What kind of stuff are you talking about here Shar?

We got clothes first. A few select outfits in a few different sizes. We, of course, got a bassinet, first aid kit.. We made sure we'd be getting a crib.. Ooooh what else.. Just start out small & slow- don't overwhelm yourself!

You could start by making a list of everything you need before the baby is born, & maybe try to get a few things each week.

That is what we did... we made a list and slowly bought all the items on it.

I agree with buying clothes first. Onesies are great.

Of course you are going to need diapers, wipes, stuff like that.
I'm not going to recommend a brand though. Even off-brand works. It's what you feel like spending.

Are you planning on breast feeding or formula? Formula gets quite expensive. I would check into maybe signing up for WIC. You get a lot of food for free, even food for you.

We didn't buy a bassinet. The baby slept in my bed for the first few nights, then in her swing. The swing eventually moved into her bedroom, then she started sleeping in her crib.

Go to second-hand stores for big items. You can find a barely used crib for a lot cheaper. That goes with clothes too. Hell, I shop at Goodwill for myself, why wouldn't I shop there for my kid?

Grandma buys all the nice things haha.

you should register on a site for your shower
they can help a TON when it comes to buying stuff too
im registered at target and they have a list of everything a newborn really needs. it helped me alot

Eh, I personally didn't want to get the bigger things used.. I wanetd a new crib, a new swing, etc.. That kind of stuff I have to KNOW is new & not possibly damaged or anything.. But if that kind of thing doesn't bother you, then go for it! Second-hand stores are pretty awesome for baby stuff.

Well I would have wanted brand new things too if we had the money lol
The only thing we bought new was a stroller/car seat duo. All the other big things were bought by my parents. Luckily.

You can find things in there that are perfectly fine once they are cleaned/disinfected.

My only worry is germs. Lysol is my best friend

yeah i dont think i could get the crib and stroller and stuff used

we have a store here called once upon a child and its AWSOME
they sell all kinds of baby stuff for way cheaper than you can find anywhere else

I LOVE that store! We have one here too. I can get clothes for a buck a piece! And no one will know they're used except for you.

I wouldn't recommend buying a used crib/stroller/car seat but some people can't afford brand new items. If you don't have a lot of income, it is ridiculous to pay a couple of hundred dollars on a crib when you can get a perfectly OK one for maybe 1 hundred.

yeah that store is the best
travis mom took me this saturday and i bought wayy to many clothes for kristen lol

i think im done on the baby clothing though because ive spent over two hundred bucks on clothes that she will grow out of probably

but SHAr i got a whole crib set with the convertable crib changeing table and shelves and a drawer set at walmart for two hundred bucks!!! which i recommend you looking into if you dont have a crib picked out already
its called nursery in a box

You can find cribs new for under $200 easily. Keep watching stores. Styles change and then they put the existing ones on clearance. We bought ours for around $125 new at Burlington's Baby Depot.

Don't worry about spending a small fortune on bumpers, etc. They are not recommened anyway, though they do look nice. Babies don't care what they are sleeping in. As long as it's warm and safe that is all that matters.

I wouldn't buy a used car seat. You never know if it were in an accident or if something is wrong with it. If you're going to spend good money on anything, spend it on a good car seat. Go onto consumer reports to check out how they scored on crash tests.

Second hand stores are perfect places to buy little baby clothes. Chances are they are not all stained or torn and most babies grow out of them so fast they barely have any wearing at all.

If you dedicated to spending $20 a week until your ready to have your baby, you would have plenty of nice things.

I got my crib at Wal-Mart too. I love wally world.
I can get lost in there for hours.

The crib I got is pretty. It converts into a toddler bed and again into a full-sized bed.

The only problem was the bumpers didn't tie on correctly because there were no slats on the head or footboard.

yeah alot of people have a hard time with bumpers
oh well i wouldnt use them anyways lol

walmart is the best!

ditto for all of that (except loving walmart). do you have the storkcraft aspen?

i wasn't ever planning on using bumpers but when finn got to be about 9 months old he kept scooting up in his sleep and hitting his head on the headboard. i was so mad when the bumpers didn't fit because the crib set was expensive and it's stupid that i can't use it all.

when it comes to cribs, as long as the slats aren't too far apart and its in good condition, theres nothing wrong with getting one used. The one we have for Caty is used, and Jacobs toddler bed i got from my grandma.. one of her kids just outgrew it about a year ago, and she held onto it for me. Shes a clean freak so it looks brand new.

As for clothes, theres a place here called Savers its like goodwill but waay bigger.. we get the kids clothes there. everything looks near new and im not going to go pay 6-10 dollars on one outfit for them to puke/crap/pee on it or outgrow it in a month. I'll save dept store clothes for when they are school age. We get clothes new when they are on clearance or whatnot.

a goooood list of stuff to get... (we got twice what they said for clothing. glad we did or else we would have been doing laundry twice a day.. babies urp a lot.)

Basic Layette
__10-12 Onesies
__ 3-6 Hats and Booties
__ 3-6 Receiving Blankets
__ 3-6 Sleep & Play outfits
__ 3-6 Bibs
__ 3 Gowns
__ Diapers (Figure using 8 disposable diapers per day minimum. so atleast 2 packages per week.)

Basic Necessities
__ Infant Car Seat
__ First Aid Kit
__ Syrup of Ipecac ( i didnt get this.)
__ Smoke Detector for Baby's Room
__ Carbon Monoxide Detector
__ Thermometer
__ Diaper Bag with changing pad
__ Brush and Comb
__ Baby Shampoo
__ Soap
__ Lotion
__ Baby Oil
__ Petroleum Jelly
__ Baby Powder
__ Cotton Swabs
__ Baby Wipes
__ Diaper Rash Ointment
__ Nail Scissors
__ Suction Bulb
__ Pacifier (Buy a couple different styles, your baby will have a preference.)
__ Pacifier Tether (Make sure that the cord is short.)
__ Spray Sanitizer or Disinfectant (ie. Lysol)
__ Baby Bathtub
__ Bath Water Thermometer (sometimes the baby tubs you buy have them built in..)
__ 4-6 Baby Washcloths
__ 2-3 Hooded Bathtowels
__ 6-8 Bottles (i have atleast 20 lol)
__ Bottle Brush
__ Laundry Soap (Mild)
__ Bleach

Bedding
__ Sleeping Wedge (Keeps baby sleeping on it's side.)
__ Bedding Set (Comforter, bumper pad, skirt, fitted sheet, diaper stacker.)
__ 3-6 Fitted Crib Sheets
__ 3 Crib Pads

Furniture & Durable Baby Accessories
__ Crib
__ Mattress
__ Changing Table (Preferably with safety rails, always with safety straps.)
__ Changing Table Pad (Plastic or vinyl and easy to santize.)
__ Rocking Chair
__ Cradle or Bassinet
__ Stroller
__ Playpen
__ Bouncer Infant Seat (For in-home use only.)
__ Diaper Pail
__ Baby Monitor
__ Lamp with night light

For the New Mother
__ Birth Announcements
__ 12-14 Nursing Pads (Washable, 100% Cotton)
__ 2-4 Nighttime Nursing Gowns
__ 3-6 Nursing Bras
__ Nursing Tops
__ Breast Pump (Electric or Manual)

Helpful Extras to Make Life More Comfortable
__ Baby Carrier (ie. front pack or sling)
__ Nursing Pillow
__ Nursing Stool
__ Humidifier
__ Swing
__ Portable Crib
__ Car Rear Window Mirrors (Allows you to see your baby in the back seat.)
__ Head support - Padded Seat
__ Soothing Music that contains Heartbeat and Womb Sounds
__ Infant Sunglasses with 100% UV Protection
__ Mobile
__ Foot and Wrist Rattles
__ Bottle Warmer
__ Bottle Insulator Covers
__ Bottle Sterilizer (If you don't have a dishwasher.)
__ Dishwasher Basket for Nipples and Rings
__ Baby Wipe Warmer
__ Car Seat Protector (Protects upholstery beneath and around the car seat.)
__ Stroller Cup Holder (Attaches to handle or side.)
__ Hands-Free Baby Bottle
__ Baby Milestones and Memories Book
__ Nursery Wallpaper and Paint
__ Toys

Things to Buy Later...5 months and older
__ High Chair
__ Stationary Exercise & Play Seat
__ Back Pack Carrier
__ Outlet Covers
__ Drawer Latches
__ Safety Gates
__ TV and VCR Covers
__ Bath Seat
__ Bathtub Spout Cover
__ Baby Food Grinder
__ Books
__ Feeding Dishes and Utensils
__ Tub Toys

Thanks for your help ladies!!

i get overwhelmed very quickly. I'm the type of person that has to be told what to do, what to buy etc.

I think i have underestimated how much stuff i have to get before Gracie arrives. All i have so far are a few singlets, 2 pairs of socks, 3 onepeices and 3 going out outfits for her. I do have the pram and car seat picked out though.

It was stuff like nappies, baby wipes etc. There were so many brands i didnt tknow which was the right ones.

Thanks again for your help

shar

marianne i didnt know you had a baby?!?! why come you havent ever posted pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we are picture whores around here ya know

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