BabyHTP: 22 Weeks

on February 8, 2012
in All Posts

My favorite sweater is getting a bit snug… 

12 weeks3 22 weeks

Today, I am 22 weeks! 

 

Want to know something crazy?  At 22 weeks, a baby is almost a pound and as long as a sheet of paper.  I showed a sheet of paper to the Husband and told him this fun little fact, and he didn’t believe me! 

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I had to show him a chart of average fetal weight and height by week to convince him that I wasn’t lying.  It just seems so big.  Where is that kid hiding?  Where are my other organs?!

 

Kristien practiced rocking our paper baby to sleep…

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… And then I made a To Do list on the back of him.  Sorry, baby.

IMG_6733 IMG_6728 

Here’s what BabyHTP is up to this week:  At 22 weeks, his/her eyes have formed, although the irises lack pigment and therefore color.  Any hair on the head is also white.  The pancreas is forming.  The little hands have developed bigger and stronger nerve endings, so she has a sense of touch in her fingers.  He can also taste all the times that I eat in the amniotic fluid. (Source, source)

 

I’m sending redhead vibes to the baby this week – I’m hoping she’ll inherit her daddy’s ginger locks! 

 

Lots of people keep asking me if we found out the sex of the baby because I’ll go through ‘she’ or ‘he’ spurts.  Nope!  Still in the dark, and we plan to stay that way.  I was trying to decide how I’ll announce the baby’s name on the blog, and last night, I realized that I want you guys to find out whether it’s a boy or a girl just how we will – at the end of the birth story!  I’m sure it will take me a few days to write it, so I hope I can keep it a secret from the Interwebs until then.  So many people have said that they don’t know how we can keep from finding out, but I have to say that we really love not knowing the sex.  If you’re on the fence about it, I highly recommend it.  It’s so fun to think about both possibilities and to know that we won’t find out until his or her birthday. 

 

I know some mommas have strong sex suspicions, but I really don’t know if BabyHTP is a girl or a boy.  I can picture it going either way!  I do feel strongly that there is a little girl in our future – when I think about our chosen girl name, I have a sure sense that one day that person will exist, but I’m not sure if it’s this baby or the next (God willing). 

 

So – instead of a post topic, I have a plea.  I realized last week that I really need to start registering for baby stuff for my baby shower. Except… I have no idea what to ask for.

babies-r-us-registry-scan-gun

(Source)

I want to register for useful things, not super specialized things that I’ll never or rarely use.  My friend Brittany said, “We decided to just have the basics, and I’m so glad we did. We really didn’t need much at all at the beginning, and I still think that we don’t need much. I think (like weddings) the baby industry tries to make you feel like you NEED so much. But clean diapers, food, and a lot of snuggles will be all your baby needs in the beginning.”

 

Brittany sent me her 5 Baby Must-Haves, my other friend Jen e-mailed me her own blog plea for Baby Registry Help, and Cindi wrote Newborn Must Haves. I would love it if the mommas or mommas-to-be reading this post could give me some suggestions for practical baby registry items. Considering that I don’t even know how to swaddle a kid, I’m going to need some real-life advice or I’m doomed and will end up registering for the PeePee TeePee in ten different colors.

 

Here are my Babble posts from this week:

Your guide to those exciting nine months

 

And here’s Week 22 in a nutshell:

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  • Total Weight Gained:  Scale jumps between a total gain of 14 – 17 pounds. 
  • Workouts:  Can you believe this?  FIVE WORKOUTS!  I hiked 3ish miles, swam 1000 yards, walk/ran 2.0 miles, went to prenatal yoga, and swam a mile.  This is by far the best workout week I’ve had during pregnancy.  Wahoo!
  • Nesting Urges:  Strong.  We need to move into a bigger place, STAT.
  • Cravings:  Citrus. Popcorn. Potatoes.
  • Nicest Moment:  The Husband and I have been reading childbirth books out loud to each other at night in bed instead of watching TV.  I’ve really enjoyed the experience, and we’re talking about continuing the tradition after the baby is born.
  • Best Gift:  One I gave, not one I received.  Today is DadHTP’s birthday (Happy Birthday!), and we got him this customized grandpa shirt to wear to the hospital.

dad_gift

And please – I’d love to hear your baby gear recommendations!

 

Read all my pregnancy updates here

{ 162 comments }

 

  • Kim @ girlevolving February 8, 2012, 2:49 pm

    Caitlin, have you seen this: http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/you/the-exhibit/your-beginning/make-room-for-baby/interactive/ It’s awesome and shows how your body moves aside for the baby!

    • Caitlin February 9, 2012, 8:18 pm

      That is the coolest thing everrrrrrrrr.

  • Krystina February 8, 2012, 2:49 pm

    Sorry for being inappropriate, but your boobs look HUGE!

    • CaitlinHTP February 8, 2012, 2:50 pm

      That is generally what happens when you become pregnant. 🙂

      • Melissa @ Be Not Simply Good February 8, 2012, 4:24 pm

        I really appreciated the bouncy chair, sling (Over the Shoulder Baby Holder), Boppy Pillow, full size baby swing, baby gym, baby bathtub, and Medela breast pump. Both my babies were born during the winter (in MN), so we didn’t have a lot of use for our stroller during those early weeks/months, but later on, having a stroller was essential.

        After we had our second baby, and they were only two years apart, we got a ton of use out of a double stroller. I don’t know if it would make sense to buy a double right from the start???

        We also bought a small portable swing when we had our second baby (the borrowed full size swing had been returned to its rightful owner), and my little guy didn’t like that at all. We ended up buying a full size swing for him, and the small one was a total waste.

        One thing I would say about what’s really needed. Kids really don’t need much (anything?) for toys right away. We are now overrun by toys, and I realize now that we got too much too soon. I would suggest keeping toys to a minimum for as long as possible. 🙂

        • Melissa @ Be Not Simply Good February 8, 2012, 4:28 pm

          Hmm, not sure how my comment ended up here. Sorry! I know it doesn’t make sense in the context of bigger boobs! Oh well… 🙂

      • Julie February 8, 2012, 7:58 pm

        I noticed the same thing haha — happened to me too. My question though is what kind of bra are you wearing in the pic or do find supportive and comfortable these days? I STILL can’t find a good one to support the girls during my pregnancy!

        • CaitlinHTP February 8, 2012, 7:59 pm

          You know what? I can’t remember the name of the new bras I bought (and I definitely needed a new bra, I’ve got up FOUR cups sizes). I went to Nordstorm’s and got measured and bought two nursing bras. I think I will get bigger before birth but hopefully at some point, these will fit again. I highly recommend getting professional fitted.

    • Miranda @ Biting Life February 8, 2012, 9:50 pm

      I thought the same thing! I showed the picture to my boyfriend saying, “Oh my god… look how much her boobs have grown!” He was like, “….. JESUS!” hahaha

    • Kathy February 9, 2012, 3:10 pm

      So funny. I was thinkin the same thing but didn’t want to say it. 🙂

  • Kristina February 8, 2012, 2:50 pm

    You should check out A Cup of Jo blog. This post in particular http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/2011/08/motherhood-mondays-what-to-register-for.html

    It seems really helpful…at least to get you started!

    • Caitlin February 9, 2012, 8:21 pm

      Thanks for this link!

  • Morgan February 8, 2012, 2:51 pm

    My Brest Friend nursing pillow and the Boppy Newborn Lounger. Also the swaddleme swaddles w the velcro!!

    • Alex February 8, 2012, 9:58 pm

      I DEFINITELY second the My Brest Friend. For those of us with…ahem…ample girls…I found it to be a lot more supportive than a regular Boppy.

      • Caitlin February 9, 2012, 8:30 pm

        Def getting this!

  • katie@newmamamac.blogspot.com February 8, 2012, 2:51 pm

    you can find my 0-6 month essentials on an old blog post here

    http://newmamamac.blogspot.com/2011/11/0-6-months-necessities.html

  • Hillary February 8, 2012, 2:52 pm

    I’ve never had a baby, but all my friends who have say they wish people had just gotten them the basics for the shower: diapers, cloths, onesies, etc. The big stuff is important, but the little, everyday things are ESSENTIAL!

  • Anna February 8, 2012, 2:52 pm

    aden + anais swaddle blankets! I scoffed at getting them when I was pregnant ($40 for 4 muslin blankets, no way!) until my houdini escaped out of every swaddle blanket and I developed a fear of suffocation from others. They are super thin, cooling, warming, soft, and so versatile!

  • Kristin February 8, 2012, 2:53 pm

    I would recommend registering for a good mix of BIG expensive things and smaller things. I know at my showers (I had 3) that people liked to go in together and buy the big items but they also appreciate the small items. I would also recommend NOT registering for clothes because people tend to give those, although no knowing the gender that would be tough. I also got a lot of blankets as gifts. Of course I haven’t had my little one yet (6 days and counting) so I still don’t know what I really use!

  • Hilary February 8, 2012, 2:56 pm

    A moby and and ergo! My most loved items. Of couse the basics – stroller and car seat. We bought a basic Graco car seat and had hand me down jogging and regular strollers, so no advice about picking those! Lots of burp cloths, cloth diapers, and none of those ridiculously small baby towels that never even wrap around the baby hardly (although they are cute!). Just use a regular towel 🙂

    Really think if you want a crib, nursery, etc. They are expensive items and have a limited use. We just use our guest room and when our 19 mo old was little he slept on a crib mattress on the floor. Now he sleeps on the queen sized guest bed. We will do the same with baby #2. So much easier. The nursery is really for the parents anyway.

  • jen February 8, 2012, 2:57 pm

    i would start with the basics and add on from there after you have the baby. i will say that we didn’t have a good swing with our first baby and we borrowed the little lamb fisher price swing and it has been 100% worth the room it takes up in our apartment. i don’t even want to think about all the sleep i wouldn’t have gotten these past few months without. borrowing the bigger ticket items is always a good idea if possible. my friends and i pass baby gear around all the time! i would say a swaddle me blanket (with the velcro), a sound machine of some sort (i’m a fan of the ones that don’t cut off after a certain amount of time) and decent amount of sleepers for the baby because those diaper leeks happen way to often!

  • Robyn February 8, 2012, 2:58 pm

    Hi Caitlin! I love reading your blog and particularly look forward to Wednesday updates as I am 19 weeks pregnant so I really enjoy getting to see what is to come…but I’m totally feeling that scary OMG about registering and what is essential and what is just a waste of space moment right now too.

    This website was posted on the July First Time Moms group and I thought it was a really good start with lots of cool links:
    http://www.rookiemoms.com/shopping-registry/

    I also think if you can take along a friend who has had a kid before to help when you register that’s a great way to make sure you don’t buy stuff you won’t end up needing.

    Good luck!

    • Caitlin February 9, 2012, 8:46 pm

      Congrats on your pregnancy!

  • Anne @strawberryjampackedlife February 8, 2012, 2:58 pm

    I’m not a mother yet, but I was glad to see the Boppy on the list already.

    The only other “toy” that I’ve heard is good is Sophie the Giraffe. My friend’s kid loves it. It’s supposed to be good for teething.

    http://www.amazon.com/Vulli-Sophie-the-Giraffe-Teether/dp/B000IDSLOG

  • Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat February 8, 2012, 3:00 pm

    That shirt for your dad is great!! I can’t say I have much experience to speak on regarding the registry items but it sounds like a lot of fun. I love walking around Toys R Us/Babies R Us just to see what kiddies these days get to play with! 🙂

  • Ashley February 8, 2012, 3:02 pm

    I’d say my favorite newborn things, were the halo sleepsacks with swaddlers, my video monitor, our chicco carseat, and a nice big sponge thing to lay the baby on while giving a sponge bath. Not sure if I’ve attached it for you before, but here is my semi extensive baby gear guide.

    http://thedomesticwannabe.blogspot.com/2011/09/baby-gear-guide.html

    In there I talk about why I liked something, why I didn’t, and what I didn’t feel like I needed. Also, I believe in there is a link to Shawna of Styleberry Blog’s baby list, she has a lot of fun cool/hip/not your typical babies r us stuff on there, which is nice. Plus she nursed (I didn’t) and she cloth diapered (I didn’t) so it is nice to have those items listed somewhere as well.

    And random tidbit I always like to throw in? When Ryann was ready to take a real bath (as opposed to a sponge bath) we tried a baby tub. I hated it. We ended up bathing her in the bathroom sink until she was too big for that. It was so much easier! We had a basic tub for a bit after that until she was sitting really well, and then instead of some crazy giant inflatable thing for our tub, we just put down a nonskid bathmat thing. Works like a charm!

    • Leah February 8, 2012, 3:08 pm

      we just lay ours down right in the regular bath tub…no mat or anything! We have been doing this since the cord came off. Our house is soooo small, it was nice not to have yet another baby item!

    • Caitlin February 9, 2012, 8:57 pm

      Your list is great!

  • Amanda February 8, 2012, 3:03 pm

    I think it’s GREAT you aren’t finding out the sex. We didn’t either with my son and it drives other people bonkers but I completely understand your reasons for wanting to wait. One word of advice is make sure all your birth attendants know you and Christien want to be the first to find out. I was planning a homebirth and wound up in the hospital with a c-section. Despite the need for more interventions than we had hoped, my one request on the way into the OR was that none of the docs/nurses call it out. I’m so glad because the moment they held my son up over the surgical drape for my husband to tell me what we had is one of my greatest memories of all time.

  • Erin February 8, 2012, 3:05 pm

    One of my mom friends once told me that every mom should have a huge supply of cloth diapers. Not because she thought everyone should cloth diaper their baby, though. Nope. She said they are perfect for burp cloths, as emergency blankets, for cleaning up spills, and just general use. And because they’re white you can bleach them clean!

    • Kristen@Change of Pace February 8, 2012, 3:23 pm

      The gerber tri-folds are the best and they come in cute colors! Seriously, those little cutesy ones don’t do anything with spit up.

      • Bernadette February 8, 2012, 6:14 pm

        This is exactly what I was going to say. You must have these, keep at least 2 in your diaper bad at all times.

        As a mom of 3 I have used them for everything from Drool to spit up to runny noses…

  • Leah February 8, 2012, 3:07 pm

    oh my gosh, registering seriously almost sent me over the edge. I had no idea what we needed and didn’t need! But now, 4 months in, these are the things I could not have survived without:

    Ring Sling (http://www.sleepingbaby.net/basics.php) – amazing. I got the moby as well and HATED it…it’s like 20 feet of fabric that you have to figure out how to get on to your body and tight so your baby doesn’t fall out….um, SCARY! I love the ring sling because you just pop the baby in, tighten it up, and you are good to go! I work from home and this thing seriously saved my life…it is also AWESOME for traveling!

    SwaddleMe Swaddle thingys with velcro…my baby still requires swaddling (she is 4.5 months…), and these things were so much easier than actually trying to get a tight swaddle with a blanket. Just pop her in and velcro it up…can you tell I like to just pop the baby into said items?

    Honestly, those are my 2 must haves! I used the Bobby in the hospital and that’s it, so now it is just cluttering up my closet, but everyone told me i just HAD to have one…I just use pillows!

    good luck…I hated that part of pregnancy!!!

  • Tamicka February 8, 2012, 3:12 pm

    I do have to say your looking beautiful still even if your boobs and belly have grown its a good thing cuz your kinda making room and food for th baby. Anywho I tangented there for a minute just wanted to say you look pretty today 🙂

    • Caitlin February 9, 2012, 9:17 pm

      Thanks Tamicka!

  • Sara February 8, 2012, 3:15 pm

    My mom-to-be and mom friends say they wish more people would buy the un-cute but useful stuff for gifts (I’m a fan of giving Target gift cards to new parents, so they can buy what they need…generally that ends up being diapers). Everyone wants to give adorable baby clothes, but those get outgrown fast! So, help your momma friends out and buy them a breast pump or something 🙂

  • HTPDad February 8, 2012, 3:17 pm

    Babies’ sex?

    Mwahahahaha! I have a twitter account!

  • Sara February 8, 2012, 3:17 pm

    Your paper baby is adorbs and what a difference 10 weeks make! Wow, Caitlin!!

  • Alison February 8, 2012, 3:17 pm

    I think a large number of parents have literally no idea what they are doing:-) I was 27 when I had my daughter (18 months) and had changed maybe 2 diapers in my life. You figure it out as you go – the best part is that the baby has no idea how it’s supposed to go either.

    A car seat is the number 1 thing you must have. You can’t even leave the hospital without it. A stroller is also really important and if I could go back and “do over” I would have just picked my BOB Revolution and forgone the huge Graco monstrosity. A running stroller is perfect for exercise AND the mall/grocery/walks (a small umbrella stroller is good to have for later when they can sit up.)

    Don’t worry about swings or bouncy seats – many babies have a preference and you won’t know until he/she arrives if they like vibrations or swinging. Lots of wash cloths, pajamas, onesies, and little blankets are necessary (I was unaware of this and didn’t register for any!) A good breast pump is a really good shower gift to register for. And a nice fan or white noise machine and black out curtains are really good too.

    Don’t be fooled into buying boutique (or even Babies R Us) furniture. The chair in Rowan’s nursery was from Walmart and it is made by the same people that make Pottery Barn Kids….exact same chair sold for $300 less! Those tricksters.

    Lastly, think about stuff that you really don’t need. Wipes warmers – they get filled with bacteria and often a cold wipe is the only thing that will wake a baby up! Diaper Genies – disgusting. No reason to have a big can of poo in your baby’s room…just take out the trash every day. Baby shoes – self explanatory.

    The best book for registering was Baby Bargains. It’s got EVERYTHING and ratings based on safety.

    • Kristen@Change of Pace February 8, 2012, 3:21 pm

      I had 3 different strollers before we bought our B.O.B. Wish we could have had a do over there! 🙂

  • Jenny February 8, 2012, 3:18 pm

    I highly recommend “The Happiest Baby on the Block” dvd, especially if you and Kristien are nervous about calming, swaddling, or sleeping techniques. It was especially beneficial for the hus since he had zero experience with newborns. He has since bought it for every friend he’s had who has become a father.
    Other necessities: a nose sucker (bulb syringe), apricot oil (great for treating cradle cap, also put it immediately on her hiney after birth and it will be sooo much easier to clean her first poop, which is sticky and tarry), and moby wrap.

  • Rachel February 8, 2012, 3:19 pm

    Can I just say, I am loving that all my favorite bloggers have had such coincidentally staggered pregnancies. First it was HEAB, then Emily, Ashley and Jen, and now you and Kath! I love the mix of baby and pregnancy posts in my reader! 🙂

    • HTPDad February 8, 2012, 3:43 pm

      to me it all sounds like roommates from different schools..

      • Caitlin February 8, 2012, 3:45 pm

        hahah well we do all talk on the phone and whatnot. kath and i are pregnancy buddies.

        • Rachel February 8, 2012, 5:41 pm

          Aww!

          Well, as a reader who is NOT planning on getting preggers anytime soon, I love getting a daily dose of babyness on my favorite blogs.

          Congrats, and thanks for sharing it all with us! 🙂

  • Kristen@Change of Pace February 8, 2012, 3:20 pm

    These were the niceties that I didn’t actually need but made my life that much easier… boppy (breastfeeding, laying them down, and then to put around them when they learn to sit up), BOB stroller for sure especially since you run, aden+anais swaddle blankets (my 3 year old STILL uses hers!), JJ cole bundle me (for the carseat or stroller), and we love the britax carseats.

  • Melissa R February 8, 2012, 3:21 pm

    The Boppy is a must. Also some sort of bouncer/vibrating seat. I had a Baby Papasan and it was really nice to have it when the baby was small. I would take in in the bathroom to get my showers in. It’s a small piece of equipement that you can move around the house if needed.

  • Katie @ Healthy Heddleston February 8, 2012, 3:27 pm

    You know the little activity mats you see people have? Well, this one: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3594395 in my opinion is the best one. I babysat all through college and was a full time nanny for years and have seen my fair share of play mats. This one is the easiest to fold and put away and is super cute for both genders. Ashley from Never Home Maker has this one too and we received this at our shower — can’t wait for baby to play on it!

    Also, my favorite type of bottles are Avent. Just my opinion from experiencing probably 5 different types while babysitting/nannying.

    Hope this helps!

  • Amber @ Busy, Bold, Blessed February 8, 2012, 3:29 pm

    All my fave bloggers are popping out babies!

    http://fitnessista.com/2012/01/new-mom-must-haves/

    http://babynhm.blogspot.com/2012/01/good-question-baby-must-haves-etc.html

    And I don’t know if you read Daily Garnish, but she has a ton of preganancy/infant posts!

  • Melissa February 8, 2012, 3:31 pm

    The Fisher Price Rock n Play was our must have. It’s a little bassinet that rocks, and it mimics the contours of a car seat so baby is slightly inclined and cocooned in. It was the only way my baby would sleep not on me for the first two months, and he is now 4 months and we’re using it again as he’s been sick. It’s about bed height and can substitute for a cosleeper. When we weren’t using it as a place to sleep we would put it in the kitchen, bathroom, anywhere we needed to put baby down. It’s super lightweight and travels great. Around $60- super affordable considering how versatile it is.

  • Katheryn February 8, 2012, 3:31 pm

    I’m currently pregnant with #3 (due in May) and trying to figure out what we need again. My must have’s are a stroller, car seat, and some sort of hand free front carrier. Swaddle blankets are also a must have. Gowns are wonderful – especially when you’re up every night changing diapers. Most everything else is optional and will be up to your babies. I never used a bottle – just me – so that wasn’t necessary for us. One of my kiddos loved his pacifier, but the other hated it. One loved (no needed) a baby swing, but the other wanted a vibrating chair. I also never bought a bassinet, changing table, boppy, and the other random stuff. I’m sure all great, but we’re not made out of money, so just the must have’s for us.

  • Sarah@WilliamsburgBaby February 8, 2012, 3:32 pm

    You look great. I AM 14 weeks, and still in that limbo where my bump is inconclusive (I actually apologized at the cafe today for ordering a decaf, but didn’t want to add the disclaimer ‘I’m pregnant.’) Am starting to blog about the process though, and I know a bump photo is overdue…

  • Stellina @ My Yogurt Addiction February 8, 2012, 3:38 pm

    I don’t have a baby, but my friends that do have told said to stalk up on onsies that are 2-4 months, instead of newborn sizes. Your baby will only be a newborn size for such a short time, (sad I know) that your probably only need a handful of newborn onsies to get by!

  • Lindsay February 8, 2012, 3:40 pm

    You look SO cute and adorable!! I’m not a mom, but I am an editor for a parenting website. Last year (I think?) we put together a slideshow for essential baby products for the first year. Maybe you’ll find it helpful!
    http://life.familyeducation.com/slideshow/baby-products/gift-ideas/58753.html

  • Rachel February 8, 2012, 3:44 pm

    lookin’ good, mama! registering for baby stuff can be SUPER overwhelming, so you’re smart to keep it to the basics. i will recommend the Swaddle Me baby wrap (or something similar). it’s a “pre-fab” swaddler so you’re not messing around w/ a giant blanket in the middle of the night trying to swaddle babers. a moses basket & stand are great to have a place to set baby down for a quick nap. a sling for wearing baby. but most importantly a roomy, washable diaper bag w/ LOTS of compartments. i have the Ju Ju Be & it’s awesome! it’s a bit pricey, but i think it was worth every penny. another tip, don’t register for clothes b/c people will buy you those regardless.

    and on a completely random note; i thought of you today while grocery shopping. my Safeway had a ton of cans of the pumpkin pie stuff you love. 🙂

  • Katie @ Peace Love & Oats February 8, 2012, 3:44 pm

    I can’t believe the baby is already so big! And I think it’s exciting to wait to find out the sex. My friend is overdue and she doesn’t know, we’re all waiting!!!

  • Amy February 8, 2012, 3:49 pm

    I didn’t have time to read any comments, but with two kids already and a third on the way, I can say without a doubt, make sure to register for a stroller with a tray. It makes life much easier for both mom and baby when snacks and or toys can be placed on the tray rather then baby held, and if there is a sippy cup spot on that tray even better. Avoid the strollers with just the straps. Trust Me.

  • Nicole M. February 8, 2012, 3:50 pm

    Some of my top items would have to include:
    – Boppy pillow: (used it from day one and my two year old still uses it to prop her up on the floor when she’s looking at books)
    – Carseat: I made a mistake of buying a convertible carseat right away but when my baby came she was too small (6 lbs) for me to feel comfortable with. I ended up returning it for an infant seat and didn’t put her in a convertible until she was 8 months old.
    – Nursing bras, pads, ointments: I want to say you’ve talked about nursing that’s why I’m telling you these things. Also, expressed breast milk does wonders for cracked nipples but I loved lanolin based creams too.
    – A good breast pump and milk storage: I was given the Medela Harmony in the hospital but if I had more money I think investing in an electric pump is a good idea. I loved having a backup supply at all times even though i was with my baby all the time. You just never know!
    – Really yummy smelling baby wash: Bathtime (after baby’s stump falls off) is so special and you wont be able to stop smelling him/her so pick something you love. I LOVED California Baby products and Burt’s Bees.
    – A great baby monitor: You’re going to be watching him/her like a hawk anyways but when you’ve got to say, shower, it’s nice and I still use mine. So it’s worth spending a little more on.
    – Thermal knit receiving blankets: You can never have too many and they’re perfect for swaddling since they have a little stretch. Once you learn to swaddle (nurses will probably teach you) it’s easy and babies love it (some longer than others).
    – Boppy bouncer seat: Oh, my baby loved this and I still sometimes dream of having one for myself, lol.

    I could go on but that seems like a good short list, lol. Babies really don’t need a lot in the beginning but there are some items worth investing in, because you’ll use them a long time. Are you having your baby shower before the baby comes or after? I never had a shower at all but I’ve seen some girls doing them after so people can meet the baby all at once.

    • Nicole M. February 8, 2012, 3:52 pm

      Oh, one more thing — a sling! I didn’t buy a stroller until my little girl was 8 months old. I walked all over my town with her in that and she loved it — plus, resistance training! Lol 🙂

  • Shelley February 8, 2012, 3:50 pm

    Beyond the basics, I loved my Boppy pillow. It was awesome for nursing and my husband also used it when he rocked our kids. I could also use it to prop up my very needy daughter in my lap when she was a baby so I could still work on my laptop but let her be close to me like she wanted! I would also recommend a really good breast pump if you plan to nurse (I had a Medela and loved it). Oh, and lots of nursing tank tops! I lived in them. So convenient and comfortable. Target has good ones.

  • Michelle February 8, 2012, 3:51 pm

    A carseat….. check out consumer reports for the best ones.
    A GOOD stroller!!!! We love our Mountain Buggy. It can hold an infant carseat until the baby is big enough and strong enough to handle a jogging stroller.
    A boppy. Great for nursing and to prop the baby while you’re doing things around the house. Helps the baby not spit up so much after they eat and you gotta put them down to do some laundry, a potty break, make dinner etc..
    A swing!!!! Great place to take naps and they love the motion. I recommend a traveling swing. I’d put my girls in it all around the house. Outside if we were gardening, swimming. In the bathroom if I wanted to shower or take it to other people’s houses.

  • Angela / Hey Emitt! February 8, 2012, 3:52 pm

    I’d recommend bringing nipple cream/lanolin to the hospital (I used Earth Mama brand) and use it from the get go—it was a lifesaver in making breastfeeding comfortable those first few weeks. Also, if you are going to pump, a hands free pumping bra is ESSENTIAL! I didn’t get one for a few weeks and it makes pumping soooo much easier. As far as baby things go, we loved the Fisher Price Rock n’ Play sleeper. Our son, Emitt, loved sleeping in it–but we were careful to also have him sleep in his crib at naptime so he’d be used to both, and it made the transition to only sleeping in the crib so much easier. I wrote a blog post when Emitt was 2 weeks old about things I’d learned/tips I wanted to share, if you care to read it: http://heyemitt.tumblr.com/post/8104637142/life-with-a-newborn-the-first-few-weeks
    A few more things: the SkipHop Pronto diaper changer is awesome. It makes any bag into a diaper bag with a changing pad, a place to carry diapers, a plastic holder for wipes, and other storage pockets, and it folds super flat. I love it.

    I would recommend picking up things for baby colds early; when the baby gets his or her first cold (which is bound to happen) you will be so much more prepared and happy because of it. The Nosefrida nasal sucker is SOOOO good. So much better than the bulb.

    Good baby toys for the early weeks are a ring of links and stacking cups. We got other nice, fun, interactive toys but these small, simple things were huge with Emitt, he loved them.

    Good luck, it’s overwhelming with all of the choices out there but you have lots of good advice here. 🙂

  • Heather @ Side of Sneakers February 8, 2012, 3:52 pm

    A hair dryer. Forget all the made-for-baby stuff and register for a hair dryer for every room. Seriously. It’s magic when you have a screaming baby. 😉

  • Marci February 8, 2012, 3:55 pm

    We aren’t finding out either, and I am still loving it that way. Many say we are nuts though! I registered for great basics too and am just starting to receive things. I’m glad we’ll have necessary items and not too much extra stuff at the beginning!

  • Nicole N. February 8, 2012, 4:01 pm

    I have been a nanny for about eleven years now and I am pretty sure I have used every device made for babies that exists… most of it is not needed although used wisely most can be useful.

    I suggest registering for things that you are most concerned about having (I realize that is a silly thing to say but if you register for child proofing stuff when you may not need it and don’t get any crib sheets it will be frustrating.)

    People will buy or offer hand-me-downs of things like bibs, blankets, clothes and random packs of diapers without you registering for them so I wouldn’t focus on those things too much unless there is a variety that you really want.

    I suggest waiting until baby arrives to choose things like a swing or bouncy seat, try other people’s out and if you are lucky someone will have one they can lend you since babies can only use them for such a short time anyway.

    Ditto to the suggestions of just starting with a BOB or Baby Jogger, both are excellent and should meet all of your needs. Plane travel can be frustrating with one but you can always decide down the road to get an umbrella stroller. I also suggest a Moby or Sleep Wrap and an Ergo or something similar. Babywearing will help with the travel issue with the stroller too.

    Car seats are a good one to register for, keep in mind that they expire after about 6 years though. So if you are going to start with a bucket style seat don’t register for a convertible since you will be shaving almost a year of usability off of it. Likewise, if you are starting with a convertible don’t worry about getting “the only seat they will ever need” since they have to be in a seat of some sort until 8 and it will expire before then.

    My absolute least favorite baby item though has to be the Beaba baby food thing– if you have a steamer and a food processor you are already ten steps ahead of this thing which I find doesn’t make nearly enough at one time and is a pain to clean.

    Good Luck! I remember being so excited to register then wanting to run out of the store never to return! It is overwhelming! Just remember– you can always run out and grab whatever you realize you need and barring that there is Amazon Moms!

  • Susan February 8, 2012, 4:09 pm

    A Moby wrap or sling – my 5-month old son loves being close and gently rocked while I’m walking. Plus, you have two free hands. 🙂

    Also, for me the breast pump was very essential, because my son was only 4lbs and didn’t latch well, so we had to top him off with bottles in the beginning. He’s exclusively breastfed now, but I attribute that to my Medela double breast pump.

    Also onesies that open in the front (kimono style) rather than ones that have to be pulled over baby’s head – my son hates it…

    Like many other new moms here, I blogged about this as well: http://susonia.com/2011/10/baby-essentials/

    By the way, I love the shirt for grandpa to wear in the hospital. We announced our pregnancy with a similar shirt. 🙂

  • Morgan February 8, 2012, 4:09 pm

    Heres my list! Hope it helps !
    http://liveloveeatandplay.com/2011/01/04/the-mama-stuff-i-need

  • Sneakers2Sandals February 8, 2012, 4:13 pm

    Ahh! Cute cute shirt! Happy bday DadHTP!

  • Kaylee February 8, 2012, 4:21 pm

    Fisher Price Rock N Play Sleeper (LOVE this, I’ve used it since Day 1 and my 6 month old still naps in it)

    Halo Sleep Sack (not supposed to use blankets in cribs)

    Medela Pump in Style Breast pump in tote bag

    Lansinoh breast milk storage bags

    Wipe Warmer

    bottle/paci/pump parts drying rack

    video monitor

    burp cloths

    sleepers

    Love our snuggabunny swing

    Diaper genie (I know a lot of people think this is a waste but we love it, also, I have heard that if dogs eat the diapers that have the blue absorbancy “pad”, they can die!) You may be cloth diapering so this would be null

    First year gum drop pacifiers (but I would register for multiple kinds in case your baby doesn’t like a certain kind)

    Boppy noggin nest pillow (found on amazon, but at our LO’s 2 month appt dr noticed she was forming a flat spot on her head, so I ordered this right away and at her 4 month dr said it is much better so no worrying about a helmet, and would be better if you could use it from the get-go to prevent it in the first place)

  • Rebecca February 8, 2012, 4:22 pm

    That’s an awesome Grandpa shirt. 😀

  • Jen February 8, 2012, 4:23 pm

    My baby is 11 weeks old. Here are some things I found useful:

    -Woombie
    -Diaper Genie
    -onsie zip-ups – no snaps!
    -moby wrap
    -Motherlove nipple stuff
    -this book: http://welladjustedbabies.com/2nd-edition-of-well-adjusted-babies/
    – 2 covers for our diaper changing pad
    – a convertible carseat – we decided to skip the infant one because we didn’t want to leave the baby in it – we are marsupial parents
    – plain old fashion cloth diapers
    – a swing
    – sound machine turned up loud

  • Jen February 8, 2012, 4:24 pm

    BTW, you look FANTASTIC!!!

  • Julia February 8, 2012, 4:44 pm

    Boppy or My Brest Friend pillow

    Hooter Hider with a wire so you can see baby as you feed him/her

    Nursing pads, ointments (you could just use olive oil though)

    Stroller and Carseat (Infant, with a stroller than can be used for years to come)

    Some kind of baby carrier for you/dad or one for each of you

    diaper bag

    playpens are great!

    so are vibrating chairs for baby

    Blankets are great, burp cloths are cool but you may not have a spitter…

    And you should get a jogging stroller since you will likely want to be outside with baby HTP a good deal

  • Carrie February 8, 2012, 4:46 pm

    So cute! We are trying to have our third (last!) baby and you make me excited to be pregnant again (if that’s possible!) 🙂 We found out the sex of our first baby (boy) and then waited to be surprised with the second. But the pregnancies just felt so similar, I was so sure the second was a boy. And I was right! I like that we didn’t find out ahead of time, it’s exciting!

    Anyway, after having two babies, my top must-have items are:
    1)Medela Pump in style breast pump–assuming you are going to be nursing, it’s an absolute life saver and while an expensive item, there is just no other choice, it’s so worth it.

    2)the Miracle Blanket! It’s a swaddling blanket that is the BEST. I give one at every baby shower now. They have them at Babies R Us.

    3)To go with your Miracle Blanket, “The Happiest Baby on the Block” book. Get it now and read it before the baby comes, so that when your newborn is screaming, you will have some tricks up your sleeve.

    4)Boppy pillow

    5) lots of little baby washcloths and thin baby blankets. I received so many of both at my baby shower and I wondered why I would ever need all of them. I SO did. You’ll just always want a little blankie when you’re holding the baby, or cloth to wipe up spit-up or whatever. It’s helpful to have lots around the house!

    6) jogging stroller (for obvious reasons!) 🙂

    Good luck!

  • kwithme February 8, 2012, 4:50 pm

    My kids are older (6 and 10) so some of the newer items I have not tried like a BOB stroller.

    I absolutely needed:
    – a sling. I forget what brand I had but it was sized so there was no extra fabric or rings on the shoulder.
    – cloth diapers for spitup
    – a CD of music that does not drive you crazy. I received a CD of piano lullabies and soft music (Someone to Watch Over Me is one) and my 6 yr old still listens to it to sleep.
    – a great bag. I used my leather tote that I had for work. I felt much more put together and it was much more adaptable as my kids got older. If I needed insulated storage, I had a separate bag that I put in the tote.

    Things I did not need: a highchair, a baby tub, Diaper Genie, pack n’ play (though it was great when G’ma had one!).

    Tip for breast milk storage. Get some covered ice cube trays and freeze in cubes then store in containers in the freezer. We used very little in bottles so it was great when we moved up to cereal and used them in the cereal.

    • Marissa C February 9, 2012, 8:19 am

      Sur La Table makes a silicone version–the square are almost exactly an ounce.

  • Erica February 8, 2012, 4:56 pm

    So when we registered I definitely used the comments from both Jen and Brittany’s blogs! We also just registered for basics – crib, mattress, pack ‘n play, baby monitor, carseat + extra base, stroller, swaddling blankets and a few basic linens. People are going to get you things like clothes, diapers (you’ll receive diaper sculptures like Woah at your shower), blankets and toys. We also registered for safety gear (plug thingies, haha) and stuff for the car (shade screens and mirrors). The great thing is that people will generally go in together for these things as group gifts.

    • Erica February 8, 2012, 4:59 pm

      Oh and like others said, the stuff like swings, carriers and bouncy seats are great but sometimes your baby might not like them! We inherited them (for free) from a cousin whose baby hated the swing and bouncy seat, so we’ll see how it goes for us when our little one arrives next month!

  • Ann February 8, 2012, 4:59 pm

    My baby is only 5 weeks, so I’m no expert by any means, but this is what I’ve been using.
    -Boppy (or other nursing pillow)- I’m not sure I (or my back) would survive without this. I literally carry it around the house.
    -Diapers and wipes- Whether you’re using cloth or disposable, you need a lot!
    -Baby K’Tan- It took my guy a few weeks to warm to it, but now I wear him in it constantly.
    -Fisher Pice Rock and Sleep- I like this so much better than a bouncy chair for the rare occasions when I need to put him down, and he will nap in it a bit.

    My favorite thing in the world is holding and snuggling my sleeping baby on my chest, and you don’t need anything for that!

    • Loree February 8, 2012, 5:09 pm

      this is a really sweet post 🙂

  • Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife February 8, 2012, 5:00 pm

    Awwww!! SO cute! I love these updates–you look SO happy 🙂

  • Michelle from The Cooking Life February 8, 2012, 5:03 pm

    registering for stuff was overwhelming! i looked at several friends’ registries online to help me. i’m due in april and just had my 1st shower. pretty much, i registered for basics and some big stuff, like a breast pump, a travel lite pack n play (our house is small and this pack n play doubles as a bassinet, and it fits through a regular sized doorway!), a swing, a bouncer, a jogger/stroller/carseat system. i registered for maybe 5 “toys”. we want to keep things basic and not inundate ourselves and our baby with too much stuff. good luck with everything! and feel free to look my registry up on walmart.com (under “michelle hurt”) for ideas. oh, and i also registered for a few things on amazon.com – stuff i couldn’t find elsewhere (like a portable activity seat as opposed to an exersaucer thing).

  • Loree February 8, 2012, 5:08 pm

    My kids are OLD! But the basics don’t change right? I have to say diapers and I have no idea what your preference is, but cloth diapers are NOT hard to maintain, plus they’re so soffffft! I LOVED them, and my kids aren’t pre-disposable diaper old, I just wanted to use them to cut costs. If you’re going to nurse then nursing pads, more makes life easier. Receiving blankets work well to swaddle the baby and as a burp rag in a pinch….which can be often. They are soft and lightweight and easy to wash. Also for the very new baby we liked the baby gowns so you don’t have to worry them by wrestling their legs in or out of sleepers. I do think my kids were pre-Boppy, and it would have been super cool! Simple really is easier and seems more in tune with your lifestyle.

  • Meagan February 8, 2012, 5:14 pm

    Burp cloths/receiving blankets. Many. We had 25 or so. There will be a lot of liquids.

    Breast pump & accoutrements

    Nipple cream

    A good bf-ing book, a LC consultant set up, friends who BF-ed to support you

    BF-ing friendly clothes

    Some kind of “nest” area set up, with a bassinet or pack-n-play, a comfie seat for you (you will be sitting there for most of the day), books, entertainment, etc.

    Swaddling blanket–we loved the Miracle Blanket

    A few different brand of pacis

    Boppy or Brest Friend

    We found having a swing crucial–FP’s Little Lamb. Also we had a little infant seat (papasan maybe?) that we kept in the bathroom so I could set her down while I showered or peed. Loved it.

    Stroller

    Carseat

    • Loree February 8, 2012, 5:25 pm

      excellent suggestion to set up a breast-feeding support group! if not for a friend of mine that patiently answered every question and reassured me in the early days, i might not have continued and that would have been sad coz i loved it and it was super-convenient. like a 24 hr DQ for the baby!

      • Marissa C February 9, 2012, 8:17 am

        Ditto above. The first month of breastfeeding is the hardest thing I ever did. I wouldn’t have gotten through it without LLL, a lactation consultant, a very knowledgeable/supportive friend, and LOTS of nipple butter.

  • Courtney February 8, 2012, 5:14 pm

    All my boys pretty much lived in layette gowns at the beginning. They make for super easy diaper changes, especially in the middle of the night. No buttons or pants to mess with. You just lift the gown up, change the diaper and pull it back down!

    Also hand mitts for the hospital. They come out with super sharp nails and for some reason they like to scratch at their face. The hand mitts keep them from clawing their faces up. 🙂

  • Alex @ Raw Recovery February 8, 2012, 5:22 pm

    Ok for some REALLY weird reason I was thinking about the post you wrote about your dad’s birthday last year and I was thinking about it yesterday…I didn’t know your dad’s bday was today but happy birthday to him anyway! You look beautiful!

  • Jolene (Homespun Heritage) February 8, 2012, 5:25 pm

    We never find out the sex, either. We like being surprised! We have no urge to find out…but I have to tell you that the Chinese Gender predictor charts are spot on every.single.time! Oddly, enough, even for our adopted children as well!

  • Heather February 8, 2012, 5:35 pm

    That’s such a cute grandpa shirt! I’m sure he loved it. I wish I wasn’t so planned out…I will NEED to know the sex. Kudos to you for being spontaneous!

  • Stephanie @ Legally Blinde February 8, 2012, 5:36 pm

    I love the paper baby! It really is hard to believe that the baby can be so long. I had never thought about your other organs fitting in there, too – that is pretty crazy! And I had no idea that hair started out colorless; that’s so interesting. Hahaha, loved your comment about registering for 10 PeePee TeePees.

  • Nora February 8, 2012, 5:36 pm

    This doesn’t exactly help you with your baby registry question, but I saw this posted on a friend’s facebook wall recently and thought it was great – I also thought you might appreciate it!

    http://www.becomingminimalist.com/2011/11/08/7-ways-to-prepare-for-a-new-baby-without-shopping/

  • Amy February 8, 2012, 5:42 pm

    My baby loves the Tiny Love Island Dreams mobile! At 6 months, she still loves it and if it wasn’t for that mobile, I don’t think i would have ever showered during the first three months.

  • Megan February 8, 2012, 5:53 pm

    One of the most indispensable things we have are a set of waterproof/fleece multi-purpose pads. They are great as changing pad/table liners, but we also keep some in the diaper bag for on-the-go changes and one next to the pack & play for nighttime diapers.

    Also – if you buy or register for any sleepers, find ones with zippers! So much easier than snaps at 2 a.m..

  • Heather February 8, 2012, 6:01 pm

    I haven’t read all the comments, so sorry if I’m repeating something here.

    I absolutely recommend a velcro swaddler. Even if it seems like your baby wants their arms free, they will sleep SO much better all wrapped up tightly in this. We waited and waited because we thought Zoey needed her arms by her face, but one day we finally tried it and she slept soundly for 8 hours!!! Best thing ever. If we don’t swaddle her, she will sleep about for 20% less time.

    A great nursing pillow. (My nursing pillow had a little pocket in it and for the first 2 weeks I brought my pillow with a water bottle, my phone (with a baby app) and the lanolin cream in the pocket into every room I went.

    Baby swings are great. We found a really small one that Zoey loves.

    A Keurig coffee maker. For the parents. It’s hard to grind and brew coffee while holding a baby.

  • EL February 8, 2012, 6:01 pm

    The things I could not live without are the following.

    1. Waterproof crib sheets (they go under the sheet and make it easier to clean a wet crib in the middle of the night.)
    2. Fisher-Price Newborn Rock N Play Sleeper
    3. Bright Starts Comfort & Harmony Cradling Bouncer

    We did not get a fancy trashcan. We thought it was a waste, so we use a metal can, like we have in our kitchen, but smaller.

  • Savannah @ Sweet and Savvy February 8, 2012, 6:02 pm

    OMG! How are you 22 weeks pregnant already? You look amazing, and I love hearing about all of your baby preparations. You are going to be one WONDERFUL momma. Good luck with the rest of the pregnancy! <3

  • EL February 8, 2012, 6:04 pm

    Two things I forgot, you need a baby carrier (I have a K’tan and an Ergo) and a good stroller (I have the BOB Revolution and a simple umbrella stroller). My son loves to go running with my husband and I.

  • Heidi February 8, 2012, 6:40 pm

    I have two girls (one is 4, one is 1) and I never would have showered during the first few weeks/months if I didn’t have a Baby Papsan chair. It saved my sanity! I also never could have survived without my Bobby pillow, Halo sleep sacks, and Ergo carrier. And I still use the Ergo and the Boppy (my 4yo likes to use it as a pillow at night-it’s really soft!) now even though my girls are getting older. The Sleep Sheep was also hugely instrumental in calming both of my girls at night-we still use him today too!

  • Jasmine February 8, 2012, 6:46 pm

    Caitlin, you should check out a book called “How to Have your Second Child First.” I can’t remember the author, but I’m sure you could find it by that title. It has this great list of things you actually need (versus things you *think* you need) in there, along with a whole bunch of tips from second time around parents who realized later how “nuts” they were the first time around.

  • Jen February 8, 2012, 6:57 pm

    What a sweet t-shirt! Happy birthday, Dad HTP!

  • Heather February 8, 2012, 6:58 pm

    Lots of blankets, lots of sturdy onesies and socks, a safe crib with a few extra sheets, a cool mist humidifier, dishwasher safe bottles even if you plan to breastfeed, window shades for the car, a changing pad with raised sides, a large trashcan with a good seal (diapers stink), a lightweight stroller with three wheels (easier to maneuver), a twilight turtle, sleep sacks

  • Heather February 8, 2012, 7:00 pm

    I had to come back to second the recommendation for Sophie the Giraffe. MUST HAVE.

  • Kristen @ The Concrete Runnee February 8, 2012, 7:09 pm

    Here’s my post: http://theconcreterunner.com/new-mommy-must-haves I think most of my thoughts have changed since then, but really, you do only need the basics. Things we still can’t live without after 4 months: boppy lounger, pacifiers, cloth diapers/wipes, bundle me carseat cover, paci holder that hooks to clothes. And obviously crib, rocking chair, stroller (we have a jogging and a snap n go – so handy!). We hardly use our swing or bouncer any more but I know she loves them at the sitter. I spend all my time holding her do we don’t need those anymore!

  • Angie All The Way February 8, 2012, 7:17 pm

    Looking beautiful, Mama!! 🙂

    Let’s see…we had two different brand baby monitors (one was a gift). The cheap Safety 1st brand had a really muffled/bad sound quality and our Angel Care one is MUCH better. We bought the one with the movement sensor and NEVER ended up using it. I regret spending the money on it and feel like it was a bit of a “let’s sucker worried new moms” purchase. I’m sure they are more suitable if you have a reason to want one other than “first baby”

    I’m a huge fan of the halo sleep sacs. We still use them at 18 mths and will until he’s in a big boy bed. I will say that we didn’t use the newborn “swaddle” one because they don’t really do a good job at the swaddle part BUT the velcro part that wraps around it ended up being my “baby swaddle duct tape” to keep his swaddle tight with a regular blanket.

    We bought a $5 blow up Safety First toddler tub that fits in our regular tub and when he out grew the kitchen sink, it was the perfect size for him to bath/play in because it’s soft just like a blow up swimming pool and it keeps him contained, even still at 18 mths. Plus you can even take it swimming as a little “raft” too. Best $5 I ever spent!

    Sleepers with ZIPPERS are much easier to fiddle with multiple times in the dark, especially in the beginning. If you’re anything like me, hearing him/her cry got me all hot and bothered and made it harder to get the 238484 snaps done up properly on the snap ones 🙂

    The Brest Friend nursing pillow came in handy because my little fella was glued to my boobs 24/7 and I could actually walk around with him and this pillow like a table top and it took his weight off of your arms.

    I had a Baby Bjorn and if I had to do it over again I would have passed on that and went with the Moby. I also have a Maya wrap (ring sling) and never used it. He didn’t like it and I couldn’t get it to work right.

    We used a wipe warmer and I think it really helped with middle of the night changes. If you use bottles, a bottle warmer for sure, especially for breastmilk.

    I stocked up with about 100 baby wash cloths and I have to say, especially once they hit toddlerhood I use every single one of them.

    Mesh feeder: when s/he is old enough to have solids and starts teething – frozen/cold chunks of banana, cantaloupe etc in those things were a LIFESAVER

    Never used: a peepee teepee, but for whatever reason other than in the VERY beginning, our little guy was never a pee outside the diaper baby. Those little mittens to prevent scratching rarely got used either. I also found receiving blankets handier than burp cloths.

    If you can, borrow items like swings because our little guy was NOT a fan (go figure), so we were glad we borrowed that item!

    Exersaucer – pick one up at a yard sale this summer for $15. I was a lifesaver for months 5-8.

  • Ginna February 8, 2012, 7:28 pm

    I highly recommend the Baby Bargains book. It gives you eveything you really need and tells you what you don’t and gives brand recommendations based on your budget. I didn’t even have to step foot in the store to do my registry. It was so easy! I also highly recommend amazons baby registry – great prices and so much more on there than baby r us!

  • Eve February 8, 2012, 7:43 pm

    Looks like you have great recommendations so far! Btw, you look amazing and good for you for getting in so much exercise this week! We live in a small NYC apt, so I was all about keeping things minimal. The things I used most in the beginning:
    – my breast friend for nursing
    – medela double electric hands free pump (forgot the model)
    – aiden & anais blankets (great for swadddling, in the stroller, and many other purposes)
    – miracle blanket (my favorite for swaddling)
    – uppababy stroller basinet (our daughter slept in it at night in our room) and i walked a ton w/ the stroller during the day.
    – baby gym (not necessary) but it is more fun for tummy time than a blanket
    – a bouncer or swing (we got a swing, but our daughter never really liked it)
    – bottles or pacifiers if your’e planning on using
    – baby carrier, i used one called cat bird baby by pikkolo baby it was the best ever. i started off with the baby bjorn and it killed my back, this was a lifesaver and i used it until she was a year old!
    – mobile, we used the one by tiny love. it was our daughter’s favorite thing for months. she could just lay there and watch it for maybe 30-60 minutes! it was her happiest place from about 6 wks -3 or 4 months
    – want to agree with previous poster, definitely sophie the giraffe!
    – also the whoozit was her favorite “toy” in the beginning along with soft books. maybe you could add some of those to the registry

  • Dana @ the Big Fat Skinny February 8, 2012, 7:51 pm

    I’d love to see the list of newborn must-haves .. can you post it when you get it together? I have a 2 1/2 year old, and I kind of forget what you NEED in the begining!

    You’re looking great, and I agree 100% about not knowing the gender. It is SUCH a beautiful surprise! When I had G (after substantial bomding time between the 3 of us) the hubs went into the waiting area to tell our family that it was a girl, and he videoed his announcement. I still watch it to this day and it makes me cry. I’m sure they would’ve reacted with equal joy if it were a boy, but it was just the beauty of the surprise! Enjoy those moments!!

  • Steph February 8, 2012, 7:53 pm

    My top 5 list of must-haves (I have an almost three year old daughter, and am expecting a little boy in June):

    1.) Chicco Keyfit 30 car seat. My good friend is a Child Passenger Safety Technician (aka car seat guru) and this is the number one seat she recommends for new moms. It fits easily in most vehicles and is a cinch to adjust the harness straps and tighten. PLEASE read both your car’s and your car seat’s manuals and become familiar with each of their rules for car seat safety, and PLEASE research the benefits of extended rear-facing. Most parents turn their children around way too early and it is so much safer for a child to be rear-facing at 2+ years.

    2) Swaddle-Me blankets. The velcro keeps the swaddle nice and tight.

    3) The Happiest Baby on the Block book. The 5 S’s saved our sanity in the early months and some of them worked well past the first year.

    4) Arm’s Reach Co-Sleeper. I did not have this with my daughter but will absolutely have it with my son.

    5) Hands-free pumping bra. If you plan on using a double-pump this will keep your hands free to surf the ‘net or read a magazine.

  • Julie D. February 8, 2012, 7:56 pm

    My son is 10 months old now and at this point I wouldn’t have registered for half of the stuff I did knowing what I know now.
    My must haves: Ergo carrier, arms reach cosleeper, soft blanket(s) and crib pads. I think a pack-n-play for the grandparents house is a useful investment too. I also highly recommend cloth diapering and cloth wipes.

    Originally we bought a crib, a swing, a bouncy chair, pacifiers, multiple types of bottles, so on and so forth. After having my son I started to do more research about parenting and how I wanted to raise my son. We have since ditched the crib and adopted a Montessori floor bed (basically a crib mattress on the ground and his room is his crib). We hardly ever used the snap-n-go, we never used the swing, we occasionally used the bouncy chair (like while taking a shower) mostly because we realized how much we liked the Montessori philosophy for our son which meant freedom of movement so a blanket on the floor was all he needed.

    • Julie D. February 8, 2012, 7:58 pm

      I’ll also add that I had the medela PIS and it is pricey and I think next time I’ll rent a hospital grade pump because the hospital grade pumps have much better suction. I highly recommend pumping as much as possible when your milk first comes in so you can save that over-supply for days when you might be away from your baby.

  • Julie D. February 8, 2012, 8:06 pm

    Argh, sorry for the back-to-back comments. Last thing is do your research about carseat safety. The best carseat is the one that you can get properly installed in your car, not a specific brand of carseat. There is a group on FB called Carseats for the Littles and there is a lot to learn there about different seats, how to make sure your seat is properly installed, how to make sure your kid is hooked in/fits correctly in a seat.

  • chelsey @ clean eating chelsey February 8, 2012, 8:31 pm

    I can’t wait for the birth story because I know you won’t leave ANYTHING out!!

  • Natalie @fitjamericangirl February 8, 2012, 8:53 pm

    Wow! A sheet of paper. Your husband cradling the stick figure baby is really cute. Life is amazing.

  • Ali February 8, 2012, 9:09 pm

    I saw a nice blog post on registries here:
    http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/2011/08/motherhood-mondays-what-to-register-for.html

    As for us, I have a 2 year old and am pregnant with my 2nd, due in May. I think my 5 must-haves are these:

    1. Ergo Baby Carrier
    2. Onesies with the handmitts attached (so they don’t scratch their face)
    3. Halo Sleep Sacks
    4. Bobby pillow (I did NOT like the breastfriend)
    5. Lansinoh nipple cream. (use it now, it will help once you start breast-feeding. I didn’t have any cracks or sore-issues because I started early!)

    Obviously a breast-pump if you are going to use bottles…We liked Tommee Tippee bottles which are VERY good for babies who don’t take bottles easily. We also used a bathtub that had the temp already built in. It makes more sense than having an extra temp thing floating around in it. A swing was fabulous, but you never know how your baby will be. You’ll be great and you can always send a friend or family member out to Babies R Us haha

  • JenRD February 8, 2012, 9:16 pm

    You look great!

    Our must haves:
    A good-quality pump: the Madela Pump in Style (but I am working away from home)
    Some type of baby carrier: we had to try a few first to see what was comfortable for all 3 of us; Maya hated the baby K’tan, but we both love the Balboa Baby, and daddy and Maya love the Ergo Baby
    A bouncy seat: for the times when you must put her down, you know, to use the bathroom or something. Also good for digestion after feedings if you have a refluxy baby (without the vibrator turned on)
    A Velcro swaddle: we like the Summer’s infant one, because Maya would break free from a blanket swaddle.
    A Boppy or My Breast Friend pillow–I borrowed a Boppy from a friend, and got the Breast Friend nursing pillow as a gift, and find that once she got bigger, the Breast Friend was more comfortable.

    Of course, registe for the basics like plenty of bottles, fitted crib sheets, burp cloths, etc.

    Have fun!

  • Bobbie February 8, 2012, 9:20 pm

    I’m sure someone has already said this but the baby bjorn! I loved my bjorn and used it (and it held up well) with all 3 of my daughters. Sometimes, especially after you have more than 1 little one, you just need to be hands free. Plus I think my babies all loved being close to me like that…it calmed them.

  • Ashley @ Cooking for John February 8, 2012, 9:27 pm

    No baby gear recommendations from me- I just have to say your boobs are huge! That is all. 😉

    P.S. You look radiant!

  • Janelle February 8, 2012, 9:30 pm

    I can say with total confidence (after having two boys) that you don’t need a wipe warmer, diaper genie, or special baby bath. If you are cloth diapering (you should – so easy!) then register for the diapers, sprayer, and a couple of wet bags. The other big ticket necessities, at least for us, were the carriers (we had a wrap, a baby bjorn, and an ergo – and the ergo was a hands-down winner for us), a stroller (easy to find on craigslist!), crib, and car seat. I do wish we had registered for a decent thermometer, the cheap one doesn’t work so well but I have a hard time justifying $50 for a decent one now…but often wish I had it! We also received a lot of natural skincare products, which was amazing to have on hand.

  • Elizabeth February 8, 2012, 9:47 pm

    Congrats! I have a 5 month old, and the invaluable items to us are:
    Moby
    Yoga ball to bounce baby in said Moby
    Ring Sling (sleeping baby productions)
    Bassinet for our room
    NB sized gowns
    Bum Genius diapers
    Hats-like a million
    Little changing station baskets set up around house

    Check out Lucies List–super helpful info!

  • Diana @ frontyardfoodie February 8, 2012, 9:53 pm

    Obviously there have been tons of good recommendations in the comments but here is what I actually used with my son and will use with my second,

    1. crib
    2. baby monitor
    3. cloth diapers!!!
    4. swaddling blankets
    5. a good pacifier
    6. and I found a changing table great for usage and storage (since it has shelves).
    7. breast pump

    I hope that helps! I didn’t know what to register for either. It’s so hard!

  • HangryPants February 8, 2012, 10:10 pm

    I will send baby htp some ginger vibes, too. They are the cutest after all. 🙂

  • Jes Suazo February 8, 2012, 11:33 pm

    My lifesaver when the little man was born was the Boppy Lounger–

    http://www.amazon.com/Boppy-Newborn-Lounger-Seed-Row/dp/B002WDAW5Q .

    It was the only thing he would sleep in for the first couple of weeks & then after that it was his favorite naptime spot.

    A good breast pump & other breastfeeding accessories is also a necessity if you plan on breastfeeding.

    Bottles, a functional diaper bag & a rocking chair.

    Those are my top items. Also, your hair looks absolutely gorgeous!! It looks like it’s gotten thicker & shinier as your pregnancy has progressed. 🙂

  • Emily @ Perfection Isn't Happy February 8, 2012, 11:39 pm

    You’re over halfway there- that’s so exciting!

  • Chelsea February 9, 2012, 12:35 am

    “I’m sending redhead vibes to the baby this week – I’m hoping she’ll inherit her daddy’s ginger locks!” SHE? hehe

  • Jen February 9, 2012, 2:02 am

    Ahahahaha…LOVE your little “paper baby” – my hubby would totally approve of the ears! To him, all smiley faces MUST have ears. To me, they MUST have eyelashes! Oh, my – TMI…I really just need to go to bed already. 🙂

    It really is hard to believe that Baby is that big already…SOOO excited for you both!

  • Verna February 9, 2012, 6:15 am

    You look beautiful! I hope your baby has red hair too! I’ve always wanted a red haired baby. Not likely since my husband and I both have brown hair but I love red hair! ; )

    My advice on baby registry is:
    1)get a light weight car seat. Safe of course, but they get so heavy with a baby in them!
    2)If you’re planning on breastfeeding, just get the bottles that go with your pump. If your baby hates them you can try different ones but if not it’s easier to only have one set of bottles. I bought fancy (expensive) bottles that were supposed to make it easier to go between breastfeeding and bottle and my son hated them and we never used them.
    3)If you think you might co-sleep, snugglenest are awesome!
    4)My Breast Friend pillow is way better than boppy in my opinion. I love mine!
    5) We have a couple Lamaze toys and they are great for babies.
    6) Lots of books! I love reading to both of my babies while breastfeeding.
    Babies really don’t need a lot of stuff. We got mostly basics too and it’s so much easier.

  • Kellie February 9, 2012, 6:48 am

    I am about to have my 2nd baby boy in a couple weeks. My favorite baby items have been our BOB stroller, snap and go stroller (for quick errands/traveling), video monitor, SwaddleMe swaddler with velcro, my double electric breast pump, and this bib for when the baby is older and eating table food http://www.buybuybaby.com/product.asp?SKU=113023&amp;
    Good Luck! Looks like you are getting lots of good advice.

  • Brittnie (A Joy Renewed) February 9, 2012, 6:49 am

    Our first baby is due in May so I too have been asking friends for must haves and baby recommendations. A few things that EVERYONE told me & seemed to agree on:

    The Miracle Blanket – they have these at Babies R Us (awesome for swaddling so I hear)

    Sound/Noise machine for nursery – white noise/ocean sounds/lullabies etc

    Aden & Anais swaddling blankets – I have been told that these, while pricey, are much bigger than typical receiving blankets and last a lot longer! Apparently typical receiving blankets are smaller and thus your baby outgrows them super fast.

    Boppy Pillow – or like nursing pillow

  • amy February 9, 2012, 7:11 am

    I don’t have newborns, my kids are 10 and 8. For registering, you ask a friend who’s opinion you trust, who has a baby or recently has had one. You do not need many of the crazy things you’ll find at baby stores. And you’ll find that all that baby stuff takes up a HUGE amount of space in your house. The best advice I got is about strollers. When you are at the store, practice folding up the stroller. Fold it down, set it up. Do it over and over. Make sure it is easy to work, and you can do it by yourself.

  • Brittany (Healthy Slice of Life) February 9, 2012, 7:53 am

    Aw, link love- you’re so sweet 🙂

    I can’t believe how much you’ve popped-you are rockin’ that adorable baby bump. And I think it’s fantastic that you’re not finding out the sex. It was torture for me to know and not share (can’t believe I went along with David’s crazy idea to do that). Of course, I’ll be going crazy once BabyHTP is born wanting to know if he is a he or she is a she. You totally need to start a baby pool!

  • Marissa C February 9, 2012, 8:09 am

    Is that an H&M sweater? I thought it looked familiar…I bought the same sweater in the same color during my pregnancy and wore it all the way up to 9 months. And I’m wearing it now too! Love it.

    As for things to register for:

    Things I didn’t think I needed/didn’t think about:

    –Newborn mittens. They will scratch themselves (and you) to death without them and clipping their nails in the first 10 days is impossible. And apparently not recommended?

    –Burp cloths. Not the nasty white kind. The soft pretty kind from Babies R Us. They are absolutely essential and we go through so many a day!

    –Snap n Go stroller frame. I was really resistant to this one because I wanted to use the BOB we got with the infant seat attachment. That attachment is $60 and apparently isn’t very secure. The BOB is also just too unwieldy for on the go stuff, but wonderful for jogging. I borrowed a Snap n Go and it makes life so much easier.

    –Pacifier clips. Enough said.

    –Swaddle blankets. They help her sleep so much better. We got the miracle blanket, but ended up liking the velcro swaddle me ones much better.

    –A swing. We have the Mamaroo, but she prefers the g-force inducing one with the awesome mobile at my mom’s house. I think this depends on the baby.

    Things I knew I wanted that are awesome:

    –A wipe/changing pad pod. Very convenient and you’d be surprised how many places don’t have a changing table. Or have a really gross one.

    –The Ergo carrier. Noelle absolutely loves it. Puts her to sleep every time.

    –Bumbo seat. Also a huge hit with Noelle.

    –Arms Reach Original Co-Sleeper. Very nice to have her next to us at night. In theory a pack n play would work too.

    –Medela Freestyle breast pump. I walk around the house like a dairy cow doing chores…just don’t bend over. Made that mistake twice.

    Things we thought we’d love but were meh:

    –PUJ tub. She just grew out of it too fast. She is a strong baby and was able to kick it open early. At 1 month she started showering with me…much quicker and convenient. And she loves it. Must be a shower girl like her mama.

    –BOB Stroller. Still awesome, but I wish I had considered a City Mini more…it’s almost half the price and I’ve really like the ones I’ve seen in person.

    –Medela Freezer Breastmilk Bags. Just cracked one open the other day. The milk reeked of plastic/chemicals and we had to toss it 🙁 🙁

    • Marissa C February 9, 2012, 8:12 am

      I’m also going to have to disagree with a poster above about bottles. We use the Breastflow bottles and Noelle does an awesome job switching between the breast and bottle…I really do credit the bottle.

      • Marissa C February 9, 2012, 8:14 am

        Ahh! And I forgot my absolute favorite!

        NIPPLE BUTTER. OMG. Saved my life. The lanolin stained and sheep’s grease is kind of gross honestly. There are lots of organic nipple butter options out there. Also great for greasing you up before pumping–avoid blisters!

  • Andrea February 9, 2012, 8:15 am

    Yay for a redhead. I’m a redhead and my son inherited his beautiful hair from me. I can’t tell you how many compliments I get on him. Take a look at my blog for some older pics (haven’t updated in quite a while). He’s gorgeous, but I might be biased. 🙂

  • Shannon February 9, 2012, 8:20 am

    Here are my 5 must haves for a newborn (my son is now 6 months):

    1) A quality breast pump (I ended up buying a hospital grade pump)
    2) A boppy pillow
    3) Nap Nanny or Rock n’ Play
    4) Aden & Anais swaddling blankets
    5) Summer Infant Video Monitor (we had originally planned for my son to sleep in our room in the basinett for the fist 3 months but after 10 days I realized I could not sleep with him in there! Every little sound made me jump up. So we transferred him to his crib and I slept so much better. The video monitor gave me peace of mind as I was able to check on him whenever I wanted without actually going in there and I was able to put the sound down low enough that I wouldn’t hear every little noise, just when he yelped out or cried).

    I have a ton more but those were the first that came to mind!

  • Emily February 9, 2012, 9:16 am

    My kids are 7 and 4. We had every gadget imaginable with our 7 year old. By the time our 4 year old was born, we whittled down the “must haves” to just the essentials.

    –a baby apparatus of some sort, like a bouncy seat or swing…Our 7 year old was a fussy baby, but she LOVED her swing. Our 4 year old was a very chill, easy baby, but he wanted nothing to do with the swing. He preferred to lay on the floor on a blanket. Personally, I would see if you could borrow one until you see what your baby likes. They are pricey and take up a lot of space, so no need to have one if your baby hates it.

    –baby nail clippers…The adult size ones are way too big for tiny fingers.

    –a stroller of some sort…We never felt the need for a $700 Bugaboo or anything. Our Graco something worked just fine. Oh, and you’ll need a carseat, obviously.

    –tons of gowns…They are WAY easier for middle-of-the-night, bleary eyed diaper changes than sleepers with snaps.

    We never used swaddling blankets (regular old blankets work just fine and you will likely receive tons as baby gifts), a baby carrier, Boppy, newborn mittens, a baby monitor…

  • Vicky S. February 9, 2012, 9:36 am

    I just had my baby boy, Milo, on Jan. 23… and here are the things I CAN’T live without…
    1) My boppy! It’s the only way I can breastfeed comfortably
    2) Kimono style onsies (NOT the tee shirts, they ride up when you hold your baby)… my little one hates things pulled over his head, less frustration on both our parts.
    3) Breast pads and Lansinol… tender nipples get soothed with this ointment, plus you don’t need to wipe it off when you feed the baby.
    4) Nursing bras, Bravado!
    5) the MamaRoo… this swing was expensive, but it is better looking then the conventional swing and you can plug your iPod or iPad in to play music through the speakers.
    6) A bassinet on a rocker (I got my rocker from Little Merry Fellows and my bassinet from Serena and Lily).
    (And trust me you will learn to swaddle, although your little one may not like it. My guy loved the swaddle until he was about 4-5 days old, now he likes to sleep with his arms up!)

    • Vicky S. February 9, 2012, 9:43 am

      Oh and a good read is Baby Led Weaning… for when your baby is starting on solids!

  • Sarah T. February 9, 2012, 10:32 am

    1. Use swaddling blankets as burp cloths (they’re bigger than regular burp cloths so they catch/clean up better) and believe me, you can never have too many of those.
    2. Don’t buy pacifiers.
    3. Some kind of swing or bouncer. We had 3 – one in the Living room, one in the basement and a portable one to move around. Used the crap out of all of them.
    4. don’t buy shoes. they may look cute but it’s a waste of money and can stunt babies feet from forming properly
    5. lots of bottles – even if you’re breastfeeding.
    6. diapers and more diapers. seems silly to register for them but it’s a good reminder to people of the basics that you’ll need
    7. a monitor. You don’t need a video one (though it can be fun). We just got a basic one but also made sure it included a sensor pad that would alert us if she stopped moving/breathing for longer than 20 seconds. it gave us real peace of mind.

  • Abby February 9, 2012, 11:39 am

    We had a baby a year ago this Saturday!! And we are expecting again! We didn’t want to register for a lot, just some basics. So glad we did. We registered for cloth diapers ( best bottoms) and the best gift… The Chariot from REI. We got the double right way. Jogging, biking, even cross country skiing. It’s been awesome.

  • Katie P February 9, 2012, 11:41 am

    Skip the ERGO and get a BOBA. The new 3G doesn’t require the infant insert (I’m due in July and baby would be WAY too hot to be in that ERGO Sleeping bag!) and they are cert. organic and made in the USA. They haven’t started selling the cert. organic 3G yet, but company has said they will be ready in the Spring.

    Other than that you’ll get too much advice to what to register for so register for what you love and return what you start thinking twice about!

  • Ginnean February 9, 2012, 12:07 pm

    I just had a baby in November and I have to agree that in the first few weeks, all your baby needs is food, love, diapers, some inexpensive clothes (because he/she will outgrow them in about 2-3 weeks), and a place to sleep. But after those first couple weeks, once your baby becomes more alert and needs to be entertained, you will try just about anything to keep her from crying! Some things I have not been able to live without in the first 3 months are:
    1) Car seat and stroller
    2) baby carrier – I got a Chicco one on sale for about $40 and she LOVES going for walks even if it’s just around the living room
    3) Boppy for breastfeeding or just letting her hang out while we play
    4) Bumbo – helping her learn to sit up and it works as a kind of a portable high chair when you go to Grandma’s house
    5) Infant swing – for the first few weeks, she only slept in her car seat or infant swing. Now she likes to hang out in there and watch while I cook dinner
    6) Rattles or anything that makes noise – rattles really helped her learn to grab things and use her hands
    7) Sophie le Giraffe – she chews on that thing like it owes her money!
    8) Hundreds of burp cloths – I actually bought blankets on sale. They’re bigger and my baby is a big time spitter
    9) A couple swaddling blankets for the first couple weeks
    10) play mat with hanging toys – ours has a little thing that plays music and she stares at it and bats at it forever
    11) A breast pump, tons of bottles, and nipple cream
    12) Glider/Rocking Chair

  • Christine February 9, 2012, 12:26 pm

    I am a few weeks behind you with our first, so I haven’t registered yet either. But I have found this website is really helpful http://www.lucieslist.com and I intend on using it when we do go to register. Have fun!!

  • Tiffany February 9, 2012, 12:29 pm

    one thing i think every momma needs is a baby swing. i couldn’t imagine my first few weeks without a baby swing. need a minute to your self, place the baby in the swing and she (or he) will be dosing off in minutes.

    also, get a few different types of bottles and not just one big pack of one type because you think the baby will like it, i bought a big box of drop in ones because i thought it would save sometime, but my daughter hated the nipple and we ended up using a drug store brand because its what she liked.

    A good diaper bag, i went through 3 cheaper ones in 5 months and my 4th was more expensive but it lasted almost 3 years.

    Also, don’t waste money on a swaddling blankets, just use regular baby blankets. cheaper and they last longer.

  • ErikaMC February 9, 2012, 1:32 pm

    Oh my goodness… registring is so overwhelming! My top 5 picks would be: swaddle blankets, bouncy seat that vibrates, bassinet mattress pads (more than one so you always have a clean one), sleep sacks (you do not want to deal with snaps or zippers in the middle of the night), bathroom kit (fingernail clipper, booger sucker, shampoo/body wash, wash clothes and towels, hair comb and brush, powder, lotion, etc.)

  • Lauren February 9, 2012, 1:38 pm

    Lots of good suggestions so far! Definitely a swing, plenty of hats/socks, something for white noise (we use the sleep sheep, and also a humidifier), swaddle blankets with velcro.

    Some people may disagree, but think about picking up a small container of formula “just in case”. I breastfeed and before I had my baby I was super adamant about not using formula. My husband signed up for the Emfamil mailing list and got a free sample and I am glad that he did. We used it as a supplement and also sometimes at night when I didn’t have a supply in the fridge/freezer and wanted a bit of sleep.

    An activity mat was invaluable when he was a couple months old. And, as someone above suggested, make sure you have plenty of reading material or a kindle for when you pump/breastfeed.

  • Laura February 9, 2012, 1:44 pm

    I would highly recommend a baby bouncer that vibrates. For a lot of colicky babies the vibration REALLY helps and it gives you a chance to have your hands free to do other things (like warming a bottle). It also works great for naps. You can swaddle the baby up tight, put them in it and then tap it with your foot so it goes up and down while you read a book. It’s a great way to put a babe to sleep w/o having to rock them. I was a newborn nanny for a year (I would come at night and look after newborns so that their parents could get some sleep in the first couple months) and it was a lifesaver when families had them. 😀

  • Amber K February 9, 2012, 2:15 pm

    That is the cutest shirt ever! What a great gift for your dad. Wow, I had no idea that the baby would be that long already. They sure grow quickly 🙂

  • Kathy February 9, 2012, 3:16 pm

    So much has changed & advanced since I had kids. But even the basics can add up. Mostly you need tons of diapers & wipes, sleepers, onesies, a couple blankets. I would have been lost without the baby swing. That really kept my son quiet – as he had colic and cried for the first 6 months! You’ll probably nurse, but you might want to keep a couple bottles on hand for emergencies or if you go out. All the new baby carriers are really neat. I never had those. What is also nice is a carrier that converts into a stroller. And of course a car seat. That is probably about as basic as you would want to get.

  • Natalie Rae February 9, 2012, 3:40 pm

    I registered on Target.com and Amazon.com for anything and everything because both sites give you a 10% discount on what is in you registry that is not bought as gifts- Both usually have free shipping and a GREAT selection of organic, bpa-free, semi crunchy items that are hard to find elsewhere.

    Also- Amazon.com’s Amazon Mom is a free group that provides discounts on their site. I even added protein powder and health bars to my registry for the discount.
    I have found the lists that other shoppers created on Amazon related to baby products to be really helpful on what you really need for a newborn. You can even search the lists for specific types.

  • Carly February 9, 2012, 9:37 pm

    Just stumbled across this post and totally thought of you!

    http://www.notfindingout.com/home.php

  • Carrie February 10, 2012, 12:34 am

    Two pack n plays. We kept one in our living room- now serves as a play pen (perfect for overly friendly dogs) and one in the car all the time. This was so much more convenient than one, which is what we started with.

    Mobile- omg.. Lifesaver! Black and white colors are great.

    Aden and Anais swaddling blankets- pricey, but 100% worth it. They are so big and perfect for swaddling and covering the baby.

    Car seat with an extra base for a second car, if you guys have two. This made life so much easier.

    Baby Einstien hand held toy with lights that plays songs- another lifesaver… My daughter loved this.. Even when she was super fussy.

    Swing- we slept our daughter in a fancy sheep one. She loved it and slept through the night from about 4 weeks on. I feared she wouldn’t transition well out of it, but it was a breeze! She ‘told’ us when it was time and that was that. Seriously a lifesaver. I regret not getting one that plugs :/ ours burned through a lot of batteries.

    Everyone acted like we needed a tons of pacifiers. I ended up getting a bunch but she only liked one.. The gum drop. My mom said keep trying with it and she was right! My daughter hated it for a while but loves it now and it really helps her get to sleep.

    Crib pads… We went through a lot of these..small and large. The large we now put in her crib under her and on top of the sheets. Prevents daily changing of the actual sheets.

    White noise sound stuffed animal. These are great!
    🙂

  • Liz February 12, 2012, 8:55 pm

    I recommend buying the book The Girlfriend’s Guide to Baby Gear. They are very practical and sensible and tell you exactly what to register for. It helped me a lot!

  • Noelle February 14, 2012, 1:05 pm

    Yea you don’t need a whole lot, just the basics.

    Clothes
    Swaddles
    Car Seat (plus snap and go stroller)
    bottles
    boppy
    swing or bouncy seat
    diapers
    lots of rags
    pack n’ play is totally useful in the beginning for setting baby up in your room or wherever

    and don’t forget you!
    colace (!!!!!!!!!!)
    nursing bras
    nipple cream
    cute loungewear that doesn’t make you feel like a slob
    an eye shade thingy so you can nap easier during the day

    So exciting!!!

  • Noelle February 14, 2012, 1:07 pm

    http://captainhambone.typepad.com/not_that_you_asked/2006/10/the_great_big_h.html

    and this list is very helpful for your hospital bag…

  • Amy February 21, 2012, 10:59 am

    I just recently completed my list to share with friends: http://amyelizabethsmith.wordpress.com/2012/01/14/my-must-have-baby-items/

  • jenny February 21, 2012, 11:51 pm

    Here are my baby essentials: diapers, diaper ointment, baby washclothes, shampoo/body wash, baby bathtub, cloth diapers used for burp rags, diaper bag, sleepers (most used baby garment in our house), blankets/swaddlers, boppy pillow, sling, nursing pads, baby brush, thermometer, socks, crib sheets, baby wipes, a breast feeding cover/shaw, baby hangers.
    The larger baby items that have received a lot of use: carseat, bouncy chair, dresser, crib, stroller, and swing (I didn’t have one with my first two, but it was a lifesaver with my third). A good baby monitor is a must to.
    Non-essentials that received a lot of use: small toys to hang on carseat/stroller, battery-operated baby mobile with light, baby bathrobe.
    I didn’t register for any clothes other than sleepers because I didn’t know the sex of my babies. But when the baby was born, people showered me with cute clothes so that was never a problem.
    Things I thought I would use, but didn’t: high chair (we are short on space and found that a booster seat secured to a chair worked and didn’t take up space). Baby toys, seems like the little guys were perfectly content with pots and pans, and pulling books off shelves. Only a few baby toys got any real use. Diaper changer (again a space thing. I ended up switching to the foldable, transportable kind).

  • sarah jane March 13, 2012, 12:29 pm

    Loved the paper baby…especially it being rocked! I hope you’ll be willing to share your story on my birth story blog when you finally write it….when it finally happens! glad i found your blog! And yes, your boobs do look huge! (hope that’s not weird sine you don’t know me!)

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Healthy Tipping Point