nesting!
{everything we've bought or gathered for baby!}

i've often heard of women in late pregnancy experiencing a strong "nesting" instinct, and i've thought it sounded kind of silly. but recently i've discovered that nesting is a real thing!

last month i was feeling markedly anxious about collecting all the "gear" we need to welcome our baby boy into the world, and - now that most of it is gathered - this month i am feeling a gigantic urge to deep clean and organize every nook and cranny of our flat and our life so all is ready in advance of our little one's birth day. each day i am feeling more and more prepared, but i still feel like there is a lot to do, and time is going by so fast! i have two and half more weeks at my job -- after that the boy may just come home to me on hands and knees scrubbing corners or having pulled everything out of drawers to reorganize again :)

because we live in such a small space, because we are so dedicated to not accumulating a lot of stuff, and because we are quite budget-conscious, we've taken a really minimalistic approach to baby gear. it's crazy how much the world tells you is needed for a tiny little baby! we've tried to purchase or gather only the bare essentials (plus just a couple of fun bonuses), and then we'll add to our supplies as needs arise. this process of gathering gear has been really overwhelming for me at times - because there are so many options and opinions - but i'm finally feeling good about what we've got (currently in a pile in the corner of our living room, awaiting the arrival of an ikea dresser!).

in case it's helpful to anyone out there, and to remind us of this fun (and sometimes not-so-fun) nesting period, below is a list of every single thing we have collected in anticipation of our baby boy's arrival. there are so many lists of "newborn essentials" out there on the internet, and every family's needs and circumstances are so different, but i'm really glad we've been able to cut a lot of things out and keep it simple.












one: moses basket

to allow baby boy to sleep right next to us in our very small bedroom for the first few months of his life (and to put off filling our living room up with a crib!), we bought this darling palm moses basket with rocker off of amazon a couple of months ago. we ordered the cream colour, which came out of the box looking distinctively pale pink - so we decided our little boy is going to defy a silly gender stereotype and rock his dainty-looking bassinet :) on its stand, the basket is the perfect size for being next to our bed, and i love that it can be carried around off its stand. i think it will be just right for our baby boy's first sleeps.
two: dresser with changing pad 
our little guy won't have his own nursery for quite a while, but we thought he deserved some storage space for his stuff :) we bought a cheap dresser from ikea, which will be delivered this weekend and will fit barely into a small (two foot) cubby corner in our living room. we'll put a little diaper changing pad on top of the dresser and hang a homemade mobile from the ceiling (see #12). that's the extent of our "nursery" for now!
three: baby clothes
there are so, so, so many darling baby clothes out there! and i definitely oodle over and want to buy every cute thing i see -- but we have tried to be super vigilant in not accumulating too many clothes for baby boy. we got a bunch of hand-me-downs, and a bunch of adorable clothes items as gifts at our baby shower. i've only had to supplement with my own purchases just a little (essentially just a five-pack of onesies, a three-pack of footie pajamas, some socks, a darling little hooded sweater, and a suuuuper cute tiny church outfit).
four: diaper bag
this was our one big splurge - we purchased a fawn design diaper bag. i just love the both the look and functionality of these bags (which can be worn as a backpack or a shoulder bag!), and decided that, for something i will use every single day, it was worth paying a bit of a pretty penny to get one i really really like.
five: baby carriers
we plan to go without a stroller as long as we possibly can - because we live up two flights of very narrow stairs, and because we appreciate the benefits of baby wearing, and because strollers are so dang expensive! so, we were really glad to be gifted with two different baby carriers: the nesting days skin-to-skin newborn carrier and the ergo adapt.
six: pacifiers (and other random small items)
my sister gave us a little collection of pacifiers to try out with baby boy (to figure out which type he likes best - if he'll take a binky at all!). i also purchased a baby-body-sized sponge to lay our baby on in our bathtub, along with some baby shampoo and a couple of washcloths. oh, and one bottle to start with! we know there will be a smattering of other small items we'll eventually need to pick up (nail clippers, a snot grabber, medicines, etc.), but we'll get them as the need arises.
seven: postpartum supplies for me
one last thing i am still on the hunt for is a lovely robe to wear at the birth centre and at home in the days immediately following the birth of our baby (any suggestions?!). i've picked up some cheap and really comfy postpartum clothes, a nice big package of nursing pads and maternity pads (and also some adult diapers to have on hand...) and some new underwear to suit my continually changing body.
eight: nursing cover
we were gifted a nursing cover from covered goods, and i'm so excited about it! i love that these covers are so multi-purpose - for breastfeeding, covering carseats or shopping carts, or even just to wear as a stylish infinity scarf!
nine: baby blankets
we bought this simple striped knit blanket and are excited that ian's mom (who is an incredible
seamstress) will be sending us a minky blankie and a special quilt in the coming weeks and months. it will be so special for our baby boy to have blankets lovingly made by grandma wright!
ten: disposable diapers and cloth diapers
we bought a big package of newborn-sized disposable diapers, as well as a starter-kit of cloth diapers (i found a killer deal for gently used gdiapers on ebay!). i would love to use mostly cloth diapers after we get the hang of things a bit - so much cheaper and better for baby and the environment!
eleven: swaddles
so many people told me that aiden + anais swaddles are the best! i bought just a couple cheaper big muslin squares first, and then when i saw some cute aiden + anais swaddles on a great sale, i decided to add them to our swaddle collection so we are all set for quite a while.
twelve: materials for a diy mobile
i'm not a super crafty person, but something in my nesting instincts is making me want to create something cute and special for baby! so i bought an embroidery hoop and some felt balls and am going to try to make a little mobile. we'll see how it goes!
thirteen: baby tent for traveling!
my sisters brought a kidco baby tent over from america and gifted it to me at my baby shower. we're so excited to use this in our continued travels with baby boy along for the ride!
fourteen: crib
we don't plan to use a crib for a few months, but since we were organizing (and paying for) an ikea delivery for the dresser (#2), we decided to buy the crib now and assemble it later. the simple, cheap crib we got will fit just right into another cubby in our living room, opposite the baby's dresser/changing table. we will likely put up a curtain rod and curtain to help block out light.
other items (to borrow rather than buy!)
we have some sweet friends that have offered to lend us some items that we may not use for very long, including a baby swing/bouncer to try out, a car seat to get the baby home from the hospital in a taxi, and a manual breast pump to get the hang of pumping while figuring out how nursing will go for us.
that's it!
there are all kinds of other things people say you should have for a baby: monitors and diaper pails and nursing pillows and gliders and bottle warmers and on and on. of course there will be some things we'll eventually find that we need beyond what we have, but it feels right to us to cut out many things are make do!

this week is a full one for the three of us! in addition to work being especially busy for both the boy and i, we've attended a breastfeeding class and had a meeting with our doula, and tomorrow we are going to a labor & delivery class at the hospital, and this weekend my sister shawni and her family are coming to town! we've started incorporating some childbirth-prep exercises into our daily routine, and we want to make sure our hospital bag is packed by the end of the week. also, because our baby is currently breech, ian has been supporting me in trying all kinds of random techniques to encourage little boy to turn in my womb. will anyone reading this please cross their fingers for us that he will flip to be head down?!? :)

{nesting illustration from here}

Comments

  1. Congrats on keeping things to a minimum! You, Ian, and baby already have everything you really need.

    What is your plan for all those dirty diapers? Things can get stinky fast; especially in a small place.

    I can tell by the undergarments mentioned that you have honest sisters :). I'd also recommend stocking up on breast feeding supplies since that's what you and your baby will be spending most of your time doing the first several months. I loved nursing my babies and found the first few nursing sessions were super strange and strained (your body is doing something Miraculous and new) my suggestuins:

    At least 3 nursing bras. They will get dirty, sticky, and sweaty fast. Focus on ones comfortable enough to sleep in

    Brest feeding pillow to help with positioning especially since you won't have a glider. I recommend the ridiculously named my breast friend. This makes a huge difference in nursing a newborn

    1-2 nursing tanks. Great for modest nursing and a comfortable alternative to bras.

    Nipple cream

    At least two pretty water bottles. One next to your bed and one next to the couch/chair. Let Ian know his job is to help you stay well hydrated. This is key to successful, comfortable nursing.

    Cute, roomy sweat suit or two with a front zip hoody. Paired with a nursing tank this is ideal for your first few walks around the block or when having those first guests over.

    Natural deodorant.

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    1. thanks jenny! we have decided to wait a bit on the real stocking up on nursing supplies since the experience and needs are so different for every baby and mom. i really appreciate your tips and will keep them in mind for sure!

      luckily our trash gets picked up every single day from right outside our building, and we have a washer/dryer right in our kitchen for the cloth diapers, so hopefully things won't get too stinky around here :)

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    2. I found a nursing pillow really helpful in the first few weeks as babies are so tiny and they nurse for a while. They get heavy after an hour and the pillow saved my wrists.

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  2. We used a mix of cloth diapers and disposable at night and on vacation. My mother in law found a large garbage can with a lid that we used to store dirty diapers with a little vinegar, then I would just dump them into the washer. My husband also connected a kitchen sprayer to the toilet it was so nice to spray off those diapers. Not necessities but they were convienent Best of luck, fingers crossed.

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    1. As a parent who went totally overboard with getting everything baby "needs" you have the right idea. It's so easy to get carried away and buy absolutely everything, but really you can do without so many of the baby things available. We had a swing that took up too much space and didn't get used buy a handful of times, too many clothes that babies grow out of so fast, and on and on. I wish we had waited until the need arose and then we probably would have realized we didn't actually need a great many things. ;)

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    2. Agreed, I still have too many baby things.

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    3. Bucket with lid for nappies before you wash them. I would be REALLY careful with nappy inserts/liners that are described as flushable. Maybe in someplaces - but not buildings with ancient plumbing as imagine your place has. I once had a horrible experience with a blocked drain caused by "flushable" liners and after that I took to binning them.

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  3. I got my lightweight, stretchy, comfy robe for postpartum (and beyond, I'm wearing it now!) at the Gap.

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    1. i was just thinking i should check gap body. thanks!

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  4. Adult diapers? That's a strange thing to purchase for yourself. I have had 4 children and haven't had any need for an adult diaper....

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    1. Adult Diapers are so much better than the one size fits all panties that are hospital issued. Adult diapers come in different sizes so I bought my size and had no leaks like the issued ones. And if you have a c-section you'll be thanking your lucky stars because they come up higher and don't lay right on the incision line and your incision padding stays in place much better.

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    2. I used adult diapers after each birth. Soooo much easier and more comfortable than those big, awful pads!

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  5. I would say the only thing you forgot is burp cloths! I used them a ton with my babies...

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  6. I would get on this research post partum padsicles --- life savers for mama!
    simple to make and you wont regret,
    http://prettyprovidence.com/diy-padsicles-postpartum/

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  7. All of your purchases are good ones! I know you don't have lots of room but my sister has made great use of her Boppy with her (now 6 month old) little one. Can help with nursing when you are still sore from the birth and can be used in other ways as baby grows.

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    1. Oh, and this may be encouraging...My niece was breech but turned on her own near the end. Here's hoping your little one will as well!

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    2. thank you! because of such limited space, we will wait to see if we really want something like a boppy. i appreciate your recommendation!

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    3. If you decided a shaped pillow would help nursing (and I really would recommend one) then an ordinary v shaped pillow that you can pick up for less than a tenner works just as well as a boppy. Plus - it's more use afterwards for propping up in bead for reading/breakfast etc.

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    4. I used a booby for about 1.5 months and then ditched it. I think it helped I the beginning, but I doubt if I'll use it with number 2. Yard sales with baby stuff ALWAYS have a booby. You could pick one up there for 50 pence!

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    5. boppys are definitely not a necessity! nice to have at times, but definitely easy to go without

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  8. Fels Naptha soap is a must!! It gets the poop stain out of clothes from newborns- so they don't stain. They also say if you put them out in the sun after, the sun bleaches it out too. I would have a breast pump handy- having your milk come in in is quite intense and painful and a pump eases it so much!! And adult diapers are a great idea. I used some when I had a miscarriage and it was a huge help and so much less disastrous:) so excited for you!! Bringing babies into the world is the coolest experience in the world and definitely a spiritual experience. And if your comfortable, have someone else there to take pictures and video. My husband had to be the photographer a few times and it definitely made it more stressful for him. And those pictures will be a treasure. My kids love watching videos of when they were born every birthday.

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    1. thanks! we will have a manual pump on hand and then decide on investing in an electric one later. and our doula will be taking photos for us - i am so glad she's willing to do that for us so ian and i can not worry about it at all and have photos/videos to treasure forever!

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    2. YES to the Fels Naptha! That stuff is amazing!

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    3. If you'll be with your baby all the time, you don't really need a pump. I work from home and the free manual one from the hospital is all I needed.

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    4. I found a pump really useful to help my milk come in. My oldest I was only able to nurse for 4 months because my milk supply dropped. My second, I pumped after he finished nursing and saved the milk and I nursed him until I wanted to wean him.

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  9. Well done on being so organized!
    My first baby was breech and I delivered vaginally. Everything went fine so it can be done. Your body is designed for childbirth so don't stress about the actual birth. The real work starts after!
    Just follow your instincts and listen to your baby. I think sometimes women have forgotten how to do that. Motherhood is a wonderful journey. Enjoy!

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    1. this is so great to hear! we plan to go ahead with a vaginal, unmedicated birth of baby stays head up. it will be an adventure for sure! i might have to try to get in touch with you to hear more about your experience if our guy's "breechiness" continues :)

      isn't it so amazing and wonderful how our bodies are made to do this?!

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    2. Acupuncture (my husband is a physician and an acupuncturist) can be very helpful for getting the baby to present head down. Best of luck to you...Very exciting to read all your maternity posts.

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  10. Hi Charity,

    Maybe this would be comfy to wear in the hospital right after giving birth:

    http://shopplainjane.com/collections/womens-dress

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  11. We went pretty light with our kiddo too and don't regret it. The hard part has actually been trying to keep all her grandparents and neighbors from constantly bringing us new stuff now that she's older (2)!

    I cut our baby a few times with the clippers designed for babies because they were so tiny and sharp. After that I just used some duller adult clippers we already had, and slid them onto the nail from the side (if that makes sense) so the fingerpad was a natural bumper that kept me from cutting her skin. Nothing sucks like making your child bleed accidentally :/ So once you start wanting to trim his nails you might give those a try before buying special clippers.

    If you have coconut oil on hand or can buy it cheaply, it makes the simplest nipple ointment and is naturally antibacterial. Though I was lucky never to get an infection, my nipples HURT those first few days and weeks as they adjusted to being sucked on all the time, and the coconut oil kept them moisturized and helped prevent infection. Waiting on breastfeeding supplies make sense; but coconut oil or similar may be very helpful to have from day one. (And if you don't end up using it, it's good for popping popcorn, body lotion, cooking, diaper rash, etc.)
    Good luck and many blessings!

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    1. thanks! i love coconut oil for many reasons, so this is a great tip! i have heard though that the absolute best salve for sore nipples is ... breastmilk! manually express a little and rub it around. that stuff is amazing! :)

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    2. It IS! It's great for plugged tear ducts (looks like a bad case of morning eye crust), too - just express some into your baby's eye, let him blink (and complain a bit) and it'll clear up in a few days.

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  12. good for you! what a nice list of things. we purchased about the same and i am so glad about it. and now that number two is on the way i still don't feel like we need anything more!

    one thing to note (as a minnesotan living in latin america) -- "america" is so much more than the U.S. - it's Canada and all of Central and South America, too! people here are quite sensitive to that fact. just a note! i learned that quickly when i made a few slips upon arrival.

    many happy thoughts to you as you near meeting baby! yay!

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    1. it's so funny you mention this, because i was just realizing the other day that i had switched to calling my homeland "america" instead of "usa" or "the states" like i usually do. everyone here calls it "america" - and i was thinking about how i'm a little bugged that i've gotten in that habit because america is so much bigger than the united states! thanks for reminding me of this :)

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  13. Since you are flying with a newborn you may want to consider borrowing the car seat for longer than just the ride home. They do expire. You would want a car seat for the car or taxi's once you land and possibly a seat for baby while in flight. Do taxis have shoulder belts in the back seat in London? You will want the snot sucker, thermometer and some common OTC stuff in the apartment, not run out and find them when you think baby may need them. I wonder what gifts you will get from the hospital and pediatrician?

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    1. hi! when we travel to the states, we will borrow carseats from family or friends, and when we rent cars on other travels, we can rent a carseat along with the car! it would be ridiculous for us to own and store a carseat in our tiny flat!

      my mom will be here after i give birth, and ian will take his first week of paternity leave then as well, so luckily i'll have some handy errand-runners to go to the drug store around the corner when we need something :) from what i understand, the hospitals here do not provide any supplies for new parents.

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    2. oh and we definitely aren't paying for our baby to have a seat on an airplane until we have to! :)

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    3. Free gifts include - Free birth, with a choice of midwife led birthing centre or more hospitalized unit (or even a home birth). Free board and lodging at the hospital. Free visits to the house (flat) from a midwife for ten days. Free visits from a Health visitor to hte house. Free visits to the doctor. Free immunisations. Free post-natal check-up. Free prescriptions etc. I'm sure Charity will appreciate all these free gifts :)

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    4. On week six when hubby is back at work or asleep needing to work the next day and the baby is all congested/runny at 2 am you might want the nose thingy already in the apartment. They are tiny. You know before the child is an adult they will need a thermometer. But you might not need it the second you come home. You might also want these things already with you when halfway across the Atlantic/Indian oceans? Not to mention OTC stuff you can read in English if abroad to a non English speaking country.

      So much stuff is unnecessary and unusable after the first year. Our son was just a year old at adoption. We never needed the bassinet, bouncy, mobile, crib bumper, nursing pillow, big high chair, infant carrier/car seat combo, bottle warmer, wipe warmer, changing table. We used a chair booster instead of high chair and changed him on a pad on the floor. Since our first go at parenting was in a series of hotel rooms in a different country I can relate to gathering just what is needed and can fit in a small space.

      Please don't beat yourself up over diaper choices. Does London have a trash problem or a water problem? Water resources are finite. Make decision off baby and comfort. I have yet to hear of them making cloth adult diapers. I imagine its coming. Some kids rash with disposables, then change to cloth. Then there are the split pants/no diaper approaches. You could go crazy and it won't matter when he is in college.

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  14. Ooh, best thing I ever bought my (now 22month old) baby, was a Nose Frida! Not even kidding! :)
    http://www.amazon.com/NoseFrida-The-Snotsucker-Nasal-Aspirator/dp/B00171WXII

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    1. thanks! i have heard about this!

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    2. Agreed. Nose Frida all the way!

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  15. Great list.

    You now need to learn the British words for baby stuff - Nappies, Dummy, (Dummies) Babygrows/Sleepsuits, Vests & Cots:)

    Have a brill time with Shawni & her family.x How long are they here for?

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    1. indeed! i am gradually transitioning into using british baby terms! but i better be careful because some people might find my use of them pretentious ;)

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  16. I have a Kushies brand nursing pillow. It's like the Breast Friend but much smaller. I have tried the Boppy before and greatly prefer this. I seriously don't know what I would do without it for the first several months!

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    1. thanks! i will check kushies out if we decide to get a pillow!

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  17. I think you are very smart to keep things simple and hold off buying a lot until you see the need. For meds, I honestly wouldn't recommend buying anything until you need something as meds expire and best to discuss with a Pharmacist about your specific needs at that time. When kids are older, makes perfect sense to have some basics on hand, but not really with babies. Infant acetaminophen or ibuprofen drops will likely be one of the first and only things you might need.

    My friend liked to lie head down on an ironing board propped up on the couch to attempt to turn baby around. Her doctor told her it wouldn't hurt provided you put a little pillow or wedge under your right side as you lie flat. She was fully aware it likely wouldn't work, but she liked that she was doing 'something'. Baby actually turned ... although we will never know if it was just going to happen or because of stuff she did. Just make sure you do it slowly and have someone available to help you back up. Don't want to get dizzy!

    Good luck!

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    1. i have heard of this trick - the breech tilt! only problem for us trying it is that our ironing board is half size - ha!

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    2. Ah, yes. A half sized ironing board likely won't cut it!

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  18. Your list looks really great! I didn't notice the lack until another reader mentioned the burp cloths. I made ours, Iliked them bigger, but we use them a lot in the first 8ish months.

    I save plastic grocery bags and use 2 a day, 1 for disposables that goes in the garbage at the end of day and one for cloth that goes in the laundry room. We have done both for 3 children now and I believe it has saved us a lot of money.

    Baby number 3 for me was also breech. He was born feet first August 2014 without complications. I am now due with baby #4 in September and he is also currently breech. It's still early of course, but I'd rather just stick with the head first method. :)

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    1. i love love love hearingn breech vaginal success stories! thanks for sharing. and for the garbage bag tip!

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  19. are you able to rent a car seat for the airline? I know it's an extra expense, but we always put our babies in carseats while flying. If there is significant turbulence, a baby can be significantly hurt when a person holds too tightly, or if s/he is not restrained. Just something to think about :)

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    1. our baby won't have a seat on the airplane - and a car seat on our laps sounds pretty uncomfortable! :) we have lots of family and friends who have traveled with babies so i am sure we will find some configurations that work well! :)

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  20. I fully support keeping baby supplies to a minimum! :) We had our first child in Mexico, so it really helped streamline the list of essentials. Caitlin already mentioned this above, but the Nose Frida is a million times better than the bulb suckers. It was a lifesaver, and we still use it occasionally with our 18-month-old son.

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  21. My 2 cents

    If you have a good little crib, you may not even need the Moses basket. And with 3 kids we have never needed a baby monitor. Though the places we have lived have never been big enough to warrant one really. I would actually look at a camera one now that our adventurous toddler is switching to a bed.

    Anyhow, enjoy your little flat, sounds like you guys have the right outlook on the baby gear. We had a little one bedroom flat in Germany when our first was born and I wouldn't have changed a thing! Have fun on this grand adventure!

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    1. even the tiniest crib wouldn't fit in our bedroom, so we are happy about the moses basket ... and in such a small space as ours, having a monitor would be pretty laughably unnecessary :)

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  22. Oh and I found the spinning babies website helpful for moves to help baby get in a good position. Our third was laying on his side and it did the trick. Good luck! You guys have for this!

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    1. i love spinning babies! only wish i would have started the exercises earlier.
      thanks!!

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  23. Very reputable source regarding infants on planes http://online.wsj.com/articles/new-study-focuses-on-in-flight-risk-to-infants-1408574702

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  24. I tried cloth diapers, but didn't end up sticking with it. I did get a book that was a guide on all things cloth diapers called Changing Diapers: Hip Mom's Guide to Modern Cloth Diapering. Maybe with all your family members (if they cloth diaper), you know the ins and outs of cloth diapering, but I found it really helpful to know all the brands out there. I was also able to try a few different ones and it was funny how some worked great for my daughter while others were a nightmare.

    Also, breastfeeding never worked for me. My babies refused to latch no matter what (I can't even tell you how many lactation consultants, pillows, props, etc I went through). So, I am very familiar with pumping and I always tell people to hold off on buying a pump. The hospital has them (at least in the states) if you need it. If breastfeeding works out - great than a single manual pump is the way to go. If it doesn't work out and you are like me - I would look into a double electric pump or an industrial pump you can rent through the hospital (I have a pump but wish I had just rented).

    Congratulations and Good Luck! Once upon a time I was one of your sister's visiting teachers and every now and then I look at all of your blogs. You guys impress me with how close you all manage to be and stay given your different lives and locations.

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  25. Hooray for minimalist baby rearing! We are in a very similar situation (3rd floor apartment with a single tiny bedroom in an urban environment and lots of travel adventures--he went to his 6th country on his 3 month birthday) and I think we purchased about the same number of things in preparation.

    One thing that blindsided me was how nursing un-friendly my existing wardrobe was. If you plan to feed on the go, on the plane, while baby wearing, etc having clothes with easy access that don't reveal everything is key. I bought a dress like this (http://www.milknursingwear.com/store/pc/Striped-scoop-neck-nursing-dress-in-dark-navy-3p6691.htm) and wear it all the time. It's more flattering than I thought it would be and I've managed to dress it up with a blazer for meetings but it's as comfy as PJs for when you're traveling/around the house. Both baby and I prefer this over having to feed with a hot nursing cover and it's way easier to do while on the go when he's in the ergo.

    My other recommendation would be to re-think the stroller, as pricey as it is. Our stroller is our combination car/shopping cart/diaper bag/high chair/swing/crib. No joke. Probably the best baby investment we made. If your little guy is anything like ours he will (1) outgrow his moses basket faster than you expect and (2) he'll be super active and want to move around more than long intervals of baby wearing allows for. He loves being in the stroller because it can be angled so he can look around the room rather than just straight up, he can be at eye level with mom and dad when we're at our desks/the table, and he can move around more freely. He naps in his stroller even when we're at home and it's great for eating out (I can't tell you how many things I've dropped on his head while attempting to eat with him in the ergo). We found that after he was 2 months old, by day 3 of any trip both he (and mom and dad) were tired of the ergo being the only option for his transport.

    Congratulations and good luck! Babies are the best and we're firm believers that adventures can continue post-baby!

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    1. thanks channing!! i am glad that three of the maternity dresses i purchased are also nursing dresses either nice tricky ways to easily get to the breast :) and we are going to hold off on the stroller for a bit (at least until we go to the states, where we can buy one for sooo much cheaper!), but i hear what you are saying and appreciate you sharing your perspective! i have been emailing with a blog reader who lives in a big city and has an 18 month old and has never gotten a stroller though! i am super impressed and intrigued! we will see what happens! xo

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    2. I hardly ever use our stroller. Babywearing is the best!

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  26. Love love love my fawn design bag!
    I swear by nose Frida for nose sucker.
    I know your SIL gave a beautiful breech unmedicated hospital birth. So I know you know it's possible. My sister in law just gave birth at home to a breech baby. Her labor was faster and easier then mine. Obviously it's less stressful head down. Lots of prayers and head down thoughts for you and baby boy! ♡ ♡♡

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  27. Charity! It sounds like y'all have thought it through and have it pretty much covered! Simplicity is the way to go with babies. They don't need much, a lot of it is just convenient but not necessary and can becoming way too overwhelming. We just had our fourth and if I could pass on any advice, I'd say to keep doing what your doing, try not to put pressure on yourself when it comes to the birth and nursing (it's good to have a plan but if for some reason your plans have to change, that's ok too!) and soak up these last few weeks with Ian. Babies bring a whole new dimension to marriage that I would never trade for anything but it's not going to be the two of you ever again :) Definitly get a snot grabber...you might need it in the middle of the night and there's not a whole lot you can use in place of one! Good luck with everything and have fun ☺️

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  28. How exciting! It's amazing how one baby item is super essential for one person yet not as helpful for someone else. I was going to recommend a white noise machine but this time around I just downloaded an app on my phone for white noise and it's worked great for baby #3. Such exciting times for you!!

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  29. Kudos to you on keeping things simple for the baby- you are so correct- you could spend a fortune on stuff and you really don't need it all. We had much your same approach with our babies- and I did send my husband out to get a boppy when my first was three days old and nursing was just hard. But I didn't want to spend the money before in case we didn't feel we needed (and not everyone loves them like I do). Enjoy these last few weeks before your babe comes- life will never be the same (in the most amazing, wonderful, exhausting way!). Thank you for the positivity you spread on the internet. I especially appreciate the way you represent our church- as imperfect people who are striving to do their best to live the gospel.

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  30. buy used, everything. Aden and Anis blakets can be found at thrift stores for 5$ in the states. NOt sure about London thrift stores. One or two is all you need. We use one drawer for our girls and one drawer for our boy for clothing. We are total minimalists. Laundry with three kids can be overwhelming. We lived in an apt in Seattle and we were able to park our stroller downstairs in a storage space place so we didn't have to haul it upstairs. A stroller was essential for me with two kids b/c if I didn't have that I would of had no way to get to the park easily. I end up using the diaper changing pad the first day or so and then it just gets in the way. I would suggest using one that is flat and can roll up out of the way if you end up using one at all. We use the Phil n teds Stroller. It has worked out well. OH and one more thing, hydro gel pads. They are a life soother and saver. Your nipples might become sore after breastfeeding. It is a cool gel pad you place on the nipple. The lacation consultants have them on hand in the states. I would call to make sure they have some on hand and if not bring your own. The medela hand pump works exquisitely to relieve engorgement. However don't over pump, because then you will over produce.:) Happy baby planning!

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    1. they don't provide nursing supplies here. but i have heard that some of the best soothers are breastmilk itself as a moisturizer and cold cabbage leaves. we will try this first! ;)

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    2. cabbage is what you use when you are trying to dry up your milk when you wean...and it really works! i would be nervous about using cabbage leaves unless that is your intent! wouldn't want to harm your milk supply. just my two cents! :)

      also, honest company nipple balm is amazing! and all-natural

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  31. I have cracked up on how many people are for the nose suckers. After 8 babies, it was never a big deal for me. Keep things simple. Less stress and do it your way. You will never go wrong. Good luck. It is wonderful to be a mother!

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  32. My daughter is 13 months old and we have used our $600 stroller TWICE for maybe a half hour if that. She will not sit in it. We've done baby wearing since birth and I've never regretted it once. Our family travels quite often and it is so much easier to have one less baby item to drag a long with us (we always brought a stroller with our son and it was a pain.) I love being able to skip elevators and so many places are not stroller friendly so its a win in my book.

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  33. The only things I really needed was some aquaphore for my nipples, witch hazel to make soothing pads to store in the freezer for post birth and lots of love ;-)
    I had one pack of formula on hand in case I ended up having problems with breastfeeding, but I did not need it until half a year later when I got so sick that I could no longer breastfeed.
    We took baby girl on lots and lots of airplanes during her first 2 years and it worked out great (no ticket for her).

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  34. What about a stroller? You are out and about every day. You'll need a good one. I recommend doing a lot of research and getting exactly what you want. Strollers are expensive but in a walkable city without a car I think you'll want more than just a carrier.

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    1. i will let you read the discussion above about strollers :) we will see what we decide!

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  35. You are a genius. I was generously gifted far too much for our first. I'm due in two weeks and have tried to eliminate the majority. It's also funny to me, because husbands are so useful. Even when working if I need something mines been able to run out and grab. The only thing I did this time was get a library card. It's endless nursing those first months and I thought id get through some good books, instead of TV.

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  36. I totally support your minimalist preparation. I'm sure you'll find more things you want or need, but you can get those as you discover what they are. I agree that burp cloths are super handy and that you probably want a nose sucker and thermometer on hand unless the drug store around teh corner is open 24/7! Babies always get sick in the middle of the night!!! Also, I just can't imagine how you're going to go out by yourself with the baby to go shopping for groceries or anything--carrying the baby in a front carrier and the diaper bag on your back or shoulder won't really leave you any more hands for anything else! Hopefully you can get one in America soon. :)

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    1. i have burp cloths, accidentally left that out in the list! the drugstore is open 24/7! and we will do grocery delivery (which we already do occasionally) - it's widely used here and in many big cities, is essentially just as cheap as going to the store, and is super handy!

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    2. I don't really think you need to be frugal about a nasal aspirator that costs $2 and a thermometer if you can manage 6 out of country trips a year. They take up no floor space. It will make baby more comfortable to breathe with the snot out. The child will eventually have a fever. Or crying and hot and upset and it might be nice rule out its not a fever.

      Check with the airline but you can check things like stroller/car seats. No need to carry a car seat on your lap. At least you can on American carriers. You might not have the same
      options in Europe. Some countries outside the US may not allow baby to have their own seat at certain ages. One carrier abroad had me attach a belt they provided to baby to attach to my lap belt on a plane, the FAA would faint. It does seem silly though if you can afford to purchase a seat for baby and its allowable to purchase a seat not to do so. It's not a thing to be frugal about. Once the baby is a 22 - 40 pounds there is a CARES harness that will act as a shoulder belt on the plane I would recommend you use (buy/borrow) if you can borrow a real car seat the rest of the trip.

      An umbrella takes up the same space as a winter coat. But that is for older ages. Some come with a shoulder strap which would help on the stairs. It does make sense to put that off.

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  37. We have a 10 week old son and I have so much 'stuff' that was gifted to us that will never get used. And some of the things that we use the most, we purchased as we needed with our son's specific personality and needs in mind.

    Two of those things we bought in the first weeks were a high quality white noise machine (doubled the length of his naps once he was out of the 'newborn sleep anywhere' phase) and a really good nursing pillow, which is hilariously called My Breast Friend, and I get to tell my husband that I'm hanging out with baby Willem and my breast friend tonight :)

    Good luck with the last minute preparations! I am really happy that my closets, fridge and pantry were organized before baby came, because I never seem to have two hands free at the same time now! :)

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  38. Check out running strollers! I can just see you and Ian continuing your runs around London pushing baby boy along at high speed!

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  39. Seriously you will not regret splurging on the diaper bag! You have to carry it around everywhere so you need to love it. I LOVE the fawn design bags and am waiting for them to come back in stock to get one! You will have to tell me how you like it!

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  40. Seriously you will not regret splurging on the diaper bag! You have to carry it around everywhere so you need to love it. I LOVE the fawn design bags and am waiting for them to come back in stock to get one! You will have to tell me how you like it!

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