| Walking into a baby furniture store can be completely | | | | need a comfortable chair to sit in, particularly if you're |
| mind blowing - there's so much stuff! Most of us don't | | | | nursing your baby.Portable CribThis is one piece of |
| have an unlimited amount of money to spend, and if | | | | baby furniture that got used a lot in my household! My |
| you've never had a baby before, it can be really hard | | | | son used to come to work with me when he was little, |
| to work out what's really necessary, useful, or basically | | | | and I used a portable crib for his naps. It was great |
| a waste of time. If you're planning to set up a gift | | | | when I went to visit family and friends, because baby |
| register at the store, you want to make sure the things | | | | was familiar with it and happy to have a nap when the |
| you put on it are useful and practical. It's can all be | | | | time came. I also didn't have to worry about baby |
| incredibly confusing.Let's take a look at some of the | | | | rolling off someone's bed. It meant that we could go on |
| main items you're going to find in the baby store, so | | | | holidays and know that baby had somewhere safe |
| that you can have some idea of what baby furniture | | | | and familiar to sleep. I used mine so much that I ended |
| you really want or need before you even get to the | | | | up having to buy a second one when my daughter |
| store. That way you can focus on picking exactly | | | | came along! It's important, though, to spend some time |
| which one you want, rather than messing about | | | | making sure the portable crib you choose is well |
| deciding whether you actually want or need it.Baby | | | | constructed and safe. Make sure it can't collapse |
| Bassinet or CradleA bassinet or cradle is used from | | | | easily, particularly if baby tries to climb out. Check there |
| birth until around 4 months. Basically, if the baby can roll | | | | are no small spaces where fingers could get trapped, |
| from side to side, it's time for baby to move up into a | | | | and a collapsible padded base is very helpful.High |
| crib. Make sure the mattress fits snugly against the | | | | ChairA high chair rates very close to the essential end |
| sides. You may even find that a padded bumper, | | | | of the scale. The good news is that you don't need |
| sheets and quilt are included. | | | | one straight away, so you can put off buying it until |
| The bassinet probably falls somewhere in the middle | | | | quite a few months after baby is born. Look for an |
| between necessary and unnecessary. If you're on a | | | | adjustable tray, restraints of some kind and perhaps |
| budget, you can certainly go without one. Having said | | | | even lockable rolling casters. Some models also have |
| that, I loved my bassinet and wouldn't have been | | | | a reclining seat, so you can use it even when baby is |
| without it. It's so convenient to be able to move baby | | | | still bottle feeding.Car SeatThis is definitely essential - |
| around. I generally let baby sleep in his own room | | | | apart from ensuring your baby's safety, you're |
| during the day, and used a baby monitor, then at night | | | | breaking the law in most places if you don't have one. |
| wheeled baby's bassinet into my room. Mine could be | | | | Newborns must travel in the back seat of the car, |
| rocked gently to help baby fall asleep, and because it | | | | facing the rear. Once baby is older, usually closer to 1 |
| was up on a stand, it was easy to life baby in and out | | | | year old, you can place baby in a forward facing car |
| - I was recovering from a caesarean.So my advice | | | | seat. When your child is older again, anywhere from 2 |
| would be - if you can fit a bassinet into your budget, | | | | years upwards depending on their size, you can |
| do it. Perhaps it's an item that a few friends or family | | | | change over to a booster seat. |
| could buy for your baby shower.Baby Crib or | | | | The major decision you'll have here is whether to buy |
| CotSome sort of secure bed for baby is definitely | | | | separate, specially designed car seats for baby and |
| required. Spending a fortune buying one isn't required! | | | | then your toddler, or whether to buy a convertible |
| You can buy cribs in a massive range of styles - with | | | | model. Personally I always had 2 separate car seats, |
| a huge range of price tags to match. Probably the | | | | mostly because all the consumer safety research I'd |
| main thing to look for is to make sure the crib adheres | | | | seen suggested that a specifically designed car seat |
| to the required safety standards. Check that the | | | | was more effective in an accident. Thankfully I never |
| mattress fits snugly against the sides of the crib. Some | | | | tested that theory out! Construction and safety levels |
| other helpful features are: an adjustable base height, a | | | | are constantly improving, however, so if buying a |
| couple of release mechanisms (not just one, in case | | | | convertible model is where your budget is, that's okay |
| baby learns how to do it!), lockable wheels, and no | | | | too.StrollersThis is another baby item where there |
| stickers that can be peeled off easily.Crib | | | | seems to be too many choices. First you have to |
| MattressMany cribs include their own mattress, and | | | | decide which style of stroller you want, before even |
| that's probably the best option because it should fit the | | | | looking at individual brands. At some point you are |
| crib snugly. There are two types of mattress - inner | | | | going to want to transport your baby, so you will need |
| spring/coil or foam. Generally, the innerspring style of | | | | to buy something. You need to start by having a long, |
| mattress will last much longer, but is usually a little more | | | | hard think about what you expect your movements to |
| expensive. It's worth buying some sort of waterproof | | | | be with your baby. Do you plan to take baby jogging |
| mattress pad, to protect the mattress, but make sure it | | | | with you? Go over rougher terrain regularly? Or will |
| doesn't have any plastic on the side the baby will be | | | | you probably only put baby in a stroller at the shops? |
| sleeping on.Bedding AccessoriesThis is an area where | | | | Do you want a pram that can later be converted into |
| you can start to spend some serious dollars! It's very | | | | a stroller? |
| easy to get carried away with all the cute and | | | | Once you have an idea what type of things you'll |
| gorgeous designs for baby bedding. Thankfully most | | | | need to use your stroller for, a salesperson at the |
| cribs and bassinets use standard sizes, which makes | | | | baby store should be able to guide you in the right |
| things a little easier. One good strategy is to buy the | | | | direction. You then need to think about what added |
| necessary basics yourself, then put all the less | | | | features you might like - accessory bars, toy and |
| necessary accessories on your baby shower gift | | | | activity bars, headrests, adjustable height, rain shields |
| register. Apart from the basic sheets, I've always liked | | | | etc. |
| to have a bumper for the top end of baby's bed - and | | | | Choosing the right stroller is probably going to take |
| make sure it ties on in multiple places, so more than | | | | you a while!Baby MonitorA baby monitor probably isn't |
| one tie has to break before it can fall down. You | | | | necessary, but I always found it was great for peace |
| should never use a pillow for baby, and even quilts or | | | | of mind. It meant I could be off in another part of the |
| comforters aren't recommended - stick to ordinary | | | | house doing something, but still be monitoring my |
| blankets. You can also often get added extras, such | | | | baby's nap. Prices vary a lot, but it's probably better to |
| as diaper stackers. Personally I've never found them | | | | choose your monitor based on the features you're |
| of much use, but again, some of the extra might make | | | | going to need, rather than price. If you're going to move |
| good baby shower gifts.Changing TableIf you're really | | | | around a lot, make sure your monitor is portable. Do |
| strapped for cash, then you can probably make do | | | | you want batteries or mains power? Do you want |
| with using your bed as a changing table, but if you can, | | | | video monitoring as well?Bouncer SeatAgain, this isn't |
| this is something I highly recommend. Your back will | | | | necessary, but it's very useful! Babies love to watch |
| certainly prefer it! My changing table was actually more | | | | everything that's going on around them, and it's much |
| like a set of dresser drawers, and nowadays, with the | | | | easier for them if they're raised slightly from the |
| changing table part removed, it's still being used as | | | | horizontal. You can buy all sorts of fancy bouncer |
| drawers for my daughter's clothes. So it pays to think | | | | seats, with everything from toy bars to battery |
| ahead and buy a changing table that's practical. Also | | | | operated bouncing. I only ever had a very basic fabric |
| look for safety features, such as guardrails and | | | | bouncer, and most of the time the toy bar wasn't even |
| perhaps even safety straps. And of course it needs to | | | | attached. Both my kids loved them, and the good thing |
| be well padded! It's handy to have some sort of shelf | | | | was that I always knew where they were! Very |
| where you can put items you're using, but personally I | | | | handy, particularly when I was cooking dinner. The main |
| just put them down one end of the changing table and | | | | thing to remember is that you should NEVER place a |
| changed baby at the other end. Once baby got bigger, | | | | bouncer seat on a raised surface, they should always |
| I used the top drawer.Rocking ChairThis is definitely on | | | | be placed on the floor or ground.Discover more about |
| the "maybe" list. A lot of women swear by them, but | | | | getting ready for baby's arrival at Info About Baby |
| personally I never had one and it never bothered me in | | | | You can sign up for a FREE Baby Tips newsletter at |
| the slightest. So this is going to come down to personal | | | | Baby Tips Newsletter. |
| preference and your budget. Having said that, you will | | | | |