Prenatal checklist: Stock up on batteries

Since I have begun assembling the army of baby paraphernalia, cribs, bouncy seats, mobiles, monitors, soothers, I have come to the realization that I will need 8,247 AA batteries to power everything.

Anything that vibrates, blinks, plays music, makes noise when kicked or lights up will require AA batteries, usually between 4 and 6 each. Some use C's, some use D's, but they're all energy thirsty.

I strongly suggest stocking up on some batteries before the big day to make sure your fleet of baby and pregnancy-related items are powered and ready to roll, blink or buzz. I prefer to use rechargeables because they save money over time and are better for the environment. I've got a bunch of chargers going just to make sure we're all set.

If you're looking to buys some, Amazon has the Sony Quick Battery Charger with 4 AA Ni-MH Rechargeable Batteries for $19.49, which I think is well worth the cost. Add another 4 batteries in there to make sure you always have enough on reserve, and you should be set for a while.