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Connect with mums-to-be with similar due dates to share experiences and support.

June 2013 Thread 3 - the one where we stop throwing up!

999 replies

DontmindifIdo · 03/01/2013 21:47

new June thread - we've been chatting too much!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
learnermummy · 01/02/2013 16:41

It's over 3.5 years since I've had a newborn and can't really remember what I'll need! Will have to sit down and write a list!

forgetmenots · 01/02/2013 16:42

All hints gratefully received dontmind! :)

SunnyL · 01/02/2013 16:52

Just been for a visit to our local nursery. Seems very nice although DH and I were completely bamboozled and had no idea what to ask.

Doing the sums is scary though - my income is going to half once I factor in working part-time and paying for a nursery. Is anyone doing the childminder thing? What are the pros and cons of the options?

learnermummy · 01/02/2013 17:14

SunnyL, I haven't done childminders before, but would recommend re-visiting the nursery once little one has arrived, as you really don't have a clue what to look for beforehand! Also, can you claim childcare vouchers as part of a salary sacrifice scheme - really helps if you can, especially if both you and DH can claim.

Withalittlesparkle · 01/02/2013 17:16

My sister wrote me a really useful list of what she bought for hers and what she's actually used afterwards!!

Sunbeam18 · 01/02/2013 18:13

Wonderful scan, and I'm having a beautiful little boy! Xx

forgetmenots · 01/02/2013 18:19

Awwww sunbeam, congratulations! :)

MrsBri · 01/02/2013 18:21

Awww...congrats Sunbeam :-)

AlohaMama · 01/02/2013 18:28

Also have a spreadsheet if anyone wants it (yep I'm that kinda girl)!!

I think we have about 4 crib sheets, but also 3 mattress covers, as if you're changing one you're often going to need to change the other. When baby was little, we put a burp cloth/muslin sheet under his head to avoid having to change the sheet for every spit-up.

Agree Aden and Anais muslins are spendy but great, as they are big. I've used them for blankets, mat to lay on, sun shades, swaddling etc etc.

We swaddled. Worked for us. But swaddling blankets aren't cheap so you might want to buy just one (or keep the others in wrappers) to see if your baby likes the or not. When he was little we swaddled in soft fleecy cotton blankets, as that way we could swaddle him with his knees to his belly, whereas some of the specific swaddle blankets mean the legs are down.

I think you need lots of burp cloths. I think maybe that's an American thing as everyone in England seems to use muslins, but burp cloths are terry towelling and way more absorbent than thin piece of muslin.

We also got lots of cheap washcloths for mopping and wiping up, as I didn't want to get through packets and packets of baby wipes.

Personally didn't bother with bouncy chair/rocking chair for baby. Before he could crawl we just propped him up on a boppy. There was a time period it would have been useful but we wanted to save money. Also didn't get cor mobiles etc etc as went with the opinion that cot is for sleeping not for listening to music but whatever works for you....

Didn't bother with changing table, changing mat cover. Changing mat went on the floor (no worries about baby rolling off) and covered with an old towel. Did treat myself to a little organiser though for wipes, nappies etc.

Didn't bother with expensive steriliser, the microwave one was much cheaper and worked great, and we did use bottles as I went back to work and pumped.

Personally think nail scissors are much easier to use than the specific baby nail clippers which seem easier to accidentally slice end of baby's finger off.

Liked having separate baby bath rather than chair to go in big bath as used much less water that way.

Bought a baby monitor which we realised we didn't need to use (we could hear baby crying easily without) but wished I'd got a video monitor. yes they are expensive but the number of times we heard something, went in, and then realised he was nearly asleep but by going in we'd woken him up....

Baby hooded towels, cute to have but normal towels work just as well and I found the material was often not that nice or particularly absorbent. My bath towels are nicer.

Can't comment on clothes as the difficulty here is keeping baby cool enough. But we were given lots of second hand baby gros from family. To be honest even if they're a bit stained I'd accept them as you can end up getting through so many in a day, and you can save the nicer ones for when you're going out. We had so many 2nd hand I think of them as being slightly disposable. If they get stained, I just use them as cleaning cloths rather than trying hard to get the stains out.

If anyone's using cloth nappies, definitely get cloth wipes. They are great!

Phew. OK that's just off the top of my head. Hope it helps!!

Sunbeam18 · 01/02/2013 18:28

So happy! Another boy for the thread too! He looks so perfect and angelic!

Withalittlesparkle · 01/02/2013 18:29

Yay congrats sun

Team blue all the way!!

DontmindifIdo · 01/02/2013 18:36

ok - here goes! sorry, it's a bit long - my 'things you need' list from last time round:

7 x long sleeve sleep suits - new born size
7 x short sleeve vests/body suits - new born size
1 x hat new born
pack of muslin squares
cotton wool (we found pads rather than balls easier)
nappies, couple of packs of 1st size - if you have a big baby you won't be using the 1st size for long
Cardigans - x2
socks or booties
newborn bibs
Breast pump (electric worth the money)
couple of bottles (that fit with the pump), BPA free if you can find them
Sterilliser
formula - emergancy ready made packs
monitor - ideally one that shows the baby's room temp
Baby bath
top and tail bowls (or just get small plastic bowls)
changing mat hand towels to go on it to stop baby being cold
nappy sacks
barrier cream
baby thermometer
Baby hair brush & nail clippers
Cot / moses basket
swadling blanket
sheets and 2 x blankets
non-bio clothes washing liquid
Car seat - fitted in advance!
blinds for car windows
buggy/pram/sling/some way of transporting baby
bouncy chair
0-3 month dummies, but don't introduce until 3-4 weeks if breast feeding - but they are magic!

For you
Maternity pads
Breast pads
Tea tree oil (for in bath, really works for sore stiches)
Lansinoh breast cream
pain killers that work with breast feeding
nursing bra (just get one pre birth then measure again when your milk comes in)
stock up on easy to prepare food and toilet roll - extra milk and bread in the freezer are a good idea too - you will run out and it will feel like the end of the world!
sort out feeding friendly clothes (vest tops, cardies etc)
champagne in fridge for first night home!

OP posts:
AlohaMama · 01/02/2013 18:44

Oops cross posted. Congrats sunbeam!

DontmindifIdo · 01/02/2013 18:44

and while I'm on a roll finding old lists, here's the one I put together for the hosptial bag (I was in for 4 days in total, labour was 27 hours, if you are in and out in a few hours, you probably won't need all of this, but just in case, make sure most of it is easily accessible to your DH/P!):

front opening nightie to give birth in
PJs/front opening nightie to sleep in hospital
'going home' outfit (you will be the size of 5 - 6 months, and might have stitches. remember shoes, one friend forgot having arrived in slippers in the middle of the night)
'going home' outfit for baby - 3 just in case! (put this in a different part of your bag if possible so it's easy for your DH/P to find without having to unpack whole bag)
old/big knickers (at least 3)
nappies & nappy sacks
camera (fully charged with space in the memory!)
birth plan and notes
maternity pads
towels x 2
snacks (I took jaffa cakes, cereal bars, dried apricots, bananas and ribena cartons)
toiletries (including tootbrush for DH/P)
hair ties - to keep your hair off your face in labour!
diary & pens
book
dressing gown
plastic bags (for dirty clothes and makeshift bin, they never seem to give you a bin in hospital)
breast pads
mascara!
flip flops (for the showers)
slippers
Dettol/cleaning wipes
i-pod & speakers -ones that don't need to be plugged in to mains
phone & charger
lip balm
eye mask
clothes for DH (definately a change of top, they can get v messy cuddling a newborn)

OP posts:
redwellybluewelly · 01/02/2013 19:26

Think lists are very individual, I wouldn't have bought a breast pump had dd not been in NICU and anyone could have got that for us, and to get a decent one they can be costly, NCT sales can be a good place to get them though. I went to hell and back to Breastfeed and I was quite pleased we didn't have bottles or formula in the house a few times as I would have given up, ive friends that bought a pump, bottles and steriliser as instructed and never used them. I've got other friends who said it was a lifesaver so either way but if money is tight I wouldnt say its imperative?

Also primark do some cheap and remarkably durable PJ bottoms. Bought mine two quid each, still wearing them three years later! I gave birth naked though and can't remember what I got dressed into. Bit of a blur. I did find vest tops with a light shirt were brilliant used with a bump band.

I also had two small holdalls, hospital beds have notoriously little storage space. One holdall was for during labour and the other for after. Much easier to find things

Also use see through washbags for all your toiletries, lipsol (lips get dry with gas and air) hairbands etc. Meant dh could see what he was looking for. I used travel size products. Also double how many maternity pads you think you need. Keep a bag in car of extras and another pair of trousers for dh, more nappies etc. The less you have on the bags in hospital the more easily your dh or you can find something.

Kind of strange thinking it all through again.

Oh and we regret not getting a video monitor. We're going to buy a dual screen one this timr

redwellybluewelly · 01/02/2013 19:38

And I have two big black towels which I got from primark as well. They have washed very well and weren't expensive.

Its also a good idea to sort through the drawers of clothes and ensure what you wear is easily found, I had mum go in a few times as I was on the ward and dh with dd. Same with dh, make sure he knows where your clothes are and where babies clothes are, spare nappies, etc

learnermummy · 01/02/2013 19:40

I would also recommend taking arnica (pref 30c strength) before and during labour - really helps bruising and healing. Oh and I found it really useful to keep a kitchen roll in the bathroom for gently dabbing sore bits dry after bath/shower without wrecking a towel each time! Sorry if tmi! Another vote for tea tee in bath too.
I did find a breast pump useful when struggling to feed my first one just to take some of the pressure off my boob to make latching easier! I did get on better with electric pump though & could never get the hang of manual expressing!

learnermummy · 01/02/2013 19:47

Oh and get a Savoy cabbage for the fridge (obviously nearer the time) - the leaves are amazingly cooling in your bra when your milk comes in !

AlohaMama · 01/02/2013 21:01

Urgh this is bringing back the post labour recovery!! In retrospect I felt like I had all this preparation for the birth, and the issues and recovery afterwards all came as a bit of a shock. Hmm yes to crappy old pants, lots of maternity pads, a squeezy water bottle when it's too painful to wipe , and prunes (need I say more?!)

Will look into arnica, help with bruising would be good.

MrsBri · 01/02/2013 21:25

I think I've changed my mind about all this giving birth malarky!

redwellybluewelly · 01/02/2013 22:08

Put tea tree on maternity pads and keep in the fridge (in a tub else guests might get a shock when they make you a cuppa)

And one my mum told me which was to have baths with salt in them

Something I do definitely remember is feeling like I'd run a marathon, every muscle ached.

AlohaMama · 01/02/2013 22:54

Nappys filled with ice cubes. Not practical for walking round but oh so soothing! Work great as the nappys absorb the moisture as the ice melts!!

AlohaMama · 01/02/2013 23:03

Don't worry MrsBri it'll be fine!! Seriously though it's a fine line between being informed so nothing comes as a shock and hearing everyone's nightmare birth stories and feeling anxious about it all. I tried to get informed, while avoiding people's personal stories on the basis that everyone is different. But I did feel uninformed about the post-labour recovery so wished I'd known more about how I'd feel and tips and tricks to treat various symptoms.

redwellybluewelly · 01/02/2013 23:12

^ what Aloha said, admittedly we had one of the horror stories which led to dc1 having a 50/50 chance of survival

Even without that I wish I'd known more about how I would feel physically. I didnt know what it meant that I'd had a second degree tear! It really didn't cause massive issues

forgetmenots · 01/02/2013 23:28

I go between feeling quite Zen about the whole thing and complete moments of panic (usually at 3am) where I try and think of painless ways to get the baby out because I can't do it.

Genuinely worry about the total loss of influence/control, and can't figure out how everyone else has survived it at times!