4 Our Health

Question:

I've been trying to collect a list of supplies/clothes/gear, etc. that I should have on hand for the first 6 months or so. Some of the lists I have found are put together by some company that wants us to buy all their crap. Other lists I have seen are really sparse and say all you need is a carseat and diapers. I'm looking for good suggestions somewhere in between.
My partner and I plan to breastfeed, co-sleep, and use cloth diapers, and we are definitely into using hand-me-downs or thrift store stuff when possible (probably not for something like a carseat, though) and in general are into not having too much crap. However, the last thing I want to be dealing with when my baby is a month old is trying to find the energy to go to Target or something to buy some type of baby tool that I didn't get before.
Would any of you be interested in sharing your lists? Thanks!

Answer:

3 Nursing Bras
12 Nursing Pads
2 Nursing gowns - PJs
1 Sling to start with :)
2 Waterproof pads to have under your sheets since you will likely leak
1 dozen fitteds & 6 CPFs or 18 CPFs
6 diaper covers
18 cloth wipes
Wipe warmer
6 receiving blankets
4-6 snap shirts
4-6 onesies
socks
2 knit hats
Callendula for cord care
1 Carseat
That is all I can think of right now :)
Keri

Answer:

nursing pillow or regular pillow to balance baby on for nursing..I bought one for $7 at a consignment store.
I also like to have lots of sleepers in sizes up to 6 mos and clothes...you could stock up at a consignment store..the more you have the less you need to wash which keeps them in great shape so you can sell them back to consignment all the while conserving water.

Answer:

My list is here:
I've had a lot of the same problems you've had, not being able to find something with a good balance of needs. Mine is completely customized to myself though, after going through several variations, so some of the stuff you may think is unneccesary, and some of the stuff you may not have thought of. :)
The main essentials though, are something for the baby to poop in, something for the baby to wear, a place for the baby to sleep, a way to feed him, a way to transport him (by car and by carrier), and things to keep him clean and healthy.

Answer:

I would personally add more nursing bras and pads. I went throught a TON when I was nursing...oh and nursing PJ's. I would leak through the pads and all over my bras/ pj's/ gowns several times a day, and trust me the LAST thing you want to be doing with a new baby is washing YOUR stuff every day. And it's gross if you let the bra "air out" and wear again because the milk gets a sour smell....very yucky. It has to be washed.

Answer:

Another thing that was a necessity for me and DP with both kids was a nice sling.
ND

Answer:

If you're talking to me, then I'll add that I already have two nursing bras and 6 sets of nursing pads. The stuff on my list is just what's left to get. :)

Answer:

Persephone, I had 6 nursing bras and it still wasn't enough. I used disposable nursing pads last time (wasn't really aware of cloth ones, hadn't discovered here.com yet) and went through a HUGE box of over 100 in a few days. I know, everyone is different as far as how much they leak...but this time around I plan on having about 8-10 bras and tons of cloth nursing pads. And a couple extra pairs of nursing jammies.

Answer:

All you really need is a breast & a few diapers. ;)
My supplies list this time around:
1 package of 5 onesies
1 package of diapers
4 receiving blankets (my daughters both needed swaddling)
I've also got quite a few items I've crocheted, but that's all I really consider necessary. If you're giving birth in winter, of course you'll need more/sturdier stuff. With my last baby, who was born in January, I also made quite a bit of use out of Carter's pants, footed jumpers (commonly called Sleep n Play), socks (you can never have too many, & they are better than scratch mitts because they don't come off as easily), hats, and heavy blankets. And my sling, because sharing your bodyheat beats trying to keep a blanket over a bucket carrier any day.
For myself I don't even have an actual nursing bra. They're too expensive in my size. I have a normal bra--yes, just one--that I've had since my younger daughter was born. Two would be better in theory, but I don't wear a bra at home and don't go out a whole heck of a lot. I would NOT advise buying several before your baby is here, since it is entirely possible that you will need a larger cup size once your milk is in. With my first, I went into the hospital about a G and left an I. There are some nursing bras that accomodate multiple cup sizes; if you're small enough now I'd recommend having a couple of those on hand, but once your milk comes in measure yourself & consult the size chart of whatever manufacturer you buy from (once you get past D, cup labels are no longer standard).

Answer:

Sure I'll reply, if anything to organize my thoughts...Hope this is helpful.
FWIW almost 38 weeks FTM, and lots of BH (I think?) so we're starting to get serious about this...
clothes: for the first 5 months (of preg), bought about 1 nice outfit/month. Mistake! In the last two months, have been given about 7 boxes of boy's clothes, so no more clothes buying for the next 4 years. :o
One aunt gave us about 10 each of LS kimono, SS kimono, underpants, footies, handsies?, undershirts, onesies- which FW reasons I do prefer new (yes, this is an awesome aunt). O/w most of the clothes are hand me downs/used.
sleeper sacs/bag: made 4 of these, lined one with old cashmere sweater.
blankets: have made 4 over the past couple of years as throw blankets, but these are perfectly sized as receiving blankets. Another 2 as gifts.
burpcloths: made 5 out of winnie the pooh fabric, one side flannel one side woven
antique washstand with double doored storage space. Has back rail and will serve as changing station. Currently serving as universal catchall for baby stuff. That and a love seat in our bedroom.
Have asked DH to make something like this Solid Oak Changing Table (scroll down to)

changing pad of rubber (?), gift
changing pad of quilted terry, hand me down
changing pad (for diaper bag): made 1 out of flannel and microfleece
wipies: have made 30 so far
diaper doublers/extra inserts: made about 20 out of all the used onesies received- don't even know if they'll work.
notice I haven't said diapers yet...B/C I'm still so confused! :o I feel that very soon an order will be placed...but in the meanwhile already have a big box of sposies and wipies from costco
empty 5 gallon bucket for diaper pail (costco laundry detergent)
huge bag of baking soda, to sprinkle into pail
2 gallon container of vinegar
stroller (gift): still to order. The one I want is out of stock for another week or so. We have a double bed, so if all three of us fit, great, if not, then will use the bassinet of the stroller, which has an excellent mattress, as baby's bed and DH will make something so that it can attach to bed.
infant mattress: nice firm one, which I actually like sitting on. Given a crib, but it looks like a cage to me, so that will probably go to grandparents'. another option is to put double mattress next to infant mattress on floor. Probably mattress will serve as nap place, play place, until toddler time.
fitted sheets: 6 (2 gift, 4 I made), and elastic thingies to keep sheets on.
diaper bag: am reusing a tote that has lots of pockets. Does not look like a diaper bag :thumb
pick out wrap/shawl from stash to use for breastfeeding. if get time, will also make poncho and shrug for colder breastfeeding environs.
toiletries:
shampoo
bath soap
lotion
diaper balm
lanolin
fixin's for making bum spray- apricot oil, dr. bronner soap, aloe vera, a couple of other ingredients I can't remember
belly balm and 9 month lotion for cont. post partum skin moisturizing.
The above either Burt's bees, weleeda or whatever is on sale at whole foods.
I'm sure I have an empty spray bottle in the attic to recycle for bum spray.
Mrs. Meyers lavender laundry soap and seventh generation laundry soap
bath towels: made 4 from waffle weave fabric
I kind of have a linen fetish :o so the pretty washcloth stash will be reclaimed by baby.
breastfeeding pillow, hand me down
baby bjorn, hand me down
antique easy chair that rocks and can position like lazy recliner. conveniently re-upholstered just before got preg.
still to make:
baby shoes and hats (using soft sweaters that don't fit anymore)
sling, have the fabric, just need to sew it up
nappy holder
baby hangers
recycle fur coat into blanket
carseat(gift)
infant rocker that converts to toddler chair
breast pump
thermometer
lots of different herbs for postpartum and ceramic cookers for herbs (gift)
from pharmacy:
zinc ointment
nystatin
saline drops
tylenol drops
cotton swabs
cotton gauze pads
PNV
iron
BCP
adult motrin and tylenol (for visiting relatives)
still to get:
nose sucker/bulb
nursing bras
nursing pads
either make or get 2 nursing tops
CDs (see above)
stroller (see above, will be gift)

Answer:

You've gotten a lot of good ideas already, though I would like to add a swing to the mix.
Heaven forbid you get a baby with colic, but if so, a swing an be a welcome break at times. Our last son was super fussy and it gave me 5-10 minutes of cool off when I needed it. I would make sure it's a quiet one though because if she/he should fall asleep in it, they won't wake back up if you need to wind it up again.
Also, get whatever kind of illness rememdies before babe gets sick. It's no fun running to the store at 2 am for fever medication, and if you do homeopathic remedies like us, the store won't be open!
Oh! and a humidifier. Ours has been a life saver with colds. You can add a little eucalyptus or menthol to double the head clearing effects.

Answer:

Wow! These lists are so comprehesive!
I only have three things to say:
1. Those nose sucker bulbs are incredibly invasive for the baby. They will hate them and probably find them incredibly scary - try one on yourself sometime if you don't believe me. Forget it.
2. Whatever number of burp cloths you think you need, double it.
3. Those hooded towels for the bath are really nice.
Cheers,
j

Answer:

Excellent ideas, everybody. And I like all the details, too. It's good to know what to watch out for in acquiring things that can be tricky (such as buying a nursing bra too early on).

Answer:

A few things that you don't think about...
1.) Menstrual products. :o You need them for about the first 6 weeks post partum. And Lanisnoh nipple cream (though I'm sure someone has said that!).
2.) If you do birth announcements, get them set NOW. For example, we got ones that you order on-line and print at home. We picked them out at our leisure and I addressed them all and stamped them and after DS was born, while I was napping, DH plugged in all the info, printed, my mom stuffed and they were sent out. You won't want to use your precious relaxation time looking for Aunt Ethel's address in Florida and it gives other something productive to do!
3.) Did anyone say baby thermometer? The first question the dr. will ask when you call in "new parent panic" late at night will be "Does he/she have a temperature?". Get a good rectal one (one with a super short read time) some vaseline, and learn how to use it.
4.) Alcohol for bellybutton.
5.) Flannel or cotton cheapie receiving blankets. They can be blankets, or burp cloths, or changing table pads, or to clean up a quick spill, or to lay down on the ground and put baby on, or to wipe runny noses, or... :)
6.) Baby book or special box- even the most stoic get sentimental and want to save the little wrist and ankle bands from the hospital (or whatever mementos you get from birth that you want to keep!)... It's nice to have a place to put all that so it doesn't get lost.
7.) Ok- a bit weird, but trust me... go to the dentist, get your hair cut, do all that stuff that happens every-so-often NOW because you won't really come up for air for weeks, if not months! It's a HECK of a lot harder to get your oil changed with a baby!
8.) Load up on light reading for nursing, sleepytimes, etc. After a full and tiring day, you'll want some fluff you don't need to think too hard about. Magazines, novels, stuff like that.
9.) Thank you cards & stamps. People will send gifts and I found the easiest thing to do was write out a thank-you right then and there before things got all muddled and time went by and mail it right off. A pack of thank-yous and stamps made things really easy in that regard. You can even use the return address off the package if you do it immediately!
9.) And a bit of a pricey item, but to us worth it's weight in gold- a digital camera. Maybe if a few relatives chip in...? EVERYONE will want pictures (and you will too!) and if you go digital, you can put them on something like Snapfish for the computer inclined and you can make inifinite #'s of prints of your favorites for Great-Grandma...
And a word of advice- don't be afraid/ashamed to take "hand-me-downs" or used items from friends or whatever. If you get it and don't like it, you can always pass it on to someone else (another friend or even Goodwill). You will find some of your most treasured objects will be ones you never thought of until it landed in your lap and you tried it because it was there... And if you "mostly like it", you can use that as a starting point to look for something slightly different or as a back-up.
Maybe a few things to avoid...? There are lots of oppinions about specific products, but I think a lot of that is personal preference. You'll get to know what works for you. I'll just mention a few general things to think about...
1.) Don't get a whole lot of newborn clothes. I know it's hard to resist (!), but they grow out of them VERY fast if they even fit at all. DS was born at 9.5 lbs and never fit into anything labeled "newborn". A few onesies and PJ's and then, if you are so inclined, go nuts when you get to know which clothes and brands will fit.
2.) You will get a lot of toys as gifts. Don't by toys or stuffed animals until you see what you get!
3.) Don't buy things too far in advance. For example, don't get the highchair until it's time to start food. Until then, it just clutters things up and you have a better sense of what you will want then (of course, if it's a gift or a "hand me down" that might be worth while...). Focus on the first few weeks and then aquire as needed, or you run the risk of getting a whole bunch of things you don't really want when the time comes because it is hard to anticipate exactly what your baby will need.

OK- this is longer than I anticipated! Good luck! :D

Answer:

my favorite 2 pieces of gear were a sling and and swing. both saved my life. the one thing i'm going to definitely get this time though is a changing table. i really wished i had one many many times with my last daughter.

Answer:

1.) Don't get a whole lot of newborn clothes. I know it's hard to resist (!), but they grow out of them VERY fast if they even fit at all. DS was born at 9.5 lbs and never fit into anything labeled "newborn". A few onesies and PJ's and then, if you are so inclined, go nuts when you get to know which clothes and brands will fit. thats not for everyone though! my little guy fit NB clothes for a LOOOOONG time.. he was only 16lbs at a year and some of his NB baby stuff still fit him after that even.. maybe we are an exception but hardly any of his NB clothes fit him at first ( and he was 7lbs 8oz.. not even tiny) we had one or two outfits that didn't totally swamp him at first :LOL

Answer:

thats not for everyone though! my little guy fit NB clothes for a LOOOOONG time.. he was only 16lbs at a year and some of his NB baby stuff still fit him after that even My baby is 16 pounds, and he's nine weeks old. :blush

Answer:

I had to go out & buy preemie clothes for both of my girls, though only one was actually early. It's not something I recommend as a matter of course, though. :) But both were born weighing much less than the "average" seven pounds. One thing that frustrated the living heck out of me last pregnancy & most of this one..."newborn" sized stuff used to be "up to seven pounds." I have leftovers from baby #1 to prove this. ;) Now they're "up to thirteen pounds." My newborns swam in the smaller stuff!
After much hunting, I finally found that Child of Mine by Carter's now has newborn stuff in a decent size again--five to eight pounds. I do think it's a good hand to have a small amount of the smaller stuff on hand, since there's really no way to predict what size baby you'll have. But don't go overboard on any size.
I will agree that I found a swing useful with baby #2. Number one wasn't too crazy about it. It's for that reason that it's not something I'd buy beforehand. Much better if someone can lend you one to begin with, so you can see if the baby likes it.
Towels...I have two hooded bath towels, both Carter's brand. They cost $10 each, but they are very soft and have survived the past 3.5 years, only getting softer. IMO you're better off with one or two high-quality towels. You don't need to wash a newborn very often anyway.