Anyone thinking about what to register for?

[~Shanna~]

I know, I know, it's early. But so much of my nesting feelings right now are about things, what we need, where to put it, etc. So my question is:

I am completely overwhelmed by all of the gadgets that simply hold a baby.
Pack N Play, Exersaucers, swings, bouncy seats, johnny jumpers,slings.......
How are all of you deciding what you will get for your baby, and what you think you won't need or is redundant? I expect we'll be somehwat crunchy parents, but my sister's experience was that she used all of these things, and yet I can't imagine paying for/asking for/storing/using all of these things.

What's your philosophy? For those of you who are minimalist, what's your secret to not needing these things to keep baby soothed and entertained?

[AppleOrangePear]

With DS 1 we used a swing sometimes especially if i needed to go to the bathroom or lay down and rest however i dont think i will use one this time however we are keeping our lil bouncy chair we have. the chair came in handy when i needed to take a shower etc. Now the second time around i think ya just need a lot of love and a great sling along with really good nourishment to keep ya going those first few weeks

However Even though we will all co sleep i kinda like the Amby.

Michele

[~Shanna~]

[deliarose]

I didn't find out about a sling until our DD was 4 months old. I look forward to using one from birth on #2. We were blessed with lots of hand-me-downs. My perspective: swing-get one for your porch or yard to use when your child is older. We used ours just a handful of times. I probably will get rid of it because it is too bulky and redundant imo. Bouncy chair-portable, vibrates, good until they can move, but I have seen this really cool Baby Bjorn one that can change into a toddler chair. I don't know if it is a vibrating one, but a neat idea to make it more versitile. It is pretty pricey, which is why the Fisher Price one may be the way to go. Johnny Jump up- we didn't use it. Exersaucer- fun when they start to sit up independantly. I would purchase one at a second hand kids store since the new ones are noisy-electronic things that needs batteries. Not my style. The pack n play ended up being a toy storage area. You don't really need it. We did purchase a co-sleeper, which I really liked. That also can convert to a playpen. I am glad that we got a jogging stroller, because it helped taking walks off paved paths. I do recommend a baby bath- you can put it on a counter in the kitchen and give baths standing up. That makes life so much easier. I had one with a hammock that you put in place for a NB. It was under $20. We used it for a long time until DD was too big for it.
It can be overwhelming, but the best thing to remember is lots of love will do most of it. Also if you don't mind second hand, there are great deals out there at thrift stores and conseignment shops. You can even request gently used items. I would get a new car seat though.

[CrunchyMamaToBe]

As far as I know, baby registries aren't really done in England. Have to ask around on that. But we'll be asking for things like diapers and slings. We don't drive and don't plan to use a stroller (at least at first), and don't have space for gadgety things, so I think the grandparents-to-be are going to be disappointed...

[annethcz]

I know there's a huge temptation to buy lots of gadgety things, but I'd really suggest holding off on those things, and register for things that you KNOW you'll need. Things like clothes (t-shirts, sleepers and onsies), diapers, a car seat, etc.

Especially when you're a first time mama, and your world is about to change, you feel like you need to buy everything out there 'just in case.' But really, there is so little you actually need. And if you discover, after the baby is born, that there is some gadget that you can't live without, you can buy it then.

[~Shanna~]

Originally Posted by annethcz

I know there's a huge temptation to buy lots of gadgety things, but I'd really suggest holding off on those things, and register for things that you KNOW you'll need. Things like clothes (t-shirts, sleepers and onsies), diapers, a car seat, etc. Especially when you're a first time mama, and your world is about to change, you feel like you need to buy everything out there 'just in case.' But really, there is so little you actually need. And if you discover, after the baby is born, that there is some gadget that you can't live without, you can buy it then.

Thanks for the advice annethcz. My husband and I are going to be very low-income after the baby comes, so I feel some pressure to "get it while the getting is good". I'm hoping that garage sales this summer can be a happy medium of getting some extra things that we aren't sure if we need, but for not a lot of $$$.

[erikaa]

Hi Ladies,
I would reccomend picking up a copy of Baby Bargains. It's a paperback book they put out every year that has reviews on all types of baby products. The reviews are usually a combo of Consumer Reports findings and actual parent testimonies.
They also will tell you what they think is essential and what is frivilous.
I used it like a bible when registering.
In the end I think I made out pretty well. The only thing I regret now is registering for a big highchair! It gets disgustingly dirty and is very hard to clean up.: I wish I had done like my friend and stuck with one of those plastic boosters with a tray that you attach to a regular chair.
I also highly reccomend a Breastfriend pillow if you are going to try to nurse. I found the Boppy to be too soft and the baby fell between me and the pillow.
I also loved the exercsaucer when DD reached about 4mo. It helped me get a shower or a minute in the bathroom many a day!!
Hope that helps! erika

[lotusdebi]

My son was in the swing twice, and the bouncy seat once. The pack-n-play ended up just staying at my moms, since we just used it to hold stuffed animals. DS did like the johnny-jump-up that he got as a hand-me-down. We never got an exersaucer, though he enjoyed them at his playmates' homes. DS wasn't too interested in the sling. He mostly preferred to lay on the floor or on my lap, and explore. I invested in a solarveil sling (a water sling), and that helped with taking showers when I just couldn't put him down anywhere, at least until he was old enough to play at the bottom of the tub.

As this is my second child, I won't be registering for anything. But, I have a mental list of what I need:
medium cloth diapers (I only have large, since DS didn't start with them until he was almost one year old), a wrap (moby style, I think), possibly a mei-tai, a few articles of clothing (especially that "first outfit"), and a new highchair (DS's broke). I'm keeping my maya wrap for DH to use, but I'm done with that style sling (except in cases when I need the solarveil, I suppose).
I found with my DS that I really didn't need the gadgets that everyone told me I'd need. And I feel awful that family members felt the need to get them for me, since I had registered for them. Perhaps, since this will be my second child, I will find that I need the swing or the bouncy seat more often. I guess we'll see...

[chrissy]

we sometimes used the bouncy seat after she had fallen asleep when she lilah was a newborn. it cuddled her very well and she would stay asleep in it, whereas if we put her down, even sound asleep, on the bed she would wake instantly.

[monkeylove]

I'm having my first....but I kept it really simple and registered for things that were more expensive and had good resale value...my hubby and I went and tested strollers so we found out which one we were both most comfy, made sure to put the infant AND the toddler carseat on the registry...cloth diapers and supplies, sheets, nursing bras...basically I tried to streer peoplel away from clothes, toys, and frivoulous stuff....I used dreamofthis.com because you can combine a whole bunch of different websites on to one registry..