The Girlfriends' Guide to Baby Gear: What to Buy, What to Borrow, and What to Blow Off! (Girlfriends' Guides) Paperback – Illustrated, January 7, 2003

I got this book as a gift during my recent pregnancy (I just gave birth to my first baby on May 27). Since this was my first baby, I was unsure of what stuff I needed and what stuff was unnecessary. The book was somewhat helpful, especially concerning some of the bigger ticket items that first time moms think they need.I didn't agree with everything they said in the book - specifically about hand me downs. The authors seem to think that you should never under any circumstances get a car seat from a friend - but I think if you know the person well and know the history of the seat, there is no reason why you shouldn't accept one from a friend. I got mine from someone I knew well who took great care of hers. I had the police department check it over and install it, and they said it looked fine as well.Most of the information in the book was very useful to me when I was putting together my baby registry. It's very overwhelming trying to figure out what all you need and the book helped narrow it down quite a bit. I was able to get most of the things I needed without wasting people's time and money on unnecessary items.The book is also very easy to read. The author has a laid back style that is goes over the information in a fun and light-hearted way, making it easy to understand and comprehend. I highly recommend this book - it was definitely useful for me!

I really liked this book a lot. As an expecting mom I am already getting a lot of advice about what to get and what not to get, but this book solidified that advice and added to it. It's very no-nonsense and I think gives very practical advice about what you should buy new and what you can borrow or buy used from other people. We had been given an older crib and after I read this book, I did some measuring and checked for recalls and found out it had been recalled. We will definitely be purchasing a new crib for our baby.I loved the tone the book was written in and I also very much appreciated the list in the back of all the things you should get done around the house before the baby gets here - most of the list mentioned things I hadn't even thought of. I also appreciated that the book gave more general recommendations about equipment rather than "buy THIS model of stroller" because model numbers and features change so quickly.The only gripe I have about the book is that it makes the assumption, in many places, that a person will be having more than one child. We are not going to have more than one, so there was certain advice in the book that didn't apply to us at all, but it was easy to skip over those parts.All in all, this is a great book and if you are like me, intimidated at the thought of trying to walk into Babies R Us and pick out the right gear, it's a must-have.

This book is a great place to start for new moms who have no clue what all their baby needs. Its not really a good source of information if you have an idea of what you need and are looking for some specifics. It also tended to suck the fun out of baby shopping. The Girlfriends' approach is uber-pragmatic. If you strictly went by what this book said, you would only have a few articles of baby clothing on hand before your baby arrived, would only outfit the crib with just a sheet and probably wouldn't own a swing because its not 'necessary'. Just because your baby doesn't 'need' something to survive doesn't mean you shouldn't have it on hand. You're going to be changing your newborn's outfit about 10 times a day and if you only have 6 onesies on you, you're going to be sorry. Take the ideas from this book and multiply them five-fold so you're aptly prepared for when your baby arrives. I also disagree with the part about only putting your baby in a swing or exer-saucer long enough for you to eat a sandwich. Its not neglect for your baby to spend an hour happily swinging away while you get housework done.

I bought this and Baby Bargains. I relied more heavily on Baby Bargains for what I should buy because some of the information in Girlfriend's Guide was either out of date (i.e. the info on drop side cribs) or the same as Baby Bargains. Baby Bargains was more comprehensive in its brand reviews. What I loved best about this book was the list of things that I should do to prepare myself and my house for baby. Examples include going to the dentist in the second trimester, organizing the house, cooking and freezing meals for after the baby is born, and putting together the post-partum recovery kit. There is also a nice list of suggested books to read to baby after he or she is born. I definitely don't regret buying this book in addition to Baby Bargains.

I bouth this book at Baby Bargains at the same time because I couldn't decide which one I would get the most out of. If you like chatty books like you are talking with your friends about baby stuff, then this book might fit you best. If you are very organized and like lists, then Baby Bargains might be a better choice for you. I got a lot out of most of them, but this is mostly common sense stuff. If you know nothing about anything baby, then this would be a good start.

I love this book! We also ordered the Consumer Report Book on baby gear and I almost wish I would have just ordered this one. The Consumer Report book is awesome but it has more specific information. Unless you want to be spending hours at the store cross-referencing items to the book, just go with this book. It has TONS of useful information and it's all to the point. My husband and I were trying to find the perfect crib and this books tells you what to look for and what is a waste of money. It is a great resources for first time parents (who don't much about baby stuff!!). As you are reading the book it really does feel as though your best `girlfriend' is giving you advice.