on the pump yet, so it's not on the registry.

Personally, I think it's wise to have everything on the registry, since then we get completion discounts which should be at least a little nice for the higher ticket items. Of course, I didn't know about this sort of thing when I would buy stuff for other people, but I tended to just overlook what was out of my price range. Since we're having work showers pretty early, I can still put some of the higher priced items on after the showers and be a few months ahead of my due date.

I have a shower coming up at work and so far people are only shopping at Babies R us!! I did not expect that. We also registered at Buy buy baby, target, and Amazon, to take advantage of coupons and gift cards for registering, but no action elsewhere. Half of the stuff that people bought they also sent directly to our house, so it seems like they also shopped online.

Should I add more stuff to the Babies R us registry? It was one of the places we were less enthusiastic about, too. I'm of course thrilled that people are being generous and buying us stuff. I am sitting here next to the changing pad someone had sent to our home and it smells like baby! 

[eleuthia]

Oh, Boots I just remembered for tubs that this thing looks pretty cool: http://www.bloomingbath.com/blooming-bath-baby-bath.html I think it can hang up for storage which would be nice. I forgot about it because it's only available from blooming bath. 

[iixivboots]

I've seen that and there's something on amazon with good reviews that's sort of like that (soft and spongy) but then people have said they can get mildewy easily, but you'd think maybe they'd just be machine washable/dryable?

I agree, it seems like the Puj tub is only for certain situations...
 

[Waffler]

Boots, I'm planning on getting the Ameda Purely Yours, based on a few recommendations (my sister in law has two) as well as the fact that you can buy just the pump and gear, no bag, etc, which cuts down on the price significantly. From reading reviews and stuff, it seems like folks fall on the Ameda side or the Medela side of the fence as personal preference and that you probably really can't go wrong. As far as tubs, we inherited one like Eleuthia is describing...my sister in law is also going to give us their "lounger" which we'll probably use in the kitchen sink to start. Like this one sort of. 

http://www.amazon.com/Summer-Infant-Fold-Store-Sling/dp/B000JVVXMO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335531148&sr=8-1

Eleuthia, it's really nice to see a fellow Philly mom on here, like I said, I can't believe I didn't realize until now. We'll have to trade local resource tips at some point. As far as your sister goes, my sister is 25 and clueless about this stuff! So that's nice because she doesn't have any strong opinions about anything. she WAS surprised to hear that I registered on Amazon for baby stuff and assumed I'd register at Babies R Us or whatever but that was the extent of it.

Andaluza, that's a really good point about the completion discounts, I'd sort of forgotten about that. Your comment about the changing pad smelling like baby made me smile. My opinion about the Babies R Us registry is only to add stuff that you would have added anyway (to avoid getting stuff you don't want)...if people start to see the choices dwindling, they'll probably ask if you're registered anywhere else. does the person who's organizing your shower know that you're registered at other places? Also, hope you had a great birthday!

I don't have any issues putting breastfeeding stuff on the registry, it's more that the pump feels more for me than for the baby. Overthinking things, per usual. 

colleen

Edited by Waffler - 4/27/12 at 6:49am

[LeAnn A Doula]

I saw this tub in a parenting mag a while back. I think its a great alternative to the huge tubs, esp if you don't plan to use it for long. I'll probably pick one up.

For a pump, I'm going w a Medela. I'll probably just get one used. There are often almost new pumps on Craigslist for a great discount. I found a Pump n Style for $90, never used, w tons of extras this week.

[iixivboots]

Leann, I saw that tub too. I wonder how challenging it would be to bathe a baby in it who didn't have head control yet? It does look very comfy for baby. 

[eleuthia]

I like the idea of that spa tub (or the wash pod) for soothing the baby if he likes being in water, but I think it would be difficult/scary to try to clean a newborn baby's butt in that thing while keeping their head above water. 

Originally Posted by Waffler 

Eleuthia, it's really nice to see a fellow Philly mom on here, like I said, I can't believe I didn't realize until now. We'll have to trade local resource tips at some point. 

Ha, I wasn't sure you lived in Philly too til you posted this! Pregnancy brain...  I've been trying to gather links to local groups, etc. and I've found it kind of frustrating that most meetings seem to take place during the workday. There is a working moms group on meetup, and LLL Montgomery East has evening meetings (though that is pretty far from me since I live in South Philly, so I haven't gone yet). 

[sallyrae17]

As a second time mom, I just wanted to chime in quickly about tubs. I got one and never used it. I just brought my son in the shower or bathtub with me. So...it might be one of those things that you don't really need. :) Sinks also work really well if you don't have a big bathtub.

[NewMumJoy]

After spending this whole week comparison shopping the baby items that we've so carefully selected, we've decided that the best way to procure these items is for DH to pick them up at the store during his bi-weekly visits to the US. The prices here in Canada for the same items are so much higher (strollers are $100+ to double the price!!) which is forcing us to REALLY prioritize what we need for those first few months before we move back to the US at the end of this year.

DH left yesterday with a half empty large suitcase and I'm spending this weekend trying to sort through our Baby List to tell him what to bring back from this trip.  Ughh, it's not easy shopping this way!!  Should I start with the breast pump and bottles/accessories?  Or the cloth diapers and Ergo??  Should we spring for the PackNPlay this trip??  I think the car seat should be the top priority, but now that our stroller plans are potentially on-hold (might just go w/an inexpensive "snap in" frame temporarily), our chosen brand/model may not be as compatible as we planned....decisions, decisions......

[eleuthia]

We don't have a bathtub, so baby-only baths (for middle of the day poop explosions, etc) will be easiest in the kitchen sink. I want some sort of tub/sponge/something because the sink has a garbage disposal and even though it would be covered by the plug and the switch is far enough away, it still would make me nervous to not have something else in between disposal and baby (especially once he's more mobile). They do sell sponge cushions for reeeeally cheap, so that's probably what we'll use when he's older.