Though I love impulse buys (that's the girlie side of me), I also totally dig researching the ends of the internet for the best products and bargains. So when I started my third trimester, every spare minute saw me glued to my laptop reading reviews and analyzing the best buys for baby gear. From my experience here are some suggestions for the other rookie moms out there.
Register! Register! Register!
I opened baby registries for 2 reasons - helps track my shopping list - completion discount is useful while buying the big ticket items. Be it for a shower(first baby) or a sprinkle(2nd or > baby) guests find it easy to click and ship the items you have chosen in your registry instead of buying gift cards. Of course there is a flip side to this - some people just can't resist buying baby clothes as gifts for a baby shower. Either ways, there is more to gain by registering than not.
Where did I register?
The first place I checked out was Babies R Us (BRU). Well, I did open a registry there but hardly used it. Items were more expensive and choices were limited.
If you open a registry in a store, you get a goody bag (samples of diapers, wipes or lotions, a free copy of Baby Talk or Parents magazine and some coupons - usually for Huggies or Pampers) and a promise for a 15% completion coupon. Though I did open the registry in a store, the completion discount mailed out to me was only for 10%. None had an explanation for it. Oh well. If you open a registry online, you can walk in to the nearest store and request a goody bag. Also for an online registry you get a 10% completion coupon.
My completion coupon was mailed out about a month in advance of my due date. I used the coupon and a couple of gift cards to buy a bunch of clothes for my little one - nothing else, just clothes from BRU and that too just because I had to use those gift cards.
Point to note: The completion coupon is only for the items remaining on your registry. So in the store, make your selection, head to the counters, request a store associate to add them to your registry and then bill out with the coupon. They might tell you that it takes 48 hours for your registry to be updated and try to convince you to just bill out without the coupon - but that was not the case with me. The items showed up immediately. You can always take a print out after scanning, check for the recent additions and then bill out.
Final word on BRU registries - not my favorite. It felt like no one was interested in helping you out, higher prices, minimal choice.
The next and my most favorite registry was on Amazon.com. I've been an Amazon customer for almost 5 years now but my appreciation for their efforts and commitment to service just tripled with my baby registry experience. Those guys just think of everything! I signed up for their "Amazon mom" program as well - free prime membership(free 2 day shipping) for the first few months and this time limit extends with every purchase you make using their service. You also have some 30 % off your first shipment. Their "subscribe and save" option is also worth looking up. You get the widest choice, best price (no tax), reliable reviews and fastest, cheapest shipping from Amazon. They give you a 10% completion discount on certain items in your registry. The coupon shows up as a banner when you sign in to your registry. So whats the catch here? Well, the coupon is only applicable for items fulfilled and shipped by Amazon -not for items bought from vendors. In my case it wasn't a big deal. The only items I couldn't use the coupon on were a crib bedding set and a couple of breast pump accessories. The amazon mom benefits and completion discount coupon are stackable - so as far as you are signed in, the discounts get applied automatically. You may want to keep an eye out for 20% coupons on baby stuff that show up in Baby Talk and Parents magazine - These coupons can also be used. All together they wipe off a huge portion of the final bill.
Have you heard of diapers.com? If not, go check it out now. As the name suggests, it sells all the baby essentials. Amazon acquired it recently. Some items sold here are even cheaper than Amazon prices. They often publish coupon codes in baby forums (What to expect, babycenter). Also, they have a bunch of specials running at all times - look at the coupons tab on their website and copy paste those coupon codes while checking out. Another perk at diapers.com - they accept manufacturers coupons. The site also offers a baby registry service with a 10% completion coupon - but the coupon is effective only from your due date. Also, when you buy items off your registry, the other specials and coupon codes do not apply. To knock off a few more dollars from your diapers.com purchase, look into the Pampers gifts to grow rewards program (pampers.com) - its pretty simple. You find pampers rewards codes (tons of them online, some from pampers product purchases) and register them to your account. Each code earns you some rewards points. When you earn enough, you can redeem them for diapers.com coupons.
For in-store purchases, I like Buy Buy Baby. They have tons of choices and much better prices than BRU. There is a registry option and you get a 10% completion coupon mailed out to you about a month in advance of your due date. When you open a registry(store or online) you get a free gift - goody bag again with magazines and samples (mine had a bib, diapers, diaper rash cream, Avent feeding bottle and some manufacturers coupons for different items).
Apart from the stores discussed here, there a ton other places where you will get exclusive stuff - pottery barn kids, land of nod, etc. These stores also have registry options. You wouldn't get the bang for your buck but the rich indulgence - yeah you'll get that plenty :)
When its time to share your registry information, it becomes difficult to list all if you have one too many. Thats when you use thebump.com. Just launch that website, navigate to baby registry tab and search for your name. Most of your registries will be listed - I say most because BRU registries are not read by thebump. It'll be an easy way to share your registry locations.
Given so many options for baby registries, I think you only need 2 - one online and one in-store - my choices are obviously amazon and buy buy baby.
Finding what you need
Ask google for a newborn shopping list and it will give you a ton of sites. The ones I found extremely useful were ConsumerReports.org and lucieslist.com. Buying an account on consumerreports would be a very good investment. Once you have an account, you will have access to baby product ratings, approximate prices / estimated values, best buy identifications for products in each category and a very useful newborn shopping list. Use the shopping list as a baseline - i felt the quantity listed was the bare minimum, in some cases I had to double the number Eg: they suggest you buy 4 sleepers in newborn size.Well I do laundry only once a week - so I just used my discretion and bought 7 instead. The reason I liked lucieslist was because it clearly states why a particular product was recommended. The reasons listed might make total sense to one person and but might not be so critical to another. But knowing and understanding the reasons for product recommendations helps you to make an informed choice.
My Shopping list
Essentials
Register! Register! Register!
I opened baby registries for 2 reasons - helps track my shopping list - completion discount is useful while buying the big ticket items. Be it for a shower(first baby) or a sprinkle(2nd or > baby) guests find it easy to click and ship the items you have chosen in your registry instead of buying gift cards. Of course there is a flip side to this - some people just can't resist buying baby clothes as gifts for a baby shower. Either ways, there is more to gain by registering than not.
Where did I register?
The first place I checked out was Babies R Us (BRU). Well, I did open a registry there but hardly used it. Items were more expensive and choices were limited.
If you open a registry in a store, you get a goody bag (samples of diapers, wipes or lotions, a free copy of Baby Talk or Parents magazine and some coupons - usually for Huggies or Pampers) and a promise for a 15% completion coupon. Though I did open the registry in a store, the completion discount mailed out to me was only for 10%. None had an explanation for it. Oh well. If you open a registry online, you can walk in to the nearest store and request a goody bag. Also for an online registry you get a 10% completion coupon.
My completion coupon was mailed out about a month in advance of my due date. I used the coupon and a couple of gift cards to buy a bunch of clothes for my little one - nothing else, just clothes from BRU and that too just because I had to use those gift cards.
Point to note: The completion coupon is only for the items remaining on your registry. So in the store, make your selection, head to the counters, request a store associate to add them to your registry and then bill out with the coupon. They might tell you that it takes 48 hours for your registry to be updated and try to convince you to just bill out without the coupon - but that was not the case with me. The items showed up immediately. You can always take a print out after scanning, check for the recent additions and then bill out.
Final word on BRU registries - not my favorite. It felt like no one was interested in helping you out, higher prices, minimal choice.
The next and my most favorite registry was on Amazon.com. I've been an Amazon customer for almost 5 years now but my appreciation for their efforts and commitment to service just tripled with my baby registry experience. Those guys just think of everything! I signed up for their "Amazon mom" program as well - free prime membership(free 2 day shipping) for the first few months and this time limit extends with every purchase you make using their service. You also have some 30 % off your first shipment. Their "subscribe and save" option is also worth looking up. You get the widest choice, best price (no tax), reliable reviews and fastest, cheapest shipping from Amazon. They give you a 10% completion discount on certain items in your registry. The coupon shows up as a banner when you sign in to your registry. So whats the catch here? Well, the coupon is only applicable for items fulfilled and shipped by Amazon -not for items bought from vendors. In my case it wasn't a big deal. The only items I couldn't use the coupon on were a crib bedding set and a couple of breast pump accessories. The amazon mom benefits and completion discount coupon are stackable - so as far as you are signed in, the discounts get applied automatically. You may want to keep an eye out for 20% coupons on baby stuff that show up in Baby Talk and Parents magazine - These coupons can also be used. All together they wipe off a huge portion of the final bill.
Have you heard of diapers.com? If not, go check it out now. As the name suggests, it sells all the baby essentials. Amazon acquired it recently. Some items sold here are even cheaper than Amazon prices. They often publish coupon codes in baby forums (What to expect, babycenter). Also, they have a bunch of specials running at all times - look at the coupons tab on their website and copy paste those coupon codes while checking out. Another perk at diapers.com - they accept manufacturers coupons. The site also offers a baby registry service with a 10% completion coupon - but the coupon is effective only from your due date. Also, when you buy items off your registry, the other specials and coupon codes do not apply. To knock off a few more dollars from your diapers.com purchase, look into the Pampers gifts to grow rewards program (pampers.com) - its pretty simple. You find pampers rewards codes (tons of them online, some from pampers product purchases) and register them to your account. Each code earns you some rewards points. When you earn enough, you can redeem them for diapers.com coupons.
For in-store purchases, I like Buy Buy Baby. They have tons of choices and much better prices than BRU. There is a registry option and you get a 10% completion coupon mailed out to you about a month in advance of your due date. When you open a registry(store or online) you get a free gift - goody bag again with magazines and samples (mine had a bib, diapers, diaper rash cream, Avent feeding bottle and some manufacturers coupons for different items).
Apart from the stores discussed here, there a ton other places where you will get exclusive stuff - pottery barn kids, land of nod, etc. These stores also have registry options. You wouldn't get the bang for your buck but the rich indulgence - yeah you'll get that plenty :)
When its time to share your registry information, it becomes difficult to list all if you have one too many. Thats when you use thebump.com. Just launch that website, navigate to baby registry tab and search for your name. Most of your registries will be listed - I say most because BRU registries are not read by thebump. It'll be an easy way to share your registry locations.
Given so many options for baby registries, I think you only need 2 - one online and one in-store - my choices are obviously amazon and buy buy baby.
Finding what you need
Ask google for a newborn shopping list and it will give you a ton of sites. The ones I found extremely useful were ConsumerReports.org and lucieslist.com. Buying an account on consumerreports would be a very good investment. Once you have an account, you will have access to baby product ratings, approximate prices / estimated values, best buy identifications for products in each category and a very useful newborn shopping list. Use the shopping list as a baseline - i felt the quantity listed was the bare minimum, in some cases I had to double the number Eg: they suggest you buy 4 sleepers in newborn size.Well I do laundry only once a week - so I just used my discretion and bought 7 instead. The reason I liked lucieslist was because it clearly states why a particular product was recommended. The reasons listed might make total sense to one person and but might not be so critical to another. But knowing and understanding the reasons for product recommendations helps you to make an informed choice.
My Shopping list
Essentials
- Crib - Da Vinci Emily - consumer reports best buy - converts to a toddler bed - bought the full bed conversion kit as well - Amazon.com - I didn't prefer a bassinet because you can max use it only until the baby turns 3 months
- crib mattress - MDB Emily 2 in 1 - 260 coil - Amazon.com
- car seat - Chicco keyfit 30 in romantic - I chose an infant seat and plan to buy a convertible after baby turns one: the benefit of not waking a newborn while moving her out of the vehicle outweighs every argument in favor of a convertible seat - consumer reports highly recommends this product in the infant seat category - try to see the color options in a store, they look completely different from the images online - comes with an infant boot cover - Amazon.com
- extra car seat base for the other vehicle - Amazon.com
- Stroller- Baby trend Snap N Go - I checked out all the travel system options and found them extremely bulky and hard to maneuver - I liked this stroller frame for its light weight, compact fold, ease of use and good price - plan to buy an umbrella stroller when baby is old enough to sit up on her own - snap n go + umbrella stroller is still cheaper than a whole travel system - Amazon.com
- changing pad - Colgate 3 sided contoured pad - Buy Buy Baby - I have set it on my nightstand but haven't fixed it in as my mom feels she would be more comfortable changing the baby on the bed
- diaper genie elite - its more expensive than the arm and hammer one(initial cost and cost of refill bags) but when you weigh the reviews between the two, the diaper genie is rated better in keeping the smells out - most important factor for a diaper disposal - Amazon.com
- diaper genie refill bags - Amazon.com (if you choose the Arm and Hammer diaper pail it takes ordinary trash bags)
- Fisher price infant to toddler rocker - its a bouncer and a seat - Amazon.com - I plan to use this for baby's daytime naps as its portable
- Summer infant best view video monitor - Amazon.com
- Ergo baby carrier - didn't buy the newborn insert, will use a receiving blanket for head support instead - diapers.com
- fisher price rainforest play mat - buy buy baby
- baby book - buy buy baby
Linen
- crib bedding set - 13 piece cotton set sold by GEENY through Amazon.com for $85 bucks - fitted sheet, dust ruffle, diaper stacker, toy holder, comforter, wall hangings, crib bumper
- crib mobile - Lambs and Ivy mobile from Buy Buy Baby
- receiving blankets - 4 - cotton flannel - Amazon.com
- fitted crib sheets - 3 cotton - Amazon.com (on the mattress, put two alternating layers of waterproof pad and fitted crib sheets - it makes night time changes easy)
- crib waterproof pads - 3 - Amazon.com
- changing pad covers - 4 - Amazon.com
Bath & Grooming
- Baby body wash - Johnson & Johnson natural head to toe foaming wash - 3 - I did not want anything with extra fragrances in it - Amazon.com
- nursery essentials kit - look for one with a nasal aspirator that has an opening at the back for easy cleaning - nasal aspirator, thermometer, hair brush, nail clippers, nail file - Amazon.com
Feeding
- Playtex drop-ins bottle starter set - Amazon.com
- Playtex disposable 4oz 100 count liners - Amazon.com
- bottle drying rack - Amazon.com
- OXO bottle brush - with nipple cleaner and stand - the kind that stands on its own -Amazon.com
- Munchkin dishwasher basket - for washing bottles and accessories in the dishwasher - Amazon.com
- Boppy pillow - Buy Buy Baby
- peanut shell nursing cover - diapers.com
Diapers and Changes
- disposable changing pads - 36 count box - for use with the diaper bag - Amazon.com
- Pampers swaddlers sensitive -120 count in the newborn size - there have been a lot of complaints about the dry max model, so I chose the sensitive instead - will buy more diapers after baby is born depending on birth weight - Amazon.com
- Eddie Bauer diaper bag - buy buy baby
- Diaper rash cream - Desitin - Costco
- Baby wipes - Costco
- sassy disposable diaper sacks - 200 count - diapers.com
Clothing
- onesies - newborn (6) - 0 to 3 months (6)
- footsies - newborn (5) - 0 to 3 months (2)
- outfits - newborn (3) - 0 to 3 months(4) - 6 months (1) - 9 months (1)
- socks - one size (6)
- hats - one size (4)
- bibs - 5
- sleepsack - 1
- swaddleme - 2 cotton infant size swaddlers - Amazon.com
Everytime I stop at a traffic light, my eyes automatically peek into the rearview mirror to see how the driver behind me reacts to this decal. If its a desi, I get a small smile and the others?.. well I've seen "Wha...t?!!!" , shrugs, "Whatever that means" and disinterested scans.
