Saturday, February 5, 2011

James' Stuff

Been working a lot on figuring out what stuff we will need to get/register for for this kiddo.

I have a list of things I think we'll need that I've compiled from a few different sources.  A lot of you probably have different opinions on what is REALLY needed, so please make suggestions if you see I'm missing something or if you think I have listed an item I won't really use.

And now, in no particular order:

  • Bath stuff
·        Shampoo, soap
I love the colors of this bath set - it's a hooded towel and some washcloths with old cars on them.
·        
Grooming kit.
·        
Bath thermometer.
·        
·        
Bathtub.
·       
Another towel.


  • Travel
  • I'm not a germ-a-phobe and I think kids are better off not being protected from every little thing, but Walmart grocery carts are one thing I don't want him chewing on.
    This stroller was one of the higher-rated ones for safety, features, ease of use, etc. on Consumer Reports that was reasonably priced.  Plus I think it's cool looking (c:
    Large diaper bag.
    Smaller diaper backpack.
    Carseat canopy.
    Super awesome playpen.
    • Carseat (getting 2 from cousin Katie)

  • Clothes (trying really hard not to get too much in case we are gifted with a lot!)
  • Registered for these in 12 moth size.  Love to think about him toddling around in little overalls.
    • Mittens (to avoid scratching face… does anyone know how necessary these are?)
    • Socks (lots of them)

  • Comfort
  • Sling from Seven
    Boppy pillow.  Supposed to be mainly for nursing, but my friend, Grace, recommended the other pillow I have listed later.  I still think this will be a good one for him to play on though.
  • Nursery
    • Bassinet (my amazing Grandad is making an heirloom bassinet.  My cousin Megan will use it first for her March baby and then I’ll get to use it in June)
    • Blankets (between my mom and Ryan’s mom, we have tons of blankets)
    • Bedding (My aunt Susan is making a quilt and bumpers for him… custom!) This is my inspiration for his bedding.


    • Sheets (I’ll get them to match after the other bedding is done)
    • Lighting

    • Crib, mattress, mattress protector, and mattress pillow top.
Thanks again to Consumer Reports, we found this crib that was very highly ranked.  It is made by Ikea, which means it's also one of the least expensive cribs we've looked at.  It's not the prettiest, but I don't feel too picky about that.  The only down side is that the mattress is not a standard crib size so we will have to alter crib sheets for it.  All of the reviews have said it's worth it though.  Oh yeah, it also transforms into a toddler bed.


  • Feeding – I plan on breastfeeding
    • Feeding pillow
A strap-on nursing pillow called (hehe) My Breast Friend.


    • Rocking chair
    • Burp rags
    • High chair


    • Bumbo
Ellie Mae has one of these with a little tray and it's great for a portable high chair.
Tray that goes with Bumbo.

    • Bibs

·        Diaper Duty - Another thing I spent a lot of time researching yesterday was cloth diapers.  I had thought I would go with the Flip system (I talked about it in a previous post), but now I am leaning towards bumGenius.  It is the best-selling cloth diaper, competitively priced with Flip, it is a pocket-style  (which means a trimmer fit which is more important for boys since they wear pants instead of dresses), and they have better color options.  Whit is looking at cloth diapers too so I look forward to swapping notes with her when we get time.

o       6 One-Size fits all covers (the bumGenius website says you need to start with 12 but I plan on splitting between the One-Sizers and the smalls – anyone have pointers on this?)
o       6 Small covers – I figure that he will need the smaller diapers when he is little and the one-size ones will fit better when he is bigger…?  Help!)
o       36 diaper inserts
o       36 cloth wipes
o       Changing pad
o       Changing table

o       Covered Laundry can
o       Deodorizing disks
o       Diaper sprayer… do I need this?
o       Diaper area wash… do I need this?
o       Diaper detergent… do I need this?
o       Rash ointment
o       Pee Pee Tee Pees! hehehehe
I'm looking to avoid being peed on.
  • Health
    •  Ear thermometer
o       Healthcare kit


o       Baby Orajel
o       Baby gate


  • Toys
    • Johnny Jump Up!

So that is basically my list, minus a few little things.  Please let me know if I’m missing something important or that will just make our lives easier (c:

14 comments:

  1. Hey there!

    Okay, so I just went through all of this, so I'll share a little of what I learned. I hope you don't mind... :)

    I think you might need a pump if you're wanting to breastfeed. It can help get your supply up in the beginning, and they're just nice to have.

    Okay, now diapering. Oi. It's crazy (all the options, not actually doing it..), but I feel like I have a better handle on it. Once you get into it, it's super easy! I would go with BumGenius if it's between those two options. I've tried both. I would go with the ones with snaps because they last a lot longer. You probably won't need to buy any extra inserts for quite some time. I haven't needed any extra yet. I would maybe invest more in all-in-ones since they will be what you use the longest and go with a cheaper options for when he's smaller like pre-folds. They're basically just as easy and are less expensive. (again this is just what I've found, totally feel free to experiment on your own!) To find a good deal, I would go to diaperpin.com and go to their sales and announcements pages. I would hold out if you can until you find a good deal, they go on sale quite a bit. I think I got mine when you could buy 6 and get one free plus they were already on sale. Now for wipes (are you getting tired of diapering stuff yet? ;) Sorry. I just like it. If you're at all handy with a sewing machine it's SUPER easy to make your own wipes via tutorials on the web. I waited to find discounted materials on diaperpin.com and then paired a velour with flannel. (I can get you more info if you're interested). I would recommend having twice as many wipes as diapers, you shouldn't need more than that.

    Last few thoughts: You won't need rash ointment, cloth diapers are super baby bum friendly anyway and you can't use the stuff with cloth diapers because it stops absorbancy. I would spend the tiny bit more to get a recommended brand for cloth diapers. We didn't do that at first and used All free and clear. We found out later that even the free and clear version can leave residue on the diaper that stops absorbancy=gross. Also, I diaper sprayer thingy that hooks onto your toilet might be helpful I know a lot of people swear by them.

    Oh, and you'll need wetbags for your diapers. I recommend Planet Wise, they work the best for us!

    That's all I can think of for now. Do I win the prize for longest comment ever? I know I never really got to know you at Letu, but since you follow my blog I thought you wouldn't mind my two cents. Let me know if you have any other questions!

    Kendall

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  2. I'm not a mommy, but I know quite a few who Cloth Diaper, and yes diaper detergent is a must. Other detergents will wear your diapers out and or otherwise ruin them. There are also specific ways you have to wash the diapers or you get an ammonia build up and the baby gets ammonia burns. Most of the mommies I know use Charlie's Soap on their diapers.

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  3. Ok here are my thoughts.. :) I would get a moby wrap! I love mine!! There are many different "Wraps" you can create as the baby grows. The nursing pillows... I like the boppy..They had the other kind in the hospital while the kids were in the NICU and I didn't like it as much.. you've got this strap you have to put on and take off when you move. the boppy you just move, and plus they still play with it now. I would recomend to anyone to get a Dr. Browns pitcher.. I got mine at HEB I dont know what I would do with out it!! And while were on feeding.. I use the Playtex drop in bottles, They are wonderful for controlling the amount of air the baby gets.Dont get to many clothes.. Try buying different sizes.. I have tons of clothes(most were hardley used) if you would like some I would be glad to pass them on. :) and since they go through the clothes SO FAST try shopping at retail stores.. you pay .50-4.00 for most things and they are great quality. Sweet Repeats and Kid to Kid are good ones.
    I can't comment on the diapers, I use Pampers. My mom used the cloth diapers and I remember her telling me about having a diaper service that picked up, cleaned and delievered the diapers. Dont get the plastic backing bibs thinking they will stop the liquid from going onto their clothes, it wont! They don't absorbe ANYTHING!! :) just buy thick ones.
    I can't think of anything else right now :) Let me know if you would like the clothes. I can met you somewhere or bring them to you. I'll let you know if I think of anything else.

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  4. Kendall - thank you so much for posting all of that! You have no idea how glad it makes me to know you are treading where I am about to with cloth diapers on a boy and also on the breastfeeding front. I was especially relieved to hear that you have tried both bumGenius and Flip and get the confirmation that the bumGenius is better.

    OK so on the pump - I had assumed I would need one and then someone told me that not everyone has good luck with them. I guess that is the only reason I am on the fence about it. The benefits of having one seem great (being able to make bottles so that someone else can feed him sometimes) from what I understand. I will definitely look into it more. Do you have an opinion on if used ones are just completely nasty?

    About the extra inserts - it appears there are different ways to buy the diapers (I could be wrong since it seems every brand does it differently), but do you mean that the diaper covers come with inserts and I don't need more than they come with? Or are you referring to the All-In-Ones? I guess, if you don't mind, would you tell me how many of each size and item you recommend (cover, insert, all-in-one, etc.)? And in the prefolds, if you recommend a different brand (I am rather clueless on prefolds)!

    Thank you for the diaperpin.com info! Whitney Haygood (Stewart) and I are going to start doing some mini sewing sessions (we both want to build our sewing machine skillz) and the wipes would be a perfect project.

    I had heard that rash ointment is not cloth-diaper-friendly so I am glad to know I won't need it. I think I had read something about someone just using a cloth wipe as a barrier between baby and diaper if they did need ointment.

    Thanks for the tip on the wetbags too!

    Kendall, your info is like gold to me! Thank you so much for taking the time to share. I love your blog!

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  5. Liz - very helpful to know about the detergent! I wasn't sure if it was just some marketing scam (I think new mommies are especially susceptible to those). I will feel better using a diaper detergent though, knowing that it's the best for the diapers. I will look into Charlie's Soap. BumGenius has a brand of detergent as well so I'll compare prices and look at reviews. Thank you so much!

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  6. Aarin - I actually have a Moby wrap on my registry but I couldn't get the picture to work, lol! I have heard they can be confusing to learn how to use, but with a few youtube videos and practice they are amazing. Looking forward to that!

    Maybe the pillows will be something I can try in the hospital before deciding on. I figure if I get both then I can try to return the My Breast Friend pillow if it doesn't work out. I think the Boppy will be good to have for multiple things.

    What is the Dr. Brown's pitcher? I am so curious what this life-saving product is! Especially since it's at HEB, I will take any excuse to go in there and love HEB more (c: (we don't have one here).

    I appreciate your offer on the clothes! I am having a double-shower with my friend Whitney sometime in March in New Braunfels. I am hoping that people like you, Chrissy, Tracy, Beth, Laura, etc. will be able to come - how fun would that be! I will make sure you get an invite - I would love to meet your babies (c: They look like so much fun!

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  7. Ok - after having my 2 girlies and trying SO many things (and being rather picky) here is my 2 cents ~ from top to bottom: 1: Bath thermometer is a waste of money, it's easy to guestimate by feel whats a good temp. 2: I found my baby bath to be a huge pain. It takes up a whole lot of room, plus draining it out every time makes a mess, and then you have to clean it out to make sure it does not get slimey from soap (and if they poop in it - which they do as infants). I LOVED the Summer Infant Mothers Touch Baby Bather. You put it directly in your bathtub, so you don't have to clean an infant tub out ... also it folds so you can take it on trips with you. When they get bigger I LOVE the blow up tubs you put in your bathtub. It keept them safe, big enough for toddlers, and again can be used on road trips. 3: Playpen - you can get some really good ones at resale shops for a whole lot less money ... I'd ask for gift ards to your fave resale shop :-) 4: Pacifier - my girls could never keep the nuk or mum ones in their mouth. Gerber has one I SWORE BY .. Ill find the link for you and send it to you on FB. 5: I agree the playtex bottles with drop in liners are the BEST!! 6: Moby wrap or one similar is 100% the way to go ... I got many diferent slings and baby bjorn and just did not like them. 7: I did NOT like the boppy (too many reasons to go into) but adored the other nursing support you have listed. 8: Cloth diapers with snaps are a MUST - the velcro does not last. Also www.pottypail.com I could not / would not cloth diaper without this and the sprayer. It makes cloth diapering amazing. ALSO - I have a friend who makes AMAZING (seriously - I used them) cloth diapers and wipes that are even better than the top name brand ones for a whole lot less money. I'll give you her info. if you are interested ... let me know. LAST: I dealt with severe rash issues w/ Lucy (the Dr's themselves were stumped after RX cream, a dermatologist and all) I'd say go disposable diapers until the meconium is gone (it's like tar - no joke), you have recovered from the birth, you have a handle on nursing, no sleep, and are settled. I think adding on cleaning diapers to all of that new mommy stuff might be more than enough to put you overvoard!! Again - this is ALL just my two cents ... you do what you like and feel is best ~ every new momma has to learn as they go :-) GOOD LUCK!

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  8. I love following your blog and seeing what you are looking into as you await the arrival of your little man. Reading everyone else’s two cents has been nifty too…so I’ll add mine as we are only 9 weeks into parenthood and everything is pretty fresh. But goodness…things have changed a lot in these almost 9 weeks!
    - We never used the mittens we were given. We tried to keep Annette’s nails clipped and I once put a pair of socks on her hands because they felt a little cool and it was just fun.
    - The newborn socks only fit for a few weeks – we bought 6 to 18 month socks at around 4 weeks and they are great. They aren’t tight but stay on beautifully.
    - I liked the Boppy when Annette was first born – really helped as we learned the mechanics but I don’t use it now unless my back is acting up. We still use it as a prop for Annette sometimes.
    - Changing station: we ended up buying a rectangular basket to put all of the changing supplies in so we can move it wherever we want it. We changed her a lot on the bed at first but now we use the floor and turn it into a fun play time (while giving her unclothed time to help her dry and prevent diaper rash and yeast infections which we have had to deal with a bit). We also have a few waterproof changing pads that were/invaluable as we changed her on the bed and carpet.
    - Cloth diapering: loving it! We used disposables for about the first month then switched to cloth as we had planned. We’ve used Bummis wraps and Flip covers with prefolds. The Flips definitely work better but would probably have been a little big up until she was about a month old. The flips work really well and hardly ever leak (unless I’ve left some of the prefold sticking out which then wicks the wetness right onto her cloths). We bought some prefolds and like the Indian cotton best, I think, though we use primarily homemade ones with flannel outsides and a terry cloth middle (only in the center). Oh, and we are using a few cloth wipes (planning to make some more myself) and the thin small washcloths. We were given a lot of them and they work great as wipes.
    - So far we haven’t needed the diaper sprayer or area wash. I’m going to try switching to Charlie’s detergent. All free and clear has been working, but I’m wondering if we are starting to get build-up.
    I’ll second what Kendall said – the wet bags are fantastic. I have both Bummis and Planet @ise and like them both. Also with her – a pump has been really great. I have the about $30 Lansinoh manual pump that has worked great! It helped me out as I dealt with pain/cracking at first and now allows me to leave a bottle with family and store up a reserve of milk.
    = ) So here’s my little bit of info to add to all the great advice you’ve been given. It’s still helpful for me to hear about what others are doing. Hope things continue to go well as you look forward to your little man’s arrival!

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  9. WOW Kendra! What amazing friends you have to take the time to give you all this wonderful advice. All I can think to tell you is that you don't need the bath thermometer for the same reason Ashley said, and you will need several waterproof pads for changing, wherever you change baby. I'm sure there's more we'll talk about when I see you next, but in the meantime, you go girl! Good job researching!

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  10. Ashley - To be honest I was hoping you would find me here! Laura tipped me off on your cloth diapering knowledge and I was going to track you down and ask you if I didn't hear from you (c;

    1. Bath thermometer - noted. I agree. It is actually Ryan who wanted me to put it on there. I think he is concerned because I like my shower/bath water "scorching hot" to him. He may want this just to show me how hot my own water is lol... but thank you in light of everyone saying it is a waste, I am sure we'll take it off.

    2. That is great to know about the baby bath - I just looked it up and I can see how it would be easier to handle, store, clean, etc. My concern would be that you have to kneel by the tub which seems like it would get old really fast? I saw a couple of different tub-side kneelers that I would probably register for in addition to this. But I would rather have the kneeler long-term over the baby tub.

    I was trying to find some kind of "tub ring" for older babies, it seemed like I remember my little brother and sister having those. Couldn't find it anywhere though - do you think you could send me a link or the name of the blow up thing you're talking about?

    3. I should check out resale shops for those bigger items. That was my original plan. I've had many people say that they wouldn't do it because it's something the baby will be so intimate with and you can never really know where it's been and all of that. I don't know though, I will still look around because I do like getting used stuff when I can.

    4. I have no knowledge about pacifiers so I will take your word on the Gerbers!

    5. Ok Playtex bottles with drop in liners for the win!

    6., 7. Very good to get confirmation on those items, thank you!

    8. I think the bumGenius All-In-Ones are velcro but the One-Sizers are snaps? Will have to look at that again. It does seem like the snaps would be far superior, plus I don't want him to figure out how to take off his own diaper too quickly...

    And a vote for the sprayer! I was hoping someone would be able to comment on that.

    I am not closed to using disposable diapers, and your suggestion makes a lot of sense. We already have a pack or two of newborn diapers that people have started giving us and I'm sure I'll be glad for them.

    Thank you so much Ashley!

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  11. Beth - Great to know about the mittens. I think Mom told me that a while back too and I had just forgotten. Need to just keep his nails clipped, and she suggested doing it while he slept which I would never have thought of but sounds like a winner (c:

    It sounds like the Boppy comes down to a personal preference. My friend who suggested the "My Breast Friend" pillow is taller, I am wondering if maybe having a longer torso changes how comfortable it is? I still think i will get both kinds of pillows and see what works.

    I hadn't thought about living without a diaper changing table completely. I had thought to use a dresser with a good changing pad, but none of the dressers we have are the right height (and I'm told you want to save your back wherever you can!). Our bed is on risers though so it is probably about the right height and then there is always the floor. I think I will take the changing table off for now, maybe it will be something we add later, but yeah, I do think we could get by without it.
    And also invest in a bunch of waterproof changing pads!

    What do you use in place of area wash? I bet there is are a lot of homemade solutions that can be concocted, but I am just curious what you use?

    Thank you for all of your insight Beth! Annette is beautiful (and I love her name, too!) - I have seen pictures of her on your Facebook. And thanks for reading my blog, too! Always nice to know people are out there listening (c:

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  12. Mom - I love you! Haha yes I am looking forward to going over it with you in person (c:

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  13. Call me crazy, but mom always washed us in the sink and I hear it's fun ;) hahaha jk it just seems a cheap way to go. :D

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  14. So...to finally answer you back about the diaper area wash. I've just been using water. I have a spray bottle that I keep with her diapers, but I usually just run by the sink and dampen the cloth wipe first and use that. We've also been ECing with Annette. We end up holding her over the sink or toilet to go to the bathroom so we are in there near the sink already when she needs cleaned/changed. (We don't catch near every time she goes to the bathroom, but we have had some days with none or more usually one dirty diaper.) It sounds kind of strange and hippyish, oh well. But it really works and makes cloth diapering even easier when we are mostly dealing with only wet diapers. Here's a link if you're interested. http://www.naturalbirthandbabycare.com/elimination-communication.html We don't follow this 100%, but it had some good info. Take care!

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