We have nothing for our approaching little one so far (but Mom and MIL are planning showers) and I don't want to register and be stuck with something that's a complete waste when we need SO many other things.

I already borrowed a bassinet, the baby is due May 4,and so far I've heard ---- that changing tables are unnecessary, horror stories about the "diaper genie", the Boppie stinks, and that newborn diapers will barely be used...Anything else??? HELP!! I need you wisdom!

THANKS!!
Andrea
EDD-5/4/02

If you have floor room for a changing table, get one, I think. (though they open ones are sort of crummy storage; I'd vote for a dresser).

Don't register for newborn diapers; you may not need many, and can just buy those 3 or 4 packs yourself.

I wouldn't have liked the Boppie for nursing. I had one, but the fact that it is rounded would have deterred me from using it. I saw the "My Brest Friend" nursing pillow, and would have liked it (they don't make the kind I did have anymore, and I LOVED it; this seemed the closest).

I have a bad back so a changing pad on top of a dresser was a must for me. I repainted a dresser from the second hand store... so cute! and topped it with a contoured changing pad with a terry cloth cover. There's enough room on the dresser to store wipes and wipe solution (I use homemade), and some other baby items. (I registered for the pad and two terry covers and got them at my shower.)

I actually liked my boppy a lot. I'm tall, and to hold my baby up to my breast to nurse was uncomfortable, pillows slipped out from beneath my arms. Someone gave me a boppy and it saved my back. Now that Jake's bigger, I don't need it any more, he sits in my lap and reclines back to nurse. but we prop him up in the boppy for play time on the floor. You don't NEED it, but I liked it.
I like my bouncy chair I was given. I registered online at babysrus (they have product reviews you can read). It's a handy place for him to sit when I'm in the shower. When he gets older and we start solids I may use it as his high chair.

I ordered a clip on chair from ebay for 8 bucks, I really like those and don't care for the big bulky high chairs. (We have very limited space.)

A sling!!!!!!!! I have a nojo sling which you can get at babiesrus for 30$ or so (but I bought mine off ebay for 6.30). It takes a while to get the hang of it, but once you do, it's soooo great! DS loves his and it's so much handier to take him into the store instead of lugging the heavy infant seat. If they are sleeping, you can just slip out of the sling yourself and lay baby in his car seat or on your bed or whatever... I can't say enough, they're great!

I haven't used my stroller yet b/c of the sling, so I don't know if that's an immediate neccesary, I'll probably use it when he gets toddler age.

That's about it, we cosleep so we gave back the borrowed bassinet and his crib isn't even set up :) I should probably sell his crib sheets on ebay or something. :-b Oh, he likes his baby bathtub too, but he's getting to big for it so I bathe him in the sink or jump in the tub with him myself... (that's so fun!)

Diaper Genies... I used two when I was a nanny, hated 'em. And the fillers are expensive 5-6 dollars a pop. If you want a no-smell pail get the Diaper Champ, we got given one and it's great, uses regular kitchen sized garbage bags. Now that we've switched to cloth diapers we line it with a laundry bag and still use it for the cloth dipes. No smell! But still... they're unneccesary if you're on a budget.

Oh yeah, we got enough disposable diapers to last through his second month. Got a ton of newborn packages as well as size one. BUT, we've switched to cloth dipes... they are so easy now with the waterproof fabrics all in one, they work just like 'sposies 'cept ya wash 'em. We're saving about 60 dollars a month using cloth. I've made some too. Check out http://www.diapersewing.com/ if you sew... they are really easy and you don't need a serger. Also, check out the diaper auctions at WAHMall.com even if you don't plan to cloth diaper, you'll be amazed at what they look like now! I thought all cloth diapers were like the ones I wore as a baby, prefolds with a messy plastic pant. :-P

Okay, I'm rambling now, I'll stop! :)

HTH!
Jae

Things I found invaluable when he got older (4 months) lots of rattles, a weeble wobble, and of course his exersaucer.

We also have one of those inflatable bathtubs which comes in handy for quick wash-ups (we usually do family baths).

Things I had no use for were the bouncy seat, the expensive Fisher Price Symphony Gym, DS liked a cheap regular gym without the music and lights much better, our sling (DS is one of the few babies who hated it).

I am split on the swing, DS loves the cheap single speed swing he has at the babysitter, but he hates the expensive 6-speed Graco I have at home.

My DS was only 6lbs 3oz at birth so we used newborn diapers for quite a while. Still, i would not get too many of them.

Take care.
Honeybina

Loved the boppy! but, i stopped breastfeeding...
I dig the diaper genie, it doesn't smell at all and is easy to use, but I don't know if a diaper pail serves the same purpose.
and we use our changing table a BILLION times a day!! It's a dresser and a changing table on top and it's definitely the most used thing in our house! ( : I can change dd anywhere, but the table is a great height and who wants to bend over every time you change the baby!

what else...I agree 100%, 150% with Jae about the sling!! We have a Nojo and use it allll the time at home and out!! A lot more than the stroller, though it's good for long walks to get mommy back in shape. And, we have a Graco stroller system... We use the infant seat alll the time at home. It sits on our couch so dd has her own seat at home.

everyone told me that you don't need 0-3 month clothes...they were WRONG!!! dd was way over 8 pounds and is just now (at 12 pounds) growing out of her stuff.

hhmmm... get a swing, a fisher price peaceful planet aquarium and a play gym.

we still haven't used our baby bjorn, but we may soon...
we also have a backpack that i'm sooo excited to use when dd gets bigger...

basically, we've used pretty much everything we've gotten. babies change sooooo much and what may work one week, may not work the next. we never thought we'd use a pacifier, but dd loves it!!

the only thing we didn't have that would've ben great is a bouncy seat. i hear they are awesome!

ok, maybe too much information!! ( :
best wishes to you!!

truly you don't NEED hardly anything, but the more tricks in your bag the better, I say!

-jami & nyomi