https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:44:07 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-45208 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 20:40:21 +0000 heffalump 45208@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cvbee: I took my mom with me to register ... big mistake! She's so old school so she kept telling me I didn't need things, because she never had them. I kept telling her things are different now and people use things like boppies. Hope your mom was a better help! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-45206 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 20:37:35 +0000 skibobrown 45206@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I second the suggestion for lucieslist. That's the main website we've been using to put together our registry. We've also asked close friends who have a similar lifestyle to ours what their recommendations are. I do have to say that the first time we walked into BuyBuyBaby to start registering it was a completely overwhelming experience. We walked out of the store shell-shocked an hour and a half later with about 10 totally random items on our registry. We've found it's much better to add items online from home. Standing in front of an entire shelf lined with bouncy chairs is just too much! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-45179 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 19:07:14 +0000 mediagirl 45179@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MH.Abroad: lucieslist is fantastic! Thank you!<br /> @Mrs. Bee: I love that idea. I will cop to stalking my friends' registries to see what they registered for.<br /> @winniebee: I walked into babies r us today and felt like an imposter. I had no idea where to even start. I took the easy route: I looked at pack n plays and quickly left. I felt like calling my mom and asking her to come visit some weekend so she can help me pick things out. I don't mind doing research online but I'm a very visual and feel type of person so I have to try before I buy, too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-45148 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:53:36 +0000 eeh 45148@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So glad to see all these suggestions. I was just thinking about asking where everyone turned to research their baby gear. Can't wait to see the registries. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-45146 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:49:38 +0000 pastemoo 45146@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i'm so overwhelmed i ve done nothing </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-45112 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:20:57 +0000 tequiero21 45112@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i feel like i've researched a LOT. i did check out all the guides posted on hellobee. started with those and looked reviews up wherever i could find them (mostly on amazon). i looked at the reviews and i typically read the negatives because i want to see if i could live with the negatives. if i feel the negative is too negative, i do searches on others. </p> <p>i did look up friends' registries to see what they registered for and also asked them what they could do without or what they couldn't live without.</p> <p>sigh. so much work. i think i spent a good week on updating my registries and i'm still updating as i go! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-45105 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:59:26 +0000 winniebee 45105@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsMini: LOL, we tried for longer than "average" too so you would think I would have started on this....nope! I like the idea of tackling one item at a time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-45085 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:41:12 +0000 lemondrop 45085@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Bee: Love this! Wish I had been able to use it 4 months ago when registering! Will be submitting ours soon :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-45082 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:34:36 +0000 holdonforonemoreday 45082@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Don't be afraid to buy items off Craigslist if you don't get them at a shower. I bought a Bumbo seat, a swing, bouncy seat and a few other things (including cloth diapers). I found that a lot of people don't really read the registry, they pick out something easy. </p> <p>And if you end buying/registering for your swing, buy/register for one that plugs into the wall. You'll save a lot of money on batteries. </p> <p>I also read the reviews on Amazon. I heart Amazon! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-45068 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:52:01 +0000 MsMini 45068@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Bee: That sounds like a good idea!</p> <p>I started my research by looking at one big thing at a time, I researched the crap out of car seats, then once I decided on one, moved onto strollers, then once I got that picked, switched to cloth diaper research. It seems a lot more manageable when you hit one item at a time. Full disclosure though: I started when TTC, which took us 13 months, so I had a huge head start.</p> <p>As far as other items, I am just looking at the small stuff now, I started by making note of what people were planning on handing down to us, then compared a bunch of different "must have" and "unnecessary" lists, and have been making my registry list from there. I am also not registering for any clothes, blankets, or towels/washcloths, because I know you will get a ton wether they are on your registry or not! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-44986 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:23:42 +0000 lemondrop 44986@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When we went to the actual store to register, we gave ourselves a limit that we would walk through the store and stop when we got overwhelmed. You will have plenty of time to make adjustments. Hello Bee is a resource I wish that I had when registering. I went through the Babies R Us guide that they gave me and crossed out about 2/3 of their recommendations. </p> <p>Also- if it will let you, register for baby books so you don't get as many duplicates that you have to return! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-44979 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:16:36 +0000 mrsjazz 44979@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Bee: That's an awesome idea! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-44973 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:05:47 +0000 winniebee 44973@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Bee: I like this potential feature! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-44972 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:03:10 +0000 Mrs. Bee 44972@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>what do you guys think of a feature, where readers submit their actual registry? just submit a link to your registry, some basic information (due date, gender) and we'll publish all the links? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-44965 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:52:34 +0000 mrsjazz 44965@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I second the Baby Bargains book (they also have a login to reviews on the site). It's my bible. I started with the book, then read reviews on Amazon. I also used Lucie's List of what you should register for as a guide. Then I showed my registry to three of my friends who are new moms. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-44962 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:45:30 +0000 cvbee 44962@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started with 'just cloth diapering', but that led me to lots of related stuff. </p> <p>And then I went to register for a crib, which was the thing I most wanted to set up NOW, and then I hunkered down and continued registering at that same store for all the other stuff, just to keep it simple. </p> <p>Then I asked my Mom what she thought of my registry and she had some criticisms, but they were all things that I had already thought about. </p> <p>The good thing about registering so early is that we can change things all the time and no one will see it! I say go for it and have fun! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-44954 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:28:44 +0000 Stiletto 44954@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you @MH.Abroad for the Lucie's List link! I'm am loving it!! SO helpful when trying to muddle through all of the gear you'll need... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-44953 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:27:24 +0000 heffalump 44953@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I actually did copy a lot off my friends registry. She was having her second baby so she had plenty of real life experience with the stuff. So I looked through her registry, asked questions, and then looked up reviews for everything. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-44930 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:03:13 +0000 Mrs. Yoyo 44930@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee - That's just it. Everyone's lifestyle is different, so you really have to be realistic about what your priorities are. And honestly, so much of it you really don't need on Day 1 ... so don't stress! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-44928 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:02:18 +0000 Mrs. Bee 44928@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>agree with mrs. yo yo -- checking out amazon reviews is a great place to start. i lived on amazon when registering! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-44925 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 10:58:47 +0000 winniebee 44925@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks everyone! It's funny because everyone has SUCH different opinions on the "best" gear that I get easily overwhelmed by what will be "best" for us. I think I'll feel better once I actually start looking. It just seems like it will take so much time! Luckily, we have a long, cold New England winter ahead of us to research : ) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-44889 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:59:49 +0000 MH.Abroad 44889@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well I have no idea if you WANT advice from someone who hasn't even HAD a baby yet, but I have done countless hours of research and reading reviews and talking to people and decided on the list of gear we'll be getting. We have a private amazon wishlist so I don't forget what we chose. Feel free to ask if you care to know. :)</p> <p>As far as good websites, <a href="http://www.lucieslist.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.lucieslist.com/</a> was one of the sites I found helpful.</p> <p>And I really liked the registry on diapers.com as opposed to BRU. They have a good return policy and their online registry is just easier to navigate. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-44887 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:57:07 +0000 Mrs. Yoyo 44887@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Honestly, what helped me most was reading "Baby Bargains" and looking at reviews on Amazon. I would sort each product I was looking at by its ratings and go from there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-44886 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:56:58 +0000 CameronsMomma 44886@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I went through a list of what baby "needs" and what we were being given second hand and scratched the things we were being given off. Everything else I looked at I asked if we thought we'd use it, and when, and if the answer was yes, more than 3 times, we registered for it. Mind you we got A LOT given to us and our registries combined have maybe 50 things on them, ten of which are already bought and some are just luxuries, </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-44884 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:46:10 +0000 prettylizy 44884@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started by asking mom's in knew what they couldn't live without, and what they wish they woulnd't have spent money on. I also asked both my and DH's mom what were life savers for them when we were little. Apparently we were both swing babies, so I made sure to put a swing on our registry that plugged in so we didn't go through too many batteries.</p> <p>Probably the toughest thing to pick was a stroller/carseat, and that just came from website searching. I spent a lot of time reading about strollers, and then I went into a specialty store and had the associate spend a good 30 mins going over the strollers with me. That was something I wouldn't have been able to get at a store like BRU. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/overwhelmed-with-gear-and-registering#post-44881 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:36:44 +0000 winniebee 44881@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't started looking at any gear or registry stuff. I'm starting to get overwhelmed! I'm only 19 weeks and know that we have plenty of time....but the thought of researching and looking is so overwhelming to me where there are just SO many options! I feel like just copying one of my friend's registries!! </p> <p>So, where did you begin? Websites to look at? Reviews? Gah. </p>