KB
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Don't forget Half.com. I generally find what I'm looking for there, often brand new.
Baby stuff
- Thread starter cute fuzzy bunny
- Start date
trumpeting_angel
Full time employment: Posting here.
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2004
- Messages
- 526
TH,
I think the baby backpack and Snugli are excellent choices for the early months. I found the stroller really valuable. I couldn't use those carrying things. They were way too heavy (my kid was born heavy, 8-14), and had to be held out away from my body at a completely impossible angle. I don't know how anyone uses them, but perhaps I'm just significantly weaker than 90% of the population or something.
I would recommend getting a good, solid stroller. I never used those joggers but they look like they'd fit the bill.
Regarding books: take everything you read with a grain (or tablespoon) of salt. They let anybody write anything in a book these days. I once had to ask my doc about awakening a 2-month-old in the middle of the night to feed her. Only because I read in TWO books that they were just too young to go without feeding for that length of time, so it was important to awaken them even if they'd learned how to sleep through the night occasionally (or often). She looked at me as though I was out of my mind.
And about advice regarding sleep schedules, demand feeding, etc. Every baby and every family is different. What works for the person who wrote the book/trained the staff/taught the doctor will work for some families, not for others. You can go a long way by relying on common sense. I think Wendy will be in good shape with her work experience: the need most of us have for advice is the fear that we will do something horribly wrong (like put the diaper on backwards) and kill the child. Wendy is possibly going to be spared this particular type of paranoia.
There are stores around here that only sell REALLY NICE used baby and child stuff called "Once Upon a Time." They don't take the crappy, dirty things. It's good to rent a carseat from the hospital, because you need one type for the first few months, and then they graduate into the regular type. Our hospital wouldn't let you leave until you had the proper carseat in the back seat and yes, they checked. Very Nazi-like, but I suppose there are folks who figure Mom's lap is a grand place to keep the little one.
Sounds like you will be well-equipped! And those first few weeks will be much easier with an ER Dad than with one who has to return to work in a matter of days.
Anne
I think the baby backpack and Snugli are excellent choices for the early months. I found the stroller really valuable. I couldn't use those carrying things. They were way too heavy (my kid was born heavy, 8-14), and had to be held out away from my body at a completely impossible angle. I don't know how anyone uses them, but perhaps I'm just significantly weaker than 90% of the population or something.
I would recommend getting a good, solid stroller. I never used those joggers but they look like they'd fit the bill.
Regarding books: take everything you read with a grain (or tablespoon) of salt. They let anybody write anything in a book these days. I once had to ask my doc about awakening a 2-month-old in the middle of the night to feed her. Only because I read in TWO books that they were just too young to go without feeding for that length of time, so it was important to awaken them even if they'd learned how to sleep through the night occasionally (or often). She looked at me as though I was out of my mind.
And about advice regarding sleep schedules, demand feeding, etc. Every baby and every family is different. What works for the person who wrote the book/trained the staff/taught the doctor will work for some families, not for others. You can go a long way by relying on common sense. I think Wendy will be in good shape with her work experience: the need most of us have for advice is the fear that we will do something horribly wrong (like put the diaper on backwards) and kill the child. Wendy is possibly going to be spared this particular type of paranoia.
There are stores around here that only sell REALLY NICE used baby and child stuff called "Once Upon a Time." They don't take the crappy, dirty things. It's good to rent a carseat from the hospital, because you need one type for the first few months, and then they graduate into the regular type. Our hospital wouldn't let you leave until you had the proper carseat in the back seat and yes, they checked. Very Nazi-like, but I suppose there are folks who figure Mom's lap is a grand place to keep the little one.
Sounds like you will be well-equipped! And those first few weeks will be much easier with an ER Dad than with one who has to return to work in a matter of days.
Anne
Actually, thrift stores frequently have quite nice baby/todder things. Families tend to be small now, and many people don't live near cousins, etc. At least I guess those are some reasons. Anyway, it's worth a try since little ones grow so fast.
wabmester
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2003
- Messages
- 4,459
I have to agree with Anne on the uselessness of most baby books. You can easily find two books from "well-respected experts" that give you diametrically opposed advice.
The only book I found mildly entertaining was "What's Going on in There? How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life" by Lise Eliot, a neuroscientist.
The books on sign language aren't very useful. Your kid won't have the dexterity to learn real ASL, so basically the only thing you need to know is to give them signs they can easily handle with their chubby hands. Try to be consistent, and the kid will learn them. Don't even bother starting till the kid can wave bye-bye.
In general, it's probably pretty hard to really screw up a kid, so just go with your instincts, and feel free to experiment (it helps to keep a log and measure results, just like in physics lab).
The only book I found mildly entertaining was "What's Going on in There? How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life" by Lise Eliot, a neuroscientist.
The books on sign language aren't very useful. Your kid won't have the dexterity to learn real ASL, so basically the only thing you need to know is to give them signs they can easily handle with their chubby hands. Try to be consistent, and the kid will learn them. Don't even bother starting till the kid can wave bye-bye.
In general, it's probably pretty hard to really screw up a kid, so just go with your instincts, and feel free to experiment (it helps to keep a log and measure results, just like in physics lab).
TH:
I asked my mom if she could give some baby tips since she had 3 kids already and I ended feeling as if I had some horrible childhood as her baby stuff list was not as long as what has been posted in this thread
She didn't use sign language, didn't buy me all kind of toys, didn't even know what Diaper Genie was...apparently I didn't have any vibrating/bouncing chair either (all I had was baby walker - from the pics, it looked like a plastic ring with wheels around it and a baby seat in the middle).
And we three kids grew up just fine...I think.
Okay but she did say that she made her own baby food using blender and she fed us breast milk for awhile. She thought mass-produced baby food and formula milk are not as good as her "homemade".
She did use disposable diaper and was scorned by my grandma who apparently raised 10 kids on cloth diapers. My grandma said cloth diaper didn't give babies any rash. Don't know it that is true though.
I hope that helps...
Jane
I asked my mom if she could give some baby tips since she had 3 kids already and I ended feeling as if I had some horrible childhood as her baby stuff list was not as long as what has been posted in this thread
She didn't use sign language, didn't buy me all kind of toys, didn't even know what Diaper Genie was...apparently I didn't have any vibrating/bouncing chair either (all I had was baby walker - from the pics, it looked like a plastic ring with wheels around it and a baby seat in the middle).
And we three kids grew up just fine...I think.
Okay but she did say that she made her own baby food using blender and she fed us breast milk for awhile. She thought mass-produced baby food and formula milk are not as good as her "homemade".
She did use disposable diaper and was scorned by my grandma who apparently raised 10 kids on cloth diapers. My grandma said cloth diaper didn't give babies any rash. Don't know it that is true though.
I hope that helps...
Jane
Someone earlier suggested you read Babywise. I'm not saying don't read it but also become familiar with literature and data on infant development, nuturing, feeding, trust building, etc. Having read your past posts, TH, I would guess you aren't one do anyting without the proper information. The poster, said in reference to demand feeding, "it didn't work out for a few friends" is hardly enough info.
Judy
Judy
Hyperborea
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
I ended feeling as if I had some horrible childhood as her baby stuff list was not as long as what has been posted in this thread
It was the same for me too. I look back at my childhood and I realize that I didn't have anywhere near the stuff that people are buying for the kid as a "necessity". For many years it was 3 kids to 2 bedrooms and 5 people (3 kids + 2 parents) to 1 bathroom. It got better when my dad finished out the basement including building another bathroom and then gran moved in - 6 people and 2 bathrooms. No 1000 sq. ft. per person home, no ponies, no personal counsellors, no car of my own at 16, not my body weight in toys every month, etc. It's not like we only had rocks to play with or something but there's a point when too much is too much.
Hey, I had one of those too. Just to make you feel even better about your childhood I think that those things are now banned because they are "dangerous".
Hmmm, I'm of the opinion that nobody grows up "just fine". Everybody's screwed up just a little but all in different ways.
Hey, I had one of those too. Just to make you feel even better about your childhood I think that those things are now banned because they are "dangerous".
Aha, I knew it! My mom was so proud of that one toy because she got it used from the neighbour for free!
All three of us went through that wheel thingy. Then when I was a little older, she gave me an old skateboard (again free from the neighbour) and sent me outside to play.Jane
OP
OP
cute fuzzy bunny
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Are you kidding!?!
I go off without proper information, incorrect line voltages and I even turn down all extended warranties!
I got a couple of baby food books because I am infested with food processors and the like and I cook all of our meals. Many times I morph portions of what I'm cooking into ad hoc dog food so they wont bug me for scraps. I can imagine I could do the same thing for baby food most of the time.
I also got one of the baby sign language books, mostly because that whole idea fascinates me. Never thought about teaching a baby to sign...
We also checked out the 'used baby stuff' options. Not too good around here. All we have is a goodwill store and the stuff in there is pretty grim looking. We thought about taking a hike to one of the more 'expensive' areas to see if people were chucking their Peg Perego stuff into donation bins, but decided to just buy a batch of stuff new and local, although I bought a bunch of stuff online that I wanted and couldnt find in stores.
Our total cost for an infant seat, portable playyard with bassinet, monitors, books and a bunch of other stuff was about $600. Grandparents kicked in a small portable crib, a baby dresser and a big bag of clothes.
Mother-to-be also demanded a new rocker-recliner for the nursery so she can be comfortable while feeding. We snagged a nice leather rocker-recliner "last one!" at sams club for $250. She sat in it while I wheeled it up to the front of the store on a flatbed. Except for a sceptre and crown, she was queen for a day
Only as it should be!
I have 2 boys, now 15 and 11 (12 in December, Mom!) and when they started solids we would boil some chicken breast, throw in some veggies and a little water or milk or pasta or rice and blenderize it according to their tolerance at the time. Plop serving size mounds on a cookie sheet and freeze. (The plops look somewhat disgusting but get over it, with kids you see plenty off disgusting stuff). When frozen, disengage from the cookie sheet, (wax paper or Pam before freezing is helpful) and put in a zip-loc. The whole process takes about an hour and you know what's in the food. You can use other meats but make sure they aren't stringy and get them really tender. Kids have the most trouble with stringy stuff, like celery. After they start into solids (around 6 mos) their need for this type of predigested food is pretty short and as you'll find out they'd much rather eat what's on your fork anyway.
You are in for so much fun and joy and delight and shaking of your entire being! Enjoy it! Don't let anyone dampen it. I always hate those Just Wait stories: You think s/he's cute now, just wait until...
Judy
who is so excited over learning to use the quote button may just post all day and then I won't have to live in the world where Dubya was elected for 4 more years. At least not today.
