What is everyone doing to prepare for their baby?

[seattlemom2plus]

Have you bought anything yet for your little one?  How early do you normally go out and buy things?  Please share your list of things that you get to help get you started and ready for your newborn.

[seattlemom2plus]

That's probably a good idea so you don't have to worry about it.  Let us know if you do anything else that you think is helpful.

[jessie5n8]

Thanks I will look at that. I use a bassinet for the first few months or however long they fit safely in it, then I change to the crib. Mostly tho, with BF the baby sleeps in my bed anyway lol...But as baby gets older they sleep in the crib more and more. I looked at the info and they talked about using a drop side, so I don't know. I think I will just have my dh make it immobile so we won't have to worry about it. Thanks

[seattlemom2plus]

Very good question, hope someone can answer you on that one.  I have never used a crib.  I bought one once, but we never ended up using it so have no ideas on the laws.

This might be helpful for you though:

http://www.cribs.com/cribs/cribsafetyarticle.cfm

[jessie5n8]

What is the deal with the drop side cribs. I think that is what was given to me for the baby but I have heard something about the law changing and using them. Anyone if you could give me some info would be wonderful. I don't want to use something that could potentially harm the baby.

[seattlemom2plus]

Congratulations Jessie!  How exciting and nice that you have a close net family to help out.  That's great :)

[jessie5n8]

We just found out yesterday that this baby is a BOY!  We went to walmart afterwards and bought a really cute onesie that says STUD MUFFIN on it, some socks and shoes....Since this is a boy I don't have to buy many clothes because half of our family has just had a boy, I have a little nephew that's a couple months old and momma says I am covered on clothes and a few other things.... It's great to have a close knit family like we have! There are still a few of the little things I need to get.

[seattlemom2plus]

That is great that your family is so supportive.  I am sure they have got to be having fun being able to buy stuff for you and the little one.

I went to one of the stores close by here the other day and was able to get a lot of baby clothes so that certainly was exciting.  Showed them to our boys too and they were excited about the clothes and how little they were.  They are trying to be so patient with the baby getting here.  They ask me all the time, why does it take so long for them to be born?

[PutterGirl]

I have a huge family and I live in the same area I went to HS and College and we tried for a long time to get pregnant.  So yeah my baby is a big deal.  It is exciting and overwhelming at the same time.  

[seattlemom2plus]

omg what a cute idea on the turtles that is adorable!  I have honestly never had a baby shower with any of our kids.  We don't have a large family at all, but I always think that is awesome for women that do have close family and friends to have a shower.  I think as time gets closer I am going to have to hit up a few of the shops and pick some things up.  I actually had a bag of stuff I had bought last year and then we had miscarried.  I kept the bag of stuff in good faith and then when I was getting rid of stuff got it mixed up with the give-away stuff :( so gave the bag of clothes away.

Talk about driving my pregnant brain nuts grrr!

[PutterGirl]

Well so far we have a couple of hand me downs.  A baby swing, a mattress, we should be picking up a crib and a changing table next month or so.  oh and we have been given a diaper genie.  I did buy a turtle stuffed animal because his room will be turtles and I saw it and had to have it LOL..  I have a couple of pajamas.  But I have three baby showers coming up next month and am trying to be good until after that...  BUT IT IS SOOO HARD!!!

[seattlemom2plus]

Thank you for stating this " I ALWAYS take my hubby w/ me when doing the craigslists thing."  Pregnant women have to be so careful now a days with scams that are out there to try and get you to pick up something and then they try to get you and your baby.  Ugh I am seeing these stories and they are crazy!

Always be careful and don't go alone to pick up or buy something from someone.

[jperfet85]

Oh, how I love thrift store shopping!! Im not going to lie, I want name brand clothes for my kids & I but to be honest I cannot buy them brand new. When I can go to the thrift store & buy the name brands I want for around $1-$3 per item, I love it. I also love T.J. Maxx & Ross, because you can find awesome deals there for so cheap too. You just have to be patient & take the time to search! Garage sales are great too, I have often time found baby clothes for around $.25- $.50 a piece! Craigslist.org is a great place to buy bigger items, but just be careful about meeting up with people on there. I ALWAYS take my hubby w/ me when doing the craigslists thing.

[Amy1223]

So far we did not buy anything, one of my friend gave me stuff of her baby, which I love. I did baby registry on target and waiting for my baby shower, after baby shower which is in 2 weeks, I will buy whatever is necessary. My mom is planning to come for my delivery and she is bringing lots of stuff, plus my sister has baby stuff of her daughter...some neutral stuff..so I am not going buy lot of stuff. Just want to buy minimum stuff possible. BTW I am 34 weeks now.

[NicMom]

I bought baby clothes in one day at garage sales and then went through all my daughter's stuff to see what she had that was neutral in color ie not pink. I'm down to a very short list of what I still need. For me it's the other stuff that's going to take forever like making room for this baby in our house. I put the list of what we need on the side of our fridge with the costco and grocery store lists and I hope that dh will help knock some of it out.

[Destani214]

Jessie let me have one of those swings lolol, I have yet to buy that! I got a vibrater/rocker thing and crib but the swing I want is expensive booo, I know thrift shopping for baby clothes is great lol soo much you can get and I usually sell all the new looking stuff to a second hand store and donate the rest as long as its in good condition. yes another girl it is for me and Im hoping to have one more ultrasound to make sure before I deliver, I only say that b/c everywhere I go people SWEAR Im having a boy but I have 3 girls so Im pretty sure its a girl and doc said girl soo I got all that girl stuff it better be a girl lolol

Seattle-I know I know I gotta clean out their toys too, they got like 4 big tubs of toys that half of it they dont even play with anymore lol I just look at all that stuf and get exhausted lmbo!

[seattlemom2plus]

Yes I love thrift shopping, I don't buy things like car seats or strollers there usually because they might be recalled etc. but buying clothes is so cheap.  I can usually get sleepers for about a $1 v/s paying $10 for one outfit.  And yes they grow so quickly during the first few months that whatever you buy the no longer fit anyways.

The hardest thing for us I guess is we never know the gender.  So you don't want to buy a lot of one type of color and you have to buy things that are neutral.

If it us one thing we have enough of though it is toys.  We have plenty of toys.  We just donated several garbage bags of them a few weeks ago.  I want to get as organized as I can before the baby gets here.

[jessie5n8]

Well, my family knew I was planning to have another, so they were finding things for me before I even got pregnant LOL...I normally wait on a lot of items until I find out gender, and after that I buy things each week until we have it all... My family has already gotten me 2 or 3 swings for the baby, plus a few outfits(for boy and girl), and as soon as I found out I was pregnant my friends have already started giving me things. So I am 4 and 1/2 mths along and have a crib, 3 bassinets, 3 swings, a breast pump...That's it for now. I find out in a couple weeks gender and then I'll start getting clothes, binkies, bottles and all that. Diapers we normally wait until right around time baby gets here, my last baby we left the hospital from having her and went straight to walmart and got some things we didn't have yet LOL...Plus my husbands family makes baby blankets and booties so I don't have to buy those either...I am also the kind of person to buy at thrift stores, a lot of things baby grows out of so quick I see no reason to buy it all brand new.

[Destani214]

I pretty much have bought everything lol, everything listed above, except for mats and I dont BF so I have a million bottles, I had a lot of stuff already b/c my youngest is going on 3 and I had not got rid of all her baby stuff yet but I did buy a new crib and bouncer, she destroyed her old one, new baby bag of course onsies and sleepers baby blankets, Kira wont give up hers she's like charlie brown dragging that blanket everywhere lol! but yea I still buy just random things b/c I like buying baby stuff and this is my last one so it will be no more infant stuff for a looong time till they are grown and married lolol

[seattlemom2plus]

I usually wait pretty close the last minute or month when my nesting kicks in.  Then I get:

- diapers (two sizes)
- onesies (can never have enough of those, lol)
- sleepers
- baby blankets
- waterproof mat to change the diapers on, I have little boys so they tend to pee as soon as the air hits them
- I breastfeed so I get use soft dish rags to absorb a leaky breast
- Snuggler baby carrier
- infant car seat

I do like picking up baby clothes 2nd hand because they grow out of them so quickly so I buy some new things or pick some used ones up too.

[jperfet85]

I feel silly, but I found an awesome deal on a crib & changing table so I bought it & I am only 6 weeks pregnant! I did, however, find the deal because I was looking to buy asap :) I figured I would starting buying the larger items as I find them on sale or a good deal. All the smaller things, I am going to wait until after my baby shower then see what I need.