Group29.com - What did you expect? Forums-viewtopic-A first-time dad asks: "What should I buy?"

BB · Regular

My wife had been pretty good about getting rid of the old baby stuff either to friends, Once Upon A Child, or Goodwill. (I am very glad we are not tripping over alot of that anymore. Between the baby swing and the high chair, it was a real pain to get through the kitchen.) I highly recommend garage sales and Once Upon A Child. There you can find baby clothes and things which look brand new for cheap. Once Upon a Child is good about not taking crappy stuff in, since it will not sell.

It is pretty easy for new moms to get sucked into Babies-R-Us, since the next phase after "Bridezilla" is "Momzilla." I was pretty lucky myself having married well. But I have seen some friends shell out some big cash to "feather the nest" so to speak. We have _never_ bought any baby clothes at a retail outlet since they are so overpriced. 90% of baby outfits are worn once because they change sizes so quickly. The other 10% are worn daily and are thrown away when the child outgrows them. The key is finding something in the "worn once or never" section and using it all the time.

Here is what I think, as the father, you need to purchase before the birth:

http://www.snugli.com/

Purchase any other stuff as you need it as the kid gets older. Babies do not wear much in the first few months. It might be impossible to convince Your wife that the crib/changing table/dresser ensemble is not needed until later since hormones are kicking in. So at least count on painting and preparing a baby room. Count on getting some outfits and toys from baby showers before you go shopping. You will get a diaper bag from the hospital. Somehow, the diaper bag is the one thing the guy gets to select so they are all masculine-looking camping-gear style things. They are all a bust really. You can be man enough to use the green one with carrots and bunnies.