Baby Things
Herein are my recommendations for everything baby. Mrs. Lynda J. Schmidt, R.N, Mrs. Maraya H. Steadman, C.P.A, Mrs. Alexandra Au, and Dr. Cecilia Novitt contributed to these items making my list. Please note, these recommendations apply for the standard "easy" baby in the 0 - 3M range (the only range in which I currently have experience) who was born in the summer. Frequency of doing laundry is assumed to be less than once a week.
| Category | Notes | ||
| Sleeping Arrangements | I can't recommend a theme or where to find wallpaper, etc. because Maria doesn't have a room yet. | ||
| Crib | Since Maria still doesn't have a room, we haven't bought one yet. | ||
| Crib Sheets | |||
| Bumper Pad | Pottery Barn for Kids has some really cute stuff. | ||
| Matress Pad | |||
| Crib Skirt | |||
| "Back to Sleep" Pad (Headrest and No-Roll Pads) | I really liked the one I bought, but I don't remember the brand. Lyn recommended it. | ||
| Bassinet | We had one in our bedroom and one in the frontroom, and this worked out great. | ||
| Bassinet Sheets | |||
| "Back to Sleep" Pad (Headrest and No-Roll Pads) | Get one for each bed baby will sleep in so you don't have to keep moving them around. | ||
| Pack 'n Play | We got Graco, the one that had the Bassinet and Changing Table. Our Bassinet is the length of the Pack 'n Play. I would have preferred the one with the Bassinet as the width of the Pack 'n Play. | ||
| Pack 'n Play Sheets | |||
| Battery Operated Items | |||
| Mobile and Batteries | |||
| Fisher Price Aquarium and Batteries | |||
| Speaker / Receiver (2 Speaker Set) and Batteries | |||
| Baby Entertainment | Note: I am not a baby expert, but I think these baby toys that play classical music are a crock. From what I've read, classical music is good for babies because it is complex. All of these baby toys that claim to have classical music have one-note-at-a-time renditions, which I can't believe is any better than the melody to Farmer in the Dell. I can't stand the tinny music, so I hardly ever play the music. If I want her to hear music, I put on a CD. | ||
| Swing - I got Graco | Get an Open-Top Swing so you don't hit baby's head, make sure it has a mobile | ||
| Bouncy - Seat -- I got Fisher Price | Make sure it has a mobile | ||
| 3D Activity Mat - I forget the maker… Baby Love or something | |||
| Changing | |||
| Changing Table | I bought the same one we had growing up: BADGER BASKET: WHITE WICKER FOLDING DRESSING TABLE from babysupermall.com. It cost $100 + 23 tax/shipping. Maraya has this too. | ||
| Changing Pads (get 3-4) | I liked the pads with rubber on one side and cotton/polyester-ish stuff on the other that my grandma bought us, but it turned out that these don't really take to the dryer too well. | ||
| Perishables | |||
| Diapers | Have some Newborns on hand. Go ahead and get 96 to start. I liked Pampers. (Haven't tried any other ones to compare.) | ||
| Wipes | I like Pampers wipes. (Haven't tried any other ones to compare.) | ||
| Alcohol (for umbilical cord) | Get them to give you a bunch of alcohol prep pads at the hospital. These are a lot easier than alcohol and cotton balls. | ||
| Cotton Balls | |||
| Balmex | or Desitin. Lyn liked Balmex, so I got it. | ||
| Bathing | You can buy Baby Bath, Lotion, Oil, Powder, etc. for fun, but probably won't use it until the baby is older. | ||
| Bath Tub | Get one with a net in it for smaller babies. | ||
| Washcloths - get about 12 | I liked Gerber. | ||
| Johnson & Johnson Liquid Baby Soap (not Baby Bath) | |||
| Towels with Hoods | Maraya got me one made with a real towel. I liked this. But also get 2-3 that are those thin kind. | ||
| Baby Comb / Brush | They will give you this at the hospital if you ask. | ||
| Traveling with Baby in the Neighborhood | |||
| Travel System (Stroller, Car Seat, Car Seat Base for Car) | Highly, Highly, Highly recommend the Osh Kosh by Evenflo. Cec researched travel systems for her 3rd child (my Godson Andrew) and came up with this one. I saw it, and decided to buy it too. The steering, shocks, design, cup holder, parent "organizer", and basket, are all designed well. It collapses with one hand. It has a "lay-down" position and a few seated positions. It is jean-type material with khaki/white stiped insides. | ||
| Universal Car Seat Holder | Stroller frame that the car seat sits in. You can leave it in the car because the Travel System stroller is big. | ||
| Baby Bjorn | All babies seem to love this. Very useful for quick trips around the neighborhood when you don't need the stroller to carry stuff. | ||
| Traveling with Baby in the Car | |||
| Car Mirror so you can see the baby from the rear view mirror | I would not recommend the one I bought (I forget the brand) because it didn't attach to the car easily. | ||
| Sun Shades (the 1st Years) | They peel on and off the car windows easily. | ||
| "Bug Mobile" that suctions to the car window so baby can watch the bouncing "bugs" and mirror | |||
| Daily Packing for Baby | |||
| Diaper Bag - recommend the back pack from One Step Ahead. | Lightweight, very organized. Recommendation from Maraya. | ||
| 2nd Bag - I received a small LL Bean Bucket - type bag | I use this all the time and usually keep it in the bottom of the stroller | ||
| Insulator Bag for Bottles | They gave me one at the hospital. | ||
| Changing Pad with holder for wipes and diapers - The First Years | I got 2 to leave one in the car. | ||
| Small purse or big wallet you can carry in the diaper bag | Your days of carrying the monster purse are over. The diaper bag is now your purse. | ||
| Baby's Health | |||
| Johnson & Johnson has a baby First Aid Kit with Baby Tylenol, Mylicon, nose plunger, etc. | |||
| Safety 1st has a electronic ear thermometer | |||
| Safety 1st has a baby kit with nail clippers, nose plunger, thermometer, etc. | I recommend just buying the nail clippers separately, because you are already buying the J&J 1st Aid Kit and the Thermometer | ||
| Breastfeeding | I pumped and fed, so these were my needs. | ||
| Pump etc. | |||
| Medela Pump In Style Breastpump | Almost $300, but worth it if you plan to be away from your baby more than once a week while breastfeeding. | ||
| 6 (or more) Breastpump Bottles | Don't remember how many came with the pump. Got the rest at the hospital. | ||
| Hand Pump for Emergencies | Got one at the hospital. | ||
| Gerber ziploc Breastmilk bags | For milk storage. Start with one pack | ||
| Bras etc. | |||
| Gerber Disposable Nursing Pads | I like regular, not Super Absorbent, best. Start with 1 box to see if you like them. | ||
| Lansinoh | Pure lanolin for soreness. | ||
| Nursing bras | Might not want to get to many until you see how big you will be. I used Medela nursing bras. They were fine. Can't say they were terrific, because even their biggest size didn't fit. | ||
| Feeding etc. | |||
| Formula for Emergencies | You can probably get some free from your OB/GYN or at the hospital. | ||
| Gerber Diapers to use as burping pads - I would get 12 | I would also get the ones with designs on them, not just plain white. They are more fun and hide stains better. | ||
| Bottles - I liked the Playtex disposable nursers. 2-3 4oz are fine. | Have to wash nipple, but not the whole bottle, since the drop-ins are disposable. (Make sure to get the drop-ins that stand up by themselves. Easier to work with.) Buy 1-2 other kind just in case your baby doesn't like the nipple. You can get 8 oz bottles later after you decide what your baby likes. | ||
| 4 oz Drop Ins - start with 50 | |||
| Microwave Bottle Sterilizer | If you don't have a dishwasher. For breastmilk bottles. | ||
| Pacifier | Regardless, good to have one on hand. | ||
| I liked the smallest size NUK | Get a white one so it matches everything | ||
| This bunny clip-on with a ribbon for the pacifier is a lifesaver | |||
| Clothes | You probably don't need to buy any clothes for the first 6 months. See what you get, first. | ||
| Newborn | |||
| Carter's T-shirts with snaps in front - short sleeved and long sleeved | Get Carter's, I made the mistake of buying another brand. Forget it. | ||
| Carter's one-sies with snaps at shoulders and bottom - ss and ls | |||
| 2-3 keep-warm cotton hats for sleeping | |||
| socks | |||
| "baby in a bag" sleepers with open bottoms, for easy changing | |||
| "baby in a bag" sleepers that zip up for warmth and easy changing | |||
| receiving blankets | The hospital ones are best | ||
| 6 weeks and Up | |||
| Hat / bonnet for going outside at 2-3 months | |||
| night in general: sleepers that have feet and snap down the front | |||
| day in general: one piece clothing that snaps at the bottom and at the shoulders if necessary | |||
| socks | |||
| blankets: 2-3 waffle weave, 2-3 a little heavier | |||
| Cleaning Baby's Clothes | |||
| Dreft | |||
| Dreft Stain Remover | |||
| Lingerie Bag for socks | |||
| Books for Baby | There are a whole bunch of standard titles that are very good. I won't list them. If you get doubles, you can leave them at grandma's house. | ||
| Baby CDs and Videos | |||
| Children's Music | I like the XUXA So Para Baixinhos (it has a CD and VHS). We saw it at Gustavo's house and liked it. I also recommend Songs for Learning from www.twinsisters.com. | ||
| Classical Music | |||
| Lullabies, Nature Sounds, etc. | |||
| Baby Einstein | Don't have any yet, but I like what I've seen. | ||
| Veggie Tales | She's not old enough for these yet, but I like these too. | ||
| Toys | |||
| Any baby toys..black, white, red, bright colored | The Lamaze toys are good, but Maraya says they are expensive and you can get knock-offs that are just as stimulating | ||
| Books for Mom and Dad | |||
| Pregnancy | |||
| What to Expect When You're Expecting | Good reference book, don't read it straight through or you will freak out | ||
| Your Pregnany Week by Week | Great recommendation by Maraya, shows drawings and descriptions of weekly progress | ||
| Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnany | Tells you what your best friends would about pregnancy. Lyn sent it to me. | ||
| 1st Year | |||
| Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care | Recommended by my pediatrician | ||
| Caring for your Baby and Young Child - American Academy of Pediatrics | Recommended by my pediatrician | ||
| The Sears' Baby Book | Seems good, got it off of Amazon.com | ||
| What to Expect for Baby's First Year | |||
| The Girlfriends' Guide to the 1st Year of Motherhood | Read it while I was pumping and recovering from birth. Lifts your spirits. | ||
| The New Father, A Dad's Guide to the First Year | |||
| Recording Your Thoughts, Dreams, and Baby's 1st Year | |||
| A Blank Journal to record ANYTHING during pregnancy | |||
| A Baby Book - you might want to pick out your own | I recommend anything in the Hallmark Stories line | ||
| Photo Albums (with a baby theme if you're so inclined) | |||
| Baby's 1st Year Calendar with Stickers - CR Gibson | I LOVE THIS. Low stress / easy way to keep track of what goes on. | ||
| Photographic Equipment | |||
| Good 35mm Camera | |||
| At least 10 rolls of film | Get it on sale | ||
| Extra Batteries | |||
| Video Camera | |||
| Get a 2nd rechargeable battery | |||
| Digital Camera | |||
| Get a 2nd rechargeable battery | |||
| Good Gifts for Expecting Parents or New Baby | |||
| Books | |||
| Clothes | See suggestions above. Another option: get a big size like 9M or 18M. Chances are that if you get the season right, the giftee won't have many in that size. | ||
| Baby Picture Frames / Photo Albums (like the fancy album with the frame on the front) | |||
| Footprints Kit | |||
| Homemade anything: afghan, quilt, covered photo album, etc. | |||
| A meal and/or offer to babysit in the first 6 weeks after pregnancy. Even if it's to sit there while the new mom takes a shower or something. | |||
| Get something for the new mom. Like a bracelet with the baby's name on it | She'll really appreciate it. | ||