Just had my shower gift help!

Hi ladies!!
I just had my shower and I'm trying to sort through "stuff" trying to figure out what is necessary and what can be returned. For all the btdt moms, your input would be awesome!!

How many burp cloths?
Swaddling blankets?
Rececving blankets?
Hooded towels?
Sleep sacks?

Also...
Do I need...
Microwave sterilizer?
Bathtub thermometer?

If I think of anything else, ill edit, but thanks for the input!!

Re: Just had my shower gift help!

Re: Just had my shower gift help!

4-5 burp cloths
4-5 receiving blankets
2-3 hooded towels
On a side note, You can never have enough wash cloths

Maybe start with 2 swaddlers. I never had any with my previous two. I used the Aden and Anais muslin blankets to swaddle. Neither one liked to be swaddled after the first week anyway.

I'd start with two sleep sacks too. I had one and hardly ever used it but my kids co-slept.

I prefer to boil sanitize so I don't see a need for the microwave sanitizer.

Definitely keep the bathtub thermometer. It's handy and we still use it all the time, my oldest is 6. We are on our second thermometer - it's a blue octopus one.

Re: Just had my shower gift help!

How many burp cloths? I only had maybe 5 but DS hardly spit up
Swaddling blankets? I didn't use them
Rececving blankets? I think I had 3-5
Hooded towels? 2
Sleep sacks? I didn't use them

Also...
Do I need...
Microwave sterilizer? Nope
Bathtub thermometer? Never used one.

Just had my shower gift help!

I hate to sound like a Debbie downer but was this stuff on your registry?

Re: Just had my shower gift help!

I'm only 5 weeks in with DD, but here's my 2 cents:

How many burp cloths? IMO, cannot have too many. We have them spread throughout our home, in the diaper bag, in the stroller. There is always spit up or drool or something.

Swaddling blankets? We cannot figure out how to use these. We do not do it tight enough so we use the Swaddle Me sacks instead. Much easier with the velcro then re-wrapping in the middle of the night. We use the swaddle blankets as regular blankets for warmth.
We have 1 million blankets lol, people love gifting blankets and we got several more after she was born!

Rececving blankets?
See above

Hooded towels? We are only bathing her twice a week right now and I'm pretty sure even when they are older, you only bathe maybe 3 times a week. So I'd say 3 would get you through the week, not bad to have an extra on hand. You do laundry every few days with a baby/kids - so you could get by with 2.

Sleep sacks?
We can't use the swaddles because we are idiots so we use these. We have 5 of these and I would say its a good number (3 or 4 would be ok too) because we use them every night and they do get spit up, diaper leaks, etc. You could get by with less, especially if you are able to use the swaddle blanket instead - its one or the other thats needed. The Swaddle Me's say 7-14 pounds but DD is 10 pounds and they are getting tight already!
Edited to add: the sleep sacks can be used once the baby grows out of/doesn't like the swaddles anymore (the sacks that look like sleeping bags) - so if you have these, I'd say just make sure they are a big enough size and appropriate for time of year (i.e. not fleece if it will be summer during that size)

Also...
Do I need...
Microwave sterilizer? No. I have the microwave sterilizer bags which were like $5 bucks and have been handy time to time. There is no real reason to sterilize anything and you can do it in the dishwasher if you want to. Once it hits the air, it is no longer sterile (per pediatrician).

Bathtub thermometer? We have one that is built into a rubber ducky. Haven't used it yet, but I figure if nothing else, it will become another bath toy. We just stick our hand in the water to determine if we think it's the right temperature - so I'd say this isn't really needed.

Message edited 2/3/2013 9:32:46 PM.

Re: Just had my shower gift help!

Just had my shower gift help!

Thanks for your responses!! Just seeing all this stuff in my house is very overwhelming, lol.

Re: Just had my shower gift help!

How many burp cloths? 10 cloth diaper ones and we use all of them. Return any smaller thin ones they barely cover your shoulder and don't soak up the spit up well
Swaddling blankets? We have 4 A&A swaddles and used them in he beginning like first 8-10 weeks. We Also got 1 swaddle me and 1 miracle blanket. Never used the swaddle me and she outgrew it fast.
Rececving blankets? We have alot but prob only need 3-4. When is your baby due? We have a few small flannel ones that stink - return any like that. We also have 3 cotton small ones, 2 fleece embroidered ones. 2 other random ones. 3 handknitted ones and a quilt! Oh vey. DD was born in the fall/winter but this was way too many blankets. We got alot after she was born.
Hooded towels? We have 5...3 are thin ones and 2 are thicker ones. They get popped on here and there so I think 3-5 is good.
Sleep sacks? We use them and we have 1-2 in every size. I got tons and returned some because who knows what she will sleep in during the summer months. I can always re-buy.

Also...
Do I need...
Microwave sterilizer? No
Bathtub thermometer? No

My advice is to return anything u don't like or don't think you will use. Use the store credit toward bigger items you didn't get. And then later on you can always buy more swaddles if need be and you will do laundry every week!