Advice:Buying for newborns

Godsend:
NUMBER 1 best thing ever- I made HEAPS of small cloths (100+) from some flannelette sheeting material I bought from Spotlight. Awesome for spills, wipes... putting under the head in the cot....everything! And they dry Super fast when washed

We used cloth nappies- best advise- buy a few different types to see which fit best before buying heaps of one type. Your bub might be long and lean, or short and wider IYKWIM.

Blankie for the floor- for tummy/back/bare bum time.

Gaia nappy powder- great stuff, its just lavender and cornflour- clears/prevents nappyrash in a day!

All in Ones + Onesies- Deffinately with feet... and if you can find them with the wee fold over hand sleeves to stop face scrabbling. Coupled with short sleeved onesie... its the perfect layering, and you can then add a cardy/vest over top if chilly.

Sox- for scratchy claws as well as chilly toes.

CHANGE TABLE!!!!!! OMG! everyone told me it was the most important part- now I aggree!!! saves the back, and helps keep everything organised (anything to help with that!)- Trade me is a great place to find one. Honestly- trust me.

Frontpack- we use a Bjorn, but its fantastic- L hates the buggy- prob feels too exposed/vunerable in it, so frontpacks allow for walks and a safe feeling bub- straight to sleep.

Weleda Colic Powder, Rhuger drops for colic and reflux.

Portable radio/MP3 player for babys room- helps them get to sleep.

Paracetamol- for the pain... in your nethers, AND your nips (if ur BF)!!

For the hospital or wherever your having bubs- take super soft non scented toilet paper- that was a godsend for me. And for the first day or 2- its nice to wet it with cold water before 'dabbing'.
And gladwrap- your nipples will get a bit raw (well most peoples do) and gladwrap stops them sticking to your tops/bras etc- cos that hurts man! Works a treat.
Pads- I found the Signature range ones the best believe it or not- they werent too bulky... good if your a bit swollen down there not to have extra padding to contend with. I tried about 4 different types too.

Never used:
Hand operated breast pump. If you gonna use one- get a powered one.

Hats without ear flaps... thats prob just a personal choice- I like his ears protected when out.

Monitors- waste of money IMO- depends on your living situation though I guess.


Sorry I could go on... better stop.
Dont forget about yourself too ey.
Oh Ive just seen you still have a bit of time to get prepped.... Prolly dont wanna think to much bout the 'you after birth' part yet.


OMG_ sorry for the essay!!!!!!


Edited by KitKat

Godsend:

Dummy (i said i would never use one, but too was none to pleased at my nipples being used as one).

Rhuger drops for colic (didnt help jakes reflux)

Stretchy swaddle cloths. We started with muslin ones but someone gave us one that was really stretchy and when he is swaddled in it he cant escape!

All in ones with feet and mitts.

Musical mobile (gives me 15 minutes peace if he wont settle, he will just lay there smiling at it).

Bassinet on castors. ( I had not planned on using a bassinet but it was offered to us to loan. Jake has only just moved into his cot a night a couple of weeks ago and until 8 weeks he was in whatever room we were in during the day and our room at night.)

I cant actually think of anything that was a waste of time. We didnt buy a lot of stuff before he was born and have just got as we have needed.

I wish we had organised a white noise cd and cd player for his room as I am a bit sick of listening to the vacuum cleaner going in his room.

My favourite purchase was Jacksons Merino Go-go Bag. We dont have to worry in the night about him being cold, and its so handy to pop in the buggy or in the carseat without having to take him out of it.

We also bought a sillybillyz bib every pay day while I was pregnant, so glad we did as Jackson soaked through all the cloth ones. He is still dribbling like mad now, and hes 14 months old.

Change table is great too, everything is in reach and is great for your back. I got a wooden one with wheels, and when it came to bath time i used to wheel it into the kitchen and take the changing mat off the top, and pop his baby bath on the top instead.

Stretchy swaddle fan here too, we just got a few of the PP ones.

Most used:

Miracle blanket wrap is awesome!

Sounds for silence white noise CD is amazing. Stops crying in seconds!

Bouncer with vibrate - good to have somewhere to put baby down,

Lots of bibs!

Dummies!

All in one outfits with feet, quick & easy dressing.

Never used:

Baby nighties.

Agree that electric breastpump better than manuel one.



Edited by CarrieMumToBe

Guys you're great! Keep the suggestions coming. I am writing them down!!!

GODSEND

Merino gogo bags for sleeping day and night.

For the bath I used a little ramp thing you get them at baby factory cost about $12 and you can take the cover off. This saves your back and you dont have to hold on to the baby IYKWIM as they just can lie there and kick etc. We used this in the baby bath and then the big bath when she got too big.

Definately wraps that stretch ie merino etc

Love the change table

Didint use as a PITB was clothing seperates especially in the early days and even now

monitor

white cloth nappies! the best things in the world!

we use MCN's and cloth wipes, paid off over the pregnancy - most expensive purchase of all but well worth it and a good investment for any other babies we have... (Nice not throwing away money every week on sposies and wipes as well )

My absolute favourite thing we were given was a Babu baby hooded towel (expensive but so so nice and soft!)

We got virtually all of DD's clothes second hand (from family & friends) and we hardly used any of them - my advice - don't go overboard with the clothes!! And newborn clothing, stick to mainly easy stretchy items (cute outfits are exactly that - cute, but a b&%$@ to get on and off IMO)
Steer well away from fleecy clothing as well as little ones can overheat..

The towelling insert for bath (better described above) is awesome as well, cheap as chips but a godsend!

We use a Cariboo swinging bassinet in the cot which is awesome, but did use our pram bassinet for the first few weeks.. If you are able to borrow a bassinet that would be my best suggestion unless you are planning on using one with more children.

Love my manual breastpump (it hurt a bit in the early days, but totally worth it for the casual feeds DH does - oh and Lansinoh ointment is awesome - great for your lips too!)

Probably my biggest piece of advice would be if you're not sure on something, pop the money away in savings and wait until bubs is born, I'm so glad we didn't go overboard and get everything that caught my eye, as alot of it would have never been used

Things we were glad to have:

Not a change table but a set of drawers (not too high) that we put a changing mat on top, and then screwed a little shelf on the side. I am glad we did it this way, cos now we have nappies and bibs etc in the top drawers, then clothes further down. Much better than an open change table with shelves IMO.

Moses basket was good until our girl got too long, cos we could move it around the house.

We were given a backpack for outings, which has been really good - I think we prefer it to a shoulder bag type thing for nappies.

Speaking of nappies - we love our prefolds.

We use two Glad containers from the supermarket - one to put water in, and one to put a flannel in, and we use the flannel for bum-wiping - one corner each time. Wipes are good for outings though.

Flannels - get lots - useful for baths, wiping stuff and feeding in the early days when there is lots of spurting going on!

But with hindsight:
I would have bought a smaller buggy - we love our mountain buggy but I wish we got the smaller model so it is easier to get on buses etc.

Don't buy too many clothes - we basically got given all of ours except for one or two sets we got ourselves - people give you lots of stuff!

Socks - our girl seems to have big feet - so be careful what size socks you buy. Booties are cute but always fall off so if your Nana is gonna knit some ask her to buy you socks instead!

Yep definitely an electric pump rather than a manual if you think you will use it a lot perhaps later if you go back to work.

Don't worry about bibs too much - people tend to buy them for you.

Don't get too many maternity pads - you can steal them from the hospital/birthcare and after a few days you will probably only need heavy or normal pads anyway. (in my experience)

I'm sure there must be more things but that's it for now! Hope it helped

oh yes I forgot a capsule that has a base, much easier to get it in and out of the car. We hired ours and have a base in both our cars, the extra one only cost and extra $10 to hire.

Stogglebox wrote: Not a change table but a set of drawers (not too high) that we put a changing mat on top, and then screwed a little shelf on the side. I am glad we did it this way, cos now we have nappies and bibs etc in the top drawers, then clothes further down. Much better than an open change table with shelves IMO.

Ohhh, I like this idea