Panic! At the baby's room

I watched cable news last night until I realized I was watching the sixteenth loop of the exact same footage and Geraldo was showing me the website of a random Asian guy wearing a bunch of guns, knowing that this particular random Asian guy had nothing to do with the shooting. That's when I decided I'd seen enough and went upstairs to the baby's room to fuss over all the things I haven't put away. Like, oh, EVERYTHING.

I was going through the clothes and the blankets and the books and it suddenly occurred to me that I might not have all the things I am supposed to have. For example, I only have eight newborn size onesies. IS THAT ENOUGH ONESIES?

Things I Have: Clothing

• Eight newborn size short sleeve onesies
• Five newborn size long sleeve onesies
• Eight sleepers/creepers/footie pajamas/whatever they're called
• Four sleep sacks
• Four hand-me-down swaddling blanket things aka baby straijackets
• Three newborn size pairs of pants
• Four unbelievably tiny side snap t-shirts
• Small mountain of socks
• Small mountain of hats
• Miscellaneous piles of three to six month and six to nine month clothing that I'll deal with later, because in case you have not heard, I have a SMALL BABY
• Four pairs of shoes- church shoes, two pairs of sneakers and a pair of Robeez

Things I Have: Blankets, Sheets

• Three cheapo receiving blankets
• Two fancy pants receiving blankets from fancy pants baby stores
• One bed sheet
• One gorgeous counted cross stitch blanket that my baby is never ever going to be allowed to pee on
• One super luxe super soft blanket that, again, my baby will never be allowed to pee on
• One quilt I will probably hang on the wall

Things I Have: Gear & Stuff

• One car seat
• One stroller
• One swing
• Two bouncy seats
• One playmat
• Two bathtubs
• Three hooded towels
• One borrowed breast pump that I am afraid to look at because I am in total denial
• One shopping bag full of the baby's honorary cousins' outgrown bottles
• Seven bumGenius 2.0 cloth diapers
• Two cloth diapers too hilarious to describe; suffice to say if I pin them on my child he will be known as Little Lord Cheungleroy, so remind me to take a picture
• Large mountain of books
• Handful of stuffed toys
• Handful of toys to chew on
• Phillip's diaper bag
• My diaper bag
• Babycare kit, baby soap, Mylicon drops, diaper rash cream

Bored yet? You know I'm really writing this all out for my mother, who told me that the 487 pictures I took of my baby shower were not enough and that she'd like a picture of each gift with a detailed caption emailed to her stat.

Anyway, this seems like a lot of stuff to me. But-

Things I Don't Have That I Think I Probably Need, Right?

• Baby monitor
• Place for baby to sleep that is not the crib or my bed
• More bed sheets
• Waterproof mattress pad
• Newborn disposable diapers
• All the cloth diaper accessories I haven't bothered to research yet
• A packed hospital bag
• Nursing clothes
• A carrier, and now I am leaning more towards a mei tei instead of a pouch. Gah.
• A mirror to stick on the car seat so I can see the baby's face because the whole backwards facing baby thing really freaks me out
• Large mountain of Chinese prefolds
• A Certificate of Successful Completion of a local How To Keep A Newborn Baby Alive Class

Have I forgotten anything? Can I get rid of something on any of my lists? DO I HAVE ENOUGH ONESIES?

Oh, and here is today's parting thought: young ladies of the world, when arriving for a job interview, make sure you can actually walk in your three-inch heels and that the camisole under your Express suit jacket is long enough to cover up your navel ring. Ladies, I'm just trying to help. 

Comments

[Salome Ellen]

How often do/will you do laundry? Four onesies per day, at least until you know what kind of diapers DON'T leak on your baby, plus a couple to live in the diaper bag.
Whatever sling you choose, the baby will like a different one better.

[Laura]

I know what you mean about the news...depressing. I am ashamed to say I was relieved when they changed from saying he was Chinese to S. Korean...I don't know why it mattered to me but for some reason it did.
I can't give newborn advice but YES to the baby monitor..I live by mine. I didn't spring for the video one though.
Oh, and HA HA about the dress code advice. Once I interviewed a lady who came in wearing a hat and announced that she didn't have time to wash her hair??

[Maureen]

Yay! Someone asking for advice! Young mothers like NOTHING BETTER than to tell other young mothers what to do. :)

We have this baby monitor: http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/product.aspx?modelNumber=2795DIG1&CategoryID=13
We like it; it beeps at you if it's low on battery or loses signal. Very handy. Also has lights that tell you if there is sound, so you can turn the sound off and still see if he's crying. Not that I'd ever do that of course... (Actually, we live in an apartment, so it's sort of moot; we barely need a monitor at all.)

I'd get some more onesies. They're cheap and small and you may change him a lot. Four sleep sacks are probably enough, though, because you'll do laundry by the time they're all dirty. And you'll be using the Swaddle Me anyway, I bet.

Nursing clothes: You just need bras. I have no "nursing shirts," because you can just wear something that is loose enough to lift up. Also, button down shirts may seem like a great idea, but actually they are the least modest choice since you have to unbutton the whole thing. Button front PAJAMAS, on the other hand, are perfect. Get two pairs so you can change your shirt when you leak all over the first one. As for what brand of bra is the best, please let me know when you figure it out because I am not having a lot of luck.

Also, get maybe two more crib sheets in case (when) he leaks through. Not more than three total, however. I think we have five, but that is overkill. I'm pretty sure we only use three of them.

Finally, I keep meaning to give you this tip Get some alcohol to keep by the toilet. After you rinse the dirty diapers, you can just put some alcohol on some toilet paper and wipe down the toilet and anywhere that may have splashed. Then you just flush the paper away with the poop! Quick and easy. Also, I attempted to count how many BG one-sizes we have. Can't remember. I think it's 18.

[Emily]

Asher lived in footie pajamas for the first oh, three months of his life, because he too was a SMALL BABY and nothing except preemie-sized footie pajamas fit him. I had a ton of them and I loved him in those the best. Of course, he was a fall/winter baby, so it was cooler out then. Not sure if a summer baby needs footie pajamas? Isn't this sad? I'm a mother with a child that is OUTSIDE OF HER BODY and I don't know how to dress them.

Things that saved my sanity that aren't on your list:

Flat-fold cloth diapers - awesome as burp cloths. Cheap and absorbant. Now that Asher isn't barfing as much, they make excellent dust rags. Seriously though, I don't leave the house without them.

Bibs - I had a barfer. A 12-pack of plastic-backed bibs from Target is $8 and will last you a pretty good while.

The Ultimate Crib Sheet - I have two, and yes, they are expensive, I realize this. BUT. It is really really hard to change a crib sheet and you will find this out soon: the sheets fit tight on the mattress and the mattress fits really tight in the crib and if you have a bumper, sometimes you have to take it off to wedge the whole mattress back in. So I bought the Ultimate Crib Sheet - it just snaps onto the bars of the crib and is basically just a top sheet without sides so that if someone happens to spit up/poop/pee all over everything, you just remove the top sheet and put a new one on. This is seriously the most complicated explanation of this process ever. Sorry. But again, Asher barfed all the time, everywhere, and in the middle of the night I couldn't stand to put him back to sleep in that crib with foul-smelling sheets but I also didn't have the energy to yank the mattress out of the bed.

The truth is, with a newborn, you don't need much for at least the first six weeks. And then? When you do need some new stuff? You need to get out of the house anyway. I think it sounds awesome. All the stuff is just for your convenience, not the baby's, really.

Also, I'm totally working on your bleg. Just so you know.

[SHannon]

Yes, definately more crib sheets. More flannel receiving blankets, we always used tons of those.

For me the best thing for nursing was a twinset...I was able to lift up the sweater and then position the cardigan so that noone ever even knew I was nursing. And the nursing bras from target that look like sports bras are just the best...I love those...I would still be wearing them all the time if my dh hadn't finally protested--super comfortable!

[jen]

hi maggie, i second the more crib sheets. Pretty much your baby's very watery poo will leak onto everything so always carry at least 2 extra onsies until solid foods ;) I also loved pajamas above all other clothes at first.
we have this carrier http://www.ergobabycarrier.com/ and i have liked it more than the frame backpack or the bjorn, but i'm not sure if they can be in it before being able to hold up their head.
Also, i think you have lots of great stuff and all the essentials. you're doing great!

[E.]

More onesies, more crib sheets, I'd also add more receiving blankets. That's because we used them as burp cloths as well, and my first baby projectile vomited all of the time and we always used the receiving blankets to catch/clean up what we could since they were always right there. I'm impressed that you have shoes at all. I always figured they wouldn't be walking for the first 11 months or so anyway, so socks would do just fine. Then, inwardly, I'd laugh at all my friends with new babies who spent time smashing those shoes on the baby's feet and trying to tie them when the baby wouldn't stop kicking his/her legs around. Yeah, yeah, their babies always looked more put together than mine, but I got out the door faster. And trust me, getting out the door becomes . . . well, an accomplishment.

[jen]

ohyeah, and someone gave us a great idea for the first few months. put two layers of fitted sheet/waterproof sheet on the crib so if you have to change it inthe mid of the night all you have to do is pull off the top fitted sheet and waterproof thingy.

[Brooke]

Can't resist giving advice either! My baby is almost two, but there is nothing more exciting than getting ready for your first baby! Yay!

The first thing I noticed is that you'll need more blankets. Lots of blankets. Not just flannel receiving ones, but cotton ones. Especially if anyone of the mother, aunt, grandmother type is around - they will insist that the baby be wrapped in blankets at all times. Seriously. My baby was born the end of May and it was never too hot for a blanket. Plus they end up catching spitup, or milk, or whatever. You'll want a clean one almost every day.

You will also want some waterproof pads. I got a 3 pack that were all different sizes and used them everywhere. My bed, bassinet, crib, changing table, couch, etc. Also, a bassinet might be nice too. I would try to get a used one because you might not use it very long. You probably won't need more than three crib sheets. That can wait though. Use a waterproof pad under the baby at first. Newborns are so small, if anything happens you won't need to change the whole crib sheet.

I didn't have nursing clothes either. Just t-shirts that were big enough to lift up and that was it. I am the most modest person ever, but when it came to nursing my baby I couldn't care less about that stuff. Also, since we're talking about nursing, you must get yourself some Lansinoh (sp?) cream. Bring it with to the hospital and apply it after each nursing session. That is what I did and I never had any pain, redness, cracks, etc. Oh, you'll need nursing pads too. And nursing bras.

Yes, to the newborn diapers. Do you have wipes? My hospital also used vaseline after every diaper change. The hospital will probably give you some alcohol pads for the umbilical cord. Take everything the hospital gives you by the way, and then ask for more. :-) Even if it's something you don't think you'll need like pacifiers. Take one anyway, you never know.

That's all I can think of right now. Sorry if it's too much. It's just so exciting! Oh, yes I think you have enough onesies. I think we had about 12 and between those, sacks, and sleepers you'll be set.

Good Luck!

[Matt]

You can never have too many onesies/receiving blankets/burp cloths. You, on the other hand, have far too few.
We never had a baby monitor. If the kid needs something he'll be screaming his head off and you can hear him without one.
You may now start shaking your head at what a neglectful parent I am.

[Maureen]

Oh, I second the Lansinoh. Also, after the baby nurses, have a wet washcloth handy to wipe off his saliva. My sister gave me that tip; she said it's the saliva that makes your nipples sore. I wiped it off religiously and applied Lansinoh and had no problems. You don't have to do it forever, just at the beginning.

[Rosie_Kate]

If you're planning to breastfeed, you may want a Boppy. Forget nursing clothes, get Lansinoh.

Lots of burp cloths! (Birds-eye cloth "diapers" are great and cheap)

More "everyday" blankets and STRETCHY receiveing blankets. The kind that stretch are so much better than the plain flannel ones.

I really like "Cord Care Powder" made with goldenseal and oregon grape. It makes the cord dry up and fall off in a few days rather than the forever that it takes with alcohol.

You probably have enough onesies if you count the long sleeve and side snap, etc.

As a newborn, my baby lived in those little "baby bag" outfits-- the ones that have something like a little skirt with elastic around the bottom. That way it was easy to lift the "bag" part and change him (often). He wore socks and was swaddled most of the time anyway.

You'll probably love the Robeez, but I bet you never use the tennis shoes.

I highly recommend a heap of Chineese or Indian prefolds and Bummis covers. I've tried a lot of covers, and Bummies beat them all. They hold up to many washings and they don't leak. I like Bummis Super Whisper Wrap (with velcro) prints. Ebay and diaperswappers.com are great placed to get cloth diapers in great shape for decent prices.

[Ellen]

Just a quick comment on Brooke's comment. (I don't have kids, but I'm a NICU nurse.)

The vaseline after every diaper change is just because meconium (the first few stools the baby has) are very tarry and sticky and can be really hard to wipe off. If there's a layer of vaseline there, it makes things much easier. But, you won't need vaseline after the first few days, unless you're planning to circumcise your little one, in which case you'll want some to keep the diaper from sticking to the site. For both scenarios, your hopsital will probably provide you with little tubes (at least, we do).

Most of the latest research states not to use alcohol on the umbilical cord site...just leave it alone and exposed to air and it will eventually fall off.

And DEFINITELY take advantage of the free stuff the hospital offers. :)

[Arwen]

I don't know if your onesies are actual newborn size or if they're 0-3 months, but I wouldn't buy any more than you have in the newborn size. Even on a SMALL BABY newborn size won't last that long, and he can wear the 0-3 mos. ones even if they're too big.

You definitely need more blankets. But we had way too many of the tiny ones - I'd buy slightly bigger ones if you can find them. If you happen to have a relative or friend who can sew, you can buy some thin cotton flannel and make blankets in a bigger size - all you have to do is cut and hem. I'm not sure you can buy thin blankets in that size; I've never seen them in a store. But my mom made some of these for us and they've been very useful, and I imagine they'd be even more so with a summer baby.

I wouldn't spend too much on crib bedding until you find out if you have a baby who likes the crib, or for that matter if you have a baby who leaks or spits up a lot. Milla would never have slept in a crib as a young baby, and that's when they generally leak or spit up. For that matter, she never spit up at all, or leaked in the night, and we've never once had to change any sheets because of her. It could happen to you!

I totally understand wanting a Mei Tai instead of a pouch. I want a Mei Tai, and I already own three other carriers! My first instinct is to tell you to get both, but that's probably not a good idea because what if you have a baby who doesn't like being in a carrier? Get one and if he does like it, get another one.

This is not totally objective advice because I *have* a pouch instead of a Mei Tai, but I'd get the pouch first for a couple of reasons. One, it's so easy to use, and the Mei Tais look a little more complicated. (I'm not saying this just from the website - I've seen plenty of people using them in real life.) Two, you can use a pouch in more than one position. A Mei Tai would actually have been great for me since my baby loves the froggy position, but if your baby wants to lie down in the sling (which should work for a good long while since he is a SMALL BABY) you'll be out of luck if you only have a Mei Tai. Three, you should get a pouch because I have a pouch. Don't you want to be like me?

Ooooh. Sling peer-pressure. I like it.

Kisses to the SMALL BABY.

[Maureen]

For the record, *I* got a pouch because Arwen has one. And I love it.

[annie]

What worked for us re: crib sheets - I layered all of our sheets on the mattress at the same time and, in between, I layed two flannel receiving blankets one on top of the other. It saves a LOT of time with changing those terrible sheets because you can just peel off the blankets as needed and when you get to the next sheet all you need to do is lift it off and there's a fresh one underneath.

I, too, bought a waterproof mattress pad before I realized that my mattress was plastic! Just something to consider.

[jackie]

those baby straitjackets are what got us through the first 3 months of her life. Don't underestimate them.

Although, paired with a pacifier, it makes your kid look a little like Hannibal Lechter. *eek*