A new mother I know requested a diaper bag that could be worn over the shoulder. I must have looked in a zillion places, and found the perfect bag at Pottery Barn Kids. In addition to an adjustable shoulder strap, it can be won as a backpack. Both mother and father love it. Only thing not to like is the name, Petunia Pickle Bottom.

Here is a link that might be useful: Petunia Pickle Bopttom diaper bag

I had a Petunia Picklebottom bag. It's a fantastic diaper bag....but it's just that a diaper bag. I was able to wear it as a back-pack or over the shoulder. And when it was over the shoulder, my DD was actually able to straddle it and sit on it when I carried her, almost like a hip hammock. There is a changing pad that velcros in and out for washing. Great versatile bag.

For baby #3, I never used it. I was sick of big bulky diaper bags, and just used a large purse and carried diapers, bottles, and baby stuff in giant zip-locs in my purse.

Can't be of much help, my baby is 23. but I will say two things, have fun, and don't believe everything you read or hear about baby gear-it doesnt have to be expensive it just needs to be safe.
I will say I would have KILLED for a cup holder or two on the stroller.

We were blessed with a lot of used baby stuff which came in very handy. I learned that baby gear needs vary widely according to lifestyle--my SIL is suburban and she uses a travel system, but the mothers in my urban area all told me that the travel system strollers were heavy and too bulky to take on public transportation. Ask around. One of my friends was delighted when I told her that the thing I needed most was a list from her of what to get and what amounts. Not only did she give me a list, she emptied out her basement for us.

Here are my tips:

* Get the "Baby Bargains" book. It'll help you avoid a lot of bad purchases.

* Buy "The Happiest Baby on the Block" DVD. Great advice about how to deal with fussy babies.

* Dutalier glider and ottoman. We have a Dutalier in the bedroom and a knockoff in the LR. My behind noticed a real difference in the padding between the two. You'll be spending a lot of time in your glider so it's worth it to get the best. You don't have to spend a lot of money--our Dutalier was $1 on Craigslist. Also, get something to cover the ottoman or it will get filthy. A baby blanket or a throw that coordinates with the room will be just fine.

RE: gliders . . .I never had one, but I saw this makeover recently:

Here is a link that might be useful: Ugly Glider No More

I have the world's ugliest glider, but it was free and serves a purpose. Thanks for the link, Anele. There is hope for it!

i haven't read this whole thread, but i REALLY recommend a jogging stroller---so much easier tp push just about EVERYWHERE and is more maneuverable than a regular stroller- we used a double jogger for years- it was a really great investment!! (an additional umbrella stroller is a must tho too!)

You have gotten lots of wonderful advice here, but wanted to add one thing-

I had one of those ugly , but fantastic gliders that Anele posted above. I was always sorry that I never got the matching ottoman. I would suggest getting an ottoman for any chair you will be buying for the nursery. I didn't want to spend the extra money at the time, and didn't realize how much time I would actually spend in that rocker/glider. I nursed 2 babies, read stories, sang songs, comforted bad dreams away, etc. all in that chair. Lots of wonderful hours!

I second the glider idea. Ugly or not, they are wonderful. I picked up a Dutailer glider and ottoman for Haley, in pristine condition, for $200. on Craig's list. It is off white and blends in with any room.

This is an item that is generally pricy so I looked almost every single day until I found the right one.

The one thing I would add is to say some of this will depend on your baby! We bought a very nice stroller for our first, but neither of our two kids liked it as infants. As soon as they were each old enough to not flop over, we stuck 'em in an umbrella stroller and never looked back! SO much easier to maneuver... Also, only one of ours liked the swing, but both loved the bouncy seat--we found that to be great since it was so lightweight you can carry it from room to room.

The one thing I wished I'd had for both kids: my "Over the Shoulder Baby Holder" sling. I loved that thing. It was so much more comfortable to carry baby #2 in that than the Baby Bjorn I'd had for #1. DEFINITELY give one of those a try--your back will thank you.

I have an "Over the shoulder Baby Holder" too! It is not very sleek, but it is very comfortable!

Pack and Plays definitely aren't meant to be used in place of a crib. But they come in handy for a babysitter/grandparent to use in place of a crib for visits.

Now that I think about it, I think it was the co-sleeper the grands slept in for a couple of months. Very comfy.

If you have one of those big footstools in the LR, it's nice to put the baby on the boppy on the stool while you sit there with free hands and play with him/her. Or set it on the floor. Baby can look all around.

Then baby can move to that little yellow chair that supports their back and is a snug fit so baby can't fall out! Again, I can't remember the name! lol

Oakley, Bumbo?

Yes, Bumbo! It's hard to remember all these names. lol. I wish they had this stuff when mine were little,especially a baby monitor.

SHEE!!!! I haven't read all the replies but you need to get a fan for the baby's room. It doesn't have to be a ceiling fan, but a fan to keep the air moving in the room. Look up SID's and fans. My kids use a floor fan on the lowest setting and they don't put it on "oscilate", that way air won't be aiming right on baby.

Fans keep baby from breathing their own carbon dioxide when they're sleeping.

My 3 yr. old GS has to have his fan on still, and it's kind of nice because he can't hear noise coming from the rest of the house and he takes good naps! lol

I'm finally back.

Roselvr - I don't have facebook but was able to see that link. Thanks! There's a lot of good info there. Yeah, I'll get over the look of the swing. Hopefully the baby really likes it and it's put to good use.

Anele - I'm trying to guess if I'll like carrying a baby or using a stroller at first. I'm short so some of the wraps looked difficult to put on. I wish I knew someone who had one and could should me or let me try it. Thank you for all the feedback and link!

Amj - This thread did have me rethink my glider choice. I was going to get a standard (cheap) glider but after seeing most of the good reviews were basically people who put it together but didn't actually USE it yet......the bad reviews were from people that had tested for a period of time and they were pretty darn iffy. It does make more sense to buy something that will last through a few kids.

Blankets - oh yeah, I was so shocked at my SIL's baby shower how many blankets she received. I should've counted. I just kept thinking how she'll never use them all. The clothes and baby blankets were insane. I'm actually the only one that bought her a gift that didn't get the "awww" response, LOL. She was very happy with it though. Side note - she had two showers though because her family lives far away. Her family bought most of the big ticket items.

Can you exchange clothes with just the tags on and no receipts?

Judie - Swaddlers and sleep sacks ...adding to my list. :)

Tina - Right now I'm just planning on taking care of everything for in the nursery (because I want it all done now :) ) and the rest I'll add to the registry.

Chispa - I've wondered if the 'put babies on their backs to sleep' came about because some parents didn't bother to take out stuffed animals, pillows, etc. in the crib? What about if the baby throws up while on their back? I was reading through my baby goodie binder the Dr. gave me and one part it mentions not using baby powder or corn starch. It later mentioned how babies could breathe it in. I couldn't help be think,"what are they doing that it's clouding so much in the air?"...... For the record, will be putting the baby on its back and I'll stay away from powder and starch.

Maddie - Oh, I'm going to.

Polly - "DON'T DO IT!" Ha, ok! :) Can you test drive this stuff out at some stores? I'm guessing yes. I'll let you guys know if I get kicked out.

DH was just talking about an infant bath tub tonight. That was another thing I was questioning if it was necessary. He really wants one. I'm going to also look into the sling. Didn't know they had those.

Roarah - I'm sorry to hear about your friend's baby. I can't even imagine what they went through.

We won't be co sleeping or using a bassinet. DH said to me tonight he'll probably be sleeping (the little bit of sleep we get) in the nursery at first. :) I figure we can always pick up a bassinet later if we change our minds.

Allison - Thank for all those sites! That's great!

I love the Skip Hop Treetop mat. If we have a boy I'll be going the woodsy animal direction.

I'm going to check out those swaddle blankets too. Do you like them because they're so soft or because they're organic (if I remember right from all my searching)?

Bestyears - I really need to check that out. I've heard so many people talk about it recently. Thanks!

Golddust - I agree about the glider. I have a feeling at some point I'll be dragging it to the LR. I can deal with the scale being off and wrong for the room but the color and finish need to work for me.

Chickadee - I need to go back for a better look but they look pretty darn high tech!

Arcy - Thanks for the idea about the towel in the bottom of the tub. A dimmer switch sounds like a nice idea!

Oakley - I'll definitely be buying a pack n play (if I can ever pick one). We have stairs and I think it would be very helpful in general. We're also going to need to pick up two baby gates because of the way the entrances to the rooms are. I spent some time yesterday reading reviews on baby monitors. I don't need one with a tv screen but I'd love to find a basic one that works very well.

Kristinekr - Thanks for the feedback and links! About the white noise machines, maybe this is a silly question but do kids become dependant on them as they get older?

Rucnmom - Thanks for your thoughts! Spending the most on the car seat makes sense.

Tish - Honestly I'm thinking I won't use a stroller THAT much. Not at first anyhow. Decisions, decisions! Thanks for the link!

Suero - That's a cute bag but I'll admit the price threw me back a bit. I really like the Eddie Bauer bag my SIL has.

Cooper - Ha, I'll keep the cup holder in mind. :)

Jane - You're another person on here who had me change my mind about the glider. I'm looking into buying a Dutailier now. I did find some on CL but so far they're too far to drive. Thanks for the suggestions. Someone else suggested that DVD to me too.

Anele - I love the look of those slip covers. I think I 'could' pull that off but with everything else going on, I'm trying to keep my nursery projects stress free, iykwim. ;)

Busybee - DH is all about the jogging stroller. I'll look at them more when I'm out in a few weeks.

Homebodymom - I'll admit, if I spend more money on a glider, I'm not going to buy the matching ottoman because of the price BUT I do have a round leather one here that I think could work well.

Kristine - I need to check these sling things out more. Those of you who have them, did your husbands use them too? I think my DH would prefer using the Baby Bjorn but (if I remember right) they don't attach to the hip.

Oakley - Interesting about the fans. I'll look that up. I was wondering why some nurseries I saw online had table fans in the room but I'm guessing that's why.

Thanks again everyone! This has been very helpful to read all the opinions and suggestions!

I'm going to check out those swaddle blankets too. Do you like them because they're so soft or because they're organic (if I remember right from all my searching)?

They are so, and large so plenty to wrap. They are light and airy, so breath well. They do have a few organic selections as well as bamboo, but she has the natural muslin.

Good luck Shee! It's a lot to take in!!

tina

Swaddling (which I didn't do either, but now think it's genius!) is for wrapping the baby very snug with their arms down their sides. They hook with velcro and come in many different materials. It takes practice to swaddle, but the baby feels like it's back in the womb, so to speak.

I never used the footstool that went with the glider. One, it was uncomfortable since I like cross my legs, and two, they're easy to trip over.

You don't need to pay a lot for gliders. Kids had one that was brand new, and bought a second at a garage sale. Both have the smoothest glide to it. I kind of want one for myself! lol.

Yeah, check out the fans, apparently SIDs has gone down since the use of one.

I have to LOL at the throwing up comment by them sleeping on their back. Ours always slept on their tummy and when the new "rule" came out it scared me, but just make sure you burp baby after feeding. :)

Buy several brands of Pacifiers in case baby has a strong sucking reflex. Which is another story!

I used to teach La Leche League back in the day and was anti-pacifiers until it basically saved my 2nd baby...and my n!pples. lol

Pacifiers when sleeping is another thing that cuts down on SIDs, but many babies hate them, unless they have the sucking reflex I was talking about.

Oakley-

Just an FYI, it's not a good idea to swaddle infants with their arms down at their sides. The arms should be brought to midline and flexed in a natural more fetal like position. I'm a neonatal PA, and I just took a class on this. And actually one of the docs I work with recommends that swaddling be done under the arms, so babies can bring their hands to their faces as they do in utero.

And Shee- yes you can test drive strollers in stores. I recommend it. Babies R Us usually doesn't have a very big selection. Buy Buy baby I found had a much larger selection to try them out. Best of luck to you. It is a lot of info, and gear. Personally I think half the stuff out on the market is unnecessary. I would start with the very basics, and see what temperament your baby has and buy and try things out as you need them.

I have worked with babies for 14 years, all are placed on their backs when they come out of their isolettes and into open cribs. They are all on cardiac monitors. Almost ALL of them spit up after feeds, and what I have observed is that babies will instinctively turn their head to the side when they spit up. If they are neurologically normal, most will not choke on their spit up. In the first week or two, they may need to learn this. My own son had a few spit up/ choking episodes where he turned blue, but after the first week or so he learned to handle it.

And- LOL about your anti-pacifier comment. I always laugh when La Leche warns mothers of nipple confusion. A baby is born instinctively to "suck" and they will suck on a door knob if it is offered to them. One of my 3 children hated the pacifier, breast fed and bottle fed with no problem. She ended up being a thumb sucker- and 8 years later, still does this in her sleep. I can't take away her thumb. My other two loved their pacifiers, breast fed and bottle fed, with no problems. They gave up the pacifiers by age 2.

BTW, I have a slipcovered glider from JC Penny's. It is a Dutalier. It has been in my daughters' nurseries, my living room, and currently resides in DS's room. He is 2 1/2, it is where we read our bedtime stories. I love it.

It looks almost identical to this one:

Here is a link that might be useful: JC Penney glider

Shee, how tall are you? I'm 5' 1" and do not have problems with any of the carriers. Wraps come in different lengths, so you can get one for your height. Extra length in mei tai straps is very helpful for doing little "twists" that keep the baby snug against you, which makes them VERY comfy.

RE: Over the Shoulder Baby Holder-- yes, I have several slings like this. I used them mostly with my 1st, and I do think they are OK for the toddler stage when they are riding on your hip for short periods of time. Since I tend to carry my babies for hours, the one-shoulder carriers aren't the best for me, which is why I prefer two-shouldered carriers. I started off with a Baby Bjorn but returned it when it hurt my back. That's what led me to exploring the baby carrier world!

As I type this, my little one is snuggled into my wrap. (For younger ones, I love the Didymos Indios . ..so comfy!)

Here is a link that might be useful: Indios

all the blankets received can be used for swaddling! don't need a special blanket to swaddle a baby!

also, just thought i'd add that for our 1st child we had bought a poang chair from ikea and loved it, and then for 2nd baby ended up getting a glider with ottoman because the poang stayed in 1st baby's room...
i did NOT like the ottoman with the glider! i always tended to be in motion when i held my babies and i didn't like trying to glide with my feet up!! at all!

i also probably liked the poang as much as or better than the glider, probably because i liked the rocking motion better than the gliding--- we still have the glider (and ottoman!) tho, so i didn't dislike it enough to get rid of it-- used it for 2nd and 3rd child. if i were to do again tho i'd look into rocking chairs...(maybe a comfy upholstered rocking/swivel chairs)...

Good point about the pacifiers, Oakley. Our new baby got hooked on the hospital brand and wouldn't take anything else. Wish we had thought to ask the hospital what kind they used before we stocked up on various other brands.

Swaddling blankets: you can wrap a baby in any blanket, but to get a tight swaddle the hospital/Happiest Baby on the Block way, you need a hospital-size blanket. Once they get past 15 pounds, the hospital-size blankets aren't big enough and that's where the special swaddlers come in. We loved the Miracle Blanket and the Kiddopotamus ones.

Ottomans: the ones that come with the glider also glide with the glider. Verrrry relaaaaxing...

Gold- if you call the mother/baby unit where the baby was born you could ask them. And if you tell them you're desperate they'll probably even spare a few of them for you. We do this all the time for our former NICU babies.

Thanks, Polly. I looked at the brand on the soother, made a few phone calls and wound up driving 40 minutes to Babie's R Us to stock up.

Meanwhile, I spoke to the locally owned pharmacies and suggested they carry the brand the hospital does. (Seemed like a no-brainer to me and a gross oversight that no one locally carried the same kind.)

I was in a hurry awhile ago, but A+A from Target are not muslin, but cotton. DD2 has some of both. While you don't need a "swaddling" blanket to swaddle, but they usually are larger and seem to stay better.

Just wanted to add a comment about the noise machine. My daughter's first child had one that she used since he was a newborn, and now at 4, he is still unable to go to sleep without the noise machine. So for the twins, who are now 11 months old, daughter didn't use a noise machine in their room. They go to sleep just fine, and aren't bothered by outside household noises. You may want to consider this, as I personally think that newborns should learn to be accustomed to normal household noises without the aid of a noise machine. YMMV.

Nanny, are you talking about the fans I mentioned as noise machines? If not, I must have missed it. Newborns always sleep through everything, even vacuuming the floor, but as they get older they can easily wake up. Fans don't put out a lot of noise, just enough to block loud talk, doorbells, etc.

Polly, thanks for the tip. If I get anymore grandbabies, I'll pass it along.

I also agree that blankets made just for swaddling are better than a regular baby blanket. The velcro holds it in place so baby can't kick off the blanket, especially as they get older.

Polly, I ended up with a breast infection and cracked nipple (PAIN!!) while breast feeding because I thought my son was just really hungry. I was SO against pacifiers, but one day I was just bawling in pain and called dh at work to stop off at Walmart and buy some pacifiers. Son took to it like crazy and I healed in a week.

Is La Leche League still around? This was all back during my "natural" days. lol

Hey Shee, natural childbirth hurts like crazy! Now that I'm older I just shake my head at myself. What the heck was I trying to prove?

Polly, with this baby (the one you named!) I have those Velcro swaddling blankets and I really like them. (Never used them before.) Anyway-- the instructions show exactly what you explained, that the arms are supposed to be "natural" and curved vs. straight and pulled down.

Oak, LLL is alive and well! Several of my friends are leaders. I think it's a good place to go and meet new friends if you are a 1st-time mom, even if you have no BF issues.

It's weird-- there is so much media attention to the formula/breastmilk debate, but I know no one IRL who bottlefed except a friend who adopted. I do not seek out a certain type of person, either, nor do I live in a particularly crunchy area. I have never gotten a rude comment about nursing in public, either, though I don't think most people would even guess I am doing it. But, it seems like this is not the norm . . .beyond help with BFing issues (problems) it seems like LLL is still around to be an advocate for nursing moms.

In the last 14 years in neonatal medicine in my part of the country breastfeeding far outweighs bottle feeding.

I'm a breastfeeding advocate, but it isn't for everyone, and I would never judge if one of my patient's mother's decided not to.

The only situation where we encourage mothers against formula is extreme prematurity. There is a multitude of medical reasons why.

And back to the OP....so Shee are you planning on breastfeeding?

Allison - Thanks for clarifying. There's lots of talk about swaddle blankets in this thread. I'm going to check it out.

Oakley - Thinking about it, I guess I remember seeing at least two different styles of pacifiers but I never gave it a thought past that. I figured if a baby liked them, they liked them all. Interesting!

The noise machine Nanny mentioned was mentioned above.

Polly - That's great to hear about the turning head while on their backs. Back didn't sound like that great of a solution to me until you said that.

Thanks for linking to that chair. It's really nice! I'm not sure if I could handle the velvet material with the cat hair. I know I'll have to be constantly shooing them off the chair to use it. DH really thinks we should get a rocker recliner because we'll probably end up moving it to the LR and later we could move it to the den in the basement. BUT... I still think I'd like a rocker in the nursery. I don't want to buy two chairs. I keep looking at CL and have bought a good bit of stuff off there before but most places are really far and transporting large items is always an issue. I think we're going to visit some furniture stores and see what we come up with. He really likes the huge, overstuffed recliners and I think they're SO comfy but don't want to see it anywhere in our upstairs, lol.

My plan is to pump and strictly bottle feed but I've never heard of anyone actually doing that. I'm honestly not even sure how I'm going to feel about using a pump. How does that work after the baby is born? Do you take your own pump to the hospital or use theirs? I'm assuming you could do either. I know milk doesn't come in right away and I'm ok with adding that amount with formula at first if need be. I know you can rent from the hospital and I need to call and talk to someone about that. I'm hesitant to shell out money for a good pump when I'm not 100% sure it's going to be for me so I'm thinking it might be better to rent. I am planning on taking a class in the upcoming months.

Anele - We're about the same height. So glad to hear about the different lengths! I don't remember what wrap I was looking at but some of the reviews people mentioned it was just too much fabric. Thanks for the link!

Nanny - Thanks for the feedback! I'm going to stay away from the white noise machine for now. My Mom says the same thing about babies adjusting to household noises.

Shee, my SIL did that. She only pumped (did not nurse) for a year. Personally, I think it's the hardest of both worlds. Nursing is very convenient for me. No bottles, no cleaning, no planning, and no need for organization. You can nurse while you do other things, too. Pumping is time-consuming and trickier to make sure you've pumped enough, have a time and place to do it, have enough milk while you're out and have stored it right, etc. Then, even with all that work, you still have to feed the baby.

I had to pump for 2 kids. One, because I was going to school at night a few times a week, and the other because she had nursing problems (weak suck). With my 2nd, I did everything I could to make sure she'd learn to nurse so I could stop . I told her that pumping was too hard (exclusively) and I was WAY too disorganized to use formula. Of course, if you are going to work, then you do need to bottlefeed, so you will see what works for you.Oh, and with my 2nd, she finally did learn to nurse. It was a long battle but we succeeded. I was very glad not to have to pump anymore.

I was going to do what you were going to do when the baby turned a yr. Before I had kids, I thought it would be gross to nurse a one yr old. I am not one who thinks it is beautiful to nurse. But, when I actually had a child, I realized 1 is still such a baby, and nursing was no big deal. I am always looking for the most efficient way, and nursing fit the bill.

I recommend people give nursing a really good try. That means 6 to 8 weeks. One woman I met-- I encouraged this, since she gave up within a few days. She got mad when I suggested sticking it out for a few more weeks. But, months later she decided she wanted to relactate, spent the next two years trying, and then became a certified lacatation consultant. THe thing is, those first few weeks can be VERY emotional. I had nursing problems with my 1st and 2nd but I am very stubborn, so I did not give up. Others do-- some regret it, some don't.

I would recommend attending a La Leche League meeting before you give birth, just for info. If you go to one where people are rude-- try another group!

You actually do get milk right away-- it's called colostrum, and THE most beneficial milk you can give to your baby. There is some info out there-- I'll try to find it later-- but it tells you the benefits of giving breastmilk to your child, day by day. In other words, if you nurse just one day, your baby gets __, 2 days, your baby gets __, etc. I would recommend renting a pump from the hospital. It is stronger than what you can buy, so great until you get your supply up.

Polly-- interesting about the preemies! The only preemie I know was 24 weeks, I think (and a few days). Her mom pumped and then eventually nursed her. She never had formula. Her DD is perfect. No issues, inc. asthma. I am sure her nursing had much to do with this.

My baby has croup, but very mild (from her big sis)-- no cough, just a hoarse voice. The 1st question the doctor asked me was if I was breastfeeding. He said without it, it is likely she would be much more ill (as you know, in babies croup can lead to hospitalization). He told me it was protecting her. Of course, this is one of the reasons I do it, but it was great that he was such an advocate for this

BTW-- I am not knocking formula. I know it has saved lives! I just like moms to have all their info!

Shee, since my DIL is a teacher and had to go back to work, she breast fed the first few weeks, and pumped her milk to put in bottles for a good 6 months. She'd take her little pump to school and go in the bathroom to do it. So yeah, it's done.

Some mom's have a ton of milk so using a pump to relieve the breasts to save milk is great. Back in the day I just hung 'em over the kitchen sink for relief. lol

Also, I would get the glider for the baby's room. No comparison to a rocker/recliner. None. There will be times you'll be gliding REALLY fast to get baby to sleep, plus your feet can touch the floor to make it more comfy for you. I'm 5'5" and my feet never touches the floor on any recliner when I'm rocking! You'll be glad if you got a glider.

This comes from a previous anti-glider person too!

Yes, the glider is a must, no matter how ugly it is! I did NOT want that ugly thing in my little DS nursery, but used it ALL THE TIME, and grew to love it. BEWARE though!! Watch out when you move the ottoman (and I used my ottoman all the time) NOT to put your fingers in a certain area underneath, because the contraption underneath will crunch your fingers!! OUCH!!You will probably forget this, and will remember my comment as soon as it happens to you-HA!!

My DS is adopted, we brought him home from hospital when he was one day old, and this happened so fast, I wasn't informed that I could "somehow" get him some form of breastmilk, even for the first couple of weeks, so he was on formula from day one. I feel guilty about him not getting breastmilk, BUT, I will say, everyone, and I am talking just about everyone I know, and I am sure most have breastfed, in my circles, has asmtha (sp?), allergies, etc. My DS has had none of those issues, and has been rarely sick. I am not saying breastfed babies are not healthier, but, I sure haven't seen the evidence, and it makes me feel better about my DS. I am sure there is plenty of evidence otherwise, out of my circles, where that is not true though. And, I certainly do not know enough about it to argue one way or the other.

I do know, that my mom bottlefed, my brother, sister and I, and none of us have allergy issues or asthma, etc.

olliesmom-- I know the data shows otherwise, but I have seen the same anecdotal evidence you have. My friend who has only FF her daughters has very healthy DDs. However, like you, I know many, many people whose children have allergies, asthma, etc. and they BF. Of course, breastmilk didn't cause those things, but it makes you wonder why it doesn't protect children more.

Why ARE there so many allergies and intolerances?

anele, I wonder, too, why there are so many allergies and intolerances. I do know, the kids we are around, that do have those things, also, do not eat well. And, as "well", I mean, they are very picky eaters and their parents seem to have given in to them remaining picky eaters. I don't have any experience otherwise, since my son, eats (or at least tries) everything we put in front of him. I don't limit sugar because he eats so well. But, a lot of my friends children, eat a lot of sugar, even though breastfed, so maybe that is the key?

Polly, you can bet your last dollar though, if I had the chance to give breastmilk I would have done it!

True about the pacifers, the hospital started my DS on a certain pacifier, and I had bought another type, and he would not take to it, even after a day. I have this deep personal guilt about taking away my son's pacifier at 5 months. I had heard they get VERY attached to it after that age, so I took it away. It doesn't seem to have done any damage, but, I can just still see his little lips sucking at thin air. I get emotional just thinking about it.

Anele - "I am not one who thinks it is beautiful to nurse."
Yeeep, that's me. Please nobody get me wrong, I have no problems with other people doing it.

"You actually do get milk right away-- it's called colostrum,..."
I did know that (felt weird typing it) but thought somtimes when only pumping, not as much may come out and that bit may need added to formula for a few days?

Thinking more about the glider and taking my height into consideration, I really do want one for the nursery. I understand why DH wants a rocker/recliner for the LR so we may just buy two chairs and be done with it. Him and I are still throwing lots of different ideas around trying to figure out what will work best for us.

Shee, the glider I have is not velvety material. It is slipcovered and I've taken the slipcover off a multitude of times to wash it. DS had significant reflux and would spit up pretty bad if he ate too much. Since I was nursing, I never knew how much was too much till it was too late. Thank goodness I was able to remove it to wash. I'm sure they still sell them that way, just couldn't find one from Penney's. I know I saw a lot of similar ones when I was in Babies r Us last, but I haven't been there in a while.

Shee, not that much comes out when you're nursing, either. I can't remember what newborns eat-- something like a tablespoon of milk at a time when they are a day or two old? The nurse explained to me that when babies are fed formula, their stomachs expand more, so they eat more. This doesn't happen w/BF babies . . .so they adapt to the full milk coming in within a few days.

And no, I totally get what you mean about nursing. It does not give me the warm fuzzies. It is weird to start, but I will say I got used to it and don't even think about it now. There are so many things I did not expect when having a baby-- those hormones are very powerful. Oddly, I only had them full-on with my 1st (not depression, but an extremely crazy love). Now I just fall in love with the baby, but it's pretty much business as usual.

So, I'd say keep an open mind about nursing. You can stop whenever. OTOH, it is much harder (sometimes impossible) to start nursing once your milk is gone and/or you didn't get the baby to latch right away vs. trying and then stopping, if that makes sense. If you give your baby even a day of milk, that is really great-- no matter how it gets in there! On the plus side, it's also free. :)

One thing my friend who adopted did while bottlefeeding is only SHE held the baby and fed her. She figured that it would be that way with nursing, so she was entitled to that bond. Some people say the dad should get to do it, but there are plenty of other jobs for the dad to do. (Like diapers, ha, ha!) SHe actually paid more attention to her DDs bottlefeeding than I do nursing-- she looks at them and talks to them. I am usually doing something else while I nurse!

Shee, I gotta say that sounds like a lot of dish-doing to me. I pumped when I went back to work for both my kids while still nursing morning and nights. I really did not enjoy pulling out the pump and going through the routine several times a day. However, it was worth it to keep my supply up so I could nurse the rest of the time. I got really good at holding a paperback novel (nothing too thick!) and I read more books those months than I think I've read at any other time in my life!

On the glider question. I too had an ugly but fantastic glider. Everyone is right-- a rocker is not the same. I did not get an ottoman, though--I had a small nursing stool made by Medela. The top is angled, and it's very comfortable to rest your feet on. We got rid of the glider a few years ago, but I still have the stool!

Last piece of advice--if you decide to nurse (and I do think it's worth giving a real try) get yourself a tube of Lansinoh--the cracked nipple's best friend! It's great stuff.

I read anele's longer post from above and I have to say that I agree completely. I am not anti-formula, but I am pro-nursing. It is tough during the first few weeks, but once you get the hang of it (and your baby does) it is SO much easier than bottles (formula or pumped milk). My SIL had trouble nursing so she pumped for every feeding. She was so tired of washing bottles and pump parts!

Read about it before your delivery so you have an idea of what to expect. Good luck!

Shee, could you elaborate on why you are planning to exclusively pump and bottle feed? I'm asking because it's a LOT of work. Ditto what amj0117 said above on nursing.

Yep....pumping is A LOT of work. I only pumped after I went back to work. Really preferred just straight breast feeding, but can't do that while at work.

What you end up doing is your choice, but I will agree with those that say pumping is twice the work. I've done both, trust me, it is.

Start toughening your nipples now, before the baby is born. Your nipples will thank you.

I think I saw Petunia Picklebottom bags are featured on Ruelala tomorrow, Jan. 24.

Polly - Gosh, sorry. I see that you did mention you have a slipcover!

Without elaborating anymore on the breastfeeding, it's just a personal thing. I know (well, have been reading) that pumping will be a lot of extra work.

Amazon has a great thread called "Any "i wish i had known that" for a soon to be new mom?" I learned a lot reading it while we were getting ready for DS17mos.

Shee, your hospital should have a breastfeeding class that you can attend. It sounds like you have a lot of questions. Our class was very informative and especially helpful for the dads that attended. If you can't do that, try La Leche League or look online for a Certified Lactation Consultant in your area.

Here is a link that might be useful: Any

This has been a great refresher for me. Thanks so much for all the posts. Congratulations shee! I am due (with my second) in April and I was not very successful with the wraps/slings the first time around so I am enjoying the feedback on them in this thread.

I think it is great you are reading and understanding all your options. I think what everyone is saying, or what I would say :) is you just don't know for sure until you are in it. I was 100% sure about sooooo many things. FOr example, Got the perfect crib, thought my brother and cousins were nuts with their co-sleeping nonsense, and 2.5 yrs later I am still co-sleeping. The crib was used as a hamper for about 3 months and then went in the attic. As long as you know your options and have read up, then when the time comes for each decision, you follow your instincts, well, I think that is all that matters. It may be to follow your original plans and it may be to try something different. Yo umight think differently, or you might have an easier or more high needs baby then you were planning for, and you end up adapting in a way that works for your situation.

I have not read a thing this time and it feels so strange not to be reading everything I can get my hands on! I feel like I should start reading something again soon. :)

My oldest daughter did not sleep well as an infant, and I bought a noise machine at a friend's recommendation. It made a huge difference, and my daughter started sleeping much better. The book "the happiest baby on the block" also recommends white noise as it simulates the womb.

I have now moved the noise machine into my youngest daughter's room, and my oldest daughter, now 4, no longer uses it. So she is not dependent on it. However, I did find it helpful to bring it when we slept away from home as it blocked out the noises of a new place and was a familar nighttime sound.

The noise machine blocks out the noise of the dog barking, my older daughter yelling, my husband clomping down the hall. In the middle of the night, my younger daughter would probably sleep through all that without the noise machine. But in the morning, the noise machine makes the difference between her waking up at 6 or 7:30.

As far as breastfeeding, I was kind of grossed out by the idea (for me, not anyone else). I decided I would try, and if it worked, great; if not, I would bottle feed.

I went to a class prior to giving birth, and the one thing I remembered was that breastfeeding should NOT hurt. If it does, unlatch and relatch. At first, it would take numerous tries to get the latch right. But, I never had any issues with pain.

I also used Gerber's NUK Gentle Moisturizing Balm, which is like a big chap stick. I liked it better than lansinoh as it was not so messy. Plus, it is not harmful to apply and then feed the baby.

Anyway, initially nursing did not feel at all natural. But it worked out good for me--so easy and convenient. Our hospital offered a session with a lactation consultant which was very helpful.

Good luck with whatever you decide!