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New Baby Starter Kit {Coos Registry Essentials}

the daunting task of starting your baby registry is a scary. when i was pregnant i knew nothing about babies and only had one friend in the city with a baby.

my well-meaning friends and family with children lived in multi-roomed houses and drove everywhere. that said, this list is pretty universal--not a ton of extras--but products i have tired and loved.

BOOKS
i read a million books when i was pregnant. i think it replaced the hours i spent sipping cocktails pre-pregancy. you only need these two books and baby book (newborn to two years) --the rest is extra credit:
mayo clinic guide to a healthy pregnancy

happiest baby on the block(lifesaver!!)


DIAPERS/POOH
• diapers--for me disposables were the way to go. we don't have laundry in our building and i am pretty lazy. there are some great eco-options in the throw away versions, but they are not good for newborns.

i recommend starting out with pampers swaddlers (size n) from birth to about 6 months. from there, i love nature baby care diapers from sweden (available at all duane reades). they are biodegradable and so beautiful! (i care about these things) but quite expensive. and seventh generation are great.

i also use diapers.com they are an amazing company with great service. delivery is free on orders over $40, which all orders are! no schlepping diapers home. the prices are great and they are always having sales and send coupons. they also carry toys, clothes and all the other things you might need for baby.

• wipes--i like the sensitive skin ones from pampers and the seventh generations ones.

• diaper pail--i found the the diaper genie elite II to do the job well. it's compact and easy to use. i used this in my bedroom--since that is also our nursery for a year and never smelled a thing.

• diaper pail refills {3+}--you will be amazed at how fast these bags fill up at first. if you are anything like me, i was constantly changing my newborn's diaper. so stock-up!

• a couple of packs of cloth diapers --great for cleaning up or laying down on a couch or bed to catch drool, milk, etc.

• a wipe warmer-- i thought this was excessive at first but after seeing henry jump every time i put a cold wipe on his bottom, i ran out and got one. i have the prince lionheart one and it has a nice nightlight on it that comes in handy.

• changing table/ pad and {2} covers

FEEDING
* i come from a long line of breast feeders so i never thought for a second that i would do anything except breastfeed

• breast pump--the medela line is the way to go. i got the pump in style advanced, shoulder bag. i hate backpacks, but i think if i were to do it again, i would go for the backpack. that pump is heavy!

born free bottles--bpa free and they have an air value that reduces colic and ear infections. register for the gift pack--it's perfect!

medela pump and freeze bottles-- i don’t recommend the bags, they are hard to handle and you can’t reuse them.

medela sanitizer bags--easier and less bulky than a big tray to sterilize your pump and bottles

boppy pillow--bring this to the hospital with you. i loved mine and so did my husband.

• nursing bras-- target has a large selection and even some sexy ones, but the quality isn’t so great. the medela seamless bra are my favorite. might not want to registry for these :)

SLEEPING
• crib/bassinette/co-sleeper--i recommend getting a crib that converts into a toddler bed- most do these days. a great crib at a great price is the gulliver crib from ikea. make sure to get the bigger (27 1/2x52") crib mattress, the smaller size it too little. if you have money to spend the sparrow crib from oeuf is lovely

• mattress for your crib

• glider/rocker--this is a MUST! the design within reach risom rocker is gorgeous but expensive. urban outfitters of all places has this very lovely and reasonably priced one and ikea has a few.
aden + anais for serena and lily

• swaddle blankets {4 +}-- swaddling is a lifesaver. it’s counter intuitive at first, but baby loves it. refer to HBOTB book and check YouTube for videos on how to do it. it takes a few tries. 

my favorite swaddle blankets are the aden and anais muslin blankets and the flannel blankets (swaddle designs) from giggle—they also sell these at babies r us and target

• wearable blankets -- the aden and anais light weight blankets are great for the warmers months and the gunapod fleece blanket with it's endless zipper is perfect for winter.
auggie bedding

• crib bedding and extra fitted crib sheets {2} i am currently obsessed with auggie.

• stroller blankets{2}--the dwell studio ones are my favorite. warm and so many great designs.

• pacifiers--i bought every possible pacifier on the market since my son refused them all. the avent clear ones are great, they come with nice little covers and i like that they don’t distract too much from that adorable little baby face. i also like the natursutten orthodontic pacifier. it's one piece of rubber which i hear is the best, but at $9 a pop it's a bit expensive

• dimmer switches for you bedroom lights or a night light

CLOTHING
i’m not going to put too much here since EVERYONE gives you clothes. but having a few basics and things you really love aren't a bad idea. remember this little bundle will be photographed more than princess diana!

• onesies and body suits with hand covers {5+}--get tiny tiny ones or mittens baby will scratch the hell out of his face at the hospital. the giggle better basics line are great quality and come in nice soft colors, the bunting gowns are fantastic!
giggle bunting gown
• tiny tiny outfits {4}--everyone told me to not get anything too little because it wont fit but when henry was born (7lbs 5 oz) everything was way too big. i had to run out and get some smaller things.

• skull caps and soft booties {2+}

BATHING/HYGIENE
• bath tub--since i have a small bathroom, i went for this bath seat from giggle. i used it in the sink at first and then used it in the big tub. the puj tub is another compact solution for newborns.

• hooded towel {2+}--ok, you are learning that i am a giggle whore…BUT their hooded towel is thick and big.

• wash cloths{4+}

mustela baby products--i got a lot of bath and body products and mustela were my favorite for a newborn. the frenchies know a thing or two about babies and these products don't smell like anything but baby. i also like the 100% natural and mostly organic line from dolphin organics.

nose frida, nasal aspirator --i got this as a gift and was scared of it at first, but it has really come in handy. it allows you to control the suction. the traditional aspirators are crap!

• nail clippers-- once you get the courage to trim baby's nails you will be doing it about twice a week.


FIRST AID/SAFETY
• a baby monitor-- get a digital or a video one. the analog type get a lot interference from cell phones and taxi cabs and when it isn't you feel like your are in a horror movie.

• forehead or ear thermometer --you might be a little nervous with a rectal thermometer, especially with a squirmy little one.

• a humidifier--i am not exactly sure why, but the first time your infant gets sick you want one of these. so register for it now.

• a small first-aid kit

PLAYTIME
black and white cards from wee gallery or anything black and white. newborns love these! it's fun to have something they can interact with when they are just a few weeks old.

sophie the giraffe, teether--i know she is super popular, but there is a reason: babies love her! the nipple-like psychedelic mushroom is awesome as well.

• a mirror--babies are so vain!

• an activity mat


GEAR
•stroller-- oy, what to say here...

i own two strollers the uppa vista, which i love and highly recommend, and their umbrella model, the g-lite. i don't believe there is one stroller that will satisfy all your needs, at least not a new yorkers. i think the cameleon is too expensive and the basket is way too little and the cheap lightweight strollers don't have opinions to add another seat and baby sits to low/faraway from mama. i have a lot of mom friends that just got with the snap and go to start off. all have said it is terrible, at least for new york. i like the mamas and papas line available at babies r us. they have several models that offer the perks of the fully loaded designer brands at a fraction of the price.

• infant car seat--you need this to get home from the hospital. the maxi cosi or chicco come in nice colors and work with most stroller systems.

• baby carrier--this might sound crazy, but i swear by the infant carrier trinity: moby wrap; baby bjorn; and the ergo. i used all three at different times.

the moby wrap was in heavy use for the first 3-4 months. it was great with a newborn since they are so snug and safe in there. we'd go out to eat, walk around, clean the house, i'd do just about anything with baby snugged in there. don't be intimated by the wrapping part either--it's super simple.

around 4 months we switched to the baby bjorn. as your baby becomes more alert they want to get in out of their carrier and the moby is a pain to take on and off, the bjorn is very simple. plus they can face forward in the bjorn and our son loved that.

at 1 yr. i got the ergo. i wish i had it earlier. i really love it. especially to the carry the baby/toddler like a backpack. we are still using it at almost 2 yrs! if i could only get one carrier, it would be the ergo with infant insert, but i loved the trifecta!

• diaper bag-- if you can't have the perfect stroller you can have the perfect diaper bag. the soyoung charlie bag hits all the marks and your hubby won't feel stupid carrying it around.

• bouncy seat/baby lounger--a must! the bloom coco stylewood lounger is like a real piece of furniture you will love for a long time. there aren't a lot stylish options but i also like the mamas & papas bouncy seat and the baby bjorn.

• high chair--i got sucked in by the allure of the wooden scan-designed high chairs and they are not good. sure, they are sturdy. but they are super hard to clean and the finish has not held up to scrubbing. high chairs i like are the babybjorn chair. it's sleek, compact and modern. and very easy to clean. i also love the metoo portable chair. this is really all you need and you can throw it in the sink and risk it off.

1 comment:

  1. this saved my life! As did your personal assistance : )

    ReplyDelete

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