It's down to crunch time, I've dealt with the 3 out of 8 months of my wife's pregnancy. Been through the nesting with her, went through nesting of my own, read every book I had time to read, looked at every product I could find that didn't have a history of recall, looked into finances, the differences between formula and breast milk, etc...

And still, I have yet to feel prepared...

Any advice anyone else has can be applied here.

Thank you.

3/15/2010 7:39:35 PM

Quote :

"1. Find ob/gyn/midwife 2. Get prenatal checkup 3. Get prenatal vitamins 4. Find physical exercise 5. Decide childbirth method 6. Join childbirth/prenatal class 7. Buy crib 8. Buy crib mattresss 9. Buy crib bedding 10. Buy changing table/dresser 11. Buy diapers 12. Buy diaper bag 13. Buy diaper pail 14. Buy crib mobile 15. Buy stroller 16. Buy baby monitor (video) 17. Buy night light for baby’s room 18. Choose colours/theme for baby room 19. Paint baby’s room 20. Buy infant size hangers 21. Buy pacifiers 22. Create medical emergency kit 23. Prepare emergency phone lists 24. Decide nursing or formula 25. Buy nursing/formula supplies 26. Decide on legal guardian 27. Prepare wills 28. Create university fund 29. Begin kegel exercises 30. Buy 1st year scrapbook 31. Decide whether to learn gender 32. Choose name(s) 33. Choose hospital 34. Take tour of hospital 35. Find pediatrician 36. Appoint someone to organize baby shower(s) 37. Make invite list for baby shower 38. Register for baby shower 39. Buy thank you notes for baby shower 40. Select birth music 41. Book venue/date for religious ceremony 42. Buy baby’s outfit for religious ceremony 43. Buy maternity clothes 44. Decide who will be in your delivery room with you 45. Prepare baby announcements 46. Prepare overnight bag for hospital 47. Make birth plan 48. Schedule mat. leave 49. Make phone list for announcing baby’s birth 50. Buy baby’s take home from hospital outfit 51. Decide on post birth child care New baby basics A master list for new moms and dads Here’s a checklist of what you should have on hand before your baby arrives. Tooling around _____Car seat. _____Stroller. Beds and linens _____Crib. _____Crib mattress. _____Bassinet/cradle (if you don’t want to put your baby in a crib right away). _____Two to three fitted crib sheets. _____Four or more waffle-weave cotton receiving blankets for swaddling baby _____Two mattress pads. _____One to two waterproof liners (for crib or bassinet). Diaper duty _____Diapers. Disposable or cloth. _____Diaper pail. (Optional with disposables.) _____Diaper bag. Dressing baby _____Four sleeping outfits or onesies (one-piece sleepers), preferably with attached feet _____Six side-snap T-shirts. _____Four to six one-piece undershirts that snap around the crotch. _____A small baby cap (although the hospital will probably give you one). _____Six pairs socks/booties. _____Two to three soft, comfortable daytime outfits. Get only a few items in newborn size. Then, go for clothing in the 6-month size–your baby will grow into it quickly. But don’t buy baby sleepwear that’s too big; it’s a fire hazard _____Cotton sweater or light jacket. Summer babies _____Brimmed hat. Winter babies _____Snowsuit or heavy bunting. _____Heavy stroller blanket. _____Warm knit hat. Feeding time If you’re planning to breast-feed: _____Two or three nursing bras. _____A box of washable or disposable breast pads. _____Breast pump if you expect to use one. _____Four small baby bottles with newborn nipples for expressed breast milk _____Bottle drying tree. _____Bottle brush. _____Insulated bottle holder for diaper bag (the hospital may give you one). _____Three packs of cloth diapers or burp cloths. If you’re planning to bottle-feed _____Six 4- to 5-ounce bottles, plus nipples, rings, and a dishwasher basket if you use a dishwasher. Bathing/grooming _____Three soft hooded towels. _____Two packs of baby washcloths. _____ Baby body wash that doubles as shampoo. _____Pair of blunt-tip scissors or baby-sized nail clippers. _____Zinc-oxide-based diaper rash ointment. _____Infant bathtub. _____Soft brush and comb. _____Mild laundry detergent. Medicine chest essentials _____A pain-and-fever reducer recommended by your baby’s doctor, such as Infant’s Tylenol. _____Cotton pads/swabs. _____Nasal aspirator. _____Digital thermometer. _____Rubbing alcohol. _____Petroleum jelly. Keeping baby happy _____Pacifiers. Extras: Nice but optional _____Monitor. _____Changing table. _____A rocker or glider. _____Soft carrier. _____Swing. "

from: http://checkitoff.wordpress.com/2007/05/01/lists-of-things-to-do-pre-baby/

I'm a big fan of lists

3/15/2010 7:44:31 PM

NICE!

Way to go, Brother!

3/15/2010 7:46:35 PM

Great list!

If she drinks, a split of nice champagne to toast the new arrival is nice to have in the hospital bag. Also bring your own Motrin and healthy snacks (think trail mix), just in case the nursing staff is super busy.

3/15/2010 10:51:21 PM

Nothing to it, dude.

Kids are easy. It's their mothers who are difficult.

3/15/2010 11:47:20 PM

http://www.ted.com/talks/steven_pinker_chalks_it_up_to_the_blank_slate.html

[relevant part starts at 18:20]

3/16/2010 12:27:09 AM

Damn, this thread ended on the first reply.

3/16/2010 12:37:37 AM

I don't even have kids, neither.

3/16/2010 1:08:39 AM

H8R saves the day yet again. one day....ill be half the man H8R is.

3/16/2010 1:21:06 AM

On the one hand, good for you for being a conscientious dad.

On the other, people have been having shit-tons of babies for hundreds of thousands of years, and during most of that time their tools were their own rotting teeth and the occasional pointed rock.

I'm just advising you to keep shit in perspective.

3/16/2010 2:57:07 AM

Quote :

"On the one hand, good for you for being a conscientious dad. On the other, people have been having shit-tons of babies for hundreds of thousands of years, and during most of that time their tools were their own rotting teeth and the occasional pointed rock. I'm just advising you to keep shit in perspective."

QFT

3/16/2010 8:48:36 AM

On the other hand, cavemen didn't have car seat laws or hordes of women ready to make your wife feel bad if she doesn't breastfeed.

A little preparation doesn't hurt, but keep in mind you'll figure out a lot of shit along the way.

Quote :

" Nothing to it, dude. Kids are easy. It's their mothers who are difficult."

Zen moment right there.

3/16/2010 9:12:48 AM

"they" say no matter what you do you'll never feel fully prepared.

3/16/2010 9:35:15 AM

ugh. there is nothing about kids that looks even remotely appealing to me.

3/16/2010 10:43:23 AM

try out a few different brands of diapers. some fit your particular kid better than others.

Don't get Wal-mart brand wipes. The sheets aren't nested together and you gotta dig each one out of the box.

Ultimate crib sheets are one kind of waterproof liner, and I like em because they snap to the sides of the crib and you can change it without taking the mattress up.. We had three, because you can get two dirty in one night, and you don't wanna be doing laundry at 3 AM if you can help it.

plenty of onesies, blankets, changing pads, and burp cloths, babies can create a whole load of laundry in a really short amount of time.



Newborns are a lot of work, but it's not hard work. sleep, diaper, eat, diaper, awake for a few minutes, diaper. repeat. That's just my experience, though. Yours might/will be different.

3/16/2010 11:57:31 AM

gg, GrumpyGOP

3/16/2010 11:59:43 AM

Quote :

"Don't get Wal-mart brand wipes. The sheets aren't nested together and you gotta dig each one out of the box. Ultimate crib sheets are one kind of waterproof liner, and I like em because they snap to the sides of the crib and you can change it without taking the mattress up.. We had three, because you can get two dirty in one night, and you don't wanna be doing laundry at 3 AM if you can help it. plenty of onesies, blankets, changing pads, and burp cloths, babies can create a whole load of laundry in a really short amount of time."

That's good shit too! I can tell there's lots of experience in that one and will prevent me and whoever is reading this thread with small-fry problems that can really get irritating during this transitional period.

GG man! GG indeed...

3/16/2010 12:02:43 PM

Heated wipes = happy baby.

3/16/2010 12:09:18 PM

Does this mean...no more Warrioring?

3/16/2010 12:12:39 PM

Have you thought of infant care scenarios? I mean, are you or Mrs. Apocalypse gonna stay home, or are you gonna use daycare?

I ask because the waiting list for some daycares can be surprisingly long, and if you're gonna do that then you'll wanna get to picking one and reserving a spot pronto if you haven't yet.

3/16/2010 12:23:43 PM

What's warrioring?

3/16/2010 1:48:37 PM

Quote :

"Heated wipes = happy baby"

To hell with that. My 2 mo. old gets cold wipes and will until he no longer needs them. Life's hard, son, suck it up. I wish my biggest problem was someone wiping my junk with a cold baby wipe.

3/16/2010 2:07:36 PM

Silly Breeders.

3/16/2010 2:10:28 PM

Where would you be without them?

3/16/2010 2:11:33 PM

Regardless, any advice would be great.

Not saying anything to you, Senez, but I don't want anyone to feel they shouldn't post what the feel is worthwhile because of the thoughts of others.

I'll assess whether the advice offered suits me or not.

Please people, new dad-to-be here!

[Edited on March 16, 2010 at 2:13 PM. Reason : a]

3/16/2010 2:12:36 PM

Be patient and don't be too coddling. Once you see how the nurses handle him/her when he/she comes out, you'll see how durable they really are.

DON'T DROP HIM/HER.

Burp them often. Decreases the amount of spit up and gas pains.

Mylicon is your friend.

If you have a boy, realize that there is a time limit on how fast you can change a diaper without having to wash down the nursery wall. It's on a randomizer, as well.

Don't be alarmed it they don't poop for a week. Especially if breastfeeding.

Swaddling works. Learn it.

You can't spoil them that much within the first few months.

Get a Flip or some other quick and easy recording device.

If I have more, I'll get back to you.

3/16/2010 2:17:04 PM

Quote :

"What's warrioring?"

Oh come the fuck on

3/16/2010 2:26:36 PM

^^ if its a boy, the peepee teepee will solve the pissing all over the room during the diaper change

3/16/2010 2:52:54 PM

True...if people get one for you off your registry.

3/16/2010 3:00:05 PM

or you just buy one

3/16/2010 3:19:05 PM

don't be a germophobe. It's the most irritating thing in the world about other parents. Everything does not have to be fucking sterilized before your baby can touch it.

if your kid gets a cold, it's not the end of the world, and will only help bolster his/her immune system. Just get the requisite immunizations and that will protect them from the common really bad stuff.

3/16/2010 3:39:47 PM

lol, if you have to put him/her in daycare when they're 3mo (like mine) then get used to them being sick. They share pacifiers and shit. I think you'd pick up less germs at an orgy.

Which also means get used to being sick yourself. It's getting better now that she's getting closer to 2 years.

3/16/2010 3:47:25 PM

yeah no doubt. The year and a half my daughter was in daycare, she, my wife, and I were constantly sick.

3/16/2010 3:52:24 PM

Quote :

" "What's warrioring?" Oh come the fuck on"

Haha, that's another Apocalypse. The OP is the original. The White Warrior you speak of hasn't knocked anyone up.

Carl- Don't go to Glamour Shots for pregnancy photos, plz.



[Edited on March 16, 2010 at 4:36 PM. Reason : f]

3/16/2010 4:33:44 PM

What? I'm confused

Two Apocalypses?

Explain yourself

3/16/2010 4:57:56 PM

2 guys, 1 password

3/16/2010 5:03:49 PM

That's perverse

3/16/2010 5:06:32 PM

i don't agree with it

just sayin..

3/16/2010 5:20:11 PM

whaaaaaa?

i'm confused. which one of you is carl and how do i tell the difference?

3/16/2010 5:25:54 PM

Speaking of Carl, the whole situation deserves a

3/16/2010 5:40:04 PM

I am Carl

The other is far wittier than I.

If it's it's got wit, it's not me.

[Edited on March 16, 2010 at 11:09 PM. Reason : a]

3/16/2010 11:09:34 PM

Friend got knocked up and has these on her registry:

http://www.gdiapers.com/

Anyone know anything about them? I read up a bit about them and they seem pretty interesting. Wonder how well they work though.

3/16/2010 11:28:57 PM

ohai

i have nothing to add. well, besides extra confusion.

-teh other other Apocalypse

3/17/2010 12:00:58 AM

^^those look awesome. i'm showing them to my friend who just found out she's pregnant and maybe she'll try them. i would definitely give them a shot if i had a baby. i'm not interested in using plastic at all, but i'm not sure i want to go all out cloth. i was a cloth diaper baby but that much poop + washing machine scares me.

i've not had a baby, so i might change my mind about the cloth diaper thing. i am pretty sure i'll still try to steer clear of using regular disposable diapers 100% of the time.

3/17/2010 9:07:30 AM

If you use the gRefills, it's gonna cost $texas. If you use the gCloth, then you might as well use cloth diapers, unless you care about the color of the shit wrapping your kid is in.

I'm not going to go into the landfill argument, but you shouldn't feel like a jackass for using disposables. You're going to be barely sleeping, still working a 40 hour week, and listening to potentially non-stop screaming the rest of the time. Scraping shit out of the inside of a diaper is not going to be high on your want-to-do list.

I wouldn't be too squeamish about shit and your washer though, there will be enough of it on his/her regular clothes from blowouts and diaper changing mishaps even if you go with disposables.

3/17/2010 9:17:38 AM

i just did the math. i asked the our secretary who had a baby last may how much she pays for diapers. she said she gets 36 for $9 (25 cents per diaper). the grefills are 40 for $15 (37 cents per diaper). that's not as big of a difference as i thought it'd be. the cloth ones are 6 for $30 or something like that.

i would think of the covers (price-wise) more like clothing.

the environment is a concern for me, but i'm not going to argue about it with anybody or in this thread. i'm not a freak about it, i'd just like to decrease my load if it's feasible.

like i said, i've never had a kid. and i'm not dead set on using cloth the whole time. i'd like to give it a shot one day though.

3/17/2010 9:45:36 AM

We've used disposable diapers. The link says those are biodegradable, but if you throw the liners away, they're not gonna biodegrade in a landfill. And if you go straight cloth, you end up using enough water and cleaning agents to clean them that it's just about a wash compared to landfill space.

I've had friends use cloth diapers for their kids, and if it makes you feel good, go for it.




ETA: We paid around 0.18-0.20 per diaper for the 1 & 2 sizes. Never wore newborns. As they get bigger the cost per diaper goes up to about 0.30 for the size 5 overnight models.

[Edited on March 17, 2010 at 9:54 AM. Reason : diaper costs.]

3/17/2010 9:49:12 AM

they're biodegradable if you compost them (can't compost the poop ones though), which the website says. you can flush them also. they'd break down in a landfill quicker than plastic would also.

3/17/2010 9:53:28 AM

Modern landfill construction doesn't really allow for things to biodegrade, even if they are biodegradable.

3/17/2010 9:57:58 AM

i'm thinking on the 100s of years scheme. not our lifetime.

okay, no more.

3/17/2010 10:15:45 AM