Where does baby go during the day?

[malin100]

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?

[Gillian1980]

I used a bouncy chair in the bathroom for first 7 months approx. Then DD was able to climb out of it (it had a 3 point harness) so now I use the high hair as it has 5 point harness and she can't escape that (yet....)

[minipie]

You don't need all of that stuff necessarily

Playmat - any blanket or towel will do (something washable in case they're a puker). A play arch to go over the top would be nice for the baby to look at/try to grab.

Sling - I have two, they have both had very little use despite my best efforts. DDs were just not keen. Also I found it hard work to carry the baby and all the baby's stuff so the buggy was easier. Some babies really love them though. I would say wait till you see what your baby is like (eg if they want to be held constantly, beyond the first few weeks, then a sling is worth getting)

Bouncy chair - Useful but more for DC2 than DC1, I could have managed fine without it for DC1.

I got most things second hand from Gumtree

[StinkyMcgrinky]

DS1 (now 16 months) slept in a bedside cot at night and in his carry cot attached to the buggy during the day. I had planned on just removing the carrycot but in the end I found wheeling the pram in and out of whatever room I was in was easier and I stopped caring about the space it took up after a while! When he was a little older he would sleep in his bouncy chair or on me, the bouncy chair had a rock and vibrate setting so was a god send for nap time and also helped as he had reflux so struggled to sleep laid down flat.

You'll figure out whatever works best for you, there isn't really a right or wrong. A friend of mine got one of those baby beanbag things (can't remember the proper name...) and her DD slept on that on the sofa!

[DavidPuddy]

If you have a pregnancy pillow then you can double it up, put the newborn in the crack and wrap a blanket around so they are effectively swaddled. I would use it whilst breastfeeding so it was nice and warm ansd smelt of me, then transfer sleeping baby over. It was one of the few ways I could put my newborn down.

Using the sling was a lifesaver, though I never got much housework done with it - there is surprisingly little housework that needs to be done at standing height.

Our bouncy chair reclines and that has also been helpful from quite a young age.

But don't underestimate how much time you will spend just holding the baby. S/he needs a lot of comfort in this scary new world and accepting that helped me to accept my newfound inmobility.

[QforCucumber]

I have a changing mat which I put on the bathroom floor and let ds kick around on naked while I shower - he loves to be naked so seems to enjoy himself.

[CutYourHairAndGetAJob]

Dc1 used to love the noise of the shower so I brought her bouncer into the bathroom and she would usually go to sleep.

Dc2 wanted to be held all of the time so the only way to wash was I if I had a bath with him.

[Natsku]

Mine just went on the floor! From about six months she'd only nap in the pram but awake time was still mostly on the floor (bouncy chair occasionally)

[malin100]

So in addition to something to sleep in downstairs, I probably need a rocker or bouncer or swing plus a playmat plus a sling/carrier?

As a related question, what do you tend to do with them when you go for a shower? My bathroom is also downstairs so assuming it would be the downstairs sleeping place or rocker/bouncer/swing depending which I get (won't have space for all!).

[Gillian1980]

We used to take the Moses basket downstairs in the day but in reality DD spent most of the time being held or in the sling.

When she was about 2 months we got rid of the Moses and she would go in the bouncy chair or be held or in the sling.

Since then we've had a swing, a bumbo and a jumperoo and also the high chair. Swing and bumbo have gone now. She now spends most of her time playing on the floor (10months) unless I need to keep her still, then it's the jumperoo.

[ACubed]

We used a poddlepod - tiny sort of beanbag-esque thing, it works really well, you can stick it anywhere. It is designed in the way that the edges squash them in a tiny it so it feels like they're being held. We stuck it between us in bed the first few days, then put it in the moses basket, then put him in the basket when he was used to us.
And congratulations!

[CeeCee00]

We have a Sleepyhead which is super useful as I take it with us when we travel and she just sleeps next to me in a double bed. No travel cots etc needed and she's in her own environment.

That said, I can't recommend a sling enough. From my experience and all of the literature, babies worn in slings/carriers cry less as they're happy to be close to their parent. I didn't carry my daughter from the start and had a battle to get her used to one but I couldn't be without it now. I wear her in it at home and when we go out and it's a million times easier than hoiking a pram/buggy around. She also sleeps in it really well now - slept through a whole wedding reception at the weekend and I didn't have to worry about where she was!

Newborns go into stretchy wraps easily, though I feel like I missed the boat as I didn't introduce one 'till 8 weeks so she didn't really take to it. We now use an Ergo carrier which is a godsend. I bought one second hand for £60 so it doesn't have to be a massive outlay. Look on Facebook for NCT sling meets and library's, it's also a really nice place to meet people.

Good luck!

[Yika]

My DD always slept in her cot, day and night, unless she just fell asleep where she was (e.g. playmat). Initially we were in a flat and I was always close by; after that I used a monitor.

I also had a carry cot which I used at home a bit when she was very tiny, and a lot for walks.

When I needed to put her down otherwise she went on her playmat, bouncer or swing. I never put her in the cot for any purpose other than sleep.

[TiredOfSleep]

You can pick up a second hand Moses basket for less than a tenner and a new mattress for £6-7. Imo it's worth it to have a light and easy option and you can likely sell it on for similar price you paid. DD slept well in hers after the first couple of weeks and we could pick up the handles and transfer it around if we wanted.

[BunloafAndCrumpets]

No, tended to remove baby from sleepyhead when she woke, changed her, fed her etc as needed, then played with her on lap or put her on playmat / in bouncy chair

[minipie]

No sleepyhead is just for sleeping really.

In the first few weeks they have relatively little time awake as they need to go back to sleep after 60-90 mins awake time to avoid overtiredness (some go back to sleep easily, others need more persuasion!). You will spend most of that awake time feeding, winding and nappy changing. Honestly.

Later on they have more awake time between naps, and feeding and winding gets quicker. So there is more "playtime" and this generally gets spent on a playmat, in a bouncy chair, going for a walk in pram/sling or just having cuddles.

Having said that I don't see why the Sleepyhead couldn't double as a playmat, in fact I think its padded border is supposed to make quite a good "tummy time" cushion. You'd probably want some sort of stand alone play arch to put over the top to make it more interesting for your baby. Personally I wouldn't want to use the Sleepyhead as a playmat though because if it got pooed or puked on then they'd have nowhere to sleep (you can wash it but it's a bit of a PITA).

[malin100]

Do you leave them in the sleepyhead while they're awake, too?

[minipie]

I'd suggest a Sleepyhead

I didn't bother with a snuzpod, just put the sleepyhead next to me in the double bed (DH slept there too for a couple of weeks and then took himself off to the spare room for more space...)

Then when she was a bit older we put the sleepyhead in the cot, it made transition to the cot very easy.

It's very portable - it's bulky but light and has a handle - so it's easy to bring it downstairs for naps.

All babies are different however so it's hard to say what will suit yours.
DD1 would only nap on me for the first couple of months, then was mostly a buggy napper... DD2 napped well in the Sleepyhead from birth but was rubbish at napping in the buggy... Neither liked sleeping in the sling beyond week 1 and neither ever napped in the bouncy chair.

[CutYourHairAndGetAJob]

Dc1 went in a moses basket in the living room (we didn't have a pram with a separate carrycot). When she got too big for this she went in the baby gym or bouncy chair.

Dc2 was either in someone's arms or in a sling, he hated being put down!

[glueandstick]

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!

[Rpj16]

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!

[QforCucumber]

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

[Cathster]

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

[malin100]

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!

[gamerchick]

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

Good luck man.