Freaking out over baby products like strollers, cribs, and whatever else you buy for a baby boy.

I work for Graco Children's Products (and 33 weeks pregnant with baby #2) & if you have questions on any Graco strollers, please give me a shout out! I know there is so much out there & it is tough to navigate through it all...

Hey. I know I'm late in the conversation, but wanted to add one more thing that my little guy loved when he was first born. (Aside from the aforementioned bouncy chair with vibrater) We snugged him up nice and tight every night in his swaddleme blanket. It has velcro to keep him snug for longer.
While my guy loved it and had to get a second one after dad had to stay up to wait for it to emerge from the drier one night, my girlfriend's baby boy totally rejected his. They're all different.

Check out www.ambybaby.com
This is definitely what I will be getting, it is ultra portable and gives a natural bounce and swing any time the baby moves. You can also swing it for them. It will last up to the first year (more if you purchase the larger spring). It will save you on buying a bassinet and crib. If you like to travel, which I believe you two do, you can bring your baby's bed with you! It will move from the bedroom to anywhere else in the house so if you want you can always have your baby near you.

Mostly, I say register for what you need and wait until after the shower to buy whatever you don't get. Chances are you will have more than you bargained for.

I know I'm about a month late on reading this but when I was pregnant I ate up any and all information I could...so hope this helps. Note: Our daughter is now 10 months old
1. We wish we wouldn't have bought a car seat/stroller combo thing. Buying the car seat alone along with a Snap-n-go and investing the rest of the money in a good umbrellaish stroller that will last would have been so much more worth it - and probably cost almost the same.
2. Little Tummies Gripe Water is ridiculously amazing. I know they make other brands, but for hiccups, gas, it saved our sanity the first couple of months.
3. I LOVED my moby-style wrap carrier. I personally bought mine on etsy from a seller called loveyduds but there are other sellers on there (some even cheaper)...and they're cute not to mention amazing. My daughter loved (and still does at almost 20lbs) being snuggled in there close to me. My husband refuses to wear it though...so that's a downside for me.
4. Buy a lingerie bag for baby socks. Seriously. When the socks are dirty, just toss them in the bag - and when it comes time to do laundry, zip it up and toss it in with the rest of the stuff. It was 2.99 at Target and this solved our lost baby sock problem.
5. We went through 7 different brands of bottles before we found one that my daughter would take and didn't give her gas. Unfortunately the brand we ended up with was not the one we had registered for and stocked up on. Luckily my sister-in-law had the same problem and our rejected bottles worked wonders for her, so they were put to good use. Every baby is different. Next time we're not buying more than one bottle until we figure out which one works.
6. When you do go in a register...they will hand you a list of "must-haves" do NOT get overwhelmed, you don't need half the stuff that is on there.

Good luck on your baby gear adventure!

I totally agree. Buy as little as possible and register for the basics. You don't need the blanket with the matching night light, lamp shade, switch plate, hamper and picture frame. You just need a blanket. And the chances are mighty good that some soon-to-be granny or great Aunt Tilly will knit one for your little guy. Really. Don't freak out about this stuff. Someone will likely give you at least one baby shower and that will save you big time.

I didn't read the responses so maybe it's been mentioned before but seriously...get into doing product reviews. A really terrific stroller company just sent me one of their $700 twin jogging stroller plus one to giveaway to readers just for testing it out on our family and telling others about it. Doing reviews are a win for you and for your blog.

As for what you'll need, I would recomend the book Baby Lists, it has you covered. Otherwise, you really only need the basics for the first few months, basic layette clothes, diapers, wipes, bottles (if bottle feeding), a pack in play is great for the first few months if you want to hold off on buying a crib, etc. If you're on a budget you don't need to go overboard with expensive things like monitors, wipes warmers, diaper pail, tub, etc. Babies don't need much to start with, it's later that it gets expensive when you're replacing clothes every 3 months.

right there with you in the stroller overload department, in fact, i just blogged about stroller researching the other day! (here's the link, if you were wishing.)

http://whatshereallywants.blogspot.com/2009/02/bab...

2 resources that have been helpful to me:
1) the book: baby bargains - reviews most brands and models of strollers, cribs, car seats, etc... and spells out where you can skimp and where you shouldn't.
2) babygizmo.com - does video reviews of strollers, which are helpful when the stroller that *sounds* good via the above, isn't available for a test drive at BRU. they show-n- tell how the things maneuver, fold, and connect to their system's parts and provide editor and mommy ratings.

i'm at 27 weeks, still making lots of these decisions too, let me know how it turns out for you? best of luck!

Appreciate and understand what you must be going through...I put buying a new stroller up there in terms of stress, just below buying a house and buying a car!
I've always found it helpful to find as many online retail sites that offer independent reviews from people who have actually purchased them. It gives you a great insight...some just give the 5/5 stars, but the more valuable reviews come from those people who found that it wasn't quite what they expected and give 1 or 2 stars.

oh and if you a looking to save money I recommend at least looking at cloth diapers and making your own wipes. check out bumgenius diapers (we prefer them to disposables and we have already saved money and our baby is only just 5 months - imagine the savings to come!) they work like disposables except you wash them. making your own wipes out of bounty kitchen towel (slice in half and put in a rubbermaid) 1 tbsp baby oil, 1 tbsp baby wash 1.5 cup water works so great too and saves money, plus you can flush them down the toilet. just another thing to look at! it works great for us

we have a mountain buggy and LOVE it. You can buy a car seat attachment for $40 if you want to do the car seat thing but it's way stronger than the strollers that come with the car seat. Apparently cars have hit them and buildings have fallen on them and the babies in the mountain buggy have stayed safe...sounds crazy and we (thankfully) have never put it to the test but it's nice to know. It folds super easy, couldn't be easier to push and steer, has height adjustable handle bar (BIG PLUS if you are tall like me), it's comfy and cozy and the seat reclines totally so can be used from birth till WAY longer than you would want your kid in a stroller. We did tones of research, picked this and have never looked back. I love it because I can lock the front wheels and go walk on the beach or in the forest and then release the wheel for going to the mall or down town. It's always confusing choosing but keep reading reviews - I am so thankful we did research.

I agree with Kelly's comment. You really don't need most of the baby crap out there. I'm on baby #2 and much of the stuff from the first one has fallen apart and I won't be replacing it. My list is

- a sling or wrap to carry the newborn, skip the travel system "cadillac" option. I hate my cadillac and my baby was out of the first car seat in 4 months.
- a boppy pillow, it provides great support for nursing or just for holding the baby and trust me your arms will thank you.
- a bouncer seat. I had a fisher price model that vibrated but it made a LOT of noise and the restraint wasn't secure. If you can swing it, I recommend the baby bjorn bouncer, the older model is available at the portable baby (www.theportablebaby.com).
- if you are planning on having your baby sleep near you then a crib won't be needed for a while, you can just use a co-sleeper (attaches to the side of the bed). That said we found a pretty nice dark wood crib on Amazon. Avoid baby stores, they rip you off.
- enough outfits for a week and recieving blankets are multi-purpose.
- a contoured changing pad and cover (about $30-$40) you can put this on any dresser or bed or anywhere else and not worry about a specific changing table, but also not worry about messing up your stuff.

Oh and some movies and good books for the parents. You may spend a long time sitting with your baby, you need something to do!

We got pretty much the same stroller advice from friends and family that people have given you here. I'm ashamed to admit this, but my husband knows way more about this baby stuff than I do. All of it. Pregnancy, what we need to buy, maternity clothes...somehow this guy managed to get the jump on me.

We're lucking out with some of the larger ticket items, as my in-laws have had two children in the past couple of years. This means that we're getting a crib and two car seats (one sized for a newborn, and the next size up) for free, at least. I'm worried that I'm going to have a crazy hormone moment when we get the crib where I decide I hate it and we just have to spend money on a brand new one, but I'm hoping I can contain myself. Aside from that, I have no idea what we absolutely need, and just thinking about it makes me want to ball up and go to my happy place. I'm about four and a half weeks behind Jane, though, so I expect I will have to face these things eventually. I took a look at strollers in Target one day and it just made my left eye twitch a little.

The two items that nearly all of my recently-became-a-parent friends have recommended are one of those little vibrating chairs and a rocking chair or something similar and comfortable for the nursery.

Oh another fantastic product (and again I'm assuming you can get it in the US) is Colief Colic Drops (much better than Infacol) When I had Baby#3 I needed antibiotics which made baby gripey and unsettled but Colief sorted him (can be a bit of a hassle to use when Breastfeeding but can express milk and put it in a bottle). they are pricey (we get them on prescription over in the UK so free but I think they retail at £9.99...not sure what that'd work out to). Oh and another thing. Breast Flow bottles. With my first two I breast fed exclusively for months and months and... you get the pictureand when I needed them to take a bottle....NIGHTMARE. Breast Flow (by First Years) replicate breast feeding. I used them with #3 and he has no confusion whatsoever (we're into being practical now...school runs, kids clubs etc need to be flexible). The bottles are manufactured in the US so should be easy to get hold of; here's a good review: http://www.epinions.com/review/The_First_Years_Bre...

Just wait 'til the baby arrives for most things but for before car seat; changing mat; baby carrier you can use from birth, monitors, nappies, vests etc. We left the pushchair for a while because I found the baby carrier easier in the early days and those babies LOVE to snuggle in; very cute. Baby #1 : we didn't buy too much but still it was more than we needed ; Baby#2: inherited #1's stuff plus a few extras; Baby#3: everything second hand. You have loads of time to rush out and get what you need when baby arrives. One thing I did get was Lansinoh Breast Feeding Cream...not sure if you get it in US but thinking you probably can. It's fantastic a midwife friend recommended it to me...it's got no additives, no nut extract etc so doesn't need wiping off before a feed and breast feeding can get a little sore in the early days...

Whoa everyone - thanks so much for all of this info. This is a goldmine of info that I know Jane and I will be referring back to before we make any move as far as registering, or even considering stepping into Kids R Us... which maybe this weekend just for something to do and get out of the house.

Depends on how I feel though. :( I woke up sick. Fever tonight. I never get sick. This sucks. Jane's going to be a great mom; she takes good care of her sick husband.

If it's any consolation, I'm at 32 weeks right now, and what we have for our boy can be listed off on one hand. My hubby feels the same about the cool stuff though. (BTW, check out dadgear.com, as they have some cool stuff.)

The main reason we don't have anything yet is due to the fact that we're moving from a one bedroom apartment to a four bedroom house. We don't have room to put anything here. Unfortunately, our move-in date is my 36 week mark, which puts me at within a month of the due date. I'm tripping out here, so I feel for you.

Also, another site you might like, http://www.thefunkystork.com/ has a lot of info for first time dads. I made my hubby check it out too. lol

You've gotten some good advice so far regarding strollers...you really only need the "Cadillac" version that the car seat snaps in to for about 6 months because after that point Tarzan Junior will very likely have outgrown the car seat and/or you'll be tired of hauling the heavy contraption around. Trust me. Go cheap on that stroller, get the Snap n Go or something similar and spend a little more on a nicer umbrella stroller that you'll get a lot more use out of. Oh, and check out Craigslist!

As for the baby gear I couldn't live without for the first months, here's my list: Boppy pillow (I know it's awful and against all advice but my son slept soundly in that thing for the first month thinking we were holding him...and I got some blessed sleep!), couple receiving blankets, plenty of plain white cloth diapers for spit up rags (useful for sooooooo many things), baby sling (heck, you could even get away with not buying the "Cadillac" stroller if you go this route!), nursing bras/pads/Lanisoh cream, car seat (duh!), diapers, enough onesies/sleepers/socks to get you through at least two days, and a baby bouncer. You don't even need a crib at first if you have a pack n play. Neither of my children agreed to sleep in their crib until they were around 4 months old and became less picky about such things.

Good luck navigating the long lists of what Babies R Us and other such places say you "need" for a baby!

My advice on Babies R' Us is to do a registry there and put on there whatever YOU think you want. If you don't end up using it, you could always pass it on to someone someplace. What you will have fun with (as my husband did) is shooting the things with the scanner gun. The Hubbs even made the little "pew pew pew!" noise when he did it. We picked out the crib and got it early (a Grandma gift), as well as the crib bedding stuff because we didn't want people to just go crazy and buy us whatever. The rest of the big ticket items we are waiting until the shower to see what we do and don't get, and we'll go from there. If nothing else, you will probably get gift cards at the shower that you can use towards the big ticket stuff instead of your own money. You still have PLENTY of time, even though it doesn't seem like it. :)

A jumperoo! You must have a jumperoo, but once again, you won't need it until baby's older. I think we got ours around 4 or 5 months with Adia and she couldn't even reach the ground. We had to put a box under her! She used it up until her 1st birthday and still loved it.
We had this one:
http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?e=product&...

While I don't have kids I have been a part-time nanny for about 5 years now and have spent extensive amounts of time with infants, and here are some products/tips that I find easier. First thing first with the stroller, you don't necessarily have to get a combo stroller/car seat because most strollers will actually fit infant seat you place the car seat in them.

Second you must I mean must get a stroller that is easily collapsible and folds together it will be so much easier if it's collapsible quickly and to a relativity small size when the baby is crying and needs your attention you don't want to spend 10 mins trying to figure out a way to put it in your car. Along with collapsible I would suggest one that is fairly light weight, because again you don't want to be lugging a 50 lb. stroller everywhere you go.

Third I would never pay a huge amount for a stroller because believe me they will get trashed. There will be cheerios and spills everywhere so I just would never spend $600 on a bugaboo or anything like that when you can get a stroller that is just a safe for $150, that is just me thought.

I agree with Daddy Files that you will want an umbrella stroller eventually (I mean the really cheap $20 that are super collapsible and lightweight) when the baby gets older, but if you get a descent regular stroller that is fairly lightweight and collapsible that will last you a long time (I still the stroller I use when taking out K and she is 3 as I did when she was 2 months). I also wouldn't personally invest in a jogging stroller. I actually find that a decent four wheel stroller is easier to navigate when jogging then the 3 wheel kind, and a descent mid-priced one shouldn't wobble when you job, just personal opinion though.

Finally, the most important thing that I have found with strollers of all kind is to attach Stroll'r Swivel'rs they are like plastic hooks that attach to any stroller and you can hang diaper bags, purses, shopping bags, ect. off of them and they are only like $6 and can be found at babies r' us (http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId...) they are a must in my opinion.

The only other "extra" thing that is a must for me is a vibrating chair like Daddy Files said. If you baby has colic this is the only thing that worked for me. A life saver! (oh, and if your baby does have colic/acid reflux make sure you get your pediatrician to prescribe an antacid that helps soooo much).

Sorry this was so long!

As mentioned above, the "travel system" (stroller + carseat + base(s) for your car(s)) is invaluable the first few months. The key reason is that you don't have to unbuckle the baby when he falls asleep in the carseat, which will be most of the time in the beginning. You just carry him into the house, or plop him into the stroller and the nap continues.
Also, we hardly bought anything because of hand-me-downs from friends. If you aren't so fortunate, check out thrift/resale shops and garage sales. There are a lot of things that fall into the category of "invaluable for a few months"- infant bathtub, swing, bouncy seat. Meaning that you really will appreciate having it, but also that someone else probably only used theirs for a few months, so why pay full price when a little soap will give you almost-new?
I would say don't go into Babies R Us without a practical friend or relative who has recently had kids and can tell you how much of it you DON'T NEED!

Re: stroller: If your baby's first carseat is a Graco, they make this system called a "Snap & Go" that is basically a little frame for the baby's bucket carseat. That will work really well for the first few months, especially if you don't do a lot of "outdoorsy" stuff - I think it depends on you as a couple. Our daughter was born in February, and so we didn't need the bigger, more "deluxe" stroller until it was warm out, and by then she was sitting up so we didn't need to snap her bucket into it.

Agreed on the umbrella stroller - those are $20 and once the baby is 6mos, they are nearly ALL you'll need. I keep ours in my trunk for trips to the mall, etc - the BIG stroller stays home for walks and only leaves the house for events like picnics or football games (where I'll want something portable for her to sleep in).

I'm working on a list of baby stuff: essentials, nice to haves, and buy laters for my website. If you like, I'll send you the link when it's up!

It's so overwhelming... but babies really need very little at first! And the lists vary dependent on whether you're bf'ing or not, and they will help you with that at Babies R Us. There is a LOT of stuff there, but people are very helpful... and starting a registry really helps to organize your thoughts.

Wow, a fire? How awful! I've heard so many different thoughts on this... Wait, until you are further along because the sex will be a for sure thing then and you'd be screwed to have bought all blue things when you really need pink.

And I've heard to start buying one big item per month to make it easier on your bank account...

And then I've heard to wait until your baby shower so you can only buy what you don't get.

Whew, it can be complicated!

I freaked out too when I started thinking of all the things we need to get for the baby when I found out I was pregnant. But we took deep breaths and made the effort not to think about it too early. We didn't start buying the major items until my 7th month.

One reason for this is because of what happened to a co-worker of mine. *knocks on wood it don't happen to anyone else*

When she found out she was pregnant, she started buying all the stuff she thought she needed. She bought clothes, playpen, stroller/carseat system, etc. They were totally ready. Then when she was about 6 months, they had a house fire, everything was destroyed. So they had to get everything again.

Oh and I agree with buying strollers, it's almost like buying a car.

Wow everyone - thank you so much for the comments and advice.

I must admit that Daddy Files gives the best advice - to have a few shots of Jack before stepping foot into Babies R Us! I've never been in that store and I'm one who gets overwhelmed easily by places with TONS of stuff.

There's a store that Jane sometimes goes to - and I made the mistake of going with her ONCE. Imagine a store the size of Walmart but filled with nothing but jewelry. Millions of earrings, millions of necklaces, millions of just stuff.

After about 5 minutes I became a zombie. 30-40 minutes into it, we walked by another couple and I looked at the guy's face and could see he had been zombified as well. As we walked by them - with both our wives were busy searching through items overcome by their buying trances, he looked up at me and said, "please kill me".

I was right there with him. I never stepped back into that store again and it took me a few weeks to recover. Even hearing the name of that store makes me fall onto the floor and kibbie out for a good 7-8 minutes.

I'm hoping Babies R Us won't be that bad. However, I love to play in stores. I'm one of those guys who will go into an aisle and start playing with the toys, seeing which ones make noises and make songs with them. You can take a boy out of Toys R Us, but you'll never take the Toys R Us out of a man. Deep down inside we still want to play - but I think a lot of guys fight that urge.

Jane was embarrassed by it at first, but now she's a good sport. Any time we're in a store and they have Nerf footballs or those huge plastic balls, I'll grab one and toss it to her. As we walk through the store and down the aisles, we'll sometimes play catch with each other. Sometimes we knock things over. Sometimes we almost hit people. But we always laugh and have fun - and that's what toys are all about, right?

So where I'm going with all of that... is if Babies R Us has toys that I can also play with and things that make noise that I can make songs with, I'll be good to go... especially with a few swings of Jack. ;)

I also appreciate the comments on the items we don't need.

Jane and I are CLUELESS about this stuff. We'd be the couple with all of the wipe warmers, milk warmers, boob warmers, baby warmers, blanket warmers, and warmers to put your cup of coffee in so your coffee doesn't get cold when you're changing your baby.

One thing I do want to get is one of those bouncy things you connect to the top of a doorway so your baby's fee touch the ground a little and s/he can jump up and down. I was in LOVE with that thing as a baby and have videos of me jumping in that thing. It's what strengthened my legs so that I was able to start walking at 8 months... and then look out! I instantly became the kid who was into everything you weren't supposed to be in. Hmmm... maybe one of those jumper things are not the best idea... lol

We didn't use a stroller until Adia was almost 6 months old. She hated them. Until that point we used the Baby Bijorn, but I would recommend a different carrier if you're thinking about baby wearing.

Don't even get me started on the crib. Only good thing about it is it converted into a toddler bed and full size bed. She never slept in it as a crib, rarely as a toddler bed and now we're working on getting her to sleep in it as a full bed. So far she's doing well.

I think the one baby item you'll most definitely need is a carseat. Try them out before you buy. Make sure they're easy to install in your car and are easily adjustable. Also make sure you can easy fasten and unfasten them. There's nothing worse than wrestling with the straps on the carseat with a squirming baby.

If there's one thing I know about babies, it's that every one is different. Who knows how you'll son will like car rides, strollers, being held, swings, bouncy seats, etc. Adia wanted to be held 24/7, hence the baby wearing. I wouldn't buy a lot of "stuff" until after your baby gets here.

a swing! I wish someone had told me that my first time with a new baby :) the love it! and, you can get them at good prices on places like craigslist, or consignment, or those stores that buy/sell used baby goods- they are really picky on condition so no fear there..plus, you can wash the seats yourself.
so-carseat/stroller combo, swing crib, soft changing area- no need for a changing "table", I never had one and my baby was fine :) wipes, diapers, get some aquaphor hand cream- it's pricy but a little goes a long way- it's good for all kinds of stuff, diaper rash, dry skin, ect..some diaper creams seemed to irritate my son and they just get these little red butts and it's sad...so Eucerin or aquaphor- awesome!
baby washcloths, baby tub...sweet baby wash, ..
and ASK AROUND- everyone has their own little favorites. Congratulations!
Also, I like the name Logan :) just my thought!

Sweet Jesus Tarzan, please listen to me...

One of the most overwhelming moments of becoming a dad for me, was walking into Babies r Us. It is completely intimidating and you feel like going into the fetal position and weeping. Between the high prices and the fact that you have NO IDEA what half of the contraptions do, it's terrifying.

Here's my two cents. First of all, you need two strollers. First, you need the "Cadillac." This is actually a stroller/infant carseat. You will use this religiously for the first 5-6 months. But then you also need a smaller "umbrella" stroller. When he gets old enough to sit up fairly straight and support himself, you'll get sick of lugging the Cadillac wherever you go and he'll start outgrowing the infant seat. Even though the umbrella stroller doesn't have the storage space for a diaper bag and all that, it's so much easier to lug around with you.

And if you have friends and family who are eager and excited, you don't need to buy any of them. My best friend bought us the Cadillac and three (yes, that's right. THREE!) other people bought us small strollers. People are more than happy to help you out in this department, so buy as little as possible.

And stay away from all the unnecessary items that Babies r Us makes you feel like you need. Like wipe warmers, bottle warmers and crap like that. Stick with the basics. Lots of onsies, lots of diapers, lots of butt cream, a crib, a changing table and for the love of God, one of those vibrating seats. My kid hated his swing, but we couldn't have gotten through the first few months if not for the vibrating chair. It was the only thing that put him to sleep.

And if you do decide to go into Babies r Us, have a few shots of Jack Daniels first. It's the only way to deal. I still get flashbacks sometimes...

they sell so many un necessary things too, which doesn't help at all.... I mean wipe warmers?! c'mon, seriously. We don't have toilet paper warmers, so I think that the baby can survive without a warm (actually make that dried out) wipe. My friend had one of these ridiculous items and all it did was dry out the wipes. Oh and the bottle warmer. I got so sick of waiting for the damn thing to work I ended up boiling water in the microwave and sticking the bottle in that., which worked better. Good luck!

I can totally understand we have been worrying about what to buy and what is not really needed baby shops will have you thinking you need every product or you are a bad parent to be....

we are lucky that my partner is the last of 4 brothers to have kids so a lot of things are being passed on to us

but my list of must have's include

Cot, Pram, nappy bag, change table, bouncer, bath, nappies, clothes, baby wipes, nappy rash cream,baby monitor, child safety gates as we have stairs, boobs, baby formula if you are not or can not breastfeed. Nipple cream if you are going to breast feed for those sore boobs, bottles, Nursing pads, Car seat, clothes nappies for spews and spills and the most important things 2 loving parents which i know Tarzan junior already has. there is probably more things but those seem to be the basics