New dad needs baby product shopping advice

Hello-

I am an expecting dad and I was wondering if you could help get me
started on baby shopping. I don't know the first thing about having a
baby and I was wondering if those of you could give me advice on where
to go to buy items, where I can get the best deals, what I should look
for in certain products, which products I should buy first, etc.

Also, I know Babies R Us has a lot of good merchandise, but are there
any better deals out there at other stores?

Thank you!
Rob

On 6 Jul 2004 11:49:31 -0700, (Robert) snuck
out of the ether to utter:

Hello-

I am an expecting dad and I was wondering if you could help get me
started on baby shopping. I don't know the first thing about having a
baby and I was wondering if those of you could give me advice on where
to go to buy items, where I can get the best deals, what I should look
for in certain products, which products I should buy first, etc.

Also, I know Babies R Us has a lot of good merchandise, but are there
any better deals out there at other stores?

Thank you!
Rob

Congratulations :-)
We buy at Target and Walmart with equal quality, so you might look
there.
The one item I have advice for you is a carseat: The ones with a base
that remains in the vehicle while you take the carseat in the house
are wonderful, imo. And one with a 5-point harness is preferable to a
3-point harness for safety.

Nan

--
"when the sun goes down we'll be groovin'
when the sun goes down we'll be feelin' alright,
when the sun sinks down over the water
everything gets hotter when the sun goes down"
~Kenny Chesney

IMO, Babies R Us is probably the most expensive place to shop. I only go there
when I just can't find what I need anywhere else.

If this is your first baby, you will probably have a baby shower or two and
lots of people bringing you gifts, so you might want to wait on that before
buying things. I'm the kind of person who thinks babies don't need a lot of
gadgets anyway. A carseat and a sling and possibly a stroller would be the
only real necessities I can think of to start.


Leslie

Emily (2/4/91)
Jake (1/27/94)
Teddy (2/15/95)
William (3/5/01 -- VBA3C, 13 lbs. 5 oz.)
and Lorelei, expected 11/2/04

"Children come trailing clouds of glory from God, which is their home."
~ William Wordsworth

(Robert) wrote in message . com...
Hello-

I am an expecting dad and I was wondering if you could help get me
started on baby shopping. I don't know the first thing about having a
baby and I was wondering if those of you could give me advice on where
to go to buy items, where I can get the best deals, what I should look
for in certain products, which products I should buy first, etc.

Also, I know Babies R Us has a lot of good merchandise, but are there
any better deals out there at other stores?

Thank you!
Rob

Go buy or borrow the book "Baby Bargains" by Denise and Alan Fields.
Lots of great advice in it on what is really necessary and what is
fluff as far a baby products. They have quite a bit of advice on
getting deals, as well as ratings on the different products. My
husband *loved* this book.

aml

(aml) wrote in message . com...
(Robert) wrote in message . com...
Hello-

I am an expecting dad and I was wondering if you could help get me
started on baby shopping. I don't know the first thing about having a
baby and I was wondering if those of you could give me advice on where
to go to buy items, where I can get the best deals, what I should look
for in certain products, which products I should buy first, etc.

Also, I know Babies R Us has a lot of good merchandise, but are there
any better deals out there at other stores?

Thank you!
Rob

Go buy or borrow the book "Baby Bargains" by Denise and Alan Fields.
Lots of great advice in it on what is really necessary and what is
fluff as far a baby products. They have quite a bit of advice on
getting deals, as well as ratings on the different products. My
husband *loved* this book.

I kind of liked that book, but found it often just told you how to get
designer stuff cheaper, or things like that. I often bought things a
lot cheaper than the things they advised! It's a place to look, but
not the be-all end-all.

I do agree that you will likely get lots of stuff at showers, so wait
until after showers to see what else you need. You and your partner
need to discuss some of your parenting assumptions, too - will you
want a crib or co-sleep? Breastfeed or formula? (I strongly suggest
breastfeeding, but that choice is up to you and your partner). Also,
you may or may not want to register for stuff for a baby shower. If
you do, either Target or Babies R Us are probably your best bets for a
variety of stuff in one place.

Also, you may end up getting lots of hand-me-downs from either
expected or unexpected sources. Resale shops and garage sales are
also great sources, although with any major item, check for recalls.
I would advice against any secondhand carseats unless it is from
someone you trust to tell you it was never in an accident.

The only things you need right away are the carseat, a place for baby
to sleep, something for baby to eat, diapers, and something for baby
to wear. Just about everything else is optional or you can get it
later...

Hope this helps,

Irene