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Post by ouchy on Oct 13, 2007 13:34:22 GMT -5
I guess this would be a good place where we can share things we have purchased/made for baby that might be helpful to others. 1) diapers/inserts/wipes 2) clothes 3) baby bathtub 4) organic baby soaps 5) swaddlers 6) diaperbag/backpack 7) take-along changing pad 8) glass baby bottles and silicon nipples 9) i need to get a breast pump! 10) boppy 11) baby monitor 12) baby sling 13) trashcan with pop-top for cloth diapers 14) breast pump--need to find different size, though 15) Mason canning jars for milk storage 16) common baby medicines 17) rattles/teethers--need to find if they are safe, got them for shower Can anyone else think of things? I didn't include stuff like crib, travel system, rocking chair, changing table, etc.
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Post by pickles on Oct 14, 2007 22:17:41 GMT -5
I don't know how far along you are or how much you want to pick up or put on a registry if that is the type of thing you are looking for. but here are a few other ideas that might be worthwhile. I love babies. I'm such a great aunt!!
A baby monitor.- depending on how big your house is or where the baby will be staying. Various baby toys- teething rings, rattles etc. My favorite brands are infantino and Lamaze which you can get at most Target and Walmart stores along with baby stores. A baby infant carrier- to wear out on the front or the back. My sister used this a lot and loved it! Other indispensible items I hear of are- formula storage container with mulitple dividers. People use these for cheerios and treats after the formula is no longer needed. Breast milk storage bags to freeze breast milk for when you go out or for when others have the baby and you aren't there, or if you get mastitis and cannot breast feed.
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Post by ouchy on Oct 14, 2007 22:39:47 GMT -5
Oh yah! I need to update the list. We returned the diaper pail for a baby monitor! The diaper pail wouldn't work with my cloth liner for it (I'm using cloth diapers.). I have a rattle and one teething ring. I need to find out if the teether is silicon or plastic. Most of the things were on my BabiesRUs registry for my shower. My sisters-in-law are buying a baby sling, and I have fabric to make a Mei Tei when the baby is about 6 months old. I'm going to collect the milk if I have to pump in a glass jar in the fridge or freezer. I'm scared of plastics. Gosh! You have such great insight! Thanks for all the tips! You really jogged my memory and made me thing about some things! Thanks, pickles!
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Post by ouchy on Oct 14, 2007 22:43:33 GMT -5
Oh yah. Baby is due anytime between now and Nov. 2nd, unless she stays in an extra 2 weeks! LOL! I was full-term last Friday.
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Post by pickles on Oct 14, 2007 22:54:36 GMT -5
Well good luck in labor. Can I ask why you are afraid of plastics? And is it all plastics? Meaning- bottled water, food storage containers- gladware, ziplock etc. What about anything frozen?
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Post by ouchy on Oct 14, 2007 23:03:11 GMT -5
It depends on the content of the plastic and if it leaches bisphenol A, dioxins, etc. I'm not an anti-estrogen nut. I take plant estrogens when not pregnant, but synthetic estrogens creep me out, especially giving them to a baby. Here is part of an article on the main points I'm nervous about and would like to avoid if possible (by using glass baby bottles). "Independent tests done for The Chronicle and reported in November found bisphenol A, a chemical that mimics estrogen, in a baby bottle and several toys. Bisphenol A is also found in the lining of food cans, some anti-cavity sealants for teeth, and electronics. Then, in late February, Environment California, an advocacy group, released a report titled "Toxic Baby Bottles" that drew intense national media coverage. When heated, five of the most popular brands of polycarbonate -- the clear, shatterproof plastic used in baby bottles -- leached bisphenol A at levels that have been found to cause harm in laboratory animals, Environment California found. Even at low levels, bisphenol A has been linked to abnormalities in the mammary and prostate glands and the eggs of laboratory animals, scientists say. Animal tests also show bisphenol A can speed up puberty and add to weight gain, and may cause changes that can lead to breast and prostate cancer." www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/04/09/BOTTLES.TMP
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Post by ouchy on Oct 14, 2007 23:05:20 GMT -5
I also try to use glass storage containers. They do have plastic lids, but I figure it's better than all-plastic containers. Plus, unlike ziplock bags, they can be reused. LOL, although my grandma used to wash ziplocks and reuse them!
Pyrex storage glass can be frozen.
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Post by pickles on Oct 14, 2007 23:10:29 GMT -5
wow I didn't know that. Thank you. I am about half way through my endometriosis natural treatment program book and it mentions a diet, I can NO WAY pull off. I love meat, dairy, carbs and sweets WAY TOO MUCH. So I am looking into an alternate program to try so I don't have to go back on Lupron. In the book it mentions drinking mineral water out of glass bottles that isn't carbinated... then goes into plastic toxins a little. So this helps a lot. Thanks.
Also I was going to mention if you don't have a new car seat, make sure you buy one. I am also a trained car seat installer/inspector for vehicles through NTHSA and it is one thing I am HUGE ON!!
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Post by ouchy on Oct 14, 2007 23:46:32 GMT -5
^Oh! Exciting about the carseat thing! We just got a Graco Quattro Tour travel system with the stroller-to-carseat carrier. Do those seem to be pretty good? I know this is off-topic, but I also find the endo diet to be too restrictive. I need my nutrients! I do the insulin resistance diet and find it gave me 100% pain-free periods and took away all my bloat. I'll try to find the thread for you. Remind me if I don't PM you with it soon! <--pregnancy brain! LOL!
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Post by pickles on Oct 16, 2007 4:21:19 GMT -5
Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. Been a long day. Yes, Graco is one of the best seats I like other than Chicco and Britax, but those are fairly expensive. Graco is a good brand and fairly foolproof, and fit in most cars very well. A few tips. You can go to www.carseatsmadesimple.org and they will tell and show you how to install the seat if you don't have it installed by a Certified child Passenger Safety technician. If you call your local police department, fire department, or hospital they might have one on staff or know where you can find one. MAKE SURE you fill out the warranty card and send it in. They recall baby stuff a lot. Even Graco recalls seats. So this is the best way for you to be notified if there is a recall that involves your carseat. Otherwise if you read your car manual, and your infant seat manual you should be able to do it yourselves. Here are a few good tips. I like to use the LATCH system in cars when I install seats. They are the little anchors where the two seats meet in the car in the back seat. They are like little metal U's. If you have leather seats use a piece of shelf liner that you'd put in your cabinets in the kitchen to keep the plastic from a. denting your leather, and b. the base of the seat from sliding all over. Then have your husband litterally kneel on the base of the seat as he tightens the straps on the base to get it as tight as possible. When you are done, grab the base closest to where it meets the seat by the seatbelt and tug it back and forth. If it moves more than an inch in either direction, you need to tighten it more. DO NOT ADD ANYTHING TO THE SEAT THAT IT DIDN'T COME WITH!!! Carseat covers, dangling toys to keep her attention, booster pads if the your daughter appears to be too small. Just don't. If you need extra support take some cloth diapers or receiving blankets and roll them up into little logs and put them next to her to snug her in. When you put her in the seat remember inside you shes snug as a bug in a rug. They like to feel secure. So pull the straps tight enough to get about two fingers under but so it is snug. move the plastic retainer clip= the oval shaped clip that fits on her chest up to her armpits. It should be at armpit level. Practice taking the seat in and out a hundred times so you are familiar with it. One last thing and not to be dramatic or anything, but I suggest going to Eddie Bauer or another store that sells those glassbreak/seatbelt cutting tools. I would keep this close by in the car someplace you can find it in a hurry. After the bridge collapse up here it made me think about things a little more closely. In the event of an emergency, car fire, submersion, etc you are going to need to get her out of the car quickly. The best way to do that is to cut those seatbelts and grab her and go. Whether it is the belt that holds her base into the car or the belt that holds her in doesn't matter. If you are involved in a crash, I wouldn't recommend this. Doctors like to have the babies in the seats when they are brought in to be checked out. If you are involved in a crash, minor or not the seat needs to be replaced. Think of it like a bike helmet. If you were to fall on that, you'd need to get a new one. Same thing with carseats. They are a one time crash kind of product. You or anyone can PM me if you need more info or details on seats now or later when you need to transfer the child to a different one. Ok this got kind of long. Sorry.
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Post by ouchy on Oct 16, 2007 7:32:56 GMT -5
Oh wow! Thanks for teh advice! The wire cutters sound like a great idea!
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Post by minnie on Oct 16, 2007 8:53:51 GMT -5
Ouchy, have you got nipple cream in case of cracked nipples?
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Post by ouchy on Oct 16, 2007 10:17:44 GMT -5
^I got some for my shower, but I returned it. My friend paid tons of money for a lactation consultant, and the lady told her to just express some milk and use that on the nipples. If that didn't work, she was supposed to try my obsession--olive oil! LOL
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