Need Something? Selling Something? To the Lists!

I buy many clothes, toys and other baby-items used. There's craigslist, eBay and some local Yahoo groups: GloverParkFamilies and AU Park Parents, that list all kinds of groovy things for sale. We've found carriers, window gates, activity tables and more very cheaply (and sometimes free!)

And then when the bambino has outgrown something, we list it for sale. It takes a little extra time, but we've saved and recouped money (that we'll need for more things as he keeps growing and changing). Of course the toys and clothes need to be cleaned (or really hosed down,) but we would do that with new items, too.

I'm not one who is particularly fond of shopping, but this reselling/barter/recycling system has become a fun hunt. If we've received a hand-me-down from a friend, then we'll try to share that item with another friend or donate it to an organization like Goodwill or So Others May Eat. 

And, happily, in 2014 this all qualifies as, "green," instead of simply, "cheap."

If you're just starting out, you might find the book Baby Bargains helpful, too, as you decide what you need. Here's an earlier post on the book. As we've continued on this journey, we've discovered that the local used stores sell higher end items that we wouldn't buy anyway. It has been cheaper to buy online or through individuals. 

Car Seat Research: Important, Scary (and a little boring)

Our current carseat/stroller combo, the Chicco Keyfit 30, will expire when our bambino reaches 30 lbs. We've found it very easy to use; the seat simply latches into the stroller base and the car seat base. Best of all, our son generally doesn't mind sitting in it. I'm sure we still have a while more that we can use it, but I'm starting to research the next size up so that we can take advantage of sales after the holidays.

My head is spinning. There are so many different options and things to consider. And, frankly, it is all pretty boring. Not to mention scary to think about what could happen.

Here are the facts from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

When it comes to crashes, children are safer now than ever. The rate of motor vehicle crash deaths per million children younger than 13 has declined 78 percent overall since 1975. The rate at which children die as passenger vehicle occupants has decreased 59 percent, while the rates at which they are killed as pedestrians and bicyclists has declined by 91 and 92 percent, respectively.

Proper restraint use can reduce crash deaths and injuries even more. Appropriate child safety seats provide significantly more protection in a crash than safety belts alone.

Choose the right restraint for your child’s age and size, and always seat kids in the rear.

All infants and toddlers should ride rear-facing until they are 2 years old or until they reach the height and weight limit of their child restraints. 
Once they outgrow rear-facing restraints, children should ride in a harness-equipped forward-facing child restraint for as long as possible, up to the height and weight limit of the child restraint. Top tethers should be used whenever a child restraint is installed forward-facing.
When children outgrow child restraints, they should use belt-positioning booster seats until adult safety belts fit properly.

We had luck with the first car seat by going out to Great Beginnings in Maryland. We got lots of good advice from a salesperson and could try out the different options in-person. We also got a great price with a coupon from joining their mailing list. (I blogged about the store here.)

This time around, I'm not really up for a little road trip with the bambino to buy a car seat. We hope to find something online and call it a day.

Here are some helpful online resources I found:
Great Slate article: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About #%!@% Car Seats

Very useful FAQs from Car-Safety.Org about weight, height, boosters, airplane travel, and everything else you can think of.

New information about the LATCH system.

What car seat would you recommend? 

Things I Wish I'd Bought Earlier: Infant Sleep Tools

My swaddling skills could be improved. I rely on the Halo Sleep Sack now.

What to buy before baby arrives? It can be tempting to over-prepare and stuff your home full of brightly colored, battery-sucking objects. We leaned towards the "less is more" side and have since discovered a few things we wish we'd bought earlier to help with his sleep. Infant sleep can be difficult and perplexing. Here are a few things that have helped him, and us, to sleep better:

Halo Sleep Sack: A nifty "blanket you can wear" that zips up and has (straight-jacket-like) wings that secure with velcro to keep baby's arms down. I thought it seemed cruel at first, but by keeping the baby tightly swaddled, he doesn't wake himself up when his legs or arms swing around (seemingly) on their own. Thanks to an experienced mamma-friend for giving us our first one.

Dr. Karp's Happiest Baby on the Block video: It seems goofy at first, but his "five Ss" really, really work. So many friends recommended this and they were right.

Fisher-Price Rock 'n Play Portable Bassinet: Keep the baby next to the bed - or anywhere - to reach in and sooth him. In fact, it is next to my desk right now and I'm rocking it with my foot as I type. Perfect for a tiny apartment since it easily folds up.

Philips Avent BPA Free Soothie Pacifier: Our bambino really likes pacifiers. And, happily, pacifiers have been found to help protect babies against SIDS. This one is a single piece that is easy to clean and cannot hold water (or germs) inside of the part that goes in his mouth. Yes, it does look super weird when he is sucking on it, but... at least it is clean. Our other (even the fancy "orthodontic" pacifiers all collected water and started to quickly discolor.

There are lots of lists out there with recommendations about what to buy. And, of course, there are all kinds of surprises and nifty modern items that weren't around when I babysat X years ago. I didn't realize that many infant shirts have fold over sleeves that serve as mittens (cross mittens off your list!)

Of course, every family and baby is different. What worked best for you?

Shopping for Baby & Dad

Thanks, Diaper Dude. 

If I thought my husband were an idiot, would I really want to have a child with him?

No new parent, mother or father, knows exactly how parenthood will go. But do products for the "dude" in your baby's life really need lists in his diaper bag or arrows on a onesie telling him where the baby needs to be changed? I suppose if the father insists on a camouflage diaper bag then he's really trying to blend in (with what, I'm not sure.)

I haven't seen lists on any diaper bags targeting new mothers. I have, however, seen some plain black bags that look reasonable. Surely my husband and I can share something like that? Even if we don't end up sharing the same bag, that's the one I'd like to carry around.

Maybe a "dude"would be helpful in our sleepless fog. But maybe they could be for everyone.

Dad will only change a diaper if his kit is called a "toolbox"?

Baby Bargains: The Textbook

Preparing for a new baby feels like a very materialistic, commercial affair. There are a million objects out there - many of which are crazy cute and tempting, not to mention unnecessary. (Why yes, I should buy this battery powered fan for my baby's SUV-sized stroller.)

While we've been keeping an eye on local listserves for some used items, there are some big ticket items we prefer buy new, like the stroller, crib and car seat. Baby Bargains has been recommended to us by countless friends and it has been helpful as we enter into the world of buy buy Baby and other stores with aisles and aisles of "necessary" objects. (What is the name of this store supposed to suggest? "Goodbye baby, I need to go shopping"?)

We decided we couldn't wait and bought the 2011 version. A new one will be released later this spring. Help support this blog by purchasing your copy through our Amazon store.

What items did you find most useful for the first year of your baby's life?