I've been hanging out on a - Page 2

[Wild Flowers]

We have a wipes warmer, but it is for our bums, we use cloth tp. We don't use wet wipes for everything, but our oldest used to, in our old house, be able to wet her own wipes for #2, now she can't reach the sink, or even pull up the handle for the water. So in order for her to clean her bum well, we got a wipes warmer that she and my youngest can reach and wipe themselves.

[DecemberSun]

A wipes warmer for cloth wipes makes more sense to me. I just keep my wipes dry and run warm water over them as I need them...

[mama2leila]

My need list is so short, like so many of you. Just clothes past 6-9 months if it's a boy (all our stuff for the beginning was gender neutral, but a lot after that is too feminine to put on a boy, except for black pants, turtlenecks, etc), and diaper covers since I didn't like what I had in newborn and small (fortuneatly for me, I make fleece covers, so no problem there either).

I will say that I did use my swing and bouncy seat. I'm very AP/NP, but these tools were great for me. My dd would sit in the swing every morning for 10-15 minutes while I ate breakfast and checked my email. that was all she would tolerate. She'd sit in the bouncy seat for about 5-10 minutes during my weekly to twice weekly shower while I washed my hair and body (I do no-poo, so it's a litle more hand consuming), then she'd come in and join me. She'd also sit in the bouncy seat while I cooked dinner on the 2 nights a week DH worked late for one semester when she was about 2-5 months.

And I couldn't have lived without that 1 dozen toddler sized CPFs that I didn't use for diapers. My toddler will never fit into them, but she was a spitter when she was a baby, and I leaked milk, so those worked as excellent burp rags, sleeping pads, and unused booby let down catchers.

We had a doorway jumper, but barely used it (I was and still am paranoid about the hip issues). We had a saucer a neighbor gave us that only left the basement to go to the consignment store No highchair, crib, pack n play, stroller, carseat that left the car, bottles and all the miscellaneous stuff that goes with bottle feeding, etc.

Gear I couldn't live without - slings/carriers (the WAY too many of those I had) and our EC buckets placed strategically throughout the house.

[Arwyn]

There's a fair amount of stuff we WANT, but at this point all we need, really, is:

*dresser (we don't have enough storage space for our clothes, much less the babe's and hir diapers, plus it'll probably get at least some use as a changing table)

*carseat - that's kinda of a duh, since it's our first. We'll register for one of the good convertable Britax ones.

*bouncy seat - I'd love to be able to shower with the babe, and whenever both of us are home there will be no problem, but I'd also like one safe place to put the kid if I need hands free (plus, one of my dogs LOVES bouncy seats )

Umm... Have some clothes already, have some diapers and covers and pins on the way (want a couple Snappis and some fitteds) plus a ton of knit soakers and some to-be-converted sweaters, have some carriers... Oh!

*Another set of sheets - we only have one really nice set for our king-size bed (bought that a couple years ago in anticipation), and I figure we reeeeally need at least one more.

Like I said, there's a lot more stuff we WANT, but that's pretty much it for NEED. And even the sheets and bouncy seat would be optional, I suppose. (For my sanity, the dresser really isn't )

ETA Oh, and potties. Need some potties. With lids. We have dogs.

[Wild Flowers]

Originally Posted by Arwyn

ETA Oh, and potties. Need some potties. With lids. We have dogs.

It is so funny that you say this. It actually happened to me too many times, it is actually embarressing...But my daughter would poop and I would pick her up to take her to the bathroom to wipe her butt, and well, I would come back to a perfectly clean potty. It did make clean up much easier, but really gross. I should say, I have a dog also. And I do remember one time, she was older and crawling, where the dog kept sniffing her butt, I knew right away to take her potty.

[mama2leila]

You know, hearing that, and knowing people who have dogs that eat the contents of diapers (or the diapers themselves - even cloth ones! Boy, would you be mad about your $15 dollar bamboo velour diaper being puppy chow! ), it makes me think twice about accepting the kisses of dogs with kids in the house - EC or not!



Also, I wanted to mention, for those that do EC, especially at night. In the beginning we bought an expensive mattress cover that I was really uncomfortable with (it was teflon coated - the chemicals disturb me) ,but didn't want to have to trash our mattress either. Well, after several washings, the durn thing didn't work anymore! So I bought a large wool blanket from the sierra trading post for like $25, it's under my sheets and works GREAT!!!! Just thought I'd mention it!

[Arwyn]

Oooo, big wool blanket! Good idea, thanks! (We finally settled on a registry site, so I'm sitting in bed today compiling a list of all the stuff we don't need )

[shalena]

my list is pretty small:

set of king size sheets
socks (i lost them all the first time around!)
size small diapers

[paisley]

Well thanks to those mainstream sites, I've narrowed it down to this, this, and this that I just can't live without for our new baby.

:Puke


Actually, I do have a bit of a list. Sheets, clothes, Mama cloth and breast pads, a Moby Wrap, some more diapers, blankets, and I really want a cute mobile for the changing table (we missed out on the whole mobile thing since we co-sleep ).

Originally Posted by Arwyn

*dresser (we don't have enough storage space for our clothes, much less the babe's and hir diapers, plus it'll probably get at least some use as a changing table)

We got a tall, narrow bookcase from Ikea for clothes and diapers. It was $30 and you can get doors for it as well. For ds we used one of those sweater organizers that you hang in your closet - his little folded clothes fit perfectly in there until he was about 18 mos. Both are reasonably cheap and great for small spaces.

[Arwyn]

That seals it. Must visit Ikea.

It's only 2.5 hours away...

[paisley]

Originally Posted by Arwyn

That seals it. Must visit Ikea.

It's only 2.5 hours away...

Ikea - It's the short birch one for $40 in the 3rd row. Click on that and use the drop down to select the taller version in the color you want. You can even do a stock check at the store before you go.

[ILoveMySofie]

Originally Posted by paisley

Well thanks to those mainstream sites, I've narrowed it down to this, this, and this that I just can't live without for our new baby.

:Puke

oh.my.God.
But the baby robot is so happy with the bottle robot!!!! Awww, they are so cute together.

[Ben's Mommy]

Originally Posted by paisley

Well thanks to those mainstream sites, I've narrowed it down to this, this, and this that I just can't live without for our new baby.

WOW!

[Wild Flowers]

You know I kinda wish they would invent something like that pacifeeder thing for breastfeeders. I am thinking for like car rides. My youngests hated the car with passion, the only time she was ever happy was when I was bent over her, very uncomfortable, nursing her. It wasn't safe either since it is impossible for me to buckle at that point. And what would have happened if we were in an accident where I was slammed into her? But to hook something up to your breast and have it go by long tube to something in your babies mouth? Would that help? Neither one of mine would stand a paci in thier mouth so really I don't know, but I am thinking it would still be slightly warm milk and they might settle down for it.

[didkisa]

Originally Posted by deuxceleste

Well this is my first and I'll be completely honest- I have absolutely NO CLUE what I need. No idea whatsoever. I've been spending so much time trying to get my house in some kind of order that I haven't even THOUGHT about it, much less made a list. DP's been snooping the baby aisles of stores, and gets hella excited at all the "cute" things, so I think I'm just going to leave it up to him to go out and go splurge shopping. What he comes home with is what we end up with. I'm sure I'll feel more like listing and shopping when I don't feel like poo all the time. But for now the only things I can think of are slings and a car seat. Ooooooh and a rocker. That'd be REALLY nice... One of those ones with the swinging footstool so my feet can rock too!!!

Grrr...

I'm in the same boat! Also, since we're planning to move from one coast to the other about three months after the baby's born, I sure don't wanna move a bunch of crap!! All I want are the bare necessities: cloth diapers, clothes, car seat and a sling or two...think I can get away with that small of a list?

Still in Portland and went to Saturday Market yesterday...bought my first sling--made by a local lady, and I really like it. Also bought the cutest little unisex tie-dye overalls! Spent too much money, I'm sure, but I'm planning to use them as a pattern to make more, so, that's how I justify the extra money spent! The rest of the clothes I plan to get second-hand somehow.

[didkisa]

Originally Posted by paisley

Well thanks to those mainstream sites, I've narrowed it down to this, this, and this that I just can't live without for our new baby.

:Puke

OK, guess I need to wake up here...took me awhile to realize you were kidding! I was beginning to wonder...and worry! But when I saw that stupid pacifier bottle thing, it dawned on me (oh, and the winking and vomiting smilies helped, too! ). What are people thinking?!?

Reminds me, my step-dad says I "can't live" without a Bumbo...anyone have any experience with these? He's so sure I'll need it that he told me he'll buy it himself! (fine with me, I suppose...)

[mama2leila]

Originally Posted by VnJW

You know I kinda wish they would invent something like that pacifeeder thing for breastfeeders. I am thinking for like car rides. My youngests hated the car with passion, the only time she was ever happy was when I was bent over her, very uncomfortable, nursing her. It wasn't safe either since it is impossible for me to buckle at that point. And what would have happened if we were in an accident where I was slammed into her? But to hook something up to your breast and have it go by long tube to something in your babies mouth? Would that help? Neither one of mine would stand a paci in thier mouth so really I don't know, but I am thinking it would still be slightly warm milk and they might settle down for it.

Now THAT would be a useful invention!!! It'd have to have a long enough tube to reach from the front to back seats, because DH doesn't drive!

I'm sure not many of you used pacifiers, but we did. My dd couldn't keep one in her mouth by herself until she was like 3 months old, and it was a while after that before she could put it in her mouth. so how does that pacifeeder make it easier for bottle feeders?

RE: bumbos. We lived without one just fine. I've heard lots of stories about babies thinking it's just a perfect place to have a blow out poop! HAHA! Anyway, it concerns me a bit to sit up a child before their body is ready to support them - there's a reason they can't sit up yet, I'd worry about damaging the spine.

[Arwyn]

Dang, Colleen, you shoulda told me! I love the Saturday Market.

Did you get the sling from Tanya? She sells a podegi-like thing she calls a My BeiBei, and also hemp/cotton ring slings. I love her. (And she has the cutest organic cotton onesies, "I'd rather be nursing" with a mandela made of pairs of breasts We bought a couple of those!)

And they have some of the best tie-dye there. There are at least a couple places that do tie-dye baby stuff. Hippie parents paradise!

And yes, I think for the first few months you can "get away with" that small a list. That's all that's really needed, anyway. The rest of it can be nice, or it can be junk, but it's not really necessary.

Re: bumbo - these are pretty controversial. Most of the threads about 'em in LWAB go up in flames. There are concerns about the position of the hips - the legs rotate unnaturally in them, in a way that makes chiropractors and some physical therapists cringe. Plus, they encourage sitting before babies are developmentally ready, but without the responsiveness of an adult holding them. Some babies will bend over backwards and "pop" out, too. Now, all that said, it's like any other "baby containment device" - it can be OK to use for a few minutes for a couple months if the baby likes it and it gives you a chance to run to the pot or whatever else you need to do, and some totally AP parents use 'em as booster seats when going out to eat. Things like bouncyseats are arguably more developmentally appropriate, but none of those things are as good as being held, and probably not as good as being on the floor or a bed if the baby is happy with that. And used minimally, I don't think any of them are evil.

Personally, I think they're a fad, and the "you have to have this!" will fade with time, and if the bumbo doesn't disappear entirely, it'll become just one more piece of baby gear we don't really need but can be useful sometimes.

[firstwomantomars]

A big wool blanket - such a genius idea!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!

(okay I am a few messages behind in answering this thread but it's such a great idea I couldn't help respond!)

[Llyra]

Gottt chime in with another WOW, A WOOL BLANKET comment!

I've been pricing wool mattress pads, because I'm so sweaty at night and I think a layer of wool would make me more comfortable. They cost a fortune. But I have old wool army blankets sitting around doing nothing!

As far as the original thread goes, the only things I couldnt live without are a good cloth diaper stash, a carseat, and a few good soft carriers and slings. A couple extra pillows and some Lansinoh, some cotton t-shirts, a good wool bunting, and an arsenal of flannel receiving blankers would round out my "essentials."

That said, I have a truckload of baby gear junk, all of which was gifts or handed down, and some of it I think came in handy sometimes. Most of it was a monumental waste of money, though.