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A few weeks ago I was talking on the phone with Tony, and he passed on a recommendation for a book that he thought we’d both enjoy. It’s called Daddy Needs A Drink. I looked it up on Amazon. I generally stay away from books that use the word “irreverent” to describe themselves in the subtitle, but I’ve been seeking good new daddy stories, and this got good reviews. That’s when I saw the big button staring me in the face: “Add to Baby Registry.” It was there even though I hadn’t set one up — I guess they assume enough of their customers are breeders that it’s worth the screen real estate to put it on every page. I clicked it.
Suddenly we had a baby registry, one item deep. I tweeted about it, thinking how funny it’d be to have a registry with nothing else on it. Then, a day passed, and I thought about how my kid might want diapers and shit (um, I don’t actually think he’ll be for want of shit), and thought maybe I should take this a little more seriously. Then I realized I had no idea what that involves.
So this is a plea for advice from all the parents out there. We’ve got this baby shower thing coming up. I’ve been told people are going to buy us stuff, and I’ve been told if you don’t tell them what you need, you’ll end up with 200 onesies, and federal regulations state that a bungee cord-tied bundle of onesies does not a car seat make.
I know this has been covered in other places a thousand times over. I’m sure there are books about it. I’m sure the Drinking Daddy touches on it. But I need a filter, and if you’re reading this, and you have an opinion on this matter, you’re that filter. Tell me, please: on day one, what will we need? What did you get that helped you the most? What do you wish you had gotten, had you had your future self to consult with?
Megan
— Apr 13 / 10:02This should be helpful: http://www.newser.com/story/56014/parenting-for-dummies-what-not-to-do.html
lacey
— Apr 13 / 11:51We also created a registry on Amazon. It would be pretty much impossible for me to tell you what to do because I have no idea what kind of “styles” you’re interested in adopting. If I could do it all over again, though, I’d just register for a good baby carrier (like an Ergo, Beco, or just a plain ol’ mei tai) and a diaper service. Or disposable diapers in a variety of sizes. Just don’t get sucked into the mindset that you’ll need a lot of stuff for your baby, because you really won’t!
Drew
— Apr 14 / 09:53Yeah, you might need an actual carseat… stupid federal laws. We got the Graco snugride carseat that snaps into both a stroller and the car, and it’s been great, should last us until Bennett is at least one.
My general advice: think beyond day one. You’re right, you’ll get a million newborn onesies. Register for some 3-6, 6-9, 9-12 month old stuff — clothes and toys — so you’re not empty-handed down the road. The Haba wooden toys are nice, as are plastic stacking rings, crinkly-sounding soft toys (they apparently like making the noise). Timeless Toys in Lincoln Square has lots of great stuff.
I wouldn’t register for a ton of diapers (cloth or disposable) because you’ll likely need time to figure out which you like best. We tried out G-diapers for awhile, then switched to 7th-gen disposables for a variety of reasons.
Lastly (sorry for such a long comment), don’t worry too much about the random stuff you’ll get. We received gifts that we never would’ve registered for — and Bennett loves them. It’s a nice surprise.
Renate
— Apr 14 / 10:20Time to buy “Baby Bargains”! The book provides reviews on safety, price, durability, parent recommendations, etc. for just about every single baby item you may need (or want) to buy, and the various brands of each. So let’s say you don’t want to bother deciding between 20 different types of crib mattresses or changing pads, hit up Baby Bargains to make the decision quick and painless. The safety reviews on cribs, strollers and car seats are a must.
Jeremy
— Apr 14 / 10:29If you’re going to ask for one thing: get someone to promise to come over and clean your home twice a week for the first two weeks. You won’t have the time or energy to do any cleaning yourselves (you’ll barely manage to bathe), and everything gets covered in meconium/shit, vomit, and (breast)milk. And that meconium is a bitch to clean.
Catherine
— Apr 15 / 11:41Nice language Jeremy. I look back on those days as being so happy and wonderful. But I guess there was also human effluvium everywhere. Memories!
I really liked the big exercise ball/birthing ball. It was handy during the birth of course, but then it was also really nice to bounce on it while holding Floyd. Often he could be bounced to sleep on it. Sometimes it was a good substitute for the endless pacing and swaying.
I also think wraps are nice. I have a hotsling and a moby wrap. Want em?
Grandma Amy
— Apr 16 / 01:42Besides a bunch of cloth diapers for burping, I agree with Lacey. You really won’t need a lot of stuff.
However, here’s what I would suggest you won’t ever use for a long, skinny Weisz baby. Forget receiving blankets—those not-so-little feet will stick out. Onesies with a drawstring at the bottom? They won’t even tie on day one.
Tips for his first Cubbies t-shirts: Size 0-3 mos. will fit for 2 wks, max. The next size for another month. After that, take his age and double it for clothing size (thru age 5). Big baby boys are fun!
Adrienne
— Apr 19 / 17:14A rocking swing. Even the ancient one (c.1965) we cadged from Phyllis—which squeaked as it propelled baby Sarah back and forth, back and forth into happy oblivion— helped us weather those early months.
Lilli Weisz
— Apr 19 / 22:45A bucky.
Plus everything at this site, for sure:
http://ipopmybaby.com/