So for first timers…what are the essentials to buy?
I don’t have a lot of space as we live in a one bedroom at the moment. We might move into a 2 bedroom but not until months after baby comes.
By essentials I mean products, furniture, clothing, etc.
How fast do babies grow out of clothes?
Playing mommy with your nieces and nephews is not enough to know all these things…I just realized…
Essentials for First Time Parents
If you guys are in a one bedroom, for now I would advise against a crib. For the first few months I used a pack n play, that also had a bassinet attachment. This was easy to move around as well, and during the night I was able to change his diaper in the diaper changing station that is part of the pack n play. There are lots of them out there, so pick a few that you like aesthetically and read reviews on amazon and babies r us.
A swing or bouncer. A swing is my recommendation cause you can plug it in/use batteries, and it will swing/move on its own, where as the bouncer you have to physically bounce yourself. The swing is good to leave the baby in while you do chores, take a shower, or just need a break. Most of them have lights, sounds and music. I have the 4moms Mamaroo one, but don’t really recommend it. My husband just loved the look and ‘coolness’ of it. Any of the other Graco/fisher price ones are really good.
Stroller and car seat. This is a personal choice depending on your style and preference. Most car seats are made equal cause they all have to meet the same safety standards.
A dresser or chest of drawers to keep all of babies clothes in. In the beginning you will need lots of onesies, and sleepers. Those fancy little outfits are really cute, but seriously they barely get to wear them once and sometimes not at all. Socks are needed as well. My son was born really small, so he wore newborn size for a month, and then wore 0-3 months until he was actually 3 months. So it does depend on your baby’s weight when they are born and how fast they gain. But I think most babies are in 0-3 months for at least the first 2 months if not more.
For the onesies (undershirts), I would get a few different styles depending on what season your baby is born in. If you are having a winter baby, I would get some full sleeve and some half sleeve. If it’s a summer baby, I would get some half sleeve and aome sleeveless.
I didn’t use a bathtub for the baby, I used a bath seat/mesh sling. For me that was easier as there was no standing dirty water, and I didn’t have to fill the tub or anything. I just let the faucet run, and used a little container to pour water over him. Surprisingly I used that until he was one. Now he prefers to either stand on his own or just sit down in the actual tub.
I can’t think of anything else right now. Will update or add another post if I think of something else.
Re: Essentials for First Time Parents
The bath sling is an excellent idea…I think my sister had one for my nephew…but I am not sure.
Re: Essentials for First Time Parents
baby shopping is like wedding shopping. you can make it as extensive/high end as you like or keep in really minimal.
I’d say keep it minimal. you can always buy things as you need them vs having a clutter of stuff that just eats up space.
A lot of what you should buy is going to depend on what you find essential and also on the circumstances surrounding your delivery/health etc …
i kept it pretty minimal … so i’ll share my personal experiences and highlight things that i found essential.
feeding baby: if BFeeding u dont need a thing. if for any reason you cant … have newborn feeders/formula (i used this one Amazon.com : Earth’s Best Organic Infant Formula with Iron, 23.2 Ounce (Pack of 4) : Baby Formula : Baby) just in case. IMO, you dont need a sterilizer/warmer. bottles can be boiled and an electric kettle is great for keeping already boiled n cooled water or heating up more water in a jiffy.
cleaning/changing baby: wrap up the poopy diapers discard out of house to main garbage collection right away. I never used the diaper genie. I cleaned baby bum down after each poop with water/soap and soft wash cloth. powdered bum with caldesene baby. Had only one episode of diaper rash … when she was 1yo and was down with norovirus. definitely buy and keep Boudreaux butt paste handy in case. This stuff is really good … relief in one to two applications.
i got 4 changing pads and kept them at strategic locations … one in bedroom, one in living room, one in baby travel bag and one spare. baby can be changed on any flat surface. i didnt use any changing tables. I used organizing baskets to keep a stack of diapers, wipes, bum powder, a few soft baby wash cloths, nipple cream and changing pad all together in each of the locations. I kept me from running back n forth tween rooms … important if you’ve had a c-section and moving about isnt easy.
i bathed the baby in the bathroom sink … i had a tub but my baby wiggled around so much i was afraid she was gonna wiggle right out. So id draper her over my arm (fim grasp and bathe her that way … babies are so little … its done pretty quickly)
Sleeping: I had a crib. never used it. co-sleeping worked best for me. I found getting up out of bed every two hours difficult after a c-section (esp in the first week).
clothing: I was given tons n tons of clothing as gifts … it was all v v v cute/adorable/beautiful but honestly not needed. the most practical piece of clothing for me was the baby nightgown or baby sleepbag (1-Piece Microfleece Sleepbag | Carter’s). With frequent diaper changes and spitups etc … it gets annoying to change baby out of lovely but difficult pieces of clothing with too many buttons/arms/legs etc… :cb:
i’d change the baby into proper outfits only when guests were coming over …
Storage: i used*** sterilite storage units*** (Amazon.com: Sterilite Wide 3 Drawer Storage Cart, Plastic Rolling Cart with Wheels to Organize Clothes in Bedroom, Closet, Black with Clear Drawers, 1-Pack : Home & Kitchen) plus hanging storage (http://www.amazon.com/FANGST-Hanging-Storage-Closet-Organizer/dp/B002PZ3IA2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1409250758&sr=8-3&keywords=hanging+storage+kids) inside my own closet for organizing baby clothing. i found it more then adequate.
misc: baby sling/carrier (Amazon.com : Organic Baby K'tan Baby Carrier 100% GOTS Certified Cotton: #1 Easy Pre-Wrapped 5 in 1 Baby Sling | Ready to Wear | Pillowy Soft Hands Free Infant Wrap | Newborn to Toddler up to 35lb (See Size Chart) : Child Carrier Front Packs : Baby) like this one is really great. you can do dishes/cook walkabout while the baby sleeps against you.
baby car seat/stroller; pick something easy to fold and easy to manuver. Ive heard and read ppl recommend pack n play as well. its probably a good thing. I didnt use one … i used to put comforters on floor, topped with activity mat and put the baby on that.
wow sorry for the very long post. :bummer:
Re: Essentials for First Time Parents
We were in a 1bedroom when Yousuf was born. We had crib in our bedroom. We used it with him and now its being used for the little one.
Play/activity gym which was in the family room. We used it till he was 6 months.
Bouncer in the family room, used it until he started crawling.
Clothes… Onies …10-12 (you will get plenty in gifts)
Full body suits 3-5 (another popular gift item)
Socks/mittens/hats (all are popular gift items, see what you get before buying more. I had a good variety of them..i wanted to make sure everything is matching)
Baby towels…6-9 (we went through a lot of them.)
Multipurpose changing pads…loved those…I have at least 6 of them
Receiving blankets (another popular gift item) I have 6-8, all were from gifts. I use them to wrap them, tug them, etc.
Crib mattress protector and a mattress protector for your bed.
Oh stroller and of course car seat.
We did get a chest first time around, however this time it is in bedroom 2, I made space for baby clothes and stuff in WIC as chest did not fit in the room.
Bath tub. We got the simple one.
We did not get a bouncer, swing, etc. If you feel you need them, you can always get when baby is here.
Re: Essentials for First Time Parents
I have shared my favorites/must have in another thread too but here is one more..
I use it as a changing pad in my diaper bag.. it’s huge…it’s wipeable… it’s perfect!!
Re: Essentials for First Time Parents
ehl and lusi’s entries are all that you need… everything has been covered… good job ladies!
minimum is the key. bare minimum… often first child shopping is more for the parents than the baby itself. it needs nothing cept clothing and food and diapers. khalas. rest is upto you.. how you wanna go abouts it.
burp cloths. those you will need a lot of.
and dont stack up on diapers just cuz its on a deal. you wont know what size baby you will have and how long it will be on that size, especially in the early months. my son went straight to size 2 diapers.. no newborn or size 1.. whereas my daughter wore preemie ones even though she was not one … lol
Re: Essentials for First Time Parents
I agree with the ladies here for a lot of the basics.
If space is at a premium, buy a portable swing or bouncer. They are compact and can be moved from room to room if needed. I had both but he preferred the bouncer to the swing. The ones I had were both battery operated- the swing would swing and the bouncer would bounce so no manual labor involved lol. The batteries lasted through two babies (mine and a friends) over two years! This was the brand: Toysrus
Plug in swings are usually huge and take up lots of space.
We had a crib and used it at various ages with the kid. I wouldn’t consider it a necessity. Mostly though, I used to co sleep with this because it was most convenient after a C. Once he outgrew the length, he was just on the bed with me: Walmart: The First Years - Close and Secure Baby Sleeper
He also used to sleep in his swing a lot, btw. He slept better in that than the bouncer.
I would put a changing pad on a dresser just to save your back, and I preferred one station for everything but I totally can see the point if multiple changing stations set up thru the place.
SwaddleMe’s are amazing. They are definite must have’s: Summer Infant SwaddleMe Adjustable Infant Wrap, 2-Pack, Woodland Friends:Amazon:Baby
Pampers Swaddlers are the best diapers- so soft and they don’t leak. Aveeno Baby makes lovely lavender newborn wash. Don’t bother with the infant grooming kits- they are terrible plasticky things. A small pair of safety nail scissors is all you need. Scented and disposable pet poo bags are fantastic for throwing out dirty diapers when on the go. Big Ziploc freezer bags are excellent for keeping in diaper bags to hold dirty bibs and clothes. A good diaper bag is a must for staying organized- several of us here have the Skip Hop Versa and highly recommend it. Have lots of bibs! The kid was a drooler and we had maybe 50 by the time he was done teething lol. I bought lots of packs of 5 and 10 bibs on sale from Babies R Us for everyday and “fancy” ones from Baby Gap to coordinate with his going out clothes.
Whilst a stroller can be a vanity purchase, make sure it suits your lifestyle first and foremost. Easy fold, lightweight, and can take a car seat are musts IMHO. If you will be walking a lot, get one with a generous basket (eg: Uppababy Vista). If you will mostly be driving, get one with a good fold (eg: Britax B Agile).
Not all car seats are created equal. Some of them only meet basic safety standards, some go above and beyond. Check the baby gear thread for all the info.
Oh, and I used my Diaper Genie heavily so I’d recommend it. If space is an issue, I think the Arm and Hammer one is smaller and more compact. Either way, it’ll have to be emptied frequently so if a regular garbage bin suits you, just stick to that.
Lastly, bathtub. We used the Fisher Price Whale of a Tub with the kid and now with the new baby too iA. I highly recommend it. It has a built in seat so small slippery babies aren’t going anywhere. We used it for a long time and it made life easier. Started off putting it in the sink and when he outgrew that, we would place it in our tub. Babies don’t get super dirty per se so they’re not sitting in dirty water, and baths are quick affairs when they’re young. It also has a draining plug at the bottom so you can opt to not fill it with water at all. Fisher-Price Precious Planet Whale of a Tub:Amazon:Baby
Re: Essentials for First Time Parents
I did use the diaper genie a lot too and frankly I stocked up on diapers throughout my pregnancy, all diffrent sizes till size 4 otherwise I would never have been able to afford them!
Re: Essentials for First Time Parents
Diaper pail is a must.
Re: Essentials for First Time Parents
for how many months can the baby sleep in the rock and play? which is a good one to get, there is so many of them.
Baby Bouncer, Free Shipping on All Bouncers - Babies"R"Us
please recommend which one i should register for, im starting registry process pretty soon.
as far as car seat, is it better to get convertible one or an infant one?
and how useful are baby carrier?
Re: Essentials for First Time Parents
is that the same thing as diaper genie?
Re: Essentials for First Time Parents
Most have already been covered.
-Nursing cover (if you plan to breastfeed)
-A good breast pump unless you plan to just supplement with formula from the start
-Weather shield for stroller in case you get caught in the rain etc.
-Car seat cover for winter (because bulky snow suits in car seats are not safe)
Re: Essentials for First Time Parents
They outgrow it by weight, and while it is ok for brief naps, it is not good for their backs to sleep in it for hours, so I wouldn’t buy it for that. Any one is good- it depends on budget and personal preference and how much room you have at home. Check them out in store and see which one you like. You can also read reviews online at Amazon.
A convertible car seat will NOT click on to a stroller frame; so you will be transferring your (possibly sleeping) child from car to stroller every time you go somewhere. An infant car seat will click on so you can simply move the car seat from car to stroller frame without disturbing baby. It’s personal preference.
Re: baby carrier. I have the Britax one. It was easy to use but our kid was big and we were weaklings lol. We used it thrice on vacation and then gave it to friends for their child. I preferred the stroller.
And yes, diaper pail = diaper genie.
Re: Essentials for First Time Parents
Took me 2nd time around to realize you don’t really need a lot, I just had a lot of stuff given to me with the first baby, so we used/kept it, but as of last year with my 3rd baby this is what I am using, to me only these are essentials to get by. I realize like you mentioned space might be an issue but this is just to give you an idea how I am doing it at home.
Car seat/stroller
Crib (nursery)
Change pad (placed on top of the dresser in the nursery)
Play-pen (I keep it in the play-room where kids mostly hang out during the day)
Swing (1st 3 months only)
Baby monitor with a camera (again it was given to me with my 1st kid but never used it because I was always just there with her, but had to use it now since the girls needed breakfast or I had to walk away for a few minutes every hour so this was a big help, came with a camera so I could keep an eye on him too)
Bath tub (you will need it first year definitely - I am not using it any more, he likes the regular bath tub, which thankfully comes with built-in slip proof treads)
Burp cloths/bibs (I never used any b-cloths with the girls but this one had major spitting-up issues)
Safety gates (needed those from the 7-8 month mark when the baby started crawling)
For going out, I have a diaper bag, that comes with a change pad, which I load up with diapers/wipes/milk bottles, extra change of clothes for the baby, snacks for myself and the girls but now that he started eating solids snacks are for everyone 
kleenex, immunization records and hand sanitizer.
Things I have used before but not using ATM: Diaper pail, bumbo chair, car seat canopy/blanket, breast pump
Re: Essentials for First Time Parents
Car seat is a must in USA, hospital won’t let you take the baby home unless you have a car seat.
Anyway, different things work for different people. See what are your and your baby’s requirements and buy things as needed.
Re: Essentials for First Time Parents
for me
body suits, always protect back from exposing to AC.
baby bouncer blessing good up to 3 months.
clothing newborn are used only for 2 weeks best to buy 0-3 month size, get limited stuff bc in first year size changes rapidly but agin you need to keep laundry in mind bc milk spilling and pamper leaking.
baby swaddling blankets, its easy to use n blessing babies love being swaddled for first few months.
for mothers
disposable cotton comfortable penties to be used after delivery.
nursing bras n nursing pads.
breast feeding cover.
Re: Essentials for First Time Parents
Do not buy johnsons products. They are actually bad for baby. The only thing worth buying in them is possibly the powder for the scent. The creams and lotions dry out skin, so do their oils. you can get better shampoos and soaps in this day and age
One of the hardest things to do for a new mom is bathing the baby. It is scary. I recommend you get a mothercare sponge…I’ll post a picture and put it in the sink and lay baby on it..safest way to bathe them and ANYONE can do it.
Notice how the baby shape is cut out already. The water just soaks through and down and that way no danger to baby at all. Best investment in bathing ever! and it is portable. I would put it in the sink. Put baby on top, so soft. initially use a mug and warm water for bath from a separate source, but after three months till nine months I would use tap directly. Brilliant!
Restored attachments:
Re: Essentials for First Time Parents
yes, same thing!
This is what I have target diaper genie - Google Search
it was $20 and very easy to use.
Re: Essentials for First Time Parents
I think you got really good advice for products.
Mommy of a one weeker here and tbh you can always get most of those products once baby is here and well settled in.
Here’s a list of things that were super important and helpful to us as soon as we came home from the hospital.
Stretchy swaddling blankets (carters have really nice stretchy ones!) get two … or three .. babies poop and spit up so having a few on hand is always good!
Nursing pads - MUST HAVE if you’re planning on breast feeding. I go through so many a day it’s not even funny!
Lanolin cream - Again, must have if you’re going to nurse
Tucks pads - If you tear or have hemorrhoids (very common to get these during a vaginal delivery) these things have SAVED my life this past week. I have a 2nd degree tear and tore in two places 
I can’t sit without my boppy and the tucks pads have been super helpful in relieving the pain a bit.
Breast pump!!! For days or nights when you need a little rest you can let daddy feed baby while you catch up on your sleep.
Snap and go - Instead of getting a heavy stroller I got a snap and go with my first and have used it for all my kids until they were 7-8 months old. Super lightweight and easy to use.
Also … google padsicles 
I made a few and they were amazing the first couple of days!
