DaniJude
You're My Home <3
Member since 11/06 14815 total posts
Name:
Danielle
|
Re: Registry HELP
I helped raise my nephew, brother is a single-parent, and I also worked full-time as a nanny for two children under the age of two, at one point before beginning my career. So, I went with practicality and things that I felt I used - I mean, really and truly used and what was a necessity.
We registered for the Avent bottles and the Cuisinart bottle sterilizer as well as the warmer - I used that literally every single day with the three babies I cared for and it was a lifesaver - not expensive, but SO useful. The sterilizer can also clean binkies, teething toys, etc. It has (I think) either a 10 or 15 minute cycle, presto! The warmer is great too, convenient and useful. For my nephew, the cling-on pacifier holders were a Godsend, just to mention, it's not a key item but worth mentioning.
Of course, onesies and basic clothing for the first few months of life is important along with swaddling blankets, receiving blankets. People tend to get you these things whether you register for them or not but might as well put the ones you like/prefer on there as a guide for people.
After much research, b/c this is about personal preference, we registered for the Visco Classica II Crib Mattress by Colgate.
A pack and play was very important when I did the day-to-day care - we would have my nephew lay on the top part (most come with a section to place on top for newborns) for the first 4-6 months of life and then we would use the playard itself for him to play inside as he aged - God, he used that thing until he was three, off and on. It is great for travel too so if you go away you can use it for the child to sleep in. We registered for one that is easy to close, light to carry, and easy to take anywhere so if we want to take it to Grandma's, no biggie - and that was the 4-mom's Breeze Playard -- WOW, that thing is light and SUPER easy to put together - with one push :)
I like the Bumbo floor seat - we registered for that and then the tray too - it is a separate item but you can sit them in that and feed them - it's great for if you are going to a restaurant, it's very light and little. It is great in lieu of a high chair type item for ease if you are going to someone's house. It is only conducive up until a certain age/weight but it's good for the beginning and since it's not that much money, we put it on there.
My nephew loved an activity saucer - then, the bottom came off and he used it to walk around with (it had wheels that went on the bottom). We registered for the Baby Einstein Musical one but that's preference.
The boys I watched, when first born, would NOT sleep in anything but a swing - this is common - so, we registered for the 4moms mamaRoo® Classic Baby Swing -- what an amazing little invention!! My nephew would sleep just fine but loved to go in the swing. So, it's a home-run and something I used daily - many times a day.
At first, my brother had a regular standing high chair and then a chair-top high chair. We never used the regular one - just didn't. The chair-top was so convenient and easy to take places if need be that we just used that. So, I just registered for the InGenuity™ by Bright Starts® Chair-Top™ High Chair and I will forego the standing. I don't like bulk and extra stuff around - I just want to keep things simple - like how I kept the house when watching the babies and when helping to raise my nephew.
At first, you'll need an infant car seat and then a regular/full-sized when they are older. The infant, you just need to register for ONE actual seat, and if you want DH to have one as well, you just register for TWO BASES - b/c the car seat part snaps off and connects to the base. This is personal preference, the baby bargains book was helpful and online with safety ratings -- we did Britax B-Safe Infant Car Seat. Of course, the bases (2) as well.
After that, you will need a regular full-size car seat - well, two, because if you want DH to have one, and there's no base for that so you need a full separate one. Now, if you could get away with just one I'd tell you -- and I'm sure some people do but those things, to INSTALL, are so freaking annoying. People actually go to local police stations or fire departments to have professionals install them properly lol!! Which is great but highlights why you'd want two b/c switching back and fourth would be a PITA. The one we registered for (again, personal preference) is: Recaro® Performance RIDE Convertible Car Seat. We wanted SAFETY and easy to snap in and out. Three little kids later under my belt (not my own but you know) and I have had many times where I have had to spell out SHIT while I'm trying to struggle to snap the little guy in there. I wanted one that snaps easily, cinches tight easily to the kid and releases easily when it's time to get out. The Recaro is an Italian company, known for race car bucket seats - but they rate very high for their car seats. I loved that one the most after testing others.
For under the full-size car seat you are going to want a protector for your car if you have leather seats, otherwise, it can make major marks and such -- this is esp true if your car is a lease and you will be returning it one day... we did TWO for the two seats Elite DuoMat® Premium 2-in-1 Seat Protector by Kiddopotamus®
Ahh the stroller - the thorn in my side lol - my brother started out with the Honda Odyssey of strollers - the thing was huge, so heavy. After about three months, he gave up, and went with the most basic, lightweight, and easiest thing he could find. The boys I watched, their stroller needed you to practically levitate mid-air like David Blaine in order to close the thing -- it was like, press this button, push down on the lever with your foot, use your other hand to push that button ALL SIMULTANEOUSLY and it won't close unless the seat is in the reclined position with levers up. SHOOT ME NOW. So, when we registered it was, what is lightweight? What is easy to close? and what do I not have to have a degree in Physics to understand? For us, that was: Baby Jogger™ City Mini GT Single Stroller.
Now, that stroller - like most - will have adapters and add-on's and all sorts of shit to take your INFANT car seat (the little one with the two bases) and have that snap on to the top of the stroller. We skipped the excess parts and just registered for a base stroller that is basically just bars on wheels and the infant car seat base snaps on top. Since it is not that much money and easy for the first 6 months usually, sometimes longer, we registered for that rather than having to use the regular stroller with attachments and parts to fit the infant car seat on top. If you ask at Buy Buy Baby (that's where we registered - GREAT customer service) for the basic base -- just a base on wheels for the infant car seat they'll show you. But you'll likely just see it in the store.
Things we still need to zap with the registry gun: bassinet (baby will be in the bassinet or co-sleeper) for first geez four or so months... some do six... some do longer... personal preference. So, you are going to want a nice, easy, lightweight one ON WHEELS in my opinion lol. The wheels lock so no worries. Changing pad, with covers - get more than one, those things get crap on them very fast lol, and a monitor. Our crib mattress doesn't need a protector b/c it comes with one but that's key -- for late night explosive diapers, vomiting, urinating - GREAT stuff!!
Hope that helps - that's it for us, we are really trying to streamline it. For fun, I registered at Pottery Barn kids for a little terry-cloth towel with hood for after bath time, is it needed? No, but it's cute and my nephew used his almost daily. Also, our bedding is from PBK -- it is Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit - my fave nursery rhyme when I was little. He's so cute in that button-up cardigan  with slippers. Anyway, that's just your taste and what you like. But, I'll say this - you are going to want at least four/five sets of sheets lol again, vomit, piss, and poop! HAHA!
A lot of people register for a glider - I never used it with my nephew, neither did my brother, and same with the boys I watched so that's just me but that's a very popular item for most. Also, a lot of people register for bath-time contraptions - little plastic mini bath tubs for baby. I'm going to do the old fashioned way - like we were bathed - in the kitchen sink :) lol my nephew too, it's a tradition. But the little tubs are inexpensive and easy so maybe I'll cave and add one? We'll see :)
I think that's it - I know it's long but I sure hope it was helpful.
If I didn't have experience, thank God for my brother's son, I would be a FARKING mess. It would be scary. No joke.
GL! 
|
