When getting ready for your bundle or joy, mothers and fathers generally encounter lists of things that "must" be purchased in order to be prepared for welcoming a newborn home. I have found in my experience that these lists are really not that helpful. Instead, I have found advice from friends to be much more valuable. Also, living in Japan and having a very different lifestyle than the average American has led to a lot less money spent on baby things.
There are a number of "musts" that due to my lifestyle, I just don't need.
1. Baby monitor - Our apartment has three main rooms. There are three sets of sliding doors. One set of doors has been removed in order to open up the space. Our apartment is nowhere near big enough to warrant a baby monitor.
2. Car seat - No car. No car seat! Not that we won't purchase a car at some point, but now is just not the time. Since I'll be taking the next year off from work, we thought it might not be a great time to have car payments to make.
3. Changing table - As mentioned above, we don't have a lot of space. Instead of a changing table, I will most likely be using a fold away changing pad in combination with any flat surface... sofa, floor, bed, etc.
4. Baby swing - While I've heard that these can be a godsend (and I'll sound like a broken record!), many of the swings take up far too much space. So in lieu of a swing we're going to get a Baby Bjorn bouncer. While expensive, they take up much less space.
5. Stroller - Now, don't get me wrong, I'll probably be getting a jogging stroller at some point, but for the immediate future I'm not getting a stroller. I'll be doing a lot of baby wearing instead! The more that I see strollers in Japan, the more that I'm convinced I don't want a "regular" stroller. In Japan, strollers block the flow of traffic, are used to carry shopping as often as to carry children, and are generally quite inconvenient to both the operators (moms) and people around them. Also, from what I've seen many stroller handles seem to be positioned really low and mothers and fathers often are hunched over when pushing them. All in all... those are enough reasons to keep me from buying the standard stroller and aspire for just a jogging stroller a bit later on.
I'm sure there are other things that I'm leaving out as far as things I'm not going to be purchasing to get ready for baby... but those are the biggies. Things I still need to purchase... diaper bag, post-bath essentials (nail clippers, q-tips, etc.), baby bath, bedding, etc. So there's plenty of things still to do before baby arrives... Luckily I've finished with work, so I best make my list!!
2 comments:
I never used a stroller for regular "moving baby around" events. Not in the airport, not visiting cities like DC or Chicago (including museums and zoos), not grocery shopping (I don't even put babies in the seat in the cart: germs, yuck!), not at a department store. I have always used a good baby carrier (and I don't even have to explain to you what "good" means): a ring sling, wrap, mei tai, or soft structured carrier (like your Beco, did you get that Beco?). I'm working on yours. Turn out, I have to buy some more fabric in order match the pattern on the body and hood.
Yep, I did get the Beco. Looking at a ring sling as well... there's a maker in Japan that has them for pretty reasonable prices... and I'm waiting on my Moby that my mom picked up from a friend. I'm definitely into the babywearing over strollering. Every time I see moms and dads out with strollers, I swear half the time the child isn't even in it! (Can't wait to see the final mei tai!! Going to be such a treat!)
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