When to start hoarding er.. I mean preparing and getting essentials.. - Page 2 « Back to Group Discussions

[Cat77]

I have ordered my supply of one size pocket diapers, and cloth wipes, received a free swing/bouncer via the freecycle group in my area, been promised a bunch of clothes from 1-2 mamas I know, and just today found a great deal on a crib, travel system and glider on craigslist. Hoping to collect the latter asap.

I believe the ladies at my church have it in mind to throw me a shower also, we have so little cash to splash that I think we'll pretty much wait and see what still needs to be bought after that.

[Teles]

I absolutely hate being rushed, so I started very early with gathering baby supplies (which has also saved me a ton of money in the end).

I'm proud to announce, however, that I'm essentially finished now. The crib just arrived yesterday and the mattress should be getting here today, and the only thing left is the pack and play that my co-workers have agreed to pool and buy for us before I go on mat leave.

Aside from a couple odds and ends like diaper covers and things like baby Tylenol, I just get to put my feet up for the next 10 weeks and I'm super excited about it!

[eminvc]

We pretty much have everything we need, and will get the last couple of things on post-Christmas sales...

The problem is, everything is just in a big pile in the "nursery" until DH assembles the cribs and we figure out what kind of dresser we can fit in there and, if I dare to dream, some shelving or storage bins. So right now it just looks like a room full of boxes and bags...sigh. Makes me tired just looking in there!
 

[kellybeth]

kitty says, "what the hell is this?"

scored a hoohobbers moses basket with jolly jumper rocker stand off craigslist today for $50. it's beautiful! 

[Chloe'sMama]

Originally Posted by kellybeth 

kitty says, "what the hell is this?"

scored a hoohobbers moses basket with jolly jumper rocker stand off craigslist today for $50. it's beautiful! 

That is so pretty.  SCORE!

[loveandgarbage]

I'm surprised kitty hasn't made that his/her bed! My cat usually assumes everything for the baby is his.

[kellybeth]

she's pretty old and can't really jump anymore, otherwise i think she would get in and check it out. we're moving the basinet into our room today, which kitty face has already been banned from in preparation for the wee one. she is not happy with that whatsoever.

[loveandgarbage]

That's a good idea to keep your cat our of the baby stuff from the get-go. Our cat was quite miffed when "his" crib suddenly became DS1's after about 1.5 years!

[typebug]

I love your Moses basket Kelly Beth! Cute kitty too. ;) I just bought our cat an off-cut of a sheepskin rug from the wool warehouse where I was buying baby stuff. I'm hoping when I assemble the baby basinette I can offer his this consolation prize. He too thinks everything in the house belongs to him and he has quite a few baby toys of his own because he like baby rattles and stuffed toys more than cat toys. It's going to be tough to keep him for gnawing on teethers. 

[amymccarty]

Sorry I posted so many pics.. but I felt I should add my collection. I had my daughter early at nearly 33 weeks.. I am near there now so this pregnancy I prepared VERY early just in case something happened again. Last time I was in no way prepared.. For months now I have been pretty ready. I'll share bellow what I all have ready...

This here is mostly my daughter (nearly 3) night time diapers. She uses the potty but still pees sometimes at night. Some of these diapers will be used for the baby though as they can become very small. :)

Just a part of my HUGE cloth stash (yep I am addicted) We plan to do prefolds, pockets, AIO and so on ;) Oh I also have some nice wool covers :D No throw away diapers will ever touch this babies bum. :D

A closer look at the stash :D

This is all (most) of my baby stuff. One thing I realized from having my daughter is most things are useless. I got rid of all the swings, bouncy chairs, toys to set baby in... bla all of it. I invested in carriers as I see them as useful. I want to spend much more physical contact time with this baby, not that I didnt with my daughter. I just feel its very important. I do have a bassinet for baby to use while I am up and we will be cosleeping with a sidecar bed so no crib needed. That huge dresser to is yes FULL of clothing (including premature clothing) just in case..

These are all my carriers. I have an Ergo, 2 baby hawks, a kinderpack (made for a toddler in case I need to wear my 3 year old), many wraps and slings. :D Im a collector. I feel pretty ready with all that I have. :)

Lets not forget the best for last! MY cloth stash!! This isn't recently updated so I have added (and removed some) since. I wont be using the divacup either right after baby. Most of these are perfect for postpartum. The ones at the top are amazing! They are minky topped and dont stain at all (minky will NOT stain no matter what).

Yep. I think I am feeling pretty ready plus some lol

[HouseofPeace]

Originally Posted by amymccarty 

Lets not forget the best for last! MY cloth stash!! This isn't recently updated so I have added (and removed some) since. I wont be using the divacup either right after baby. Most of these are perfect for postpartum. The ones at the top are amazing! They are minky topped and dont stain at all (minky will NOT stain no matter what).

Yep. I think I am feeling pretty ready plus some lol

never thought i'd have cloth stash envy on these items!!!  so pretty and fun!  i need to go through my items for sure, and sooner rather than later.  i love my diva cup.

[odinsmama]

awesome cloth and carrier stash!  fun, fun!!!

This time around is so different in terms of having more of some stuff (diapers, carriers) and less of other stuff (clothes).

I'm super excited about the diapers because with my last 2 I only had mother-ease one-size and they are just too bulky and leg holes are too big for the first several weeks.  This time around I bought and was given some very small diapers and prefolds and covers so we won't do disposables at all this time and I'm happy about that.  I made a couple of fleece covers and I still have to get snaps on one and elastic and snaps on the other.

I also really want to sew myself some new cloth pads, my stash is pretty small and only gets me through a normal period because I use the moon cup as well.  I've got enough prefolds now to use some of those for the first really heavy bleeding days.  I will have to try a minky topped pad!!  I have a couple that are bamboo velour which are lovely but stain a little.

This is also my first time using woven wraps and I'm excited to use those.  I have a mei tai and a friend of mine just bought me an ergo (which I'm betting will be DH's favorite).  Another friend said she was going to give me her maya ring sling but not sure if that's actually going to happen.

On the clothes, we had way too many (all given to us) with the first and saved most of it for the second.  Then I gave it all away.  This time I'm relying mostly on hand me downs (some of which will be our old stuff coming back to us) and that is trickling in.  But looking at it, and remembering all the spit up and other leaks I'm not sure we have quite enough... I guess we'll see.  

Now I'm thinking about what meals to plan and put up in the freezer.  We do most of our food shopping at Costco but it is a 4 hour round-trip drive (plus shopping time) and I'm not sure how close to the due date I'll be comfortable sending DH over to do that.  Too early and we'll run out of food, too late and he could miss the birth!  I'm leaning toward a trip around 37 weeks and then just sucking it up and doing any other shopping we need to supplement in town.

[Chloe'sMama]

I want some mama cloth this time...... do you guys buy or make?

[HouseofPeace]

i just found something like 20-30 newborn narrow inserts in my diaper stash.

they're not pretty, they're not super comfy, but they're absorbent, the right size, and i have plenty.

and also just separated all my s/m/l diapers and covers.

so wishing i had pretty ones, but am going to make a drawer w/ my newfound stash of newborn inserts b/c i never use those on baby!  they're all bulky (except 2) and awkward, so they'll be for at home use pretty much only.  but i think that's okay for now.  i can adjust later.  

[odinsmama]

Originally Posted by Chloe'sMama 

I want some mama cloth this time...... do you guys buy or make?

I make my own with flannel (as absorbent layers) and fleece (as the layer that keeps it from leaking to panties).  I have a snap press, which is just rad for so many projects.  But you don't need one, you can get those sew-on snaps.

I *sort of* use this pattern.

https://sites.google.com/site/shewhorunsintheforest/0010

But I don't do them in a bunch of pieces like she does, I just used the pattern for the widest wing part plus the narrow middle part and sew them all together.  This can make for a pretty bulky pad, depending on how many layers you use in the middle section.  If I didn't use a clothes dryer I would probably have to go with something thinner, or something that is in pieces so it would dry faster.  I also use her pattern for liners but don't sew them the same way she does.

If you don't want to sew your own there are LOTS on www.etsy.com 

[kellybeth]

i have about 10 yards of minky fabric (making baby blankets) but knowing that the minky is good for a liner, i am thinking about cutting into the supply.

i don't have a sewing machine though, so everything is so slow going with hand-sewing everything. baby mobile and pillows are complete, plus i made 8 lavender sachets from pillow fabric as thank you gifts. 

[typebug]

Now that our move from Singapore to coastal California in 6 months is rolling forward I all of a sudden feel like I can get a few things in the 6-12 month size for autumn. Yay! I just got these little booties and Merino socks in New Zealand.

[HouseofPeace]

Originally Posted by typebug 


Now that our move from Singapore to coastal California in 6 months is rolling forward I all of a sudden feel like I can get a few things in the 6-12 month size for autumn. Yay! I just got these little booties and Merino socks in New Zealand.

coastal cali!  so jealous- husband just flew out and is going up the coast from San Diego.  he's trying not to report the weather back to me here in cold gray Massachusetts.  i miss California, especially the coast and the north...

[eminvc]

Originally Posted by typebug 



Now that our move from Singapore to coastal California in 6 months is rolling forward I all of a sudden feel like I can get a few things in the 6-12 month size for autumn. Yay! I just got these little booties and Merino socks in New Zealand.

I'm in coastal CA, too! Just keep in mind, if you haven't lived here before, we don't really have "autumn"...autumn is our summer...then it rains a little.

[josie423]

Today was a productive day! I was planning on buying some prefolds online in the next week or two, and then today at Once Upon a Child I found a huge stash of brand new unbleached PFs for $1.50 for 2. Yay! I got 2 dozen, so I'm totally set on dipes. We're getting a bassinet tonight (we co-sleep, but I want something for backup for adult time and such) so we're pretty much set. Maybe a few diaper covers and snappis, which I don't *need* need, and that's it.