The Girlfriends' Guide to Baby Gear: What to Buy, What to Borrow, and What to Blow Off!

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Summary: Must-have for 1st time moms!
Review: I am the mother of a one-year-old and recently purchased this book for a pregnant friend. I read the book before giving it away and wish I would have had it a year ago. It's easy to get overwhelmed when shopping for baby, especially when you are clueless but I think this guide would really help. It cuts to the chase and helps you focus in on what you really need. It recommends some brands where necessary and tells you what you need, what's optional and what to skip. After just completing my first year of motherhood, I consider myself a pretty good expert on babygear and I agreed with most everything in the book. A big plus is that it was released just a few months ago so everything is up-to-date. I would recommend this for all first time mothers-to be.

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Summary: The Girlfriend's Guide to Baby Gear
Review: I loved it! It was so helpful, I was able to decide on things that were necessary, instead of getting bogged down by all the things that are out there.

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Summary: Ready to grill the salespersons after this great book!
Review: I loved this book. I am a first time mom and adopting a baby. Most of the books I have read so far have been half filled with breast feeding and stretch mark advice. I don't need this, I am getting a baby, not having one. Not only did I take 12 pages of notes but I am ready to go to the Baby superstore and grill (or impress) the saleperson about the baby gear. Also, Vicki's humor made me laugh out loud sometimes. I really did think that the crib and nursery were your most important purchases until I started in her book. It might seem like common sense and who needs to read a book on what to buy but a lot of new mothers do.

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Summary: loved this book
Review: I really enjoyed reading this book, as I have all of the Girlfriends' books. I am a second time mom-to-be and I still found a lot of the information helpful! I absolutely love shopping for baby gear, clothes, etc. and this book is full of great advice. This would also make a great gift for a first time mom...I wish it would have been out for my first time around. I love Vicki Iovine's funny and relaxed writing. It is a great way to end the day, and relax! (and of course laugh!) I would definitely recommend this book!

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Summary: Great Book Even for Second Time Parents!
Review: I really enjoyed reading this book, as I have all of the Girlfriends' books. I am a second time mom-to-be and I still found a lot of the information helpful! I absolutely love shopping for baby gear, clothes, etc. and this book is full of great advice. This would also make a great gift for a first time mom...I wish it would have been out for my first time around. I love Vicki Iovine's funny and relaxed writing. It is a great way to end the day, and relax! (and of course laugh!) I would definitely recommend this book!

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Summary: A bible for first time moms!
Review: I'm pregnant with my first baby, and recieved this book as a gift from my mother-in-law after reading The Girlfriend's Guide To Pregnancy. It seemed like every website I went to had this HUGE list of things that were baby "essentials" and most of the lists disagreed on quantities of items. Sure, Vicky Iovine makes for amusing reading but there's some invaluable practical information in here for those wanting to put together a concise list of the things they absolutely need, and what they ought to steer clear of. Those reccommending Baby Bargains seem to be missing the point - I didn't need to know *where* to find baby products. I wanted some solid, reliable information on what I would need, backed up by safety information and insights. I'm glad that I have this book and would reccommend it as a gift for other first time moms.

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Summary: Useful info, especially for new Moms
Review: It is a salesperson's job to prey on new Mommies-to-be and convince them that their baby's life won't be complete without every item in the store. It's Vicki and her G-Friends to the rescue again, polling their collective opinions on what to buy, what to avoid, and most importantly, what you really don't need to waste your money on. After all, you'll have to figure out a way to cough up for college in roughly 18 years time- will Junior really care if that expensive Classic Pooh bear lamp is part of his nursery ensemble? Probably not. Let some longtime Moms tell you what they can't live without, what items they're willing to spend more money on, and what "must have" baby things you CAN walk away from at the store. And of course, Vicki makes sure to tell all these new Mommies what they should always have on hand for themselves. Trusted advice you can depend on from experienced women.

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Summary: A Must for First Time Moms & Dads
Review: My husband bought this book for me. . .I thought I already knew what I needed from family and friends' experiences. I am so glad we (yes he read it too) read the book. It made us both look at what we really needed and helped us save money for the important things. No this is not a "bargin buys" book but it will help first time moms sort out all the stuff they think they need. Easy to read and to the point.

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Summary: The Best Book I Have
Review: Since announcing my pregnancy, I have been given books from several friends and family members regarding everything from pregnancy to nursing to the terrible twos. I ended up flipping through each book once and never picking it up again. Yesterday, a friend gave me this Girlfriend's Guide. My husband and I happened to be on our way to the baby store to shop for car seats, and the timing couldn't have been more perfect. Without this book, we never would have been able to navigate the jungle of car seats without going insane. In addition, it made us feel like we were prepared to look at cribs and other baby items--we just referred to the book whenever we had a question about what was good, what was unnecessary, etc. It was a godsend. This book got more use yesterday than all of my other baby books have in the past several months! I am determined to give this as a gift to every expectant mother I know.

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Summary: Exntensive lists and explanations of what you really need!
Review: This book is one of Iovine's more updated texts which thoroughly covers all aspects of baby gear....from the nursery to what you'll need in your diaper bag. It is honest and realistic and provides MANY tips along the way (i.e. "diaper rash redux"...where she desribes 5 methods of preventing and curing it). Iovine also includes many money-saving suggestions, as well as names of brands (and often locations) of products that she recommends. I've read several of her books, and this, by far, is the most enjoyable and helpful to a mom preparing for twins!