Steve & Audra's New (First) Baby Shopping List

Since we have several friends who are having their first baby, we decided to compile a list of all of the cool things we've discovered (in some cases after much research) in hopes of possibly helping our friends save a little time in getting some of the stuff they'll need for their new baby (and maybe avoid wasting time or money on things they might not actually need)...

Here we go, in no particular order...

Baby Registries:

• Babies-R-Us is on the web (run by Amazon.com), and also has a nationwide network of stores, related to (but separate from) the Toys-R-Us chain. The physical store is a great place to go to set up a registry - you get a hand scanner and walk around zapping bar codes. I think they also give you a list of things. Their selection of baby stuff is probably among the best you'll find in one place. Audra appreciated the fact that the same registry data was also available online so she could add/delete items without having to go to the store. One problem is that the online store doesn't carry everything the physical stores do, like most of the clothes. If you do find clothes you like at Babies-R-Us (especially if they're on sale), Steve suggests buying them on the spot since they probably aren't available online. Besides, if you do register for them, they'll likely appear on the list in such a cryptic form that nobody (including you) will have any idea what they are, or where to find them.
• JCPenney has a great baby department, and we chose it over Sears because they have a well-coordinated registry that is available both in the store and online. Audra liked this because (like Babies-R-Us) people could shop in-store or online off of the same registry, and because they have a great selection of baby clothing at reasonable prices.
• Macy's has a pretty good baby department, but they don't have as many stores nationwide as JCPenney. I don't recall why we didn't register there -- I think we were just trying to keep things simple by picking BRU and JCP.
• Gymboree and Baby Gap have lots of really cute baby clothes. We didn't choose to register there since they're a bit more expensive than JCPenney, but received several nice gifts from those stores anyway.

Furniture:

• There are lots of stores with baby furniture. However, for those who live in the Bay Area, we can't say enough about Lullaby Lane in San Bruno. They are like the Nordstrom of baby stuff (that is, their customer service people are top-notch) and are definitely worth the drive even from the South Bay. We went there on the recommendation of a friend to check out their glider/rocker chairs (after not being satisfied with what we found at BRU). We bought our Relax-R-Rocker there, after spending hours sitting in each of the floor models they have on display. (To see what a glider/rocker is, check out this link for pictures. We bought the model 485.)
• We later returned to Lullaby Lane to select a beautiful crib (which later evolves into a toddler bed) and combo dresser (changing table and dresser all in one piece of furniture). Again, their selection is incredible, and the quality of the items they carry is much higher than you'll find at places like BRU. However, we might warn you that like most things, some of this stuff ain't cheap: you get what you pay for.

Strollers, car seats, baby carriers:

• We spent hours looking at the various models of "stroller/car-seat sets" (aka "Travel Systems"). We decided that most of these things are too big, heavy, and cumbersome to deal with in the car. The mother-to-be should definitely practice collapsing and lifting any tentative stroller purchase in the store before purchasing.
• We received a free Evenflo stroller that was on its way to Good Will. We figured if we needed a neighborhood stroller, this would do just fine.
• For an out-and-about stroller, we received a hand-me-down "wire frame" collapsing car-seat stroller (the Snap-n-Go LX by BabyTrend. Here's a link to it at BRU, where you can find it for about $50). This stroller has become one of our most useful pieces of baby gear. It's small, lightweight, has a basket, and is in general just an awesome product.
• Thus, we really only needed a car seat. We registered for the Evenflo On My Way car seat (with five-point safety harness) from Babies-R-Us and received it as a gift at our baby shower. This car seat/baby carrier comes with a detachable base (or as Steve might say, a "docking station") which stays in your car. If you have more than one car that the baby will travel in, you might want to get an extra "base" (about $20.).
• Again, on the recommendation of a friend, we used the services of KidsArePreciousCargo to do the initial installation of our car set. We heard at a baby class that 90% of car seats are incorrectly installed, and that can result in serious injury or death in the case of an accident. Even better is to consult with these folks before you actually purchase the car seat since some seats fit some cars better than others. Highly recommended!
• Be really careful about using older or hand-me-down car seats (or any baby product, for that matter). Recalls and safety upgrades happen frequently, so if you're going to use an older car seat be sure to call the manufacturer or check their web site for any recall or upgrade information. You can also check the Consumer Product Safety Commission web site.
• Looking back, we don't really use the Evenflo stroller all that much, since Audra prefers to carry the baby in a "Over the Shoulder Baby Holder" sling when we go for a walk. (Here's another link since the previous one doesn't really seem to be "up" yet.) Note: Audra didn't really figure out how to use the sling until the fourth month. Prior to that, the Baby Bjorn was the only baby carrier that worked for us and we continue to use that one as well, especially around the house. Audra recently discovered Kangaroo Corner, which has lots of helpful information that she could've used to figure out how to use OTSBH sling when the baby was still a newborn.
• I guess it's worth pointing out that we really prefer to carry our baby with us whenever possible, rather than leaving her by herself somewhere (in a crib, play pen, bouncer, etc.). It's a concept known as "attachment parenting" and if you want to know more about it, just ask Audra and she can tell you all about it. Obviously it's a matter of personal preference; if you don't go that route, then you may not really find the Baby Bjorn or OTSBH sling all that useful.

Diapers and such:

• We decided to go with cloth diapers. If you live in the Bay Area and want to do likewise, check out Tiny Tots Diaper Service. They have a video which I believe they'll send you if you'd like to know more. Or ask us and we can tell you all about it. We're not so die-hard that we won't use disposable diapers from time to time, but we've found modern day cloth diapers (when used with the velcro diaper covers they sell) to be just fine. We're doing our part to keep a few disposables out of the land fill. Give them a try or ask us about them. Our baby doesn't generally experience diaper rash, we don't have to fuss with safety pins, and we didn't need to buy a Diaper Genie. Please note: If you decide to use Tiny Tots, please tell them we referred you since they give their referring customers a small credit towards their own service.
• Wipes: We use Pampers or Huggies fragrance-free diaper wipes. Our baby has never seemed to complain about the wipes being cold, and we read lots of bad things about diaper wipe warmers so we didn't bother getting one.
• We bought a Simmons Contoured Changing Pad and matching terry cloth changing pad covers. Get several of these covers, since they will get soiled.
• Disposable diapers are probably a matter of preference and price. Safeway often has these on sale. Babies-R-Us has pretty decent prices on these, mostly to get people in the store since you're probably not going to come out of that store without buying other stuff too. Pampers have sticky (but removable) tabs, and Huggies have velcro-ish tabs. Steve thinks the velcro tabs are a little nicer than the sticky tabs, but work best under a Onesie. Without the Onesie, the tabs can become attached instead to the inside of, say, a blanket sleeper bag, which can cause the diaper to come loose.
• Onsies are GREAT for going over any kind of diaper - cloth or disposable (once the umbilical stump falls off, that is -- prior to that we used newborn t-shirts). They will often get soiled before or during a diaper change, so it's nice to have lots of clean ones on hand.
• Diaper bag: Whether you're using disposables or cloth, you'll need a diaper bag. You can spend hours looking around, but if you're just not satisfied with what you see in the stores, Audra found a GREAT bag online. Check out the "World's Best Diaper Bag" from WeeBees and if it sounds like what you want you can order it online. It's relatively expensive at $89, but Audra loves it. It's on the larger size, but has a small removeable "purse", plenty of room for spare clothes, comes with a changing pad, and has a shoulder strap and can also be worn as a backpack. Audra adds that some other bags might be better for people who need to keep milk or formula code (since some other bags have insulated pockets for bottles; this bag does not, though it does have several mesh pockets inside and outside the bag).

Bottles and formula and such:

Audra breast feeds, but we still have quite a collection of Avent bottles and accessories. There's much we could add to this section. Suffice it to say that there are some things that are useful to just about everyone (except people who refuse to ever use a bottle) including:

• Counter-top bottle drying rack
• Dishwasher bottle/nipple basket
• Bottle brush (comes in Avent "starter kit") and maybe a separate nipple brush
• Avent microwave sterilizer

On the subject of breast pumps, we'll offer the following advice: If the mother is going back to work and needs to pump, then the Medela Pump In Style breast pump is the top of the line but highly recommended model for the working mom. Otherwise, for occasional pumping by the stay-at-home mom (to ease engorgement), the Avent manual pump may be fine. Then again, for the mom who needs to increase her supply, you can't beat a hospital-grade rental pump since (like the Medela) you may need to (or want to) pump both sides at once -- something that is not possible with the manual pump. Looking back, I think the best advice might be to wait until after the baby comes, and see how things go before you invest in a breast pump that might be the wrong one for your actual needs.

Again for Bay Area people - in particular people near El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, we have found the lactation consultants at "Maternal Connections" to be VERY helpful. They'll come see you in the hospital if you give birth at ECH, which we did not. However, our pediatrician (Dr. Patricia Samson of Camino Medical Group) referred us when it appeared that our baby wasn't quite gaining the weight that she should be. Anyway, they offer consultations and also weekly support groups, as well as free access to infant scales that can be used to monitor weight gain and feeding volumes. They also have a great library of books and videos that can be checked out.

For supporting the baby while feeding, we have two nursing pillows and love both of them:

• One is the famous "Boppy Pillow" (which we often take with us in the car).
• The other is "My Breast Friend" which Audra prefers for daytime use since it provides back support and has a flatter surface for the baby to lay on. She finds the velcro fastener to be a little annoying at night since unfastening it makes quite the noise which will usually startle the baby who has just fallen asleep.

Birthing classes and assistants (aka "doula"):

If you're interested in (or curious about) having a birthing assistant, we highly recommend the services of Heather Moll at Birth 'N' Babies. We found out about Heather from Audra's gynecologist (at Women's Health in Portola Valley). We then attended one of her "open house" sessions, and subsequently decided to take her childbirth classes and also hired her to be our birthing assistant. We were very pleased with everything. She really helps with the entire birthing process. Things can move quickly when the time comes; if you want everything to go as well as it possibly can, having a birthing assistant is a great way to go. She stays with you the entire time (as opposed to nurses who come and go with shift changes) so you have someone who knows the whole process and is essentially your advocate throughout the whole experience. She has worked with all of the doctors at Women's Health (and lots of others as well). She's assisted in almost a thousand births, at many of the area's hospitals and is intimately familiar with everything that is so new to you as first-time parents. It's well documented that birthing assistants greatly reduce the need for medical intervention (even in the hospital), including epidurals and C-sections. If you want to know more, just email her or ask us.

Other odds and ends:

• Saline mist spray has proved very useful when baby gets congested. It really helps to loosen stuff before trying to use a nasal aspirator to remove it.
• Simethicone drops can ease an upset tummy.
• Teething tablets or gel help ease what may be teething pains as early as 2 or 3 months.
• Flexible tip (digital) rectal thermometer for taking baby's temperature (recommended by the pediatrician as better than the newfangled digital ear, mouth, or under-arm variants).
• Nail clippers and mittens: Baby nails need to be trimmed almost constantly to avoid scratching. It's not easy, and baby doesn't enjoy it, but it's important. Mittens that stay on help when it's not convenient to clip the nails.
• Desitin cream when baby gets a little red in the diaper area.
• Cloth diapers -- not the diaper service kind, but the kind that comes from a store, in a 12-pack for about $12 or so, either birdseye weave or gauze weave, typically made by Gerber. These are like paper towels: You use them between baby and the changing pad and as birp cloths. Two packs are probably fine, as you'll soon have them scattered all over the house and in the diaper bag.
• Most of the baby web sites offer "shopping lists" of things that you'll need. You obviously don't need everything they list, but it's helpful to look over these lists for additional ideas of stuff that might be helpful.
• ParentsPlace.com is a great online resource, with a great interactive calendar and a free weekly newsletter that will tell you what's happening each week with your unborn baby and also with the mother-to-be.

That's all, folks!

If you made it this far, we hope you've found something here that was helpful. If so, or if you have any comments or things you think we should add, drop us a line and let us know.

©2002-2005 Steve and Audra Lemke (steve@lemkeville.org)