Here’s a question. I bet there will be lots of advice.
Our first grandchild is due in November. I know this couple (D1) would like 2 kids. I have 2 other kids and would imagine it’s likely that they will one or more - but not my business so I don’t ask!
One of mine lives in town, 2 live about 2.5 hours away. The ones away visit several times a year. I am not looking to make any purchases at this time but also know that baby equipment has changed since my last born, 29 years ago. It would be nice to have a few things at our house within reason (of space and practicality) so parents don’t have to haul everything with them.
Thinking about year 1 of a baby’s life, what might be top items that would be worthwhile to have. For instance, somewhere to sleep of course - what’s most practical and even better, can be possibly put away when they are not here?
I am very much a fan of getting second hand items, especially for this limited purpose. I know of course that it’s important to check out recalls for any used products. A car seat would probably NOT be an item we’d need unless S/DIL who are in town end up with a child.
Again, not looking to fully equip or spend or obtain unnecessarily! What is truly helpful?
I wish I can send you the soft sided portable crib I have! We found that having a crib for a bebe to sleep in or nap is very helpful. Also, a high chair for feeding. Other stuff- not so much !
I have purchased a number of things at a very nice kids’ resale shop near me. For a little one, I would suggest a pack & play, a bouncer seat (if the parents put one on their registry, I would try to get the same kind), some soft blankets and/or a blanket for tummy time. I didn’t have a need for anything else when GD was little. As time passed, I purchased small toys, baby books and an IKEA high chair (inexpensive & I could take it apart to store in the coat closet) … and a washable mat from Amazon that I put under the high chair & later, on the table.
As she got older … toddler seat for the table and fun toys (light up walker toy with sounds, sit-in toy that we pushed her around the house in, plastic rocking horse, dress up costumes, etc). We bought a sit & spin a couple years ago, and she still loves it. I bought more as she got older, because I knew what she liked playing with. We have lots of outdoor toys (including a water table), a Barbie Dream House, games, puzzles, tons of craft supplies … almost everything is from the resale shop or from sales at Michaels.
We store things in “her” room, a closet off the front hall, a corner of the family room, a cupboard in the family room, and on our aluminum porch.
Ikea has an insanely cheap highchair we bought for when they visited our shore house. We eventually also got a crib that converts into toddler bed from them. I think that’s all we needed. Still using the bed and gave away the highchair a while back.
Besides those items already mentioned, I keep a baby monitor and sound machine at my house. All the kids still use a sound machine, the older GDs are 7 years old. A couple of baby towels and wash clothes are nice to have.
While not needed right now, divided plates and forks are nice to have.
I had other items as my son and family would fly in, so not easy to bring bigger items. If yours will be driving in, other than some of the larger items, you can go with the bare minimum.
Resale shops are required to keep up on recalls, so anything you buy should be cleared. That’s why thrift stores don’t take car seats and you don’t see many cribs there either.
I think a pack and play or a crib would be nice to have and a high chair or seat that attaches to a table or counter. My daughter had a high chair but it was rarely used by her. It was more convenient to use the chair that attached to the island/counter. You have to be mindful of the weight of the child but mine was tiny so she could use it until she was 3 years old.
My nephew just had a baby and for some reason it seemed all they registered for were seats of some kind. A high chair, a car seat (that has a base for the car but it works without the base too so someone else could pick up from daycare if needed), a counter high chair, a seat for sitting around, a stroller. Just a lot of seats! They did get a lot of hand me down things from her two sisters who also had babies in the last year, and a few friends. If you do need stuff, maybe they’ll be offered duplicates and can give or lend you one? You might want a few inexpensive things at your house like a stroller (umbrella style), a bath set up, some extra blankets and towels.
I think you’ll want to duplicate what the parents are using as much as possible. It’s what the baby is used to. That doesn’t mean you can’t get a few ‘grandma’s house’ things, especially as they become toddlers and look forward to playdates at your house.
Yeah, I’m not inexperienced with little ones and birth- 5 is actually my lane professionally so i really just wanted an update on things like “are people still using pack and plays? “ because if you’re into it, you can buy so many devices even just for sleep! We used the attach to the table high chair exclusively for my last child 29 years ago! I prefer not to have a full size one or one that collapses to very small - see other threads, I prefer useful but not extras stuff!
Much better option than pack and play because it is truly a full size crib that worked for a 2 year old toddler. It doesn’t convert to a toddler bed but for us it was not an issue. Our youngest decided that she didn’t want to sleep in a toddler bed and went straight to a “big bed” when visiting.
I bought a Hiccapop blowup toddler bed for GD - it’s pretty cool, but all she ever did was jump on it. She actually insisted on sleeping in her pack & play until she was WAY too big for it. It was pretty hilarious to see this very tall child in the tiny crib.
I bought a mattress from Hiccapop that fit perfectly in her Graco Pack & Play. It has different softness on each side for different ages. I took out the pad that was supposed to act as a mattress & used the Hiccapop mattress instead. I sold the pack & play, but kept the mattress … the cat loves sleeping on it.
I keep a Pack and Play with a few cotton sheets, a Hiccapop toddler bed, a remote camera, and a travel booster seat that can be strapped to any of our dining chairs. All have gotten good use and take very little space to store in between visits.
My son has three kids (7,5,3) and lives 80 miles away, my daughter has two boys (4,2) and lives in town. My son and his family spend the night a couple times a year and visit for the day maybe once a month. I watch my daughter’s two year old every Friday (I watched him and his brother 3 days a week their first year) and regularly pick up both boys for various things. I have two car seats in my car. I have a Babyletto mini crib which has been up in my guest room the last 7 years since we had so many baby’s back to back. When the youngest grows out of the crib I can easily take it apart and it lies flat. I have the IKEA high chair which has gotten a ton of use. I have a changing pad on a desk in the guest room, and I have a stroller that I got at a second hand shop. I have accumulated a lot of toys, and I got a used Cozy Coupe for free from a neighbor.
I strongly suggest you join the “Buy Nothing” Facebook group for your area! Cribs, pack n plays and car seats are frequently offered for free, as are infant toys, kids clothes, etc. We have an active one in our area, and I frequently get and offer things in the group. Our best score was a big Playmobile dollhouse, and lots of playmobile furniture and figurines for the dollhouse.
It can be taken down and stored elsewhere but it is not the easiest to disassemble (hence it is sturdier than many portable cribs). Even though it is on the heavier side, we travelled with it to Hawaii (it fits perfectly in a big REI duffel).
I do not recommend buying used car seats unless you know with a 100% certainty that the seat (1) was manufactured less than 5 years minus your intended years of use ago (seats are supposed to be decommissioned 5 years from the date of manufacture) and (2) the seat has not been in any fender bender no matter how small it was. Of course, those rules weren’t applicable when our kiddos were little. Just kidding!
Diaper Genie pail and refills. There are different size pails. Diaper wipes and diapers (ask what size). Changing pad can be put on desk, floor, a bed, etc. Baby soap like J & J. Baby towel. Infant Tylenol. Thermometer. Baby gates later. I love these and left them up to use for our puppy now. Cumbor 30-48 in Baby Gate for Stairs, Auto Close Dog Gate Indoor, Black | Mom’s Choice Awards Winner, Double Lock Safety for Doorways, One-Hand Open Child Gate for Toddlers & Pets, Pressure Mounted
Just kidding!