What do you need to nurse your baby?

I recently heard someone say all you need for baby is your boobs and your arms. And while it was meant to be funny, it’s so very true! Especially when it comes to nursing. Stores have all sorts of gadgets and products specifically for nursing, but how much of it do you really need?

But sometimes all those extra products do come in handy, so what do you register for? Or what do you look for at sales?

A Breast Pump
Not really a have to have item if you’re a stay at home mom who never leaves the baby for more than an hour or so. But if you have to go back to work, or foresee yourself being away from baby during feeding times, a good breast pump can be very beneficial. This way your baby is only receiving the best food available.

There are all sorts of pumps on the market and really you have to decide how much you’d like to spend and how often you’ll use it. Personally I have the Medela pump in style, and most of my friends do to. It can be rather pricey, but it does work much faster than a lot of other models. And for me it was a purchase we only could have made while Todd and I were still D.I.N.K.S. (dual income no kids!) If you rarely need one, maybe a manual pump will work fine for you!

It’s most likely best to buy this product new though. The safety of what you feed your baby is extremely important! And if you go without one and find at some point you desperately need one due to medical conditions, supply issues, etc. you can always rent one from a hospital.

Bottles
Especially if you plan to pump, you’ll need a few bottles laying around. Even if you don’t plan to pump, having a couple (just in case!) can ease some worries about how baby will be fed if something should happen and you can’t get home in time. Make sure to pick BPA free plastic or glass bottles.

Nursing Pillows
I loved my boppy! But I must also say that the first couple of weeks I didn’t even use it due to the fact that my little guy wouldn’t latch in anything but the football hold. So I just used a regular ‘ol bed pillow. And that worked fine too. We had an extra one laying around that was nice and fluffy and it worked like a charm. But soon enough I did use my boppy, and that worked great too. My only advice is to get a pillow that’s nice and thick. A thin pillow (even some boppy wannabes are to thin) will make you hunch over and it’s not comfortable for nursing.

And the great thing about nursing pillows is that you can find them used all the time at sales! They also sell covers for them so if you don’t like the pattern, you can always change it up.

Foot Stools
Not something you really need to buy. And after the postpartum soreness goes away, you can basically nurse in any position that you’re comfortable in. And are you really comfortable sitting with both feet on a stool? I normally sat cross legged, never missing a stool once.

Nursing Bras
These can be beneficial to have! Although I know many women who get buy without them and just buy regular bras (w/ no wires!) that can be pulled aside. I say to each her own! If you have a little spare cash, buy a couple. And don’t forget you’ll be buying a new bra either way since your old ones won’t fit once your milk comes in!

Breast Pads
Definitely a must have in my book, and you can choose either disposable or reusable ones. One word of advice, buy small packages of a couple different brands to see which ones you like best. Some are more absorbent than others, and some tend to move around a bit to much. Once you find your favorite, then stock up!

Nursing Cover
I never had one of these with Cody. For this baby, I’ll be making my own. And whether or not you buy one or make one, these can be very handy. Especially when you have other children that may be playing at the park when baby needs to eat. And while I am all for the fact that women should be allowed to breastfeed in public however they wish, I also tend to think it can make the people around you uncomfortable, so I’ve always covered up. But again, to each her own! (and if you’d like to make one yourself, 44×27 is a good size)

Nursing Clothes
I never really found nursing clothes to be beneficial. Basically you don’t need them, and my biggest problem with the tops is that when baby loses suction and leaks, it’s going to leak all over your top. Then what? So I figure this time around I’ll buy some cotton camisoles than can easily be pulled out of the way and wear a normal shirt over them. As an added plus, the camisoles cover your postpartum belly! Something I never want people to see!

Burp Clothes
Super handy to have around not only for after nursing, but during nursing as well. Because some babies are just not neat eaters. And for the fact that you might spring a leak on the left side while baby nurses from the right! So have at least one sitting next to you when you sit down to feed.

Dressing a Baby

Teeny tiny little baby clothes are cute, right? But what do you really need for baby?

A lot less than you might think.

First take into consideration the time of year baby will arrive. If it’s warm outside you can get away with a couple packs of onesies, and a few sleepers for when it’s cooler out (or if your house stays cool at night) My first was born in August and at the time we didn’t have air conditioning in his room so he went to sleep in a onesie, swaddled in a light blanket. If baby is born when it’s cold out, you may need a few more warmer sleepers and definitely socks!

And while it’s fun to buy lots of little clothes, just remember that people like to give these as gifts, and baby will only be little for so long. Bigger babies may never even fit into “newborn” sized clothes, so buy sparingly!

The clothes I found I used the most:
(remember, I had an Aug baby!)

• Onesies – personally I loved the onesies that have snaps up the front as well as the bottom. They’re great for changing messes when the diaper doesn’t contain it all! But normal onesies do as well. I like to have about 6-10 on hand for newborns.
• Hats – we used the ones we got at the hospital for the first couple weeks so there was no cost there!
• Socks – maybe a half a dozen socks are needed to get you through the week. (as a side note, if it’s warm out and baby is fussy – he may want them off!)
• Sleepers – we were able to get buy with only a few sleepers for when it was cooler out, but if you have a winter babe, I’d have at least a half dozen of these as well.
• Receiving blankets – these blankets are great for swaddling tiny babes. Especially the ones from the hospital! They’re a bit longer so it gives you more room to “burrito up” the baby. I used mine for everything from actual blankets to burp rags so I went through at least one a day.

Typing that out, there seems to be a small theme going. Basically you need just enough clothes to get you through a week. So if you plan on having at least 6 or 7 for each item, you’ll most likely be doing laundry every 4 or 5 days. I know everyone has heard horror stories of how often you have to change a baby’s clothes, but for us, it just didn’t happen, especially in the newborn phase. Sometimes he could wear the same thing 2 days in a row. (hey – no judging! Baby’s can’t really get dirty yet! And luckily our wasn’t a spitter upper)

Buying just those basic necessities isn’t all that expensive in and of itself. Even when shopping at a local box store. We’re talking maybe a hundred bucks or so. But I’m also a bit cheaper than that! I rarely buy baby clothes brand new! There’s no sense in doing it really. They out grow them so fast that even the clothes they used barely look used.

Great places to find cheaper (or free) clothes:

• Friends and family – A lot of times someone you know will offer up their kids outgrown baby clothes to you.
• Garage sales – Most of our baby clothes have come from garage sales! You can normally find great clothes at an extremely cheap price. I normally don’t spend over 1$ on a single item or more than 2$ on an outfit or 2-piece set.
• Freecycle – It’s a site where you post what you need and if anyone else in your area can fullfill it, they’ll let you know what they have! Everything is a free transaction.
• Craigslist – Another website that not only has a “free” area, but regular listings as well. People regularly post baby clothes for sale, normally at garage sale prices.
• Other “free” sites – LaBump and Freepeats are both “free sites” as well.
• Thrift stores – I haven’t had the greatest luck with thrift stores, since the prices are normally above garage sale prices, but they are a great option when it’s not sale-ing season!
• Second hand stores – Again, prices are going to be more than garage sales, but a lot of times you can find quality pieces of clothing for about half what you’d pay in the store. These are also good if you’re looking for a specific type of outfit since they have more inventory.

So you don’t have to break the bank buying clothes for your wee one! It definitely helps if you start planning ahead though. Take time before baby comes and think about what you might need, that way when you do hit those sales, you can pick up clothes for a fraction of the cost. One word of advice though – just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean you have to have it! Babies can still only wear one outfit at a time!

And if you’d like to try and stock up on clothes for later during babies first year, you have to think about how big baby might be at any given age. Rule of thumb is this; babies double their weight by 6 months and triple by one year. Of course this doesn’t apply to each and every babe, but it will at least give you something to go by so that you’re not buying winter clothes when baby will be in that size range during summer!

*And yes, it is nice to have extras of everything, but when you’re on a budget and/or not getting a baby shower there’s no need to go overboard! Plus you can always go out shopping/sale-ing if you notice you need a few extra things, after the baby is born.

A baby needs diapers

Unless you’re going to do the whole “Elimination Communication” with your baby you’re going to need diapers!

First off, you have to decide whether you will use cloth or disposables. Most moms are usually one way or the other and have strong opinions for doing so! Personally I started out with only disposables, but have now switched to cloth and hope to keep using cloth for our new arrival.

Advantages:

• Lower cost over the time before potty training
• Better for the environment (do you have any idea how long diapers sit in landfills? yuck)
• Less allergenic to babies skin
• Softer on bottoms and allow air to circulate better

Disadvantages:

• Higher up front cost. Spending a couple hundred dollars seems like a lot at first, but you just have to remember these are reusable!
• Takes more effort since you have to rinse them out after each change and then wash them every 2 days.
• And yes – it’s gross. But you get over it!

There are also so many different types of cloth diapers on the market now. I’m no expert as I haven’t had the chance to try out each and every diaper and brand, but here’s a basic list of the kind of dipes you’ll find.

• You can still buy the same prefolds your mom used for less than 2$ but remember they’ll need covers to stay water tight. Other wise it’s leakage every where! They also have these little things called snappis now so there are no pins involved. Downfall to these is that they are quite a bit bulkier and harder to put on wriggling babies. But these are also the cheapest option.
• There are also diapers called fitteds on the market which are like prefolds in the aspect that you need a cover over them as well, but they are actually shaped like a diaper so there is no folding involved and often have velcro closures on them. You can easily find these made by work at home moms as well as from retailers.
• All in ones are basically what the name inplies. It’s the 2 part system rolled into one – just like disposables except you have to wash these. There is no separate cover to use and most have closures by either velcro or snaps. These also tend to be quite a bit trimmer than prefolds!
• Pocket diapers are diapers were you place the “soaker” into a sleeve in the diaper “cover”. The sleeve/liner in the cover also helps wick away moisture from baby. After changing you take out the soaker so that it washes easier, but you toss both pieces in the diaper pail. Only downfall to the all in ones is that you have to re stuff them after washing. The benefit I’ve found though is that they dry quicker! You can also find one size pocket diapers now that will grow with your baby. I personally have a few BumGenius one size dipes and they’re supposed to fit from 8 -35 pounds.

Cloth diapering can also be made much easier by buying a few simples extras. (though these aren’t needed)

• Cloth baby wipes
• Diaper Sprayer (attaches to your toilet so there is no dunking involved!)
• extra inserts or doublers for heavy wetters
• flushable liners for when you’re out and about and don’t want to bring the mess home
• wet bag – dipes go from pail to wash without having to dump them out!

Advantages:

• Easy to use
• Little cleanup required (although all packages do say to dump out solids before tossing!)
• No washing required

Disadvantages:

• Cost – normally $1500 -$2000.00 for the first 2 years
• They last for quite awhile in the landfill
• Can get stinky while waiting for garbage pickup and increase the amount of garbage you have to get rid of every week.

And while any disposable will do, myself and every mom I know says Huggies are the best. But of course they are some of the most expensive.

Personally I like to have at least a half dozen packs or so of newborn diapers to get me through the first few weeks. If you have a big baby, don’t worry about wasting money on teeny diapers, stores will let you swap them for a larger size if needed! I also don’t plan on cloth diapering during this time, it’s just one more thing I’d have to do and I just don’t think I’ll be up for it. Cheaper diapers usually work just fine too since you change them so often the first few weeks. Plus if you start clipping coupons and shopping sales, you can get disposables at a great price! Think about stocking up a couple months before baby comes. Also make sure you’ve got yourself some wipes!

If you’re going to cloth diaper full time you need to make sure you have enough for about 2 days worth, since laundry will need to be done every other day. Newborns need a changing every couple of hours, so you’ll need about 2 dozen or so on hand for the first few months, plus that many and more wipes.

A place to lay their heads

Once that new little baby comes home, they’re going to need a place to sleep. If you plan on co-sleeping, I’m definitely not the one to talk to. While I can’t say I’m against it, it does not and will not work for my family, so this advice comes from a mommy who likes having a crib!

For the Newborn:
You really have quite a few choices on where to put a teeny little baby. They’re so small they don’t take up much room at first! What you really need to decide is whether or not they’ll be rooming in with you for the first few weeks or months. If you want baby in your room and have space, you can easily set up the crib in there to avoid buying anything else. Personally though, our crib is a giant hassle to take a part and put together so this isn’t happening for us!

Another option for rooming in is a bassinet or cradle. These are rather small and can even be moved room to room if needed. Plus they can also be pulled up close to the bed so you don’t have to travel far to find baby in the middle of the night! The option we chose last time, and may do again for this next baby, is to use a pack-in-play. The one we have has a bassinet that drops onto the top which is rather convenient and really makes it a two for one purchase. Otherwise, I may be using my moses basket if I can sew a liner in time. (it was a $10.00 find at a garage sale!)

The Crib:
When baby gets a little bit bigger, he’ll be ready to move onto a crib. With so many options though, how do you choose which one? Well, it all depends on how you think you’ll use it. Personally we decided against the all-in-one cribs that convert to toddler beds and then to a double bed for the simple reason that we would most likely be having another baby when the first one grew out of it. And that’s exactly what’s happened! (Plus double beds are rather big for little kids) So, instead of buying a whole new crib, we’ll just move our toddler to the toddler bed (which was another steal at a garage sale!).

The adjustable mattress height is a must, and I don’t even think they make any without it. Just remember to lower it down before you think your little one can stand. One day they may just surprise you by being on the floor!

Having a drop side is nice for some parents, although I never used mine once! I put my babies to bed while they’re still awake so I never had to do the whole “put them down so as not to wake them” dance. Actually, to be honest I have been using it lately. Lifting a 25 lb+ toddler in and out has been hurting my poor ‘ol back now that I’m almost seven months pregnant, so I drop it down so as not to lift him as high.

Some cribs also come with optional storage drawers that I find totally awesome. But we don’t have one, as they cost a bit more. So I bought canvas boxes that go under the crib to store extra sheets (and now blankets) in case I need to do a quick swap out of dirty sheets.

The crib mattresses are actually rather firm and that’s a necessity. A soft mattress can actually be dangerous for a teeny little baby. Also make sure it fits your crib perfectly. You shouldn’t be able to fit 2 fingers between the crib and the mattress.

A Healthy Crib
If toxins are a concern to you, and you have the money to buy organic, I would totally splurge on an organic mattress. Babies spend so much time sleeping, and a brand new conventional mattress off gases so much, well, I hate to think what my little guy breathed in for the first few months of his life. If I could buy again, I’d also choose a wood crib. Not one of those pressed board cribs, which is what we have. Because those pressed board, or fake wood cribs, often have chemicals like formaldehyde in them.

The Bedding
Once you have your crib and mattress, it’s time to think about bedding. So what do you really need?

• Sheets. And if you’re on a budget, that’s it. (personally I’ll be buying organic sheets this time around. The less toxins my baby is exposed to the better!)
• Bumpers are cute, but not a necessity. Plus there’s the fact that a growing number of organizations are recommending not using them at all, or at least taking them out when the child starts to roll over.
• A crib skirt is cute, but only decorative. If you’re crafty, try making one!
• Blankets aren’t needed, though a swaddling blanket is nice! But overall a baby shouldn’t be put to bed with a blanket until they are over a year old.
• Mobiles look cute, but really don’t have much of a purpose other than something to look at. And most of the time, by the time the baby is actually interested in it, they’re old enough to try and grab it and you have to take it out anyways.

How to save some money
Your baby won’t know if the things he sleeps in are brand new! Check online sites like craigslist or search around at garage sales and second hand shops. These are great places to get gently used items for a fraction of the cost! Especially those real wood cribs! Just make sure everything is in great working condition AND that the items meet current safety standards. An older crib may be cheap, but it won’t be worth it if/when a babe gets caught between the openings that are to large. Current standards are 2 and 3/8 inches apart. Bring a ruler to measure those slats! And if it’s not put together, see if they’ll show you how it sets up so that you; for one know how, and secondly, so that you can thoroughly examine it for sturdiness.

Also, don’t be afraid of used crib mattresses. The cover on them normally keeps out any yucky stuff from getting into the actual mattress, and it’s usually a safer bet when buying conventional. Most the off gasing has already been done! As always, just ask lots of questions when buying used furniture. (how old, how used, etc.) If you’re uneasy about it, walk away!

What you Really need for Baby

Especially with the first baby, you’re bombarded with all the registry information that spells out exactly what you need before you bring your little bundle home. But how much of that is actual truth and how much of it is a retailer trying to earn more money?

And in this day and age, we’re all trying to save as much as we possibly can, so what can we do without? Where should we spend more on a product or where should we buy used? How do we know if a product is safe and non-toxic?

I’ll be going through some of my must haves over the next few weeks to give you insight on what this mom needs/wants for baby. With my first, I did over buy certain items. Other items were placed on the registry that weren’t really needed. Now with a second on the way, my house seems to be overflowing with toddler stuff and so many of the baby items I used just seem so unnecessary! (Links will be added below when I cover a new topic!)

1. Housing – do you really need to upgrade your house?
2. Car Seat – what type will work best for you?
3. Beds and bedding – where will your little one sleep?
4. Diapers – cloth vs. disposable
5. Clothing – saving $ on buying only what you need
6. Nursing Supplies – what’s convenient and what you can do without

What car seat works for you?

Car seats now a days can look pretty fancy. Stores have plenty of options and most people just buy the one they think looks the best. But what do you really need in a car seat?

First, the different types of seats:

The infant car seat is used for newborns and infants up to 20-22 pounds depending on the seat. These seats are designed to only be used in the rear facing position and can be used until your child has outgrown it by weight and height, or is over one year old and can switch to a forward facing seat. These types of car seats are extremely convenient and personally, a must have for all new parents. All of the infant seats sold now a days have a separate base that stays in your car and you basically snap and un-snap the seat to remove and carry. They are great for many reasons:

• They double as a carrier!
• For bringing baby into stores, as most seats will practically snap on top of the front seat of the cart
• It gives you a place to put baby when you have to run into a gas station or the post office. (think about it – you’re by yourself, can’t leave baby in the car, and need to run in for just a sec. Do you really want to unstrap baby from the seat, carry him/her-while you try to pay, etc.? Or would you rather quick unsnap from the base, run in, and be able to place them on the floor while you do your business?)
• Do you really want to unstrap a sleeping baby when you get home? Uh…no.
• They also work along with strollers in most cases as a travel system. I have this and love it! The seat just clips into the stroller!
• You can also buy covers for winter to keep baby warm while outside.
• And they are super easy to use. Strap baby in the seat while your inside, then hop in the car and go! Or work on getting the other kids strapped in.

The convertible car seat is used for infants (under 20 pounds facing rear) and small toddlers. They can be used rear facing for a younger child and then turned around when they turn one year old. These seats remain in the vehicle and you must strap and unstrap baby from inside the car. The downside is that with new seatbelt laws, you will have to purchase a booster seat as your child grows.

You can also find convertible harness boosters that will fit newborns up through small children and work both rear and front facing. I personally have one of these. I would never use one for a newborn or small infant though. I put my kiddo in one just before he turned a year old (rear facing yet) at about 18 pounds and he was lost in it! I can’t imagine putting a teeny baby in there and I don’t think they would be comfortable even with the tilt option. The benefit to one of these, is that you won’t have to buy another seat because these double as boosters. You just take out the harness and use a normal seat belt. Downside? They are a bit bulkier than the regular convertible seats.

Deciding which one is right for you:

• Figure out which seat will work with your lifestyle, and how many seats you’ll need to buy. Is this your first baby? Do you have other seats from older children to use?
• Look beyond the fabric! Check out car seat review sites like; Babies R Us, Consumer Search, and Consumer Reports. Look at the safety stats, and parental reviews.
• Do toxins bother you? They do me, and I was bummed about hearing about the fire retardants used in so much of our baby gear. (You can check out the news report from CBS here.) I have yet to find a car seat without fire retardants in them, but you can check out Healthy Car.org to find the most and least toxic seats. Although, no matter what seat you buy, I would wash the cover before using it with baby. And buy it a couple months before you need it so that it can air out a bit.
• Another bit on safety – check the expiration date on the seat. Yes, they actually expire! Plastic seats are only ‘good’ for about 6 years as the plastic degrades over time and may not be as safe during an accident as they age. Most expiration dates are listed on a manufacturers label, attached to the seat. Although it seems hard to pass up that great deal on a used seat, remember that these seats are exposed to extreme variations in temperature while they sit in your car, and the stress fractures or weak plastic can’t really be seen. Here is a video showing a 10 year old seat where the straps break loose. Also, remember that once a car seat is in a crash it also needs to be replaced!

One more bit of advice, if you have a Babies R Us around, go check them out. Although you may be able to find the seat cheaper at another store or online, they have an actual car seat with seat belts on it so that you can take the model seats off the shelf and figure out how to strap it in. You can also place your child in them to get a feel on how easy they might be to use and how comfortable they will be. And I’ve also heard of sales folks willing to head out to your car with the model seat to make sure it fits well in there too! Plus they normally always have someone around who has been deemed the car seat expert. After finding your perfect seat, then you can compare prices or wait for a coupon or sale.

*also, you can usually check with your local police department or fire house to see if they have someone trained in car seat safety. They can check your seat installation over and make sure it’s going to be as safe as possible for baby!

What you really need

Now that we finally have our second little bambino on the way, I thought I’d start a series on the things you really need. So much of what’s offered in the baby stores and online isn’t quite necessary, and in tough times like these, we all need to save a bit of money. I thought I’d go through each item I found extremely useful, and that all new moms should register for, in order to help other moms save some money and stay away from the un-necessaries. Near the end of the series, I’ll point out a few of the not so needed items as well.

Item number one: A House
So this item isn’t one we normally think about unless we feel our house is to small, but what do you really need in a home when you’re expecting a baby? In all honesty…..not much. Baby’s really don’t take up that much room. As long as you have a corner in which to place a crib, you’ll be all set. All those other things that take up space may actually not really be needed in the first place!

Plus, you can always move later as having a baby really doesn’t stop your life. Really, it doesn’t! Time still moves on, and as it goes by, if you have the means to do so, then move. But don’t rush out as soon as those two lines turn pink and get yourself into a mortgage that you really can’t handle. Children will fit in to whatever space you have for them. If you have a small home, you’ll just have to be a bit more creative when it comes to storage and allow less toys as well.

Things to think about:
Whether you are staying or moving there are a few things to think about when looking at a home.

• Does your home have lead paint? If so, is any of it chipping?
• Are you able to properly heat your home to keep baby warm?
• Will the baby spend time in the basement? You may want to check for radon.
• Are your gas appliances (stove, furnace, dryer) in good condition and free of gas leaks?
• Do you have a carbon monoxide detector? Many people die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning and thousands of others get quite sick. The problem is, even if the adults in the home just get flu like symptoms, it can cause developmental damage in newborns and infants.
• Have you checked for mold?
• If you’ve been in the home for a long period of time, you may want to have the water tested again (well water) since the nitrates and lead in the water can be damaging as well.
• Are the floors in decent condition? (This was something we had to fix in our old home as our wood floors were scratched and we actually got splinters from them)