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Shopping!
Hi everyone, hope your all well.
I'm a first timer and been holding off doing any shopping till after my 20 week scan, which is on wednesday, so i'm itching to start! But what do i need!!?
I know what the books and internet say, but i thought you ladies who are pros might be able to share your hints/tips on what things you couldn't live without during those first few weeks and months and what you thought was a waste of time and won't be using this time around!
Thanks
xxx
I'm a first timer and been holding off doing any shopping till after my 20 week scan, which is on wednesday, so i'm itching to start! But what do i need!!?
I know what the books and internet say, but i thought you ladies who are pros might be able to share your hints/tips on what things you couldn't live without during those first few weeks and months and what you thought was a waste of time and won't be using this time around!
Thanks
xxx
0
Replies
Cot or cotbed
Cot mattress
Moses basket (if you want it, dont last long)
Basket stand
Baby bath (or foam insert, we did both)
Baby swing/bouncy seat (i got one which could lay down so baby could go in from day 1)
Play gym (i also got an activity arch for over their head when they got bored of the one which came with it)
Drawers/wardrobe
Pram
Car seat (adapters for pram if needed)
Car seat base (if u want it)
Travel cot (and mattress and sheets etc)
High chair (we got 2, one wooden and one reclining)
General items
Changing bag
Changing mat (one for bag and one for house, maybe one downstairs and upstairs?)
Foot muff
Raincover
Car mirror
Car sunshade
Pram sunshade
Monitor
Muslins x alot
Dummies x4
Teether
Kids coat hangers
bibs
flannels
Feeding items
Steriliser
Bottle brush
Splash mat (i didnt bother as we have a laminate kitchen floor so i just wipe with a wipe)
- Breastfeeding
Breast pump (i got manual TT and loved it)
Storage bottles/bags
Breast pads (sainsburys itch, i bought boots, asda and TT ones)
1-2 bottles (for expressing)
Lanisoh (sp) cream (expensive but my lord is it worth it)
Nursing bras x3 (including a comfy nighttime one, babies r us are good for these)
Nipple shields x2 pairs (if wanted, i didnt bother)
- Bottle feeding (i bf so this is basic nto sure if u need anything else)
6-8 bottles
First and second teats
Formula - cartons or powder
Bottle warmer
Travel bottle warmer
Thermo bottle holders
Bathroom essentials
Bath seat
Sudocream/bepanthen
Baby bath wash
Baby shampoo
Baby nail clippers
Teething gel or powder
Brush and comb set
Thermometer - room, bath and body
Sponges/flannels
- Using disposables
Pack nappies
Wipes (a lot)
Cotton wool (didnt use much but had a few just in case, i didnt use them for the meconium as it took forever, we just used a flannel and threw it away after)
Nappy bags (cheap and great for containing poo lol)
- Using reusables
Nappies x 15-20
Cloth wipes x 30
Travel wet bags x 2
Nappy bin
Mesh bag bin liners x 2
Fleece liners x 15-20
Linen
Moses basket sheets x4
Cellular blankets x4 (2 large, 2 small)
Fleece blankets x3
Grobag 0-6 months x2
Grobag 6-18 months x2
Cot sheets x4
Baby bath towels (we used our towels as these are massively over priced and to me seemed thin)
clothing (we had newborn and 0-3 but we needed tiny baby in the end as she was tiny at 6.6)
Vests x12
Babygros x8
Pairs booties x2
Pairs socks x5
Jumpers x3
Hats x2
Scratch mits x3
Pramsuits x 2
Day outfits x5
For Mum
Maternity pads (allow for a few, i got night time pads from tesco in the end as they were actually thicker and wider)
V-shaped pillow
Optional
Cot bumper and other accessories
Changing table
Sling (we got a rubbish one first time round but this time i went for a close wrap, so worth the money, baby can be close to you while you do daily tasks or just go to the shop without needing a bulky pram all the time)
Bumbo seat
Thanks so much for that, I'm gonna print this off. Much better than my attempt!
Thanks again
xxx
Just a couple of things from my experience:
I'd only buy the very basic clothes - vests, sleepsuits, hats, socks etc because you will get bought a tonne of stuff!
And lansinoh is a must, amaing stuff!!
We had a baby bath last time & hated it - massive, awkward, we use the sink then the bath (one of us would hop in with him!).
We have an icandy with the sun parasol to match but it is RUBBISH. a blanket pegged onto the hood is much better unless you walk along long straight roads - otherwise you have to readjust it with every direction change!
Our cotbed has a drawer underneath & a changer that goes across the top - both I found fantastic.
For toiletries, we didn't use any products like shampoo on Benjamin until he was about 6 mnths - their skin is far too delicate & it isnt needed. We used just cotton wool & warm water for the first 6 weeks or so for the same reason. Totally agree about the meconium - nightmare to get off!!
Xx
My biggest tip would be to get a cot-top changer as I didn't have one initially and had stitches so found it a nightmare to get down on the floor. So much easier when we finally got one - also better for my back!
i got mine in babies r us for like ??30 in the sale and used it all day every day.
now its good storage for imogens bits and bobs and now for no2 too
And totally agree about the yucky high waisted big black knickers, I got mine from Sainsburys!
crap i cant think about hosptial bags now, im not even 20 weeks!!
I've done a hospital bag list already but i'll put it up a bit later i'm supposed to be doing a uni assignment at the moment :roll:
I would say it's better to take a small bag with you for the labour and have a bigger post-natal bag and bag for baby that you can leave in the car. Some hospitals get a bit funny about you bringing loads of stuff in as space is limited. At worst if you run out of stuff and worry that your OH won't know what to bring clear a drawer out at home and fill it with spares that he can just grab.
Labour bag:
1 nighty - cheap one you won't mind throwing away
Slipper socks
Lucozade/snacks or lucozade tablets
Camera/spare batteries
Phone charger
Headband
Lip balm - g&a makes your lips really dry
If you think your birth partner won't be able to swap the bags over for a while it might also be worth having in this bag:
Knickers - post birth, just get a few packs of primark cheapies that can be chucked, paper knickers are a waste of money.
Another nighty - I swore i'd wear pj's post birth because I hate nighties but honestly they are so much easier to cope with when you're in the hospital.
Maternity bra/sports bra
Maternity pads - I wore 2 at a time for the first few days overlapping in the middle, it made sitting down a bit softer.
1 vest/babygrow/hat for baby
Baby bag:
2 vests
2 babygrows
1 hat
1 pair scratch mitts
3 muslin cloths/bibs
Going home outfit
Blanket
8-10 nappies/nappy sacks
Wipes - even if you don't use them at home, cotton wool is rubbish on meconium.
Post-natal bag:
Extra nighty
2 Maternity bras
More knickers
Maternity pads - about 3 packs just in case.
Breast pads
Going home clothes
Flip flops - the showers are horrible.
Dark coloured towel - again that you don't mind chucking afterwards.
Pillow - hospital ones are rubbish but make sure you can easily identify it as yours.
Toothbrush/toothpaste
Cidal soap - I used this instead of shower gel it's antibacterial so great on your lady parts or csec wound but it doesn't dry your skin out and it smells of lemon.
Shampoo/conditioner
Deodorant
Face wipes
Hairbrush
Lansinoh cream
Arnica tablets - if you take one at the same time as your painkillers it really helps speed up healing internal bruising.
Entertainment - wards are noisy so I didn't sleep very well and I actually got really bored waiting for DS to want feeding! I'm taking a book, my iphone (free internet!) which has music on it, my portable DVD player and a comedy series. I figure I probably won't get through a whole film.
And lastly a couple of plastic bags to put dirty clothes etc in.
Think thats about it. It does look like a lot but toiletries etc can be bought in travel size so they take up less room.