We took part in a twitter celebration last night with healthy kid healthy world to talk about what a parent truly needs to have on hand for a new baby. There were a few outstanding panelists as well as a gajillion other participants. The panelists included:

Meagan Francis (@meaganfrancis), The Happiest Mom

Jennifer & Jeremiah McNichols (@zrecs_safety as well as @zrecsmom), Z Recommends

Janet Dean (@GreenMomReview), The eco-friendly mother Review

And us (@RookieMoms – do you comply with us on twitter? You should!)

Venter et barn?

After an hour of chatting about what a mother needs vs. doesn’t requirement as well as exactly how we can all do much better to discover eco-friendly options to typical infant products, the task of really assembling the “perfect” infant registry seems harder than ever. Our guidance is to speak with your preferred professional mothers as well as do what feels best for you. So if you want to throw all their guidance out the window after getting conflicting messages, go best ahead.

I started off by stating all you requirement new is cars and truck seat, stroller, breast pump, diapers. however then I thought, perhaps some mothers don’t requirement a breast pump; a stroller can be borrowed or purchased utilized — as can fabric diapers. Oops!

So my updated guidance on what to register for is this: When thinking about what to purchase vs. BORROW, believe about the shelf-life of a product. less than 5 months? Låne! Our registry suggestions page provides a container of tips of the type of products you can get used.

A few of my preferred road-tested suggestions from the twitter party:

Guiding principle: Do I requirement it at all?

MeaganFrancis states a infant has three fundamental needs: to be warm, dry, as well as fed. The rest is extra!

Whitney tweets that diaper bags are a strange innovation anyway; what’s wrong with a backpack?

Zrecs_safety suggests that you take back 75% of the onesies you get at your infant shower. You’ll be doing laundry continuously anyway.

BeckRath states you never requirement to purchase a infant blanket. You will be gifted tons, including handcrafted ones.

MeaganFrancis: I always tell expecting mothers DON’T register for stuffed animals no matter exactly how cute. people will provide anyway!

GreenMomReview: You don’t need: the vinyl as well as foam altering pad. A folded up comforter works just also w/o the toxins.

MeaganFrancis: many huge “toys” + even some furniture pieces can wait til after you have infant & see how/if you’ll utilize them.

Greener, Safer, Healthier

Zrecs_safety suggests that Safemama.com, ZRecsGuide.com, thesoftlanding.com are all excellent resources for safer high quality infant stuff

Healthy_Child: For toys & Teethers: look for natural materials like solid woods or organic textiles

Healthy_Child: Make a risk-free bed: PVC-free mattress, with natural, untreated sheets. avoid the bumpers, pillow & blanket.

New Vs. Brugt

Paige Wolf purchases mainly utilized infant clothes, figuring that sufficient laundries assists flush the flame retardants as well as yucky dyes!

CoolMomPicks:  You can really even get a utilized breast pump – depending upon which one it is! See this Hygeia Enjoye (the finest breast pump you’ve never heard of).

Healthy_Child suggests that you try to link with regional mothers to share products as well as begin your own kid gear ‘library”. (elsker det!)

So what do you believe you absolutely *need* to raise a baby?

{picture from flickr by mark sebastian}