List of clothing/blanket items for March 1 baby please

[rebecca]

HI to everyone,

Hope that you are all doing well, and that you guys are not getting bored with my constant questions and qualms.
I was handed some things from my best friend for my son when he is born, however she is going to have more children and will require them back. The bags consist of 000 and 00 singlets and all in one bodysuits along with a cuople of jumpsuits. She has also given me her angel care monitor to use unitl she falls again.
Problem being is that my husband and I are likely to have more than 1 child and we will probably be better off financially now than when number 2 comes along, so think that I should be buying our own necessities for our children.
My question today please is this...what exactly do I need to ensure that I have for when he is born?????MUST HAVE's would be a great start....

Look forward to your replies and advice


Bec & Peanut

[razzle]

Hi Bec

I found that I was given lots of things. Half of it I never used unfortunately but have put it away for the next one. Don't have too many jumpsuits and things, they grow out of them so fast. When she was first born I had about 6 singlets in 00 - still using them now, 3 bodysuits in 000 and 3 in 00, she grew out of these in about 3 months. I found that she was in size 00/0 for the longest time. She's really long so the 00s were grown out of in length more than anything else. She's been a size 0/1 for a couple of months now.

I think a monitor is a good thing - I still use the monitor now and Eloise is 8 months old. I sleep with it under my pillow. We have the door to Eloise's room closed when she's sleeping - 1 because it's off the lougeroom where the tv is and 2 because we have a cat and don't want the cat in there when she is.

We were given a bouncer for a present which was a godsend - Eloise used to fall asleep in it all the time and it was handy to carry her around with me when I was doing stuff like having a shower or hanging out the washing - she still gets strapped into it now if she's awake when I have a shower!

Wraps - and lots of them, forget the little flannel bunny rugs - waste of money, get the big muslin wraps, best size is 120 x 120 or bigger. 'Duck' make some and you can get them at Target or Myer, a 3 pack is about $25. Still using mine and I've recently bought some lighter ones for summer from 'Essentials' at Myer, same price.

I bought a dummy before I went into hospital - just in case. I know what everyone says about dummies and some of the midwives frowned when I stuck it in her mouth at 2 days old but it was the only way I got some sleep in that first week or so. She only uses it now to go to sleep.

I also had a couple of bottles just in case as well. Just as well because I had trouble breastfeeding at first. DP went out and bought me an electric breastpump and a sterilizer which cost about $300 all up but it was worth it. Still use the sterilizer. Breast pumps are probably cheaper to hire or borrow from the hospital if you need one at all.

Hope this all helps! (I didn't mean to ramble... :o )

[cait]

Hi Bec,

My bub was born in March in QLD so it was quite warm here. I found that for the first month or so I dressed Zach in a nappy and singlet and then kept him wrapped. I had about a dozen muslin and flanalette wraps which were good in this climate.

This was also good for changing nappies as being a new mum I was so scared be pulling little legs and arms through clothes (this is really silly but it was one of a few worries I had - strange I know).

When it got a bit cooler I mainly used bonds jumpsuits - they are just sooooo cute!! I wouldn't worry too much about buying many 0000 as they grow out of them so quickly. Bigger singlets can be folded up over bubby's chest too.

My other absolute must have is a baby rocker. I still use it to take Zach from room to room. He loves the toys and he can see mum where ever I go. He also naps in it sometimes during the day.

You will probably find that you get given heaps of stuff too so don't worry too much about. We haven't had to buy much at all, especially clothes.

Good luck! :)

[Elfin]

Hi Rebecca

You must be getting so excited. I found that a packet of cloth nappies were really useful as I used these for all sorts of things such as putting over your shoulder as a spew cloth and putting them across the top of the sheet in the bassinet to save washing the sheets for the little spews.

I couldn't do without my bath, bathstand and jug for filling up and emptying the water. I did all the bathing in the kitchen and dried my babies on the kitchen bench.

I also had a lot of clothes as my babies seemed to chuck a lot and had leaking poos :rolleyes: . I liked the bonds suits but given I am in Brisbane I preferred cotton t-shirt type material all in ones.

Some nice soothing classical music for sleeping was good. I really liked my baby playgym. It really stimulated and encouraged reaching (although some babies don't like these at all.)

I also had paw paw ointment for dry spots and it is wonderful for removing any waxy buildup baby might get like behind the ears, bellybutton or around the neck. It gets it straight off very gently.

Sorry if I have rattled on hope this helps a bit.

Easterlily :)

[H&B'sMum]

Hi Rebecca and Peanut,
I hope Peanut is looking after you Rebecca. I agree with everyone else Bonds suits are the best. I use them now as Harry's PJ's as it still gets a little cold at night. They were fantastic in the beginning. Harry was born 29/03 and he lived in them for about the first 5 months or so. Even now if we are not going out I dress him in them if it's cool or put on a summer suit if it's warm. Don't buy too many 0000 as they grow out of them really quicky. Harry's like Eloise into 0's now and spent the most time in 00.
I was given a lot of stuff from family and friends (thank you everyone) and one thing I found that helped was to label with the child's initals the clothes that belonged to them. That way when I had finished with them I was able to give them back to the right person. I also found that I still bought a lot of my own clothes so a lot of the ones I was given I used as back up if Harry had a really pooy day or I didn't do a wash for a few days.
Wraps are essential and I still use mine. Harry is nearly out of his wrapping now. We only wrap his legs when it is cold at night but I use them to put in the shopping trolley so he can sit on them, god knows what other germs are in there!!!!
The other really essential thing for Peanut is time. Time with you and your hubby when he is born. Make sure you spend time together admiring him, bonding with him and just soaking in his beautifulness. I still love watching Harry when he is asleep, one of lifes simple pleasures.
Have fun with your beautiful son when he arrives, and never think we get sick of your questions. They make us remember when our own babies were little. :)

P.S I love the nickname Peanut, Harry was Junior............
Keep the questions coming.

[darwin-mum]

Hi rebecca,

I'm pregnant with my 2nd baby and live in Darwin so the clothing and wrapping issue is a little different up here - especially with bub due on 17dec (VERY HOT!) i'm planning on singlets and nappies for a while.

I did however discover if you log onto the target website they have a baby section which has an "essentials list" very helpful for first time mums, we have referred to it quite often to make sure that we haven't forgotten certain things.

Its also good to use it like a "wish list" tick of everything that you need (or want!) and when someone asks what they should buy you, you don't have to think to hard and you won't end up with 10,000 bibs.

definately agree with the rocker, babies love being able to see what you are up to, I used to put my son in it where he could see whatever i was doing and talk to him while i was doing my chores, he seemed to find it entertaining!

Also the Paw Paw cream, I was given some that comes in a little round red pot and it is really good for nappy rash!

Fiona - Darwin

[Shelangelang]

My best items for Lena born 12.08.04 were as follows:

The large plastic curved change mats from Baby Co etc, because she loves it so much. I put in down on the loungeroom floor on a mat and she entertains herself for ages, I think it's the padding in it.

Small blanket from Best and Less which has satin edging and a teddy bear or rabbit head and arms sewn into the middle of it, she loves holding onto it for comfort and will go to sleep with it in her mouth, hand and over her head - very cute. She won't take a dummy for this is her crutch...

We splashed out and bought a rocker Fisher and Price Aquarium model and it's worth every penny I spent. It has a vibrating option which puts her to sleep and then a detachable arm which has hanging objects and in the centre a starfish spinning and fish kissing as bubbles rise up through it and it also plays music - she absolutely loves it - keep an eye out on Ebay as I've seen them for sale at times.

Little pants in cotton etc to wear over nappies. I use disposable nappies and often dress her in nappy, singlet and little cotton pants to hold the singlet down as there is nothing worse than trying to feed, burp etc and the singlet keeps riding up their back, usually find them for a couple of dollars at KMart or BigW.

Cotton jumpsuits which you can buy at Target in a pack of two or three in really nice patterns, she sleeps in them every night as with the humidifier going it gets quite warm at times.

Bepanthen for nappy rash and nothing else, Lena had really bad nappy rash at about 3 weeks old and the nurse suggested Bepanthen as the rash was very close to erupting, didn't look that bad to me (I now know better) and by an absolute miracle it was a new bottom by morning after only a few liberal applications - the stuff is GOLD...

Hope this helps... sorry if I waffled...