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TOPIC: New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
 

USMCdad
New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
1 Year, 11 Months ago
Hey fellas, I'm fairly new to this site and soon to be a father on or around June 14 2010. Me and my wife have been married for 5 years going on 6 we both have good careers and honestly fairly young as well but real mature for our age but now and days we all have to be. But I'm here to learn and vent when times are going tough for me. One thing since I'm about to be a father I feel like I want to buy everything. By the way I'm having a boy and have the name picked out and everything! Anything that you guys think is a must own or that I should get like right away?
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Argoscribe
Re:New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
1 Year, 11 Months ago
Welcome - I'm new aswell to the site.

I hear you RE: wanting to buy everything under the sun...take a second and breath.

OKay - a couple things that saved us when our twins were born:
- Bouncing chairs - I recommend this bad boy (www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=2002&...umbnail&pcat=bgb). Our two lived in these things - the model we bought had a vibrate function built in which has since died. They then convert to chairs when your little one gets bigger. If you buy anything first - its gotta be this.

- Swing - we borrowed one but they're great for putting them out to dream land

- Jolly jumper - can't use it till they're a certain age but great fun and can store away well.

Get yourself a cheap, compact video camera to film everything...

Hope this helps and Good luck!!!
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USMCdad
Re:New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
1 Year, 11 Months ago
Thanks for the advice. Yeah everything I see I want to buy especially clothes and everybody keeps telling me not to because for the baby shower people are going to buy us a lot so for now i'm controlling myself.
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Cook
Re:New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
1 Year, 11 Months ago
Congratulations! Being a dad is incredible. While my wife was pregnant it was a hurry up and wait situation. This drove me nuts so I bought the first book on parenting I happened across while I was on vacation and it turned out to be a lifesaver. Happiest Baby on the Block walks you through the five S's and when you master them, you will be amazed with how well and quickly you can determine and satisfy your babies needs.

You are in the right place for parenting advice. This site has been the best and most reliable source of advice and information for me over the last couple of years. (my account says I've only been a member for a month because I created a new account after not being able to log into my old account)
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USMCdad
Re:New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
1 Year, 11 Months ago
Thanks for the advice for the book I will pick that up first chance I get. Yeah I'm looking forward to all the advice I can get! Right now me and the wife are doing the Nursery, we're painting and honestly at first it was a huge headache because my wife wants things her way and of course as a good husband you have to agree if not you won't be able to hear the last of it. Thank god we finally came up with a color and design now.
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ben
Re:New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
1 Year, 11 Months ago
Welcome and congrats, USMCdad!

As for buying things... Let the Showerers do the buying for you. If you buy too much ahead of time, you'll end up getting in the way of the Big Spenders, the grandparents. My biggest advice it to take some time to be a couple for a few last moments. It'll never be the same. And take pictures, because you'll never remember that you actually had time together, alone. Not to say it's bad. Time just goes at a whole new pace with kids in tow.
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USMCdad
Re:New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
1 Year, 11 Months ago
Thanks ben! And yes everybody keeps telling us to take pictures which we have just started doing to make a scrap book when the baby is here! We are just patiently waiting. And Yeah I'm waiting for the baby shower hopefully we get some good stuff, we actually are about to go register here soon at buybuybaby! Wish me luck with that!
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bobjr79
Re:New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
1 Year, 11 Months ago
Welcome. I second Ben's advice on taking time to be a couple. Congrats and good luck!
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USMCdad
Re:New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
1 Year, 11 Months ago
Yeah i will def listen to you guys and take time to be a couple. but honestly with my job and her job its hard since we are never home at the same time and on top of that my days off are always rotating. but I'll make the best of it!
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Cook
Re:New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
1 Year, 11 Months ago
I totally agree with Ben's advice. Don't go too crazy buying things if you are planning on having one or more showers. One piece of equipment I stumbled across in the kids closet recently that I feel is a must is the Baby Bjorn carrier. If you don't get one at a shower, it is well worth the price to buy one.

My neighbor was surprised to see me using it, she thought it would be too feminine of a tool, but I completely disagree. It is the ultimate man's piece of baby equipment. I could carry my son anywhere I went, but my hands were still free. Just like a tool belt! It even allowed me to have a few meals in piece, just make sure you put a towel on the child's head in case you drop some food.
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USMCdad
Re:New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
1 Year, 11 Months ago
Hahaha at Cook with putting a towel on the child's head. That was funny. But I bought the baby bjorn carrier for one of my High School buddy who recently had a baby and it looked good so I'm def going to put that on my registry. I think I'm just going to go crazy scanning everything maybe a couple of things for me, hahaha. But I will most likely have 1 big baby shower and 1 or 2 small ones at my place for everyone who didn't make it or got invited.
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cab
Re:New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
1 Year, 11 Months ago
On the topic of baby shower gifts, if you want to return items to a store, be aware that the various baby stores have different return policies. Babies 'R Us won't let you return anything without a receipt if it wasn't purchased from your registry. BuyBuyBaby and Target will let you return items without a receipt if they carry the item.
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Daddy Clay
Re:New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
1 Year, 11 Months ago
One thing to remember is that newborns need the very least stuff of all kids. So you'll actually have plaenty time to gear up after the baby is born. No need to get all the big ticket items up front.

Obviously a good rear-facing car seat rated for newborns.

Receiving blankets and burp cloths. You simply cannot have enough of these things. You'll probably get gifted a ton. Buy more. Babies spit up and drool and generally go through these things by the ton.

If you are going to get a camera, but it now and start using it during pregnancy. You'll want to be really familiar with it by the birthday.

Other than that, a basket for him to sleep in, a couple of onesies, some diapers/wipes/butt paste would be nice, and you're good for six to eight weeks at least.

They really need very little when they first arrive.

Let the shower wave pass, give yourself a little time to figure out what you will actually use.
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USMCdad
Re:New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
1 Year, 11 Months ago
Ok will do thanks for the advice daddy clay. As far as the car seat I'm actually going to buy the Orbit baby travel system the new one the G2. Which I've actually been doing a lot of research on and I actually love this one and feel secure in buying it for the new one. But besides that I actually am going to start buying some diapers and wipes. Quick question how many diapers should I get and what size should i get them in?
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bobjr79
Re:New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
1 Year, 11 Months ago
It's hard to say what sizes to stock up on not knowing how big or small your baby will be. We bought a few cases(180 count) of Pampers from Babies-R-Us before our son was born. Watch their ads for the "buy 2 cases get a $15 gift card" sale. My wife is big into the price per diaper calculation. I think anything under 20 cents is an OK deal but 10-15 cents is what she strives for with coupons and promotions. I bet that some of the other dads might have a more accurate estimation of quantity and size than I would have. We went through a lot of the preemie size diapers and he is still in the size ones. I think most babies go through the sizes faster. My advice would be to be to not worry about buying more than one or two cases of each size and steal as many of the newborn size diapers as you can from the hospital before you leave.
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ben
Re:New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
1 Year, 11 Months ago
Can't over state the necessity of getting a membership to a wholesale club. We save mega-bucks on formula and diapers every couple weeks. The boxes with 300 diapers come in very handy.

Our little guy is almost 10 weeks old and was 8 lb at birth. He was in Ns until about week 6 and has been in 1s since. He'll probably be in 1-2s (which are neither 1s or 2s) at the end of next week.

If you have a lot of leftovers, take them to a women's shelter. They have lower standards for opened packages than food banks and daycare centers. and they need them year round, no matter what the economy is doing.
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Cook
Re:New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
1 Year, 11 Months ago
Ben,

I love that you mentioned donating the remaining diapers. When we had our boys, money was a bit tight since the pregnancy, labor and delivery were all high risk and added expenses came with it. A few people gave us their left-over diapers when their child outgrew them and it was a huge blessing to us. Kids at this age grow out before they wear out. We still receive a few hand me downs from a friend on the East Coast and we love it. It helps explain why our boys live in St. Louis but are decked out in Red Sox and JD Drew Jerseys!
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USMCdad
Re:New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
1 Year, 11 Months ago
Thanks for all the advice guys I will def take it all into considerations with all my purchases. You guys help put things into place.
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USMCdad
Re:New father-to-be trying to learn the ropes!
1 Year, 11 Months ago
Quick question guys what do you guys think of them cloth diapers or the disposable diapers? I've been doing research on them and they seem good and people give them good reviews as well. What are your thoughts on them? So far I bought 1 box of pampers from BJ warehouse saves a lot! But share your thoughts on the other diapers! Thanks
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