stuff for the babies

Hi, everyone.
I see that our thread is quiet and decided to open one topic for discussion.
Did you start choosing babies item. I mean the car seat/ stroller/swings and etc. ( like something big)
even if you just put them in the registry can you please share what did you choose and why.


Let me start with myself.
I went to the buy buy baby store yesterdya to take a look at the carseats and stroller I researched online to "touch and feel" them.
I still didn't decided what to buy but I was dissappointed.

1. I check the Graco snugrite carseat and was shocked how cheap it look. the padding was not form well and for me it look like a piece of plastic with material cover. ( i am sorry if I hurt some feeling) BUT it is the LIGHTEST CAR SEAT. only 7.5lb. very easy to take off the base but I really don't feel that baby woudl be good inside OR i need to buy additional padding $140
2. I like Maxi cosi carseat foaming and padding but the bottom lock a little screwy. another thing to take it off from the base you need to pull the handle on the base with one hand and pull up the car seat with another hand so when baby is heavy not sure how easy it is. the weight is ok 8lb price $170 ( on amazon can buy for $145 lemonad color)
3. I like the new pegperego car seat BUT it weighted 11lb and the cost is pretty expensive $240

NOW going to the strollers.
I was wondering about kolcraft contours tandem and this was the first time I touch it and look at it. in real life. the car seat adapter was with all car seats ( but car seat just put inside and buckle with belt. ) the good part MAXI COSI car seat can be used wit that stroller.
but both seats cannto be fully recline at the same time. another good part the seats can be used from 3 months ( not 6 month as I thought before.)

so I don't know about that stroller.

Another thing what I like is GRACo soothing new born center. look really good and I heard the good review about it. so I am planing to get one of it.

Ok here ll my thoughts so please share yours...

 

We choose the Chico carseats because they go up to 30lbs for the babies. DH and I are tall, fit people so the weight of the carseat was not a concern for us. Plus, we really liked that the seat was very cushioned and came with infant support. I had read that many maufacters of carseats do not recommend the snugfit infant supports you can buy separately because they do not do any of the crash tests with them. Therefore, we wanted something that came from the manufacterer with enough cushion. Another reason why we choose Chicco was because we already dealt with Graco and found that the Graco carseats were difficult to get into the bases. If you did not get it completely right it was a pain in the neck. Chicco seemed to be easier to get the seat in and out of the base.

We choose a City Mini Baby Jogger double stroller based on reviews. Now that we have the stroller in our hands, I am SO HAPPY WITH THE STROLLER. I cannot wait to put the boys in it and go. We do have a Baby Trend Snap-n-Go for the carseats. The seats are secure and able to be on the frame stroller.

Trial and error it seems. Read everything. There was so much we got based on reviews that we are very happy with.
Good Luck,
Jenn

 

We got the First Years True Fit Convertible Carseat.. mostly because of its high safety ratings and how it works as an infant carseat and can convert to toddler+.

We went to Baby Depot and checked out the different strollers out there and we really LOVE the Kolcraft Contours Tandem stroller, so the in-laws got that for us!

As for swing.. no one got us the one on our registry and it is a wee bit costly so we're going to see if we can stick it out with the travel swing we saved from our eldest daughter and we got one boppy travel swing so between the two of those, we're hoping to be OK!

decisions, decisions... it is tough with all that's available out there!! Good luck finding what's right for you!!!

 

There are so many decisions to make and all the various product out there can make your head spin, at least for me. We went to BRU for the "touch and feel" experience. We checked out the Chicco Keyfit30 and the Graco Snugride 32. I finally decided on the Chicco for many of the same reasons Jenn cited earlier. The safety ratings were the most important factor, then baby's comfort and ease of use. We weren't too hung up on pattern or color. The seat is a little heavier, but that didn't bother us, and the longevity of the seat was definitely an attractive feature. Its padding and overall construction seemed superior to the Graco seats we looked at, and we liked that it can fit infants starting at 4 lbs as it comes with its own nicely-padded infant insert. After they outgrow the Chicco in xx months, we'll probably go with a Britax convertible.

As for the stroller during the infant stage, we'll use the Double Snap n Go. I already have an Esprit SunSpeed side-by-side, so we'll start out using that after the DSNG. It's pretty basic and doesn't have the coveted cupholders/trays or anything fancy schmancy, so I'll probably eventually need to decide on a heavy-duty one that will take us comfortably to the toddler stage. I have my eye on the Kolcraft Contours Tandem.

We acquired a Fisher Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium Cradle Swing off Craigslist and will wait to see if the kiddos even like to be in the swing before we spring for another one. We registering for a couple of bouncy seats, but don't yet have a preference on those yet. They all seem to be pretty straightforward. HTH!

 

Chicco makes the best infant carseats and Britax are the best full sized. My firestation tech told me this during my first pregnancy so we just purchased one more Chicco infant seat.

The padding and head support are the superior to anything else.

The graco snugride actually stores a clip under the childs leg area which is very odd and can't be comfortable.

As far as strollers, the salesperson at Babies R Us said the kolcraft contours is usually returned because of it's weight (50lbs!) and difficult handling.

We bought a double snap & go (WILL ONLY FIT 2 CHICCO'S IF THEY ARE LAST YEARS MODEL MEANING THEY GO TO 20 LBS, NOT 30) to get us through the first 6-8 months. Then we may get a "Combi" double that is just coming out that seems to be great on paper but i haven't seen it yet.

keep up your research and do some hands on tests.

Good luck mama

 

So far I got 2 maxi cosi car seats for twins and Graco Sweetpeace center.
Looking for Kolcraft stroller used. I am not scared about the weight because I just want to use it as second stroller.
for the primary stroller I made my decision for Firstwheels City Twin model and will do my best to get 2009 model if possible.

 

I joined consumer reports. Everything that I thought I liked, I cross referenced it with their safety, ease of use, etc. ratings. I was having problems finding a tandum stroller (not everyplace can accomidate a side-by-side). I decided on the Graco Quattro Tour Duo Stroller that can hold 2 Snugride 32 infant car seats. A lot of the the strollers just help one car seat not 2...

 

Lately I am on a mission to do all this! I wasn't going to until I was past 24 weeks, but for some reason I am very motiviated. I already have a graco infant safe seat from my first daughter and loved it so need to purchase another. I bought the baby-trend double snap & go frame and I bought a valco toddler jump seat--still need the valco tri mode twin! Then I will be pretty good, I have a pnp w/a bassinet I am planning to have the twins in (just need to ck the weight limits for the bassinet part) and figure that will do (along with co-sleeping) for first 5 months, at which time my older daughter should be ready for a toddler bed (so I hope!). My big thing will be finding out the genders to determine if I can make use of her clothes she has grown out of...

 

QUOTE(scorpion509 @ Mar 11 2009, 08:17 PM) [snapback]1224221[/snapback]
Another thing what I like is GRACo soothing new born center. look really good and I heard the good review about it. so I am planing to get one of it.


FYI, if there's a walmart close by, order it online at walmart.com and have it shipped to the store (free) it'll save you like $40. I personally bought the lamb swing (i thought it was cute) and it was $150 at baby depot and babiesRus and I got it at walmart.com for $118, I remember seeing the soothing system and thinking oh wow thats a saving too, so its worth checking out, only thing is it takes two weeks to get to the store.

We got the snap and go because that was one thing everyone insisted I would need.
The graco 32 carseats in lemongrass, they were gender nuetral for our b/g, I wanted to go with the snugriders because they were smaller and who really uses the infant carriers till there one anyways, but I didn't like the way any of them looked, like you said they were cheap looking, the lemon grass one looked alot better (I still wish you got the selection in travel systems like singletons those look so much cuter=(

We also did the mod ladybug/ mod turtle theme nursery stuff from baby depot, although nothings put together yet.

I also got the graco quarto tour and the chico double umbrella stroller at my shower for when they grow out of there infant seats or if I wanted to sling a twin and put my DS in the carriage with a twin.

 

I've been specifically avoiding it. I'm intimidated. Fortunately, we're only 11 weeks, but since these are our first, we have nothing.

My sister in law gave us a bunch of girly clothes, and will be passing on some boyish clothes most likely. At this rate, they'll both have clothes until they're 5 even if I don't buy any. Lol.
We're also holding off on buying things like bouncies and swings until we work out the rest of the hand me down situation. At least that way, I don't buy something and babies hate it.

The two things I'm fretting about are cribs and carseats. I mean, I know they can share a crib until they start wiggling each other awake, but that's not really all that long, is it? Also, the nursery will be a small room (only 9x9) so we can't get anything outrageous, and I was even considering minicribs, but then the sheets are non-standard, and the mattresses aren't very comfortable at all. We may even hold off on this one until we see what we can get used. Cribs don't have to match, eh?

And carseats - do I go for an infant carseat for the sake of being able to pull them out in it, and then have to buy another expensive one in a little over a year? The is the ONE thing I am adamant about, though, so I'm willing to be flexible on everything else. Right now topping my list is the Graco SnugRide 32, and then moving to a Radian or something later.

What else? Oh, strollers. I don't even know where to start on that one. I think my first step will be one of those graco snap and go types, and then determine need later - I dunno, maybe we'll be more comfortable with two cheap umbrella types? Or a side by side jogger? It's hard to tell, right now.

In the meantime, my mom bought all used stuff from a coworker's daughter for her house - a crib, pack n play, bouncer, etc. I think that'll be perfect for her house.

 

I started this topic and let me put my update on this.

Here what I already have/bought

we end up with Maxi cosi Mico carseats ( blue( ocean reflection) and pink( happy flowers) ) both bought on the craiglists and it cost me less then one new
about the stroller because double snap and go doesn't work with mico we bought kolcraft contours tandem with car seat adapter and they are working fine with mico. ( again from cl) but it would be our second stroller.
I am planing to buy the Firstwheels city twins 2009 I still cannto decided if we will order it from UK and pay more on shipping cost or wait for another 2 months after twins would be born and order it form Canada.

Also I will have 2 bassinets for the first 6 months ( because crib doesn't fit my bedroom) and 2 cribs in the twins room ( it would be hand -dwon to me from my sister/cousen/friend and we have crib from my DS)
we bought Graco soothering center ( cl) and have ocean swing from DS.
also bought second high chair
and I end up buying 2 bouncer but only because I LOVE the review and how they are look like ( cl) Boppy Cradle in Comfort Bouncer in blue and pink. I know that babies might not like them but I do like how they are look alike when staying next to each other and hope can use it for feeding.

Also I bought hospital grade medela lactina pump and new kit for it. ( again from ebay used)
and baby bjorn diaper bag.

Hmm I think I share with you everything what I bought
so far I still need to buy bedding and bottles and sterializers and monitors.... but still doing research and looking for this items
bedding probably will buy in Walmart I liek the jungle theme and the price is good in walmart
everything else probably from amazon

 

We've bought two of the Chicco seats so far. I plan on getting a double snap & go for my stroller until they're out of the infant carseats. I think we've got a swing in the attic... and maybe a bouncy. We gave away our crib. We threw out the high chair and exersaucer. I have a moses basket... and I think we may have a pack n play still somewhere LOL
We thought we were done.
I also have a handful of preemie and newborn clothes and some blankets.
I've got a decent sized cloth diaper stash too