We have the Bum Genius also and they have been great, though the velcro tabs can roll. We change them on the floor, one place upstairs and one place down with some supplies waiting for us.

My wife uses her Maxpedition bag as a diaper bag if she really needs to carry much at all. It’s just a multipurpose bag that carries whatever we need. A bunch of “special” bags is a waste in my opinion.

We too received many of these things are baby showers, many of which are sitting in storage or were never used. Instead of traditional baby showers, where people end up with so much that they think they need, but really don’t, we have encouraged more creative showers, with more relevant gifts or something entirely different.

Personally, I would have loved to receive a collection of cloth diapers at a shower. Those are not cheap upfront, especially when you are not sure how it will go, etc., though they have a ton of long term value. But things like that are things that parents often come around to later, after all the gifts have been opened and forgotten about. But while they are not cheap, they are a fraction of the cost of what is usually spent for baby showers.

Bottom line, if you have a friend who is pregnant, consider sharing with them some more practical, useful and frugal options for things like baby showers, etc. Don’t be mean or to blunt, especially if this is a first child. Remember that so much of this stuff is really more about the parents. But if you can help them to understand a few basic realities, and show them how much money they can save (money they can then spend on something they will really wish they had in 6-months time), you will be doing them a favor.

As a side note, my wife found a great resource online for trading, selling, etc. cloth diapers. She is not here right now and I can’t remember the name (sorry bout that), but the point is, if you are wanting to try cloth diapers, consider trading first, and if you have to buy, then buy used. We were able to test out a number of brands and let me tell you, most didn’t cut it. Fits, quality, and so forth all vary. Of course, your child’s “opinion” matters too. By bartering and trading and buying used, you will save yourself a lot of frustration. It’s very annoying to buy a whole supply of something only to find that they just don’t work.

(You’d think they paid by the word. Sorry.)
.-= Dan´s last blog ..Hopefully by now you have read, The Revolution: A Manifesto ,… =-.

Strollers also become unnecessary if you get a good comfortable baby carrier such as a wrap.

You don’t need a breast pump if you’re home with your baby – 4 babies exclusively breastfed, and I’ve never needed one.

The only things babies need are mom, clothes and diapers – and even the diapers are disputable in some circles