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Parenting

Where does baby go during the day?

44 replies

malin100 · 14/06/2016 23:04

Right, I'm one for posting stupid questions. But I figure I can ask just about anything here!

First time mum, due in a few months, no babies in family or close by friends so no real experience of...anything. So please don't laugh at me too much.

Trying to figure out where the baby would go during the day. Planning on getting a Snuzpod and original idea was that while downstairs during the day, I'd detach the bassinet part. However, I now see several problems with this and need a rethink. 1 because it's actually quite heavy and awkward and I have very steep and narrow stairs in my cottage, 2 because they'll only fit in it the first 6 months and so I'll need to have a plan for after that and 3 because I'll probably want them to associate it with sleep, not just hanging out (?!?) downstairs.

Second thought was to get a pushchair with a carrycot and keep carrycot in living room. Problems again being 1 only lasts a few months and 2 not all prams we're eyeing up have one or would be expensive to add on (some are already lie-flat but I couldn't really fit the whole pushchair in the teeny tiny living room all day every day).

Was warned against getting a Moses basket as a waste of money and they grow out it even sooner.

Currently eyeing up a lie-flat car seat but not sure if they're OK to be in that all day (it says no time limit but I'm sceptical just because it's a car seat really). The car seat IS supposed to fit them longer though, and would be easily portable from car to house so seems like a good option otherwise. (As an aside, I want this anyway as our family and friends are a very very very long drive away and we'll be visiting them a few times a year, definitely this Christmas while the baby's still small and not safe to be in a normal car seat that long).

So...can anyone shed some light on what would be most practical? And do they go into the (crib/carrycot/Moses basket/lie flat car seat/etc, delete as appropriate) most of the day, like when I'm cooking, cleaning, organising baby things, whatever I will be doing whilst on maternity leave? Or do they go somewhere else (where?) when you need to put them down, and only into those things for sleeping?

Am I even being optimistic to think that I will have time to cook/eat? Grin

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Anotherdayanotherdollar · 14/06/2016 23:09

Congrats on the impending arrival! All babies are different so just buy whatever suits. There's a thing called a rocker napper which is like a bouncy chair but it can lie flat if baby falls asleep. My baby didn't go down during the day....nor was there any cooking or cleaning done...!

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leopardspice · 14/06/2016 23:11

My baby slept in her moses basket down stairs in the day and her crib next to me at night by my bed.
Now she's bigger she sleeps in a rocker chair which can lie flat

Congratulations Flowers

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BunloafAndCrumpets · 14/06/2016 23:13

Ahh not a silly question at all!

I only have one baby, but also have a small house. This is what we did:

Got a snuzpod (wanted her in my room til 6mo and it was the narrowest cosleeper and only one that fitted in our room). Snuzpod great - I have a big baby but she fitted comfortably until 5.5mo when her arms started hitting the sides. However like you say, cannot carry top part around easily despite advert if at home on own as very heavy and bulky and also cannot carry it with the baby inside.

Got a sleepyhead. Used this in the snuzpod at night, and when baby was tiny, also used it downstairs on the coffee table for naps. V v v portable, loved it.

Got a padded playmat (ours from mamas and papas but sure many places sell them) and a folding bouncy chair. When the baby was awake, she went in the chair or on the playmat.

All of this does only last up to about 5 or 6mo. As soon as the baby is rolling or crawling or sitting they will probably be happy just on the floor with some toys. After about 6m our baby moved into a big cot and we started trying to do naps there too instead of downstairs.

Hope that helps a bit. I'm sure you'll get plenty of suggestions. You'll make it work for you! Big congrats on your baby!

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Kiwiinkits · 14/06/2016 23:14

I vote for getting a pushchair with a carrycot and keeping the carrycot in the living room. You can re-sell the carrycot on ebay when you're done with it. This option is really handy if you need to pick up a sleeping baby and take it for a walk. Also very handy if you'd like to be out and about while baby naps (and they nap ALOT in the first three months - if you get a good one).

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ceeveebee · 14/06/2016 23:15

My twins slept in a travel cot downstairs, or on bouncy chairs, or just on the playmat!

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LittleBearPad · 14/06/2016 23:15

Moses basket or similar
Bouncy chair
On the floor on a blanket
On you.

The last one was by far the most popular choice for my two.

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BrightandEarly · 14/06/2016 23:16

Congratulations Flowers

We got a good few months' use out of our Moses basket, which we had as the downstairs bed for both DCs as babies. And they're not very expensive.

After that they slept in their pushchair, not carrycot but almost flat reclined seat. Youngest DC (2.2 years old) still has his naps there. Of course from 6 months they can also nap upstairs in their cots but mine never did not even once

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BunloafAndCrumpets · 14/06/2016 23:16

Oh and you could also get some sort of sling or baby carrier for when you're doing laundry etc, if your baby is the sort that prefers to be held. Might be best to wait to buy it til baby's arrived so you can establish if you need one and then find one that you and they get on with.

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CharleyDavidson · 14/06/2016 23:18

At the start, we had a bedside cot (best thing ever!) upstairs and a moses basket down.

Then, when they were too big for the moses basket, they slept either
On me
On the floor on a soft mat
In their pushchair, fully reclined to be flat

And, when older..

Wherever they dropped asleep while playing, unless they looked uncomfortable!

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Bubbinsmakesthree · 14/06/2016 23:19

As bunloaf says, a sleepyhead, bouncy chair and playmat should see you through the first 6 months. Though I would add a sling (wrap was my favourite) if you get one of those babies that doesn't really like being put down ever!

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katand2kits · 14/06/2016 23:22

Baby will likely not go in whatever daytime sleeping solution you plan. They have a massive preference for sleeping on human beings generally, their mothers in particular. I would buy a good ergonomic sling (start off with a stretchy wrap for a newborn in my opinion) so that, if yours is like that, you can have your hands free. We had a moses basket downstairs - that worked for about two weeks and then it was point blank refused. The pram worked - if I took it for a two mile walk first.

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katand2kits · 14/06/2016 23:23

But actually, in my desperation I did spend out on the Mamaroo, and that was a godsend when we could get DD to nap in that in the evening.

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Bubbinsmakesthree · 14/06/2016 23:33

I tried the mamaroo as well, hoping it would work for rocking to sleep - no such luck for us!

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Wheredidsummergo112 · 14/06/2016 23:35

Poddle Pod is reasonably priced and useful for during the day. The sides pull in slightly with the weight of the baby so they feel like they are being cuddled. It worked great for my little one. Don't think they're tested for overnight sleeping though.

Otherwise a thick fleecy blanket on the floor.

Chair swings are good too when they can't quite drop off to sleep on their own!

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NapQueen · 14/06/2016 23:38

I had a Tiny Love 3 in 1 Napper for dc2 and wish I'd known it existed for dc1. Amazing piece of kit, DS was in it till about 8mo as a basinette and used as a seat well past that.

Highly recommend.

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Maybebabybee · 14/06/2016 23:42

My baby (12 weeks) sleeps in his cot in his sleepyhead in the day. He's a weird little thing and won't sleep on me unless he's literally exhausted.

If he's awake it's bouncy chair or play mat.

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doleritedinosaur · 14/06/2016 23:48

Mine went in the rainforest swing, playmat or in the caboo on me, he refused the bouncer & being put down so the swing came in really handy.

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katand2kits · 14/06/2016 23:50

I found the mamaroo did not work for getting the baby to sleep, but if I swaddled her in a blanket and rocked her to sleep in my arms, I could set her down in the mamaroo, which would continue the rocking for me. It tended to work for half an hour at a time, which is long enough for a shower and a cuppa.

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Flowerbunty · 14/06/2016 23:50

I'm clearly a shocking parent Blushfor the first few weeks I just trailed my Moses basket up and downstairs. Morning and night.
Then when DS' were a few weeks I just let them sleep In their Moses baskets upstairs with the monitors on?

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gamerchick · 14/06/2016 23:51

I do like your optimism that you'll able to put your baby down Grin

Good luck man.

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malin100 · 15/06/2016 00:03

Ahh, it could be the insomnia or work stress (or maybe maybe the pregnancy hormones but I never want to admit that) but I just went off to another thread and came back to this expecting no replies or ridicule and got a bit tearful at the nice (and helpful) responses! Thank you!

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Cathster · 15/06/2016 09:02

Congratulations!

We just carried the Moses basket up and down stairs for the first few weeks, then she decided as most babies do that she would rather sleep on me! It remained that way until about 6/7 months and now she naps in her cot and I have the monitor.

Definitely recommend a swing/bouncy chair. DD loved hers but it had dangly toys and was far too exciting for sleeping! If I have a second I will make sure I buy a boring one Grin

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QforCucumber · 15/06/2016 09:12

Ds is 12 weeks - he has a rocking chair and a playmat which you take the toys off and gets put on either of those.
If awake he will only tolerate these things for approx 30 mins before wanting walking around the house saying hello to himself in every mirror with a smile

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Rpj16 · 15/06/2016 09:12

We're still using a snooze pod in bedroom. But he napped in moses basket with a rocking stand in the living room. You could get one 2nd hand just for naps. The rocking was the best thing to get him to sleep. He's outgrown that at 4 months, but was worth it! You can just put him in his big cot in his future bedroom for a nap during the day. Get him used to his own room for when he's old enough to move into it. (baby monitor) congrats!

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glueandstick · 15/06/2016 09:20

I have a snuzpod and they are great so long as you don't want to move it. It weighs a bloody tonne.

During the day, smallgluestick sleeps in it upstairs or on a play mat. When she was tiny she slept on me or in the pram top bit.

You'll find your way. I love how the ideas I had in pregnancy fell flat on their face when it came to it. Just work it out as you go and have next day delivery on hand!

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