Things babies don't need

[Yarjka]

http://theboard.byu.edu/questions/76288/
I love this list - great advice. Of course, some people really like setting up the baby room and buying all of these special things, and that's fine too.

The big one for us was no crib. We bought a small ikea mattress and put it on the floor. Here's a good example. My daughter (3.5 years old) still uses that same mattress on the floor. As a baby she rolled off a bit, but it really wasn't a big deal to move her back onto it. The crib is completely unnecessary and causes more problems than it is worth when kids get old enough to try climbing out. Instead, just keep the room baby proof so if the kid does wake up he's not going to hurt himself on anything, and the bonus is he gets to explore and learn about his surroundings and doesn't feel trapped (or do kids in cribs feel secure?).

When I try to convert new parents over to the floor bed idea, though, they look at me like I'm crazy. It really is much better, though, I promise.

[bobtheenchantedone]

Hmmm. I think I like that floor idea. One thing I do worry about is my hypothetical years-in-the-future children climbing out of cribs and hurting themselves (can you tell I like to worry?) Also, cribs are huge and have a lot of parts for such a small task.

[Genuine Article]

Yeah, we just use and pack 'n' play. Smaller, cheaper, and portable.

[Whistler]

I'm planning to use a pack n' play as a bassinet, but I think I'll need a crib when the baby is bigger? Or maybe I could just take the bassinet part out and put her in the bottom part when she's bigger?

Another thing I've decided I don't need is a wearable blanket. Some site tried to tell me that blankets are a SIDs danger, but I think a properly swaddled baby will be okay?

[Whistler]

I'm trying to decide how much "newborn" sized clothing I will need, but I guess it's hard to tell since I don't know how heavy my newborn will be.

[bobtheenchantedone]

Whatever you do, don't go buy more clothes for your baby because you don't feel like doing laundry. My two youngest sisters have more clothes than the rest of us put together.

[Dragon Lady]

A properly swaddled baby will be fine... until they start to get strong enough to break out of their swaddle. At which point sleep quality dwindles dramatically because they're used to being swaddled, but then they get out of the swaddle unintentionally and startle themselves. I hate it. I invested in a Woombie this last time (I'd suggest two, for laundry purposes), and I fell in love. This definitely falls under the category of things you don't need. (Same with wearable blankets.) But if you're not trying to save every penny, then the sanity benefits it provides far outweighs the cost to me. It's a swaddle that lets them move around (so you don't have problems with hips, and because it's more familiar—they could move around in the womb—but it's zipped up, then snapped, so they can't break out of it. I *love* it.

(Note: if you go the blanket route, but are concerned about the SIDS danger, just use a breathable blanket, like an afghan. Also, once baby is old enough to move it around by itself, SIDS danger drops dramatically from it.)

[No Dice]

I'm planning to use a pack n' play as a bassinet, but I think I'll need a crib when the baby is bigger? Or maybe I could just take the bassinet part out and put her in the bottom part when she's bigger?

Just take the bassinet part out. We had our (big) 18-month-old sleeping in a pack 'n play for three months while I was away for an internship. He did fine.

I like our crib, and wouldn't want to do without it, but if you're cramped on space or budget—or just don't care for cribs, for whatever reasons—pack 'n plays are more than adequate.

[Dragon Lady]

I had a friend use a pack and play for well over a year and then, I think, moved her into a bed. I don't think she ever got a crib, though I could be wrong.

[No Dice]

Whatever you do, don't go buy more clothes for your baby because you don't feel like doing laundry. My two youngest sisters have more clothes than the rest of us put together.

Have a baby that goes through five or six outfits a day and then get back to me.

[thatonemom]

Until a minute ago I didn't realize what a wearable blanket was. (I have one, but we just call it a sleep sack) Anyway, one of my kids liked the sleep sack and the other hated it. It wasn't essential for my kids. My kids also didn't like to be swaddled for very long. It seems like by the time they were two months, they were over it. But it was also the middle of summer, so that may have played a roll.

My kids didn't wear newborn size clothes for long, either. Usually by a couple weeks we were on to the 0-3 month size. But I don't think you can have too much of either because you change the baby's clothes so much. (Seriously, it was like my kids would pee every time I undid their diapers to change them. Both my sons peed on their own faces. I didn't think that was possible. So if you're having a boy, maybe invest in a peepee teepee. Or cover them with a wipe first) It's nice to have a dozen onesies at the ready, especially if you don't have a washer/dryer in your house.

We used a pack n play with the bassinet. When my oldest got big enough we just took the bassinet attachment out. The only downside was that we had a cheaper pack n play and the little mattress at the bottom got kind of bowed. Then we got a crib. Personally I'm a fan if you have the space/resources for one.

ETA: so, now I noticed you saying "she" and "her" about your baby, so forget about the peepee teepee.

[Whistler]

much thanks

[Dragon Lady]

ETA: so, now I noticed you saying "she" and "her" about your baby, so forget about the peepee teepee.

I'm having a boy, though, so the advice is welcome.

[Genuine Article]

I'm trying to decide how much "newborn" sized clothing I will need, but I guess it's hard to tell since I don't know how heavy my newborn will be.

Whatever you do, don't buy any clothes, because that's all people will want to give you. And they grow out of newborn-sized stuff super quickly because newborn stuff fits up to eight-ish pounds.

[Whistler]

yeah, I noticed at the last few baby showers I went to that people love buying baby clothes (??).

[Squirrel]

Wait! I've missed a whole lot this past year- Whistler is expecting! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!

[Whistler]

thanks