It is starting to sink in that it’s already May and the baby’s due date is 14 weeks away. It’s also starting to sink in that we should start doing and buying stuff to prepare for the baby’s arrival. I asked my friend Yvette if she had a list of essential stuff to buy for a new baby and she laughed. There is no list, she said. I insisted that millions of people have had babies; there must be a list somewhere. Fortunately, the Internet and Google agree with me. There are lots of lists out there and I’ve managed to put one together for myself. I like lists. I function better when I have a list to work with.
But before we go and buy the baby stuff, we need to clear out the baby room. Well, it’s still called my craft room. I designated a room in our house as my craft room in the hope that it will inspire me to be more crafty. Hasn’t really worked and it’s become more of a storage room than a craft room. But soon, it will be the baby room. Time to clear out my junk so all the new baby stuff will have a place to go.
A few weeks ago, Ed and I were in a baby store looking for a gift for Yvette’s daughter. We decided to look at the cribs and strollers while we were there and we looked like deer caught in headlights. This is definitely a whole new world, full of lingo we don’t quite yet understand. It is intimidating but I’m sure we’ll get the hang of it soon.
2 comments:
Beware the lists. They might prompt you to buy a whole lot of stuff you don't end up using.
The basic things a baby needs are: a place to sleep (crib, or bedside thing, or just a spot in the bed with you), season-appropriate clothing (and lots of it - onesies, socks, hats, maybe a sweater and some pants and stuff), numerous baby blankets for swaddling and naps and catching burp-ups, diapers, bottles (if you plan to use them early on), soothers (if you, like most, plan to use them), and a stroller and front-pack/sling of some sort. Oh, and some sort of diaper bucket/disposal tub that is reasonably airtight. Regular trash cans won't do. Plus perishables like Penaten cream, baby wipes, washcloths, etc.
Almost everything else on the big online lists is a luxury, or superfluous, or at least not critical. Baby monitors are often unreliable and not as good as your suddenly-superhuman hearing anyway. Bottle warmers aren't as good as stove or microwave; sterilizers no better than a dishwasher. You might want to wait until you discover you need something before you buy non-essentials that will otherwise just clutter your house. (I speak from experience.)
Your little one will outgrow the "infant" size clothes and socks and diapers and booties and such shockingly fast, and it's rare that what fits at any time matches the age or size on the label.
And of course, all the baby really needs is YOU.
Thanks, Derek! The plan is definitely to keep things simple and buy just what we need. Plus many of our friends are now getting rid of their baby stuff and I'm more than happy to take their hand-me-downs. And thanks for the tip about the diaper bucket; I didn't have that on my list!
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