Registry Questions - New Daddy and new user!

[Daddy763]

Hello All:

I'm new here....and I will be a new daddy come June 2014, just found out yesterday it will be a baby girl! Real excited. The wife and I are registering tomorrow @ BRU and Target. My question is...I don't want people to think we're materialistic so I don't want to register anything too outrageous/pricy, but at the same time I want to be practical. What do members here recommend I put on a registry? Thanks all in advance!

-Daddy763

[JenChem]

We registered for a mix of big items (stroller, pack'n'play, high chair) and smaller items (bottles, drying rack, Boppy, sheets) I figure that gives everyone a range of price point options. My family actually got together and pooled money to get some big items. Groups like your coworkers or friends are also likely to want to pool money together to get 1 big item instead of a bunch of small items. Having a registry is a major convenience so as long as you have a variety of price items people aren't likely to consider it as a money grab.

[Daddy763]

Hi Jen:
Thanks for the reply. I got a great deal on a Chicco Cortina keyfit travel system ($229 + 2 free car bases), so i'm covered there. I forgot about people pooling to get larger items....BRU has the 10% of your registry purchase up to $200 back on a gift card promo going on right now. Are there other registry promos I should know? Thanks!

[Daddy763]

Hi Jen, thanks for reccommendations! BRU has the 10% of your regsitry up to $200 back on a gift card promo right now of items purcahsed. Are there any other promos anyone knows of? Thanks.

[BabyBearsMom]

I would try to have a wide range of items on the registry. A lot of times people like to go in together to get a bigger item. For example, my aunts all went in together and bought me a rocking/recliner that was several hundred dollars. I would have some bigger things (infant car seat, stroller, pack n' play, swing etc) on the list, some middle things (snap n' go, Rock N' Play sleeper, bouncy seat), and lots of small things because people like to make baskets of the small things (swaddling blankets, bottles, diaper cream/soap etc, crib sheets, changing table covers etc.). Oh and diapers, put diapers on the list. Don't bother putting clothes on the list, people will buy those no matter what (I had so many size NB onesies that several were never worn by either child because they grew out of the size too fast). Good luck!

[cookiemonster80]

If you have friends out of town Amazon is also great- I think they have a registry completion discount for any items you may need that aren't fulfilled. Seriously- Amazon will become your new best friend if it's not already. When buying from a distance I always prefer to buy gifts from there- prime shipping, prices, and the selection can't be beat.

[Philly Mom]

Do you have any friends whose parenting you like? We had a friend come with us to bru and talked us through registering. It made it so much easier. We changed a few things afterwards but it helped to hear a parent's perspective. For ex, she said no need for a bottle or wipe warmer. She was right, two kids later our kids use cold wipes and cold bottles if they are drinking from one. For another friend I went over her registry with her and gave her advice. In the end she changed the stroller she registered for and high chair after we talked. She has been really happy with my advice. Fwiw, I prefer the fisher price space saver high chair. It attaches to a normal chair so takes up no space. It also allowed us to have DD sit at the table at a an early age. We just removed the tray. Once she was 18 months we moved her to a trip trapp which is awesome.


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[gymnbomb]

Hi Jen, thanks for reccommendations! BRU has the 10% of your regsitry up to $200 back on a gift card promo right now of items purcahsed. Are there any other promos anyone knows of? Thanks.

Because of this we put a lot of things on our registry that we were buying ourselves and would not have otherwise put on there. They also do a 10% off anything from your registry coupon that you'll get ~6-8 weeks before your due date. So the discounts can make it worth adding things to the registry when you decide to buy them. Target also does the 10% off coupon at the end and theirs can be used for 1 online order and 1 in store purchase.

[wendibird22]

My advice for tackling the baby registry:

1. Eat beforehand and bring snacks. Seriously, it's like the longest process EVER and being thirsty, hungry, tired, makes it all the worse.

2. Don't go on the weekend if you can avoid it. Everyone and their brother will be there registering and shopping. It's like Black Friday. Go on a weekday late morning if you can swing it.

3. Take a brake if you need to (see #1 above). DH and I scanned some things, walked the store, and then left and grabbed lunch to mull some things over (which stroller, which pack n play) and then went back to finish. This is a marathon, not a sprint, so it's ok to pace yourself.

4. Don't compromise what you want because of the price tag. The baby bargains book and this board are GREAT places to get advice on where to spend more and where to go cheaper. IMO don't go cheap on carseat or stroller. With my 1st we did Graco for both. They were fine and served their purpose but nothing great. With DD2 we went with Britax seat and got a Baby Jogger stroller and OMG the difference is AMAZING! I didn't know what a good push on a stroller was like until that BJ brand came into my life. But the trade off was that I didn't spend $$ on baby furniture, skipped the gorgeous glider rocker (and bought an old school wooden rocking chair), etc. The BBB book really helped us identify where to invest a little more.

5. And always remember that the best answer is "Yes dear!"

[Mopey]

HI there Daddy to be! Having a girl has been great and my hubby is totally in love with her, just fyi ;) He also really recommends the book "Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters".

I didn't read the other responses but cannot say enough good things about Diapers.com for your registry. They have the best rewards system of all, and amazing customer service. Definitely do yourselves a favor and check them out. I've heard lots of horror stories from TRU or BRU but maybe someone else knows better.

LUCK!!

[poppy]

BRU and Target have coupons for $10 for signing up for their registry--but you need the coupon for it. At least they did in the past.

http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=amb_link_397821082_3?ie=UTF8&node=6249533011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=auto-sparkle&pf_rd_r=1ZKRE858V09R18C8J7RX&pf_rd_t=301&pf_rd_p=1710437782&pf_rd_i=baby%20registry%20%2450%20bonus

Spend $250 on baby items, get $50 promotional credit on Amazon.

In the past, they had spend $750, get $250 which was great. I would make a registry on Amazon. I usually buy off Amazon b/c it is the most convenient, particularly when it's for someone far away.

Also, Buy, Buy Baby, you can use expired 20% off coupons from Bed, Bath and Beyond which is very helpful. For diapers and wipes, I went with Costco.

The thing I used the most was the bouncer--Baby Bjorn Bouncer--pricey but worth it and the Bumbo. I didn't need a high chair. I fed in the Bouncer and in the FP Healthy Chair Booster Chair when they were a little older. I spent unnecessary money on an expensive crib and stroller. No need. For me, I really liked the Arms Reach Crib--helped a lot the first few months. I probably would get the Universal, good until 1.5 years old and then transition to a toddler bed, otherwise would just get a crib from IKEA. Also, I didn't realize how important the recline feature was on a stroller. The ability to lay the child flat when napping is priceless. Congratulations and good luck.

[ckso]

Congratulations

Registering can be overwhelming to say the least. There are so many choices. I took my Baby Bargain Book with me to help me narrow it down and it's an excellent resource.

I think it's completely ok to register higher priced items as long as you balance it with plenty of lower and mid priced items. My friends chipped in for a crib and that was a huge burden off.

[123LuckyMom]

Welcome! You've gotten great advice already! I wouldn't hesitate to run items you're thinking about by us or some of your experienced parent friends. It really is hard to know what you'll really need and what is over hyped before you're in the trenches yourself! We're happy to help!

[Daddy763]

Ok i'm sure this question has been debated to the ends of the universe....but i'm gonna ask....what brand...in your opinion of crib is best and why? What features should I be looking for most? Do I need a changing table (i live in a multi level home)? Oh...and I still don't understand the lingo in this forum yet...what is DD and DS? Thanks!

-New daddy

[zag95]

Re Changing table: You don't need one, but I like them! I am almost 6 ft and DH is over 6 ft. I had 2 c-secs and for me, it was much easier to change baby on the table. DD2 is almost 18 mos and I am still using it!

DD- Dear Daughter; DS, Dear Son (numbers behind indicate birth order i.e. Child #1 (DD1) etc.- DH Dear Husband. Our crib was a Pali- lots of people recommend cribs from Ikea. One thing that I loved about our crib was the crib mattress- it is foam, very light and easy to lift out the crib for those 2am changes! HTH!

[Philly Mom]

Ok i'm sure this question has been debated to the ends of the universe....but i'm gonna ask....what brand...in your opinion of crib is best and why? What features should I be looking for most? Do I need a changing table (i live in a multi level home)? Oh...and I still don't understand the lingo in this forum yet...what is DD and DS? Thanks!

-New daddy

DD= dear daughter
DS= dear son

I think many here will say go to ikea and get furniture there. Most kids chew on the side of cribs so they ruin the wood. I wish I got DD's crib there.

We have a changing pad on top of the dresser in the nursery. I find it helpful. When I am in any other room I change a diaper on the floor. I keep diapers in drawers in our family room.


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[ArizonaGirl]

Can't recommend our crib and dresser from Ikea enough.

It has been through 2 kids and is still in great shape.

We don't use a changing table (mostly just the floor) and I am 5'3" and my Dear Hubby (DH) is 6'5".

I second the Fisher Price Space Saver High Chair.

HTH and Congrats and your new addition

[BDKmom]

Welcome and congrats on your coming addition to your family. I agree with others to try and get a friend who already has children to help you register. BRU was very overwhelming to me and my DH the first time we went in. On our first trip, I don't think we ended up actually registering for anything. Then I went back with a friend who helped me wade through everything and it was much less stressful. I would go ahead and register for anything you think you might need. You will have people looking for gifts at all different price points.

We bought expensive furniture sets for our nurseries, and I wish we hadn't. Both of my kids chewed up the wood on their cribs, despite our best efforts to use the covers that are supposed to protect from that. My DS was a master at removing anything we put on the rails. We ended up with towels zip tied all the way around the crib. Very attractive.

We did not get a dedicated changing table and I never found it necessary. We put a changing pad on top of a dresser and that worked well for us. I put a small basket with some diapers, wipes, diaper cream and a thin changing pad like you would carry in a diaper bag in our family room and we just change on the sofa or floor.

Feel free to ask more questions. Folks around here are very helpful and we have all been through the exciting but sometimes overwhelming task of getting ready for a baby. Good luck!

[milanya]

Congratulations!!

Now, to your question about what items for which to register/not register, this is what helped me the most: subscribe to Lucie's List (lucieslist.com) When you do that, you'll get access to a printable registry "cheat sheet". Take it with you if you register in a brick-and-mortar store.

There are lots of ways this site is awesome, such product reviews and pregnancy/post-partum advice. It's actually usable advice, not the fluff you see on sites like BabyCenter.

[MamaMolly]

With our first (DD1 :)) we had a changing table but as soon as she started to crawl she'd go over to it and pull everything down and out of the baskets. Drove me bananas! We got her a dresser off Freecycle and I put the changing pad on top of it. It was perfect!

With our second I had planned to do the same thing but we had a different home and with two levels I found it much easier to keep changing gear on a bed or on the floor in every level. Remember, they can't roll off the floor, so it makes a great safe changing area.

Our cribs were base models from Babies R Us (BRU). I don't think any one brand is actually better than another. As far as I know they've all had recalls on different models and they ALL cost way too much! If I had to do it over I'd go to Ikea. Our second DD never slept in the crib more than one nap. I hadn't planned or wanted to co-sleep but she had different ideas. ;) But if you want a pretty crib and can afford it then by all means go for it.

[cookiemonster80]

We got a pricy Westwood crib for Dd1- not worth it for all the previously mentioned reasons, dd2 is now in it- we got an ikea crib for dd1 to use as she wasn't ready to move out of one when dd2 came along-if I were doing it again I'd get a mid priced model- just be sure it has a really low setting to keep the useable life as long as possible.

[cookiemonster80]

Oh, and changing area- I needed one on each floor of the house- we use our hearth for downstairs- I have a basket of diapers , wipes and a changing pad. Yes it's annoying to look at but better than going upstairs.

[AnnieW625]

I think it is fine to register for a variety of items. I would register at places convenient for your shower guests. We registered at Babies R Us (worst part was they had two scanners for the entire store and we went on a Saturday afternoon so it was a 45 minute wait), Target, and Pottery Barn Kids. We ended up getting the most stuff from Target, and Pottery Barn Kids, but BRUS and Target had a better stream of coupons.

The Baby Bargains book was a huge help of what to register for.

I would start the registry online first so then you don't have to sit through the whole registry spiel at BRUS.




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