Baby Gear Thread

[core_upt]

So my wife have decided to tradein freedom and irresponsibility for diapers and sleepless nights. We are due in a couple months and while I feel like are decently prepared, I'm sure there are things we are missing.

What are your must have or recommended baby-toddler products?

[Knut]

Dr Browns Bottle steamer if you are using formula or pumping breast milk. Reheats the bottle in a few minutes evenly. Especially good in the middle of the night.

Also. Spend extra for the higher end diapers you go through less total diapers and have much less laundry.

A wipes warmer is nice for the middle of the night. Then you can use warm wipes in the middle of the night. Less crying.

Momma-roo is expensive but great for newborns as it simulates what it is like in the womb for motion. I would wait and see what type of sleeper the kid is though.

Get a monitor with a sensor pad on it. You put it under the mattress and it will beep if the hold stops moving for 30s. Peace of mind once the baby is in their own crib. Camera ones are ok, but I think it just makes you spend too much time watching their every peep/motion.

Get a good stroller. You are going to have a lot of stuff whenever you are out. Lots of room is great. www.babyjogger.com/product/city-select/ <---- this one is easy to collapse and has lots of accessories for it. You can even retrofit it for two kids later.

[Puppet Guy]

you can never have too many spit-up cloths.

[V]

Haha, a $500 stroller. You new parents are crazy.

[manwiches]

cheap car seat, as then you should get this

http://www.toysrus.ca/product/index....uctId=23926926

Will last you from the time you're little one grows a bit to about 10 lbs, then this one will last you all the way til they're out of a booster seat.

A decent stroller that will grow with your little one too.

lots of wash cloths, onesies, sleepers, scratch gloves, baby caps (like a beanie), and a baby carrier. Baby carrier has saved my life from having to hold my son everywhere when we go out to the mall or somewhere, and my son loves it. When he's a bit older (2 months), bumbo and exersaucer. When he's 4+ months, Jolly Jumper.

Babies honestly don't need that much, and a lot of parents go overboard. Get him/her the essentials, and they'll be happy. We have had the above and only a handful of toys, and my son is happy as a clam. I find the older they get, the more they'll want. We didn't want to set a precedent of excess and it's not necessary.

Welcome to the club! I wouldn't trade it for the world.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Hesla

Dr Browns Bottle steamer if you are using formula or pumping breast milk. Reheats the bottle in a few minutes evenly. Especially good in the middle of the night.

A wipes warmer is nice for the middle of the night. Then you can use warm wipes in the middle of the night. Less crying.

Along with the bottle warmer, I would recommend glass bottles over plastic and get at least a dozen unless you decide to clean the bottle right after it is used.

I wouldn't bother wasting money on a wipe warmer. I don't think it makes a difference to the baby.

Diaper Genie is a good thing to have. It does a great job of eliminating the stink of dirty diapers.

Get those clip on straps for the soothers so that they don't get lost all over your house and car.

[Canehdianman]

I've never even heard of most of the things Hesla posted :P

Best thing we bought was a second change table for the main floor of our house. So much easier being close to a change table at all times.

[V]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Diaper Genie is a good thing to have. It does a great job of eliminating the stink of dirty diapers.

Get those clip on straps for the soothers so that they don't get lost all over your house and car.

Even better, don't use a soother. Watching 3 year olds hanging on to their soother is hilarious.

Also, save some money and toss your dirty diapers in the garbage bin outside.

Pretty much everything outside of a car seat can be found second hand for a fraction of the price that you'd have to pay for new.

Kids will bankrupt you if you let them, but it's far from necessary.

[Northendzone]

bottle steamers, heated baby wipes.....are you raising a ladybug or what - next thing you know your kid will be playing batam hockey and you will be conditioned to carry his bag in and out of the rink......

my only recommendation would be to buy a stroller with big wheels to go thru the snow.....

[Knut]

Originally Posted by V

Haha, a $500 stroller. You new parents are crazy.

If you plan on having 2 kids you are likely buying something that expensive anyways. May as well buy it now and get the attachment later for #2. A stroller that can handle the snow, is maneuverable, is light and easy to collapse is a must IMO.


Instead of a second change table we got one of these on our main floor and in the basement. http://www.amazon.com/JJ-Cole-Collec.../dp/B001DSSK50
-- you just have it filled with diapers and wipes and ready to go. Small enough to put in a cabinet.

Wipes warmer helped with my first one a bunch as I could dream feed and change him without him waking up. The cold wipe on the bum in the middle of the night always woke him up.

[V]

How about $20 for a nice two kid stroller with big wheels at a garage sale? Worked for us through 4 kids.

Want to know what happens to all that fancy stuff the rich parents buy for their kid? Poor people like me buy them for pennies on the dollar.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by V

Even better, don't use a soother. Watching 3 year olds hanging on to their soother is hilarious.

I agree. We got our kids off that stuff early. Sometime between 12 and 16 months.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by V

Even better, don't use a soother. Watching 3 year olds hanging on to their soother is hilarious.

Also, save some money and toss your dirty diapers in the garbage bin outside.

Pretty much everything outside of a car seat can be found second hand for a fraction of the price that you'd have to pay for new.

Kids will bankrupt you if you let them, but it's far from necessary.

Honestly, the easier for the parents the better. It is a stressful time and that stress can translate to the baby. Make your life as easy as possible.

Good point about second hand stuff. You likely can get some of this stuff second hand on kijiji including a stroller or at least the accessories.

If your wife is going to breastfeed you can certainly cut down on costs quite a bit. Just don't get pressured into it as studies have shown no difference in IQ between formula fed and breast fed babies.

Diapers and formula are cheapest at superstore or Walmart. Walmart will ship right to your door for free. Costco has the cheapest boxes of wipes (get the huggies brand natural care). Good start is the most recommended formula by paediatricians.

[dubc80]

Originally Posted by V

How about $20 for a nice two kid stroller with big wheels at a garage sale? Worked for us through 4 kids.

Want to know what happens to all that fancy stuff the rich parents buy for their kid? Poor people like me buy them for pennies on the dollar.

LOL. I agree with this.

We have a 2.5 month at home and the only things we bought new were the crib, playpen, and carseat.

We bought 2 used strollers off Kijiji. One which our car carrier fits into right now, and a bigger jogging one for when he is older. Same with all those playmat and excersaucer and swing things. Get 'em used for cheap.

I guess it depends on your family/group of friends but I didn't expect us to get SO MUCH FREE STUFF.

Gifts, giveaways, stuff for us to borrow...

We were also comfortable not going to pre-natal classes and we don't feel like we missed out on anything. Most of the guys I talked to said it was a pretty big waste of time anyways, but of course it depends on your comfort level.

[V]

Breastfeeding is far superior, because as the husband there's nothing I can do to help the kid in the middle of the night.

Make sure your stroller can hold an incredible amount of bags. It's insane what you have to take with you when you leave the house.

Superstore is very good for diapers.

Probably sounds bad, but we had a cage for when the kid can move around, but you have to get things done around the house. Basically it's just a foldable plastic wall that makes 4-8 walls. We found it much more useful than a pack-and-play or whatever else you would put in the living room to keep the kid in, because you can fold it up in seconds and only pull it out when you need it.

[ranchlandsselling]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

bottle steamers

next thing you know your kid will be playing batam hockey and you will be conditioned to carry his bag in and out of the rink......

Two completely unrelated things.

Spend money on anything that makes your life substantially easier. Boiling water, on the stove, or steamer, makes 0 difference to kid and 100% to the parents time.

To then compare to carrying the kids bag to the rink makes no sense as that doesn't make the parents life easier.

That said - the wipe warmer sounds interesting. I'd like that at the cold hockey rink bathrooms. A nice warm moist wipe

[JonDuke]

Originally Posted by Hesla

Get a good stroller. You are going to have a lot of stuff whenever you are out. Lots of room is great. www.babyjogger.com/product/city-select/ <---- this one is easy to collapse and has lots of accessories for it. You can even retrofit it for two kids later.

I second this. We had a run of the mill $100 +/- stroller that came with a car seat. Worked well, until we tried the City Select. They are light, very mobile and all around amazing. If you plan on taking the kid for a stroll in the snow, this is the best stroller out there. Higher price tag, but very worth it.

And congrats!!

[Canehdianman]

For a bottle warmer, we fill a large plastic cup with hot water and let it warm the bottle up.

[Drury18]

Originally Posted by Puppet Guy

you can never have too many spit-up cloths.

Or onesies. You will be amazed how fast something so tiny can crap through one of them.

Also, if you don't have a shower head sprayer that pulls down, you might strongly consider investing in one. And yes, it's completely related to the comment above. You will at some point, probably multiple times, need to hose the child off clothes and all. This makes life easier then holding the dirty kid, waiting for water to run and then putting them in. Stick dirty kid in the tub, grab pull down sprayer, fire away.

[bc-chris]

lots of this kind of stuff.....