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Original poster

dumb questions from a first time mum to be

66 replies

thebecster · 02/02/2006 12:23

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 )

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wilbur · 02/02/2006 14:05

One thing about the microwave sterilizer - my breast pump instructions say it shouldn't be sterilised in the microwave (degrades the plastic, I think) BUT as aloha says you don't need to get too panicked about sterilising. I used a microwave one a bit for bottles (my babies have all had an expressed feed at night from quite young) but for the pump I just washed in v hot soapy water, left to air dry - if it had been out for a bit, I poured boiling water over it before I used it. Def forget the nappy bin machine. For the buggy - would you be able to leave it downstairs in your lobby (if you have one)? Or hung on a hook downstairs out of everyone's way if it's a communal area. When we had ds1 and dd we were in a high flat with no lift but luckily were able to leave pram downstairs. I would say a lie-flat buggy/pram is a must tho - great for staggering out with sleeping baby and feeing human in a cafe for a few minutes in the early days!

wilbur · 02/02/2006 14:06

Good luck with your baby, by the way!

picnikel · 02/02/2006 14:13

Out of interest, Aloha - why don't you think it's good to use a car seat as a buggy?? It worked well for us. I took her up & down in the car seat bit because I could get her strapped in etc in the flat and not on the pavement outside plus being a typical first time mum had an irrational fear of dropping her on the concrete stairs!!

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Aloha · 02/02/2006 14:14

I think it's much healthier for them to lie flat. I think the official advice is that newborns should not be in a car seat for longer than two hours at any one time, and ideally less than that. They breathe better lying flat.

majorstress · 02/02/2006 14:17

I agree, my dds who are tall were never comfy in it and that combination buggy was a real waste of money-dd2 just used the Maclaren volo I coveted then got on ebay as they didn't have lay-flat ones yet. It also made them vomit more (a problem with both) I think due to the unnatural hunched posture putting pressure on their tummies.

Enid · 02/02/2006 14:19

do you have a dishwasher? if you do tbh I would use that for sterilising your bottles.

deffo no nappy bin

and a lightweight buggy and a good quality sling (I recommend the wilkinet - easy on your back and super comfy for baby - you have to get over the worry about how to tie it, but honestly they are the best ones)

picnikel · 02/02/2006 14:19

Oh well, I never walked with her in the buggy for that long anyway.

Not sure who comes up with these bits of advice mind you, or what the scientific basis is.

LucyJones · 02/02/2006 14:24

this is a lightweight pushchair that we bought for ds. The seat fully reclines so can be used from birth and you'll never need to buy another buggy at all

Aloha · 02/02/2006 14:24

This is from the BBC news website:

Parents should limit the number of journeys they take their new-born babies on.
Scientists in America have found that new-born and particularly premature babies can develop breathing problems from sitting for too long in car seats.
As well as being used for car transport the seats are commonly used to carry around babies and to secure them in their pushchairs and even on supermarket trolleys.
But problems arise because the reflexes which keep the babies head upright and their breathing normal are still not full developed.
Car seats should only be used for travel and that should be minimised
Dr Robert Dinwiddie, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London

Oxygen problems
The report in the American Academy of Paediatrics said car seat use should be kept to a minimum for the first three months of life.
The scientists studied 100 babies and found that they were extremely susceptible to oxygen problems.
Some of the new born babies developed breathing problems after an hour in the car seats and that some of the premature babies even stopped breathing for a short period.
The report said: "Although car seats are often used as carriers for new-born infants, our data indicates that pre-term and term new-borns should not remain in car seats for extended periods of time when they are not travelling."

Also, excessive car seat use is associated with the deformation of babies skulls called plagiocephaly.

Rhubarb · 02/02/2006 14:26

Hello Aloha!

Aloha · 02/02/2006 14:29

Hello, is it your birthday at all today? I hope you are being plied with champagne as I type! Happy birthday!

LucyJones · 02/02/2006 14:29

blimey Aloha, that's scary stuff considering how many people use huge unwieldy 3 in 1 contraptions!!

Rhubarb · 02/02/2006 14:30

Oh, how did you know?

Roobie · 02/02/2006 14:32

Agree with the car seat thing - ds has a moderate case of plagiocephaly which I noticed just after we'd been on a long 10-hour road trip when he was 8 weeks. His head is still a funny shape at 9 months although the paed thinks it should round out as he gets older.

Mercy · 02/02/2006 14:35

Dh's aunt has been saying that about car seats for years (she's a former midwife)

picnikel · 02/02/2006 14:37

Depends on your definition of "too long". Honestly having a baby is a blooming minefield of don't do this, don't do that. No wonder new mums are nervous wrecks.

olek · 02/02/2006 14:41

mothercare and john lewis sell lindam sterlising bags which u can use 20 times and don't take up space.

I wouldn't buy a pump till you get the hang of breastfeeding, and then try borrowing a friends first to see if you get on with it ( i personally was never that good at it)

Nappy bin is a waste of time if u can pop it out the back.

I had a big pram but after a year wanted to use a maclaren so its a bit expensive considering how long its used. maybe buy second hand? then you can leave it downstairs without thinking s/1 is going to nick my expensive pram!

lua · 02/02/2006 14:43

This is probably just a testimony of how bad of a mum I am but....
...I breastfed booth of my kids and never owned a sterilizer. When they were very young I boiled things every now and then just in case.
There is a very long thread though that shows that professionals do not believe sterilizing is necessary
here

Never owned a nappy bin either!

Do think you'll want a stroller at some point. But agreee doesn't need to be big or fancy. I love the maclarens!

DissLocated · 02/02/2006 14:47

Just wanted to add my agreements to everyone elses. I used a microwave steriliser, they only do 4 bottles but i found perfectly adequate when you're bf and only want the odd bottle doing.

I've got a nappy wrapper but now just use it like an ordinary bin, ie put nappies in nappy sacks (300 for £1 btw) and in the bin. The refill cassettes are quite expensive.

We also used a sling for dd until she was about 3 months as it was easier than lugging a pram around. We now have a lightweight Maclaren buggy (the v expensive Bebecar travel system was awful, it's in the garage now) which lives in the boot of our car.

you'll be fine - I think everyone panicks about the maze of baby stuff out there.

lazycow · 02/02/2006 14:51

Hi thebecster

I bf but bought sterilising tablets and a couple of bottles.

You can also buy bottles that sterilise in the microwave from mothercare - don't need a strilising unit. Also you can buy bags to go in the microwave. All available from boots/mothercare I think

Mind you after reading the thread that proved sterilising wasn't necessary I wish I hadn't even bought those now.

Nappy bin a waste of money

We also live up stairs and tbh I found lugging the puchchair up and down a real hassle - use a sling until they are a few months old and then get the lightest pushchair you can find. They get very heavy, very quickly (babies that is)

Also buy the lightest babybag you can as if you use a sling you'll be carrying that as well.

Do try and find out if you can leave the pushchair downstairs as you will need a bugyy after about 3-4 months maximum. This made a huge difference to me once ds got older than 6-7 months.

Clary · 02/02/2006 14:58

Becster, not read thread, just yr 1st post.
1 But I would say, sterilise the few teats etc you'll need in boiling water.
2 No need for nappy bin!
3 I just used sling for my 2nd and 3rd babies for 1st 6 mo as toddler was in the buggy. H/ever after that you will need a buggy from 6mo to 2yrs I wd say. But it could be a lightweight one. I recommend the Babybjorn sling but worth trying a few out first!

sniff · 02/02/2006 15:20

Hi Becster

I have a nappy bin they smell quite bad and the refills are expensive for them so to be honest I wouldnt bother

I BF and I have a avent microwave steraliser which is tiny but fits in the breast pump and bottles etc it only takes 8 minutes to and worked for me

I had a car seat / buggy with my first 2 neither was comfortable in the car seat so I have just bought a pram for this one (24w pregnant) with a buggy pod for my toddler to be honest I would use a sling as well probably most of the time if it was my first as they seem like a really good idea but with all the stuff that I have to take along now I would never carry it all
I have a mcclaren buggy now and its really light really confy folds to nothing and has a handy basket for a changing bag

expectingsummerihope · 02/02/2006 16:14

I like our nappy bin but agree that it takes up space and needs to be bleached regularly.

Dishwasher fine for sterilising if you've got one but brush teats first in case have old milk on them that doesn't come off in dishwasher. Microwave sterilisers are fine.

Agree that Maclaren buggies are brill. We leave ours in the car as we have steep flight of stairs to contend with also. We have techno classic and it's compact and more padded than some of the others so great for newborns.

Try ebay and internet for bargains.

serenity · 02/02/2006 16:30

We were really limited with space, plus didn't want to fork out for a steriliser when we were mainly bfing and got these bottles from Mothercare. They were great as you could just sterilise them as you needed them.

Nappy wrappers - as almost everyone else has said, smelly and it's far easier just to bag them (or double bag the really bad ones!) and chuck them in the bin.

Have you got a car? We store our buggy in the car as we don't have room to bring it in. If you really have nowhere, then I'd still get one, but get a lightweight umbrella folding one with a strap so you can just sling it over your shoulder when you go up the stairs. There will be times when you just need to have your hands free when you are out and about - have you tried to have a wee with a coat on and a baby hanging off the front of you, plus the huge changing bag you end up with with the first???

olek · 02/02/2006 20:09

forgot to add, i have the baby bjorn sling, really good quality, and worth the extra ££. Now i have my eye on the Bjorn active, as its even more supportive.