Baby Supplies for the first few weeks

Since I had over two months off before baby O was due, I went a little crazy nesting.  I definitely over bought both clothes and gear.  I thought it would be useful to re-visit those first few weeks and figure out what was really essential to get before the baby came.  Everyone says not to bother buying clothes because you get so many as gifts.  I would say that wasn't totally true for us.  I was especially concerned because we didn't have any family to pass clothes down to us.  However, we had many generous friends with kids who gave us outgrown baby clothes, which was wonderful.

One of our favorite items were the little snap up gowns like the one baby O has on below.  For newborns, this was a great second layer over a onesie or shirt to keep them warm and is also easy to put on because you don't have to worry about putting it over their head.  Some people complain about all the snaps, but I didn't mind.  The flip over arms to cover her little hands so she wouldn't scratch herself (and to keep them warm) was also nice.  It was long enough to cover her feet so we didn't necessarily need to put socks on her.  These also convert to rompers when they are a bit bigger, but we mostly used it in gown form.  

Like many people, we were also fans of the little side-snap t-shirts.  They were great to wear before the umbilical cord stump fell off in lieu of a onesie.  Later on, they were also a great underlayer for extra warmth under the onesie.  I preferred the long sleeve ones for this reason, and because they have the little flip up hand covers.  We were able to use these longer than even the newborn onesies since they didn't outgrow here as quickly and were great for layering in the perpetually cool Pacific Northwest weather.

At our baby shower, we had our friends decorate onesies, which was a lot of fun.  Even better, is to have them decorate onesies of several different sizes.  That way you don't need to worry about them growing out of them before you can wear them all.  I would say they don't need more than half a dozen or so in each size.  (Of course, our little one didn't spit up much, so we don't go through them as quickly as some might.)  I try to take her picture in each one as she wears them and send it as a thank you to whomever made it.

My sister, a post-partum nurse, suggested I get the "my brest friend" nursing pillow.  The name kind of threw me off, but once she showed me how to properly position it, this was great to use when baby and I were both new to breast feeding.  It's also supposed to be good for those recovering from a c-section, which I was at the time.  It was convenient to be able to clip this on and then be able to walk around if I forgot something without having to re-position it.  The one place this didn't work that well was in the nursery rocker, since it's kind of wide.  This was definitely more comfortable to use on a couch.  I bought a second cover for this, and did end up having to change it a couple of times after spit ups and diaper blowouts.  Little O did outgrow this after a couple of months, so a used one might not be a bad idea since you can wash the cover.  

We gave little O sponge baths, and then proper baths once her umbilical stump fell off, in the tub below.  The sling was great for when she was really tiny, especially for sponge baths.  Once the stump was off and the belly button area was healed, we stopped using the sling and sit her on the infant side, where she was able to lean back.  This tub also happened to be the perfect size to hang lengthwise from the sides of our bathtub, which made it easier to bathe her.   

While still in the hospital with little O, my husband and I practiced swaddling her with the hospital blankets.  We couldn't get it down as well as some of the nurses who were expert swaddlers.  When we  got home, we loved using the velcro swaddlers by Summer infant and Halo, because they were quick and secure. My mom gave us some and I also bought some used since they grow out of them so quickly.  Little O would fight the swaddle initially, but it really did help her to sleep better since her random limbs flailing would end up waking her up.   

When she was tiny, O loved spending time napping in a vibrating bouncy chair, like the one below. The toy bar comes off, which makes it easier to take them in and out.  She loved the vibrations and there were many nights in the beginning when she would only sleep in this. It's also easy to carry around the house so you can keep an eye on the little one while eating or doing housework.  One of our friends, was kind enough to pass theirs down when they were finished with it.  Otherwise, these are easy to find used, and don't seem worth it to buy new since they outgrow it so quickly.  It's easy to remove the seat and throw it in the wash.  The only downsides to this chair are that it's easy to forget to turn off the vibrating and we stubbed our toes on the wide base all the time.

While she was in her nocturnal phase, my husband found that a swing really helped him soothe the baby.  (In addition to the other S's suggested by Dr. Karp.)  This can be a lot bulkier than the chair above, but we were able to fit it in the nursery and used it to help her nap when swaddling and white noise wasn't enough.  O liked it better in the position not shown below, where you can swing front to back rather than side to side.  We took off the play console and she's never used it.  They also make more compact versions of this that sit lower to the floor.  I wouldn't spend the money to buy this new since it's only used for a short period of time.  They are easy to find used on craig's list and easy to clean.  I was able to wash the entire seat portion in the washing machine, as well as the toys on the mobile. 

Getting ready for baby: Maternity "Gear"

I'm so excited that a couple of my friends are expecting, and I've been thinking about what
stores and items I really loved when pregnant.  One thing you're not prepared for is how sensitive your breasts get. You don't want anything touching them, so it's hard to sleep sometimes.  I loved these maternity/nursing tanks from Cantaloop because the material was really soft.  It also provided coverage and stretched over my huge belly.  It's also been great now that I'm nursing.  They were on sale on zulily, so I didn't have to pay full price for them, which was even better.  Cantaloop also made a great support belt that I wore like a belly band.  It helped keep my pants up and made my belly feel a bit less heavy.

I used to love wearing spanx pre-pregnancy to smooth away all the lines and bumps under clothes, but I didn't want to squeeze my poor baby.  I was happy when I found maternity "spanx" from Motherhood Maternity.  They were less expensive than the actual spanx brand, and they worked just as well.  Even better than smoothing out lines, it also gave me much needed support when I was wearing dresses.  Without these, I often felt like my belly was dragging downwards during my third trimester.

Speaking of dresses, these were the most comfortable things to wear, especially during the summer when my belly was huge.  I found that a lot of the empire waist and wrap dresses that were already a part of my wardrobe worked just fine.  For example, none of the outfit below was maternity - except maybe my tights.  Since the weather in the Pacific Northwest is mild, and my third trimester wasn't until the summer, I also got away without buying a new winter coat.  Instead, I wore my regular coat unzipper and/or wore sweater coats like one below, also undone. 

My propensity for empire waist clothing, also paid off when it came to tops.  Believe it or not, the top below is from Anthropologie (as many of the tops I wore while pregnant were), and managed to stretch out and accommodate baby quite well, even towards the end. 

I did buy quite a few maternity items though, particularly pants (like the grey jeans above).  I found that full maternity panel, skinny jeans worked best.  Some of my friends managed to wear a belly band with their regular pants throughout their pregnancy, but this only worked for me through part of the second trimester.  After that, I tried the low rise and knit/stretch panel pants, but these did not work so well because they just don't stay up.  This is also why I favored the skinny jeans.  In addition, it is impossible to find petite maternity clothes, and skinny jeans were easier to avoid hemming.  Instead, I just scrunched them or folded them up. 

I didn't want to spend a ton of money on clothes I'd be wearing for just a few months, so my favorite places to shop were Old Navy, Gap, Target, and H&M, which all sell maternity clothes in some of their locations.  (I only bought a couple things online, as trying them on was important, since my body kept changing.)  Old Navy had great basics.  I got one of my favorite pair of jeans there as well as some tops and summer dresses.  Gap was a bit pricey, so I only bought things on sale here.  However, this was a good place for more work-appropriate clothes.  I found a great black wrap dress here, as well as the grey jeans I was wearing above.  

I love Liz Lange's line at Target.  I also shopped here the most frequently because every store carries maternity.  I got some great dresses and tops here, like the one above - I can't believe I was that big towards the end!  I also found really comfortable maternity tank tops which were nice for layering.  I also got a cute bathing suit here, although Old Navy's are definitely lower priced.  H&M's maternity line is called Mama, and they carry some cool and stylish options.  I loved their jeans, but they didn't work fit me as well as Old Navy's, but the price was not that much higher.  It's also harder to find a store that carries it, so I more often bought regular tops that worked with the belly, at my local, non-maternity carrying H&M.  I was interested in checking out Forever 21's maternity line as well, but none of my local stores carry it.  (I read somewhere, that it's only carried in states with high teenage pregnancy rates, so I guess Washington isn't one of those states?)

Towards the end, my foot swelled up and I could no longer fit in my regular shoes.  I am so grateful it was summer by then and that school was out, because it meant I was able to live in flip-flops.  I also had more dressy and supportive sandals, similar to the ones above, that I wore whenever I needed to leave the house.   

Saving money when shopping for baby clothes

Last month I wrote about my exploration of children's consignment stores in Seattle, but how much can it save you?  Being the first in my family to have a baby, I wasn't sure that I'd have anyone to hand clothes down to me so I felt the need to stock up on baby clothes, but the prices can be quite steep.  Since my initial frenzy of buying basics like onesies and footed pajamas, my friends with baby girls have very generously passed on beautiful clothes to me.  This is, of course, the best way to stock your baby's wardrobe if you're lucky.  Now, when I'm at the consignment store, I try to find the best deals possible.

Some examples are shown above.  The first tunic/dress is from Tea.  If you were to buy this new, it would cost approximately $29 or so.  The middle romper is from Hanna Andersen and would probably cost $20 or more new.  The last is from Oilily, the priciest of the three brands, and would run probably $40 new. That would be a total of $89 or so plus tax.  Because these were gently worn by someone else's baby and also off-season (end of summer sale) at the store, this cost me less than $15 total.  That's a savings of over $75 or 84% off retail!  Of course, if you have an aversion to used clothing, you could probably buy these 3 pieces in more generic versions new at the sale rack at Carter's, but aren't these just adorable?  I'm also hoping, I'll be able to trade them in at a good deal for more clothes down the line.

  Another alternative to consignment stores, are outlet stores.  Thanks to Seattle Moms Deal Finder, I found out that Kate Quinn Organics has an outlet store and showroom close by in Kirkland.  Even better, they had a summer special where items were buy one, get one half off.  The regular price of a pants and top would be around $44.00.  Pants by themselves would cost around $30.  For the 3 pants and 1 top above, you'd spend over $100 retail.  At the outlet, most pants and shirts were marked down to $7-12.  With the buy one, get one 1/2 off deal, I spent around $20 for the items above and they were brand new.  Some were even from the current season of clothing - not that the baby will care.  That's a savings of $80 or 80% off retail!  Also, if the baby ends up not using them, I may be able to sell them for more at consignment if they still have the tags attached.
   Again, you could spend even less if you went to a thrift store, a regular consignment shop, or found a mega sale at places like Carter's.  However, if you can't resist getting a few adorable name brand outfits for baby, it's good to know you can do it and still save some money.  After all, the baby will probably only be wearing it a handful of times.  Now, I need to figure out the best system of organization so all these cute clothes actually get worn when baby comes.

Children's Consignment Stores in Seattle

Part of my nesting craze has been focused on getting cute clothes for baby Nam.  We are the first in our family to have a baby, so there are no hand me downs from relatives, so consignment stores have been a great resources to build up a wardrobe for her.  I've also had many generous friends who've passed clothes on to me.  Here's a list of consignment stores I've visited in Seattle.

1.   Me'N Moms: I've gone several times to their Ballard location, but they are also in Issaquah and Lynnwood.  This store has the best prices I've found by far for baby clothes.  They are a great place for basics like onesies, footed pajamas, and receiving blankets.  They also have baby gear like strollers (I spotted an orbit there), cribs, vibrating chairs, etc...  In addition, they have a section of new items.  A friend of mine says they sell any baby clothes they are done with here and use the credit to get the larger sizes they need - all without having to spend much money.  What a great form of recycling!

2. Childish Things: A co-worker recommended this Ballard/Greenwood shop to me.  It's prices are higher, but they have a pretty big selection of cute dresses and shoes and other clothing above and beyond onesies for babies/toddlers/kids.  Even though it's consignment, some of the things for sale still have tags on them.  They also have some baby gear for sale and a sizeable and tempting section of new items.  I found a cute Ralph Lauren dress for baby Nam on their clearance rack for 99 cents!

3.  Sela's Small Couture: I found this little Queen Anne shop because I'm addicted to Macrina Bakery which is across the street, and also love Malena's tacos which is next door to it. They had a lot of cute Janie and Jack, Hanna Andersson, and a few adorable Tea and Oilily items.  I bought the most adorable Janie and Jack sweater there with a turtle zipper pull. There's also a small area with a tv and chairs for little ones to sit in as you shop and one rack of new items for sale.

4.  Kids on 45th: This little shop in Wallingford has pretty good prices and selection.  They have some baby gear for sale too.  A bonus is it's close to Molly Moon's and Fainting Goat Gelato!

5. Le Petit Shoppe: This shop is just down the road from University Village in and it's on the pricier side for consignment, but I guess it's because of the neighborhood it's in (Laurelhurst). I found an adorable seemingly new Winnie-the-Pooh footed pjs here.  There is also another consignment shop a couple doors down that was for women and children that had some cute baby items, albeit a smaller selection.

6. Bootyland: This shop in Capitol Hill seems to have more new than used items available.  Their selection of affordable consignment was pretty slim and not really worth a visit if that is all you're looking for.

7.  Majesty: This shop is actually in Redmond, but it was near work so I checked it out.  It was on the pricey side, but was well laid out and had baby gear as well as clothes. They often list items for sale on Craig's list.

8.  Stella + Jack: This is an online consignment shop based in the Seattle area.  They had a sale at a neighborhood coffee shop in Magnolia a few weeks ago.  They had a lot of high end items (Hanna Andersson, Tea, Kate Quinn), but it with prices to match.  It's usually even more expensive if you buy it online since you have to pay for shipping.  However, they will pick up if you're interested in selling to them.

Places yet to be visited:
- Again and a Gain: A shop in West Seattle I've seen them list many baby gear items on Craig's list, but I have yet to make the trek out there.
- Sugarlump: I encountered some of the items from this shop in Madison Valley/Central District area at a boutique sale at Birth and Beyond, but have yet to go to their actual store.  It looks from their website like they also have a lot of new items for sale.

Do you have suggestions for other places worth a visit?

Fabric Stores in Seattle

I've been engrossed in making things for baby Nam, who is due at the end of August.  Since I've recently developed pregnancy-related carpal tunnel, I've switched from knitting to sewing.  I was able to use some of my small stash to make some taggies and a play mat, but then needed to find more fabric to continue crafting.  Here's a list of places I've visited in the Seattle area.

1.  Ikea: This is an excellent source for affordable fabric!  The selection is limited, but they   have  great bright and modern prints.  Generally, the prices only run about $7.99 a yard - and that's for upholstery weight!  I used the billy goats on a bridge print below to make a pillow cover.  In the kid's section, they also have kid-specific prints in regular cotton for about $7.99 for 3 yards!  I used a cute black, white, and red print from there to make sheets for the co-sleeper and bassinet and still had plenty leftover to make a taggie, some drawstring bags and a burp cloth.

 

2.   Stitches: This is a small fabric, sewing, and knitting store in Capitol Hill that also offers classes.  Although it is smaller than most of the other stores, it's selection is so well-edited that I often find what I want here.  They have an especially great selection of the beautiful echino cotton/linen fabrics from the Japanese company Kokka.  Echino fabrics are pricey at around $18/yard, but I haven't found anything cheaper that is the same in terms of weight (in between cotton and upholstery), design, and color.  Stitches has also been a valuable resource for sewing notions, ribbon, felt, etc...  I used the echino fabric below to make a playmat for the baby.

  3.  Pacific Fabrics and Crafts: The Northgate store is fairly close to me and I've also been down to their SODO outlet, which has a bigger selection of remnants.  This store has a HUGE offering of fabrics, but you have to sort through a wide assortment of cheesy quilting prints.  I do find they have a fairly good selection of kid's prints and flannel (solid and printed).  They also have a fairly large selection of notions and ribbon.  I recently found a coupon for them in the Stranger or Seattle Weekly, which came in handy. I bought the cute grey flannel print there to make a changing pad cover.

 

4.  Nancy's Sewing Basket: I was excited to check out this shop in Queen Anne, but didn't actually get much there.  They did have the same grey animal flannel print above along with several coordinating prints in the same color scheme.  They also have a ribbon room with many fancy ribbon options.  I think it was a bit too high-priced for me overall.  They did have good quality felt there, but it was double regular prices and still wasn't 100% wool.  This is a good place to go for highly specialized items like fancy ribbon, buttons, or fabrics, but I'm not sure it has much to offer for everyday users, unless you live in the neighborhood or have a big pocketbook.  I do like its proximity to Macrina Bakery though!

5.  JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts: Their Ballard store is my go to place for general craft supplies, but I don't actually buy much fabric here.  It is a good place to get sewing supplies/notions, especially when they are having a sale.  They also have a special discount card for teachers!

Up next...I'd like to check out West Seattle Fabric Company.  It's a bit of a trek for me, but I spied some of their selection at the West Seattle street fair and it looked awesome!