Crashing with a registry must have ? !

Hello!

Since finding out the gender of our baby, FH and I are looking to start our registry. I would love to know from a BTDT mom what their must haves are/were? There are soo many options for everything, its a bit overwhelming! Also, any recco's on monitors, car seats or strollers??

Thanks!!

Re: Crashing with a registry must have ? !

one thing i would super highly reccommend is my Bob SE revolution jogging stroller. If you're the kind of mom that likes to walk outside, go to the beach, go to the park (or JOG!) it is the greatest stroller I've owned... it has a bar that accepts infant carseats as well, and the child can grow into that stroller for years to come... even if all you're going to do is take it to the mall, I swear it is just a nicer, smoother, easier to push ride. just IMO! good luck! and congrats!

Re: Crashing with a registry must have ? !

congratulations!

I love our motorola video monitor! very good picture/sound.

We have a peg perego infant carseat and i like it but it is pretty heavy.

We also registered for and recieved the peg perego stroller that is compatible with our car seat as well as the city mini.

We ended up returning to peg perego stroller because it felt so big and after using the city mini, we felt like that fit our need enough and the other stroller would go unused. love the city mini!

ummm..other registry must haves...

rock and play! glad i followed other mom's advice about this. DD slept in it for the first 3 months and still uses it (at 5 months) to hang out in. And just this past labor day we took it with us to DC and she slept in it in the hotel. very portable and useful.

if you are planning on breastfeeding, the mybrestfriend pillow made things SOOO much easier. I had a boppy but when they are so new, they are so tiny and it was hard to get a good position. DH ran out and got the brest friend pillow for me in the second week and it was a lifesaver in the early months.

We also used the sleep sheep a lot when she was a newborn

DD LOVED the moby wrap when she was a newborn but now she is in the bjorn which she enjoys. I think the moby got too hot for her during the summer after she was a few months old.

aden and adais (sp???) muslin swaddle blankets. Used these a lot when dd was a newborn. easier to get a good tight swaddle than other recieving blankets I had.

for clothing - look for sleepers with a zipper as opposed to all the snaps. you will be checking and changing the diaper a LOT and it was so much easier to just unzip and zip rather than try to snap a million buttons. for this reason, i also used sleep sacks with zippers a lot to.

good luck!!!! congrats~!

Re: Crashing with a registry must have ? !

We hardly ever used our baby monitor. We used the PNP as a changing table (also barely used).

I think strollers are really individual (what will YOU be using it for?). I wanted something lightweight & easy. I loved the citi mini & how easy it was to pop into the car & out.

With carseats, go & check them out in the store also. Graco had better sun shields, Chicco had easier adjustment systems.

Even with cribs, I see little difference between the Ikea crib we have & the more pricey crib we have.

Go with a mom, go to a baby store & go through options slowly.

Also, babies are different. My DS hated the baby carrier, but DD loved it (and we bought another as she grew).

I LOVED the diaper genie. Probably the thing I use most.

Both kids loved the swing. A must have was the wall plug (fewer battery changes).

Another must have was a cloth toy box to keep all the toys in & keep my house neat.

I had 2 breast pillows & donated both (boppy & my breast friend). Not useful at all for me.

A booby cover WAS necessary and I loved mine. It had that little wire that is part of it & allows you to see baby. Worth every penny (it was $40!).

Message edited 9/11/2012 3:00:11 PM.

Re: Crashing with a registry must have ? !

my necessities for the first month:
Pampers Diapers
Huggies Wipes
Vera Bradley Diaper Bag
Graco Pack and Play with Newborn Napper and Changing Table attachments
FP Newborn to Toddler Rocker
Baby Nail Clippers/Nail Files
Cloth Diapers for Burp Cloths
Aden and Anais Blankets
Graco Snugride Infant Car Seat

for you if you are going to breastfeed:
Lansinoh Lanolin Cream
Disposable Nursing Pads
Medela Pump

Re: Crashing with a registry must have ? !

I have to say the fisher price rock n play sleeper saved us... DS hated the bassinet... only slept in the rock n play (and still does).. thank goodness we had it!

Re: Crashing with a registry must have ? !

The Fisher Price Rock n Play was our LIFE saver....
we would have NEVER slept a night for the past year if it wasnt for it.
My DS had mild reflux...and slept ALL night in this thing!!!

Re: Crashing with a registry must have ? !

things i loved:
rock and play
Graco Snugride 35 infant seat and snap n go
Graco Symphony 65 convertible car seat
i have a sony monitor (not video). does the job well
bouncy seat was good for moving room to room
fisher price space saver high chair

things i didnt register for/didnt miss/DS didnt like
diaper genie
wipe warmer
swing
bottle warmer

Re: Crashing with a registry must have ? !

Congratulations! I must say, the video monitor has gone from a luxury to a must-have in my opinion. I thought my husband was ridiculous for insisting on it, but I have been so relieved so many times to have it. Ours is the Motorola 2.8.

I also love my Ergo baby carrier. My DS loves being carried in it, sometimes it helps get him to sleep.

I was just thinking the other day about how I could not live without our glider chair! We considered an arm chair that doesn't move, or not having a chair in his room at all. But that chair has been such an important part of our every day lives, it was worth every penny.

Toy boxes or bins. My DS is only 8 months old and already his toys are all over after each play session. We have a toy box in his room, and we have 3 small storage bins under our coffee table. So his play areas have access to plenty of toys, but they have a home to go back to once play time is over which is wonderful.

We bought the Rock N Play because DS was having trouble breathing at night on his back. It was great for sleeping before he was in his crib, and also for a place to put him down during the day. I really loved that.

Re: Crashing with a registry must have ? !

We wouldn't have survived the first 4 months if not for the rock and play sleeper. I also love my Phil & Ted Classic Buggy Stroller and my Ergo baby carrier.

Re: Crashing with a registry must have ? !

FP Rock n play, FP little lamb swing, angelcare monitor!

Re: Crashing with a registry must have ? !

Rock n play, boppy, swing, some kind of gas relief med, jumper, the baby will tell you which bottles he wants, so buy 2-3 of different brands. pacifiers-soothies,
and when you think you have too many bibs. wash clothes and burp cloths, but 10 more of each.

a reallly good coffee pot, or even better yet, Keurig. coffee in 30 secs.

Crashing with a registry must have ? !

Video monitor, we have summer infant
Boppy changing pad covers and disposable changing pad covers
I love my coach diaper bag!
swing, with plug in option and removable bouncy seat
Aden and Anais bamboo muslin swaddle blankets
Mustella no rinse baby wash
Triple paste, huge tub!
Bath seat for sink, it's like a collapsible lounge chair
Carters white long sleeve and short sleeve onesies, 5 pack
White socks! I love the squishy ones the call booties?
An insulated cooler style bag to put all of the baby's food in when you go places
Activity gym/mat
Something to wear the baby in - I had the moby, sleepy, and bjorn, used them all and one was with us at all time for the first 6 months!
Boppy
Sleep sheep
Sophie the giraffe, whoozit, squish, and glow worm - favorite first toys

Re: Crashing with a registry must have ? !

Things I absolutely could not have lived without:

FP rock and play

UppaBaby Vista stroller

Boppy changing pad liners (?I think that's what they are called. They are a 3 pack for about $12.99 and you lay them on top of the changing pad on the changing table. It saved me from having to change the pad all the time).

Walker (social faux pas but DS LOVED it)

Bumbo seat (get the tray too)

I know I'm missing some things. I"ll edit my post if I need to.

Crashing with a registry must have ? !

Buy the book Best Baby Bargains. Great help for registering!

Re: Crashing with a registry must have ? !

My must haves were:

Triple Paste (worked amazing on diaper rashes)
Boudreauxs Butt Paste (for regular diaper changes)
Tiny Love Mobile (kept my DD occupied and relaxed forever!!)
FP Newborn to Toddler Rocker
Mittens (she was always scratching her face)
Boppy
Baby monitor (I had a regular one - no video)
Halo Sleepsacks
Diaper Genie
Infant tub
Playtex Drop Ins (so easy, all the air gets out, and they warm up FAST)
Travel System stroller (we had the Chicco Cortina)
FP Space Saver high chair (it was so much more convenient then the big Chicco Polly we had)
Lots of plastic links w/ rattles and other light up infant toys
Activity Mat
Humidifier (we had a warm mist one)
Boppy Noggin Nest (kept her head from getting flat)
Excersaucer
Cloth diapers (they make the BEST burp cloths)
Bibs (lots of them)
Plastic disposable tables covers (for when we went out to eat)
Diaper bag (one with lots of pockets and storage - I looooved my Skip Hop bag)
Baby 411 book (lived in this book lol)

Message edited 9/13/2012 8:37:31 AM.

Crashing with a registry must have ? !

I loved my Arm's Reach Cosleeper! For daytime she slept in the RNP and snugabunny swing.
We have the chicco magic carseat which we love and the keyfit caddy stroller frame. Definitely play with the carseats in person to see what you like. The stroller frame is awesome, especially the huge basket. We also have the city mini which is great too but the basket is no match!
As for moniters, we just have the sony audio monitor which is sufficient for us.
As for smaller things, a lot of cloth diapers, wash cloths, and changing pad covers (the small white liners that go over the cover). These were things I used more of than I expected.