What are the necessities?

[Nillarilla]

I am planning on collecting things gradually this time.
The birth of my son and all the research I did after his birth led to me to my crunchy beliefs of today. So much of my baby stuff is plastic or vinyl.
I don't want to spend a fortune but I would like more natural/green baby products this time around.
What do you mamas consider essentials for baby? What are your must haves/want to haves?

[DreamsInDigital]

A good sling.
A carseat.
Some diapers and wipes.
Some clothing.
A few blankets.
A dozen washcloths/receiving blankets/old diapers/whatever for cleaning up spit up and wiping down baby's face, hands and smelly rolls.

That's about it.

[rjruiz_415]

Originally Posted by DreamsInDigital

A good sling.
A carseat.
Some diapers and wipes.
Some clothing.
A few blankets.
A dozen washcloths/receiving blankets/old diapers/whatever for cleaning up spit up and wiping down baby's face, hands and smelly rolls.

That's about it.

smelly rolls thats funny. That sounds like a pretty good list. a camera is useful too- if you are a photo-aholic like i am

[mamazee]

Oooooh the junk we bought or people bought for us that we didn't use.

I plan to get a carseat, a sling, cloth diapers and wipes, and some baby clothes and receiving blankets. Oh, and I really did use the little baby bathtub so I'll probably get that again. Otherwise, nothing. If something sounds useful after the baby is born, MAYBE.

I will never get a changing table again. What was I thinking? Changing my baby on this high table so far up off the ground. Scary and a PITA because you can't move a few inches from the baby because you have to keep the baby from falling off the table. So it's this tricky "Let me reach for this but not stop touching the baby" thing. I ended up changing her on the floor on a cloth, and that's what I'll do from the start this time.

[DreamsInDigital]

I change my babies on the couch or floor. A changing table is such a waste of space. I had a crib for DS1 and it was just a big toy bin/laundry basket so I got rid of it and never got another.

[Marilyn82]

ITA, we got/bought soooo many things we didn't use last time. I'll be starting completely from scratch this time since my ds is almost 5. The stuff I plan on getting this time is a bit different :P

Slings - probably a wrap and another Mei tai; receiving blankets ; basic layette...like really basic; earth mama angel baby bottom balm (I use this for EVERYthing...it's freakin awesome); cloth diapering supplies; diaper bag; rocking chair; and probably an amby bed for when baby is not in bed with us (naps etc) or if he is like his older brother and just doesn't like sleeping with anyone period (hopefully not), but I wouldn't consider it a necessity.

Also, I will probably make sure I have a good breast pump in case I have any supply issues like last time, as well as some fenugreek for supply as well.

oh yea and a carseat. We will mostly babywear so a stroller is meh...not that important, but maybe when s/he is older.

[deuxceleste]

I'm a babywearer too but the stroller comes in handy when you're out with family... for example auntie or grandma... and babybaby falls asleep. It was for me, anyway.

I had to practically BEG dh to let me sell our stroller, though. He liked using the Snugli but I hear those are bad for their little backs.

[mamazee]

That's true. A stroller is very handy sometimes. Like in airports and amusement parks. I'll get one but I'll get one from a garage sale or craigslist or something. I won't spend nearly as much as I did last time. We spent a ton on one for our daughter and then we ended up carrying her around and pushing an empty stroller most of the time.

[Thursday Girl]

I think it has been covered. For baby clothes I LOVE the gowns. The sleepers with the snaps or zippers are a PIA in MHO.

I will be getting a new stroller i think. I want a sit in stand. It will help when out with all three. One in the sling one sitting, one standing. For longer days and such. PLus they are great in amusement parks and zoos. Even if to only hold my stuff, Oh and at all of those free events were your kids get to do arts and crafts and get free books and stickers. Yeah I LOVE a stroller then. I just use it as a little shopping cart.

edited to add I use the BF pillows a lot. I think i have to get a new one, as the one I used with the last two is flat now. It saved my back.

[iowaorganic]

definitely a breast pump (check with your health insurance-mine paid 90% of mine- definitely reason to get a really good one from a pharmacy). I have 2 boppy's- one for sitting and one for baby. I need these! Also- I love my changing table- I wouldn't go with out it- but that is just me. We also couldn't live without our swing. But if I did it again I would get one that plugged in and not a battery operated one.

[PaigeAnThem]

I had about 40 cotton washcloths and they were a lifesaver the first couple months or so. We didn't use wipes the first few weeks, so we went through about a dozen cloths/day.

I second the sling, but try to find one that works for you. Try a few out before you invest, if it's possible.

I've never used the changing table for changing, but it's got lots of handy shelves.

The one item I always get new mom's at their showers is a car mirror so you can see the babe in the rear-facing car seat. It was the first item I went out and bought after having the baby.

A breast pump is a good idea too, but depending how often you'll be gone you might only need a small manual one. They are much less expensive.

[Nillarilla]

What do you mamas think about the cosleepers? I only have a queen and neither dh and I could sleep with ds in the bed. There is just not enough room.

[mamazee]

Originally Posted by Nillarilla

What do you mamas think about the cosleepers? I only have a queen and neither dh and I could sleep with ds in the bed. There is just not enough room.

I had an Arm's Reach co-sleeper last time, but my daughter didn't seem to recognize that as co-sleeping and wouldn't sleep in it. I might try one of those snuggle nests this time. I've heard of lots of babies who do use co-sleepers successfully so hopefully you'll have better luck. You could always get one used, and then if you don't use it maybe you can sell it for what you paid for it.

[elspethshimon]

Originally Posted by Nillarilla

What do you mamas think about the cosleepers? I only have a queen and neither dh and I could sleep with ds in the bed. There is just not enough room.

That's what we're probably going to get.

[midnightmommy]

With our son I had no intention of co-sleeping, but he had other ideas. We ended up with him in between us. Usually he slept in the crook of my arm. Not the best but he wasn't happy otherwise. My hubby was not happy with the arrangement since he didn't get any sleep. Did I mention our bed is a full? Our son decided at about a year and half that our bed was just too crowded and refused to sleep with us anymore.

It's funny I woke up this morning thinking about the things that we plan to do differently this time too.

[ewolthuis]

If you are getting a new carseat, I would check out healthycar.org for one with low emissions. That, and I would get the carseat a little early and let it air out.

[triscuitsmom]

This time I am paring way down from what I had with my first, and even with him I didn't have as much as a lot of first timers...

I plan on getting:
-warm clothes
-gowns for pretty much all the time inside
-a new carseat
-an amauti (babywearing coat)

I already have cloth diapers, but plan on ECing most of the time. I also have a full range of babycarriers (which I absolutely consider necessary! ) We'll also be cosleeping in our bed so we are skipping the pack n play this time.

[so_blessed]

Stopping by from the July DDC....we love the Amby bed....it's great if you start them out in it right away. It's so easy to reach out from the bed, push the Amby, and easily put baby back to sleep!

[nighten]

I know some parents and babies find some things necessities, that others don't, but for us here's the list from our experience first time around. Your mileage may vary.

Necessities:

- Cloth dipes
- Good, water soluble detergent for dipes
- Boppy
- Receiving blankets for swaddling
- Lap Pads (they're tightly woven cotton and waterproof-ish and great for putting under baby at diaper changes)
- Nursing pads
- No-wire, stretchy nursing bras
- Hotsling (then mei tai, then Ergo -- at last that was our preference in order of when we used them)
- Papasan style swing (though I'm looking into the Amby Bed for this babe)
- Carseat (we started with an infant seat, and I'm glad as Winnie was small at birth -- 6#6oz and a convertible seat would've been far too big). I washed the cover in cold water and lots of natural fabric softener and Dawn to help remove the flame retardent chems -- hang to dry though as don't want to shrink it
- Baby monitors (our house is big)
- Baby fingernail clippers
- Nasal aspirator
- Socks and hats
- Contoured changing pad that sits on top of dresser
- Small lamp that takes a nightlight bulb for nighttime diaper changes in low light
- SnugTuck bolster pillow for co-sleeping
- Sturdy, non-gadgety high chair for later on (the more gadgets, the more places food can get)
- ETA: Glider/rocking chair (can't believe I forgot that one!)

Not necessary but nice to have:

- Clear shower curtain (so baby can see me when I'm showering )
- Bouncy seat (not the Johnny Jumpup things but the papasan style seat)
- Breast pump (be sure to buy new if you're looking at electric ones)
- Baby washclothes
- Side-snap t-shirts for wearing before cord stump falls off
- Long gowns with elastic at bottom
- Bibs
- Extra Boppy covers
- Wool puddle pads (or you can be cheap like us and get an old thin blanket from the Army/Navy store and cut to fit. Much cheaper and works just as well)
- Organic crib mattress (but, not so much the crib -- and if I could do it all over again I'd invest in an organic mattress for OUR bed instead, but we had the org. crib one and thankfully she's sleeping on it now. New baby will sleep with us until Guinevere's outgrown the crib mattress)
- Pack-n-play (most people either love or hate them. We love ours and used it often as a changing table when she was little, and a bassinet for naps, then later as a playpen for when I was cooking)
- Stroller
- Noise machine/air purifier (but not the ionic ones -- they suck)
- ETA: Nursing stool


Total waste of cash (for us, again, YMMV):

- Baby tub
- Bumbo seat
- Changing table
- Sleep positioner (our baby hated hated hated it. She far preferred sleeping right next to me)
- Crib (though good for temporary playpen when I needed to iron)
- Nursing clothes for me other than bras. I'm a shift lifter. It's just a lot easier.
- Gliding ottoman (nursing stool is so much better)

That's all I can think of right now. And really, all you absolutely have to have are diapers and some clothes. But the necessities I listed all helped us enormously for a variety of reasons, from birth to far past age one.

[motherbirth]

Originally Posted by jewelysmommy

I think it has been covered. For baby clothes I LOVE the gowns. The sleepers with the snaps or zippers are a PIA in MHO.

My daughter used to pull her legs out of the sleeper and then cry and cry because it was uncomfortable. Both my kids (boy and girl) used gowns inside blanket sleeper bags...no legs to get stressed out over.

Comment on nasal aspirators, you usually get one from the hospital or in your homebirth kit, and those ones are better than some of the ones in stores.

If you are going back to work, a double electric breast pump is a necessity.