// Wanted: The Perfect Baby Registry


I'm on a mission... and that mission is to create the perfect baby registry. There's just one little problem: I know squat about babies. Awesome place to start, right? We've had friends and family ask us for our registry information the past couple of weeks, and our current registry is a little bit of a mess. It's looking better than it was, but truth be told: it's been a catch-all for junk that we kind-of, sort-of, maybe liked, wanted to research, or just needed a reminder to buy. For a while our crib and stroller sat on the registry, mainly so I could keep track of them and see if they ever went on sale. Then I made those big purchases and trimmed the list to suit. There was one point where I looked on there and I had something like 3 breast pumps, 2 rockers, 4 strollers and goodness knows what else. (I really hope no one had the link at that time haha... it was sad!) Still, every few days I'll pop over and be like "This is ridiculous... *delete* *add fifteen more things I know nothing about*" haha

Now that we're in the home stretch and I have showers on the horizon (!!!), I'm really needing to figure out what is going to go on there. That's where I need your help! Some of y'all are wonder moms... You've birthed babies, tried the products, tossed the crap ones and (hopefully) found a list of things that have been a heaven-send for you and baby! I know every mom and baby will be different, but right now I'm just trying to make as educated of a guess as I can on what will and won't work. While this is a "registry," I'm also planning on using it as my own little shopping list so I can finalize purchases when Baby Flynn gets here. (I think there might even be some nursing pads and nipple cream on my list still... HA! Those need to get move to a more, uh, private list...)

Some of these items are sort of "novelty" bits that happen to be practical and fun (I'm looking at you, whale spout cover!), but some of them are really meant to help a work-at-home-mama out (MamaRoo!) Let me know if you've used any of these or if you have a better alternative to suggest, or if you just outright hated a product/brand! (As much as I appreciate the in-depth emails re: pregnancy/baby items, I'd love to keep the conversation in the comments if possible, that way others can read your thoughts, too! Maybe a mom-to-be will stumble on this and it can help her!) I honestly just have no clue where to start or what to include... This is hard!

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Here's what our situation is looking like once Baby Flynn arrives: I'll be a full-time work at home mom, also juggling a 5 year old until he starts Kindergarten in mid-August. Ideally I'd love to breastfeed (fingers crossed I'm able to!) and we are planning on cloth diapering once he's big enough to wear the one-size diapers. I'll be spending every day alone with the baby (almost immediately!) while Mike is at school, so really the most important thing for me is to be able to balance it all and make it work. I also plan on baby-wearing as much as possible when outside of the house (and I personally prefer knit wraps... Moby? Solly? Sakura Bloom? Ahh!And here's what I'm thinking so far:

1. Medela Breast Pump: I've tried comparing both the Pump In Style and the FreeStyle breast pumps. (I know about insurance and breast pumps, but for the sake of this conversation I'm choosing to overlook that for now) I don't really know how often a breastfeeding mom may need to pump, and where, so that's why I'm totally oblivious on this decision. Is it worth it to pay for an electric pump? What about hands free? I definitely plan on storing/bottling some milk so Mike can help with feedings. I'd love y'all's wisdom!

2. Skip Hop Bath Spout Cover: I love the novelty aspect of this, but also the functionality. It's not cumbersome or gaudy, and that's good enough for me!

3. Flip Hybrids + BumGenius FreeTime Cloth Diapers: We plan on cloth diapering after he's big enough to fit, but holy moly this has been a hard decision! After reading loads of articles, forums, emails, etc, I think we have decided to pair together some Flip Hybrids and BumGenius FreeTime All-In-Ones. I've heard great things about both of them, but if you have any tips and tricks on maintaining the perfect stash/rotation, I'm all ears! (Also I'd love to know how many cloth diapers you have in your stash! I've read you should have at least 24, but 30 is ideal. I'd like to do laundry every other day if possible! - Also, if you use Flip covers, do you prefer the prefold inserts or...? - And finally, best place to buy them? Amazon seems to be so finicky with their stock!) I might need to do a whole post on just cloth diapers because there are so many options to consider!

4. Motorola Baby Monitor: A lot of this decision was based on how the monitor looked and the price tag. It was in line with many of the other models, but we liked the way it looked more than the others. Some people say that video monitors aren't even a necessity, and while I agree, I like the peace of mind that I'd have to look in whenever I needed. Have a monitor you love that you want to suggest? Let's hear it!

5. Grooming Kit: Yay or nay? I liked this kit because it was super comprehensive without having a hefty price tag. It includes so much, but is it all needed?

6. Aden + Anais Swaddling Blankets: I've had everyone and their mother recommend these swaddling blankets to me, so that's a good sign right? But I've also read a bunch of moms swear that regular ol' muslin swaddling blankets are best. Thoughts?

7. Medela Breastmilk Feeding Gift Set: Okay, this is another area where I've been all "What?!" - How many bottles are needed for a breastfed baby? Right now our registry is packed with these and some from Dr. Brown's (They seem to be a popular choice), but I don't know how many we'll actually need, and if one is better than the other. I also have a "natural" breastfeeding bottle or two on there. Help!

8. Summer Infant Pacifier Thermometer: Part of me thinks this would be an easy way to take the baby's temperature, but then another part of me is like "Well you're definitely going to lose that the first time you use it.." Have any of you ever tried it?

9. Crane Cool Mist Humidifier: I love the shape, and it's practical, but is it necessary?

10. FEED Diaper Bag: This is totally a mom-choice on the registry but I love the new FEED diaper bags. It would be a bit of a luxury purchase so it'll probably come last, if at all. But I couldn't help but throw it on there. I remember what diaper bags looked like when I was little... and they were ugly! Bonus: FEED provides a full year of micronutrients to a mama and baby with each purchase.

11. Baby Trend Pack n Play: Pack n Plays are one thing that moms seem to be torn on. They either swear by them or they say they never touched them. We spend quite a bit of time at our parents' houses, so I think it'd be a reasonable purchase. I also spend a lot of time outside with Toby, tending to the garden, etc. That's reason enough, right?

12. 4Moms MamaRoo Swing: I can't decide if the MamaRoo or the RockARoo would be a better purchase, but I'd love to hear your thoughts! We bought a little bouncy bassinet recliner for the baby, but it's not as fluid as I had hoped. I'd love to have something that was self-moving so I could sneak a shower or squeeze in some work here and there. Is it worth all of the hype?!

Other items I'm curious about: The 4Moms tub, Baby Bullet food prep system, anything you think I've missed or could benefit from knowing about, and basically whatever else is on this ridiculous catch-all list! Educate me! This mama needs some help!

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Another thing that didn't occur to me until recently: I did most of our registry online (via Amazon, etc, all synched up on MyRegistyr.com), but I'd venture to guess the majority of our friends and family prefer to shop in-store... We did a Target in-store registry (and synched it with the online one) but I'm wondering if I made a major "uh-oh" by not being more mindful of that in the beginning. Thoughts?

Even if we don't receive anything from our online-only registry, it can at least serve as a "Hey! Buy this!" list for us when the need arises, so I guess it's not a total loss! It's been a while since I've done any registry stuff so I tried being mindful of varied price points and items, but I don't feel the least bit confident in it. I'd love to hear what y'all chose to put on your own registries (or what you decided to purchase!) if you don't care to share!

Edited to add: If you want to be OVERLOADED with (great!) advice and comments, my Instagram post of this entry BLEW UP! So many helpful mamas sharing their wisdom right HERE!

43 comments:

  1. Our little girl is due anyday now (!!!) so I don't know what works and what is a frivolous buy yet but I do know we received a nose Frida sucker and everyone said it's the best thing ever. And the Houdini swaddles

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    1. !!! congrats! i've heard nothing but praise for the nose frida so it's DEF on our list!

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  2. A good carrier is gonna be essential for chasing one kid while soothing the other. I like wraps (something like a moby) for the first few months, then something like an ergo or lillebaby after that. <3

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    1. i definitely want to do a wrap to start, but am going to look into more substantial carriers (like the ergo) too!

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    2. I LOVE my Lillebaby. We have both the Ergo and the Lillebaby and I totally prefer the versatility and the lumbar support of the Lillebaby. I'd suggest the all season version or the air version since you live in a warm climate.

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  3. And the munchkin latch bottles are supposed to be awesome for breastfed babies

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    1. i don't think i had stumbled upon those, but i'll look them up now! thanks!

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  4. I love(!) our Mamaroo. I gave my husband hell for wanting something so cool-looking, but expensive - ours was gifted to is but we'd have probably splurged on it. Dude hasn't slept a bit in his bassinet or crib (we mostly *gasp* bed share, but he's warming up to sleeping and spending more time in the mario. We also have the oma tin - it's cool, but you could get by with sink bathing. It isn't very deep for safety reasons so my baby's chest would get cold if we didn't constantly pour warm water over him.

    Other favs:
    -Boppy pillow. I thought these seemed like such another $40 mom trap - it's been a total game changer!
    -Pump: we have the Medela Personal Advance Pump in Style. Wasn't planning on pumping so soon (Hudson is 2 weeks old) but I developed mastitis and that thing has been a life/nipple saver!
    -Aden and Anais blankets - we have a set of bamboo and a muslin blanket - love them all!
    -Newborn sleepers and clothes - bonus if the sleepers have fold over cuffs! I skipped nB stuff thinking he's grow out too soon. The fabric bunches up my his mouth as he sleeps in the 0-3 sizes.
    -Sakura bloom sling - I love ours. So fast and easy. We have a Moby but I've yet to use it and hear they can get quite hot.
    -Thermometer- my bet is if baby Flynn needs his temp taken he'll likely be too fussy for a pacifier. Rectal thermometers aren't as terrifying as they sound! I promise!
    -We skipped the pack n play and humidifier. No complaints get, but I suspect with Utah's dry climate we'll end up with a humidifier by winter.
    -Nose Frida - sounds gross, works awesome!
    -Sound machine - Mamaroo has sounds built in, but something portable is nice. We have the sleep sheep and gentle giraffe - Hudson loves them but I wish they weren't limited to a 45min timer.
    -Wer bags for dirty cloth diapers. Most people recommend 2 travel and 2 hamper, that way you have one to use while the other is in the wash.
    -SwaddleMe or Miracle Blanket swaddlers - another thing I thought was frivolous. Baby can't Houdini out of them and minimal fabric = no bunching up by mouth like the Aden and Amis blankets to make you nervous as they sleep.

    I felt I kept my own registry pretty minimal, but even that ^ seems like a lot of stuff! Make sure to do another post about your own postpartum needs! :)

    And my apologies of this comment is wonky - written from my phone which tried to eat my comment about 4 times before posting.

    -So excited for you, ladybabe!

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    1. this was a SUPER helpful comment, so thank you! it's so nice to see things listed out in an easy to read format ya know? i know every baby will be different but seeing so many things make SO MANY mamas' lists is super reassuring! <3

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  5. I love(!) our Mamaroo. I gave my husband hell for wanting something so cool-looking, but expensive - ours was gifted to is but we'd have probably splurged on it. Dude hasn't slept a bit in his bassinet or crib (we mostly *gasp* bed share, but he's warming up to sleeping and spending more time in the mario. We also have the oma tin - it's cool, but you could get by with sink bathing. It isn't very deep for safety reasons so my baby's chest would get cold if we didn't constantly pour warm water over him.

    Other favs:
    -Boppy pillow. I thought these seemed like such another $40 mom trap - it's been a total game changer!
    -Pump: we have the Medela Personal Advance Pump in Style. Wasn't planning on pumping so soon (Hudson is 2 weeks old) but I developed mastitis and that thing has been a life/nipple saver!
    -Aden and Anais blankets - we have a set of bamboo and a muslin blanket - love them all!
    -Newborn sleepers and clothes - bonus if the sleepers have fold over cuffs! I skipped nB stuff thinking he's grow out too soon. The fabric bunches up my his mouth as he sleeps in the 0-3 sizes.
    -Sakura bloom sling - I love ours. So fast and easy. We have a Moby but I've yet to use it and hear they can get quite hot.
    -Thermometer- my bet is if baby Flynn needs his temp taken he'll likely be too fussy for a pacifier. Rectal thermometers aren't as terrifying as they sound! I promise!
    -We skipped the pack n play and humidifier. No complaints get, but I suspect with Utah's dry climate we'll end up with a humidifier by winter.
    -Nose Frida - sounds gross, works awesome!
    -Sound machine - Mamaroo has sounds built in, but something portable is nice. We have the sleep sheep and gentle giraffe - Hudson loves them but I wish they weren't limited to a 45min timer.
    -Wer bags for dirty cloth diapers. Most people recommend 2 travel and 2 hamper, that way you have one to use while the other is in the wash.
    -SwaddleMe or Miracle Blanket swaddlers - another thing I thought was frivolous. Baby can't Houdini out of them and minimal fabric = no bunching up by mouth like the Aden and Amis blankets to make you nervous as they sleep.

    I felt I kept my own registry pretty minimal, but even that ^ seems like a lot of stuff! Make sure to do another post about your own postpartum needs! :)

    And my apologies of this comment is wonky - written from my phone which tried to eat my comment about 4 times before posting.

    -So excited for you, ladybabe!

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    1. Gosh, I'm sorry about all the typos! iPhone's goofy autocorrect, plus a busted phone, plus typing over a
      Feeding baby on 2 hrs sleep is a recipe for disaster. Hopefully you're able to decipher most of that!

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  6. I gave birth in March so I'm right in the thick of newborn things! I love the Medela gift set for storage. I just started giving bottles because I'll be going back to work soon and I love The First Years Breastflow. They have a double nipple so the baby has to compress and suck so it mimics feeding at the breast. I also have the same video monitor and it's great! I registered totally online and has no issues either :)

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    1. congrats on your wee lil babe! I'll look into those bottles! i've read so many "best bottles for breast babies" and they all say something different! haha

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  7. So excited for you!
    A good swing is essential (I've heard great things about Mamaroo and Rockaroo but didn't get to try either, hopefully next time!!).

    A sound machine is also the best thing EVER, and we put a cheap one from Target on our registry. Got it and still use it almost 17 months later!

    For babywearing, I will ALWAYS recommend a Sakura Bloom. My time just ended as a SB Sling Diarist and I seriously have nothing but awesome things to say about the slings and the people and community behind them. For your first I would recommend a pure linen or simple silk, those seem to be best for newborns. If you do want to wrap though and not do ring slings, I also had a Solly for a short time and enjoyed it. And they come in great colors :)

    If you have to use bottles even if you're pumping them, Finn looooved the Tommy Tipee brand. They're pretty "boob" like and the shape is easy for them to hold. I put the starter kit on my registry and it lasted us so long.

    For other little products, I really recommend checking out Mother's Organic (mothersorganichealth.com) They have a ton of stuff that's all natural, organic, safe. Whether it be toys, shampoos, cloth diapering supplies, even stuff for mama. A great selection and Kathy from the company is amazing. If you order, put in the notes that I recommended you! She is wonderful! :)

    I know you said you already got the stroller but I'll still leave it here anyway... We have a STOKKE and love love love it. You can read my review on it here: http://www.terynskye.com/home/2014/5/3/the-stokke-scoot

    For food, we didn't bother buying one of those baby magic bullets. I got a regular magic bullet (which was cheaper) and it is literally the exact same thing. The baby one is just green and has a smiley face. And I bought some small little Tupperware square containers online and used them to store them. The regular magic bullet will last you so much longer. I've heard about the baby ones burning out really quick.

    I could go on and on about baby products haha! If you have any other questions please feel free to ask :) <3

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    1. AH! SUCH a helpful comment, thank you lady! I didn't realize the Magic Bullet was cheaper (and nicer looking!) - Just goes to show the baby traps they get you in haha! I'll swap that out on my list! - I love the Sakura Bloom slings so thank you for suggesting a starter one! The fibers totally evaded me so that's very helpful :D

      Def going to keep you in mind for follow up questions! xoxox

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  8. Beautiful registry, and very well thought out. I have a three month old and breast feed exclusively and use the Medela Pump in Style Backpack - which I love. I too wasn't sure how often I would need to pump knowing I was going to be breast feeding, but there were days (and still are) when I would wake up and need to use the pump to alleviate engorgement and plug ducts. You really wont know how often you are going to need to pump until you are in that situation, but having one on hand might come in handy. I only have one bottle, and use it when I need to feed while out on long errands and don't feel like breast feeding in public. Life savors for me have been the Boba Wrap (same thing as a Moby), the Fisher-Price Newborn Rock n Play Sleeper (great for a baby who won't sleep in a crib or pack n play), the Summer Infant SwaddleMe Wraps (the easiest wrap to use in my opinion), Boppy Pillow, Wellements Gripe Water to help smooth tummies... I could go on and on... :)

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    1. This is a great list, thank you! I'm going to look into the Boba wraps since so many people have said great things about them today! and the swaddleme wraps, too!

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  9. First, DON'T stress! You're going to do great! There is no "perfect" registry because every baby is different. For instance, some babies LOVE swings and hate bouncers, and some LOVE bouncers and hate swings. (Mine was a swing-loving baby, but his older half-brother loved his bouncer.) Babies also will have preferences for certain pacifiers, bottles, etc.

    RE: "I don't really know how often a breastfeeding mom may need to pump, and where, so that's why I'm totally oblivious on this decision. Is it worth it to pay for an electric pump? What about hands free?" -- You're going to be breast feeding about every 2 to 3 hours on average. So if you want to skip a feeding, plan on pumping. When I'm at the office away from my son, I pump at 10am, 1pm, and 4pm if that gives you an idea. Have you looked up your local chapter of La Leche League? They are an AMAZING free resource. I can't recommend them enough for breast feeding help and support. I couldn't have gone 13-mo BFing with my son without them. Seriously.

    As far as the Baby Bullet: Just get a good food processor or Kitchenaid Stick Blender. That's what I used and it was great!! That way you have something you can use after baby grows up too! :)

    I had an infant tub and never used it past the first week. I read online about people just bringing their baby in the bath WITH them, on their lap. I had never thought of it, but I felt MUCH safer that way and I've stuck with that.

    I would add an Ergo baby carrier and/or a baby ring sling. I used my sling (from Etsy) for the first 9 months or so quite a lot, and now that he's bigger I love the Ergo. (Just do some research about baby carriers and hip issues before you decide on a type/brand.)

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    1. Ah, super helpful lady! thank you so much! I'm definitely planning on swapping out the Baby Bullet for a regular one most likely, then just getting some baby food freezer things to use for storage. That seems to make so much more sense, but for some reason I never thought of it! haha

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    2. You may also want to look at your insurance policy. Mine covers an electric pump and lactation support. I called my insurance provider to get a list of approved vendors and they can submit the paperwork directly to insurance. I ended up pumping exclusively and would highly recommend the hands-free bra and a car adapter!

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  10. Congrats on your sweet babe. My little is 20 months and I'm due with number 2 late September. Here's my thoughts...
    -Can't give you much advice on the pump front, my supply dropped because he slept so good and I was inexperienced enough to not get up and pump at night, supply and demand is for reals. But I do know that for the short time I did pump, I only had a single and it plugged into the wall. Pain in the butt, I'm definitely going with the Freestyle this time, especially with insurance pretty much paying for it! We also looooved our Dr. Brown's bottles! A lot of pieces to wash, but totally not as much a pain in the butt as you'd think! Oh, and definitely get a boon Grass drying rack. They are great, and look cute!
    -I personally looove our spout cover. It's not the whale, and it has a tendency to fall off sometimes, but it does it's job. But it's also something you won't need until later on. I will say that we got a separate baby tub the first go round. While it was nice, it is big and hard to store. We have minimal storage so this time I'm just going for the spongy thing you can lay straight in the tub. That way I can just ring it out and store it in the shower on a hook.
    -We didn't get a video monitor until he was around 6 months. It took awhile to convince my husband we NEED one. We have a Summer Infant and love it, but my sister has a Motorola and she loves it, I don't think you can go wrong.
    -We got a grooming kit too. It should come with everything you need. More than likely, the nose sucker will suck, but not good. I've found the best nose sucker is the blue bulb one you get from the hospital. We have the nose frida too, but I still love my blue bulb! And we just had the regular underarm, rectal thermometers. Nothing special and they worked just fine.
    -The swaddle blankets are amazing. My son is still obsessed with his "wooby" and takes one everywhere. But any muslin blanket will work, we have some Aden Anais and some off brands from TJMaxx and he can't tell a difference. Plus, they were much cheaper!
    -A humidifier may not seem important now, but it comes in handy when they get their first stuffy noses and such. And the last thing you want to do with you have a snotty, cranky baby is run to the store to get a humidifier. Plus it adds a little background noise. Which brings me to, a sound machine. Seriously a lifesaver!! Get one that plugs in and one that doesn't for taking on trips or in the car (like a Sleep Sheep). I don't think my son could sleep without one!
    -I love the FEED diaper bags! I have also been eyeing the Lily & Jade Co. bags. They are amazing, but also come with a hefty price tag! I'm still trying to narrow it down!
    -I actually just put the Mamaroo on my registry. Honestly the only reason I didn't put the Rockaroo is price. It's just a tad high for me to be comfortable putting on there. We do have the 4moms Breeze play yard. It really is awesome and super easy to put up and down, with one hand! But I will say that we didn't have a pack and play for my first, and the only reason I have this one is I won it off of Instagram!
    -And I'll wrap this up now, I have the Solly Wrap and am so stoked to try it out! But I'd also like to get a sling. While the Sakura Blooms look great, they are out of my price range! I found Porter Baby Slings and they have gorgeous colors (I still haven't been able to decide on one!) and they are $35! Plus you get to pick the color of rings you want! Check them out, they are porterbabyslings on IG.
    Okay, I'll stop now! Good luck, whatever you decide will be perfect. You just have to figure out what works for you and your babe. Everyone and every babe are different!

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    1. OOh thanks for the suggestion for Porter Baby Slings! they look great! And great point about the baby tub! We are wayyyy short on space so it might be best to forgo that completely and just bathe him on my legs in the tub or something. We have a sound machine on our registry but I'm going to look up the Sleep Sheep! I didn't think about having one for on the go!

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  11. I would honestly wait to buy breast pumps until baby is here and you know what your situation is. I was registering for expensive electric pumps, and then decided to wait, and I'm so glad I did because I never once gave Joon a bottle. I didn't think I'd care, but I just didn't want to! Also, the hospital gave us a free hand pump, which worked fine for when I was engorged (worst word ever), and I didn't need anything more.

    I REALLY wish we'd had a video monitor, even though Joon didn't sleep in his own room until 9 or 10 months. We still wish we had one and he's 2!

    I didn't start cloth diapering until he was almost 1, and we only needed 12 diapers--I did a load of laundry every other day. With a newborn, though, holy crap you'll need a lot more. Also I would recommend waiting a few weeks to do cloth--there's just so many other things you'll want to be worrying about, don't stress about washing diapers at that stage! I REALLY love cloth, though, and think you will too!

    GET A WRAP. It will save your life. We lived and died by the Moby, but any mom-facing baby carrier will be a dream. Newborns especially just love them. Good luck! Baby stuff can be overwhelming, but really, if you have diapers, you'll figure everything else out along the way...and the hospital will send you home with some of those!

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    1. We're definitely not planning on cloth diapering until he's like 2 or 3 months old at least, just because 1) we don't want to buy a bunch of newborn size diapers and 2) i don't think my psyche could handle that much laundry on top of a brand new baby and routine! haha It seems like waiting on the pump might be smart! If I can't find a super great deal on one, we might just use the manual until I decide if I really need an electric or not!

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    2. I have to disagree with waiting to purchase your pump. I ordered mine right away because I was for sure going back to work and wanted all of it on the same calendar insurance year (baby was born in December) So I already had it on hand, well I was very glad I did because I was so engorged my son couldn't nurse from me, so he would give up. The lactation consultant had me pump off as much as possible, and then she gave me a small tiny tube to tape to my boob and a syringe to pump the milk to him to 'train' him that boobs give milk. (TMI I am sure) but if I hadn't had the pump I wouldn't have been able to get him to nurse at all, and because I did that for one day, he was breastfed for 14 months. And I got to choose to stop. I had the Medela Pump in Style and I worked full time after 3 months and pumped every day several times at work and I am getting ready to have my second babe in September and plan to keep using it. The medical supplier I talked to when ordering it was very helpful in pointing me in the right direction on which to order so if you have questions I would call them. They know a ton. OH and if you are having problems breastfeeding after baby is born don't hesitate to contact the lactation nurses at your hospital. I don't know how they know so much about boobs and babies but they are usually excellent at helping!

      We have a pak-n-play, it is nice if you have to go to a hotel, to parents house, to anywhere but where baby is used to and may not have a crib or one that is maybe sort of shady? I also took mine outside frequently and if you have bugs all you have to do is a put a crib fitted sheet over the top and it keeps most away from baby.

      We also used sleep saks they are very helpful in getting baby to sleep through the night and sleep restlessly. We call them the bambino straight jacket, but they helped my son sleep very well. We were scared when he got too big for them.

      A lamp for babies room that you can touch to turn on and has dim and high because then at 3 am when you have to change their diapers you don't have to try and find the lamp switch, and it can be just on enough to be able to see or if you need some real light on higher. You can use any light that has a metal base you just need to get the converter.

      I love all the other stuff! IT looks great. I really like the Feed baby bag.

      Good Luck and Congrats!

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    3. Awesome input! It sounds like that commenter and I had very different nursing experiences for those first few weeks, so you'll have to go with your mama intuition :) Our hospital was so helpful and encouraging of breast feeding, and they rented awesome electric pumps that you could use until you get your own if you needed one right off the bat? I don't know, potential solution that may save you some money.

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  12. Okay, now that I read your actual post... you are so on the right track!! I felt the SAME way registering, it's so hard when you have no idea and haven't done this before. But your list sounds better than mine did at first! You've got all the basics covered, there really are so many baby things that you just don't need and won't use. And littler things like the grooming lot, go ahead! You might end up using a lot of those things and be so happy you have them all. I was too terrified to cut Remy's nails, but her doctor told me to peel them off, and it seriously worked! Then I started filing them when she was older, now I use the little scissors.

    Also, the circo pajamas at target that come in a two pack and awesome (and $8.99 for two!). They zip from the bottom which is a lifesaver for nighttime changes. They aren't the highest quality fabric, but unable a grow before that seems to matter!

    Besides my novel length of an IG comment that's all I know!

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  13. Okay, now that I read your actual post... you are so on the right track!! I felt the SAME way registering, it's so hard when you have no idea and haven't done this before. But your list sounds better than mine did at first! You've got all the basics covered, there really are so many baby things that you just don't need and won't use. And littler things like the grooming lot, go ahead! You might end up using a lot of those things and be so happy you have them all. I was too terrified to cut Remy's nails, but her doctor told me to peel them off, and it seriously worked! Then I started filing them when she was older, now I use the little scissors.

    Also, the circo pajamas at target that come in a two pack and awesome. They zip from the bottom which is a lifesaver for nighttime changes. They aren't the highest quality fabric, but unable a grow before that seems to matter!

    I left everything else in my novel length IG comment, ha got too excited. But seriously, call your insurance about the pump! It's like a weird thing they don't tell you they cover, but I think after the Obama care stuff they are required to. If this is just an Oregon thing, don't hate me! Ha ha
    I lied, I thought of something else! The Wellness gripe water! It is a lifesaver for taking care of gas! Remy had bad gas pains, so that stuff really saved us. It's also SO much cheaper on amazon.

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  14. I'm still a month away from testing things out for real, but I have received a lot of good advice. Regarding bottles- don't stock up on any one kind. Most babies are picky so you're going to have to try out different bottles and nipples until you find the one he likes. I've got a few different kinds to get me started. Happy shopping!

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  15. Ok, hopefully I remember all the things I thought about while reading your post!

    - Breast pump. I got the on-the-go tote and it was great. I bought the hands free bra so I could pump while reading or watching tv because the less you pay attention to what's going on, the more milk you seem to get (at least for me). I only breastfed until Ryder was 2 1/2 months though because it was super exhausting and hard on me. I would definitely recommend an automatic double pump. Manual pumps are tiring and you can't do much else while you are pumping.

    - Bottle kit. I loved this! My pump came with a few bottles and our kit came with 6 (I believe) bottles so that was all we used! I believe my total was something like 10 5oz bottles all with slow flow nipples. He moved on to 8oz (or, in our case, 10 oz) bottles around 3 1/2 months with medium flow nipples and we only have six of those. I have to wash the bottles every night but we never run out.

    - Thermometer. In our area, the peds doctors will only take rectal temperatures so we bought one rectal and one forehead thermometer. We use the forehead one for quick temp checks and if he does seem to have a fever, we use the rectal one to get a reading to call the doctor.

    - The grooming kit was 100% unnecessary for us. You get a few aspirator bulbs from the hospital and they are THE best, hands down. We also got a baby brush and baby comb from the hospital which we still use. For their nails, we use normal size nailed clippers and a normal size nail file (it is easier to just file down their nails when they are teeny tiny).

    - Video baby monitor. We bought the Babies R Us brand video monitor because no matter what anyone says, it is so reassuring to be able to turn on the video part and see why your baby is making noise. Ryder slept in a bassinet in our room until he was 3 months old so we have only been using the video monitor for a little over a month but it is great! I love knowing what he is doing without having to sneak into his room.

    - Aden + Anais Swaddling Blankets. We received a sleeper sack one as a baby shower present and I never looked back! Ryder slept in it every night until he was 2 months (my peds doctor recommended no longer swaddling for sleep after then).

    - Humidifier. Ok, real talk. I just bought a humidifier for Ryder last week. He got his very first cough and runny nose and you can't do much for a baby when they get a cold. He is as happy as a clam so we just got the humidifier to run while he sleeps to help his horrific sounding cough. I have zero idea if it is actually doing anything so I don't know if I wasted $30 or not, but a lot of people swear by them.

    - Pack'n'Play. Ryder haaaaaaaaates sleeping in his but I am thankful we have it because we travel to visit family and Ryder needs somewhere to sleep. I also think it will come in handy when he is more mobile because I can stick him in there if I have to go to the bathroom or something.

    - Bathtub. I know most people wash their babies in the sink until their babies get old enough to sit up but we went ahead and bought a little bathtub with a mesh part.

    - Baby Bullet. Girrrrrl, I love this thing! I just started Ryder on solids and I've made him banana and avocado so far. It literally takes less than a minute to puree it up and one fruit/veggie makes multiple servings!

    Other things:

    - Boppy Pillow. You can definitely just use a normal pillow to breastfeed but I actually use a boppy pillow just to sit Ryder in to hang out with me on the couch or whatever. It is snug around him and supportive.

    - Baby laundry detergent. I passed on it because I already purchase Free & Clear detergent for my sensitive skin so I didn't have to pay more for something with the word "baby" associated with it.

    - Nose Frida. It grossed me out when I first saw it but it is super effective when the aspirator bulb isn't cutting it.

    I feel like I could legit talk about this for days! Please let me know if you have any questions or just want to talk about mom stuff some more!

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  16. What no shark stuff! Color me shocked! I was actually going to comment on a post today to tell you that Zulily.com has Sharks and Stripes right now in the children's section and I automatically thought of you and Baby Flynn.

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  17. As a new mama to a two week old, I don't have TOO much input, but here goes: I have the same playard and we love it because of the changing table and the neutral look. He's been co-sleeping so we haven't used the bassinet feature yet. I also have the Medela PIS tote, which I haven't used yet. Mostly I want to comment about breastfeeding! When you're breastfeeding, (and I'm sure you'll be able to! Just be patient and don't doubt your body's abilities!) you don't want to pump for at least six weeks. This will give your body time to adjust its milk supply. If you start pumping too early, you could encourage overproduction which is inconvenient for you and unpleasant for baby. For exclusively breast fed babies, it's not recommended to introduce a bottle until at least six weeks to try and avoid nipple confusion. Mike can have plenty of other ways to bond in the first six weeks, establishing the BFing bond is most important in the beginning. I joined a La Leche League Facebook group for my state that hosts meet ups and you can post any kind of question you have that will be answered by educated LLL leaders. I'd HIGHLY suggest joining one (even if you can't find one in your area) These ladies have kept me sane in the past two weeks- from incredible pain to the point of my crying and cussing at every feeding, to questions about his gassiness (normal) and a sudden drop in supply (also normal)- they have been there with answers and tremendous support. If not for them, I probably would have given up way easier. Breastfeeding is hard in the beginning, but so so rewarding. If you ever need support, it is there.

    Sorry to get so off topic, I know this is about your registry haha. I also second comments about waiting to use cloth diapers until he's a little older. We ordered a full-time set of Gro-Via Hybrids, which is 12 outer shells and something like 30 inserts, so expected laundry is every 2-3 days. Since newborns go through like at least 10 a day, we're using Babyganics diapers right now and love them. Haven't had a diaper leak once!

    Also, put tons of wipes and diapers on your registry. We've already been through over 250 wipes!

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  18. I had my son 15 months ago, and these are the products that helped us out that first year:

    -Boppy pillow: if you are planning on trying to breastfeed, this is a MUST. I -no-joke- carried this with me everywhere when I was nursing my son. Such a necessity.

    -Tommee Tippee bottles: when my husband and I made the decision to start feeding our son formula, these are the bottles we picked. I love them because a) the nipple mimics a woman's breast almost literally and b) the bottle is very wide & chubby, so my son learned how to hold his own bottle very easily, at a fairly early age. We love TT so much that we only buy their sippy cups for my son. Love this brand!

    - Humidifier: also crucial. Infants can hardly take any medicine so when the Littlest Flynn gets a head cold, this will save your life.

    - Pack & Play: another necessity. Instead of a bassinet, we slept my son in this for the first 12 weeks of his life. It's versatile, travels incredibly well, and is actually pretty easy to store when you're done with it.

    - Medela Pump In Style Advanced breast pump: I loved this thing. It is so strong and reliable. I bought mine refurbished to save a little money and even though it's used, it works like it's brand new. Another item I couldn't live without.

    - Ergo carrier: while I did use a sling when my son was tiny (especially because he was a preemie and thus, EXTRA tiny), we transferred to the Ergo not long after he was born. We STILL use it. It's a lifesaver. It truly is ergonomic, while also being comfortable for your baby. I love it!

    Hope this helps! I know it can be daunting, especially when it's your first pregnancy. You're doing great! <3

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  19. My son is 15 months old, and these are the items my husband and I would have been lost without during that first year of life!

    - Boppy pillow
    - Tommee Tippee bottles
    - Humidifier
    - Medela Pump In Style breast pump
    - Ergo carrier
    - Pack & Play

    As long as we had these items, plus a bunch of diapers, swaddling blankets, and classic white onesies, we were good to go :) Once the Littlest Flynn arrives, you will come to know EXACTLY what you -as a family- need to flourish and feel great. You're doing wonderfully! :)

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  20. I loved that whale spout but it didnt fit on my tub whats it! So make sure you measure to see if it will work!

    I pumped a lot while breastfeeding, my mom and sister and hubby would bottle feed her so I would really suggest investing in your pump. Also, pumping kinda sucks- breastfeeding can be a challenge but then you get this great bonding with your baby- pumping can just suck so anything you can do to make it easier- do.

    I wish I had a video monitor- I thought they were totally silly when I was pregnant but man were there times that I wished I could tell if she was really sleeping or if she was spreading poop on the crib!

    I had a petunia pickle bottom diaper bag and I say go for investing in one- they take a beating and the cheap ones never hold up!

    We used breastflow bottles and swear by them. I only kept 2 at home and 2 at my moms-we went thru tons of breastmilk bags tho.

    Truthfully, you might want to wait to make your big breastfeeding purchases- maybe rent a pump thru your hospital and have one bottle for your first month- breastfeeding can be hard and while I truly believe it's great for you and for him I also believe that doing what works for you is even better. Moms and society put sooo much pressure on women to breastfeed (which again I did and I am sooo happy I did amd I totally recomend it) and I lve watched a few moms feel sooo guilty because for whatever reason they just couldn't. Once you get past your first month and things are going smoothly then invest- just in case it doesnt work out- you dont need to feel guilty about all the breastfeeding stuff you bought if it just doesn't work for you guys!

    A food processor and ice cube trays are also great for baby food and they are much more useful in the long run! Well out regular bullet is ok too im just more attached to the food processor lol.

    Robutton.blogspot.com

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  21. Congrats!! When my daughter was going to arrive, my OB gave me the best piece of advice when I told her how lost I was when it came to things that I needed - Lucie's List (http://www.lucieslist.com/). It is a curated guide for stuff you'll need. It was a lifesaver!

    From the things that you've listed, I would say you probably won't need the extra bottles since the pump comes with 4 bottles. The one thing that I don't like about the medela bottles is the nipple collapse issue. It's kinda annoying that you have to pull out the bottle every few minutes for the air to flow back in. We got the Dr Brown set. It worked since it has 2 4oz & 3 8oz bottles, which works out till she started using a sippy cup.

    Also, we didn't use the pack n play till we started traveling. My daughter loved it then. We got the Graco one from friends.

    For carrying her around, we got the Beco Gemini. It worked till she she got too heavy to be carried around.

    When it comes to grooming, we only use a fine tooth comb (helps with cradle crab) and nail clippers (you'll be surprised at how fast they grow).

    I wrote a post on what things worked for us http://www.1825steps.com/2013/05/22/baby-stuff-the-good-meh-on-the-fence/

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  22. My OB gave me the best piece of advice when I asked her about where and what to look at for baby stuff - Lucie's List (http://www.lucieslist.com/). It's a curated list for all things baby. It was a lifesaver.

    With stuff on your list, you get 4 bottles with the Medela pump. The one thing that I found irksome about the bottles was the nipple collapse issue. It's irritating to pull out the bottle from the baby's mouth to let the air back into the bottle. I got the Dr Brown set which has 2 4oz & 3 8oz bottle which works perfectly once the baby starts growing up.

    For moving out & about, the Beco Gemini carrier served us well. Also, we got the Pack & Play from friends which we only started using for my daughter's nap time when we started traveling.

    In terms of grooming, I just use the fine toothed comb that we got from the hospital (helps with the cradle cap) and nail clippers. Another miscellaneous item that's useful is the rectal thermometer. Our pediatrician relies on this reading if the baby is running a temperature.

    Not so long ago, I wrote this http://www.1825steps.com/2013/05/22/baby-stuff-the-good-meh-on-the-fence/ to list the things that we found useful and also the not-so-useful ones.

    Hope that helps!! Congrats on your bundle of joy!!

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  23. I gotta be honest, I'm not a mother but I do work at a (extremely large) Baby retailer (let's not name names so as to not get me in trouble) so i spend a lot of time around moms & their kids.. and i mean A LOT. but i wouldn't get the 4moms Momaroo... I have tons of guests who bring the item back and say that it
    A. doesn't work properly. the seat gets stuck
    B. they also feel like their precious little one is going to fall out.
    I'm not an expert on any of the other swings we sell but there are quite a few that you could get that will rock the littlest flynn all on their own.

    just an opinion. you don't have to take my word for it.

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  24. I'm sure you're swimming in recommendations now! I had no idea what I needed either and felt so unsure! These were my essentials in the first 6 months:
    + Nipple shields. If breastfeeding is difficult to begin with (which it 100% was for me because it HURT so badly but I had enough milk to feed a village, TMI), don't let anyone tell you that you can't use nipple shields. Nipple shields meant that I could breastfeed comfortably for the first few months & eventually I didn't need to use them anymore. Take some in with you when you go into hospital just in case. If I didn't have them, I would have given up breastfeeding in the first week for certain. I can't stress how important these were for me! I also used a breastfeeding pillow which attached around my waist with velcro (before I gave birth I thought needing one of these was totally ridiculous) and it really helped with comfort while breastfeeding - hands free! Sometimes I'd just keep it on when he fell asleep on it after a feed and I'd be able to use my computer!
    + Woombies (or similar) were excellent when Theo was smaller, especially in warmer weather, because they are relatively thin fabric, have a zip & hold them in nice and snug, but you don't have to fiddle around with swaddling blankets. He slept best when in one & we transitioned him out of it & into a sleeping bag with arms at 6mths.
    + An Ergo (or similar) - I too had a preference for the slings and wraps before Theo was born, but once he started growing, I found them uncomfortable & lacking in support and the Ergo was fantastic. One of the best things about baby wearing I think was when I learned how to breastfeed with it on! I could breastfeed while walking & nobody around me knew!
    + An Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper (or similar). I got this fairly late in the game but wished so much that I had it from the start. This co-sleeper attaches to the side of your bed & you can get the baby in and out easily while lying down, breastfeed & then pop him back in and it's a safe option if you don't like the idea of co-sleeping. I found using a basinette really cumbersome getting him in & out & having to get in and out of bed.
    + We use diapers that have a reusable 'shell' outside & disposable inserts that are biodegradable. The shells are really thin fabric that you just run under water to wash & they dry straight away & you're not dealing with hundreds of soiled fabric diapers to wash each week - the benefits of cloth and disposable in one. Ours were called 'Gently's' but that might be an Aus-only brand.
    + A Jolly Jumper (or similar) was great when Theo was about 3 months old - he would jump in it all day long if I’d let him & it meant that I could get stuff done while he was having the time of his life jumping about.
    I wish you all the best! It is a huge adjustment & was nothing like I expected (I got some BAD baby blues in the first few weeks), but after about 6 weeks you start to see smiles and it makes the hard slog and the lack of sleep feel worthwhile. Nobody really told me just how hard it would be, so I want to be totally honest about that - those first 6 weeks were honestly the worst in my life. So hard, so little sleep, so much poop & crying! I didn't feel like myself for about three months! But it gets better, much better. The best advice that was offered to me in the first few really hard days was: Do whatever makes now better - if that's a pacifier or using formula or getting someone else to take him for a few hours, just give in to it. Mommy guilt will only make things harder! Phew, sorry for the essay! :)

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  25. I would suggest reading about the RIE approach to respectful care giving.. it's a really nice approach to infant care. I wouldn't personally buy the mamaroo or anything similar. Once you get your baby used to being rocked, they will (may!) expect it and need it. The RIE approach also places importance on the natural physical/motor development of children. By strapping babies into rockers etc, you are stopping them from being able to use their natural movement. http://www.janetlansbury.com/ is a great resource.

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  26. Cloth diapers! Yay!! I have A LOT partly because I diapered two babies at the same time and am expecting a third. I like having so many because it means I'm not struggling with my laundry as much. Of course I wash, but a load can stay in the dryer or on the clothing rack for a few days without stress if we are very busy.

    I bought most of my diapers from Kawaii, initially because we were very broke during my mat leave and then because the quality is quite good for the price (around 6-7 bucks a diaper). If you can afford american made, then do that though, because those brands actually have warantees and after purchase customer service that is great.

    I like my systems for different reasons. Here they are:

    Pockets: I have some applecheeks, some microfiber insert+polarfleece inner kawaii and some bamboo kawaii. Super convenient for caregivers who are not convinced with cloth or newbies becauseso easy to put on. Bamboo is great for it`s absorbency but that also means it is very long to dry. My dryer is not very efficient, and that means I have to dry them for two cycles BUT bamboo is antibacterial and I have therfore NEVER EVER had stink issues with it.

    (you can wix and match inserts by the way, just make sure Microfiber is never against baby's bare bottom)

    My son just started taking off his velcro diapers in his sleep so as convenient as they have bein,no more of those ever! yay snaps!

    Prefolds+covers: awesome. easy to stack prefolds out of the laundry, not much more work really than pockets if you want to stuff them ahead of time. People usually call this sustem all in two. You need less covers for this system because there are siaper changes where you can keep the same cover and simply toss the inner into the laundry.

    Ozycozy flats+covers: AWESOME! Wash and dry so fast and I kinda love diapering like my great grandma but I keep thosefor home because the absorbency of cotton is lesser than my other inserts and I would never ask my daycare provider to learn the fancy folds.

    I have also reporpused many things around the house as boosters for the diapers like these small burp cloths we had. Ikea sells these great dish towels for 69c thatwork really well too as boosters.

    I like hand sewinf while watching tv soI also made around 50 wipes. It was such a hassle to have to run to the diaper hamper with disposable wipes in hand, back to the garbage. So much easier tojust stick the wipes with the diapers. I also only use water with my wipes, no fancy solution that would force us to wash them seperatly :)

    Cloth diapering seems really overwhelming. I didn't start doing it until my second baby was born but I'm so happy we switched. The waste reduction is INSANE! I feel so good about leaving a smaller footprint behind me :) Also, having a baby is overwhelming, andthe cloth just becomes another apectof your routine. Best of luck Kaelah!

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  27. congrats, i also will have a baby next month. i prepare somethings like you and im expected and palpitating

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  28. I also need a pacifier for my son.He does not take a bottle, and I do not know what to do in two months.When I will have to go to work.

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HEY! Thanks for dropping by. xo KB