Next New Baby Question

[Bean of Love]

Ok.. all you moms, come out and play...

AS you know there are sooooo many gadgets and things in the baby magazines... and what I would like to know, is:

1. Which items are an absolute have to have,

2. Which items are a good to have

3. Which items are a waste of money etc.

For example....

I heard that I shouldn't spend loads of money on a baby monitor, and rather spend the money on one of those ear themometer things.

Which things you couldn't live without????

Any advice would be most apprecaited!

[dudette]

Hi there B-O-L. Congratulations on the new baby ... how far are you, and when is the baby due? I hope that you have a wonderful pregnancy with no complications, ... treasure even that.

MUST HAVES;

1. Carry cot
2. Pram/buggy
3. disposable nappies
4. Body suits ... the type that fastens between the legs (but saying that, I don't think you'll find vests without the fasteners these days!)
5. You do not really need a cot for the first 6 weeks to 3 months as you can use the carry cot til then, but after that, a cot is a must.
6. Baby ring for baby to sit in while in the bath, but that is also only for once the baby can sit on its own, at about 6 months
7. Bath Mat
8. You can never have too many bibs, but I did find that just tying a terry nappy around my babies necks covered a larger area, and gave one more cloth to clean baby's mouth and hands with afterwards.
9. Nappy cream for nappy rash. Sudocrem is good, but most of the creams have the same essential ingredients, and once can make do with cornflour to keep the skin dry.

OPTIONAL EXTRAS

1. Baby bath
2. baby wipes (they are always on BOGOF offers at the supermarkets)
3. Those portable car seats that fit in the car and carried around with the baby in
4. Those bouncer thingey's you fit onto the door frame and the baby bounces in it

WASTE OF MONEY

1. baby monitors
2. bottle warmer
3. walking ring

I'm sure there are many many more others can think of but I hope this give you food for thought.
In the mean time, enjoy this time ... its a magical time.

[lols]

Congratulations.

My two cents worth. Baby monitors are ok depending on what size house you got and where you think the baby might sleep. If in your room to begin with don't bother but in another room or upstairs perhaps. I must admit that I bought one and actually took it back as I could not get a decent reception with it.

A baby thermometer is an expensive must. It must easier to take a child/baby's temperature with one of those that go in the ear then the old fashion ones that you have to put in their mouths. I bought one just before my son was born and he is now 5 and it still in use. One of those things that can be used for everyone in the family.
A baby bag is essential a microwave sterilizer is very handy.

Another handy bit of furniture is a high chair. I bought one of the ones that can be a high chair and then convert into a table and chair for when they are much older.

[Daniela]

Congratulations Bean

I go with what Dudette and lols have said ... except that I found a baby monitor very useful ... was in a double story house and it ment I knew when baby was awake even if I was downstairs.

Microwave was handy for warming bottle.

Start laying in stock of different sizes of disposable nappies ... you can never have enough LOL.

Enjoy every second of your pregnancy

[Venus]

I agree with much of what dudette & lols have said. I'd like to add these:

1. I use a baby monitor & think it's marvellous! It did, in fact, possibly save my son's life when he was about 3 months old. He was ill & upstairs asleep while I was downstairs. I heard him start choking & was able to rush up & help him. If it hadn't been for the monitor, I may not have heard.

2. Start buying nappies now, if you can. Even if it's a pack a month. One pack of nappies generally lasts a week.

3. A microwave steriliser is a MUST. In just 8 minutes, you can sterilise 4 bottles & dummies. It saves so much time, which you won't have much of once your baby arrives!

4. I've never used a ring for my baby in the bath.

5. A decent sized bag for going out that will fit: nappies, wipes, nappy cream, a change of clothes for baby, a bottle, a small container of biscuits, small toys + all your usual handbag stuff. You may need to practice weightlifting for carrying this bag but I've managed to do it for the last 2 years & 5 months!

6. Gripe water & Infacol & dummies & Calpol!!! Have each in your house, even if you don't think you'll need them as you usually suddenly need them at 2am. My son was a colic baby for the first 8 weeks or more. :eek: These saved my sanity!!

7. Dudette's advice about the body suits is :thumbs: , avoid any clothing that have back fastenings until your baby is able to sit on his/her own.

8. A few towelling nappies - I use them for mopping up baby dribble, nappy changes, when I've run short of disposables, & numerous other things.

9. At least 3 or 4 changes of cot bedding, including blankets! If your baby gets sick during the night, it's not unusual to need to change all the bedding several times during a single night.

10. An absolute must: Toddler Taming by Dr Christopher Green!

11. Bottle brushes - I go through one about every 3 months. Look out for them at PoundLand or any other cheap shop. You'll pay a fortune if you buy from Boots.

12. Two stair gates - one for the bottom & one for the top.


Nice, if you can afford it:

1. A baby bath - however, I found it easier to bath my son in the kitchen sink when he was very tiny!

2. A bouncy chair.

3. A baby pen once they start crawling - as a single mom, this enabled me to get bottles prepared, dishes washed & supper cooked whilst knowing that my son was safe. I'd set it up in the kitchen & put his favourite toys inside with him. He loved it! They are expensive (about £80) but I still use mine as it converts into a fire guard & stair gate & with a tent over it makes a wonderful playhouse.


The following is a waste of money, as far as I'm concerned:

1. A changing table. It's safest to change a newborn on the floor. This will prevent any nasty accidents if they roll over.

2. A bottle warmer - I have one but found that a jug of hot water worked just as well.


I'll probably think of more to add!

[Venus]

PS: As I was really broke when my son was born, he spent the first few weeks of his life having his daytime naps in his baby bath, which I used to pad with a baby quilt & put on the floor next to my feet in the lounge. He used to look so adorable!!

[dudette]

Excellent advice, Venus, about the changing table. When I had my baby, 17 months ago, I insisted on a changing table with mat, but soon realised it was unnecessary as by 3 months her legs were hanging off the ends anyway.

Also agree with the towelling nappies ... I still have one or two from when my first was a baby (10 years ago) and they are still a help. I did buy a pack of muslin nappies and frankly was a little disappointed. They don't survive the washing machine and tumble drier very well and looked tacky after the first wash. rather invest in towelling nappies.

I also wouldn't buy a hooded towel for your baby at bath time unless you're in a draughty house ... normal towels are fine, and I find that people tend to give that kind of thing to you as baby gifts anyway.

When My first was a baby I used to sit her in the baby bath and pad it up for her, then she'd be happy for ages too.

[lols]

What I did instead of a changing table was I bought a pine chest of drawers and asked the person who made it if he could put a wooden edge around the top and used that as a changing mat for a while as I new I was having a C-section and found it difficult bending over to change baby. Because the chest of drawers were longer than a normal changing table it lasted a lot longer and of course it had the dual use of a lovely set of drawers.

[Jemlet]

Isn't it funny how we all see different things as a priority.


No. 1 a pushchair thats suitable from birth that you can manage onyour own and that fits easily into your car

2 A good car seat - If money is not too tight those Emma Jane ones are fantastic as the baby can actually lie flat instead of being scrunched up as they usually are.

3. I preferred the steam steriliser to the microwave version but that's just personal preferance they do the same job.

4. I couldn't survive without wipes and I stockpile at every bogof

5. muslin cloths are useful

Wait and see what your baby is like before buying a monitor - we couldn't sleep with the baby in the room but the monitor mean't we weren't listening to every murmur.

I have never used a carry cot so to me its not essential

My kids loved the baby bouncer

Our baby walker is too safe - kids could never walk in it - neighbours baby adores hers

Graco swing my husbands collegues said it was the one thing we must get - my children hated it.

Bottle warmers take too long to heat a bottle particularly in the middle of the night


A baby carrier is a nice to have one of those papoose type of ones

hats and mittens were a joke my children got them off in seconds

Grobags!!!!! Brilliant invention as the baby can't kick its blankets off then wake up because its cold and they don't get to hot in grobags either

I can't stand all the baby paraphanalia you end up carrying around so I like the portable changing mat, two nappies and 15 pack wipes thing that you get as that fits into a regular hand bad.

This is a very disorganised reply hope it makes a little sense

[Venus]

Originally posted by Jemlet


4. I couldn't survive without wipes and I stockpile at every bogof

I must second this. I don't know how I ever managed without wipes in my house or in my handbag! :haha:

Start stocking up on any bogof baby toiletries too. A bottle of baby shampoo will last months but baby bath & lotion go very quickly & are quite pricey.


Also, if you don't already have a Boots Advantage Card, get one now. I buy my posh facial skin cream, that I normally wouldn't be able to afford, with points that I've accumulated from buying nappies & baby wipes & other baby toiletries.