Sunday, May 23, 2010

The Infamous Baby Checklist - Printable Version

I've just moved twice within two weeks (once from Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota to our home base of Rochester, MN and again from Rochester to Larned, KS, the new home base)!  Moving your entire life is a great way to make you realize what possessions you really need and was the perfect thing for us to do before starting the bulk of our baby shopping.  I've got exactly three months left before the baby is scheduled to arrive and all we have are the gifts people have given us - mostly clothes and blankets.  I've pulled together a list (mother-approved!) from different sources of the things we'll need for the new baby.

Today's entry is just the checklist - in case you want to print it off.  Next week's entry will be infused with the great info I got from moms and ideas for going green.

Since I'm not an experienced mom I could use some help!!  If you have opinions on what should be on this list or what you can definitely live without, write me a comment or send me an email: ecokidblog@gmail.com.

Start With What You Don't Need

As an eco-conscious mom who does NOT want to move a ton of useless junk the next time we uproot, I feel like sometimes it's more about what I don't need versus what I do need.  I know I don't want a bunch of useless toys and gadgets lying around, especially if they are made of plastics or require my child to be indoors for long periods of time.  I like this list from VegFamily.com entitled 10 Things You Don't Need When you Have a Baby.  Things like a vibrating infant seat, baby lotion, and a changing table are on that list.  I would also add a plethora of toys that make noise - I think that will just drive us crazy!  With that info in mind, I've created my own list of this things I do think I need.

What You Do Need

I found a great list on a BabyCenter Forum Post.  I apologize I couldn't find the source, but the list is broken into categories and is what I started with when creating my own list.

My Favorite List

If that's not what you're looking for, there are literally hundreds of lists out there, so google can be your friend (or enemy).  For a more inclusive/specific set of lists, visit this BabyCenter article: Gear for the First Year

My List

I started with "My Favorite List" above, deleted/added a few things, and got some opinions from my personal mothering expert: my mom (and later another friend of mine whose daughter is now two).  To my mom, this list was and still is gigantic. Apparently when I was born I only had a bassinet and some clothes.  In her words "babies don't need much".  I agree and am trying to remember that when our capitalistic society comes knocking on my door.

Below is the printable list without Mom & Eco-Advice added in.

Click here for the same list with advice!

Hospital
  • Outfit/socks
  • Receiving Blanket
  • Diapers & Wipes / Diaper Bag
  • Carseat
Room
  • Crib
  • Waterproof Crib Mattress
  • Fitted Crib Sheets
  • Storage for Baby Clothes & Gear (Dresser)
  • Receiving Blankets (see Hospital section) - 3
  • Baby Monitor
  • Colorful Mobile
  • Rocking Chair
 Clothes
  • Pajamas/Sleepers - 3 to 6 per stage
  • Onesies - 3 to 6 per stage
  • Socks - 2 per stage
  • Sleep Sack
  • Sweaters
  • Snow Suit/Jacket
  • Warm Hat
  • Swim Suit / Sun Hat / Sunglasses
Diapers
  • Cloth Diapers - 36
  • Diaper Covers (if not using all-in-ones)
  • Dirty Diaper Pails - 2 (one for liquids, one for solids)
  • Wet Bag - Used for cloth diapering on-the-go
  • Diaper Wipes
  • Petroleum Jelly or A+D Ointment
  • Diaper Rash with Zinc Oxide
Health
  • Thermometer
  • Bulb Syringe
  • Plastic Infant Tub
  • Inflatable Baby Tub
  • Baby Nail Clippers
  • Baby Shampoo & Soap
  • Washclothes
  • Bath Toys - After 6 Months 
Travel
  • Carseat (see Hospital section)
  • Stroller
  • Front Carrier (until baby can hold up her head)
  • Back Carrier - At around 6 months
  • Portable Crib
Nursing
  •  Breast Pads
  • Lanolin Cream
  • Cloth Diapers or Burp Cloths - 12
  • Bottles
  • Freezer Bags
Feeding
  • High Chair 
  • Food Processor
  • Baby Spoons - 2
  • Plastic Baby Bowls - 4-6
  • Sippy Cups
  • Bibs
Toys


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