Shopping for Baby

Julie - posted on 02/11/2009

If there's 1 thing u can learn from all these replys is that every mother finds their own way and the things that suit their needs.



Never had a swing, just a bouncer with all of my babys. That worked 4 us.



Ur baby will get to know his/her own bed and u may find, as i did that that was the best place for them to sleep.



I found Monitors are a must have. Especially if u want more children.

Leslie - posted on 02/11/2009

hi - congratulations on expecting your first child. i am the queen of shopping for babies, especially little girls. yes you should get a bassinet or a pack and play for downstairs so you dont have to carry the baby back and forth upstairs, you dont have to do that until the baby starts to sleep in the crib. i have a pack and play downstairs and before i set that up i had a bassinet in which my daughter used for 3 months only. so i would say to skip the bassinet and go straight for the pack and play it is the most cost efficient.

Genie - posted on 02/11/2009

I could not have survived without the bouncer!

Natasha - posted on 02/11/2009

Hi. I actually think getting the playpen combo is going to be your best choice, I have one myself and my son sleeps in it during the day and in the night he would be in my room sleeping in his crib. Believe me it works so well. Alson when it comes to the bouncer that works well if you have errands to do around the house and yoou stil want to keep your baby close by you, then that would be your best bet, and with the swing honestly I have 4 children and I never used a swing with them it also takes up too much space. I try to train my children from a newborn and growing to sleep without being held for too long. For instance my 4 month old son since being born he uses his passifier and that soothes him and he would fall asleep onh is own. You really have to try new routines until you find the right one for you and your baby. If you need anymore advice feel free to write to me.

take care and good luck!

Sarah - posted on 02/11/2009

i would definitely get a swing. We didn't get a a bouncer because we sprung for a more expensive swing but i loved it because my care seat could also pop into it. So if my daughter went to sleep in the car the we could just pop her into the swing without waking her up it was the GRACO Sweet peace swing. It is a really great swing. We even traveled with it! As for the bassinet, i'd just skip that and get a pack'n play that has a bassinet top that you could use until your baby is bigger. I love our pack'n play. I used it in our bedroom when my baby was first born.

Sam - posted on 02/10/2009

hey i had a vibrating chair for both of mine and they are good for the first month or so but not to bothered after then but then they were good for when they moved onto eating baby food, nice and easy. i also had a wicker crib that my little girl stayed in for bout 3 months this was good because i could have it down stairs in the day and up at night, this was also nice and easy to take in the car if i went over to family or friend house for the day so baby can sleep well. hope this helps

sam

Jill - posted on 02/10/2009

I totally agree with Melissa!!! A bassinet is just a waste of money, especially having a crib - put the baby in it right away and get some of your normal life back. The pack n play gets lots of use. You can get ones that have a raised part for when they're newborns (which holds up to about 15 pounds) then take that part away and it is good until about 18 months of age as a portable crib and play pen. They're great because you can take it to grandma's or the sitter's if they don't have a crib, or to a hotel if you take a trip....

A bouncy seat is cheap and good to have sitting by you while paying bills, working on the computer, taking a shower, etc.....I actually have a Linkadoos seat which converts to a toddler chair so it is useful for a long time.

Some babie like swings and some babies don't. It was a godsend for us as it put her to sleep so I highly recommend getting one. I borrowed my sister's so the only thing I paid for was the D batteries that it ate up. I love the fisher price papasan swing, but if they exist you might want to get a swing that has an AC adapter or get rechargeable batteries and a charger (something else you could register for).

Someone also mentioned an activity/play mat. That was good too, and recommend that. They don't have to be too fancy (although we have one with lights and music - fisher price rainforest one - and Lily still crawls under it when she's tired and plays with the toys that come with it).

Something else that is great to have is a sling that you wrap around you. I have the Cuddlywrap and it came with a DVD to show you all the different ways to wrap it around you so the baby can be in front or on you back, face in or face out, and even a newborn cradling position. It keeps your hands free for other things and is so comfortable for mom and baby.

Melissa - posted on 02/10/2009

ditch the bassinet idea and buy a pack and play the baby will grow out of the bassinet to fast to get any use out of it. :)

Jena - posted on 02/09/2009

Quoting Amber:

 

My baby loved her swing for about 4 months and then wouldn’t stay in there for more than 15 minutes at a time but during the 4 months I used it A LOT. I had the papasan by fisher price. I have packed it up and will be using it for the next baby. I never had a bounce chair.

One thing that I now can't live without and have been putting her in since she was about 5 months is her activity center. www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?produc....

I know having a 5 month baby seems so far away but believe me it will come quicker than you think!!!  When the start  to roll and sit up there are very few places you can put them down even for a second to go to the bathroom even! So defiantly star to look into an activity center!

Maddy slept in my room in an armsreach coslepper until she was 6 months. I got luck and at 6 months she started to sleep through the night so I moved her to her room. I also stopped breastfeeding at 6 months. If you are going to breastfeed I really recommend that you buy a cosleeper.

 

 

We have this same play center, but not in the pink collection. We got it when our daughter turned about 5 months. She is 7 months and still likes to play in it. We also hung some of our own toys on it for her. She has a lot of energy, so she likes this. I bring it into the kitchen door way every night and put her in it while I clean the kitchen and wash her bottles.

Jena - posted on 02/09/2009

Oh yea, both swing and bouncers were gifts. We bought the pack n play.

Jena - posted on 02/09/2009

Quoting Brittany:

Shopping for Baby

Hi everyone, I'm 28 weeks pregnant with my first and am starting to shop. I've decided on the crib, stroller and carseat I want.

I'm confused about a few things though. First, i'm looking at a bouncer (the kind the baby sits in and it vibrates and plays music) and a swing. Are they both really necessary? Did you find either or both of them really helpful with your children.

Also, I live in a 2 story house and the bedroom is upstairs. I was planning on getting a bassinet for her to sleep in downstairs during the day so that we don't have to carry her up and down the stairs too much. That worries me. Someone told me they only last in the bassinet for a month so it's not worth getting and that I should get a playpen combo that comes with the bassinet instead although they are a lot more expensive. I would love to hear your experiences with all of these items before I make a decision.

We bought a Graco Pack n Play that is one of the playpen/bassinet combos you are probably talking about. We lived in a studio apartment at the time, so it was great for us. It had an attatched changing table as well. The bassinet part of it is very roomy. Our daughter slept in for at least 4 months, maybe closer to 5. Then we bought a crib and she went straight into that. We don't have the pack n play up anymore, but if we travel we could bring it for our daughter to play in or sleep, if she had to.

We had a bouncer and swing. She never really liked sitting in the bouncer. I would put her in it when I wanted to get something done around the house, but she never play with the hanging toys much. It is boring in there! lol However, she loved her swing. The swing is also a great way to get your baby to sleep, if you  have to. Now that she is 7 months I use the bouncer at bath time. I bring it in the bathroom and have her sit in it, strapped in, while I get the bath water ready. Then we take a bath. Overall, I would recommend a swing and pack n play if you don't have a crib and want to hold off on buying one for a while!

Amber - posted on 02/09/2009

My baby loved her swing for about 4 months and then wouldn’t stay in there for more than 15 minutes at a time but during the 4 months I used it A LOT. I had the papasan by fisher price. I have packed it up and will be using it for the next baby. I never had a bounce chair.

One thing that I now can't live without and have been putting her in since she was about 5 months is her activity center. .

I know having a 5 month baby seems so far away but believe me it will come quicker than you think!!!  When the start  to roll and sit up there are very few places you can put them down even for a second to go to the bathroom even! So defiantly star to look into an activity center!

Maddy slept in my room in an armsreach coslepper until she was 6 months. I got luck and at 6 months she started to sleep through the night so I moved her to her room. I also stopped breastfeeding at 6 months. If you are going to breastfeed I really recommend that you buy a cosleeper.

Rebecca - posted on 02/09/2009

Sorry, I was misleading, I had two different things, but the bouncer thingy we got at Toys R Us and it was a baby einstein brand. May I make a suggestion on a swing type? I would really recommend getting one that has the capacity to swing back & forth and side-to-side, that way whichever way your baby prefers you'll be set. Sorry if I got ya all excited at the idea of a combo package. If you're going to get that type of swing, though, you might want to just get an average/normal bouncer, as they're cheaper...(Our swing was given to us-hand-me-downs are fabulous if you know folks).

Jolene - posted on 02/09/2009

I would defiantly recommend getting a swing! When they hit that first phase of wating to be awake longer but not being able to do anything for themselves, the swings are awesome. The bouncy chair was okay, not a must have though in my opinion. If you plan on using a playpen when they get older, I would get that with the bassinett on it because it is true that they are not in in for very long. So to spend the money on the combo would be good as long as you plan on using the playpen afterwards.

Rebecca - posted on 02/09/2009

Quoting Brittany:

Quoting Rebecca:

My vote is to totally get both a bouncer & a swing-although if you're looking for longevity, we got a swing and a bouncer that's not really a bouncer. It's kind of like a mini papasan (sp?) it has the capacity to rock, it's snuggly, it had a music and vibraty button, and it holds up to 30-40 pounds. Abby still loves it (she's 2). I don't think you can live life without a swing, but that's just me. ( = I didn't have a bassinet, bassinet, we had the playpen combo & we loved it. In fact, that's actually what Abby slept in (in our room) the 1st 8 months of her life. Our house is the same, in her bed being upstairs and when they're little ones I'm sure you'll find he/she will either be sleeping on you, the floor, or the aforementioned swing for the 1st months of her/his life. SO exciting, congratulations!

Do you know where I can find a link to this swing/ bouncer your talking about. I did see a swing with a canopy that projects butterflies is this the same thing? I'm so confused with this/

Brandis - posted on 02/09/2009

we had a swing and a bouncer....everything was so crowded at the time my son was born and the bouncer stayed in the closet until spring cleaning and my son was 8 months too big for it so the $50 dollar bouncer was a waste but the swing was very useful.

Nicole - posted on 02/09/2009

we have a bouncer which is useful as my little boy likes to sleep in it sometimes during the day with the vibrating action switched on. it also has an attatchment which he can play with which keeps him amused. i dont think its necassary to have the swing aswell as they're pretty much the same thing really. my baby, zane is 10 wks & is still in his bassinet & it is useful but not because i take it downstairs with me as he will sleep paaded in on the sofa. (well padded in though so he cant roll off), its useful because i can lay it right next to my side of the bed & i only have to reach over & pick him up to feed him in the night instead of getting out of bed everytime. we also have the travel cot with the bassinet attatchment. (we were realllllly lucky with the things people bought for us) which is great as we are goin to a friends over night next wk so its goin to be great being able to take it with us. look around too as for a bit extra we got onw that has the bassinet attatchment, a night light, a vibrating mattress & a sound box on it wihich plays music & waves, crickets etc. playing the crickets to him at night sends him to sleep. hope its useful x

Brittany - posted on 02/09/2009

Quoting Rebecca:

My vote is to totally get both a bouncer & a swing-although if you're looking for longevity, we got a swing and a bouncer that's not really a bouncer. It's kind of like a mini papasan (sp?) it has the capacity to rock, it's snuggly, it had a music and vibraty button, and it holds up to 30-40 pounds. Abby still loves it (she's 2). I don't think you can live life without a swing, but that's just me. ( = I didn't have a bassinet, bassinet, we had the playpen combo & we loved it. In fact, that's actually what Abby slept in (in our room) the 1st 8 months of her life. Our house is the same, in her bed being upstairs and when they're little ones I'm sure you'll find he/she will either be sleeping on you, the floor, or the aforementioned swing for the 1st months of her/his life. SO exciting, congratulations!

Do you know where I can find a link to this swing/ bouncer your talking about. I did see a swing with a canopy that projects butterflies is this the same thing? I'm so confused with this/

Crystal - posted on 02/08/2009

I use my bouncer and swing both a lot. The bassinet depends on how much and how fast your baby grows. They are smaller than a playpen, so baby can grow out of one quickly. I only paid about $25 for my bouncer, and we were given the swing. I also only used the playpen for about a month or so, she didn't like that very much. Every baby is different, so you might have to try a few things to see what you like. Incidentally, I love the bouncer because it is easier to move around than the swing. I can bring her into whatever room I am working in and she can be entertained there. My bouncer has a bar with toys on it that she can play with. Good luck, and congratulations!

Rebecca - posted on 02/08/2009

My vote is to totally get both a bouncer & a swing-although if you're looking for longevity, we got a swing and a bouncer that's not really a bouncer. It's kind of like a mini papasan (sp?) it has the capacity to rock, it's snuggly, it had a music and vibraty button, and it holds up to 30-40 pounds. Abby still loves it (she's 2). I don't think you can live life without a swing, but that's just me. ( = I didn't have a bassinet, bassinet, we had the playpen combo & we loved it. In fact, that's actually what Abby slept in (in our room) the 1st 8 months of her life. Our house is the same, in her bed being upstairs and when they're little ones I'm sure you'll find he/she will either be sleeping on you, the floor, or the aforementioned swing for the 1st months of her/his life. SO exciting, congratulations!

Brittany - posted on 02/08/2009

Thank you, you have both helped already. I've been looking at walmart.com, but I'm definately planning on looking at consignment stores before I shop at walmart or online. The only things I'm definately getting from walmart are a health/grooming kit, 4-in-1 crib, and the travel system. Thank you. I'm hoping to get lots of opinions on this.

Jen - posted on 02/08/2009

Hi Brittany,

We had a bouncer seat given to us at my baby shower and we borrowed a swing. Our son hated the swing and cried every time we put him in but he loved the bouncer, slept in it alot the first month!

As far as the bassinet, we borrowed one of those too. Our son slept in it only for 2 weeks and then he went into his crib. We are in an apartment so having him on another floor was never an issue. They are kind of small and baby outgrows it quickly. With the bassinet playpen combo, the bassinet is bigger and will come in handy for at least the first month and then the playpen for months afterward. I agree they are a little pricey, but there are - at least where I am living - a few different places speciifically for gently used baby gear. Maybe you could find something there.

Hope I helped a little. Congrats on the baby!

Marcia - posted on 02/08/2009

We didn't have either a swing or a bouncer, but I kind of wish I had at least one in retrospect.

As for your other question about the bassinet we actually used this for three months and used it for our son to sleep in beside our bed (to give you an idea Michael was 22.25 inches when he was born, so it wasn't like he was tiny)...the playpen combo I hear is also good as the bassinet part can double as a quick place to change her dirty diapers...you might actually consider a Moses basket instead as then you can move it from room to room as you go, but it really comes down to what you and your little one likes. I'm sure the other people on this site though will have more information. Good luck :)