What does a new mom need?

[justginger]

I am taking care of the gift-purchasing for a coworker who is leaving to have her first child at the end of the week. We''ve put a collection together and though it''s rather meager at the moment, I expect to end up with about $100.

My concern is that she needs...everything. I think she''s in denial that this process will eventually end with her holding a newborn. She''s bought the big things - like a carseat, crib, etc. But so far she''s only got 3 outfits for him?? No bibs, diapers, pacifiers, socks, bathing stuff, etc. Maybe since I''m not a mother myself, I''m exaggerating what is necessary for a child, but it seems like she''s got a bit of buying to do.

So - what things does she absolutely need, but won''t realize til she''s in the moment? I don''t want her to have to literally hand the baby to her husband and run to the shops because she doesn''t have a bathtub for him!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 10/3/2009 11:29:08 PM
Author:justginger
So - what things does she absolutely need, but won't realize til she's in the moment? I don't want her to have to literally hand the baby to her husband and run to the shops because she doesn't have a bathtub for him!

Honestly I think that's the best way! The thing that was most valuable to me as a new mom were gift cards. That way I could go buy what I needed instead of having 100 cute but useless newborn sized dress up outfits.

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 10/3/2009 11:57:15 PM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 10/3/2009 11:29:08 PM
Author:justginger
So - what things does she absolutely need, but won''t realize til she''s in the moment? I don''t want her to have to literally hand the baby to her husband and run to the shops because she doesn''t have a bathtub for him!

Honestly I think that''s the best way! The thing that was most valuable to me as a new mom were gift cards. That way I could go buy what I needed instead of having 100 cute but useless newborn sized dress up outfits.

Ditto. Gosh those dress up outfits barely got worn, and when I did want to use them?? My babies had already outgrown them... Such a waste.

 

[pixley]

The bathing stuff came in handy for me. I loved those super soft, thin washcloths and the organic baby wash and baby massage oils were all things I actually enjoyed using, along with the baby bathtub, so I think you''re on the right track. Another gift we''ve gone in on for one of our co-workers was a Baby Bjorn or other good carrying pouch.

 

[E B]

If she really needs everything, what about a big basket tied with a pink, blue or yellow bow and a bunch of supplies inside? Or you could use a baby bathtub as the basket. Some suggestions:

- Diapers (we use and like Pampers Swaddlers)
- Wipes
- A swaddling blanket (Swaddleme)
- A pack of basic onesies in both newborn and 0-3 months sizes
- A sleep gown or two (like these)
- A few soft receiving blankets
- Baby shampoo
- Baby hooded towel/washcloths

You could put together a pretty nice 'starter kit' with $100! Hope this helps.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Date: 10/4/2009 12:19:17 AM
Author: EBree
If she really needs everything, what about a big basket tied with a pink, blue or yellow bow and a bunch of supplies inside? Or you could use a baby bathtub as the basket. Some suggestions:


- Diapers (we use and like Pampers Swaddlers)

- Wipes

- A swaddling blanket (Swaddleme)

- A pack of basic onesies in both newborn and 0-3 months sizes

- A sleep gown or two (like these)

- A few soft receiving blankets

- Baby shampoo

- Baby hooded towel/washcloths


You could put together a pretty nice ''starter kit'' with $100! Hope this helps.

This is a really good list. I had a project once where I was told I had $1000 to set "my baby" up for 3 months. This was for everything, a crib, diapers ect. It was a game to teach us childless residents about the world of baby stuff. I went to Target and wrote down everything I wanted to buy. They paired me with a resident who had twins. The one thing I underbought was clothes. He said his kids spit up so much he went though 1-2 onesies (sp?) a day, so I bought a bunch of those. I didn''t buy too much of the dress up clothes. The towels are a good idea, for diapers, I prefer the pampers swaddlers in the newborns too (just from my time dealing with newborns in the hospital). I tried to buy generic Target diapers during the exercise, and he advised against it, saying that he tried that and they leaked too much and that the brand was worth the money. However, my BF''s sister used the Cosco brand of diapers and she said they were fine.

The think I laugh about now is that for my crib I "bought" a pack and play that got recalled about 3 months later....was feeling pretty dumb at that point.

 

[packrat]

I agree w/the dressy outfits being not worth it. They''re cuter than all get out, but not something I put my kids in just for being at home. We used a lot of onesies and the sleep and play footies that come in packs.

Pampers swaddlers are the best we thought too. We tried using generics w/London, and we got some from people too, but even tho you get more for your money, the absorption just isn''t as good compared to more expensive brands.

I''d even add Mylicon, infant Tylenol and Hylands teething pills..maybe some saline squirty stuff for noses too. Might not be something they''d use right away, but it''s nice to have it on hand so when you need it late at night you''ve already got it. Plus, it wasn''t something I thought about at first-not until I''d be on the phone w/mom or my best friend trying to figure out what the baby''s problem was and they''d suggest trying one of those things and I didn''t have it and had to track down an open store in the middle of the night.

We used the pretty socks we got for their hands b/c they were scratchers. The little hand mitts never stayed on.

 

[luv2sparkle]

SLEEP!!!!!

 

[MagsyMay]

Lots and lots of cotton onesies! So my mommy friends tell me...

 

[steph72276]

Is she registered somewhere? I would just do a big bag of basics and get as much as the $ allows....Ebree had a good list and here are my thoughts (after just being on a shopping spree myself): Onesies, bibs, spit up cloths, washcloths, hooded towels, bath wash, shampoo, diaper rash cream, wipes, diapers (also a fan of pampers), grooming sets, sleep and play clothes, gowns, receiving blankets, white crib sheets, pacifiers, bottles.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Date: 10/4/2009 4:15:23 PM
Author: packrat
I agree w/the dressy outfits being not worth it. They're cuter than all get out, but not something I put my kids in just for being at home. We used a lot of onesies and the sleep and play footies that come in packs.


Pampers swaddlers are the best we thought too. We tried using generics w/London, and we got some from people too, but even tho you get more for your money, the absorption just isn't as good compared to more expensive brands.


I'd even add Mylicon, infant Tylenol and Hylands teething pills..maybe some saline squirty stuff for noses too. Might not be something they'd use right away, but it's nice to have it on hand so when you need it late at night you've already got it. Plus, it wasn't something I thought about at first-not until I'd be on the phone w/mom or my best friend trying to figure out what the baby's problem was and they'd suggest trying one of those things and I didn't have it and had to track down an open store in the middle of the night.


We used the pretty socks we got for their hands b/c they were scratchers. The little hand mitts never stayed on.

New babies should not be getting tylenol at home until they get their first set of immunizations. If a newborn has a fever, they need to be seen and evaluated, and tylenol can mask fevers.

Once they are a little bigger (3-4) months, those are good things to have on hand. Babies seem to be at their worst in the middle of the night when they are sick.

ETA: I always tell parents to make sure they have a rectal thermometer on hand. Everyone gets the ear and arm pit one and those are not accurate. In a bigger kid the exact number is not all that important so I don't mind so much, but in a newborn, it is really important to know the core temperature.

 

[tyty333]

Some kind of baby sling so she can free up her hands. Here is the one I used and loved...

http://www.thefind.com/family/browse-baby-bjorn-denim-baby-carrier

But there are all different kinds of baby carriers and maybe she would like to pick the one that
best suits her. A giftcard may be the way to go.

My kids definitly went through multiply onesies a day. They either threwup on them or had
diaper blowouts..so that would also be a good idea.

 

[cellentani]

Every mother has her own preferences, whether it''s bathing supplies or diapers. When each of mine were newborns, I just popped them in the kitchen sink on one of those big spongy-things, but I had to have a certain brand of diapers (the elastic fit around the legs much better, and did a much better job of containing the, well, you know). However, some moms like to have the big plastic tub, but are willing to use store brand diapers and wipes. Because of that, I really think a gift card is best, but perhaps you could offer to do some shopping for her, once she decides what she needs and likes. And seriously, she doesnt have ANY diapers??!! Newborns go through about 7-10 per day!

 

[packrat]

Date: 10/4/2009 5:09:18 PM
Author: LtlFirecracker

Date: 10/4/2009 4:15:23 PM

Author: packrat

I agree w/the dressy outfits being not worth it. They''re cuter than all get out, but not something I put my kids in just for being at home. We used a lot of onesies and the sleep and play footies that come in packs.



Pampers swaddlers are the best we thought too. We tried using generics w/London, and we got some from people too, but even tho you get more for your money, the absorption just isn''t as good compared to more expensive brands.



I''d even add Mylicon, infant Tylenol and Hylands teething pills..maybe some saline squirty stuff for noses too. Might not be something they''d use right away, but it''s nice to have it on hand so when you need it late at night you''ve already got it. Plus, it wasn''t something I thought about at first-not until I''d be on the phone w/mom or my best friend trying to figure out what the baby''s problem was and they''d suggest trying one of those things and I didn''t have it and had to track down an open store in the middle of the night.



We used the pretty socks we got for their hands b/c they were scratchers. The little hand mitts never stayed on.

New babies should not be getting tylenol at home until they get their first set of immunizations. If a newborn has a fever, they need to be seen and evaluated, and tylenol can mask fevers.


Once they are a little bigger (3-4) months, those are good things to have on hand. Babies seem to be at their worst in the middle of the night when they are sick.


ETA: I always tell parents to make sure they have a rectal thermometer on hand. Everyone gets the ear and arm pit one and those are not accurate. In a bigger kid the exact number is not all that important so I don''t mind so much, but in a newborn, it is really important to know the core temperature.

I just meant so they''d have it on hand when they did need it. We don''t have any 24 hour places around here so when it was suggested to try it when our first was 3/4 months old or whatever, we didn''t have it, is all. I like to be prepared.

 

[wsu12]

Does she have a registry? I have always found that following the registry is an excellent way to ensure she receives what she needs/wants. Check the following places: Target, Babies R'' Us, Pottery Barn Kids.....
Good Luck!

 

[Sha]

Date: 10/4/2009 12:19:17 AM
Author: EBree
If she really needs everything, what about a big basket tied with a pink, blue or yellow bow and a bunch of supplies inside? Or you could use a baby bathtub as the basket. Some suggestions:

- Diapers (we use and like Pampers Swaddlers)
- Wipes
- A swaddling blanket (Swaddleme)
- A pack of basic onesies in both newborn and 0-3 months sizes
- A sleep gown or two (like these)
- A few soft receiving blankets
- Baby shampoo
- Baby hooded towel/washcloths

You could put together a pretty nice ''starter kit'' with $100! Hope this helps.

Ditto to this list!

 

[geckodani]

Date: 10/4/2009 6:27:55 PM
Author: Sha

Date: 10/4/2009 12:19:17 AM
Author: EBree
If she really needs everything, what about a big basket tied with a pink, blue or yellow bow and a bunch of supplies inside? Or you could use a baby bathtub as the basket. Some suggestions:

- Diapers (we use and like Pampers Swaddlers)
- Wipes
- A swaddling blanket (Swaddleme)
- A pack of basic onesies in both newborn and 0-3 months sizes
- A sleep gown or two (like these)
- A few soft receiving blankets
- Baby shampoo
- Baby hooded towel/washcloths

You could put together a pretty nice ''starter kit'' with $100! Hope this helps.

Ditto to this list!

Thritto on the list, and the gift card concept as well! The one thing my sister got a ton of and thought everyone was crazy for was the receiving blankets - but dang- you use them for EVERYTHING and even though she had a bajillion she ended up buying more!!!

 

[vespergirl]

A $100 gift card to Babies R Us, Target or Walmart would be great. I got a lot of outfits that my son outgrew before he even used. Also, even though diapers and stuff are a great idea, you never know how big the baby''s going to be. My baby wore newborn clothes and diapers for many weeks, but I have two friends that had 9 or 10 pound babies that went right up to diaper size 1 (bigger than newborn) and clothing size 0-3 months (also bigger than newborn) as soon as they were born.

The mom will figure out what she really needs in the first couple of days, and then a gift card to a store like Babies R Us is great, because she can choose things that she likes.

 

[TooPatient]

Date: 10/5/2009 10:29:09 AM
Author: geckodani

Date: 10/4/2009 6:27:55 PM
Author: Sha

Date: 10/4/2009 12:19:17 AM
Author: EBree
If she really needs everything, what about a big basket tied with a pink, blue or yellow bow and a bunch of supplies inside? Or you could use a baby bathtub as the basket. Some suggestions:

- Diapers (we use and like Pampers Swaddlers)
- Wipes
- A swaddling blanket (Swaddleme)
- A pack of basic onesies in both newborn and 0-3 months sizes
- A sleep gown or two (like these)
- A few soft receiving blankets
- Baby shampoo
- Baby hooded towel/washcloths

You could put together a pretty nice ''starter kit'' with $100! Hope this helps.

Ditto to this list!

Thritto on the list, and the gift card concept as well! The one thing my sister got a ton of and thought everyone was crazy for was the receiving blankets - but dang- you use them for EVERYTHING and even though she had a bajillion she ended up buying more!!!

I did something like this for my aunt when she had her first kid. Got a nice sized diaper bag and filled it with onesies, washclothes, a blanket, soft toys, teething rings, baby grooming kit (shampoo, nose cleaner, nail clippers, soft brush), towels, socks, etc. (and a couple of different types of diapers for her to try)

I went to Target and pretty much got all the basics. Stuff I knew she would need but isn''t the traditional baby shower gift (pretty outfits & the such). Looked for sale items and stuff that came in multi packs.
I also made sure to put in a couple of sizes of onesies. Turned out that her baby was big and couldn''t wear the newborn size so she got a lot of use out of the stuff I got her.


Gift cards are great, but she may not feel like shopping right away.

 

[radiantquest]

My SIL bought these reusable diapers. They were like $20 a piece, but she said they saved her tons of money. I don''t think that you should spend the whole $100 on these, but she said they were great and you may want to suggest them. They are not like the old ones where you need pins and all that, but they have elastic around the legs and all.

As far as things that you could get her I would agree that that the carrying sling thing is a good idea. Spit up blankies, desitin and a thermometer. New mommies are always worried about the temperature. Maybe a noise maker so that the baby can sleep. The ones that I have heard about make something like white noise so that it helps drown out household noises and reminds the baby of womb noise.

 

[Shoopy]

Date: 10/5/2009 11:49:58 AM
Author: radiantquest
My SIL bought these reusable diapers. They were like $20 a piece, but she said they saved her tons of money. I don''t think that you should spend the whole $100 on these, but she said they were great and you may want to suggest them. They are not like the old ones where you need pins and all that, but they have elastic around the legs and all.

As far as things that you could get her I would agree that that the carrying sling thing is a good idea. Spit up blankies, desitin and a thermometer. New mommies are always worried about the temperature. Maybe a noise maker so that the baby can sleep. The ones that I have heard about make something like white noise so that it helps drown out household noises and reminds the baby of womb noise.

The hospital provides one for free

I have to ditto whoever suggested a gift card. When we were in the final days and right when we brought DD home, those gift cards saved us. We would go through the day and think crap we need xyz and use the gift card to grab it.

If you don''t like gift cards, then I would look at her registry. The problem with giving diapers is that you never really know if their LO will use any kind of diaper or if they get a rash. I got a ton of boxes of huggies (huge boxes) and huggies gave DD a rash. She can only use Pampers and I either had to return whatever I could or give away the diapers. Very sad lol

 

[TooPatient]

Date: 10/5/2009 11:49:58 AM
Author: radiantquest
My SIL bought these reusable diapers. They were like $20 a piece, but she said they saved her tons of money. I don''t think that you should spend the whole $100 on these, but she said they were great and you may want to suggest them. They are not like the old ones where you need pins and all that, but they have elastic around the legs and all.

As far as things that you could get her I would agree that that the carrying sling thing is a good idea. Spit up blankies, desitin and a thermometer. New mommies are always worried about the temperature. Maybe a noise maker so that the baby can sleep. The ones that I have heard about make something like white noise so that it helps drown out household noises and reminds the baby of womb noise.

My mother, grandmother, & aunt all tried re-usable diapers. Would have saved a bunch of money.

They HATED them. They didn''t like having to clean them. Even my grandmother (who didn''t mind cleaning them -- she used reusable sanitary pads when she was younger) didn''t like having to clean them. A baby goes through a bunch and having to wash them each time is a lot of extra work.


Most of the women I know (even the global warming, organic, tree saving, recycled flooring types) don''t like and won''t use the re-usable diapers. There are women who like them (or so I''ve heard -- I don''t know any).

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Date: 10/5/2009 12:11:21 PM
Author: fiery

Date: 10/5/2009 11:49:58 AM

Author: radiantquest

My SIL bought these reusable diapers. They were like $20 a piece, but she said they saved her tons of money. I don''t think that you should spend the whole $100 on these, but she said they were great and you may want to suggest them. They are not like the old ones where you need pins and all that, but they have elastic around the legs and all.


As far as things that you could get her I would agree that that the carrying sling thing is a good idea. Spit up blankies, desitin and a thermometer. New mommies are always worried about the temperature. Maybe a noise maker so that the baby can sleep. The ones that I have heard about make something like white noise so that it helps drown out household noises and reminds the baby of womb noise.

The hospital provides one for free


I have to ditto whoever suggested a gift card. When we were in the final days and right when we brought DD home, those gift cards saved us. We would go through the day and think crap we need xyz and use the gift card to grab it.


If you don''t like gift cards, then I would look at her registry. The problem with giving diapers is that you never really know if their LO will use any kind of diaper or if they get a rash. I got a ton of boxes of huggies (huge boxes) and huggies gave DD a rash. She can only use Pampers and I either had to return whatever I could or give away the diapers. Very sad lol

The one I work at doesn''t. I wish it did.

And I think being prepared is great. It is just that I tell parents to keep Tylenol out of the house until 2 months of age. Than they can have it to be prepared. You would be surprised how many parents mis-use Tylenol, or give it to newborns before they come to the ER to "treat the fever." That puts me in a really bad place because I am making decisions (that involve invasive procedures and IV antibiotics) on history alone.

 

[D&T]

diapers and wipes are top on my list

 

[justginger]

Thanks for all of the suggestions! I will start with the base of a tub and fill it in with all of the bits and pieces mentioned. I think I''ll give the clothes a miss, except for a few onesies. I''m going to be back in the States in 2 weeks'' time and will hit up Old Navy for some cute little boy clothes for her - for about 30% of what I would pay for the same things in Australia. She''s due mid-Nov, so I should be returning with the booty a week or so before he makes his appearance.