Chelsea Kaplan’s Musings About Life... After Birth

One of the questions I get the most frequently from my blog readers and readers of The Family Groove is “What do I need to put on my baby registry?” I totally get it. When I was pregnant with my first baby, I had no idea what I really needed. There’s so much crap out there, and so very many varieties of all the crap out there. Besides taking the advice of your friends and family, how are you to know what you’ll really and truly need?

Of course, I have opinions on everything, and even though I like to think I am always right, I know I’m not. When it comes to creating a baby registry, however, I feel pretty darn confident in my recommendations. In addition to the knowledge I’ve amassed living through having a baby and toddler and knowing first-hand what I used and what was completely unnecessary, my job as Deputy Editor of TFG allows me to keep my finger on the pulse of the latest and greatest when it comes to everything baby-related. Between the two experiences, and the recommendations of The Momtourage, I feel exceptionally informed.

If you need tips on what to register for, check out my ultimate registry guide. In it, I give you the dirt on exactly what you’ll need immediately after baby comes, and what you’ll probably need in the long run (and should therefore go ahead and add to your registry - especially if you have all sorts of folks clamoring to get you a gift).

One of the items I include in the guide is the Britax Diplomat, a new car seat from Britax, the company that, in my opinion (and in the past, that of Consumer Reports as well), makes the best, safest car seats.  The Diplomat is a slightly smaller version of Britax’s popular Boulevard model (which I own), and can hold a child weighing up to 40 lbs. They’re available for $259.99 with free shipping at barebabies.com.

Want to win one? Send me an email at chelsea@themomtourage.com and include your name, mailing address, email address and age of your kids/grandkids/kids-to-be (as always, none of this info will be shared with any outside parties -I promise.). THREE lucky winners will be chosen at random. One entry per family, please. All entries must be received by December 31.

If you’re a seasoned mom, let me know if there’s anything you think I need to add to the registry recommendations list. I love getting recs from other moms!

Labels: gear, pregnancy, the madness of motherhood