things you couldn't have got by without

LegacyUser

MoonDancer wrote: »

This was a life saver for me, just around the house, or going out when I was breastfeeding! They will be happy in the sling forever!! If you want discreet feeding or on the run feeding!!

Love the look of these slings. Where can I get one?

Knit wit

http://img.comet.co.uk/images/prod2000/644285

This is a great kettle for formula feeding ... U can heat water to 70C to make bottles ...

Lola92

Knit wit wrote: »

http://img.comet.co.uk/images/prod2000/644285

This is a great kettle for formula feeding ... U can heat water to 70C to make bottles ...

But the whole point of boiling the water in the first place is to kill any bacteria present. The only reason you let it cool to 70 degrees is so that the nutrients in the formula aren't damaged. That link did not work for me so maybe I am missing out on something here.

taz70

Lola92 wrote: »

But the whole point of boiling the water in the first place is to kill any bacteria present. The only reason you let it cool to 70 degrees is so that the nutrients in the formula aren't damaged. That link did not work for me so maybe I am missing out on something here.

Actually, the reason you heat the water to 70 deg is to kill the bacteria in the FORMULA, not the water, AND to protect the nutrients from deterioration. Formula powder is not sterile, so needs to be made sterile (as far as is possible) before you give it to your baby.

I agree with not buying too much in advance - our biggest waste of money was a brand new cot. I think he spent one night in it and the rest of the time we have coslept (which honestly is the easiest thing, particularly if you're breastfeeding). We had billions of muslins etc, but he never spat up or threw up, so I never used one of them! It just depends on the baby.

People will give you loads of clothes - presents, second hand - so you really only need the basics. If people ask you what you need, ask for clothes for 9 months, 12 months, 18 months. It seems stupid, but they grow so quickly and it's nice to have the next size up all ready to go.

I found my son was barely out of babygros for the first six months, so don't waste your money on too many outfits. They grow out of them so fast, it's better to just borrow from someone or even just buy a bulk lot on ebay (or adverts.ie).

As for nappies, have you considered modern cloth nappies? They are a breeze to use - just an extra load or two a week - no nappy rash, no need for petroleum-based creams, good for the environment and keeps the nasty chemicals in the disposables far from your baby's pure little bottom! Oh, and these are not the terry toweling rags of yesteryear - they are just like disposables (check out www.ittibitti.co.uk as one brand, but there are lots of them).

pwurple

Plastic backed Bibs and saline drops.

Our babs was a bit snuffly when she was born, and the midwives were way too busy for the saline drops. Just bring your own.

Drool city from 8 weeks old, when the saliva glands start working. We were going through 10 or 12 bibs a day, and she was getting a rash from wet drooly bibs and clothes. Only place i found plastic ones were M&S. Put the cloth bib on top of the plastic backed one. Double layer.

I agree on not buying everything, it's fun to take baby out and about in the sling to get these things after a little while.

Get the drops though!

MoonDancer

guest9876 wrote: »

Love the look of these slings. Where can I get one?

The one I used was a pouch sling, you should google different ways to wear your baby in them as they grow bigger.

http://www.littlepossums.co.uk/slings/pouch-slings.htm

hoodwinked

one thing worth thinking about (althought you would not think it in Ireland) but for summer babies is ways of keeping them shaded when out and about from the sun in case we get a hot/sunny day (as happened to us the day we came home)


you can get parasols that clip to car seats/Buggies/prams or little sun hats.

Morag

Nipple shields if you are considering trying breastfeeding.

LegacyUser

Just wondering how essential people think bouncy chairs are? I was planning on putting my lil one in his pram to sleep or when I need to do do stuff in the kitchen, but my mam insists that one of these chairs will be needed to stop him from crying. I was kinda hoping not to have too much stuff til he's older to save clutter since we live in an apartment, but if he really needs it for stimulation or whatever, I wouldn't wanna hold back.

This thread is great by the way!

Moonbeam

I did not think they were until I had my 1st!
We brought it everywhere,visiting,restaurants,in to the bathroom for showers!
You can get them from about a tenner up and it is very very worth having one,especially one with a few toys on it.
They get bored of the pram and want to look around them and see everything.

Neyite

bizzibee wrote: »

Just wondering how essential people think bouncy chairs are? I was planning on putting my lil one in his pram to sleep or when I need to do do stuff in the kitchen, but my mam insists that one of these chairs will be needed to stop him from crying. I was kinda hoping not to have too much stuff til he's older to save clutter since we live in an apartment, but if he really needs it for stimulation or whatever, I wouldn't wanna hold back.

This thread is great by the way!

I dont have one - I was given one, but it didnt clean up properly,so I'm going to dump it. At the moment, my newborn is in his moses basket usually, or on a play gym (on top of my own yoga mat for extra cushioning) if I think he needs a little stimulation. I think its recommended to lie babies flat from birth for a while, so you may not use the chair much in the begining anyway? I'd say hold off on one until after baby comes along and you will know when they are ready for one. I'm in an apartment too so I'm very concious on not getting loads of little-used equipment cluttering up our limited space.

Moonbeam

The chairs lie flat for newborns

Neyite

Moonbeam wrote: »

The chairs lie flat for newborns

Ah I see The one I was given didnt, so thats why I dont use it.

My partners friend swears by the vibrating one. All I could think about was that episode of Sex and the City where Mirandas baby chair broke and Samantha put a big vibrator in it to make the chair vibrate for the kid.

pwurple

I found the bouncy chair really useful as well. They do like to be able to see you, and moses basket doesn't cut it for that.

In all seriousness, nothing is essential apart from milk, a place to sleep and some way to clean them. A boob and a wet cloth would be all that's actually essential for the baby. But here you would be stuck on the bed with a baby lying on you all day long like some kind of manatee...

Everything else is to make your life a little easier or more pleasant. A bouncer is handy when you need a shower or to go to the loo. Or for downstairs when you are making something to eat and you don't want to haul the bassinet down the stairs again. They are light, cheap and they fold away.

Mr.Wemmick

The Bumbo chair is great as it is light and you can take it anywhere, great in restaurants, very sturdy, supportive and they can't fall out of it. I'm a big fan of the simple chair.

When you're buying the first baby-friendly cuddly teddy or rabbit, do yourself a favour and get two. If that much loved teddy or blanket gets lost one day, you'll be so glad you have a spare tucked away at home especially if it is one that can not be replaced at a later date.

sillysocks

We got a babybjorn bouncer as a present, definitely one of the best things we have. 18 months later and still use it every day. It's great for knowing they're in something safe if you've jobs to do, for feeding when they move into solids, and for watching tv (bad mother alert!).

We got a Bumbo, she hated it and kept trying to arch out of it so brought it back.

The babybjorn folds totally flat in a split second so handy for tidying away or bringing if you're going to someone's house.

It doesn't really stimulate as such as it's not colorful, no toys etc, but we used to just hook toys onto it and that was fine.

pwurple

My friends have that babybjorn one. It has an optional extra toy bar.

Or you can get one of those clip on toybars, that also fit to buggys.

analucija

Good quality ear thermometer. Quick and easy when you are paranoid about your child's temperature.

RebelButtMunch

A microwave oven.