dumb questions from a first time mum to be

[thebecster]

these are probably REALLY dumb questions... and a bit of a long post - sorry! I'm hoping some more experienced mums can straighten me out...

Firstly - I'm planning to breastfeed, but I'll probably want to express milk so that my DH can occasionally give the baby a bottle, and so that I can keep the baby on breastmilk after I go back to work... So do I need to buy a steriliser for bottles? Is there a way of sterilising bottles in the microwave/on the hob instead? If so, how? We have a 'kitchenette' which is about the size of one of those ELC pretend kitchens for toddlers! So anything that saves space would be good. I don't know where we could put a steriliser in our kitchen...

Secondly - do we need a nappy wrap bin - or will a metal bin outside on the fire escape do? I feel guilty for planning to use disposables but we don't have a washing machine and I think I'll be spending all my time down the launderette as it is!

Thirdly - do we really need a pram/buggy? We live on the third floor (no lift) and the thought of getting one of those huge buggies up & down the stairs... Nightmare. Do you think we'll manage with a sling for the first few months at least? Some people have said 'yes' but others seem to think that a pram is the first thing I should be buying...

Thanks all! (see, I'm still worrying after my last thread, but I'm worrying about little things at the moment rather than the 'AAAARGH! We'll never cope!' thing which hits me every now & then )

[Wallace]

1. Not sure but think you can but sterilisers that go in the microwave, or just boil bottles up on the hob.

2. Definitely don't need a nappy wrap bin - they are a waste of space. Normal bin will do just fine.

3. Umm, not sure. Could you buy a cheap one, and leave it at the bottom of the stairs? You might manage with a sling for a few months, but it is really nice to have somewhere they can lie down and sleep when you're out.

[Loobie]

Ok ill try and answer a bit!! Re steriliser,a big pot of boliing water on the stove,with all the bottles and teats etc will do just as good as any sterilsers you can buy.
Nappy bin,forget it a metal bin outside will do just fine,or buy those scented nappy bags to put stinkys in then into a normal bin.
Pram/buggy-mmmmm dont know bout that one,techinically a ling would be fine for the first few months i suppose,i always used my pram for baby to sleep in during the day,then cot/moses basket at night,so i think that one would be a personal choice.
HTH!!

[melissasmummy]

If you are expressing & using bottles they WILL need to be sterilized. You can buy a microwave sterilizer which will save space.

No, I doubt you need a nappy bin. We did have one, but all it did was take up space & start to smell if the nappy was left in there too long. Bags & an ordinary bin, outside will surfice.

I would deff get a buggy of some sort as soon as you can. When you venture out on your own you will have baby in a sling & a change bag & this can put alot of strain on your back after awhile.

[Roobie]

With regard to pram/buggy, no need to get one of those huge travel system or offroad lifestyle jobbies you see everywhere - get the lightest one you can find that still reclines flat. I think the Maclarens are pretty good.

[Auntymandy]

1. I used an ice cream tub and tablets! or you can just boil stuff in a pan.
   
   2)wouldnt buy one,you can stick nappies in a carrier bag or even buy nappy sacks and straight in the bin
   
   3)personal choice here. I didnt use a pram with my last one at all. used a sling. as he got bigger bought a light weight lay back buggy. think about how often you will use it.
   Hope that helps and good luck!

[Auntymandy]

1. I used an ice cream tub and tablets! or you can just boil stuff in a pan.
   
   2)wouldnt buy one,you can stick nappies in a carrier bag or even buy nappy sacks and straight in the bin
   
   3)personal choice here. I didnt use a pram with my last one at all. used a sling. as he got bigger bought a light weight lay back buggy. think about how often you will use it.
   Hope that helps and good luck!

[colditz]

1 You could get a steriliser you could use in the microwave, or boil the bottles on the hob

2 No you don't need a nappy bin, a Tesco bag hung on a door handle is fine. Newborn poo doesn't really smell that bad anyway. It doesn't smell like "real" poo LOL

3 Erm, yes, I am afraid this is the non negotiable one, you need a buggy. babies are lovely to carry, but they get BIGGER

[lucy5]

you can buy pre sterilised bottles but that would probably work out to be quite expensive,

Just use nappy bags and bung them in the bin

I would say a buggy of some sort is a must. It will make your life much easier when out and about.

[Mala]

Hi there - firstly don't worry, you will cope when the time comes and after the first few weeks everything becomes second nature.

You can buy a microwave sterilizer. I had both a steam one and a microwave one. I also expressed and need to sterilize both the bottles and sterilizer.

You could use environmentally friendly nappies like Oko(a german brand) or nature nappies. These are more expensive than normal brands though.
I didn't use a bin wrapper, just normally biodegradable nappy sacks.

I used a sling for the first three months of my dd life. I wouldn't recommend a pram. When she was bigger I used a Maclaren buggy.

Have a look at the Blooming marvellous website- it has loads of useful ideas. One of my fav. things there was a ready made swaddle - definately one of the most useful items I used!

good luck!

[Roobie]

Oh and definitely don't bother the huge plastic sterilisers - you can get microwave bags or do chemical sterilising in a plastic container. There is even a school of though that says you don't need to sterilise at all - search the archives.

[Auntymandy]

dont know why my answers went on twice..dont think they are more valid than anyone elses!!

[JackieNo]

You can buy microwave steriliser bags from various places - I know this link says 'out of stock' but just search on 'microwave steriliser bag' and Lindam (the maker) and various places come up. Very small to store and as you'll only need them occasionally, might be worth the investment. They're re-usable, but don't last forever.

[majorstress]

the smelliest homes I have ever visited have always had those wrap-bins, in otherwise spotless houseproud friend's homes-just get a bin with a tight lid, use the nappy disposal bags well-tied for each one, and make it a rule that it be emptied daily, this is a good Man job if you can make them do it-put this bin next to his bedside at nose level to inspire him.

Maclaren strollers can be very lightweight and compact, the ones that are supposedly "not suitable from birth" are best for that side-many of the second and subsequent babies in a family just get shoved in them, wedged with fleeces and things for the brief weeks they are a bit too floppy, since the poorer and now-hardened parents no longer care about such fine details by that stage.

[Aloha]

No need for a nappy bin ever. Definitely get a very lightweight maclaren buggy AND a sling. Do you have any ground floor storage to keep the buggy in?
Don't worry too much about expressing at first. Then you could always wash your bottles and equipment with good hot soapy water. it's as good as sterilizing - someone here has a great link that proves it.

[snowleopard]

1. You can boil bottles, teats, breat pump parts etc. on the hob for 5 mins and that will sterilize them.

2. I love our nappy wrapper bin but it does take up space. If the fire escape is handy, a bin there would do fine - use one with a lid or you'll have flies etc. Nappy bags are a good buy and cheap.

3. There are modern, cheap buggies that fold up very small and are easy to carry. I'd get one of those plus a good sling (see mumsnet sling reviews - very useful) and then you'll be able to save your back when you need to. I'd recommend something like the mclaren techno xt which lets the baby lie down flat so you can use it from birth, instead of a big pram. NB I was amazed to find you can often get things like buggies cheap if they are end-of-season or last year's colour! Look out for that at John Lewis and Mothercare etc. Ours was 25% off for that reason.

[hornbag]

Just a thought -if you're stuck for space and decide to get a buggy could you keep it in the back of the car? Use a sling if you're out and about locally (nipping to local shops for example)and then the buggy is in the car if you go further afield. Won't clutter up your falt then

[picnikel]

We were in a 2nd floor flat (no lift) when we had dd. DH did some extensive buggy research (as DHs tend to do ) and we got a quinny zapp - the frame lived in the boot of our car parked on the road outside the flat & I'd carry dd up & down in her car seat then click her on to the buggy frame. Used a sling a lot too. HTH! Good luck.

[hornbag]

DOH! your "flat" that is.

[chocolateshoes]

Definately don't bother with a nappy wrap bin. Tesco & Sainsburies both do really cheap packs of nappy sacks.

Yes you MUST sterilise bottles. I started off boiling in saucepan but twice burnt it dry melting bottles etc!!! Short term memory destryed by giving birth!! So now have a small 1 that goes in the microwave. Not even I can ruin that! I also expressed & found the Medela electric expresser pump(Boots, Mothercare) v good & probably quicker than hand expressing.

Yes you absolutely do need a buggy! But agree that storing it in car boot would be an excellent idea. Slings are great - just be careful of your back.

I worried exactly like you. 7 months on it seems like a long time ago & it is amazing how quickly you'll slip into a routine.

Good luck!!

[thebecster]

You're all brilliant! Thanks so much!

Okay, so definitely no nappy wrap bin - that saves a few bob and some space in our bijou flat-ette!

And a microwave steriliser sounds like the go - we'll look for one of those. Is Mothercare the place to go? And I'll set my DH to finding the lightest buggy he can that dis-assembles so we can leave the frame in the car boot, and I can just carry the seat up the horrid 6 flights of stairs. He likes being given a job to do, so he'll set himself to that task quite happily!

[colditz]

I personally think Mothercare is expensive, and you can pick up items of similar quality for much cheaper in Argos.

[Aloha]

You don't actually have to sterilize bottles.

I would just get a maclaren. The whole thing is lighter than the average car seat and I don't think it is good to use a car seat as a buggy for a newborn - a basic maclaren Techno will let the baby lie flat, is very light to carry and if you want you can leave the pushchair in the car boot and carry the BABY upstairs. Babies in car seats get very heavy, very quickly.

[Aloha]

Try kiddicare.com - i think there is a link on MN homepage. Cheapest supplier around IME.

[Rhubarb]

Try washable nappies to be kind to your baby's bottom and the environment. There are some services that do a laundry service, you put the soiled nappies in a bin that they provide and they come once to a week to take it away and replenish your stock. Overall it's also cheaper than buying disposables.

[satine]

Just to add my 2p worth:
Sterilise bottles etc in the dishwasher - I did with my second and she was fine
Def don't need a separate nappy bin - normal bin is fine. My local council give away free dog poo bags and I sometimes use those as nappy bags!
I bought a big pram when I was pregnant with my first and never used it. Not once. I used a Baby Bjorn sling with both of mine until they were about 4 months ish (it's so much easier having your hands free when you're out shopping etc and mine slept well in the sling) and then I got a lightweight foldable buggy.