asprygal's Profile

These are great tips. I would also add: Warn visitors beforehand! Although I managed while pregnant and with a newborn to climb four flights on a daily basis, I had pregnant friends scoff at going up the stairs. I also had a few people ask to hold playdates at their house (instead of mine) because they were unable to climb the stairs with the baby in a carseat.

Bibs that go over the head -- with an "envelope neck" -- are even better choices. Although adults have no problems with velcro and snaps, they are actually kind of difficult for children, especially at the neck where the child cannot see the closure.
Another good resource for dishes/utensils is For Small Hands (http://www.forsmallhands.com/).

By far the cheapest option I've found is to buy matching shot glasses at thrift stores. And then it doesn't matter if they break.

@ROBERTIN, you might also want integrate some way to store/hang the bedding. I had a murphy bed and I ended up installing a towel bar so I could hang my duvet when the bed was folded. But it looked tacky because it was a run-of-the-mill towel bar and didn't coordinate with the murphy bed's design. I think having some sort of "duvet/blanket bar" would be a cool add on for this product.

Last year I talked to my company's water cooler provider to ask whether they had BPA-free water jugs (yes, I realize the best solution is to drink from the tap, but the water here tastes awful and yes, I gave it a full year of trying to get used to it before I joined the water club). The rep told me that yes, they have BPA-free jugs, but that she isn't convinced that the jug company doesn't just put in some other type of Bisphenol into the bottles -- something that hasn't been studied at all yet.

My point: there is a dearth of easily accessibly information about the harmfulness of most plastics as they relate to food consumption. I therefore think glass and some metals (e.g., high quality stainless steel) are the best for babies and young children. I transitioned my daughter to an open cup (shot glass, actually) when she was about six months old, so we skipped the sippy cup need entirely.

I have responses that address a few of your concerns:

1. There is a solution to the loose sheets -- there are things called sheet suspenders. They are basically a wide, long, adjustable piece of elastic with clips at each end. Hotels use them sometimes to keep sheets really crisp and tight. You could also rig something up courself; suspender clips are available at fabric stores as is wide elastic.
2. Alternately, you can make fitted sheets - many tutorials exist. That way you can make sheets for a thinner mattress.
3. I think that if you feel uncomfortable and worry that your baby will be insecure on a floor bed your baby will *be* insecure on a floor bed. It's like a self-fulfilling prophecy: any odd behavior on the baby's part you will attribute to her being insecure on the floor bed. You can always introduce the floor bed when your baby is ready, after you know your baby's temperament. We waited to introduce the floor bed until our daughter was 10 months old, and she sometimes sleeps on it and sometimes sleeps with us.

However, If you have a co-sleeper at-the-ready, I think you are prepared. The other decisions (crib or floor mattress) can wait until you know more about your baby. Unless you have a large baby that quickly outgrows the co-sleeper. Give yourself permission to take it one step at a time.

I kept my last name when I got married (it is a very unique name and I am the only grandchild able to carry on the name). When I had a baby, my husband and I agreed that if I "picked" the last name (i.e., if the baby got my last name) then he would get to pick the first name. Our daughter has my last name now; he picked the first name and I love it.
I hope people ask her and us why her last name is different from her father's last name: why not challenge the patriarchal naming tradition?

Only cribs made and sold between certain dates were recalled. Owners could either get rid of the crib or update certain pieces to make the crib safe. You can find more (official) information here: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11135.html

I think this is a terrific idea and asked for one when my aunt was planning my baby shower. She thought no one would feel comfortable bringing used items to a shower, but I still added comments to my amazon.com wishlist specifying which items I felt comfortable accepting used and which items I preferred new (car seat, breast pump, etc.).

@ TCoulter: The travel bed pictured is the Brica Fold N' Go Travel Bassinet .