So I've decided to break down and start looking at nursery furniture, strollers, car seats, etc. for my not so little baby girl. I really candidly have NO idea what to look for and everyone and their mom seems to think that this is the make or break decision of a lifetime. So here's the help I need:
1. Cribs: what to watch out for, what is potentially hazardous, where to find them, drop down sides or not, convertible to toddler bed or not, and brands, if you have any favorites.
2. Strollers: I know there are as many kinds out there as there are kids. What is the best kind to get? Do you buy your stroller w/ your carseat so it can snap in? Are there strollers that can transform from infant stage to bigger toddler?
3. Carseats: Brand? Type? Bells and whistles?
Basically, I want to know what you wish you had known when you had your first kid. Oh, and do you recommend neutral colors so that if Jr. #2 is a boy, we don't go for all new stuff or will it all likely be wrecked by then?
Thanks in advance all. I'm seriously as clueless as I could be so any advice would be AWESOME!
6 comments:
Hey... my name is Susanne and I lived in CC when Kate & Justin did and Rick & Michelle. Sometimes, I just have to peek at the Lisonbee blog because I get curious... and I have only one thing to say... about cribs: If you decide to get one that has a toddler bed conversion kit, buy the kit at the same time!! By the time we got 'round to wanting to use a toddler conversion kit, the color of crib I purchased had been discontinued. So, it doesn't match and it bugs me.
Alrighty, I'm done. Feel free to delete this post as a scary stranger blog-stalking your family...
Hey Tams. I can hook you up with my opinion only. My favorite kind of stroller has a good basket, a cupholder, and is easy to push. Pull them down off the shelf and try them out! I've never had the kind that the carseat snaps in, but I wish I did. Also pick one that reclines, for naptime. I have a carseat, a stroller, and a port-a-crib that went through all four kids, so I would pick neutral colors. In carseats, a top feature for me is lightweight, maybe because my kid is a tank. And for furniture, two words: Craig's List. There you go.
Here's my thoughts...I agree with kate on the stroller. Cup holders are a must and the best thing to do is see which one you like to push the most. Light is a must. I like the strollers that snap into the car seat too. It's just handy. As far as cribs go...definitely love Craig's list. I think lighter wood is easier to take care of even though I personally love the look of dark wood. I have never used a toddler bed. I just figured by the time that kid was ready for a bed, there would be another little one that needed the crib, so why have the toddler bed? My kids haven't had any troubles going straight to big beds either, so maybe that is why I don't see a need for toddler beds. Have yourself some fun shopping. One last piece of advice. Don't be afraid to buy exactly what you want because you're going to be using it for a long time, assuming you have more than one kiddie...So suck it up and spend the money on something good (if you can't find what you want on Craig's list)
Tams,
Two comments. We were given this stroller that really is the Lexus of strollers. It is O-Mazing. It has lots of cup holders, a little compartment for your sunglasses, I think a little compartment for some little snack (raisins, gold fish, whatever), I think it has a basket, it lays back, the car seat snaps in, and it folds ridiculously easy so it can be put in the back of the car or into the closet easy. IT is probably one of my favorite things we have for her. That being said, I dont remember the brand and I dont know the cost. A lady from the ward suggested it to us and then when they had a baby shower for Lisa a bunch of people all pitched in some cash and then they bought it. So I will get back to you on that, but it is seriously the coolest thing. The penguin definitely put these ladies up to it. I will take a look when I get home. (P.S. I have no delusions that I am an expert on any of the questions you asked, I just think this thing is so cool. The rest, I am just as clueless as you.) I am a craigslist.com fan too, but I recently found a site called Freecycle.com. It is the same as craigslist except it has to be free. They can't charge. I just got a double stroller, a walker, and a toddler bed last week for free from it and they are in great condition. So definitely check that out.
What a suprise to know that Matt is in love with the stroller! It's called a Graco Quattro Tour Deluxe Travel System. I really love that it can be folded and pushed with one hand. I also really love that I can recline the seat with the seatbelt still on so that she can take a nap. Other than that, it doesn't really matter to me that the carseat can snap on because I never leave her in the carseat (this might change when I have more than one kid).
We got our crib from someone in the ward - I can't even think of pros and cons with that one - it's just a crib to me, and it was free. I can't imagine wanting one that converts to a todler bed unless you are planning your kiddies years and years apart. I figure (hope) that I will have another baby before Sarah is done with a toddler bed. I don't think a toddler bed is a must, but because we will be in our 3-bedroom house for potentially a long long time, I am going to use todler beds for a long time for space issues. (Random: if you are buying crib sheets, you might want to have a flannel one on hand since I found out that Sarah is a flannel-only sleeper...I should have figured that out sooner thanks to her daddy.)
I checked safety ratings for carseats (either the federal highway people and/or consumer reports..you can see those for free at the library). Like I said before, I don't ever carry her around in the carseat, but if I did, I would make sure that the handle was turned so that you (aka Adam) can carry it without having to twist his wrist (hope that makes sense).
Like everyone else - get stuff for free/cheap. I did want a new carseat, but almost all the other baby items can be washed and scrubbed down. I think there was/is a lot of pressure to have everything looking "perfect" for my baby before she came. Once she got here, I realized that it was so much more important that we weren't stressed about money and she couldn't care less about matching nursery furniture. Oh, I totally didn't mean to be preachy - I just wanted to help you get rid of any ridiculous pressure you may (or may not) be feeling.
Okay, I better stop talking. Wait. One more thing - I just want to give a shout out to Matt who really did, in one night, scoop up an oak toddler bed, double stroller, walker and more. Talk about bringing home the bacon. mmmm. Smell that.
My advice would be to look for a stroller with a BIG basket... that's number one to me for strollers. No. 2 would be make sure it's lightweight, I agree with Katie - take the strollers off the shelves and try them out. Who cares if the store people get mad.
As far as car seats go... you don't really need some top of the line name brand car seat. I think our first one (for Brandon) was a Graco, and it was great. DEF. check safety ratings beforehand. The ones I got for the girls, I will be SOOOO glad to graduate to booster seats because they're a major hassle to buckle up, I don't know maybe it's because there's two toddlers to buckle and not just one. You've buckled them so you should know how difficult it is. Anyway, I'd stay away from the one I got for them, the Eddie Bauer car seats. Not so great. Safe, but a hassle.
Decorating and clothes, etc... I say don't do neutral. They're only going to be babies once and so I would go all the way with it and have some fun and get really girly stuff while you have the chance. I think my view of it is tainted since I had difficulty getting prego after Brandon and wasn't sure if I would ever get to have more kids, so (as you know - Janie & Jack, for instance!) I went a little crazy on girly stuff and I don't regret it. :) Uhhhhh... what else....
We got our cribs at Burlington Coat Factory. They have a big selection and it's all really cheap. We got the kind that one side can come off for a toddler bed and I don't care for it. If I had it to do over again, I would get the kind where both sides come off.
More to come... I'm hungry.
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