Question for the Jewish mamas-to-be

Are you setting up the baby's furniture and bringing other items into your house before the little one arrives?

My parents and grandmother are very much against this (in fact, they don't really love that I'm gonna have a shower - courtesy of MIL). The more I think about it, the more I think it seems inconvenient to have to worry about setting everything up and washing everything after the baby is born.

What are you ladies doing?

Message edited 10/29/2007 10:07:05 AM.

Re: Question for the Jewish mamas-to-be

I am jewish but DH is not...so we met in the middle. I am ordering my furniture and having it delivered. I am also not very superstitous and would rather be prepared ahead of time. Its a personal preference..you have to do what you feel comfortable with.

Also, my mom is throwing me a "shower" but its more of a celebration than a shower. Whatever works for you is what you need to do.

Re: Question for the Jewish mamas-to-be

My DH isn't jewish either and he doesn't get the whole superstition thing. I'd prefer to at least have the crib and dresser in the room (at a minimum). I guess the other stuff could wait.

My mom and grandmother are great, but they are very strong-minded individuals. If I decide to put the furniture in the room, I'll never hear the end of it. Gotta love a jewish mom!

Re: Question for the Jewish mamas-to-be

We are both Jewish, and we set it all up!

We can understand where the superstition comes from - especially long time ago with not as advanced medicine as we have today - many babies didn't make it. So, you don't want to set it all up and than come back to an empty house. Thus, the superstition of not doing anything before.

We feel that the risk is very minimal now. And, the pain of coming home to everything that needs to be set up way outweighs the risk. So, we set it all up. We have the nursery pretty much done, the stroller is all set up and the clothes are washed - though we need some more. I think it would be very difficult to set it all up when when you are sleep deprived.

Re: Question for the Jewish mamas-to-be

i'm jewish,Dh is not, but my mom is superstitious. furniture is ordered and in, but will not be set up til i'm in the hospital delivering. the clothes will be washed then too... the only thing we are doing before her arrival is painting her room

Re: Question for the Jewish mamas-to-be

I'm Jewish, DH isn't. Unfortunately I am psychotically superstitious, so we are literally doing nothing until the baby is born. We live in a small apt in NYC, so the "baby's room" is a corner of ours, we're using a pack&play, which my parents will set up before they visit us in the hospital, one of my girlfriends is holding on to layette stuff until then as well. We didn't even register- all the big things we're getting as hand-me-downs from my brother (his DD will be 18mos when my baby comes). We're having a party after- I'll register then. Like I said- there is something profoundly wrong with me.

Re: Question for the Jewish mamas-to-be

DH and I are both jewish. The only thing we did was paint the room. I had the furniture delivered the day after I got home. My MIL washed a bunch of clothes for me while I was in the hospital. And then when I came home, my mom and MIL came over and helped put everything away. Looking back on it, I wished I didn't do it that way - it was so hectic and I just wanted things to be organized and put away. I was pretty hormonal and just didn't feel like doing it when I got home.

Re: Question for the Jewish mamas-to-be

Not PG yet, but DH and I have discussed this at length. The only thing we plan on doing is painting a room. I am way too superstitious as is DH and we have a family history and personal reasons that give us every reason to be. (FM if you want details.) We prefer to be cautious. There will be no shower either.

I realize that I cannot dwell in negative possibilities, but I know for a fact that a newborn child will not know the difference between a finished and unfinished nursery and layette. Im pretty sure that no Jewish child has ever felt slighted or incomplete either. My nephew, nieces and siblings were just fine. This was what was done for us.

Message edited 10/29/2007 4:41:04 PM.

Re: Question for the Jewish mamas-to-be

Thanks for all of your responses. I still have no clue what we'll do, but it's helpful to know that if we decide to wait to put the furniture in the nursery that it can work out fine. I'm just very type A when it comes to these things and like a good gameplan!