Getting ready for a baby. Clothes and equipment. Please give suggestions. +BQ x?

Laurah<3 .

Hi :)

So im having a baby. I have a long time yet as im 4 months. But im one of those people who like to be organized. Im going to be a first time mum at 18 and pretty worried i will forget things my baby will need. I don't have a budget as im going to buy a few things each month. Im doing a checklist. But id like to no what you had for your new borns? i will write down what i have on my list already. If you have any suggestions or anything please say so as everything is welcome.


Cot bed (from birth to 5 years)
Moses basket (i will be using this for the first 4-5 months i think)
Changing mat
Baby bath
Electric steam sterilizer
Bottles, teats and soothers
Vibrating bouncer (plays sounds with a toy bar)
Car seat (birth to 4 years)
Cot bedding and moses basket bedding
Highchair (for when the babies older)

That's all i have so far. Not including clothes and nappies, baby wipes and milk.

As for clothes...how much is a decent amount? My mom had tons of clothes for my sisters and never used half of them. I do not want to be like this but i also don't want to run out.

Vests
Baby grows (with and without the feet)
Booties
Scratch mittens
Bibs
Hats
Socks



BQ. what sterilizer is the best in your opinion? I have been reading up on steam sterilizer, microwave sterilizers, cold water sterilizers. im just so confused, i have no idea what to think. This is the one i was thinking about getting. any opinions? and which would you suggest?

http://www.mothercare.com/Tommee-Tippee-Closer-Nature-essentials/dp/B00354038M/sr=1-1/qid=1275064634/ref=sr_1_1/276-2448374-8885655?_encoding=UTF8&m=A2LBKNDJ2KZUGQ&n=42864041&mcb=core


Thank you so much for your help, i will award best answer + good luck in your pregnancies or with your babies. x
Thank you Kirstin. I have never thought about a swing before. This is something worth considering. Good job i posted this question. Thanks again x
Sorry, i forgot about the pram as the dad has already put a deposit down (the shop keep it untill its born and give full refunds if anything happends between now and 6 months of having the baby)

Answer
Well im not a mum but my god mum is due any day and she has no money so me and my mum took up buying everything * big grin *..... okay on your list we had and got :

. Moses basket + stand.
. Bouncy chair.
. Baby bath ( a sink is fine but my god mums sink is tiny and the taps are to low ).
. Bottle + food warmer.
. Changing mat.
. Bottles.
Breast pump.
Bottle sterilizer.
. Dummies.
.Shampoo.
.Conditioner.
. Baby powder.
.Wet wipes.
.Lavender bath formula.
. Some toy ducks for the bath :)
. Bath thermometer.
. Baby hair and nail set.
. Some teddies.


She got herself :
.Travel system.
.Car seat.
Cot bed.

Okay that's the first lot off the top of my head.
For the clothes we brought tons ! i advise going to a car boot or something where the clothes are very cheap.
I remember a Friend of ours brought my god mum a huge bag of clothes for like 30p :) the were brand new to.

But i'll try to remember everything.... edit back

Okay got it :)

2 sleeping bags.
10 long sleeved vests.
5 short sleeves vests.
10 other styled vests ( lol )
5-10 baby gro's.
5 Tee shirts.
2 pairs of booties.
A cardigan.
Mittens.
2 Blankets.
.cot mobile
Winter snow suit ( for when he/she is older ).

Along with bibs, baby joggers, hats. You name it we got it :) I say get as much clothes as you can- better than being short of clothes ! at least you can then sell them. One garden sale we went to was packed full of baby toys and clothes- it was ever so cute people were flocking to it for bargains.

X


.

what pram do you have for your baby ?

just curious and whats it like is it any good ?

Answer
I bought a Graco travel system, the one where the infant car seat can be attached etc. While it's a really well made pram i wouldn't buy another like it. It's far too bulky and really heavy, plus it barely fits in the boot of my car. For me it wasn't really worth the expense. In hindsight, i'd definitely have bought a less bulky one.

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Graco MetroLite or Chicco Cortina Travel System?

Aaron's mo

My husband and I are having our first baby and trying to decide which of these travel systems to purchase. Any suggestions, likes or dislikes from those own any of the two systems? Thanks

Answer
Well I have the Chicco one and I love it. Its handle goes 3 differnt heights so would be comfortable for you and your husband if you are different heights. I think it is so sturdy, i live up 2 flights of stairs so it gets bumped down them all and bumped back up with baby in carseat and shopping no probs. Its really smooth and steers even with one hand. I havent used the buggy part on its own yet because my daughter likes her carseat... But it looks nice and comfortable for baby. The car seat is dead easy to fix into a car, even a 2 door. And the pram fits in the boot of a 2 door no probs as well. I particularly love the parent tray that has the drink holder and a covered area. I use the covered area for my mobile and my house keys and they fit just nice!! I've been using mine for nearly 6 months, and I use it alot. I go walks, been on buses, in taxis and in cars. Its been folded and unfolded too many times to count and there has not been one problem with it so far. It seems to me its a good sturdy pram that will hopefully last me quite some time. I have th red and beige one and I really like it, its a nice shade of red, suitable for a wee boy or girl. My sister actually has the identical one, and I know she is really happy with hers as well. Theres actually nothing I dislike about it!!

What is the best stroller to buy for a new baby?

Kim B

I seen those travel system strollers but they are so bulky! Any suggestions? I am looking for something that is compact and easy to lug around- if that is possible. :) Thanks!

Answer
Aha! I can answer this one! I did tons of stroller research and I found the perfect one! It's the Valco Latitude. It is a 3 wheeler but not a jogger and it is only 17 lbs. If folds very small and is super light. The front wheel swivels or locks out. It has a nice, roomy cargo basket underneath. It comes with the attachment straps to add the carseat when baby is a newborn and when baby gets a little older the seat is super adjustable. Baby can sit almost completely upright to see the world or even lie completely flat for naps. It has a nice big canopy for sun shade and even comes with the wind/rain cover and cold weather boot! All the other strollers I looked at that were in the same category ended up being much more expensive because the accessories are sold separately. I paid almost $300 for the whole thing and it was worth ever penny! It is able to be used up till 50 lbs too! So you should never have to buy another one down the road. Also I like to travel a lot and its super light for gettin in and out of the trunk or on and off the plane etc. It has a telescoping handle too so if you are on the tall side it's still very comfortable to push. Very maneuverable, smart design, looks great! I can't say enough goos about it! Check it out online at: http://www.babystrollershop.com/valco_latitude_single.htm

I love it!!!

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Travel System (carrycot, pushchair and carseat) or Pushchair?

baby travel systems boots image

Martin M

Hi,

My girlfriend and I are expecting our first child and have no idea what to buy when it comes to pushchairs and prams etc.

We have heard many different things, ranging from the pro's of buying an entire travel system to the cons that the baby will not use the carrycot much as it will grow out of it quickly.

We own a fiesta and we're not sure if we'll even use a pram much?? We are looking for something which is sturdy but lightweight, easy to fit into the boot and something which we'll get plenty of use with if we spend lots of money investing in it! We are also aware of the advise that a baby shouldn't spend long amounts of time in carseats etc and ideally should lie flat.

Can somebody please give some advice on what you would recommend if you have a baby and travel mostly by car?

Thanks

Answer
those bucket seats are absolute punk. i HATED it. the (dubious) merit of not disturbing the baby when sleeping wasn't worth the hassle and harassment of lugging that sucker up and down stairs and babies don't sleep too well when the thing bangs off doorframes trying to get in and out of apartment buildings and shopping malls. as it was, she was in it for 4mo before she outgrew it both height and weight (21", 20lbs - at 4.5mo, she was 22" and 20.5lbs, legal to face forward in ontario although we kept her rear-facing for a few more months).

and i was never comfortable with the way it just "clicked" into position. i can't help but feel "easy in, easy out" and wonder how safe that actually would be in an accident. i feel more secure if i've had to actually belt her in myself and i've tested the seat and it's solid.

another problem with those systems is they encourage you to keep the baby in it for hours and hours and that's been shown to result in positional asphyxia: the baby's head is kept dropped forward on their chest and they suffocate. it also contributes to plagiocephaly (baby flat-head) and torticolis (the muscles on one side of the neck are tighter than the muscles on the other) because the baby can't move her head about and is forced to keep it in one position. my daughter also puked each and every time she was put in it because of the half-curved body position - pressure from clothing, belly fat, and the straps forced her stomach contents out.

i also feel this is just one more device designed to separate parents from baby. i don't know why industry feels we need mechanics to hold, rock, and soothe our children when our arms are free and superior.

honestly, get a good seat that's rated from birth to 100lbs (or whatever the upper limit is in your jurisdiction). it'll save you money, they're more sturdily constructed, and it only takes thirty seconds to put baby in and out.

for carrying her about, get a cuddlywrap - she'll be kept warm, snug, and close to you or mom. if your wife is breastfeeding, she'll be able to stand in the checkout line and chat with the lady in front of her and nobody will even know she's breastfeeding. i carried saari in one of these until she hit 28lbs at 10mo and my back never once hurt - my hips would feel a bit tight and achey but that was resolved with a long, hot, luxurious bubblebath (that's my story and i'm sticking to it).

what are some good baby travel systems? What did you go with?

EvelynR

Answer
I can tell you which one NOT to go with...Eddie Bauer. My son is 9 months old and we're returning it to the manufacturer because it's already broken. One of the fasteners has come off causing the frame to spread and because of that it will not open. Some other things that I hate about it: I found that the front wheels have a mind of their own, the canopy (even though there are umpteen snaps holding it on) cannot come off to be washed and the most pain in the @ss thing of all is how you attach the carrier to the stroller. There is a spring loaded bar (picture a toilet paper holder but longer and skinnier) that stores under the stroller handle which must be removed and placed on the stroller in order for it to accommodate the carrier. Then once you are done using it, the bar must be removed and placed back under the handle or the stroller will not fold. So you have to do this EVERY time you want to use the darned thing. To boot, I've almost lost the bar several times because it's popped off the holder and isn't very secure. I'm actually going shopping this weekend looking for a better stroller. I think I'm going to go with PegPerego...it's more money but I'm starting to realize it may be worth it as we use our stroller a lot...going for walks and down at the ball diamonds all the time!

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What is the best stroller to buy for a new baby?

baby travel systems boots image

Kim B

I seen those travel system strollers but they are so bulky! Any suggestions? I am looking for something that is compact and easy to lug around- if that is possible. :) Thanks!

Answer
Aha! I can answer this one! I did tons of stroller research and I found the perfect one! It's the Valco Latitude. It is a 3 wheeler but not a jogger and it is only 17 lbs. If folds very small and is super light. The front wheel swivels or locks out. It has a nice, roomy cargo basket underneath. It comes with the attachment straps to add the carseat when baby is a newborn and when baby gets a little older the seat is super adjustable. Baby can sit almost completely upright to see the world or even lie completely flat for naps. It has a nice big canopy for sun shade and even comes with the wind/rain cover and cold weather boot! All the other strollers I looked at that were in the same category ended up being much more expensive because the accessories are sold separately. I paid almost $300 for the whole thing and it was worth ever penny! It is able to be used up till 50 lbs too! So you should never have to buy another one down the road. Also I like to travel a lot and its super light for gettin in and out of the trunk or on and off the plane etc. It has a telescoping handle too so if you are on the tall side it's still very comfortable to push. Very maneuverable, smart design, looks great! I can't say enough goos about it! Check it out online at: http://www.babystrollershop.com/valco_latitude_single.htm

I love it!!!

Do your parents have a pushchair at their house for when the kids visit?

Joey

This is just something I'm wondering about...

I don't drive, so I plan to get a good quality pram/pushchair for my baby, and just a car seat for when we go in a taxi or whatever. I don't need it to fold down tiny to fit in the boot or store in the house, because it will be in use every single day.

However, my mother DOES drive and will be wanting to spend weekends and days off with the baby, so should she get herself a lightweight, easy fold small travel system to save dragging my pushchair across town?

I think it would also make it easier for when we all go out together, as her car boot is TEENY.

What do you think? What set up do your family have?

Answer
my parents have 26 grand children, and while none of us live very near them, with so many of us, they have grandchildren visiting several times a year. Over the years various of my siblings have bought them a stroller, a highchair, a playpen, and a car seat, just so they could have one while they were visiting, and now we all get to take advantage of that when we go visit. My parents didn't buy any of those though. It is handy having a stroller there. My in-laws don't have any baby items so it does make it a little difficult when we go visit them.

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