I plan on registering this weekend and was hoping some of you veterans could tell me what I will need and what to register for. What were the items you absolutely needed when you first brought the babies home and what were the items that made life easier? Thanks for your feedback!

http://lilypie.com>

I put this together for someone else..but it's fairly thorough:

Do not register or buy 3 of ANYTHING except car seats, boppies, cribs (although you'll really only use one for the first several months to a year), feeding seats/high chairs. Everything else can be done in moderation. All babies are so different, one might like a bouncy seat and another prefers the swing. If you have one of each and maybe a floor gym for the third you can rotate them through different stimulation. You save room and no one gets bored. You can also buy more later if they all love something - better than returning! Also buy used if you don't mind. My kids loved their Graco swing and I paid $35 for it at Once Upon a Child.

Make sure that you and all your relatives/friends know about multiples discounts. Many retailers will shave off 10% or more if you buy two or more of the same thing (usually $50 or more). Babies R Us gives 10% which saved us a lot. Many clothing stores will also do it even on smaller purchases - Osh Kosh, the Childrens Place, some baby gaps. Hold off on preemie clothes - by the time they come home they may not need them and they are very expensive.

My "must buy" list (everyone's will be different):

-3 INFANT car seats. It would be nice to be able to get the convertible ones - but preemies are almost always too small for them and can't hold their head up and breathe easily in them. They won't let babies out of the NICU (pretty much any NICU) until they pass the car seat test. I think the Graco Snugrides are supposed to be the best - we loved ours.
-3 Boppy pillows! Whether you breast or bottle feed it's wonderful to prop them up in and later for tummy time! I could sit on the bed and prop one up on my knees and have one to my left in a boppy and feed 2 at a time - or nurse one and bottle feed one, or nurse 2. It all works wonders. For tummy time they help them build head and neck strength. Go with the deluxe (velour) covers - the babies slide on the others and it's difficult! They make nice cloud printed ones - the boppies and covers are washable.
-1 Bouncy seat - make sure it vibrates, other features are just to taste.
-1 Swing
-1 Floor gym - We got the fisher price one with the bird that "flies" over their heads - they loved it. Lots of -stimulation Get one with something on the mat as well as overhead for tummy time.
-3 Feeding seats. If you have room for high chairs, great - but we didn't so we got the seats that attach to your kitchen chairs. They are good for infants (they recline) up to toddlers as booster seats.
-3 Bumbo seats. These are great for building head and neck strength starting at 3-4 months. Mine still sit in theirs from time to time although they're close to outgrowing them. You can get them on line - bonniebabies.com had the best price when I shopped.
-1 Exersaucer (they can't use this for months so don’t rush on it).
-1 Wipes warmer - they appreciate it, especially at 3 in the morning. As long as you keep water in it like you're supposed to it is wonderful!
-3 Cribs. We bought them from Babies R us, they were Even Flo, Delta Luv Jenny Lind style - Consumer reports named them a best buy with the highest safety rating and they were only $110, 10% less after the multiples discount.
-Diapers (put this on the shower list) Costco has the best price on huggies, Target on pampers. Target's wipes are the best buy. Costcos are the same price per wipe but Targets are thicker so you use less.
-1, just 1 of each type of bottle if you will formula feed or if you are planning to pump breast milk. Every baby is different and while a bottle may be "great" it doesn't mean every kid will eat out of it! Mine went through every one in the market and ended up with the cheapest ones - Gerber - $1 each. I had a closet full of Avent and Dr. Brown's they weren't interested in.
-Medela Microwave sterilizer bags for breast pump parts if you'll be pumping. With 2 oz. of water you can sterilize your breast pump parts in only 3 minutes.
-Microwave sterilizer for bottles. With 7oz of water it sterilizes bottles and nipples in 5 minutes - this one is made by BRU "especially for baby" and costs all of $10, forget the expensive plug in ones etc. This one works just as well. My sister had them all.
-Lots of receiving blankets for swaddling
-Lots of onesies/sleepers
-White noise machine (we found that a heartbeat sound was best, vacuum cleaners that some people say soothes their kids can make others completely lose their minds…mine act like you've poured acid on them when they hear vacuums or blow dryers..makes cleaning fun!)
-Cool mist humidifier
-bumpers are up to you - I suggest that if you get them you get the "breathable" ones that will keep their limbs in the crib, but not pose a suffocation hazard. They are white mesh and you can find them at BRU or One Step Ahead.
-Triple Stroller - if you don't, you won't be able to go anywhere by yourself and you'll feel trapped! The best ones (you'll need more than one since they have yet to make one that's good for infants and larger kids) are either the Baby Trend (traditional stroller for three - you can see a picture on Babiesrus.com - runs $250) or the triple decker which is just a frame that you can attach 3 Graco snugride car seats into - runs about $400 I think. Either folds up and fits in a mini van or larger SUV. I have the baby trend. For kids over 1 year you'll need something else. The Triple decker can be modified for toddler seats…but everyone I've talked to who's done this is not happy with having to move the seats around all the time..not as easy as with the baby seats. I suggest the Runabout for older kids - 1-4 years. I just bought one. They are expensive - I bought mine on clearance with some basic accessories and paid $900. Loaded you'll pay $1200. You can catch them on EBay - they last forever and have excellent resale - but you'll still pay about $600 there. They do not fold up, you can either put it in the back of a van (if you fold the 3rd row seats down) or you can get a hitch and holder thing for it. It's worth it in the end!
-Pack N Play - we used the bassinet feature for the first week they were home, now we use it to corral them after feeding while I pump! It's also good for a portable nap place if you travel or if one is disruptive to the others.
-Crib aquarium - really helps put them to sleep, they still love it.
-Crib that converts into a toddler bed - we did and it will save us $ in the long run.
-Sleep sacks - since you can't use blankets until after their first birthday (except for swaddling) the sleep sacks are wonderful wearable blankets!!
-Diaper Pail - don't buy the Diaper Genie - it requires expensive refills. The diaper Champ is $24 and uses tall kitchen garbage bags - works great!
-Totally Toddler - this is a stain remover for baby stuff - works miracles, I buy it by the gallon!
-Snugli - like a baby Bjorn for 1/10 the cost (about $20). It's great for carrying around a crying baby and tending to others or dinner at the same time.

What NOT to buy:
-More than one bottle propper if you want to try it. I hear more about people not getting them to work than getting them to work. I'll send you one if you want it to try - mine thought they were fun to play with!
-Jumperoos, or walkers. My pediatrician showed me the statistics on injuries (including permanent debilitating ones) and I decided against it.
-changing table - unless you really want one - buy a long dresser and use the top of it..saves space and it's more functional.
-Doppler things to hear babies heartbeats - they don't work well and with 3 you'll just be really confused…plus the heartbeats tend to be in synch and it might worry you needlessly if you can't pick out 3 different ones!
-"What to expect when you're expecting" - NOT for multiples…the info is all off with your timeframes and doesn't address any of the complications in the right light.
-Secrets of the baby whisperer - great for singletons, useless for multiples
-Travel Bottle warmers - they take 15 minutes per bottle…waste of time!
-Dreft, you can use the Target equivalent or simply "clear" detergent for their laundry - just don't use any fabric softener - it deteriorates the flame retardant properties in children's clothing.

Susan
Alison, Anna & Morgan
g/g/g Triplets born 1/25/05
at 32 weeks, 2 days

The one thing we nearly wore out were our bouncy seats. We had 3 of them and used them all the time.

Amy
Mom to:
G 00
B 01
BBB 02

We used our bouncy seats for everything, feeding, napping, and playing till they were older. Everyone is going to tell you different items are must haves. The things that you will use a lot are receiving blankets for swaddling and bottle propping (if you do that). Lots of onesies and sleepers. Since you don't go out much in the beginning, you don't need a lot of outfits. I wouldn't invest in a lot of preemie clothes.

We had two swings. We had three or four of the gym mats but they were all different. Our bouncy seats were all different too and our swings. This is nice because it gives them more of a variety of toys to play with. Definitely need three high chairs or feeding seats, whichever you choose to use. Get plenty of bottles. We've used only Dr. Browns, but I know many people here suggest you buy a variety. You need bibs, hooded towels. We didn't use the wipe warmer, sleep sack or diaper genie or diaper champ. We actually got a big chrome garbage can that you have to open with your foot and put a garbage bag in there and that's what we use for diapers. It keeps the smell to a minimum and holds way more than those little diaper holders.

There are so many things you need, I can't even think of them all. Definitely have to get a stroller and car seats. We have a triple, double and single stroller.

Have fun registering. We ended up taking so much stuff back after we had the babies home. There was so much stuff that we never ended up using.

Bobbi
BBB 4/27/05
28 weeks 2 days

I would be totally lost without 3 boppy pillows. I wished I would have gotten extra covers for them though because with the reflux I'm taking them off and washing them regularly. Also ask for a WIDE variety of diaper sizes we had/have a massive quanity of newborn size 1's and I'm having trouble getting them all exchanged now that we are growing out of the one's. You will need lots and lots of blankets in the first month or so home we would go through about 6-10 a day it seemed.

Misty
Abigail 2 lbs 14 oz
Katie 3 lbs 1 oz
James 3 lbs 6 oz
born 11/10/05
30w 5d

My attempt at a blog http://tripletblessed.blogspot.com/

I agree with the poster who recommended 3 bouncy seats. I would even be as specific to say look for the kind that lays back pretty far. We actually have both. The one that lays back can be used for everything really early on, but the one that sits up sits too straight for use before about 5 months. Just my 2 cents!
Stacy

Proud mom of four:
Kaelyn, 2-18-02
BBG Triplets, born 9-14-05 at 35 weeks:

I would second that. I recommended 3 bouncys above- but never thought to recommend the kind that lay back far!! We too had both and the ones that lay back are WONDERFUL for so many things!!!! They are the ones that we used ALL THE TIME!

Amy
Mom to:
G 00
B 01
BBB 02

My husband and I registered a couple of weeks ago (thankfully we got it done before I went on bedrest!). We tried to have fun with it. We registered for three of some things (e.g. bouncy seats) two of other things and then one of some things.

We figured we are just going to have to adjust depending on our babies. Someone told me to make sure that I don't open everything or throw out boxes before I know the babies are going to use it. That will make returning or exchanging a lot easier.

Have fun!
Jana

Jana

so lucky to be expecting g/g/g triplets!

http://lilypie.com>

We never used boppies, we went with 3 bouncy chairs. I would recommend getting 2 or 3 different kinds so the babies could play with different ones and not get bored down the road with the same one over and over. Also, as far as an activity center for before they are sitting, get one that at least 2 can play with under it. We went with the baby einstein and all 3 fit under until about 4 months , when they started rolling over each other. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000936LR/ref=pd_ts_c_th_1/104-1074961-0647900?v=glance&s=baby&n=548050
We also registered for 3 high chairs and when it came time to use them, we realized we had NO ROOM for 3 high chairs to sit in our eating area. So we returned them and went with 3 booster chairs that we currently sit on top of the kitchen table and will soon be transferring them onto chairs for normal use. These are awesome and don't have a million places for food to get stuck in. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000DEW8N/qid=1143914852/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-1074961-0647900?v=glance&s=baby
We live in a 2 story, so we use the downstairs coat closet for all their current clothes. We bought one of the over the door 4 pocket organizers and the organizer that hangs from the closet pole and it saves tons of space, we LOVE THEM! http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0001NE3P4/qid=1143914913/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-1074961-0647900?v=glance&s=baby
Also great for us was a bottle caddy we still use to carry all the bottles and fod up at night.
This is great for when you are starting the dishwasher and want to throw in the nipples in the washer , but we had this size and the regular sizehttp://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000ESQDUE/qid=1143915020/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-1074961-0647900?v=glance&s=baby
great for drying the stuff you handwash, we had a different kind, but you get the idea http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000056J8C/qid=1143915166/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-1074961-0647900?v=glance&s=baby
Last but not least, we never used any kind of diaper holders or diaper organizers, we use a huge basket and keep all the diapers, thermometer and etc in. You go through your supply so fast, it is easier to have it all easily accessable so you dont have to constantly restock. And I also LOVE the diaper champ.
Hope this all helps! Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!

Laura & Don
BBB 5/05
www.ourbighappy.blogspot.com

"

I was on bedrest and had way too much time on my hands, so I ended up doing a search of this forum under the key words "register" and "registry" and I found tons and tons of old threads that were really helpful. I basically consolidated them all into one list and used that. I would send it to you, but I can't find it. Sorry!

BGG born 4/25/05 at 31w1d




New baby girl born 9/19/06