Also as part of baby prep I am toying with the idea of taking my blog private. Please vote in the poll on the side to let me know if you would still read my blog if it is private. As a side note, I will still put all my posts up on this blog, just without the pictures. So if you are one of those who likes to see when a blog has been updated you could still see when my private blog has been updated because this public one will be updated at the same time with the same post, you just won't be able to see any pictures unless you come to the private blog. Hope that makes sense. Also don't be shy about saying you would read the private blog, even if we don't know each other that well or haven't been in touch for a while. I don't want to lose you just because I go private, I just don't want my baby's pictures to be available to the general public.
I figured out how to take still frames from our ultrasound video, so here is a profile shot of the little guy!
17 comments:
I read your blog through my Google Reader which I don't think would come through if it was private. But, if you made those public entries sans pictures, I would probably still come through and look at the pictures on the private blog, because I can't pass up the opportunity to see pics of my friends' little ones :) I put "maybe" because there might be times I wouldn't come to see the pictures, but I'd still be reading your public entries :)
Baby items...Boppy to nurse with, portable crib (mine is travel size, and I love it!) and thin cloth diapers to use as burp rags. Those are just some of the random things that you may not normally think about.
Bumbo! Especially if you don't have room for a high chair. And you'll for sure what a swing or some kind of bouncy chair to put him in.
1) Lansinoh nursing pads are great for the first few months while your milk is leaking everywhere. They are a little more expensive, but they worked the best for me. After I get on a feeding schedule, I use cloth/washable ones.
2) Baby Wise Book - LOVE IT! But you have to make it your own, so it works for you.
3) Stool Softener/Milk of Magnesia...So gross I know, but for myself, and other women I've talk to, your first poops after birth are the WORST! I made Tyler stand in line and pay for it...heehee
4) Huggies. I love huggies while the babies poop is still yellow and runny. After they start eating more solids, then I switch to something cheaper.
That's all I can think of for now. It's not all baby stuff, but it's things that I used when all 3 of mine were born. Good Luck
In the laundry aisle at Walmart is a lingerie bag- put the baby's socks in it for the washer and dryer. If you don't, the dryer will eat them up.
my favorite item has gotta be the Baby Bjorn. But get one second-hand or you'll be paying a whole heap, heap!
So jealous you got an ultrasound video - they won't do those here for some reason! They say it's HIPPA. =P
I love our small, low to the ground, portable swing, and bumbo!
My advice would be: don't overdo it! You really don't need much gear to care for a baby. Actually, you really just need you. Do get a good supportive wrap or sling!
That being said, I really liked my nursing pillow ("My Brest Friend"... yeah haha) and my favorite disposable diapers for newborns are Pampers Swaddlers hands down! We started cloth diapering Samuel at the end of the summer and we'll probably never go back. (Incidentally, if you cloth diaper an exclusively-breastfed baby, you don't even have to wash out the yucky ones; you can just throw it straight into the wash and it will dissolve in the pre-wash... and it doesn't smell either! Big plus too in the amount of $$ and waste you save... newborns go through a TON of diapers.) So if you decide to go cloth, that would be great on a registry.
Also, a few months after Samuel was born, I read a lot of baby books to help teach him how to sleep at night (this was the aspect of parenting I was most unprepared for), and the one that resonated best with me is called "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer" by Tracy Hogg. I feel strongly that you can teach a baby to sleep without abandoning him/her to cry it out, as is the current trend. Tracy has a lot of wisdom for how to teach a baby while still showing the deserved respect and maintaining your own sanity. This book deals with more than just sleep issues, and looking back, I really wish I had read it while I was pregnant (she has other books too, but this is the one to start with... you can get it for $1 at abebooks.com). Almost all of my baby research at that time dealt with pregnancy and childbirth, not what comes next!!
Regarding the blog, I keep up with them on my blogger dashboard, which doesn't register the private ones, so I have to remember to check them. Sometimes I forget. But if you're still posting here too, I bet I might remember! If you go private, count me in. :) If you do go private, will you explain the reasons? I'm not aware of the dangers of posting pictures on a public blog.
That was a lot more than you bargained for! Sorry!!
I loved my baby wrap. I can't remember what brand it was , but it was just this long piece of cloth that you wrapped around yourself in a certain way, and you can carry your baby around it in tons of different positions. Much better than a regular baby carrier because having all that cloth ditributes the weight very evenly and makes it very comfortable for baby and parent.
I also loved my boppy- for nursing and for sitting the baby up in.
I enjoyed reading your comments! They were helpful for me too. I have to say that my favorite baby item has been the vibrator bouncy chair. I actually picked one up at a yard sale this summer for $4. It had a tiny tear in it, but I sewed it up and washed it and it was like new. It was seriously the best $4 I ever spent. I also like the Baby Bjorn a lot.
Oh, and I will still keep up on your blog either way.
I was going to say what Nonie said! (We must be related :)) Babies are great because all they need to be happy is YOU! (And a little bit of Dad.) We had a bunch of gear that we didn't even end up using (like a crib, for example). A sling is great, too. That really facilitates getting anything done around the house while staying close to baby. Our favorite was the "hot sling." A stroller is good too so you can go on walks from the beginning. We just got a stroller frame, which we really loved, for when Abe was little. As soon as he was big enough to face forward, we got a running stroller (Baby Trend--you can find it at Target). Anyway, those were our favorite things :)
Okay my advice is to register for anything you think you might possibly want. I registered at Babies R Us and Target and I believe both sent me a 10% off coupon for anything on my registry that I hadn't received. So you can register for diapers even and get the discount....which I didn't take advantage of.
A Pack and Play is very helpful as a bassinet. We had both boys in our room at first in the pack and play bassinet and then when they moved into their crib the item didn't go to waste. We still take it on every vacation. My (now) 3 year old still sleeps in one at my parents’ house although he is starting to outgrow it.
The Baby Bjorn is great. I understand that other brand carriers aren’t as secure and the moms have one hand still on the baby.
The bouncer was helpful for my shower time. Baby gets a sauna and mom gets a nice shower without worry of baby.
My favorite thing for 3mo+ was the jumperoo. Oh wow, when your arms need a break it is a great entertainer.
My favorite breast pads are the Lansinoh ones. They absorb a ton. When they went up in price I tried other brands and didn't end up using them because I always leaked.
Some of my friends have a hooter hider. It is a nursing cover, aparently you can find them on etsy.com. Probably nicer than the common blanket(I have always used) because they are cooler, and the baby can see you.
Okay apparently I can go on and on. I love the idea of being there every second for your child but items are helpful :) Enjoy making a registry.
About going private. I would totally read it but I am not as good at checking them. I have a girlfriend that has 2 blogs (open and private). She actually posts different things on both blogs but on the open blog her kids and husband have fictitious names. She has a little key on the side bar. She still posts pictures but with fake names....an idea anyway. Good luck with the decision!!
1. The bouncer was a total life saver since it's so portable- definitely good for when you need to take a shower. And when Sydney got bigger, she just had a ball kicking away in that thing.
2. Initially I thought we could get away with giving her baths in the sink since our bathroom is tiny and those baby tubs are pretty big to store. But the first tub in the sink was so traumatic that we just went and bought a baby tub. I've loved it.
3. I would also recommend lining up a bunch of books for you to read since you spend a LOT of time sitting down to nurse.
Something I rarely used: my Boppy. I know some people swear by them, but I just used pillows since I usually just nursed on the couch. It ended up just being another unnecessary thing that took up space.
Laura, you are looking so cute with your belly! Oh, I can't believe how fast this is going. Although, I am sure for you it can't go fast enough. I think my most used gift is the boppy nursing pillow, like others have said. I also love the bundle me for a car seat, however, your baby isn't such a winter baby so that is up to you! Have fun "nesting" for baby! We are excited for you guys.
I'd read your blog if it were private, but your poll is closed. Don't forget about me. :) And one bay item I couldn't live without would be my mom aka Nana and aka the baby whisperer (LOL) but since you can't have her I would say humidifier/vaporizer. I swear by that thing. It really helps soothe and calm my kids when they don't feel well. Even allergies.
Here's another Mom's take: http://simplemom.net/8-essentials-for-a-newborn-baby/. Also, I highly recommend getting a battery-operated breast pump. ;)
please add me to your private blog, I definitely want to see your little guy when he comes!!
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