Talk to me about... Baby stuff!

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
So, guess as the time swiftly approaches I should be looking at what I need. Problem is, having never had a kid, I have no idea! Currently looking at travel systems, they vary from £150 to well over a grand new, but look similar?!?!? Looking on ebay for a decent second hand set but still no idea whats good and what isn't, so...

Any brands to avoid/look out for?
1 or 2 wheels at the front best?
Bearing in mind it'll need to cope with dog walks, big wheels? Suspension?
Ideally want something I can move the car seat between cars easily, guess isofix bases?

Most things I'd be able to research, but google keeps trying to send me to mumsnet and that place scares me!
 

Gadget

Well-Known Forumite
Mumsnet scares me too lol. If you want to transfer easily between cars and just make it easier to put the seat in generally then yes, I'd say Isofix bases, so make sure any travel system you get is compatible. If you are looking at dog walks etc then yeah, a bigger wheel, single at the front type is going to be more your thing. Careful about the second hand, check the car seat very carefully. Like bike helmets, if it's been dinged or been in an accident already, you don't want it. Brands I have no idea about these days sorry.

Depending on your bathroom arrangements, either a baby bath or one of those mesh type bath cradles will be useful.

Muslin cloths, brilliant things! Great for burping cloths and many other things. My Grandson even took to one as his comforter.

Depending on how you end up feeding, my daughter swore by Mam bottles that unscrew at the bottom, great for cleaning. Babies can be picky though and I ended up changing brand between 2 of mine as the last 2 would not have the ones my first 2 were happy with. Breast feeding gets more complicated and will prob be a trial and error as to what will be needed, if anything other than the boobs.

A really good bottle brush, if you use bottles. A steriliser is possible, depends if you end up with anything that needs it.

Babygrows, baby vests. Many of. Clothes? Depends if you want them. Don't bother starting with scratch mits, only get them if you need them. Baby socks arrrgh, bane of my early motherhood. Again, only get them if you want them.

Hats, yeah, you'll probably need hats. Take 2 to the hospital with you regardless of weather in in room temperature, else you'll get tutted at and potentially end up with a donated neon yellow affair that hurts your eyeballs (my niece).

Nappies, more than you will ever think you will need.

Something for your bundle of joy to sleep in. The choice is yours, as long as it has the right safety standard the super cheap will do just as well as the expensive. Unless you want fancy features.

Bepanthen/sudocreme, brilliant for everyone. Baby toiletries, your choice there.
Towels, for the child and extra, as you will find lots of new and interesting things you will need them for.
Change bag, either a special one or a bag of your choice that will fit everything in.
Change mat, not essential but you might want one.
Baby monitors, your choice if you want those.
Coffee, for you not the baby lol.
A snot clearer, nothing worse than a snotty baby that can't feed.
Temporal thermometer, might come in hand. In ear ones, though better can be tricky with a little one.

Minds gone blank now. Hopefully some ideas for you there.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Mumsnet scares me too lol. If you want to transfer easily between cars and just make it easier to put the seat in generally then yes, I'd say Isofix bases, so make sure any travel system you get is compatible. If you are looking at dog walks etc then yeah, a bigger wheel, single at the front type is going to be more your thing. Careful about the second hand, check the car seat very carefully. Like bike helmets, if it's been dinged or been in an accident already, you don't want it. Brands I have no idea about these days sorry.

Depending on your bathroom arrangements, either a baby bath or one of those mesh type bath cradles will be useful.

Muslin cloths, brilliant things! Great for burping cloths and many other things. My Grandson even took to one as his comforter.

Depending on how you end up feeding, my daughter swore by Mam bottles that unscrew at the bottom, great for cleaning. Babies can be picky though and I ended up changing brand between 2 of mine as the last 2 would not have the ones my first 2 were happy with. Breast feeding gets more complicated and will prob be a trial and error as to what will be needed, if anything other than the boobs.

A really good bottle brush, if you use bottles. A steriliser is possible, depends if you end up with anything that needs it.

Babygrows, baby vests. Many of. Clothes? Depends if you want them. Don't bother starting with scratch mits, only get them if you need them. Baby socks arrrgh, bane of my early motherhood. Again, only get them if you want them.

Hats, yeah, you'll probably need hats. Take 2 to the hospital with you regardless of weather in in room temperature, else you'll get tutted at and potentially end up with a donated neon yellow affair that hurts your eyeballs (my niece).

Nappies, more than you will ever think you will need.

Something for your bundle of joy to sleep in. The choice is yours, as long as it has the right safety standard the super cheap will do just as well as the expensive. Unless you want fancy features.

Bepanthen/sudocreme, brilliant for everyone. Baby toiletries, your choice there.
Towels, for the child and extra, as you will find lots of new and interesting things you will need them for.
Change bag, either a special one or a bag of your choice that will fit everything in.
Change mat, not essential but you might want one.
Baby monitors, your choice if you want those.
Coffee, for you not the baby lol.
A snot clearer, nothing worse than a snotty baby that can't feed.
Temporal thermometer, might come in hand. In ear ones, though better can be tricky with a little one.

Minds gone blank now. Hopefully some ideas for you there.
Thank you! Lots to think on there.
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
Whatever you get, travel system wise, check it'll actually fit in the boot of your car before you buy and make sure you get the right car seat fitting depending on whether your car has ISOFIX or not.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Whatever you get, travel system wise, check it'll actually fit in the boot of your car before you buy and make sure you get the right car seat fitting depending on whether your car has ISOFIX or not.
Need to check both cars, as ideally one that we can move easily between them is wanted. Thats a job for tomorrow.
 

Glam

Mad Cat Woman
Personally I wouldn't bother with a baby bath, we used the kitchen sink, so much easier. Only thing we used the baby bath for was to bath the dog.
And I wouldn't go for the expensive baby brands, such as Johnsons, the supermarket stuff is just as good and a lot cheaper. I will echo the majority of what @Gadget has said, my kids are a fair bit older than hers, so there wasn't things like interchangeable seats etc when they were babies. I do however agree 100%, be careful with a car seat.
You don't need the fancy Silver Cross, unless you have oodles of room, there's no need for a moses basket either, they soon outgrow the things.
Just enjoy being parents xx
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
Might be an idea to lay down an initial plan for the teenage years. I know it seems far off, but take into account the famous quote:

“Si vis pacem, para bellum”.
Vegetius.

:P
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Take a big breath and relax.

Then don't listen to anyone else, about anything.

Then exhale.
Thats how I intend to do the parenting, just want to ensure I have the best tools for the job first! Bought a changing mat in Aldi, that seemed a wise purchase, otherwise I have nothing. There does seem to be a lot of hardly used prams etc. on ebay right now, I guess lockdown meant people moved about less.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
The travel system I planned to buy has been eaten by mice, so now looking again and regardless of all other features I found one with a fox on it so will probably buy that!
 

Gadget

Well-Known Forumite
The travel system I planned to buy has been eaten by mice, so now looking again and regardless of all other features I found one with a fox on it so will probably buy that!
While in Stafford I was bullied, by the social worker, into storing my expensive travel system in the outdoor storage shed. It was promptly destroyed by mice. I'd bought it with an inheritance for Spawn3 it would have lasted both her and her younger sister and I could probably have passed it on. It had a base that I could fit a car seat, carry cot and a pushchair seat to. I was left having to borrow money to buy the cheapest pushchair and car seat I could find. As you can tell, it still smarts.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
While in Stafford I was bullied, by the social worker, into storing my expensive travel system in the outdoor storage shed. It was promptly destroyed by mice. I'd bought it with an inheritance for Spawn3 it would have lasted both her and her younger sister and I could probably have passed it on. It had a base that I could fit a car seat, carry cot and a pushchair seat to. I was left having to borrow money to buy the cheapest pushchair and car seat I could find. As you can tell, it still smarts.
Not good :ohno:
Mine will definitely live in the house til it's no longer needed, and then likely be given away as we're a bit old to have another one!
 

c0tt0nt0p

Well-Known Forumite
Not travel system related but if you get the chance to to the next NCT nearly new sale. You can pick up loads of clothes and other 2nd hand baby related items for low prices...
 

staffordjas

Well-Known Forumite
Our mostly used things were bottles and steriliser .
Plastic changing mat.
Bibs.
Baby quilt/blanket that he lay on the floor on , and in later years carried it around with him everywhere.
A travel cot/ play pen which he didn't spend that much time in, but kept him safe when I had to take my eyes off him.
Baby grows rather than fancy outfits. Useful if people buy the bigger 6 months sizes as presents as they soon grow out of the first sizes.
Disposable nappies....we thought we'd use terries at first but he got too sore.
Sudacrem (which we had never heard of before , but still use it for ourselves now)
Baby Talc.
I bought a baby bath and thing to put the soap and cloths in etc for 50p from someone on the estate (it also came in useful for bathing the dog afterwards! ) . That's where the terries towels came in useful afterall , for spreading around the bath to save the carpet getting soaked.


Used one of those backpack things for taking him a walk over the fields with the dog . Only disadvantage was had to drop him onto the settee to get it off my back again.

High chair for feeding and keeping safe when a bit bigger.

Waste of time bought items...
Breast pump thing was a total waste of money .
Things you put in the electrical sockets / video etc to stop their little fingers going in were also a waste of time. We had to get him to get them out for us, as his fingers would fit behind to pull them out easier than we could. :roll:
 
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staffordjas

Well-Known Forumite
Not travel system related but if you get the chance to to the next NCT nearly new sale. You can pick up loads of clothes and other 2nd hand baby related items for low prices...
We got lots of clothes from school jumble sales for the toddler years, mostly new and unworn with the labels still attached .
 
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