Things you really need and things you really don't need for a baby. . .

[wayward bob]

buggy useful when you have heavy shopping otherwise not so much.

 

[scifisam]

well I need two hands to type!

I would actually prefer to have a sling than a buggy. I'm dreading having to stoop to push a buggy, and having to squish down the high st.

You'll need both, really. Babies do get heavy after a while, and I expect you will be doing the shopping now and then. Unless you're extremely tall, you won't need to stoop to push the buggy, and there are buggies available for very tall parents too.

My daughter's baby bath was just kept in the shower (we didn't actually have a bath), so filling and carrying it wasn't a problem. Mind you, she mostly got clean through showering with me, anyway.

 

[trashpony]

I agree that a sling is much more of a priority. Especially if you're going for the kind you tie yourself, it's probably good to have a bit of a practice before the baby arrives (although obviously it's a bit tricky round the bump! )

Your list looks pretty good

You only need cotton wool and water for the first 6 weeks for washing the baby's bum. I do use wipes now but I get them from Jackson and Reece and they're herbal so don't irritate the foal's skin (and even have the added benefit of having tea tree oil in them so seem to prevent nappy rash rather than encourage it)

I agree that you need a cot where the side goes down. I never put the side up on mine because the foal always wears a sleeping bag so can't actually climb out (an added benefit )

You know that you can get stick on pictures that come off with a hairdryer don't you? That's what we have.

 

[Tank Girl]

well I need two hands to type!

I would actually prefer to have a sling than a buggy. I'm dreading having to stoop to push a buggy, and having to squish down the high st.

do you know how high you'd need to have the handlebar? I'm sure you've looked at stuff like that on buggies, but I'm at a loose end and have ended up googling buggies

 

[trashpony]

do you know how high you'd need to have the handlebar? I'm sure you've looked at stuff like that on buggies, but I'm at a loose end and have ended up googling buggies

My buggy (a graco) has a pivot handle for tall people. Obviously I have it pivoted into the small person angle

 

[wiskey]

do you know how high you'd need to have the handlebar? I'm sure you've looked at stuff like that on buggies, but I'm at a loose end and have ended up googling buggies

nope, I've spent more time this evening looking at this stuff than I have in the past 23 weeks.

I really haven't got a clue about any of it.

I do know that I don't think we need a travel system (although I still remain a bit confuzzled as to what they are. I think they have a car seat which attaches but we dont have a car), and we do need it to lay flat if we use it from birth.

 

[Tank Girl]

it was a graco I found on my google.

I'd be the same as you trashy

 

[Looby]

My mate is 5'8 and she's got a quinny which seems ok. How tall are you?

 

[wiskey]

about 6ft

 

[Looby]

about 6ft

The quinny might be ok but you really need to go to a specialist shop and try some out. You can always order it online when you've decided.

 

[wiskey]

it was a graco I found on my google.

ok this is what I'm finding really hard. I know what I don't like, and I know what I think is ok. Haven't found anything I think is completely right.

But if I try and explain even to Derv what I don't like then I just fail.

But for starters no weird 21st century office chair/buggy hybrids. Needs a swivel front wheel and space for shopping and DEFINITELY not lime green!

 

[Tank Girl]

we can go looking for buggies next weekend if you'd like?

 

[Looby]

ok this is what I'm finding really hard. I know what I don't like, and I know what I think is ok. Haven't found anything I think is completely right.

But if I try and explain even to Derv what I don't like then I just fail.

But for starters no weird 21st century office chair/buggy hybrids. Needs a swivel front wheel and space for shopping and DEFINITELY not lime green!

Go for black then it goes with everything.

 

[wiskey]

we can go looking for buggies next weekend if you'd like?

if thats how you'd like to spend the day.

 

[Tank Girl]

if you think it would be helpful, then yeah but we don't have to if you don't want to. I'm coming to see you, so I don't really care what we get up to, cos we'll do all the talking we need to do regardless of what activity we're taking part in

 

[Tank Girl]

oh, and it's this weekend isn't it?

and you do remember what I said about choosing my own childs buggy?

 

[wiskey]

what do cot bumpers do and are they necessary?

 

[Thora]

I agree that you need a cot where the side goes down. I never put the side up on mine because the foal always wears a sleeping bag so can't actually climb out (an added benefit )

How old is he? They work it out My ex-charge could climb out of her cot and get down the stairs while zipped into a sleeping bag

 

[Tank Girl]

what do cot bumpers do and are they necessary?

if I remember correctly you don't use them til they're about a year old

 

[Looby]

what do cot bumpers do and are they necessary?

I think they're not recommended for young babies due to risk of suffocation. They look like a pain in the arse anyway, they'll be covered in puke in no time.

 

[wayward bob]

if you're planning lots of festies and mostly using a sling about town then an all terrain type 3 wheeler might be worth a look - they're pretty hefty (usually longer than standard) but much much better in a field. also they're strong/big so can take older kids (e.g. last fest we had 4 yr old in pushchair at night, baby in sling so they could both sleep while we were out). they also look quite butch which sounds like it might suit

 

[Choc]

only get the essentials like clothes and an initial place to sleep ie moses basket and blanket (you can use a pillow). you can use any towel you own for him or her. and when baby is there and you know what you have been given and what its like to bathe baby in your sink. then you can go out buying the odd thing.

we dont need a baby monitor in our flat even though he sleeps in another room. (but i would like to find out if the proximity of baby monitors would last if i would say...go out locally )

i think its good to have a pram ready as well.


also always think what will save your back. ie our wicker basket is on the floor and i find this a bit of a back breaker. i like to have a changing table as well.

in regards reusable nappies, we fare well with them but it helps that he poos only every 4-5 days. don't know how i would like it if baby would poo twice a day? ..but i guess i would still use a mix of them (try to find out when baby poos etc and then use a paper nappy)

 

[Looby]

only get the essentials like clothes and an initial place to sleep ie moses basket and blanket (you can use a pillow).

I thought you weren't supposed to use pillows? Might be wrong though.

 

[felixthecat]

Sling infintely more important than a buggy. I used a sling and then a backpack for my son and only used a buggy for my daughter when I came on holiday to england, just because I had one loaned to me. The sling and backpack are so much more practical and the backpack even stood up by itself so you had a seat to feed the babe in if you were out and about. They were also so much easier getting on and off buses. I found a buggy more of an inconvenience than a help.

Nappies - terries are usable from word go unless sproglet is eeny-weeny. I occasionally used disposables with my daughter when out but they gave my son's delicate bum a rash so I never used them with him. Liners are a must.

Wet wipes again are good and convenient for when you are out - at home water and cottonwool/flannel is better.

Never bothered with a baby monitor - but there again, both of mine slept with me at night when very small, and otherwise napped in the moses basket (so never far away from me).

Bathing the little 'un in the sink is a pain in the arse. A baby bath on the table worked best for me.

 

[Tank Girl]

I thought you weren't supposed to use pillows? Might be wrong though.

that's what I know to be true. I think that's another "not til they're about a year old" things.

 

[trashpony]

what do cot bumpers do and are they necessary?

I have them now because he bashes his head against the bars otherwise and wakes himself up But they're not crucial and sparklefish is right, you shouldn't use them before a year

How old is he? They work it out My ex-charge could climb out of her cot and get down the stairs while zipped into a sleeping bag

He's 18 months but a) he's a boy b) he's lazy and c) he's not that bright

 

[geminisnake]

He's 18 months but a) he's a boy b) he's lazy and c) he's not that bright

Poor erb!!

Boy used to get reined into his cot coz he climbed out ALL the time otherwise.

 

[moomoo]

Apologies if these have been mentioned!


1. Muslins (You can never have too many!)

2. I found that a baby bath that fitted onto the normal bath was much easier to use than one on a stand and it emptied straight into the bath. I couldn't get the hang of bathing babies in the sink. Probably due to the position of the taps.

3. NCT second hand sales are fantastic and you can pick up stuff for a fraction of the price and baby stuff gets very little wear. The only thing I never had second hand was car seats.

 

[Looby]

3. NCT second hand sales are fantastic and you can pick up stuff for a fraction of the price and baby stuff gets very little wear. The only thing I never had second hand was car seats.

You shouldn't get 2nd hand mattresses either.

 

[wiskey]

if you're planning lots of festies and mostly using a sling about town then an all terrain type 3 wheeler might be worth a look - they're pretty hefty (usually longer than standard) but much much better in a field. also they're strong/big so can take older kids (e.g. last fest we had 4 yr old in pushchair at night, baby in sling so they could both sleep while we were out). they also look quite butch which sounds like it might suit

yeah I'm scanning ebay for a cheap and battered pre-loved Mountain Buggy for festies but not as my main buggy.