? for BTDT moms about what infants need

I just had my shower and got most of what we need. I'm trying to figure out what else we need to buy before the baby comes. So here are my questions:

How many washcloths do we need?
How many burp cloths?
How many scratch mittens?
Do we need a baby sleep sack? If not, what can the baby sleep in/with?
Do we need a swaddle me?
What do you think about the Bumbo?
What thermometer is best?

We do have a washer and dryer, but I don't want to have to do washes with only a few things. I'm sure I'll have many more questions as I transfer over to the parenting boards. Thanks for reading!!!

Message edited 7/3/2007 2:34:42 PM.

Re: ? for BTDT moms about what infants need

How many washcloths do we need?

We have about 12 and I think that's a good number. I went through two during bathtime in the infant tub (one for soapy water, one for rinse water). Then I use one daily to wash her face and hands.

How many burp cloths?

We have about 6 and never needed any more than that.

How many scratch mittens?

Skip them. Get onesies or sleepers with the fold-over cuffs. We had two pair and never used them. They just fell right off anyway.

Do we need a baby sleep sack? If not, what can the baby sleep in/with?

We used blankets from day one but also had a sleep sack that she used on colder nights with a blanket on top.

Do we need a swaddle me?

It can't hurt to have one to try it. We just swaddled with receiving blankets when she was a newborn. She didn't like to be swaddled after about a month.


What do you think about the Bumbo?

Don't have one. We decided not to get one because I don't like to make her do things before she's ready to. And now that she's ready to sit on her own, she loves to reach around her and I am afraid it would tip and plant her face in the floor.

What thermometer is best?

I think I have a Safety 1st one. It's a quick reading digital thermometer where you can take temp underarm, rectal or mouth. Used it once and so far I am satisifed with it.

Re: ? for BTDT moms about what infants need

Strictly from my 7 weeks of "experience":

How many washcloths do we need?

I would say 6-8.

I use two at every bath. One to block the inevitable shot of pee my boy will aim at me the minute his bottom touches the water and one to wash him with. And we bathe him every other day.

How many burp cloths?

Lots.

Can't have too many of these. Especially if you are going to use formula and if you don't have ready access to a washing machine,

How many scratch mittens?

Zero.

Complete waste for me. He could pull them off from day one. I liked the long sleeve shirts/onesies with the cuffs you can put over the hands. After the first week though I just kept his nails trimmed.

Do we need a baby sleep sack? If not, what can the baby sleep in/with?

If you are going to use a swaddle, you don't need a sleep sack.

Do we need a swaddle me?

I recommend the miracle blanket over the swaddle me. DS was too strong for the swaddle me's after a couple of weeks, but can't break out of the miracle blanket.

What do you think about the Bumbo?

Haven't tried it yet. I think it's a 3 month thing.

What thermometer is best?

No idea, but my ped said NOT to get one of those ear ones because they aren't always accurate.

Re: ? for BTDT moms about what infants need

First off Congrats.

I would say about 6-8 washcloths, I use them more now that DD is older.

My DD was a spitter, so we had a ton of burp cloths, start off small, you can always add.

No need for scrtach mittnes.

My baby loved her sleep sak, the one by Halo.

Never used the swaddle me, but her good things about it.

We borrowed a bumbo, DD used for like 3 days (when she was 5 months) and was able to get out of it.

Not sure about the thermometer, mine came with a baby- care kit.

Good Luck.

Re: ? for BTDT moms about what infants need

Message edited 7/3/2007 3:26:47 PM.

Re: ? for BTDT moms about what infants need

How many washcloths do we need? 3
How many burp cloths? as many as you can get
How many scratch mittens? 0
Do we need a baby sleep sack? If not, what can the baby sleep in/with? I never used the sleep sack. I jsut put him in zipper PJ's for summer/winter
Do we need a swaddle me? I never used it.
What do you think about the Bumbo? LOVE IT!!! I am still using it!!!!
What thermometer is best? any rectal

Re: ? for BTDT moms about what infants need

For me....

We have about 10 washclothes, don;t need THAT many. I'd say 5-6. I bath DS every other day and use each washcloth 2x. I do enough laundry that I don't need 10 of them!

I couldnt have ENOUGH burp clothes, I even bought more after DS was born!!

Scratch mittens---useless on DS, none fit right, and he'd get them off and end up scratching himself anyway! Do have about 3-4 handme down pairs, and 2 I got @ my shower.

Sleep sacks- didn't get/buy any. I had hand me down gowns, the ones with the fold over hands, that worked BEST, esp since the mittens didn't work. I had about 7-8.

I was given a swaddle me (hand me down), I tried it on DS, he FREAKED. The velcro was too tight, and he couldn't get his arms out. He liked to be swaddled, but then would "break free" while sleeping but stay asleep.

I LOVE the Bumbo. DS isn't big enough yet, but I have put him in it w/ me holding his head...he LOVES it!

Thermometer, I just use the one that came in the safety pack. My mom (a nurse) said the ear ones, if not used properly cannot give accurate readings. Best way to take temp is in the arm pit or rectal.

I would say...
you can never have enough changing pad covers (esp with a boy!). We also have (and use religiously) plain white cloth diapers. We have one for DS to lay on during diaper change and 1 to cover his "Automatic Sprinkler" This SAVES the constant change of pad covers.


ETA: We wrap/swaddle DS in his hospital blanket at night, he passes RIGHT out!

Message edited 7/3/2007 4:04:23 PM.

Re: ? for BTDT moms about what infants need

Washcloths--we have about 8, some are better quality than others.

Burp Cloths--we have about 16, Taylor is constantly spitting up or drooling so we go through a ton of them.

Scratch Mittens--never used any

We have a few sleep sacks, in the beginning, we didnt always use them b/c I found them a little frustrating to get on her tiny body.

We never got a swaddle me--she was notorious for breaking out of any swaddle, she hated it so we stopped trying

We have a temporal scan thermometer, but for now, the dr only recommends a rectal thermometer

Re: ? for BTDT moms about what infants need

Thank you all so much!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: ? for BTDT moms about what infants need

Our DD is now 8 mos old, we live in an apartment w/no washer and dryer so...we probably need more of a supply of certain things than others...

How many washcloths do we need?

We got SO MANY washclothes...too many! 6 would be sufficient.

How many burp cloths?

Lots! We go through them so fast. I have about 2 dozen.

How many scratch mittens?

Didn't get any as a gift...and never needed them. I just tried to keep DD's nails nice and short.

Do we need a baby sleep sack? If not, what can the baby sleep in/with?

I received about 4 sleep sacks and only used them a couple of times. DD slept in a onsie and the Miracle Blanket.

Do we need a swaddle me? Miracle Blanket was our savior!

What do you think about the Bumbo? I love the Bumbo, but we didn't get much use out of it.

What thermometer is best?

I have a digital one by Summer...it's excellent.

Re: ? for BTDT moms about what infants need

I just want to add - buy PLENTY of burp clothes.

Last year I remember there was a period of time that buy buy baby was out of them for months - it was really annoying.

I also threw a lot of them out - sometimes they were just too gross to clean.