What items did you buy before a baby shower?

[reveriereptile]

I'm almost 20 weeks along and would like to start buying for my son. I keep eyeing things at the stores that I want to buy but don't want to get incase I get it at a baby shower. I am getting a crib from a cousin-in-law and have eyed a few bigger items I know I won't probably get at the shower and have narrowed down some diaper bags since I'm picky about them.

I'm due early May but want to have everything by the end of March. I know two people that had babies 3 and 6 weeks early. I don't want to be empty handed if that happens to me. I like to plan ahead. Around here it snows into April and I don't want to wait till last minute while I'm big trying to walk around on ice. Most of the decent stores (Target and the mall) around are over an hour away. The closest store is Walmart which doesn't carry much. I have bought some fabric to try to make blankets out of since I know I won't get one like it. I will get some stuff online but I like actually seeing it in person to make sure the item is worth buying.

I know other first time mothers out there know the feeling when they want to start buying but hold off till the 12 week mark and then wait for the gender before buying. It is a long wait especially when you keep eyeing stuff.

I know I can take items back I don't need but with the stores being far away during winter it is hard to tell when I'll get them back. Sorry for such a long post. We will also be getting stuff set up to build a house early spring so I don't want to have to worry about baby items.

 

[HeatherLynn]

Diaper both disposable and cloth. and baby wipes. Each pay check I bought some. I didn't do cloth but I love them for spit up rags but they get so raggedy after a while. Diapers I could never have enough of and the same with wipes. By the 3rd kid its pretty easy to guess how many of each size you will need but when in doubt buy one of the nb and usually 2 each of the sizes above that. AND wipes. I bought all the non fun stuff. Everyone wants to give you something pretty or cool. No one seems to want to give you a variety of diapers or bum ointments, ya know. Laundry detergent too. When you divide it this way it seems much less daunting and when you have a new baby its a relief to have all the basics stocked.

 

[reveriereptile]

I may have to do that with buying wipes everytime I go out. Once we get moved out and have our own washing machine (my in-laws takes 1 1/2 hours to do one small load since it is an HE) I plan on trying cloth diapers and then may use cloth wipes also. I still need plenty of wipes though for travel. It takes about 20 minutes to get to a place around here to shop so I'm assuming I'll be doing plenty of diaper changes while out. I did see on Pinterest (recently got addicted) that someone took a cereal storage container and used it for a small trash can in the car. I may get one to use for dirty diapers or wipes.

I found out my SIL is going to buy me a pack-n-play so that is one thing off my list. I have bought some onesies that are 0-3 month size but know I don't have enough especially for a spring baby.

I've looked around for a diaper bag and seen one on Target's website that is the Fisher Price fast finder messenger bag. It looks like something my husband would carry and I do like the idea of not having to search the bag for the wipes. I don't know how good the bag is since there are only a few reviews but most just stated the changing pad wasn't water proof. I can easily buy another changing pad. I also like the look of the messenger bags. I have small shoulders and want something I can throw over the other side instead of like a purse.

I just looked up more reviews on that bag and a lot of people stated the strap few apart quickly and it had a wire in part of the bag that would break out of the fabric. So I guess I'll be looking for another bag for the time being.

 

[HeatherLynn]

The best thing I ever did was buy a really good bag so I encourage you not to buy anything just because its on sale.( I did that several times) I have gone through more than my share of diaper bags with the kiddies. The 2 best though were probably the most expensive and the least decorative. Those lasted through more than one child.( actually one was in such good condition after my last that I was able to pass it down to a niece having twins and it still looks good) The problem is I always tried to get something really cute or stylish before giving in to the better bag.

 

[reveriereptile]

I want something plain. I don't know how hands on my husband will be with a baby. He is the type that is kind of nervous with little babies so he may want me to carry the kid. I don't want to get stuck carrying both since he won't touch a girly bag. I actually seen a guy today carrying a girly bag at my appointment and I had a hard time not laughing out. He didn't seem to thrilled to be carrying it.

So far I'm looking for something that will last for a while, my husband will carry, comfortable on the shoulders, and has plenty of places to storage items beside size. We may have a second child later so I would rather just use the same bag again. I'm definitely going to look into reviews before buying one. That is one thing nice about having the internet to look stuff up. If I have to I may see if I can find a pattern I like and see if my husband's aunt would make me one if I paid her and got the fabric she needed.

 

[debilorrah]

Things you can never have enough of:

Gas drops (Mylacon?)
Diapers
Baby Wipes
Bibs
Burp rags
Butt cream
Pacifiers
Bottles
Formula

 

[reveriereptile]

Things you can never have enough of:

Gas drops (Mylacon?)
Diapers
Baby Wipes
Bibs
Burp rags
Butt cream
Pacifiers
Bottles
Formula

I'm glad you suggested some of those things. I forgot about the gas drops and butt cream.

Are there any good brands to buy for the toiletries? I've noticed they have more brands than when my sister had her baby 10 years ago. I think she mostly used the Johnson's brand.

 

[MeatKing]

I would only but one thing of gas stuff, never used even half a bottle for 2 kids,,

(depends on the baby)

wipes lots of for sure


The one thing I went looking for when we first brought our new baby home. Vasiline is a squirt contanier.. (Their first poos are really sticky, the hospital had us squirting it on every diaper change.) The other stuff works, but when their newborns and crying, so much quicker to put on)

Benadryla is must, we ended up throwing ours out, but if you had an allergy happen, got to have it on hand. We now have kids formal, always on hand. (We live in the sticks)

I really wouldn't buy to much.. Hopefully your babyshower will be early enough..

A must is a baby moniter, one that reaches to your coop We had that probelm..

don't buy everything you "think you need" Try to think back to our parents times, what were musts? back then

We bought glass baby bottles, Something our parents had.. the plastic leaches BPA ect. into formula or milk.. (Google this, hopefully things have got better) Canada has banned BPA in babies bottles. As far as I know, the US has not caught up yet..

As for new born sleepers, we never used them. I had largeish babies.. 8 pounds plus... These will be too small, quickly.
So will those new born diapers. We did use one pack of newborns. Really liked the ones that folded down. (So they didn't rub cord area)
Think it was pampers.. I would try to find out your wieght at birth, plus hubbies. also keep in mind your size.. I'm 5"9. so realy not too surprizing, I had long babies.

I also wouldn't but too many disposible diapers at once. If baby gets a rash from one brand, you will have to switch. Funny how each baby is different and reacts to differnet things..

On that note, a nice nautural laundry soap, for baby, and their own little basket. to keep it seperate, that stuff is expensive, we only used it for the babies, never for us.

A must is to have, what you got, unwrapped, open up and ready to go, clothes washed, in drawers ect. You don't want to be doing that after giving birth..

Also, meals cooked and in the freezer, soup, cassaroles ect. Anthing you like to pull out and heat..

We made very good use of the sterlizing function on the dishwasher, for babies bottles.. So much easier then any other way.. Unless you get a bottles sterlizer and there expensive.. (we only sterlized for the first four months)
We really belived in the "kids who don't get germs are sick often theroy) And knock on wood, has worked well for us

Congrats!! Am very excited for you, all the best!!

I remeber, first baby we brought home, hubby and I fighting about how tight the diaper should be.. (Both of us looking at each other, like you are so doing that wrong) Second baby, I would let him change it any time.. lol
Their pretty tough little things...

Also the best advice, I got from a nurse.. No baby ever died from being left alone in crib.. If you ar ealone, and at you wits end.. It's ok, to put them in the crib and walk away..

Hugs, such an exciting time!!

 

[reveriereptile]

Thanks for the information.

I had to help my sister with her first baby especially since she was living in my parents house at the time. Her baby shower was very small so she had to buy most of the items herself. I did get to see some items that were worth buying or that would of been helpful but she couldn't afford.

So far I've only bought mostly 0-3 month sizes. Not really to many items though. I did grab a couple winter items since I know newborns can get chilled easy. I figured I'd grab those since I'll probably mostly get summer items at the shower. Also once summer starts up I'll go to yard sales and pick up bigger sizes so I don't have as much to buy during the winter and to save money. The village I live outside of usually has a summer sale so I can go for a nice stroll with the baby and pick up some stuff.

I haven't bought any diapers yet. I figured I I'd like to get some cloth ones sometime so I'll probably wait till closer to when the baby is born to get a package of newborns and some of the next size up of disposables.

My mother did find me some cute quilted comforters/blankets for looks or to lay down to put the baby on. She did get them at a Goodwill before we knew the sex so they have some pink but still look neutral. They look brand new and well made. I'm assuming like most people they bought them and realized you don't use the comforters for babies and they are only mainly to look at. She also got me a book that has some ideal amounts of clothing to buy for a newborn depending on the weather.

I'll probably buy a first aid kit to have around. I might even buy a small travel one to put in the diaper bag.

 

[HeatherLynn]

We bought everything new our first. Took a few years to pay off those bills. On all the others I learned to shop used. Usually I can buy much nicer stuff that I could ever afford and super affordable prices. I have bought these adorable hanna anderson quilted jackets that are like $49 and paid $1 for them. Last through 3 of the kids too. Same with some of the nicer cotton pj's. The biggest place I save is clothes because I have it worked out how to keep all the kids in good clothing and usually very stylish clothing for next to nothing. Believe it or not my husband gives me hugs when I come home from clothing shopping because he knows how much I save him this way.