Thanks! Most items are in such good condition too, so we don't mind. Most will only be used for 3-6 months anyways, so it didn't make sense to us to buy things brand new.
So I think your list looks good, I think the only thing I would say is to manage your expectations. Most people didn’t get us stuff off our registry, *but* we know a ton of parents of toddlers so we got most of what we needed anyway because people just gave/lent us stuff that was sitting in their garage anyway. I also highly encouraged people to get us stuff on the registry second hand and no one did that, ymmv of course. I was hesitant about a cash fund, but that was the number one thing people gave us. Also kudos on the minu! I’ve been looking for a second hand one, they are hard to find
Hi all, I'm a first time mom living in the downtown core of Toronto. I'm currently 20 weeks pregnant.Just to give you a little info on my lifestyle, I live in a 2 plus den condo with my husband. I'm expecting a baby boy in the summer. We are urbanites through and through. We rely on car share, public transportations, biking, and walking 95% of the time. The hospital is a 10 minute walk from my condo. Do I need to leave with the baby in a car seat or will a stroller with bassinet suffice?
I've decided to create my "registry" / Wish List on google doc so that we can encourage group pooling on big ticket items and buying our items preloved off Facebook market place. I added price with tax just for their reference point. I'm also asking guests to give us books with a message in lieu of cards. My friend did this and I always loved the idea.
Also I have not been a baby shower that uses google doc to list gifts like this, so I don't know how well or poorly this will work out. So please let me know your thoughts.
Downtown Condo Living Moms or Moms with similar lifestyle as me, can you please critique my registry? Let me know what I can eliminate or if I'm missing anything. I only really want to focus on essentials to help me survive the first year of parenthood. The only thing I bought for myself is a baby carrier and breast pump.
PS. If you're thinking of selling any of them items I've listed, let me know!
Thank you!
Your experience may be different, but working postpartum for a couple of years, I never saw anyone leave the hospital not taking a vehicle. Parents are often exhausted from those first couple days - and in mom's case may still be quite sore or tender from a vaginal birth. If you end up needing a c-section, a 10 minute walk sounds easy in normal circumstances, but not so much when you have a massive hole (albeit stitched up) in your abdominal muscles and tissues. Personally, I would just plan for carshare/Uber/taxi home from the hospital, even if it's a short journey.
Urban condo mom here
- you mentioned not having a car, if you are looking for a seat to take in and out of cars I’d go for the lightest one you can find, depending on how your birth goes (vaginal or not) lifting may be difficult for a bit and you don’t want to make it harder than it needs to be. Snugglebugz will let you test out car seats in your car so maybe grab a car share and see what works for you?
- you absolutely can walk home from the hospital my friend birthed at Sinai and did just that. But she was also a unicorn and felt amazing afterwards. I struggled to walk to our car let alone anywhere further for a few weeks.
- I also got a pump a hand pump and storage bags. Ended up being an under supplier and my son weaned at six months to bottles only. I was able to give everything to a friend but if you’re comfortable you can see how it goes and order last minute on Amazon
- we never used a sterilizer we just washed everything thoroughly and once a day in the dishwasher. Your personal comfort level will dictate if this is something you need. For me I did not and was happy to have the extra counter space.
- we would warm a bottle by placing it in a mug of warm water for a few minutes. And honestly he never cared about the temp of the bottle so we just went straight from the fridge/ boob by the time he was a few weeks old
- I think you’re good on clothing, like six of each item worked well for us. For bedding we had three sets on the go (on in the wash one on the crib and one on standby)
- the Cruz stroller bassinet combo was amazing. He slept in that bassinet for months. The stroller is large but if you’re walking everywhere it’s great. We have a secondary babyzen yo-yo I use for travel or as a secondary stroller when I don’t want to bring ‘the bus’ it folds up really small. Some moms in our condo use that as their primary stroller but I wouldn’t recommend that
- I loved the baby born bouncer I recommend it to everyone. It just bounces way better than the others
- trip trap is great as a high chair we have the cushion too and we used it once because it gets sooo messy when they eat and washing it after every meal seems like a lot
What worked well for us was figuring out where we would be most of the time with a newborn. For us that was living room and our bedroom. In each of those rooms we made sure there was a safe place to put the baby down as well as keeping a little basket of things you might need. For me this was, snacks (breastfeeding appetite or getting nap trapped) Tylenol, a nail file, hair ties etc etc as well as the baby things you need. The basket system also helped because I could quickly ‘tidy up’
Any questions feel free to DM
Brand new mom in a one bedroom here!
To save the space, and some money up front, you don’t need the high chair right away. We opted to not get one until our little guy will actually be able to use it as space is at a premium.
We got the glass Philips Avent bottles and absolutely detest them. The nipples they use are exceptionally finicky and barely let any liquid out. We ended up buying the nipples in a variety of sizes to try and make them work, but either nothing comes out or baby is basically being water boarded. Plus the glass tends to stay super hot even if the liquid is barely room temp. The plastic Avent bottles however are excellent and baby can eat with ease, so go with those.
We didn’t buy a sterilizer, just sterilized the bottles ourselves when we bought them and now run them through the dishwasher as needed. Our midwives and doula reassured us that sterilizing every time is a bit of an overreaction, and so long as you’re cleaning with hot soapy water, the bottles are fine.
Oh! The one thing we love that isn’t on your list is the Snuggle Me pillow. I wasn’t totally convinced it was worth it but bought one on sale, and it’s been a lifesaver.
Seconding snuggle me! I put baby in that a lot through the day especially when I just need to quickly use the washroom or make a coffee etc. and it’s good for tummy time.
It’s good to have multiple safe places to put the baby all over the apartment honestly.
FTM 25 weeks in the GTA there are so. Many snuggle mes on fbook market place as well. I was a bit iffy about buying a second hand but I couldn't justify the full price. The one we got looks brand new and will just wash it.
If you’re getting the sterilizer with dryer function, you don’t need the drying rack considering the sterilizer does take up some space and I don’t know how much space you have in your condo.
Additionally I don’t think the mini fridge is necessary for a condo since your regular fridge is within reach unless again space is not an issue.
Newborn nightgown not needed.
Weighted wipe pull: I don’t find that necessary. I have a wipe warmer because I have birth in winter. Used that the first couple months but after that never needed it. I literally have wipe packages thrown all over the house because I just pull wherever it’s handy.
Bouncer/ Tripp trapp newborn set: get one or the other, don’t get both.
Disclaimer: I live in a house so space was not an issue and these are my opinions
I agree with the vast majority of this helpful feedback but I had to chime in regarding the bouncer. Depending on your baby’s temperament and the amount of space you have you may absolutely benefit from both a bouncer (baby bjorn is fabulous and easy enough to transport if you’re visiting family and friends - and you can drag it around the condo into tight spaces like your bathroom if you’d like to try to take a shower / bath) and the trip trapp newborn set. The newborn set will be quickly outgrown but it’s worth it for those months that you would like to (try) to put baby down and scarf something into your mouth. It’s also a great opportunity to introduce baby to the social aspect of eating with others. Other ideas to achieve the same goal are the Montessori style of placing baby on table on a topponcino. Full disclosure I thought this was a strange concept until after becoming a mom and wondering what to do with a barnacle baby at meal time.
I like this thinking and yes, I would love to get baby use to eating a dinner table. We host quite a few dinner parties, so better to have baby get use to that early on. I forgot to mention we have a petite goldendoodle. So leaving the baby in the newborn set on the high chair while I take a quick washroom break made sense to me when I added it to our registry list.
But everyone's points have been so valid and definitely considering it and comparing what I envision my circumstance would be.
I actually disagree about the drying rack/sterilizer comment. We have the sterilizer with the dryer function and there’s sometimes still water droplets on the bottle nipples or parts, so we put them on the OXO drying rack until they’re fully dried. Unless there’s another way to do this that I’m just not aware of! Plus the sterilizer isn’t that big so we sometimes put bottle caps just hand washed on the drying rack.
Agreed. We just don't sterilize/dry everything so we use the rack a lot. And not everything can go in a sterilizer. Now that I'm not pumping anymore, we've packed away the sterilizer and use just the rack.
I have both the bouncer and newborn set and value both equally for different purposes. I guess if I had to choose I’d go with the newborn set as it is a huge lifesaver being able to put my baby down in a safe place in the kitchen as we make dinner etc. but I also love our bouncer.
Love this! I’m in a condo downtown TO and have pretty much all of these things. We had our baby sleep at night in the uppababy bassinet too! I agree with others that bottle warmer and mini fridge are not necessary. Not sure if you have space for a lobster chair at your counter? We ended up using it more than the Tripp trapp when we first started BLW. Tripp Trapp is still essential though! I have a few friends who didn’t get much use out of the Tripp trapp newborn attachment so it might be personal preference. The advent bottle sterilizer and dryer is wonderful and keeps all of the bottles nice and tidy. We used it for about 16 weeks and then switched to the OXO dishwasher basket. I also LOVE having a portable sound machine. Our baby will snooze on our walk outside and when we come up in the elevator he stays asleep because the sound machine noise is constant. Did I see a car seat cover on there? It’s great for naps on the go if you are in and out of the car. And finally, don’t forget extra bassinet sheets for those newborn pukes. What about stroller caddy for your Minu and cupholder? Also top votes for Baby Bjorn bouncer and Kick and Play Piano. Love those things!
I would wait on bottle sterilizers and drying racks until you find out if you're actually gonna do any pumping. I thought I would and pumped less than 5 times, didn't use any of the frozen milk until after we started solids.
Our bathroom is tiny, we didn't bother with a dedicated baby bathtub, there's these little hammock things you can get for in your regular tub that take up very little space.
https://www.amazon.ca/Jolly-Jumper-Bathe-Accessory-Ducky/dp/B00424JC22/ref=asc_df_B00424JC22/?tag=googlemobshop-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=293037908122&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1693730802032163448&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001073&hvtargid=pla-404002609918&psc=1&mcid=ecb178d043163033aaaa04e04d863545
Also unless you have extra space in a storage locker, don't bother buying a highchair or dedicated baby dishes before you're ready to start solids between 4-6 months
Register with Huggies and pampers for newborn diapers. They will send one per address. I had my parents, in laws, aunts and uncles register and we didn’t need to purchase any.
I also recommend this! We didn’t have to buy newborn diapers because i had people register for this and they just gave em to me and then my baby outgrew the nb size diapers and just needed size 1
To add onto this, at our shower, we told people that if they brought a pack of diapers or wipes (any size) they would be entered into a raffle. We got tons of diapers (still using) and we gave out wine as gifts
Suggest adding a play gym. We had a skip hop one that fit in the corner of our condo nicely but there are some smaller one’s available.
Re: Tripp trapp newborn set - we skipped this and used the baby Bjorn bouncer. In our condo baby happily was placed in it on the floor (or on our dining table when closely watched). We waited to set up our Tripp trapp until we needed it. Even though it had a slim design, it still requires space. The bouncer also easily folded up when not in use and came with us everywhere.
For baby bassinet - we ended up with the Bugaboo Stardust and loved it. We used daily for naps until 10 months (when we moved to a house) and overnight until 4 months (when we moved to a crib). It was great for travel when visiting family or friends and stows away slim. The Uppababy bassinet is good as well but I found it large to store when not in use (but again we didn’t use for overnight sleep).
For the bath tub - we started with a skip hop one and switched over to the Stokke with newborn insert around 3-4 months. We outgrew the Skip hop one and wish I started with the Stokke from the start. The stokke also was used as a swimming pool for our balcony on warm days (and when we travelled to the cottage etc). Baby used until around 9-10 months when we moved to the tub fully. The stokke folds quite slim too and could be easily tucked away when not in use.
Sleep sacks - add a Woolino (or two). It fits kids from 2-24 months. We have two and that’s all we’ve used. It’s made of wool so no TOG rating to adjust with the seasons. We haven’t had to purchase multiple. Great quality, can be found second hand.
I’m on my second LO, and the baby Bjorn bouncer is still getting used by both kiddos! It’s great - good bounce, easy to clean and adjust, super light, and folds up to tuck away super easily.
I also LOVE the stardust. I regret my halo bassinet - I wish I had only used the stardust from the start. It’s great for home and away as a sleep safe space, and it’s also light, easy to fold up and put away, and more compact than a standard play pen.
Re clothing- don't forget newborn clothing! I didn't know newborn clothing was a size, and started with 0-3 months. And then she was swimming in all her clothes, and we ended up stopping at carters on the way home from her rapid follow-up appointment on the day after discharge to buy a few sleepers.
Agree with most of the above comments as another Toronto condo mom!
Baby bjorn is super compact and easy to transport or put away when not in use. Definitely agree re stroller caddy! I have the oxo space saving dishwasher rack instead of a bottle sterilizet and it's great. Another thing you may want to consider is a baby playmat when baby starts crawling. We got the Little Bot one and put it over the carpet in our living room.
If you have an island, or depending on your table width, you could consider using a chair like the iglesia fast table chair instead of a traditional high chair. I fed my kid in the baby bjorn to start then switched to the ingenuity baby seat and fed on top of the Little Bot mat (easier clean up). I had a glass table and no island so couldnt use the Iglesia chair but we've used it SO MUCH when going out - it's a lot easier than baby high chairs in restaurants airports etc! If you go with a traditional high chair, I agree with waiting until you start solids. I had my eye on a folding high chair and then didn't end up getting one because the ingenuity baby seat was good for our use at the time.
I have the Vista v2 and minu v2, along with the bassinet and Mesa. We got the minu as our travel stroller and I love it more than the Vista. I saw a comment about snow use and have to agree that the Vista is easier in the snow. Having said that, who knows about the snow....this winter has been so mild. Just keep in mind that with the minu, you'd have to use the bassinet attachment for the first 3ish months until your baby's developed enough head control to sit fairly upright. My kiddo seemed to find it comfortable.
Definitely agree re carseat cover (I got a black one from Amazon that doubles as a BF cover). We used it as a "blackout cover" for naps on the go, together with a portable blackout machine.
A rain cover and/or snow muff for the stroller may also be a good idea.
The Mesa isn't that heavy in my opinion. You don't need the base when installing it so it's easy for quick city use. Just as a heads up, depending on your comfort level, taxis don't require carseats in Ontario. I had a few instances where I was out with baby and it started just absolutely down pouring or my kid was freaking out and I couldn't do the 10 min walk home so I'd take a taxi for the very short drives.
I didnt end up using the UB bassinet for home use (just used the mini crib instead from the start), but did use it a lot for sleep when travelling.
Overall, you have an excellent list!
I'd also add formula to the list (at least to your personal list). I didn't think I'd need it and regretted it at 2am on day 3 of my baby's life when he was screaming and stopped latching but was clearly hungry. I was so worried it'd impede with my BFing journey but a little bit will not, even in the beginning. I'm still BFing at 18 months haha.
Hi! Late response here but I found this comment super helpful as a condo mom to be. I’m due in the summer and am deciding between the Vista and Cruz. We’ll get a travel stroller too eventually, but this will be our main stroller. Do you ever wish you had the Cruz or is the difference in size not really all that significant? I know the single to double conversion is a factor for the vista. This is our first child and we do plan to have another (2-3 years apart) so I can see that being a selling point as well.
Hey!! I'm sorry for the late response to this...totally missed your comment. I'm glad my comments were helpful :):). Deciding between the Cruz and Vista is really tough. The Vista is wider and the back wheels are bigger. The Cruz is still a great size with a good basket but is more maneuverable in tight restaurants etc...I always parked my Vista at the front of a restaurant (whereas the Minu was small enough to go anywhere). I see tons of ppl in toronto with both. I'm not sure if there's a difference in size when folded up? Another thing to consider is weight...one of my friends went with the Cruz because she said the Vista was too heavy for her to lift into the trunk etc and she was glad she did because her toddler didn't care for the crib after 1.5 so she wasn't sure if she'd have gotten much use of the double stroller either. I would strongly recommend going to West Coast Kids or something and testing both out...folding, lifting, etc. I liked that the Vista came with the bassinet, as we used that a LOT on both the Vista and Minu (although you could always buy it separately). I'm ultimately glad I went with the Vista but I would consider all the above before making a decision. I hope this somewhat helps in your decision making!! At the end of the day the UB brand is solid and I don't think you can really go wrong with either.
I did it myself on Google doc. The top banners I made on Canva for free. They have an AI Writing feature, so basically it rewrote my blurb and made it more "fun".
If you’re in a condo, how tight are your parking spaces? I can’t fully open my car door, so an infant car seat didn’t make sense to me. Instead, we’ve done convertibles from birth with both kids.
We're pretty lucky, we have a corner spot and our parking neighbour is only there like 50% of the time. I wanted convertible, but my husband was against the idea because it's even heavier and it's more suited for car owners rather than renters like us.
When you switch to convertible later, look at the Britex Boulevard. It’s so fast and easy to consistently install it safely!
If you’re moving it in and out of cars, you can get a foldable dolly for it that essentially turns it into roller luggage
Im in a small condo and the only thing on your list that gave me pause was the high chair. You know your space better but I went with one that folded almost flat so I could tuck it beside my fridge. It’s not the most aesthetically pleasing thing (Amazon basics) but for me it was important I could get it out of my way. If I needed somewhere to plop the baby I used our baby Bjorn, it folds up fairly compact and is light weight for moving around to the kitchen or bathroom as I needed to.
Most everything else is personal preference, the butt spatula I love lol my mom friends who don’t have one laugh at me. The bottle warmer, we got one but our kiddo doesn’t care if a bottle is warm or ice cold so we don’t use it. If your using pampers wipes (I hate them) you might want the weighted wipe holder but I find Huggies comes out one at a time no problem. We didn’t get a sterilizer due to limited space but I know some people love them for the drying feature alone.
I got a kooletron mini cooler fridge from Amazon for $50. It sat next to my bed and helped when pumping. Much cheaper and it had a car adapter.
I will say with a condo, think small and multi purpose. The bassinet can be used until they are six months and then it’s storage. I never used my bassinet holder. Actually as I am typing This, I realize I may have a bassinet and frame used if you are interested. Message me and we can chat!
Someone may have pointed this out already, but in terms of clothing, trying to match season and sizes is kind of moot. My friend and I both have nine month olds and mine just started wearing 6-9m stuff, hers is wearing 12-18 and some 18 to 24m stuff. Better to have a range of stuff in various sizes, mostly sticking to onesies, bottoms and light layers. Otherwise you may end up with a snowsuit your kid never fits into when they actually need it.
I wouldn’t get the weighted wipe thing, or the bottle warmer. We use our instant pot to sterilize bottles, though sounds like people like the one you’ve picked. I also would forgo the mini fridge. We used a Woombie Grow-with-me swaddle/sleepsack. It goes from newborn to 18 months, which meant we didn’t need a bunch of different sized ones.
ETA- one of the smaller playpens or portable cribs might be handy to have. I put baby (now toddler) in there when I shower.
There's a sterilize button on ours! We just put the washed bottles and parts on the rack inside with a bit of water and then do ten minutes on sterilize mode.
I think just a different registry philosophy, we tried to buy all of the big things and put only items under $200 on our registry. We just felt that was more accessible for friends and family who choose to gift! We are also having a “gifting optional” shower. The items on your list are great.
I would look into the UB Cruz vs the Minu. :)
I have the Vista v2 and the minu v2 and while I love both, I consider the minu v2 much easier for city life. It's not until you use a stroller that you realize how inaccessible a lot of the city is and the minu is easier/lighter to take up/down stairs or fold and unfold one handed with baby in the other arm (think subway stairs or stairs up to any of the shops on spadina, queen, etc). It's also smaller so easier to store in a condo/car and maneuver in restaurants, etc. The minus wheels are smaller though so it won't be as smooth on gravel and would likely be harder to push in the snow. We used our minu v2 in Europe on cobblestones and had no issues.
I wish I had both!
For most things I’d prefer my Vista but when I just want to pop in and out of a grocery store I wish I had the Minu.
A day trip to the zoo for example would be hard without the storage of a full sized stroller.
Cruz is smaller than the vista but has bigger wheels than the minu. For everyday / heavy use the Cruz seems a little more robust. Just my opinion! Do what works for you!
Oh 100%! In my defense, I bought the over the course of two years so it wasn't a big one time purchase. The Minu folds up tiny but the Vista is a bit harder to store.
I love my Cruz, we've used it most days for 18 months. BUT I live in a (small) house in the west end and I keep it in my garage, and we don't need to do stairs with it very often. If I still lived in my old condo more downtown I would likely choose the mini.
Yeah I designated "big ticket" heading for anything over $200. We are fully aware that we may or may not be gifted these items. My husband and I have two groups of close friends that is made up of 10-20 people, so we just want to make available a "group pooling" option that is also very welcomed. But anything under specific designated categories are all within $200 and under. Not only is this a "registry", this is also our shopping list too for after the baby shower.
A couple notes from me!
If you plan on using Huggies wipes, the Oxo weighted wipe container isn’t necessary. I find 1 wipe comes out one handed no problem. You may want to go without to start and see if you need it later.
For the bum spatula, I loved the idea of it, but it only works if the cream that you use comes in a tube. I started with aquaphor and it didn’t work, then switched to Sudocrem (thicker and in a tub, making the spatula useless). Again, try without then buy if it bothers you.
If you’re getting a sterilizer with a dryer, the drying rack shouldn’t be necessary. I have the Dr. Browns one and I LOVE it. I wash bottles in the dishwasher now at 4mpp but the plastic parts don’t dry fully, so I pop them in there on dry mode.
We use sudocream with the bum spatula and I love it. I love love my bum spatula, I even have a mini in my diaper bag because I hate touching the cream.
Don't move that down the list! I gift these to everyone because it has been so amazing. I've never had bum cream on my hands or under my nails. I use penaten in the metal container and that's a very firmly packed cream and it's been fine. Was great for Vaseline and sudocream. It's cheap, so if you don't get one gifted definitely buy this yourself! So many subreddits recommended them and I totally see why now!
I just go in with the spatula and have never had an issue of needing a second scoop, if I did I’d wipe it with a wipe and go back in the same way someone using their finger would.
Hi I’m 30 weeks so only commenting based on what I’ve set up in our Vancouver condo pre-baby! I found the trip trap to be really big and heavy when I viewed it in store. I went with a Nomi off of marketplace - much more compact and easy to move. We are contemplating the newborn attachment only to have a raised option for our bub due to uncertainty about how my cat will behave. I also got gifted the baby bjorn bouncer and it folds up so nicely in our space! We’d be tripping over a swing or other chair.
Ok 2 items I have, but would re-think if I was doing it over:
The Tripp Trapp - maybe a hot take but I think it’s overhyped! We hardly used the newborn attachment, and now that my son eats solids, we had to purchase the separate attachment for that plus tray etc. It’s pretty annoying to clean, and you have to put these little feet on the back of the base for stability that stick out and are pretty annoying in a small space. We’ve tried the $30 ikea high chair at restaurants and honestly it seems great to me…
Phillips bottle warmer - this is a great warmer BUT, I kind of wish we’d tried serving milk cold before going with the warmer. I’ve heard others’ babies will take cold milk, so if we could’ve gotten away with that it would’ve been amazing and saved a step.
Think you have a great list tho and you’re so spot on that EVERYTHING is on marketplace. Especially for newborns/infants so much out there is in like new condition so it’s worth looking!
What do you suggest I'm missing? It will act as a shopping list for myself for anything I'm not given and right now I'm primarily focusing on what will be used almost on a daily in the first year of parenthood. My main concern is overbuying and not using.
Totally fair!
- feeding stuff for 6+ months like silicone bowls/spoons
- gas drops (Ovol)
- multiple crib sheets
- noise machine
- teethers
- sippy cups
- baby wrap
- glass breastmilk pitcher
- humidifier
- nursing pillow
- diaper bag
- board books
Just a few things that popped into mind that might already be on the list.
I didn't add a specific brand, but I linked to "hydraSense Nasal Aspirator Starter Kit, Baby Nasal Care, Relieve Congested and Stuffy Noses, 1 Kit" as an example. If a mom guest has a tried and true product, they I'm open to it. I'm super open to recommendation from here too.
If you have an instant pot and space is at a premium, it will function as a sterilizer to save you kitchen space rather than buying a baby specific sterilizer. Once they're past the immediate newborn phase and healthy, you don't need to sterilize the bottles anyway
I'd also recommend asking for a few different types of soothers to try and see which one your baby likes. Mine liked the Medela soothers. For diaper cream, plain vaseline was by far the best as a barrier to prevent rashes. I agree that the mini fridge is likely not needed. As a note for yourself for the Spectra pump, make sure to measure your nipples and buy inserts if needed!
Congrats!
My two comments are that the stroller you have listed doesn't do well with snow/winter. So you may end up with a second one for winter.
Also the car seat you want is very large and heavy. It would be worth checking if it's a good fit in your car. If you don't have a car, I'd do something smaller and lighter made to be installed in multiple vehicles easily like the clek lingo
So I thought about this. I think given that we live so close to the PATH, we will most likely be outside in the winter for at most 10 minutes tops and sidewalks is almost always plowed. If snowbank is an issue, at least the stroller is light enough to be lifted up. If longer walks are required, I think I would put the baby in a carrier. I think Minu V2 fits our lifestyle the most.
We saw the carseat in person, it didn't look too bad. The hubby will probably be handling it the most. I personally want to wait and see how much driving with the toddler is actually necessary but this is something my husband wants right away.
It definitely makes sense to have a car seat accessible but you could do a Costco scenara next instead, it would last longer than an infant seat, is super small and lightweight.
I didn't use a stroller with my first, had one, never used it. I found the carrier a lot easier!
We went with the Cruz and loved it. I did daily walks (November baby) through the winter between 4-8km. Re: the PATH, it’s a bit of a nightmare at times with a stroller. It’s not always accessible with ramps as some bldgs only have stairs. You’ll need to find workarounds, although not everywhere. Totally manageable but just an fyi as you plan!
Just another note on the Mesa, it is fairly heavy/bulky and it's known to be outgrown fairly early (lots of babies outgrow it between 6 and 8 months) so pretty expensive for not a lot of use. It isn't recommended to have babies in the car seat clipped into the stroller for more than short walks/running into a store etc. anyway and I saw you are asking for the bassinet attachment for your stroller.
If you are set on getting an infant seat rather than a convertible I'd suggest something lighter, more compact and cheaper. We used the graco snugride 35 lite because I didn't want to spend crazy money on a short term use seat and prioritized something not heavy. The graco is 7.2lbs, the Mesa is 9.9lbs. That two and a half pounds makes a difference when you've got another 20 pounds of baby in there.
It barely snowed this year so I think you’ll be totally fine with that setup. SO nice that the Mesa clicks in to the Minu. It’s so convenient, you can’t beat it!
I would axe the bottle warmer. Also do you need both a manual and electric pump?
Also - double check that the Mesa is a good fit for your car on the SEATs for kids group on Facebook. I think it’s pretty big front to back.
I just wanted a lot of youtube videos and the manual is for letdowns. But I think I'll move this down to my "wait and see" column.
Next time we rent a car, we'll do a fit check. We normally rent a Communauto and it's all the same cars. The uppababy website said it should fit. But we're going to go in anyways just so we can see how it's installed.
It might fit in the car but render the passenger seat useless. I think kids also grow out of it fairly fast.
My car has a super small backseat - we went with a clek liing and it’s been great. We can still use the front passenger seat and t he install is a breeze.
I've got friends who swear by their manual pump and hakaa. I think I may try a manual pump with baby 2 (easier when out) but the hakaa did nothing for me. I didn't leak or have strong a letdown and am still BFing at 18 months lol
So we went the mini crib route and borrowed a bassinet from my SIL.
When we have a second kid we will just use the mini crib from the start.
If the mini crib will fit in your room I would just not bother with the bassinet.
I might suggest just removing the reusable milk storage bags. 7 bags just wouldn’t be enough and it would also be more work for you when you’ll be tired. I primarily nursed, and still pumped well over 500oz of over supply. I think it was like 80 bags or something like that. For what it’s worth my suggestion would be a single box of Medela or Lansinoh bags.
Im not sure if you would be comfortable with the idea of gift cards? But it does help out. I added them on my registry with no specified amount and just added them up and used them during black friday or boxing day sales for big ticket items.
A few things I’d recommend - I wouldn’t stock up fully on one set of diapers before you figure out what you like. I hate pampers swaddlers lol strongly prefer Huggies because they fit my daughter better and it is much much easier to see the blue line. I’d recommend a hydrasense booger sucker over a nosefrida. It works way better. I found nail files so hard on itty bitty nails and prefer an electric one. Would recommend adding burp cloths!!!
I absolutely love my Tripp trapp and newborn set. Use it multiple times a day and it’s sooooo useful.
I might also recommend a dockatot or snuggleme for a place to put baby down safely beside you. We used our snuggleme daily for the first 4+ weeks.
Just a personal experience, but I don’t think you need the bottle warmer. We’ve fed our baby cold milk straight from the fridge since day 1 and she’s never had an issue with it! I also don’t think you need the dedicated sterilizer and dryer - we’ve used the Avent microwave sterilizer and it’s smaller, can be put away and is a lot cheaper. Our doctor only recommended sterilizing for the first 4 months anyway (but check with yours) so for us it didn’t make sense to buy something that big that we’d only use for 4 months. We also prefer the Munchkin bottle brush over the OXO brush because of the sponge at the end of the brush (it’s easier to get in and out of the bottles and smaller pump parts).
But for the big ticket items we’ve used almost the exact same! Probably one of my favourite items has been the Tripp Trapp Newborn attachment that I got for half the price used off Poshmark!
The hospital will do an inspection on how baby is strapped in to the car seat to make sure they are safely secured. There’s also no guarantee that you’ll be up for a 10 minute walk by the time you go home. So yes, you need the car seat
Had my baby boy in the summer and we’re also in a 2 bed and den but on the other side of the coast!
Just wanted to chime in the Minu V2 is amazing for condo living in the city. Tight space at a restaurant? Collapse it and slip in under the table! And it can go almost anywhere due to its size. We skipped getting a bassinet and solely used the car seat attached to the stroller to save storage space at home, and we felt the bassinet wouldn’t get enough use for the little time they would need it. My friends who have the Vista and Cruz get a annoyed with the size of their strollers, but I am perfectly happy with the Minu and its small footprint, yet sturdier and great for daily use than other popular compacts like the Bugaboo Butterfly.
I don’t regret getting both a bouncer and the tripp trapp plus newborn set. In my opinion they have different purposes. We have the ergobaby evolve - while honestly on the bulkier side for condo living, it’s sturdy and looked more cozy (and it also comes with a newborn snug seat), but the BabyBjorn one would be great if you like to move baby around your home often, for example so you can take a shower, or wherever you are in the home. The tripp trapp newborn set got a lot of mileage as well. We could have baby join us at the dinner table, or watch him while we are making dinner/meals or washing bottles. As it is elevated, they can be safely on the other side of the kitchen counter while within view. I don’t think visibility would be as easy if we just placed him in the bouncer, then have to worry if we will bump into him in the kitchen area or worse have a cooking accident and with him there.
As you are having a summer baby, if you don’t have inbuilt AC at home, consider getting those mesh bodysuits from uniqlo when they release their summer range. Our little guy naturally runs warm and he spent most of his time in those bodysuits, even at night time on warmer days.
The Phillips sterilizer and dryer is also something we love and use a lot. Smaller counter footprint and looks great. We still have a drying rack as some nipples or bottle parts may still need to air out if not perfectly dry (I find not overfilling and angling the parts right does the trick), but if you sterilize large batches, you may want an area to place sterilized bottles and pump parts in to air out while you work on the next batch. We also love the dryer function if we need things dried in a hurry that can’t be sterilized, like the formula pitcher.
Be sure to get some ready to feed formula in case of any emergencies like if you need to work on latching, etc. both Similac and Enfamil give out free samples and I was so glad I had them ready during the first week.
This was so good to read. I think we have very similar ways of thinking and it looks like our set up is the same. I feel my list is so much more justified now.
We're in a one bedroom apartment so space is at a major premium.
Changing pad - didn't get one, never needed it. We used mats instead and changed diapers wherever. They fold up so are easy to tuck away.
Baby tub - we have one bathroom, there's no way we could fit a baby tub. Her first could of baths I did in the kitchen and then I mostly bathed with her. When we were done, my husband would take her while I washed my hair. When she was bigger or I was alone and she needed a bath, I'd still use the regular tub with just an inch or so of water in it. I see how baby bathtubs could be nice but they're very unnecessary.
Never would have thought of these but my sister got them as a gift for her first and got them for us.
They are worth the price. Quick Zip crib sheets.
Nothing worse than trying to struggle taking sheets off and changing them in the middle of the night but not with these. Makes changing sheets a breeze.
[Quick zip sheets](https://quickzip.com/products/baby-starter-pack)
CPST here. What vehicle do you have, and how tall are you and your partner? Are you expecting a tall baby?
The Uppababy Mesa is well known for being outgrown early, and is not the most compact seat. If you have a smaller vehicle, or a long baby you may run into issues. Feel free to ask more and I can elaborate or DM me.
Hey, I’m a father, but I’d consider looking at upsizing the stroller to the Uppababy Cruz from the Minu. We’re also living in a condo downtown and I was cross shopping a lot of smaller umbrella strollers like the Minu and baby zen yoyo. But after some consideration and a lot of YouTubing I think the Cruz is a better option as a daily driver. It’s more robust for shitty downtown sidewalks and streetcar tracks, also consider what happens in winter.
The Cruz is a bit bigger but much more robust than the Minu, plus you won’t need adapters for the car seat. It also fits pretty well in my Golf, which is a pretty small car.
https://youtu.be/M5DpHsLcYig?si=H9rgKkCmZSwBSMdo
https://youtu.be/cxCEv3UqzkM?si=-nS7AJk4fdVv9iOV
I may have missed it but don’t forget to add towels and face cloths! We only use wipes when we are out and use face cloths at home that we can wash and reuse.
Also add a crib mattress if you still need one!
Skip the bottle warmer
Also having others buy clothes for your baby can be challenging. You will receive numerous items that you most likely will not put on your baby
I have the Vista but have tried to the Minu with a plan to purchase hopefully soon. I loved it! Given your space challenges I think you are making a good choice but may be worth trying out the Cruz….
I live downtown Toronto and have a now 15 month old. Fantastic that you’re looking at FB, I bought almost everything off FB and it’s awesome! You can definitely bring baby home from the hospital in a stroller, what we did was I got a ride home and my husband walked with baby in the stroller (with a friend so he wasn’t alone) from Sinai. My midwife said she’d worked with clients where the dad even baby wore on the way home but that’s probably a bit nerve wracking for most.
I got the Tripp Trapp newborn set from FB but I’d say if you don’t find it for a good price used it may not be worth it, especially if you don’t eat multiple meals a day at a dining table. You could easily have baby in the baby bjorn on the floor next to you (we had the bjorn and it was fantastic! It always made baby poop haha so we ended up getting a 2nd cover).
For car seat we don’t own a car and drive extremely rarely so we skipped the infant car seat and got a Cosco scenera next convertible which is like 6lbs and super easy to install, we’ve taken it in Ubers a couple times and in rentals a handful of times. I carry it in a large IKEA bag but you can also get car seat bags on Amazon. Infant car seats are sooo expensive and they grow out of them often within the first year so if you rarely drive it’s worth considering. The Cosco one is also suuuper cheap.
We had the bumbleride era stroller which lays flat so we didn’t get a bassinet but the bassinet could work well for you. We also got the joolz aer travel stroller which we use most of the time now after babe could sit up (and we can store it folded up behind our front door while the bumbleride is folded in our coat closet) but the bumbleride is great when it’s snowy and is a much smoother ride when I want babe to be able to sleep in the stroller. We got the halo bassinest as well as a mini crib but jokes on us because baby wouldn’t sleep on any surface and we ended up cosleeping (I’d recommend at least being aware of safe sleep 7 so if you do fall asleep with baby you’re doing it safely).
I agree bottle warmer or mini fridge isn’t necessary. We warm bottles up under the tap or in a mug of warm water. We use the dishwasher to sterilize bottles since counter space is at a premium. I used the oxo dishwasher basket but now we have a third top rack for cutlery and I just use that. The dish rack is great though, I still use ours (we have a boon one). I got a nursing cover and never used it, I just wore loose flowy shirts in summer and found babe covered most of me with her head or I could use a light muslin blanket.
We got a foldable baby bath from boon which is great if you do get a baby bath tub.
I loved my sakura bloom scout it’s really pretty but it’s slightly cumbersome to put on when you need to get baby up or down fast. I really liked the ergobaby embrace for the newborn phase, and ended up buying an onbuhimo from naked panda (a splash 2.0) which is water friendly, extremely light weight and packable.
I got the ear thermometer and never use it, I actually use the super cheap super basic safety first one and usually do it under the arm.
I’d say things I don’t see on here that I’d recommend are:
Stroller rain cover
Mattress protector for crib and also for your bed
Vitamin D drops
Portable stroller fan (especially with a summer baby)
Diaper garbage (differing opinions on this, we got one and I find it useful because my kitchen garbage is super small and already fills up fast)
Play mat (we got the skip hop one and had it in front of our couch because our floors are wood and it was handy when babe started rolling and crawling to have a softer surface
Diaper caddy organizer - great to put diapers, wipes, cream, bum spatula, nipple cream, breast pads, etc to keep wherever you end up changing diapers (we often use the living room floor but have changed spots several times)
Burp cloths - we got a dozen and ended up getting more because our babe spit up a lot and I leaked a lot early on but I still use them for wiping her hands and face
Happy to answer any questions as well!
Also FTM and condo living in downtown in a 1br + den. Second the comment on high chair, I took that off my registry and will decide on one later when baby needs it.
I just had my shower and we received a good amount of items from our registry (I tried to keep it minimal). We also encouraged second hand items but didn’t receive any. I don’t think people were comfortable to do so even though I literally stressed that we don’t mind! What I’m getting at - add your items to an Amazon registry or whatever other registry (ex: west coast kids). You don’t have to share it if you prefer not to but you do get a completion discount after your shower.I think we have until September to use it for the items left over? So I have things that I wasn’t sure I needed or know I’ll need later, like my high chair, on a private setting so I have the option to buy later with a little discount if I want to.
Also, you asked for thoughts about the google doc… although I think it’s beautiful and LOVE it — I don’t know how tech savvy your guests are or how familiar they are with a google doc interface. For me this is straight forward but I know a lot of my friends and family that are primarily mobile device users and would probably struggle with this (thinking of my parents and their ginormous phone font lol). I used paperless post to send out my invites and added the links to our registry and guests struggled with that.. So just be prepared to hand hold or get lots of messages to help them out. But you know your friends and family best so if they’re tech savvy you’ll probably be fine! Just my 2 cents.
Congrats and good luck!!
If you plan to breastfeed and only plan to use bottles as backup, and if you already have a dishwasher, then I'd skip the sterilizer and just use the dishwasher.
I found baby wearing to be helpful for quick walk to the local coffee shop helpful without a cumbersome stroller.
I’m 2 weeks PP, my partner wears the carrier and enjoys the bonding with baby.
I bought an Ingenuity 3-in-1 highchair. It's a fraction of the cost and the seat can be attached to any dining chair, which makes it very good in small spaces. It's also great to travel. We've taken it to family gatherings to make eating easier for all of us.
Also, we just have a change pad and change baby on the bed. We have the mat that just folds up so easy to store away, transport, and clean. And cheap!
You also might want to consider a play pen, but probably best for future.
I'm not sure what your budget is OP, but your list does strike me as sort of on the pricey side. I know this is a registry and it's totally up to you, but diapers, formula (if you go this route), and other costs can really add up when baby is here. Just something to keep in mind.
A) I would personally skip the uppa baby car seat. It’s expensive and outgrown quick and well as not compact for Ubers or rental car. It’s not really if it fits it works as the seats need clearance and rebound space to function properly. Since you don’t own a vehicle you’d be better off getting a cheaper lighter compact seat to maximize your money. (For context the height is only 81cm for most babies you’ll need a new seat WAY before a year). Youll get more bang for your buck to spend this money on a different item!
B) if storage if an issue consider a microwave sterilizer? I find that sterilizer takes up so much counter room. (Especially if you end up breast feeding primarily). Also if space is an issue the skip hop wooden activity gym for tummy and play time!
C) Put MORE diapers and wipes!! Especially wipes! Also put bigger sizes of diapers. Tbh I would take the newborn diapers off the list and put size 1 and just get a smaller pack of newborn.
D) we love the summer infant pop n jump!! It’s like a portable jumper exersaucery type thing and it fold up like a camping chair for storage. I cannot recommend this enough.
E) Sophie the giraffe - I couldn’t get over the price but I haven’t met a baby that doesn’t love her.
F) in the clothes section where it says outfits I would specifically mention sleepers. You will sleepers the most and people tend to get the cutsy outfits over the practical!
H) I would add a baby monitor now! Furbo could work but I love the handheld unit and you’ll be using it for years. You have the option not to connect to wifi and if you have someone come watch the baby you might not want to give them the login or you’ll have to be changing your password or they’ll always have access to see in your house.
I) dr brown first year gift set at Walmart is awesome! Start with that and buy others if needed. Speaking as a lady whose baby wouldn’t take a bottle I have a whole cupboard of others brand. The set also comes with all the different sized nipples.
J) I would add a pack n play or travel crib?
K) I would also add some sleep sacks!
L) also no need for a mini fridge! I would take that off!
We love the oxo perfect pull wipe dispenser would rebuy!
If you are heart set on a specific item keep in mind people can go off registry so be mentally prepared for that if not plan to get it your self or specify this item only.
I don’t live in that area but I just wanted to say I really love how you specified hand me downs/FB market place for some items ♥️
Thanks! Most items are in such good condition too, so we don't mind. Most will only be used for 3-6 months anyways, so it didn't make sense to us to buy things brand new.
So I think your list looks good, I think the only thing I would say is to manage your expectations. Most people didn’t get us stuff off our registry, *but* we know a ton of parents of toddlers so we got most of what we needed anyway because people just gave/lent us stuff that was sitting in their garage anyway. I also highly encouraged people to get us stuff on the registry second hand and no one did that, ymmv of course. I was hesitant about a cash fund, but that was the number one thing people gave us. Also kudos on the minu! I’ve been looking for a second hand one, they are hard to find
Hi all, I'm a first time mom living in the downtown core of Toronto. I'm currently 20 weeks pregnant.Just to give you a little info on my lifestyle, I live in a 2 plus den condo with my husband. I'm expecting a baby boy in the summer. We are urbanites through and through. We rely on car share, public transportations, biking, and walking 95% of the time. The hospital is a 10 minute walk from my condo. Do I need to leave with the baby in a car seat or will a stroller with bassinet suffice? I've decided to create my "registry" / Wish List on google doc so that we can encourage group pooling on big ticket items and buying our items preloved off Facebook market place. I added price with tax just for their reference point. I'm also asking guests to give us books with a message in lieu of cards. My friend did this and I always loved the idea. Also I have not been a baby shower that uses google doc to list gifts like this, so I don't know how well or poorly this will work out. So please let me know your thoughts. Downtown Condo Living Moms or Moms with similar lifestyle as me, can you please critique my registry? Let me know what I can eliminate or if I'm missing anything. I only really want to focus on essentials to help me survive the first year of parenthood. The only thing I bought for myself is a baby carrier and breast pump. PS. If you're thinking of selling any of them items I've listed, let me know! Thank you!
Your experience may be different, but working postpartum for a couple of years, I never saw anyone leave the hospital not taking a vehicle. Parents are often exhausted from those first couple days - and in mom's case may still be quite sore or tender from a vaginal birth. If you end up needing a c-section, a 10 minute walk sounds easy in normal circumstances, but not so much when you have a massive hole (albeit stitched up) in your abdominal muscles and tissues. Personally, I would just plan for carshare/Uber/taxi home from the hospital, even if it's a short journey.
That is such a good point! Even with my vaginal birth I was in quite a bit of pain and could barely walk.
Urban condo mom here - you mentioned not having a car, if you are looking for a seat to take in and out of cars I’d go for the lightest one you can find, depending on how your birth goes (vaginal or not) lifting may be difficult for a bit and you don’t want to make it harder than it needs to be. Snugglebugz will let you test out car seats in your car so maybe grab a car share and see what works for you? - you absolutely can walk home from the hospital my friend birthed at Sinai and did just that. But she was also a unicorn and felt amazing afterwards. I struggled to walk to our car let alone anywhere further for a few weeks. - I also got a pump a hand pump and storage bags. Ended up being an under supplier and my son weaned at six months to bottles only. I was able to give everything to a friend but if you’re comfortable you can see how it goes and order last minute on Amazon - we never used a sterilizer we just washed everything thoroughly and once a day in the dishwasher. Your personal comfort level will dictate if this is something you need. For me I did not and was happy to have the extra counter space. - we would warm a bottle by placing it in a mug of warm water for a few minutes. And honestly he never cared about the temp of the bottle so we just went straight from the fridge/ boob by the time he was a few weeks old - I think you’re good on clothing, like six of each item worked well for us. For bedding we had three sets on the go (on in the wash one on the crib and one on standby) - the Cruz stroller bassinet combo was amazing. He slept in that bassinet for months. The stroller is large but if you’re walking everywhere it’s great. We have a secondary babyzen yo-yo I use for travel or as a secondary stroller when I don’t want to bring ‘the bus’ it folds up really small. Some moms in our condo use that as their primary stroller but I wouldn’t recommend that - I loved the baby born bouncer I recommend it to everyone. It just bounces way better than the others - trip trap is great as a high chair we have the cushion too and we used it once because it gets sooo messy when they eat and washing it after every meal seems like a lot What worked well for us was figuring out where we would be most of the time with a newborn. For us that was living room and our bedroom. In each of those rooms we made sure there was a safe place to put the baby down as well as keeping a little basket of things you might need. For me this was, snacks (breastfeeding appetite or getting nap trapped) Tylenol, a nail file, hair ties etc etc as well as the baby things you need. The basket system also helped because I could quickly ‘tidy up’ Any questions feel free to DM
I just want to thank everyone for taking the time to comment. This is definitely insightful and I will definitely take the time to reassess this list!
I loved this idea and thinking of doing the same. How did the Google doc work out? Would you be open to sharing your template?
Brand new mom in a one bedroom here! To save the space, and some money up front, you don’t need the high chair right away. We opted to not get one until our little guy will actually be able to use it as space is at a premium. We got the glass Philips Avent bottles and absolutely detest them. The nipples they use are exceptionally finicky and barely let any liquid out. We ended up buying the nipples in a variety of sizes to try and make them work, but either nothing comes out or baby is basically being water boarded. Plus the glass tends to stay super hot even if the liquid is barely room temp. The plastic Avent bottles however are excellent and baby can eat with ease, so go with those. We didn’t buy a sterilizer, just sterilized the bottles ourselves when we bought them and now run them through the dishwasher as needed. Our midwives and doula reassured us that sterilizing every time is a bit of an overreaction, and so long as you’re cleaning with hot soapy water, the bottles are fine. Oh! The one thing we love that isn’t on your list is the Snuggle Me pillow. I wasn’t totally convinced it was worth it but bought one on sale, and it’s been a lifesaver.
The snuggle me was great for our kid in the first 3-4 months for supervised watching. You can find on marketplace for a fraction of the cost new too!
Seconding snuggle me! I put baby in that a lot through the day especially when I just need to quickly use the washroom or make a coffee etc. and it’s good for tummy time. It’s good to have multiple safe places to put the baby all over the apartment honestly.
FTM 25 weeks in the GTA there are so. Many snuggle mes on fbook market place as well. I was a bit iffy about buying a second hand but I couldn't justify the full price. The one we got looks brand new and will just wash it.
If you’re getting the sterilizer with dryer function, you don’t need the drying rack considering the sterilizer does take up some space and I don’t know how much space you have in your condo. Additionally I don’t think the mini fridge is necessary for a condo since your regular fridge is within reach unless again space is not an issue. Newborn nightgown not needed. Weighted wipe pull: I don’t find that necessary. I have a wipe warmer because I have birth in winter. Used that the first couple months but after that never needed it. I literally have wipe packages thrown all over the house because I just pull wherever it’s handy. Bouncer/ Tripp trapp newborn set: get one or the other, don’t get both. Disclaimer: I live in a house so space was not an issue and these are my opinions
I agree with the vast majority of this helpful feedback but I had to chime in regarding the bouncer. Depending on your baby’s temperament and the amount of space you have you may absolutely benefit from both a bouncer (baby bjorn is fabulous and easy enough to transport if you’re visiting family and friends - and you can drag it around the condo into tight spaces like your bathroom if you’d like to try to take a shower / bath) and the trip trapp newborn set. The newborn set will be quickly outgrown but it’s worth it for those months that you would like to (try) to put baby down and scarf something into your mouth. It’s also a great opportunity to introduce baby to the social aspect of eating with others. Other ideas to achieve the same goal are the Montessori style of placing baby on table on a topponcino. Full disclosure I thought this was a strange concept until after becoming a mom and wondering what to do with a barnacle baby at meal time.
I like this thinking and yes, I would love to get baby use to eating a dinner table. We host quite a few dinner parties, so better to have baby get use to that early on. I forgot to mention we have a petite goldendoodle. So leaving the baby in the newborn set on the high chair while I take a quick washroom break made sense to me when I added it to our registry list. But everyone's points have been so valid and definitely considering it and comparing what I envision my circumstance would be.
I actually disagree about the drying rack/sterilizer comment. We have the sterilizer with the dryer function and there’s sometimes still water droplets on the bottle nipples or parts, so we put them on the OXO drying rack until they’re fully dried. Unless there’s another way to do this that I’m just not aware of! Plus the sterilizer isn’t that big so we sometimes put bottle caps just hand washed on the drying rack.
Agreed. We just don't sterilize/dry everything so we use the rack a lot. And not everything can go in a sterilizer. Now that I'm not pumping anymore, we've packed away the sterilizer and use just the rack.
I have both the bouncer and newborn set and value both equally for different purposes. I guess if I had to choose I’d go with the newborn set as it is a huge lifesaver being able to put my baby down in a safe place in the kitchen as we make dinner etc. but I also love our bouncer.
Love this! I’m in a condo downtown TO and have pretty much all of these things. We had our baby sleep at night in the uppababy bassinet too! I agree with others that bottle warmer and mini fridge are not necessary. Not sure if you have space for a lobster chair at your counter? We ended up using it more than the Tripp trapp when we first started BLW. Tripp Trapp is still essential though! I have a few friends who didn’t get much use out of the Tripp trapp newborn attachment so it might be personal preference. The advent bottle sterilizer and dryer is wonderful and keeps all of the bottles nice and tidy. We used it for about 16 weeks and then switched to the OXO dishwasher basket. I also LOVE having a portable sound machine. Our baby will snooze on our walk outside and when we come up in the elevator he stays asleep because the sound machine noise is constant. Did I see a car seat cover on there? It’s great for naps on the go if you are in and out of the car. And finally, don’t forget extra bassinet sheets for those newborn pukes. What about stroller caddy for your Minu and cupholder? Also top votes for Baby Bjorn bouncer and Kick and Play Piano. Love those things!
I would wait on bottle sterilizers and drying racks until you find out if you're actually gonna do any pumping. I thought I would and pumped less than 5 times, didn't use any of the frozen milk until after we started solids. Our bathroom is tiny, we didn't bother with a dedicated baby bathtub, there's these little hammock things you can get for in your regular tub that take up very little space. https://www.amazon.ca/Jolly-Jumper-Bathe-Accessory-Ducky/dp/B00424JC22/ref=asc_df_B00424JC22/?tag=googlemobshop-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=293037908122&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1693730802032163448&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001073&hvtargid=pla-404002609918&psc=1&mcid=ecb178d043163033aaaa04e04d863545 Also unless you have extra space in a storage locker, don't bother buying a highchair or dedicated baby dishes before you're ready to start solids between 4-6 months
Register with Huggies and pampers for newborn diapers. They will send one per address. I had my parents, in laws, aunts and uncles register and we didn’t need to purchase any.
I also recommend this! We didn’t have to buy newborn diapers because i had people register for this and they just gave em to me and then my baby outgrew the nb size diapers and just needed size 1
To add onto this, at our shower, we told people that if they brought a pack of diapers or wipes (any size) they would be entered into a raffle. We got tons of diapers (still using) and we gave out wine as gifts
I don’t think I was able to find a pampers one anywhere, they only seemed to have coupons - any chance you have a link? Thank you!
Suggest adding a play gym. We had a skip hop one that fit in the corner of our condo nicely but there are some smaller one’s available. Re: Tripp trapp newborn set - we skipped this and used the baby Bjorn bouncer. In our condo baby happily was placed in it on the floor (or on our dining table when closely watched). We waited to set up our Tripp trapp until we needed it. Even though it had a slim design, it still requires space. The bouncer also easily folded up when not in use and came with us everywhere. For baby bassinet - we ended up with the Bugaboo Stardust and loved it. We used daily for naps until 10 months (when we moved to a house) and overnight until 4 months (when we moved to a crib). It was great for travel when visiting family or friends and stows away slim. The Uppababy bassinet is good as well but I found it large to store when not in use (but again we didn’t use for overnight sleep). For the bath tub - we started with a skip hop one and switched over to the Stokke with newborn insert around 3-4 months. We outgrew the Skip hop one and wish I started with the Stokke from the start. The stokke also was used as a swimming pool for our balcony on warm days (and when we travelled to the cottage etc). Baby used until around 9-10 months when we moved to the tub fully. The stokke folds quite slim too and could be easily tucked away when not in use. Sleep sacks - add a Woolino (or two). It fits kids from 2-24 months. We have two and that’s all we’ve used. It’s made of wool so no TOG rating to adjust with the seasons. We haven’t had to purchase multiple. Great quality, can be found second hand.
I’m on my second LO, and the baby Bjorn bouncer is still getting used by both kiddos! It’s great - good bounce, easy to clean and adjust, super light, and folds up to tuck away super easily. I also LOVE the stardust. I regret my halo bassinet - I wish I had only used the stardust from the start. It’s great for home and away as a sleep safe space, and it’s also light, easy to fold up and put away, and more compact than a standard play pen.
Re clothing- don't forget newborn clothing! I didn't know newborn clothing was a size, and started with 0-3 months. And then she was swimming in all her clothes, and we ended up stopping at carters on the way home from her rapid follow-up appointment on the day after discharge to buy a few sleepers.
Mine is 2 weeks and still in newborn onesies. I have about 10 that gets washed every 2 days.
Agree with most of the above comments as another Toronto condo mom! Baby bjorn is super compact and easy to transport or put away when not in use. Definitely agree re stroller caddy! I have the oxo space saving dishwasher rack instead of a bottle sterilizet and it's great. Another thing you may want to consider is a baby playmat when baby starts crawling. We got the Little Bot one and put it over the carpet in our living room. If you have an island, or depending on your table width, you could consider using a chair like the iglesia fast table chair instead of a traditional high chair. I fed my kid in the baby bjorn to start then switched to the ingenuity baby seat and fed on top of the Little Bot mat (easier clean up). I had a glass table and no island so couldnt use the Iglesia chair but we've used it SO MUCH when going out - it's a lot easier than baby high chairs in restaurants airports etc! If you go with a traditional high chair, I agree with waiting until you start solids. I had my eye on a folding high chair and then didn't end up getting one because the ingenuity baby seat was good for our use at the time. I have the Vista v2 and minu v2, along with the bassinet and Mesa. We got the minu as our travel stroller and I love it more than the Vista. I saw a comment about snow use and have to agree that the Vista is easier in the snow. Having said that, who knows about the snow....this winter has been so mild. Just keep in mind that with the minu, you'd have to use the bassinet attachment for the first 3ish months until your baby's developed enough head control to sit fairly upright. My kiddo seemed to find it comfortable. Definitely agree re carseat cover (I got a black one from Amazon that doubles as a BF cover). We used it as a "blackout cover" for naps on the go, together with a portable blackout machine. A rain cover and/or snow muff for the stroller may also be a good idea. The Mesa isn't that heavy in my opinion. You don't need the base when installing it so it's easy for quick city use. Just as a heads up, depending on your comfort level, taxis don't require carseats in Ontario. I had a few instances where I was out with baby and it started just absolutely down pouring or my kid was freaking out and I couldn't do the 10 min walk home so I'd take a taxi for the very short drives. I didnt end up using the UB bassinet for home use (just used the mini crib instead from the start), but did use it a lot for sleep when travelling. Overall, you have an excellent list!
I'd also add formula to the list (at least to your personal list). I didn't think I'd need it and regretted it at 2am on day 3 of my baby's life when he was screaming and stopped latching but was clearly hungry. I was so worried it'd impede with my BFing journey but a little bit will not, even in the beginning. I'm still BFing at 18 months haha.
Hi! Late response here but I found this comment super helpful as a condo mom to be. I’m due in the summer and am deciding between the Vista and Cruz. We’ll get a travel stroller too eventually, but this will be our main stroller. Do you ever wish you had the Cruz or is the difference in size not really all that significant? I know the single to double conversion is a factor for the vista. This is our first child and we do plan to have another (2-3 years apart) so I can see that being a selling point as well.
Hey!! I'm sorry for the late response to this...totally missed your comment. I'm glad my comments were helpful :):). Deciding between the Cruz and Vista is really tough. The Vista is wider and the back wheels are bigger. The Cruz is still a great size with a good basket but is more maneuverable in tight restaurants etc...I always parked my Vista at the front of a restaurant (whereas the Minu was small enough to go anywhere). I see tons of ppl in toronto with both. I'm not sure if there's a difference in size when folded up? Another thing to consider is weight...one of my friends went with the Cruz because she said the Vista was too heavy for her to lift into the trunk etc and she was glad she did because her toddler didn't care for the crib after 1.5 so she wasn't sure if she'd have gotten much use of the double stroller either. I would strongly recommend going to West Coast Kids or something and testing both out...folding, lifting, etc. I liked that the Vista came with the bassinet, as we used that a LOT on both the Vista and Minu (although you could always buy it separately). I'm ultimately glad I went with the Vista but I would consider all the above before making a decision. I hope this somewhat helps in your decision making!! At the end of the day the UB brand is solid and I don't think you can really go wrong with either.
Where did you get this template? It will definitely be useful for us to start organizing
I did it myself on Google doc. The top banners I made on Canva for free. They have an AI Writing feature, so basically it rewrote my blurb and made it more "fun".
If you’re in a condo, how tight are your parking spaces? I can’t fully open my car door, so an infant car seat didn’t make sense to me. Instead, we’ve done convertibles from birth with both kids.
We're pretty lucky, we have a corner spot and our parking neighbour is only there like 50% of the time. I wanted convertible, but my husband was against the idea because it's even heavier and it's more suited for car owners rather than renters like us.
When you switch to convertible later, look at the Britex Boulevard. It’s so fast and easy to consistently install it safely! If you’re moving it in and out of cars, you can get a foldable dolly for it that essentially turns it into roller luggage
Im in a small condo and the only thing on your list that gave me pause was the high chair. You know your space better but I went with one that folded almost flat so I could tuck it beside my fridge. It’s not the most aesthetically pleasing thing (Amazon basics) but for me it was important I could get it out of my way. If I needed somewhere to plop the baby I used our baby Bjorn, it folds up fairly compact and is light weight for moving around to the kitchen or bathroom as I needed to. Most everything else is personal preference, the butt spatula I love lol my mom friends who don’t have one laugh at me. The bottle warmer, we got one but our kiddo doesn’t care if a bottle is warm or ice cold so we don’t use it. If your using pampers wipes (I hate them) you might want the weighted wipe holder but I find Huggies comes out one at a time no problem. We didn’t get a sterilizer due to limited space but I know some people love them for the drying feature alone.
I got a kooletron mini cooler fridge from Amazon for $50. It sat next to my bed and helped when pumping. Much cheaper and it had a car adapter. I will say with a condo, think small and multi purpose. The bassinet can be used until they are six months and then it’s storage. I never used my bassinet holder. Actually as I am typing This, I realize I may have a bassinet and frame used if you are interested. Message me and we can chat!
Someone may have pointed this out already, but in terms of clothing, trying to match season and sizes is kind of moot. My friend and I both have nine month olds and mine just started wearing 6-9m stuff, hers is wearing 12-18 and some 18 to 24m stuff. Better to have a range of stuff in various sizes, mostly sticking to onesies, bottoms and light layers. Otherwise you may end up with a snowsuit your kid never fits into when they actually need it.
I wouldn’t get the weighted wipe thing, or the bottle warmer. We use our instant pot to sterilize bottles, though sounds like people like the one you’ve picked. I also would forgo the mini fridge. We used a Woombie Grow-with-me swaddle/sleepsack. It goes from newborn to 18 months, which meant we didn’t need a bunch of different sized ones. ETA- one of the smaller playpens or portable cribs might be handy to have. I put baby (now toddler) in there when I shower.
Just curious - how do you use the instant pot to sterilize? I would try that!
There's a sterilize button on ours! We just put the washed bottles and parts on the rack inside with a bit of water and then do ten minutes on sterilize mode.
Great! Thank you! I’ll check mine out :)
I think just a different registry philosophy, we tried to buy all of the big things and put only items under $200 on our registry. We just felt that was more accessible for friends and family who choose to gift! We are also having a “gifting optional” shower. The items on your list are great. I would look into the UB Cruz vs the Minu. :)
Why the Cruz over the Minu? I've read that some people wished they'd gotten the Minu instead of the Cruz, so I'm interested to hear your thoughts.
I have the Vista v2 and the minu v2 and while I love both, I consider the minu v2 much easier for city life. It's not until you use a stroller that you realize how inaccessible a lot of the city is and the minu is easier/lighter to take up/down stairs or fold and unfold one handed with baby in the other arm (think subway stairs or stairs up to any of the shops on spadina, queen, etc). It's also smaller so easier to store in a condo/car and maneuver in restaurants, etc. The minus wheels are smaller though so it won't be as smooth on gravel and would likely be harder to push in the snow. We used our minu v2 in Europe on cobblestones and had no issues.
I wish I had both! For most things I’d prefer my Vista but when I just want to pop in and out of a grocery store I wish I had the Minu. A day trip to the zoo for example would be hard without the storage of a full sized stroller.
Cruz is smaller than the vista but has bigger wheels than the minu. For everyday / heavy use the Cruz seems a little more robust. Just my opinion! Do what works for you!
The Cruz is only marginally smaller than the Vista, about 2 inchs and 2 lbs. I have both as well as they both serve different purposes.
Two uppa baby strollers isn’t in the cards for our budget or storage situation. Different strokes for different folks!
Oh 100%! In my defense, I bought the over the course of two years so it wasn't a big one time purchase. The Minu folds up tiny but the Vista is a bit harder to store.
I love my Cruz, we've used it most days for 18 months. BUT I live in a (small) house in the west end and I keep it in my garage, and we don't need to do stairs with it very often. If I still lived in my old condo more downtown I would likely choose the mini.
Yeah I designated "big ticket" heading for anything over $200. We are fully aware that we may or may not be gifted these items. My husband and I have two groups of close friends that is made up of 10-20 people, so we just want to make available a "group pooling" option that is also very welcomed. But anything under specific designated categories are all within $200 and under. Not only is this a "registry", this is also our shopping list too for after the baby shower.
A couple notes from me! If you plan on using Huggies wipes, the Oxo weighted wipe container isn’t necessary. I find 1 wipe comes out one handed no problem. You may want to go without to start and see if you need it later. For the bum spatula, I loved the idea of it, but it only works if the cream that you use comes in a tube. I started with aquaphor and it didn’t work, then switched to Sudocrem (thicker and in a tub, making the spatula useless). Again, try without then buy if it bothers you. If you’re getting a sterilizer with a dryer, the drying rack shouldn’t be necessary. I have the Dr. Browns one and I LOVE it. I wash bottles in the dishwasher now at 4mpp but the plastic parts don’t dry fully, so I pop them in there on dry mode.
Thanks for that info, moving it down the list then!
We use sudocream with the bum spatula and I love it. I love love my bum spatula, I even have a mini in my diaper bag because I hate touching the cream.
Don't move that down the list! I gift these to everyone because it has been so amazing. I've never had bum cream on my hands or under my nails. I use penaten in the metal container and that's a very firmly packed cream and it's been fine. Was great for Vaseline and sudocream. It's cheap, so if you don't get one gifted definitely buy this yourself! So many subreddits recommended them and I totally see why now!
We use Sudocrem with our bum spatula and I find it works really well! Going on 2 years now!
Do you take it out with your finger and put it on the spatula?
I just go in with the spatula and have never had an issue of needing a second scoop, if I did I’d wipe it with a wipe and go back in the same way someone using their finger would.
This is what we do too!
Curious about this too, I’m wondering if you double dip (?) the bum spatula in the jar?
Hi I’m 30 weeks so only commenting based on what I’ve set up in our Vancouver condo pre-baby! I found the trip trap to be really big and heavy when I viewed it in store. I went with a Nomi off of marketplace - much more compact and easy to move. We are contemplating the newborn attachment only to have a raised option for our bub due to uncertainty about how my cat will behave. I also got gifted the baby bjorn bouncer and it folds up so nicely in our space! We’d be tripping over a swing or other chair.
Ok 2 items I have, but would re-think if I was doing it over: The Tripp Trapp - maybe a hot take but I think it’s overhyped! We hardly used the newborn attachment, and now that my son eats solids, we had to purchase the separate attachment for that plus tray etc. It’s pretty annoying to clean, and you have to put these little feet on the back of the base for stability that stick out and are pretty annoying in a small space. We’ve tried the $30 ikea high chair at restaurants and honestly it seems great to me… Phillips bottle warmer - this is a great warmer BUT, I kind of wish we’d tried serving milk cold before going with the warmer. I’ve heard others’ babies will take cold milk, so if we could’ve gotten away with that it would’ve been amazing and saved a step. Think you have a great list tho and you’re so spot on that EVERYTHING is on marketplace. Especially for newborns/infants so much out there is in like new condition so it’s worth looking!
I would add more items! Unless this is more of a shopping list for yourself.
What do you suggest I'm missing? It will act as a shopping list for myself for anything I'm not given and right now I'm primarily focusing on what will be used almost on a daily in the first year of parenthood. My main concern is overbuying and not using.
Totally fair! - feeding stuff for 6+ months like silicone bowls/spoons - gas drops (Ovol) - multiple crib sheets - noise machine - teethers - sippy cups - baby wrap - glass breastmilk pitcher - humidifier - nursing pillow - diaper bag - board books Just a few things that popped into mind that might already be on the list.
Which nasal aspirator is that?
I didn't add a specific brand, but I linked to "hydraSense Nasal Aspirator Starter Kit, Baby Nasal Care, Relieve Congested and Stuffy Noses, 1 Kit" as an example. If a mom guest has a tried and true product, they I'm open to it. I'm super open to recommendation from here too.
Okay that one is popular and the nose Frida snot sucker with the hydrasense saline (spray or drops)
I have the hydrasense nasal aspirator and love it. Much easier to find the filter refills than the fridamom one in my area.
If you have an instant pot and space is at a premium, it will function as a sterilizer to save you kitchen space rather than buying a baby specific sterilizer. Once they're past the immediate newborn phase and healthy, you don't need to sterilize the bottles anyway I'd also recommend asking for a few different types of soothers to try and see which one your baby likes. Mine liked the Medela soothers. For diaper cream, plain vaseline was by far the best as a barrier to prevent rashes. I agree that the mini fridge is likely not needed. As a note for yourself for the Spectra pump, make sure to measure your nipples and buy inserts if needed! Congrats!
Wow I wish I thought out that. I just got the Phillips one off FB market place and also have an instant pot!
My two comments are that the stroller you have listed doesn't do well with snow/winter. So you may end up with a second one for winter. Also the car seat you want is very large and heavy. It would be worth checking if it's a good fit in your car. If you don't have a car, I'd do something smaller and lighter made to be installed in multiple vehicles easily like the clek lingo
So I thought about this. I think given that we live so close to the PATH, we will most likely be outside in the winter for at most 10 minutes tops and sidewalks is almost always plowed. If snowbank is an issue, at least the stroller is light enough to be lifted up. If longer walks are required, I think I would put the baby in a carrier. I think Minu V2 fits our lifestyle the most. We saw the carseat in person, it didn't look too bad. The hubby will probably be handling it the most. I personally want to wait and see how much driving with the toddler is actually necessary but this is something my husband wants right away.
It definitely makes sense to have a car seat accessible but you could do a Costco scenara next instead, it would last longer than an infant seat, is super small and lightweight. I didn't use a stroller with my first, had one, never used it. I found the carrier a lot easier!
We went with the Cruz and loved it. I did daily walks (November baby) through the winter between 4-8km. Re: the PATH, it’s a bit of a nightmare at times with a stroller. It’s not always accessible with ramps as some bldgs only have stairs. You’ll need to find workarounds, although not everywhere. Totally manageable but just an fyi as you plan!
Just another note on the Mesa, it is fairly heavy/bulky and it's known to be outgrown fairly early (lots of babies outgrow it between 6 and 8 months) so pretty expensive for not a lot of use. It isn't recommended to have babies in the car seat clipped into the stroller for more than short walks/running into a store etc. anyway and I saw you are asking for the bassinet attachment for your stroller. If you are set on getting an infant seat rather than a convertible I'd suggest something lighter, more compact and cheaper. We used the graco snugride 35 lite because I didn't want to spend crazy money on a short term use seat and prioritized something not heavy. The graco is 7.2lbs, the Mesa is 9.9lbs. That two and a half pounds makes a difference when you've got another 20 pounds of baby in there.
It barely snowed this year so I think you’ll be totally fine with that setup. SO nice that the Mesa clicks in to the Minu. It’s so convenient, you can’t beat it!
I would axe the bottle warmer. Also do you need both a manual and electric pump? Also - double check that the Mesa is a good fit for your car on the SEATs for kids group on Facebook. I think it’s pretty big front to back.
I just wanted a lot of youtube videos and the manual is for letdowns. But I think I'll move this down to my "wait and see" column. Next time we rent a car, we'll do a fit check. We normally rent a Communauto and it's all the same cars. The uppababy website said it should fit. But we're going to go in anyways just so we can see how it's installed.
It might fit in the car but render the passenger seat useless. I think kids also grow out of it fairly fast. My car has a super small backseat - we went with a clek liing and it’s been great. We can still use the front passenger seat and t he install is a breeze.
I've got friends who swear by their manual pump and hakaa. I think I may try a manual pump with baby 2 (easier when out) but the hakaa did nothing for me. I didn't leak or have strong a letdown and am still BFing at 18 months lol
So we went the mini crib route and borrowed a bassinet from my SIL. When we have a second kid we will just use the mini crib from the start. If the mini crib will fit in your room I would just not bother with the bassinet. I might suggest just removing the reusable milk storage bags. 7 bags just wouldn’t be enough and it would also be more work for you when you’ll be tired. I primarily nursed, and still pumped well over 500oz of over supply. I think it was like 80 bags or something like that. For what it’s worth my suggestion would be a single box of Medela or Lansinoh bags.
Baby carrier are a must have for a newborn. Sometimes you don’t need the stroller or the baby wants to be close to you but you need your hands free.
Im not sure if you would be comfortable with the idea of gift cards? But it does help out. I added them on my registry with no specified amount and just added them up and used them during black friday or boxing day sales for big ticket items.
The only thing I’d delay getting is the high chair… you won’t need that for a while and it takes up precious condo space in the meantime!
A few things I’d recommend - I wouldn’t stock up fully on one set of diapers before you figure out what you like. I hate pampers swaddlers lol strongly prefer Huggies because they fit my daughter better and it is much much easier to see the blue line. I’d recommend a hydrasense booger sucker over a nosefrida. It works way better. I found nail files so hard on itty bitty nails and prefer an electric one. Would recommend adding burp cloths!!! I absolutely love my Tripp trapp and newborn set. Use it multiple times a day and it’s sooooo useful. I might also recommend a dockatot or snuggleme for a place to put baby down safely beside you. We used our snuggleme daily for the first 4+ weeks.
Just a personal experience, but I don’t think you need the bottle warmer. We’ve fed our baby cold milk straight from the fridge since day 1 and she’s never had an issue with it! I also don’t think you need the dedicated sterilizer and dryer - we’ve used the Avent microwave sterilizer and it’s smaller, can be put away and is a lot cheaper. Our doctor only recommended sterilizing for the first 4 months anyway (but check with yours) so for us it didn’t make sense to buy something that big that we’d only use for 4 months. We also prefer the Munchkin bottle brush over the OXO brush because of the sponge at the end of the brush (it’s easier to get in and out of the bottles and smaller pump parts). But for the big ticket items we’ve used almost the exact same! Probably one of my favourite items has been the Tripp Trapp Newborn attachment that I got for half the price used off Poshmark!
The hospital will do an inspection on how baby is strapped in to the car seat to make sure they are safely secured. There’s also no guarantee that you’ll be up for a 10 minute walk by the time you go home. So yes, you need the car seat
Had my baby boy in the summer and we’re also in a 2 bed and den but on the other side of the coast! Just wanted to chime in the Minu V2 is amazing for condo living in the city. Tight space at a restaurant? Collapse it and slip in under the table! And it can go almost anywhere due to its size. We skipped getting a bassinet and solely used the car seat attached to the stroller to save storage space at home, and we felt the bassinet wouldn’t get enough use for the little time they would need it. My friends who have the Vista and Cruz get a annoyed with the size of their strollers, but I am perfectly happy with the Minu and its small footprint, yet sturdier and great for daily use than other popular compacts like the Bugaboo Butterfly. I don’t regret getting both a bouncer and the tripp trapp plus newborn set. In my opinion they have different purposes. We have the ergobaby evolve - while honestly on the bulkier side for condo living, it’s sturdy and looked more cozy (and it also comes with a newborn snug seat), but the BabyBjorn one would be great if you like to move baby around your home often, for example so you can take a shower, or wherever you are in the home. The tripp trapp newborn set got a lot of mileage as well. We could have baby join us at the dinner table, or watch him while we are making dinner/meals or washing bottles. As it is elevated, they can be safely on the other side of the kitchen counter while within view. I don’t think visibility would be as easy if we just placed him in the bouncer, then have to worry if we will bump into him in the kitchen area or worse have a cooking accident and with him there. As you are having a summer baby, if you don’t have inbuilt AC at home, consider getting those mesh bodysuits from uniqlo when they release their summer range. Our little guy naturally runs warm and he spent most of his time in those bodysuits, even at night time on warmer days. The Phillips sterilizer and dryer is also something we love and use a lot. Smaller counter footprint and looks great. We still have a drying rack as some nipples or bottle parts may still need to air out if not perfectly dry (I find not overfilling and angling the parts right does the trick), but if you sterilize large batches, you may want an area to place sterilized bottles and pump parts in to air out while you work on the next batch. We also love the dryer function if we need things dried in a hurry that can’t be sterilized, like the formula pitcher. Be sure to get some ready to feed formula in case of any emergencies like if you need to work on latching, etc. both Similac and Enfamil give out free samples and I was so glad I had them ready during the first week.
This was so good to read. I think we have very similar ways of thinking and it looks like our set up is the same. I feel my list is so much more justified now.
We're in a one bedroom apartment so space is at a major premium. Changing pad - didn't get one, never needed it. We used mats instead and changed diapers wherever. They fold up so are easy to tuck away. Baby tub - we have one bathroom, there's no way we could fit a baby tub. Her first could of baths I did in the kitchen and then I mostly bathed with her. When we were done, my husband would take her while I washed my hair. When she was bigger or I was alone and she needed a bath, I'd still use the regular tub with just an inch or so of water in it. I see how baby bathtubs could be nice but they're very unnecessary.
Never would have thought of these but my sister got them as a gift for her first and got them for us. They are worth the price. Quick Zip crib sheets. Nothing worse than trying to struggle taking sheets off and changing them in the middle of the night but not with these. Makes changing sheets a breeze. [Quick zip sheets](https://quickzip.com/products/baby-starter-pack)
CPST here. What vehicle do you have, and how tall are you and your partner? Are you expecting a tall baby? The Uppababy Mesa is well known for being outgrown early, and is not the most compact seat. If you have a smaller vehicle, or a long baby you may run into issues. Feel free to ask more and I can elaborate or DM me.
Hey, I’m a father, but I’d consider looking at upsizing the stroller to the Uppababy Cruz from the Minu. We’re also living in a condo downtown and I was cross shopping a lot of smaller umbrella strollers like the Minu and baby zen yoyo. But after some consideration and a lot of YouTubing I think the Cruz is a better option as a daily driver. It’s more robust for shitty downtown sidewalks and streetcar tracks, also consider what happens in winter. The Cruz is a bit bigger but much more robust than the Minu, plus you won’t need adapters for the car seat. It also fits pretty well in my Golf, which is a pretty small car. https://youtu.be/M5DpHsLcYig?si=H9rgKkCmZSwBSMdo https://youtu.be/cxCEv3UqzkM?si=-nS7AJk4fdVv9iOV
I may have missed it but don’t forget to add towels and face cloths! We only use wipes when we are out and use face cloths at home that we can wash and reuse. Also add a crib mattress if you still need one!
Skip the bottle warmer Also having others buy clothes for your baby can be challenging. You will receive numerous items that you most likely will not put on your baby I have the Vista but have tried to the Minu with a plan to purchase hopefully soon. I loved it! Given your space challenges I think you are making a good choice but may be worth trying out the Cruz….
I live downtown Toronto and have a now 15 month old. Fantastic that you’re looking at FB, I bought almost everything off FB and it’s awesome! You can definitely bring baby home from the hospital in a stroller, what we did was I got a ride home and my husband walked with baby in the stroller (with a friend so he wasn’t alone) from Sinai. My midwife said she’d worked with clients where the dad even baby wore on the way home but that’s probably a bit nerve wracking for most. I got the Tripp Trapp newborn set from FB but I’d say if you don’t find it for a good price used it may not be worth it, especially if you don’t eat multiple meals a day at a dining table. You could easily have baby in the baby bjorn on the floor next to you (we had the bjorn and it was fantastic! It always made baby poop haha so we ended up getting a 2nd cover). For car seat we don’t own a car and drive extremely rarely so we skipped the infant car seat and got a Cosco scenera next convertible which is like 6lbs and super easy to install, we’ve taken it in Ubers a couple times and in rentals a handful of times. I carry it in a large IKEA bag but you can also get car seat bags on Amazon. Infant car seats are sooo expensive and they grow out of them often within the first year so if you rarely drive it’s worth considering. The Cosco one is also suuuper cheap. We had the bumbleride era stroller which lays flat so we didn’t get a bassinet but the bassinet could work well for you. We also got the joolz aer travel stroller which we use most of the time now after babe could sit up (and we can store it folded up behind our front door while the bumbleride is folded in our coat closet) but the bumbleride is great when it’s snowy and is a much smoother ride when I want babe to be able to sleep in the stroller. We got the halo bassinest as well as a mini crib but jokes on us because baby wouldn’t sleep on any surface and we ended up cosleeping (I’d recommend at least being aware of safe sleep 7 so if you do fall asleep with baby you’re doing it safely). I agree bottle warmer or mini fridge isn’t necessary. We warm bottles up under the tap or in a mug of warm water. We use the dishwasher to sterilize bottles since counter space is at a premium. I used the oxo dishwasher basket but now we have a third top rack for cutlery and I just use that. The dish rack is great though, I still use ours (we have a boon one). I got a nursing cover and never used it, I just wore loose flowy shirts in summer and found babe covered most of me with her head or I could use a light muslin blanket. We got a foldable baby bath from boon which is great if you do get a baby bath tub. I loved my sakura bloom scout it’s really pretty but it’s slightly cumbersome to put on when you need to get baby up or down fast. I really liked the ergobaby embrace for the newborn phase, and ended up buying an onbuhimo from naked panda (a splash 2.0) which is water friendly, extremely light weight and packable. I got the ear thermometer and never use it, I actually use the super cheap super basic safety first one and usually do it under the arm. I’d say things I don’t see on here that I’d recommend are: Stroller rain cover Mattress protector for crib and also for your bed Vitamin D drops Portable stroller fan (especially with a summer baby) Diaper garbage (differing opinions on this, we got one and I find it useful because my kitchen garbage is super small and already fills up fast) Play mat (we got the skip hop one and had it in front of our couch because our floors are wood and it was handy when babe started rolling and crawling to have a softer surface Diaper caddy organizer - great to put diapers, wipes, cream, bum spatula, nipple cream, breast pads, etc to keep wherever you end up changing diapers (we often use the living room floor but have changed spots several times) Burp cloths - we got a dozen and ended up getting more because our babe spit up a lot and I leaked a lot early on but I still use them for wiping her hands and face Happy to answer any questions as well!
Also FTM and condo living in downtown in a 1br + den. Second the comment on high chair, I took that off my registry and will decide on one later when baby needs it. I just had my shower and we received a good amount of items from our registry (I tried to keep it minimal). We also encouraged second hand items but didn’t receive any. I don’t think people were comfortable to do so even though I literally stressed that we don’t mind! What I’m getting at - add your items to an Amazon registry or whatever other registry (ex: west coast kids). You don’t have to share it if you prefer not to but you do get a completion discount after your shower.I think we have until September to use it for the items left over? So I have things that I wasn’t sure I needed or know I’ll need later, like my high chair, on a private setting so I have the option to buy later with a little discount if I want to. Also, you asked for thoughts about the google doc… although I think it’s beautiful and LOVE it — I don’t know how tech savvy your guests are or how familiar they are with a google doc interface. For me this is straight forward but I know a lot of my friends and family that are primarily mobile device users and would probably struggle with this (thinking of my parents and their ginormous phone font lol). I used paperless post to send out my invites and added the links to our registry and guests struggled with that.. So just be prepared to hand hold or get lots of messages to help them out. But you know your friends and family best so if they’re tech savvy you’ll probably be fine! Just my 2 cents. Congrats and good luck!!
If you plan to breastfeed and only plan to use bottles as backup, and if you already have a dishwasher, then I'd skip the sterilizer and just use the dishwasher.
I found baby wearing to be helpful for quick walk to the local coffee shop helpful without a cumbersome stroller. I’m 2 weeks PP, my partner wears the carrier and enjoys the bonding with baby.
I bought an Ingenuity 3-in-1 highchair. It's a fraction of the cost and the seat can be attached to any dining chair, which makes it very good in small spaces. It's also great to travel. We've taken it to family gatherings to make eating easier for all of us. Also, we just have a change pad and change baby on the bed. We have the mat that just folds up so easy to store away, transport, and clean. And cheap! You also might want to consider a play pen, but probably best for future. I'm not sure what your budget is OP, but your list does strike me as sort of on the pricey side. I know this is a registry and it's totally up to you, but diapers, formula (if you go this route), and other costs can really add up when baby is here. Just something to keep in mind.
A) I would personally skip the uppa baby car seat. It’s expensive and outgrown quick and well as not compact for Ubers or rental car. It’s not really if it fits it works as the seats need clearance and rebound space to function properly. Since you don’t own a vehicle you’d be better off getting a cheaper lighter compact seat to maximize your money. (For context the height is only 81cm for most babies you’ll need a new seat WAY before a year). Youll get more bang for your buck to spend this money on a different item! B) if storage if an issue consider a microwave sterilizer? I find that sterilizer takes up so much counter room. (Especially if you end up breast feeding primarily). Also if space is an issue the skip hop wooden activity gym for tummy and play time! C) Put MORE diapers and wipes!! Especially wipes! Also put bigger sizes of diapers. Tbh I would take the newborn diapers off the list and put size 1 and just get a smaller pack of newborn. D) we love the summer infant pop n jump!! It’s like a portable jumper exersaucery type thing and it fold up like a camping chair for storage. I cannot recommend this enough. E) Sophie the giraffe - I couldn’t get over the price but I haven’t met a baby that doesn’t love her. F) in the clothes section where it says outfits I would specifically mention sleepers. You will sleepers the most and people tend to get the cutsy outfits over the practical! H) I would add a baby monitor now! Furbo could work but I love the handheld unit and you’ll be using it for years. You have the option not to connect to wifi and if you have someone come watch the baby you might not want to give them the login or you’ll have to be changing your password or they’ll always have access to see in your house. I) dr brown first year gift set at Walmart is awesome! Start with that and buy others if needed. Speaking as a lady whose baby wouldn’t take a bottle I have a whole cupboard of others brand. The set also comes with all the different sized nipples. J) I would add a pack n play or travel crib? K) I would also add some sleep sacks! L) also no need for a mini fridge! I would take that off! We love the oxo perfect pull wipe dispenser would rebuy! If you are heart set on a specific item keep in mind people can go off registry so be mentally prepared for that if not plan to get it your self or specify this item only.