NOW CLOSED Take part in a survey about preparing for having a newborn at home and win a £200 JL voucher

[NewGirlHelenMumsnet]

We have been asked to find out your views on and experiences of the preparation you may do before you have a baby and about those first few months with a baby.

The survey is open to all Mumsnetters in the UK who have had a baby in the last three years. Everyone who takes part will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will receive a £200 John Lewis voucher.

If you have had more than one baby in the past three years, please think about your most recent baby when completing the survey, as we want to hear about your most recent experiences.

Please click here to complete the survey.

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!
MNHQ

Oops - thanks Octopus!

Done. I thought that was a little...strange. Would never occur to me to check these things just because I was having a baby!

No, not something I thought about either - which will make my survey look odd, because we are renters it does all get checked regularly whether we think about it or not!

Me too, TeWihara!

we were renting last time, so didn't think about these things much, and got them sorted within the day every time we had problems. We're homeowners this time round though, and checking everything very thoroughly!! I have answered for DC1 though, as DC2 is still embryonic.

thought it strange too. Is it British Gas? are they making an advert with a panicky mum in winter?

I just had a new bathroom fitted and it was a stress but nothing to do with having a baby!

Done it. Very odd survey. My younger one is born in June, why on earth would I think about servicing the boiler then just because I was having a baby when I do it late August/early September every year?

Done

Done.

Done, but DH is a heating engineer so i've never given it a second thought. I just answered it hypothetically I suppose.

Done. But the strangest questions I have ever been asked as regards preparations for a new baby! Think I may have been slightly more concerned than many people (rural area, frequent power cuts, draughty house, solid fuel heating) but still. I think people are worried about the temperature at night re SIDs but we just bought a separate heater for our PFB to make sure the temp was stable all night.

DS was born in October and our old boiler was dodgy plus flat got cold, so I had a new boiler put in the week before I was due! Before that we were pretty lax.

I thought they were a bit odd too. I was in rented for my previous dcs so the boiler etc gets a yearly check anyway. Both dcs have been winter babies and hey ho if something breaks it breaks, babies are not as delicate as all that, you can stick a jumper on them and put them in a sling to keep them toasty! Even if the electric goes and you are ff you can buy ready made cartons for a day to gt over the problem of boiling the kettle. Maybe I just don't stress too much about things!

Mind you last week a fuse went in my house and I didn't know how to sort it (in my head I thought it was the sort with switches but it was the big old pull out and put wire in type) so should probably poke my nose into the fuse box and make sure I know what is what at some point.

Just thought my post didn't make it clear but I think the questions about checking the boiler etc are not very easily answered by renters because their landlord has to do a yearly check to issue the safety certificate and you are not generally allowed to do work to them without permission. I can't see many landlords agreeing to have an extra service done just because you are pregnant!

It's like a whole world of stuff that I never got round to being paranoid about...

We actually did had a one-off boiler check shortly before the birth of both of our children. Not sure why he felt it was so important at the time but DH was keen to have it done. We had a Feb baby and a Sept baby so it was probably a good idea.

Agree with other posters - this looks like one of the energy companies seeing the £££ signs before their eyes at anything to do with pregnancy/newborn babies and looking to make a promotion out of it.

def winter baby questions in survey

DD was born in April, but last April was warmer than most of last summer so the heating didn't cross my mind. DH still hasn't finished decorating the nursery so she doesn't sleep in there yet, but he does keep promising to arrange a boiler check before she moves in as the boiler is in there. On the subject of power cuts, we had a power cut for about a hour the other day and I did wonder what people with formula-fed babies did in long power cuts about boiling water and sterilising.

Done - made me think I could have done more checks, but we survived!

Done :)

Done. but odd questions.... either it works or it doesn't, if it's working surely you wouldn't check it? I had a summer baby so heating not on anyway.... I don't ever service my own appliances tbh although i probably should.

Done!

Done. And feeling really guilty for not checking my boiler!!

Done. Unusual survey!