Baby Advice - Post 1

I write this to provide advice to D2, who will soon be having his first baby.  Since I was there a year ago, I share my thoughts.  People will disagree with some and agree with others; these are just my thoughts.

• Deciding what to buy

Be careful what you purchase - people want to give you all sorts of gifts.  They won't give you enough to live, but certainly enough to start.  Some safe bets are clothing and burp cloths - you can never have too many.  Hold off on toys and other equipment to see what people will get you.

People tend to purchase cheaper gifts.  Blankets, clothing, diapers, etc.  Most people won't provide strollers, cribs, etc. unless they have loads of money and feel comfortable with you very personally.  But you never know - sometimes you get surprised.  Cheap doesn't imply chintzy; these are items you need and will want.  They are also the most neutral.

• Brand Loyalty and Compatibility

Pick a brand, any brand, it really doesn't matter which.  There are several good brands; it's more important you pick one you like for each class of items.  For example, we picked Avent baby bottles based on the milk pump we chose, then told everyone who asked.  So all our bottles are Avent bottles, our milk pump is Avent brand, our bottle caps, etc.  The only non-Avent milk item is the storage bags for frozen milk - those are Lanisoh, and that's because you pour it into a bottle before feeding baby.  We use Graco for baby seat and stroller, and honestly we picked it because John gave us a Graco seat.  Seats, strollers, car seat bases, etc. should all be one brand.  [JaNae says pumps are free if you give birth in a hospital - you'll have to ask her about that.]

• New vs. Used

Buy second hand - lots and lots.  Except diapers.  Used diapers are worth the crap they're filled with.  There are just so many people willing to spend buckets of money for new, brand name, items, and the market for used clothes seems so small, the clothes resell for $0.10-$1.00 each, but initially cost from $5-$25 each.  And since baby grows so fast, they're often only worn a few times.  Especially the newborn clothes.  Very good condition.   [Christina says never buy a used pump - health concerns.]

Garage sales seem to have better prices, often 10 for $1 kinda things, but they are real hit or miss.  You might hit 10 garage sales and find no clothes.  We've done real well finding toys there.

Craigslist allows you to search real well and with pictures, you can see what you're getting before you go.  But you typically pay a bit more.

Consignment sales are great, but the price moves up.  Quality is usually better, the variety is great, and the prices more predictable.