AIBU to ask for your help...

[EZA15]

My DH has offered my services to my DSIL by way of a list of things she’ll need for when the baby comes. I’ve got the obvious down such as nappies / cotton wool / bottles should she choose to bottle feed. Someone I spoke to mentioned a prep machine but we never had one and I don’t know which one to recommend?

When I google it, I realise that we wet quite basic with what we bought with DD and I seemed to have forgotten lots! I could also do with help on what to include in the hospital bag. My DH meant well, but things like this leave me a bit anxious as I don’t want to leave something off that she’ll need! Please help. I’ll come back and check replies later as I’m just getting DD ready for bed.

Don't know if this will help but this is what's on my list:

• lansinoh nipple cream
• button down nighty for hospital bag
• lip balm for gas and air
• massive knickers
• Milton tablets
• breast pads (the bamboo ones are nice!)
• nursing bra
• maternity bra
• pillows (hospital - apparently theirs aren't very good!)

There's definitely more that we've bought but I can't remember... I hope this helps!

Baby will need to

Eat
Travel
Be clothed
Be cleaned
And sleep

So bottle or breast have different needs -ask what she's planning

Travel - pram, pushchair, along or car seat

Clothed - hats and babygrows are best to start

Cleaned - a baby bath and appropriate baby bath stuff, sponge or cloth, wipes, cream, nappies - see if she's looking at cloth or disposable

Sleep - Moses baskets, sleepy heads, co sleeping and bedside cots are all options.

I would also ask her of she wants your advice. Part of the fun is looking at stuff and working it out for yourself. Obviously tell her if there was anything you had you wouldn't recommend.

Oh and lots of muslins. I got rainbow coloured ones. Loved them

Sorry did have paragraphs there! 😶

Straws! Sounds stupid but it's so hard to drink a cuppa or even soft drink while holding a baby or feeding. So the staw was really useful for me so i wasnt as worried about spilling the drink on baby.
And muslins. Lots of them.
Travel shampoo, conditioner and shower gel for the hospital.
Dry shampoo for the days she can't get in the shower.

Those Andrex wet wipes for hospital for cleaning herself.

I bagged up the babies outfits into food bags so dh could pull out an outfit at a time (vest, grow, hat)

Music if wanted to be played in hospital. Also found it useful to have headphones to watch t.v. on my phone when on the ward.

A nice fluffy towel for her

Phone charger

Maternity pads. Nice comfy padded ones

Hair bands if she has long hair

Some form of food. I took in the gels runners use just to give me an energy boost during labour.

Her own pillow. I was in for 5 days. Loved having my own pillow. Dh brought it to me after baby was born.

Birthing partner needs a bag. T shirt, pants etc

I also had spare things piled at home so dh could bring clean things to me without having to route around.

Slippers and thin dressing gown.

Bottles of water and stuff to do when in labour ( until in final stages obviously) you can be in hospital for hours..... Plus snacks.
Afterwards HUGE maternity pads / disposable knickers. Breast pads and ibrofen.
Car seat / sling

Thank you for your replies - they’re really helpful.

@IHeartMarmiteToast I asked regarding the breast / bottle she said she wasn’t sure. I also asked if she even wanted my help (DH offered my presence in the waiting room! 😂😂) and age said yes (regarding the list!)

This is exactly what I mean though! I swore by my muslin cloths, however, it didn’t even occur to me to put them down! It’s so easy to forget once your not around babies anymore 😩

Has anyone got any experience of the prep / sterilising machines? We didn’t have one but she’s mentioned it herself so it sounds like she is interested in one.

Personally i wouldn't worry about a prep machine until you know if baby will be bottle fed. In today's world you can get one so quickly it's easy to get if needed.

I never used one but I know some who had one. Used it to begin with but as baby got older found it a faff. In my eyes it's just another gadget to have around.

I did get a few bottles and formula just in case but what I have seen are these tiny prepped bottles with a teet you attach to feed baby. Each teet is in its own package and one time use but perfecr for hospital bag or when out and about to save having to take sterilized bottles.

Also re bottles don't buy loads of one type because baby may not like the teet and may want a different type

Loved my prep machine but wish id bought 2nd hand. Loads out there for a fraction of the cost of new on fb

If bottle feeding then the prep machine is brilliant. Makes bottles to the right temperature in just a couple of minutes. Things to remember with it though are regular (monthly) cleaning (the instructions are on the tommie tippie website) and to use the proper filters. There have been machines found with mould in them and cases of babies with stomach upsets due to use and the company have said this is the best way to prevent it. That's also why I wouldn't buy one second hand, you can't be sure that the pervious owner has taken proper care.

I found cold water sterilising for bottles easiest. And you can use the same sterilising solution (Aldi sell their own version) for cleaning the prep machine as well.

The little pre made bottles of formula with the sterilised tears are great for taking to the hospital.

A hat for the baby in hospital! Sounds obvious but my midwife told me not to take one, said they weren't allowed anymore. Then the hospital said we needed one and they had to give us one.

A towel and shower things (plus a couple of changes of clothes) in the hospital in case she's kept in or induced. Phone chargers, spare change for vending machines and parking.

Also, she obviously may end up with stitches afterwards. So some supplies for that may be helpful (co-codamol was great). They'll provide them in hospital but she may want them when home.

Oh, if bottle feeding then the mam bottles are good. You can sterilise them in the microwave which is really handy when out as lots of supermarket cafes have microwaves you can use.

Thanks everyone for the advice regarding prep machines, I will let her know!