I typed this up for a pregnant friend so I thought I would sling it on here in case anyone found it useful - also so you can share your thoughts and I could pass those on to her as well - who knows we could maybe get a little manual going.....
NOTE: These are just my opinions after 2 boys. Others having different experiences may think differently!
Feeding
Buy a highchair with as few seams and crevices as possible – forget all the fancy stuff like padding – because you will be cleaning that thing after every meal for about a year and a half.
Bibs – both my boys worked out very quickly how to get these off. Velcro looks easy – and its easy for them too. Get large press stud fastening ones. Or just forgo them later on and accept that kids clothes do get stained.
If breastfeeding, keep those belly band things that you used to lengthen tops in pregnancy – great to fill in the gap and keep you warm when feeding.
Lots of plastic spoons – anything like me and mine, you will leave them behind everywhere.
Nappies and stuff
Sadly, with disposables, only huggies really work well, at least for night. You get your money’s worth from them. Next to that the aldi ones are OK.
Don’t get those special bins – they then charge you through the nose for refills. You will have to take the bag out daily anyway. And you get used to the smell of poo pretty quickly.
With a potty just get a basic cheapie, plus one of those inserts for the toilet.We had a super duper fancy potty for no 1 and my conclusion was it was just harder to clean.
And if you are going to use disposables, when people ask what to give you as a present say nappies!!! And get them to get you the size above newborn.
Change table is worth getting as saves your back.
Clothes.
For babies, the cheap classic stuff is much more useful . Let other people give you the cute going out stuff. Up to 6 months, all in one jumpsuits are easiest and most comfy. 6-12 months, I found leggings and a tee great for a crawler. If your kids are anything like both mine, at night you need warm pjs with feet in – both mine didn’t stay under the blanket – No 1 til about 2, and no 2 is going for the same time. Unless really hot, bonds suits for summer/spring and for winter, the very warm fleecy jobs.
Out and about
Something very light in a stroller, cause you lug that round a lot.
Nappy bag – get something that is practical AND stylish. You will be carrying it everywhere so do yourself a favour and have it look good.
A pouch is very handy IF your bub will go in it (no1 NO, no 2 YES) . And I never got, but wished I had, one of those sling things for very little bub to sleep in while you do stuff.
A portable highchair – didn’t have with first got with 2nd. Fantastic!!!! Just keep in the car.
A travel cot is worth the investment (we didn’t get one and kept borrowing my parents one).
Toiletries.
Depends on the kid, but mine really didn’t use powders, moisturisers, oils etc etc. All I needed for first 6 months was a top to toe J&J wash and nappy rash cream. After that used normal soap and a baby shampoo (DON’T get a cheap baby shampoo- cheap one hurt my kids’ eyes).
Toys
You WILL be given LOTS. Pre 6 months, a baby gym that you can fold up and take with you is great. Just buy off ebay. One thing I found great with both boys from about 6 months was a learn to walker (not the sit in ones, the push along ones) – get one that has another function like converts into a ride on.
Well , that’s all I can think of for now --------hope it helps!
NOTE: These are just my opinions after 2 boys. Others having different experiences may think differently!
Feeding
Buy a highchair with as few seams and crevices as possible – forget all the fancy stuff like padding – because you will be cleaning that thing after every meal for about a year and a half.
Bibs – both my boys worked out very quickly how to get these off. Velcro looks easy – and its easy for them too. Get large press stud fastening ones. Or just forgo them later on and accept that kids clothes do get stained.
If breastfeeding, keep those belly band things that you used to lengthen tops in pregnancy – great to fill in the gap and keep you warm when feeding.
Lots of plastic spoons – anything like me and mine, you will leave them behind everywhere.
Nappies and stuff
Sadly, with disposables, only huggies really work well, at least for night. You get your money’s worth from them. Next to that the aldi ones are OK.
Don’t get those special bins – they then charge you through the nose for refills. You will have to take the bag out daily anyway. And you get used to the smell of poo pretty quickly.
With a potty just get a basic cheapie, plus one of those inserts for the toilet.We had a super duper fancy potty for no 1 and my conclusion was it was just harder to clean.
And if you are going to use disposables, when people ask what to give you as a present say nappies!!! And get them to get you the size above newborn.
Change table is worth getting as saves your back.
Clothes.
For babies, the cheap classic stuff is much more useful . Let other people give you the cute going out stuff. Up to 6 months, all in one jumpsuits are easiest and most comfy. 6-12 months, I found leggings and a tee great for a crawler. If your kids are anything like both mine, at night you need warm pjs with feet in – both mine didn’t stay under the blanket – No 1 til about 2, and no 2 is going for the same time. Unless really hot, bonds suits for summer/spring and for winter, the very warm fleecy jobs.
Out and about
Something very light in a stroller, cause you lug that round a lot.
Nappy bag – get something that is practical AND stylish. You will be carrying it everywhere so do yourself a favour and have it look good.
A pouch is very handy IF your bub will go in it (no1 NO, no 2 YES) . And I never got, but wished I had, one of those sling things for very little bub to sleep in while you do stuff.
A portable highchair – didn’t have with first got with 2nd. Fantastic!!!! Just keep in the car.
A travel cot is worth the investment (we didn’t get one and kept borrowing my parents one).
Toiletries.
Depends on the kid, but mine really didn’t use powders, moisturisers, oils etc etc. All I needed for first 6 months was a top to toe J&J wash and nappy rash cream. After that used normal soap and a baby shampoo (DON’T get a cheap baby shampoo- cheap one hurt my kids’ eyes).
Toys
You WILL be given LOTS. Pre 6 months, a baby gym that you can fold up and take with you is great. Just buy off ebay. One thing I found great with both boys from about 6 months was a learn to walker (not the sit in ones, the push along ones) – get one that has another function like converts into a ride on.
Well , that’s all I can think of for now --------hope it helps!
(Just added a picture of a seamless easy clean highchair called the flair highchair, but it is pricy!)
11 comments:
Agree with everything you have said! - especially the Huggies (nappies are really something where you do get what you pay for!), the padded highchairs (cleaning two highchairs several times a day is the bane of my existence), the portable highchair (we also got one for number 1 when number 2 came along and I now wish I just had two of them)and the bibs - I pretty much gave up on them, and for meal times I have the Tommee tippee plastic ones which just need a wipe down.
Good list!
I'm WITH you about the seamless high chair! We got given an expensive one that is a nightmare to clean and now use a plain booster seat instead - much easier!
Very good list.
great list!
We fell for the padded highchair, though it's a plastic one, not fabric like some of the super expensive ones. After we bought it, I wished that i'd gone for the seamless ikea one, which was cheap and recommended by choice magazine, too...
Nothing much to add. Except perhaps the grobags. They are great for babies that don't do wraps, and keep them warm - so you aren't woken at 3am by a cold baby who's just kicked off the wrapping! The tog ratings are helpful, so buy the real thing second-hand off ebay.
One other thing: a packet of cloth nappies is great for spill pick-ups. They're just the right size to throw over your shoulder for burping, and are better than a face washer for spills. They even double as a change mat cover, too.
Did NONE of you guys use cloth nappies?
Started with good intentions, but became lazy with lack of sleep and short, cold, mountain days (hard enough getting one load of washing dry in a day, let alone three loads of nappies!)
It was also my intention to use cloth nappies, but my head was in such a bad place when the firstborn was just born that the PILE OF WASHING (it was big and always there) was just another thing compounding on the lack of sleep, wide-eyed-what-am-I-doing thing of early parenthood. So we went disposable and my mind was eased slightly. I'm afraid my need for sanity will always prevail over my concern for the environment. I know. So shoot me.
I'm the same I'm afraid. I did think through the environment thing though and decided that in view of the drought and the water I would save by using disposables I was maybe partly cancelling out the impact of the disposables??????? It kind of made me feel better.....
What a shame! I have to say I'm disappointed. One reason I would possibly have another baby is because then I could buy some new fresh gorgeous soft little cloth fitted nappies and have the joy of popping them on and off. The washing... well, heck, if you're putting on three loads a day you can do four. And if you have enough, you only have to do it every second or third day.
Sorry Kayles, but the drought reason doesn't stand up... there is more water used in growing the pulp and manufacturing the disposable than in washing the nappies. It's kind of like buying disposable cutlery and plates because you think washing up will waste water. Plus then there's landfill... rah rah rah... hey, I'm such an evangelist...
Well, we all as mums have to make decisions continuously about how to do it - how to survive, how to keep our sanity, how to have happy, loved, developing, maturing kids, how to be mindful of other responsibilities - to hubbies, friends, family, society the environment. From reading all our blogs, I can see we all care about making good decisions as we balance all this up. They really should pay us a lot more to take into consideration all the tough decisions we make everyday - lots and lots of money ;)
Didn't mean to sound judgmental sorry ladies. I guess we all have things we do that we choose for strong reasons. not everyone chooses the same things.
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