*Baby Corner*

[anya-D 8]

Wow Anna, Thanks!! The diaper cover on ebay are so cute!!!! Do you use the prefold with these covers? I still dont fully understand cloth diaper system yet (which go which etc etc etc) but I reallyw ant to use it. Will have to get the easierest one though so my husband can use them too or he'll just use deposible diaper when I'm not home

[chnst 6]

I live on Long Island. It's super expensive. I work for the gov't and there's a service center I could work at in Buffalo and I'm considering transferring up there in a year or two. I don't mind the cold whatsoever so it should be fine. I see nice houses in the Buffalo suburbs for around 100,000 - 150,000. I basically just want a ranch, 3-4BR with a full basement. I'm not looking for anything too big, I'm not big on cleaning

Aww I love LI! It's so close to the ocean, but yeah just as bad as westchester when it comes to housing. I used to live in Westhampton Beach. wow Buffalo is kind of hard-core upstate NY!! But you said you don't mind the cold, so it should be fine. One of my friends works for Pepsi and was just transferred to Buffalo and she loves it there.

@Anna: so how do you like the wipe warmer??

@Anya: I second the Britax Boulevard carseat. It's one of the more expensive seats, but we got a good deal on it with coupons. I suggest you sign up for the Babies R Us newsletter, they email you coupons and give you the heads up about sales. The website is pretty good, you can see which brands or items are best sellers, and most of the stuff is rated by parents.

As for strollers: I like it simple but comfy. So we have a Maclaren Techno XLR. It's an umbrella stroller, but it's comfy, easy to steer and big enough but lightweight and folds up easy and small enough. It fully reclines too. My friend just had a baby and she got the Maxi Cosi stroller that looks like the bugaboo. I don't want to admit it, but I like it even more than our Maclaren!! She has the Maxi Cosi infant carseat for it and loves it.

I don't know if it is on your list, but I would get a baby monitor if you have a big place. We use ours a lot. And of course some baby toys/exersaucer/ a swing and/ or walker. They are expensive, I wish I had put them on my shower list, haha. We were sooooo glad to have a baby swing when Ben had his first cold, he slept in it and it was the only place besides his carseat where he could sleep, because it allows him to sit upwards.

Also if you want to co-sleep/have baby in your room, consider getting a bassinet or a co-sleeper. Or just use the pack'n play.

We still don't have a diaper pail and never really needed it. While I was just breastfeeding the poopy diapes didn't smell bad and now we just wrap them in grocery bags and empty our garbage every night anyway. We don't have a changing table either. I couldn't find one I liked when I was pregnant, they all seemed so unpractical. I have never seen a changing table in Germany where you have to change baby sideways and strap him on the mat! When he was very little I changed him on a chair, now we change him on the couch or the floor, with a changing mat underneath.

[Anna C. 4]

@ Anya: Those ebay diapers are pockets, which means they have an opening where you put a stuffer/insert inside and there you go (the outside is waterproof, the inside is microfiber which wicks moisture away to the insert). It is super easy and absolutely husband-proof!!! You can adjust the sizes to small/medium/large and they fit from 10 to 35 pounds!!! You can also stuff prefolds into those diapers for extra absorbency. Since the Coolababies don't fit newborns, I'd recommend using infant prefolds w/ snappis til the pocket diapers fit. Prefolds are pure cotton, and they require a waterproof cover. Dappi, prorap and litewrap are the cheapest option... I prefer unbleached Indian cotton prefolds, they are softer. A snappi is a little rubber like device that replaces pins these days - it holds the diaper together without the danger of sharp pins. http://www.snappibaby.com/products/snappidiaperfastener.html

All I need for the next baby are small diaper covers, and since I'm getting better at sewing, I make them myself. I must say my favorite diaper cover is Thirsties, and I guess for home-use I sort of copy the pattern and make plenty myself.

As for diaper pails - you can just get a trashcan. Those diaper genies cost you an arm and a leg, those refills are expensive and won't be of any use with cloth diapers. I just use grocery bags... And if you want it neatly, just get two wetbags cause you can toss those with the diapers in the laundry, and you need two since one will always be in the wash. They have those wetbags/ pail liners at little-lions.com as well.

@ chnst: Like the wipe warmer! The homemade solution is really good... Btw my friend has that maxi cosi stroller, really looks like the Bugaboo.

[Nessa 23]

Bottle

nipple

breastpump

Diaper cover

cloth diaper

bib

onesie

newborn cloth

pasifier

diaper bag

dresser

changing table

crib

car seat

stroller

play pen

boppy pillow

swing/bouncing seat

here's some of the useful things i bought:

-desitin, just in case of a rash

-wipes (i use cloth diaper too and i don't use wipes, instead, i bought fleece and cut into pieces i have water in his dresser and i use that to wipe him, just an advice)

-little tummies

-lanolin (for your nipples)

-nursing pads

-nursing bra

-baby tub

-swaddlers (life saver)

-wearable blankets

-j&j body wash

-boppy pillow cover

-nose aspirator

-bedding

-laundry detergent without scent, dye, etc

-bottle warmer

i bought an humidifier cuz i knew he'd be allergic like me

i didn't buy a changing table cuz i think it'ds a a waste of money. i bought a dresser that i put a changing pad on it.

i also bought a sleep positioner for peace of mind that he wouldn't turn on his belly

[Anna C. 4]

Oh right, nursing bras and tanks. Motherhood Maternity and Target have well-priced items.... As for th e detergent, safeay has a brand that is called Green Earth or so which is kike 7th Generation but cheaper... Especially for cloth diapers you don't want to use stuff with dyes, it destroys them. You can use Tide free, which I actually do (the powder), cause it's harmless and rids the diapers of all smells......

I love California Baby products for skincare, they have no harmful ingredients whatsoever. The first year you don't need soap really... Not until they get messy eating and crawling around... I would avoid all baby products with perfumes (fragrance), lauryl sulfates, and everything that says yellow/ blue no xyz cause that's all really harsh and irritating. There is a wonderful resource out there, google skin deep cosmetic database - it shows how harmful each product is out there and which ones are the good ones... It helped me tons. I switched from using John Frieda products for myself to Avalon Organics completely. Once I understood the ingredients I ditched all the bad stuff.

[Revenesque 2]

I've got something I'm struggling with personally, and wanted some insights from you:

I'm happily employed as a senior IT professional in a government agency for 3 yrs, good job security and benefits. Anyhoo, I'm starting to mature in this position so my eyes roved around the net and found a job opening for an IT manager position at my old employer, a financial institution. If I got this job, it would be a job promotion, about +$10K increase in my salary, plus regular employment benefits AND banking benefits. I applied 4 weeks ago, am confident and fairly qualified. Anyways, the position closed yesterday so I expect a response if not early next week, in January. All this before I found out I'm preggos yesterday.

Question: Knowing that I'll be in mat leave in August 2010 (assuming all goes well)...and the possibility of immigrating to the US during or after this mat leave, should I continue to pursue this opportunity or let it pass?

Remember this convo?--LOL, well, they just called me today to come in for a job interview next Wednesday. I agreed to go in but in the back of my mind, I think I'm gonna decline the position if they offer it to me. I dunno...we'll see.

[Jenn! 918]

About starting solids, I'd like to wait until 6 months too. We'll see what the pedi says at Adam's appointment in a few weeks. She mentioned that the AAP will be changing the recommendation bac to 4 months and that is what she's been going with, especially for big boys like Adam. I've read some stuff about new studies regarding early introduction of solids being good for food allergies, which is also one of the reasons for holding off on solids. Very confusing.

We got Adam an exersaucer and we gave it to him this morning. He loved it! He was so happy playing with the toys.

Oh, and I <3 the diaper genie! Nevermind, I see you're using cloth - wtg!

Edited January 21, 2010 by Jenn!

[anya-D 8]

thanks ladies! those are very useful info. When I was an Aupair I didnt use the daiper gienie thing so I dont think I'll buy those. I'll just get some wet bags to put the used cloth diapers in. I definately going to get a dresser and put the changing pad on top but it's kind of hard to find the dresser that I like. Dont know why I put dresser and changing table seperately lol. It should be dresser and changing pad. I saw some cute dresser today on creiglist for $200, so I might go look. It's a little too early but i'm afraid I wont get the one I like if I wait until too close to June.

Definately getting a baby monitor, we have a relatively big house and two stories so it'll be easier with the monitor.

And also thanks for the little detail items and info about the brand of the detergent, it's so overwhelming research all of this stuff!!

Anna - why do you need snappi if you are using the diaper cover? just wondering.. do you not use cover sometimes?

Nessa - what are little tummies and wearable blankets?

I actually got a second hand stroller and carseat from my sister in-law who was a nanny. I'm not sure what brand that is but I'll definately compare to those suggested and see if it's worth getting another.

Oh and I also got a bassinet too.. forgot about that, my MIL got it for me, YEY!!!

Oh, and I <3 the diaper genie! Nevermind, I see you're using cloth - wtg!

LOL, thanks Jenn

Edited January 21, 2010 by anya-D

[Jenn! 918]

Adam has a separate dresser and changing table. I like how the changing table has the open shelves underneath. When he was really little and pooping and spitting up throughout the night, it was nice to have it in our bedroom where he slept with easy access to gowns, burp cloths, etc. Now it's in his room, but I still like having that open storage area for bibs, towels, washcloths, blankets, etc.

That reminds me that I'd definitely recommend sleep gowns for the constant diaper changes. He wore those round the clock the first 6 weeks.

[Mommy2ZaidnSalma 11]

Ill 3rd sleep gowns. Best thing ever as it becomes very hard to snap up a sleeper on a screaming newborn!!

We have a changing table attached to the crib and I couldnt live without it. We use it still and Zaid is almost 2.

We never had a diaper genie either. I buy these vanilla scented diaper disposal bags and put the poops in those, tie em up, and throw em in the kitchen garbage. Our garbage goes out almost twice a day so it never smells. I remember using a genie for a kid I use to babysit and I would gag everytime I popped the top open. Somehow the smell would slip thru.

[Chrissy25 0]

hi ladies, finally back from my vacation to england, ended up staying a month, had a wonderful time!!! my mum is responding well to her cancer treatment and things are looking good, hope everyone here is well

[Anna C. 4]

Anya: The snappi creates a snug fit for the prefold to keep poops in. You always put a cover over it. You could omit the snappy and justr trifold the prefold and lay it into the cover, but then poops are more likely to escape and dirty the cover. Then you have to wash the cover... If you snappi, you can easily get over the day with 4 covers instead of using a new cover for each diaper change... Less washing, less money spent on covers!!!

[Staashi 371]

Remember this convo?--LOL, well, they just called me today to come in for a job interview next Wednesday. I agreed to go in but in the back of my mind, I think I'm gonna decline the position if they offer it to me. I dunno...we'll see.

Ooooooooooooh, Rev! Let us know what happens.

[Staashi 371]

hi ladies, finally back from my vacation to england, ended up staying a month, had a wonderful time!!! my mum is responding well to her cancer treatment and things are looking good, hope everyone here is well

WB, Chrissy! Glad you had a good time and that your mum is doing good.

[JVKn'CVO 11]

Good morning mommies,

It's week 3 since I came back to work -and Sebas started day care- and he keeps getting sick! I'm so frustated!

so far we had:

Saturday week 1: Fever/ cold (which I caught too and had to miss work Thursday week 2)

Saturday Week 2: Cough/ runny nose

Today...PINK EYE!

Does this get any better?

Saludos,

Caro