Advice, Baby Accessories, Motherhood, Newborn, Pregnancy The first time you walk into any baby store—or even just meander into the baby section at a store like Target—can feel overwhelming. Aisles upon aisles, shelves upon shelves and display after display of this gadget, that tool and another alleged “must-have.” It’s a lot to take in and can be tricky to figure out what you actually, truly will need for your baby. Before you take the plunge and start filling your cart, find out what you need, and what you don’t, for your baby. Baby Items You Can’t Live Without Start simple by listing the basics, the essentials, the absolutely-positively-need-to-raise-a-baby items. To help even more, organize your list by categories, using the same categories stores use so you can best match items. Here’s our list of “essentials” for your baby: Bottles, if you plan to bottle feed (either pumped breast milk or formula) Formula, whether to supplement breastfeeding or to use exclusively
Nursing pillow, like a Boppy or My Breast Friend (helpful for feeding baby, regardless if breastfeeding or bottle feeding) Breast pump (tip: check with your insurance company to see what it provides under the Affordable Care Act) Breastfeeding accessories if nursing: Nursing pads, nursing bra, lanolin cream When you start feeding baby solids, you will need a few additional items: High chair or seat to strap to a chair Diapers (the hospital may send you home with free diapers—score!) Crib (if space is an issue, look into a mini crib) Car seat (check out Safe Car.gov for information on car seat ratings and recall) Stroller (tip: get a stroller compatible to your car seat or an adapter so you can snap your car seat into the stroller to use during the time before your baby can sit up in the stroller) Diaper bag, or a bag dedicated to carrying baby items, such as diapers, wipes, change of outfit, etc. Onesies (long-sleeve or short-sleeve depending on the season/weather)
4-6 sleepers/pajamas (tip: go for the zip-up sleepers, because you’ll find yourself fumbling with buttons or struggling to get all of the snaps during those middle-of-the-night feedings) Outwear for the appropriate season, such as a zip-up hoodie, mittens, winter coat, etc. Toys, such as a rattle, musical toy, etc. Play mat or play gym Non-Essential but Popular Items The items that fall under essential really vary by who you ask. Some items may be absolute must-haves, can’t-live-without for one parent, while another parent only uses the “basics” and has no need for anything else. As you prepare for the new addition to your family, some other popular but necessarily “essential” items include: Baby carrier or wrap, such as an Ergo Baby Carrier or Solly Baby Wrap Changing pad and a changing table Noise maker or music player for the nursery Portable crib, like a Graco Pack N Play or 4moms Breeze Special laundry detergent, such as Dreft
Tips for Buying for Baby Not sure if you need an item? When I was expecting, I purchased many items in advance of my baby’s arrival, but found later I didn’t end up using it. If you’re on the fence about purchasing something, wait until the time your baby will actually use it (e.g., a high chair—you don’t need it at birth and won’t actually use it until your baby starts solids) and then make the decision then. Alternatively, ask a friend if you can borrow their baby carrier or toy before purchasing one to see if your baby enjoys it or will actually use it. It’s hard enough knowing what you’ll need, but it gets even tougher knowing which brand or model to purchase. Check out reviews, ratings and research the product online to see what others are saying. Poll your friends, too, to see what they recommend. It’s one thing to read about or see pictures of a product online, but it’s a totally different experience to see it person and test it out. Take time to visit a store with a brick-and-mortar location, like Buy Buy Baby, Target or Babies R Us, to try out baby items, such as a stroller, portable crib, etc.
Even if you end up purchasing the item online in the end, having actually touched and tested the product makes a big difference in your decision and satisfaction with the product. Remember, every parent and every baby is different. You may find that your list of “needs” is bigger than what we shared above. Find what works best for you and what helps you best care for your baby and go with that. Best of luck and congrats on your new addition! What was your must-buy for baby? Following the pattern of style, safety, and durability of the Munire Brand, the carefully crafted Brunswick Collection is constructed from the finest wood and wood veneers to capture a sleek presence in any room. Transcending from your child’s early years to adulthood, the Brunswick is designed to adjust through each phase converting to toddler bed, day bed, and full size bed. Sure to remain a staple in your home, the Brunswick crib is a winner. Crisp White finish or Rich Espresso finishes available.
Brunswick 5 Drawer Chest Brunswick Toddler Guard Rail Find a Buy Buy Baby Store Locate a Buy Buy Baby Store near you As Seen on Ellen TV Watch Munire Wyndham Crib As Seen on Ellen TV Mother’s Day Special ShowI got my glider from buy buy baby and didn't have any issues with the special order. It actually came in sooner than expected. I will agree their ordering people are not that bright, they were telling me the chair almost doesn't fit into a SUV, and my husband still squeezed it into his tiny aveo with no problems. I have had a ton of problems with pottery barn kids though, they delivered my crib mattress to someone the next town over and the person hunted me down on Facebook! You should definitely get something out of all this frustration. Some kind of discount. Demand the TruthBaby Sleep Products. Read About Our Mission Since our founding, KBS has made significant strides in protecting infants and toddlers from unnecessary injuries and death.
Here are just a few of our many legislative accomplishments: KBS was instrumental in the passage of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a vital new federal crib legislation on June 24, 2011. This law ensures that new cribs comply with the strongest crib laws our country has ever seen. KBS has been the driving force behind a new state law to protect babies in New York. In 2011, we first met with Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, representing the 67th District in Manhattan, to discuss the need for this legislation. We are pleased to see our initial concept has been signed into law. This new law (A.356/S.6730) is critical; requiring New York hospitals and birthing centers to provide clear written information in several languages to parents when they take their babies home. It helps all parents make the right decision about safe sleep. This message will then be reinforced regularly when families visit their pediatricians during multiple visits during their baby’s first year.
We’ve educated hospital personnel on safe crib and sleep practices so they can pass vital information directly to their patients. We are currently working to make it mandatory for all hospitals and birthing facilities in the U.S. to educate new parents on crib safety upon discharge. Gov. Chris Christie signed a bill (A.1355/S.2963) into law in New Jersey, following our extensive engagement with the bill sponsors, Senators Tom Kean and Joe Vitale and Assemblymembers Linda Stender and Jamel Holley. Assembly members Jamel Holley, Angela McKnight and Jim Kennedy introduced state legislation calling for a ban on the sale of supplemental mattresses (A-1139) in New Jersey. The bill was heard in October 2016 by the Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee, which unanimously voted to move the legislation to the full Assembly A companion bill by Sen. Teresa Ruiz is to be heard in the State Senate (S. 2616). The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission docketed the KBS petition to ban supplemental mattresses, resulting in the public overwhelmingly voicing support.
The CPSC is expected to make its ruling in 2016. Through our advocacy, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), representing 64,000 pediatricians across the U.S., has called for the CPSC to ban the sale of supplemental mattresses. KBS has urged major retailers to stop selling supplemental mattresses, including Toys ‘R Us, buy buy BABY, Kmart, Sears and Wayfair. We partnered with the AAP and the CPSC to create a national education campaign on sleep safety entitled “Safe Sleep (Environments) for Babies,” which includes a video and educational materials on how to create and maintain a safe nursery and sleep environment for infants. We’ve distributed the “Safe Sleep (Environments) for Babies” video and brochures (in English and Spanish) in hospitals nationwide. The video is viewed in hospitals on the Newborn Channel, which reaches more than 3.1 million viewers in more than 1,000 hospitals each year. Since 2007, we’ve donated more than 8,000 cribs to financially-challenged parents through our partner hospitals and clinics nationwide.