OK, I have been a bad blogger lately, but tomorrow is a new month, and I'm going to get back into my writing routine. This month I have been amazed at how much crap the baby industry has convinced the people around me that I am going to need. I am not even halfway through the pregnancy, and I refuse to register for baby gifts, but people are already giving me stuff anyway. But I can see how easy it would be to be brainwashed into it, which is why my new resolution is not to read any more pregnancy magazines.
When I went to my second ob-gyn (long story, I'll tell you later) they gave me a huge pile of complimentary pregnancy magazines. I was flipping through them this evening, and according to them: (1) My husband views all pregnancy expenses through the lens of the 50 inch flat-screen TV that he now cannot afford. (2) I need a $1k crib and a $500 diaper bag now, not to mention a room full of expensive new baby-themed wall hangings and a million plastic strollers, toys, baby bouncers, etc. (3) But I don't have to worry about the cost, because it's the duty of my friends to buy all of this stuff for me at my baby shower. (4) And I need to start planning now for my post-pregnancy body with a ton of girdles. In fact, I give the scariest product award to ShrinkxHips, which promises to narrow your hips to their pre-pregnancy size or smaller. Somehow permanently compressing my hips just doesn't sound like the smartest idea ever to me, I can't think why.
I consider myself pretty strong-willed, but I'm pretty sure that six more months of reading this drivel won't do me or my budget any good at all. So I am cutting myself off; no more pregnancy magazines for me. Speaking of cribs, my family saves everything, so I have the one my mom used for my brother and myself. I'm going to need another, however, and I don't want to just run over to Wal-Mart and buy one. Anyone have any good ideas for finding used (I know, you're not supposed to, but how dangerous can it be?) or reusing something into a crib?
Sunday morning music
13 hours ago
I would not reuse and old crib. Imight look for a newer used one at a thrift store, at craigslist or elsewher. why?? The same reason you would not use a car without seatbelts, even though it worked for you. If you really want to try-at a minimum check the distance between rungs -should be no longer than two and three fourths inches. Make sure there is no lead paint and make sure there are no cutouts at thehead board or foot. used cribs kill about fifty babies a year. On the other hand, almost everything EXCEPT cribs and car seats can be used or done without. I managed to raise many with no changing table, for example....
ReplyDeleteI bought and sold my crib on craiglist for $50. Also start buying the Sat paper and look at tag sales and for classified section. You've got plenty of time to find a deal.
ReplyDeleteI have never used a diaper bag. I even got one for a present and preferred my backpack. I also never wanted or used a diaper genie (poopy diapers got wrapped in a shopping bag and put in the outside trash).
My kids had used mattresses, cribs, car seats, clothes. They are all fine. I also bought and sold a breast pump second hand. I did not get cooties and still can't figure out mechanically what the risk is.
The baby stuff is easy. There is a glut of stuff on the second hand market up to age 2. Diapers and Daycare are the real expensive parts.
Oh and my friend's sister was one of those kids who got her head stuck in the old style crib. Not that I'd recommend it, but she ended up being fine. The fire department had to come and cut her out and now it's a funny story that we re-tell at least once a year.
ReplyDeleteMy mom and her siblings slept in empty dresser drawers growing up, so I guess my safety standard is below the average american's norm.
I see more cribs for sale at yard sale and auctions than anywhere else. Nice ones, too, all bedecked and beribboned, and barely drooled on.
ReplyDeleteFor our first one, we mostly carried him around in a wicker basket, he was so small at 5.5 lbs.
Good for you dumping the pregnancy magazines.