Baby Gear Essentials

I know, I know, every single website tells you what to buy and what not to buy. Well, no one is giving me any money to endorse anything, I'm just a regular person writing a blog who happens to have had her first baby, registered for a bunch of stuff, and has used a bunch of stuff a ton, and is also disappointed that I was suckered into things that I really didn't need (and now feel guilty that, in this economy, my friends and family bought me those things that just lay around my house).

Here is my no-frills, no-nonsense approach to buying for baby. These are the must-haves. I hope this helps you cut through the hype from magazines and other sites that are sponsored, and to help you when you are waddling around Babies R Us trying to figure out what is necessary. There's nothing fancy on my list, but everything on the "must have" list has served a purpose.

MUST HAVES:

Diapers (I prefer Pampers) - I bought a package of size 1 diapers every week while I was pregnant. I bought all kinds: Chlorine free, pampers, costco, etc. I found Pampers Swaddlers were the best at first, then Baby Dry at night, Cruisers during the day.

Huggies Wipes (they are worth the money) - again, I've tried them all. Huggies are tough, allow you to clean poopy bottoms with only one wipe.

Desitin (get a tub for the changing table, tubes for the diaper bag and alternative changing station)

Cloth Diapers (6-12) - don't mess with those cute burp cloths - these puppies are hardcore. Trust me, when your kid is in the spit-up phase, you will be cleaning up a lot of baby puke.

Sleep Sacks (aka wearable blankets) - fleece for winter, jersey for summer; i recommend having 3 at your disposal. you will use these A LOT!

Receiving Blankets - try to find larger ones if you can, so you can use them longer; have the nurses in the maternity unit teach you how to swaddle. It really does help the baby stay calm while he/she is sleeping.

sleep n' play one-piece pjs - get the ones that zip up, rather than snap. you will lose your mind in the middle of the night trying to snap all of those snaps!

Born Free Bottles - even if you're breastfeeding (which i did) it is nice to have bottles on hand, and these are the best ones i've tried. they let just enough liquid out, and they vent pretty well. they come in BPA-free plastic or glass. I have both. I like both.

Bottle Warmer - I just bought the BRU generic brand. It works just fine. this is really nice to have - it heats up really quickly.

Breast pump (if breastfeeding) - I bought a Medela Pump in Style. it looks like a handbag, it's relatively quiet and easy to use. it comes with four 5oz bottles, and all of the equipment you need. I also bought the cleaning wipes and the pump and save breastmilk storage bags.

Travel System - these are great. they have a stroller, infant carrier/car seat, and car seat base all in one package. It all coordinates, which is nice too.

Pack n' Play - they have really come a long way since the plain blue ones of old. They have changing tables attached, which is great if you have a two story house (one changing table upstairs and the pnp changing table downstairs).

Dreft laundry detergent and stain remover - the stain remover is the best thing since the invention of the washing machine. No kidding, it gets motor oil out of clothes! This stuff is worth its weight in gold!!

Other: bibs, onesies, clothing, socks (Old Navy makes the best socks)

Observations of a Nerdy Lawyer Mom

My husband and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary last night. We don't go out to eat that often because of the expense (my husband gets buyer's remorse over a pack of gum), so when we do go out, I relish the time away from home. We talk about things that we don't usually get to talk about sitting in front of the TV every night. We talk about our plans for the future, business ventures we'd like to try, etc. What made this night different was that this is our first date as parents.

One of my favorite things about our little man coming into this world is watching my husband become a father. Not in the literal sense, but watching him interact with this little guy that now graces our presence (and by "grace" I mean screaming, pooping, sleeping, eating, screaming some more, etc.). My big, burly husband who wrenches on and drives dump trucks as a hobby (that's right, a hobby) comes home and turns into this cuddly, emotional guy, and I love it.

Our relationship with each other has become stronger as well. We've always been a good team, but our little guy has made that already strong bond even stronger. Of course, it's not always puppy dogs and ice cream, but there is a noticeable change in our relationship, and it's a positive one.

So the two of us now find ourselves sitting at one of our favorite restaurants, discussing our usual topics of future plans, goals, and the other stuff that we discuss when we are away from the television, when my husband says, "you know, with him here, going out to dinner just seems different - here we are, out by ourselves, and we're not saying, 'thank God, a night by ourselves.' Instead, we're sitting here, wondering what he's doing while we are away. It's kinda cool." It is cool.

Many of our goals and plans for the future have stayed the same, but they are now taking on a new sense of urgency - instead of just talking about it, we need a game plan, we need a schedule. Neither one of us wants to look up 10 years from now at our anniversary dinner and realize that we still have the same hopes and dreams for the future and we haven't done anything about it. This one little guy has turned us from dreamers into doers in a matter of 8 weeks.

I can't wait to see how our game plan takes shape.