Yes, I’m jumping the gun big-time - our baby isn’t due until November. But for budget reasons, and also because I’m SO excited - I’m wondering what we should buy ahead of time to be ready …
I’m thinking of baby furniture, clothes, supplies, etc, plus is there anything I will need - I’ve heard something about breast pads but I don’t even know what those are!!!
Ideas / Suggestions? Thank you!
S.
Babies don’t really need any furniture, aside from a place to sleep, and, technically, they don’t even need that, although co-sleeping isn’t for everyone. You will need a carseat, some simple clothes (onesies, t-shirts, jammies, etc.), diapers, wipes, maybe a blanket or two and that’s about it, assuming you are going to breastfeed
Breast pads are cotton pads that fit inside your bra to catch leaks. Some women need them by the end of their pregnancy, but most not until nursing starts.
You will eventually need a place to bathe the baby, but sponge baths will do until the umbilical cord scar heals.
Extras would include a stroller that accomodates an infant seat, and possibly, some pacifiers, although we never used them.
You can buy an endless amount of stuff, but very little of it is really necessary.
When she said wipes, she meant all sorts of wipes. Babies leak in many ways. In addition to diaper wipes, people use wash cloths, cloth diapers, and small cotton blankets. Whether you need them most for wiping or to protect your lap or shoulder depends on the individual baby, so don’t stock way up. Get a few different kinds and see what works.
I got a lot of use out of a swing, but most of them can’t be used for newborns. The swing will put some babies to sleep when nothing else will. Get a gravity powered one rather than a wind-up. It usually takes more than one cycle to get them all the way to sleep and the sound of the wind-up shocks them awake.
I wouldn’t buy too much yet (it’s hard, I know 
). You will get gifts and things from relatives and if you wait a little you can see what you need after that. I went to the baby stores and was overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of it all. Buy a few things at a time. Keep in mind that babies outgrow newborn things really fast. What happened with us was we had tons of clothes and diapers for a 0-3 month old, then suddenly he grew and I had nothing for him to wear. If you need to portion your budget out, you can buy yourself gift cards to someplace and then when you are broke and need diapers or new clothes or some other thing you haven’t thought of, use those. Also keep in mind that some babies prefer certain things over others, for example I had all Avent brand bottles and things picked out and my baby hated them. I have a whole cupboard full of bottles my baby never used.
Here’s a few things I use all the time and were well worth the money:
Bouncy seat
Stroller
Swing (but I know lots of babies who don’t like them, look for a used one)
White noise player
Exersaucer (but baby won’t need it until he’s a little older, so you can hold off on this)
And you can’t have too many burp cloths, and blankets. I was also suprised at the number of sleepers he went through - I like to have about 4-5 sets of pajamas for him. Also have a few sets of crib bedding, I have five sheet sets and that is good! Also keep medical supplies on hand, you want to have infant Tylenol and gas drops and a thermometer, and one of those bulb-suction things. I find the nail clippers hard to use, some people bite their kids’ nails off but I like to use nail scissors. Easier to control than the clippers.
A Pack and Play is convenient sometimes but I don’t use it near as much as I thought I would. I use it more when I babysit my friends’ kids than I do for my own baby. I also don’t use my high chair, I find the portable chairs that sit on a regular seat work just as well and are easier to clean.
You can buy lots of things second hand, but do be careful of recall and safety issues for things like cribs and strollers. Buy new car seats and get them checked for proper installation.
Have fun shopping - I went a little nuts but now I have learned now to wait for good deals or it’s easy to go broke. Most things out there are marketed to appeal to the parents, the baby doesn’t need them. If the baby can eat, sleep somewhere, be warm, and play, his needs are being met.
Any ideas on how many (disposable) diapers in each size I may want to stock up on? (I know each baby grows at a different rate, but I’m just looking for an estimate). I don’t plan on buying any newborn in advance since my family tend to have big babies.
Breast pads: Disposable or reusable?
What medications / first aid stuff should we have on hand?
Has anyone used the Medela Harmony manual breast pump? I’m will likely end up getting the Pump In Style at some point, but not until I’m positive I will use it. How many bottles?
Assuming we’re not able to do laundry every day, how many crib sheets, receiving blankets, wash clothes, sleepers, diapershirts should we have on hand?
I think we have a number of parents-to-be on the board: hopefully this info could help us all!
Well, with the Velociraptor we used maybe 2 packages of newborn diapers and then we were right into size 1 (we use pampers, huggies weren’t the greatest IMO).
Don’t buy a lot of the newborn sizes, get the next sizes up. Most newborns have almost outgrown them, and since they grow so fast they don’t last long. You can also find a lot of nice new or nearly new baby clothes at thrift stores. Don’t worry much about outfits at this age, unless you really want to deal with lots of dressing and undressing. Sleepers, onesies, socks those are all you really need.
You said you’re due in November, do you live in a cold climate? I bought a car seat cover and it came in really handy. They have a couple of designs there is this one which just goes over the top of the carseat but I bought one of these. That one settles into the carseat and zips up overtop of them. Keeps them nice and snug.
I would skip the newborn diapers. Just get the size 1s and fold them down under the belly button for a while. A newborn can go through 8 or 10 diapers a day, just to give you an idea of the quantity. You could get a package or two of the next size up, just so you’re ready for the day when you find you absolutely can’t pack the baby into the small ones anymore.
We kept infant tylenol for fevers, simethecone drops, diaper ointment and fungal ointment (like for athlete’s foot) for bad rashes, also a bottle or two of pedialyte. You don’t want to fool around when a baby is vomitting.
I found the disposable breast pads to be uncomfortable. In fact they were downright painful in the first week or so.
Thanks for all the replies so far!
Flutterby, those car seat covers look great, because it does get very cold here in the winter. I didn’t even know such things existed!!!
Cyros has asked some great questions as well. I’ve heard that breast pumps are life-savers … and I’m also curious as to what brand(s) Dopers might recommend.
We don’t have a lot of family to buy us gifts or anything, so we’ll be doing most of it ourselves. Although I’m sure we’ll get a zillion stuffed animals or something.
Velma, the gift cards are an AMAZING idea - so simple but so perfect. Thank you!
I thought I was going to have a bigger baby. My husband was near 10 pounds, as were his brothers. I wasn’t small either.
Imagine my surprise when my water broke 3 weeks early and my son was only 6 pounds 6.8 ounces. He was in newborn diapers for almost three weeks. I didn’t stock up on them though. Each time I got near the end of a pack I went out and bought more. I was glad to get out of the house, even if it was just for a minute.
We bought a crib, which Monkey Boy hasn’t used yet. We got a bassinet, which he would sleep in for the first three weeks but now refuses to. The only place he will sleep is his swing or near me. We weren’t planning on co-sleeping, but it just kinda happened.
I’m SAHM so I didn’t bother with an electric pump. I have the Avent Isis which I love. I just bought a kit that came with the pump, sterilizer, bottles and breast pads. It was about $80. The breast pads aren’t that great though.
I’ve heard that you want to start out with disposible breast pads and then move on to cloth. I never had a problem with leaking so I didn’t really bother beyond the first couple of days just in case.
We have 8 onesies in NB size. They still fit him. Most of the time that’s the only thing he wears. Every couple of days I do a load of his clothes.
Receiving blankets- you can never have too many. So many uses.
Regular blankets- you want a few, especially if you’re in a cold climate.
Layettes- they fit for a while since they’re basically just long gowns.
Unless you see a supercute outfit that you just have to get for the baby, don’t worry about clothes. Everyone you know will get you some. At least that’s what ended up happening with me. These clothes will end up being pale pink if it’s a girl or baby blue if it’s a boy. If you don’t find out then you’ll get tons of yellow. You will probably get really sick of these colors so try to avoid them with whatever you’re picking out on your own.
If you are breastfeeding pacifiers are a big no no for the first couple of weeks. It can hurt your milk supply. Wait until after it’s established before introducing artificial nipples. Makes sure bottle nipples are slow flow. You don’t want the baby getting lazy.
Changing tables- I don’t even bother with them. I use the mat that came with the diaper bag and change him on the floor. My theory was he could fall from the table, but he can’t fall off the floor.
Dreft- I don’t think it’s needed. It’s overpriced. You can use Baby All or anything that’s free of fragrance or dyes. Or just run everything through the rinse cycle again.
Music- something soft. My son loves the lullabies that his swing and bouncer play. He will actually be asleep when the music stops and he’ll start grunting until someone starts it again.
Travel systems are great, but they take up a bunch of room in your trunk. They’re also very heavy. I got the lightest one I could find which is 18 pounds without the carseat.
If you have two cars and opt to use an infant seat, get an extra base.
Stock up on batteries. Everything needs them. Mainly AA, but a few things might require C and D cells.
Baby bath- I used it at first, but he’s almost outgrown it and he’s not even 6 weeks old. Now I just fill our bathtub up a little and get in there with him.
Washcloths- think about how often you want to do laundry. Average about 2-3 per day. Add another 3-4. You can’t really have too many, especially if you have a boy.
One pack of cheap cloth diapers for burping. I also use them to wrap around his bottom so he can have some diaper free time for about 10-20 minutes a day. That way his skin gets to air out and I don’t have too many puddles on the floor.
Boppy- I never could get too comfortable with one for breastfeeding, but it doubled as a wonderful hemorrhoid pillow. It was the only way I could sit up for the first few days post partum.
That’s all I can think of right now. I’m sure there’s tons more I’m forgetting. If anyone has any questions, let me know. I’m not very experienced, but I just went through it all so it’s fresh on my mind.
My mom said to tell you: “Be prepared to put a lot in and wash a lot off. Get lots of Desitin and diapers. Don’t bother with lots of clothes, they outgrow 'em so fast that your baby probably won’t ever wear most of those cutesy outfits.”
I’ll be the voice of dissent here on newborn size clothes and diapers. The Hatchling is almost 11 weeks old and we’ve only been using size 1 diapers for a couple of weeks. He’s still able to wear all of his 0-3 month size clothes, too, and he wasn’t an especially small baby (7lbs, 6oz and 20 inches long).
Car seat is a must, as are several onesies, sleepers, and pairs of socks. I notice you are in Canada, so you’ll probably want some little hats and some fleece blankets, too. Gowns with a drawstring or elastic at the bottom are great for 2 a.m. diaper changes when you’re too sleepy to deal with 1000 tiny snaps on a sleeper.
I would probably wait about purchasing a breast pump if I were you. I bought a Pump in Style when I was preparing to go back to work, only to discover that my milk simply won’t let down for the pump. Three hundred dollars for something I can barely use. If you want to pump, I’d recommend renting one for a month or two to see how it will go.
They have them everywhere up here (or at least I see them everywhere, only a few stores seem to carry them). Mine cost me about $50CAD. I prefered that one because we don’t drive so we’d get him dressed up in a sleeper/light jacket/hat and if it was still cool we’d drape a blanket over him. Then you could just unzip it when we got inside and he’d be fine.
Like Shadi, we never bothered with a change table. They aren’t really needed. The bouncy chair was great, they can watch you/nap ther while you fold clothes and you can pick them up to move them with you easier than a swing.
Dreft? I’m guessing that’s like Ivory Snow Shadi? Yeah you can just do an extra rinse cycle.
Same here. People keep telling me to wait and see what I’m getting at a shower or from family and friends and it doesn’t really apply to me. My parents and his may buy us the crib, car seat and stroller. That’s it. For everything else, we’re on our own. Just trying to spread out the expense.
**Cyros ** - it’s a good thing we have different due dates or people would think we were the same person!!!
I started this thread with you in mind too, and also** Shana**.
There is just so much to figure out and without close girlfriends it’s tough - no matter how many books you read and how many websites you visit - nothing beats hearing other people’s experiences directly!
All of my friends had their kids YEARS ago so I can’t even depend on getting hand-me-downs from them, and their memories of the early days are pretty vague.
I’m trying to keep a journal of everything so that this time isn’t lost in my already pathetic memory …
Duct tape. Lots and lots of duct tape.
Note: kittenlm wasn’t happy about this idea when I suggested it to her, either.
Okay, so we shouldn’t have any pacifiers on hand if we’re breastfeeding? Or just some special kind?
The neonatal nurse at the hospital recommended the Medela Harmony manual pump to start because it’s relatively inexpensive (compared to an electric pump), had good reviews and can be operated with one hand. I haven’t spoken to anyone who has tried it, though (I think this model is relatively new). On the plus side, if I do decide to get it, it’s at Shopper’s Drug Mart and I have enough points to get it for free.
The same nurse had some advice about covers for car seats. She said it’s fine to get the kind that cover the entire seat (like the first link from Flutterby) but not the kind that go on top of the car seat (like the second link - Cuddle Bags). She said they haven’t been made to work specifically with the car seat and they interfere with proper placement of restraints.
We’ve been looking at bottles and I like the information I’ve seen on Playtex Avance Natural Shape. They’re new in Canada (I think they’ve been sold under Playtex VentAire Natural Shape in the US). The info I read suggested it was a good product if you’ll be switching between breast and bottle (I will). Still haven’t found any real people who have tried them. No idea how many bottles I should buy either since I will be breastfeeding (as opposed to pumping and bottle feeding) about half the time.
Oooh, I forgot about the Boppy. I second that it is the best thing ever! So much more comfy for breastfeeding, plus it is great for the baby to lounge in and help him sit up later.
Lets see, amounts of things to have?
This is what I have in the house now (my son is 9 months)
Washcloths: 2 dozen. This is plenty, I keep some in the kitchen for wiping food messes and some in the bathroom.
Burp cloths: I think I have about 15 now. My son latched on to them as his security item so we have one wherever we go and I need clean ones on hand to let him sleep with. Plus they get misplaced.
Towels: This is one that we have too many of - I kept 4 for the baby and I am using the rest as doggie towels
Bibs: about a dozen. Some I like better than others so 4-5 hardly get used. The little tiny bibs are cute but when they start solids bigger is better for bibs. The small cute ones you can keep on them for teething drool (I wouldn’t let baby nap in them though).
Sheets: I have 5 fitted sheets and 2 washable mattress pads.
Blankets: I think we had about 20 of various weights and sizes. The receiving blankets are great for lots of stuff but too small for baby after a few months.
Changing table covers: Some people don’t bother with these at all, I have 2. I still put a paper towel under him for those really messy up-the-back explosions when I change him though. You’ll find out what I mean!
Bottles: I breastfed but now that I supplement I have about 6-7. I could use more though.
Clothes: Newborns go through clothes! I remember changing him 2-3 times a day from excessive spit-up, diaper leaks (I think boys are worse with this), etc. Onesies and one-piece things are easiest. Some days he just stayed in jammies (I loved the gown style ones too, no snaps at 2am=good). I had about a week’s worth of clothes for him, at 2-3 changes per day…that sounds like a lot but I remember having a lot of newborn clothes. Plus socks and / or booties. And hats. I had way too many of these as I could not resist buying all the tiny tiny hats. SO cute!
This is all with doing his laundry 2-3 times a week(plus occasional emergency load) and 1 dishwasher load daily. At least baby clothes are small, I could do all his stuff in one load.
I used the Avent Isis breastpump and had good success. I only pumped occasionally though, for use when I went back to work part-time. It worked to relieve me when I skipped his feeding, but I don’t think it would have been good enough to keep up my supply or increase it if I needed to.
My baby rejected all bottles but my friend who was also switching back and forth from bottle to breast had very good luck with those Playtex VentAire bottles. My advice on bottles is buy one and see if baby likes it, if he does then buy a bunch more. Many babies go through more than one kind before they find one they like.
We had several different pacifiers on hand and baby never really took to them (that’s fine with me!) My advice on those is same as bottles, different babies like different kinds. The plain old traditional Nuks seem to go over well with most babies I know.
As for diapers, buy a pack of newborn and a pack of size one so you’ll have something on hand right away. Then you can buy more when you know what you need. This is also something that is up to the individual baby, they fit differently. My baby leaked in newborn Pampers, we used Huggies but I know others that say the opposite. It just depends how they fit. Some people swear by the cheaper store brand, I had leaking trouble with them and Luvs. So it just depends what works for you.
I’ve heard good things about VentAire nipples. We use Avent slowflow. My son will take it, but he prefers feeding from me instead.
The problem with pacifiers is that it takes away from the baby suckling on you. This stimulates your body and increases milk production. After you have a well established supply then you can try pacies, but keep in mind not all babies will take them. My son spits it right out. He wants me instead. He’s a mama’s boy already.
Why will you be bottlefeeding? Is it because you are going back to work?
So much helpful information! Maybe I should start an Excel file with all this instead of relying on scraps of paper. My organizational skills have been less than stellar lately.
ShadiRoxan, the short answer is because my husband is extremely eager to assist in the feeding and I would like to be able to sleep. Hubby said anytime he is home (12 hours of the day/night) he would appreciate being able to feed the baby. There are some other reasons, but that’s the gist of it.
Question: What products do I need for storing breast milk? I intend to freeze some just in case, but for the most part I will simply be refrigerating. Buying a ton of bottles seems like kind of an expensive storage system.
I use Avent bags. But rather than pumping directly into the bag, I pump into a bottle and dump it in the bag.
To me, pumping is a major pain in the ass. I have a back up supply and every once in a while I’ll pump a bottle so that my husband can feed our son. But to me it’s just easier to feed him straight from the tap. There are so many other things that dads can do to help out. Just holding them can create a bond and helps out tremendously.
The baby just sleeps in the bed with us. I barely even realize that I’m feeding him. I’m amazingly well rested for having such a young baby. He also sleeps much better with us than he does on his own.
Of course YMMV. These are just things that are working for us.