What were/are your......

DH and I are registering this weekend.

So what were thing things you found were the biggest wastes of money?  What's not worth me even asking for because it will never get opened or it simply doesn't work well?

and

What was the best thing you bought/received?  Something you could/can not live without with a new baby!!

Thanks so much, looking forward to the answers!

Karen

My favorite was the swing, goes side to side or forward. Bought me sanity! When I couldn't get Max to sleep the swing did.

The Bumbo, once he could hold his head up with no problem I would sit him in it and he loved being able to look around, we still use it when I sit on the floor with him and feed him.

Travel system, easier then taking him out of the carseat to put him in a seperate carriage.

Baby tub with a sling.

Baby gowns, makes night time changing so much easier

Dont buy to many newborn diapers, but if you get alot only open one package at a time because most stores will let you exchange for bigger sizes.

Also when they get to a certain diaper size for a while it is alot cheaper to buy them and wipes by the case.

I am sure I will think of more things.

The one thing I did not use was the bouncy seat. Max did not like it at all but his was a little boring it did not play music.

Have fun with it!!!

thanks so much!  my cousin who is going to spoil this baby to noooo end already bought me a swing, it goes side to side and has a "light show" for baby, it's adorable.  As soon as she knew the sex yesterday she ordered it haha.

I was thinking of getting a travel system, they seem so much more practical!

didn't know you could exchange diapers, didn't really think about it, good advice!!

Thanks a lot!

I had a travel system and it is very conveinent, though the stroller + car seat is very bulky and can be annoying.... this time around i am going with the infant car seat and a snap and go... I just bought a city mini stroller for my older son wich i will probably use for the baby once they are too big for the snap and go.... I will have to start looking for a sit and stand stroller though... I am acctually thinking about buying the pram attachment for my citi mini though i havent decided.... the biggest waste of money for me was the diaper genie... more trouble than its worth... i say get a small garbage pail with a lid that you can put waste basket bags in... or do what we did and just carry it to the kitchen garbage can lol.... Bottle warmer for the car.... forget it it takes waaaay to long... podee bottle, silly as baby kept dropping the nipple and i wound up holding it there anyway....im sure there are more.... we will have to inspect your list after your done to check for random acts of crap lol.... My favorite was the fisher price bounce seat with the light bar... every time baby kicks there feet it makes the light bar go off... my son loved it.... the swing was a savior too...wipes warmer... hated it.... get extra changing table covers... I also got a mini playpen that had the bassinet insert, i think it was made by graco. that worked out great as a bedside bassinet and even better when we traveled as a mini bed / playpen. another thing i cant live without although it is a bit expensive is my skip hop diaper bag. they make alot of different styles (i got mine on ebay) but they have shuttle clips so that you can attach diaper bag to the handles of the stroller / shopping cart etc... i heart my diaperbag make sure you love yours (not just by how it looks 10 bags later i learned that the hard way)  after my son i am a total diaperbag / stroller snob... :)

thanks!!  Yes someone will need to edit my list i'm sure, I am a notorious over shopper! 

My faves are................


Bumbo






Gowns are a life saver for the sleep deprived parent who can't match up snaps in the middle of the night!






Travel Systems are great!







A bouncer








Play gym that travels well............







Grooming Kit







Thermometer








Receiving blankets








Bibs and Burb cloths







Play-Tex Vent Aire bottles








Infant Toy kit








A mobile from "Tiny Love"...........Jantzen and Riley LOVED thiers. They aren't just decoration type ones, they are really nice and Jantzen still loves his.....until he is old enough to grab at it.





As you can see, all the pics I used were PINK! LOL. Most of my things were boy colored!

LOL thanks so much!!  you girls are awesome, I never even THOUGHT about snapping snaps at 2am, deff asking for some gowns now!  and a bumbo is at the top of the list now!

I would definitely ask for a couple of the swaddlers...they are soooooooooo awesome!!!  They did not have these when my babies were little, but last year I babysat our neighbors newborn a few days a week, and that thing was amazing....they are almost like a little straight jacket...LOL, but they keep the baby nice and secure feeling just like in the womb.  I could NEVER get my babies wrapped up tight the way the nurses at the hospital did, and this solves that, it comes with velcro in the right places to just be able to snug it up.  Once they can move around...I  would say 5 to 6 months, they don't like it anymore because they want their arms free, but new born stage...totally awesome.  My friend only got one, and we wore it out using it and washing it.  The other thing that I like are the baby slings...they free up your arms...you can just put the sling on and put baby in them..makes nursing in public super simple and helps around the house if baby wants to be held and you need to get some stuff done.  

I also agree the side to side swing...way more relaxing to baby than the back and forth...not sure why, and an exersaucer is a MUST!!!  Once they can be upright and hold themselves up...those are amazing...but you don't need one of those until almost 6 months, but you might as well put it on your list and have it as a gift :)

I hope you get lots of neat stuff :)

Laura 

oh...p.s.  The Advent no air bottles and nipples are fabulous.  I was able to switch my son back and forth between breast and those with no problem, and they really do help to keep the air out.  Also, if you are going to be working, a breast pump, HOWEVER, I would recommend renting one of the really good ones from your local hospital...the ones they sell, unless you spend a ton of money, really just do not work that great.  I rented mine for 7 months.  I felt lik a heffer being milked every day...poor cows...it gave me sympathy...but it does work great...LOL

You'll either love the gowns or hate them.  I'll say I don't love them.  LOL.  Every time I'd go to do a middle of the night feeding Chloe's gown would be around her waste - even though she's swaddled.  Plus, her feet would poke out of every one we had.  And we had such cute ones!  I'd rather snap or zip, honestly.  However, half my friends swear by the gowns.  You'll just have to try them! 

Have fun registering!  We found we had way too many NB diapers.  The girls did NOT like the bottles we originally bought and I had to go get different ones.  We now use the Vent Aire ones.  We can't live without a bouncy seat/baby seat.  We also love our Boppy Pillows.  We aren't using the swing much yet.  I'm sure we will though because it was a life saver with Kellen.  

It's so different with every baby.  Kellen HATED being swaddled so we NEVER used receiving blankets.  With the girls, we don't have enough.  I had recently get a small lamp for the girls' room.  I needed a little bit of light for feedings and changes and didn't want to turn their room light on.  So that was super handy!  I also had to get a clock with a thermometer in it so I could tell how often I was feeding and how warm the room is.  

One thing we did with Kellen was set up his highchair early.  When I was cooking dinner I always felt guilty leaving him in the living room alone so I'd recline the highchair, bring it into the kitchen with me, and cook and talk to him at the same time.  It was like having an elevated car seat!  :-)  With the girls, well, they have eachother to snuggle so I don't feel so bad leaving them in the living room together.  ;-)

Sandy