Two stupid questions: cot v moses basket and bio v non-bio

[Meandacat]

Sorry - two stupid questions from a clueless mum-to-be:

1. My mum bought us a lovely cotbed which we intend putting in our bedroom. But SIL today suggested that a moses basket would be best at first as it's cosier and less open. I've also been given a crib which I intend to use downstairs and so hadn't really intended getting a third thing for baby to sleep in. But does anyone else think a moses basket would be better at first?

2. I was given a bagful of hand-me-down sleepsuits and bodysuits today which I chucked in the wash just to freshen up. Except I later realised I washed them in normal, biological detergent (Persil Small & Mighty). Will that be ok for a new baby's skin or should I wash them again in non-bio? And what about fabric conditioner? Do I need to use one for specifically for sensitive skin? I used an own-brand environmentally friendly one.

1. Depends on the baby I think! DS1 wouldn't sleep anywhere except on me for the first few weeks so it wouldn't have made any difference what bed he theoretically had to sleep in. DS2 otoh would sleep anywhere. Lots of babies do like to be snuggled up so you could always co-sleep or swaddle to start with. If you want to try a moses basket there are usually some to be found on Freecycle.

2. Again depends, both mine had eczema when tiny so I always use non-bio and no fabric conditioner, but you can always switch if it seems to cause a problem.

It makes me feel all gooey thinking about all the things you worry about with the first one. Give it a few months and they'll be sleeping under the dog and all their clothes will be caked in food and carpet fluff

just in regards to no. 2-
If it's not broke, don't fix it.
I have never washed anything of DS in non-bio-baby-oriented-blah-di-blah.
He touches my clothes and my skin when he's on me, and unless I intend on washing all of the household's laundry in non-bio, then what's the point? besides, there is always washing-powder-residue left somewhere in the machine....

If he had had an allergy etc., then ofcourse I would switch the entire household to non-bio

And MegBusset- LOL at your closing sentence SO true!

I bought a Moses basket for DD1 to put next to bed as thought cosier, more portable to move downstairs during day ... DD1 hated it, we had to move cot in to our room! DD2 loved her Moses basket and couldn't get her out of it! DD3 still in Moses basket but needs to go in to cot but don't want cot in our room and can't be bothered to go to her room to feed during night, far easier to lift her out of Moses basket next to bed. So the answer is that it depends on the baby, your preferences.....and the size of your bedroom!

I have always washed my DD's clothes in non- bio as little ones. Have always washed them separately to ours as we use bio - so buy two types of washing liquid. Use the same fab softener for sensitive skins.

I've never used moses baskets. They would have been a waste of oney when a cot is perfectly good enough and is big enough for your baby from day one right up until they decide to climb out/grow too big to sleep comfortably in it.
If you put your baby in the cot from the start, you don't have to go through the transition of getting your baby used to the new cot when she or he is a bit older.
Saves money too.

I use Fairly non-Bio for my DCs' washing but mainly because ds1 has quite sensitive skin (and I love the scent of Fairy)

fwiw Meandacat, it's not a silly question because there are a whole load of things for sale out there for parents-to-be to buy for when their baby arrives and a lot of them are completely unnecessary TBH.
By asking people who have already had children, you get more of an idea about what is and isn't worth buying!

1. I never used a moses basket for either of my lo's. I had a crib that I used in our bedroom and later used a cot in there too before moving the cot into dd/ds's bedroom. For downstairs I used a reclined pushchair for dd and the carry cot bit of the travel system for ds

2. I used non-bio for the first few washes and used up free samples from the bounty pack!! I then switched to using bio powder/liquid and from then all our clothes have been washed together.

1. we had a moses basket for DS, which has just come out of then loft for DC2 as the cot wouldn't fit in our bedroom. I had been putting DS for naps in the cot before moving him in there full time at about 12/14 weeks.

2. we used non bio before kids and have kept using it. We did used to use softener but use cloth nappies too so have stopped using it and use vinegar instead as you cannot use softener on nappies. We tend to load the machine with nappies and then top it up with towels/jeans which don't tend to need softener anyway.

1- I have a moses basket downstairs where DS spend his day and he goes into a cot in his own room during the night (my bedroom is too small to accommodate any cot/crib/basket)

2- I wash DS clothes with our clothes with bio liquid and so far he is fine with it.

We never thought about getting a Moses basket - had the cot bed in our room and used that.

When he was a couple of months old he was struggling to sleep in it, so someone suggested a Moses basket for the same reasons as your SIL. We borrowed one, but ended up only using it in the day - we kept it in the living room and used it for his naps, and he still went in the cot bed at night. His sleeping did improve, but to be honest that might have happened anyway, you never know at that age!

We only use non-bio in our house anyway, and no FC (DH and I both have eczema). DS had quite bad eczema and we now use a different brand for his stuff that helps a lot - see how your baby is, really.

Thanks for the tips, everyone - I appreciate it.

Doesn't seem like I have to fork out for a moses basket then, thankfully. And I'll not worry about the washed clothes either. (DH suddenly had his first proper mushy moment at all the little socks and mitts).

I am hoping to go down the real nappy route and hadn't though about the fact that fab con is not recommended for them, so it was good to be made aware of that too.

Ooh yes, don't use fab con with nappies! We use cloth nappies, I think they're wonderful.

(In a cheap, environmentally-friendly, easy to use way. Don't quite get some mums obsession with different brands and fancy wraps!)

if your bedroom is big enough for the cotbed then i wouldn't bother with the moses basket. moses basket easier to move round house but if you already have crib downstairs does seem much point?

re: babygros - depends how you'd feel if the baby came out in an all over rash? do either your or your OH have any allergies, hayfever, eczema, history of sensitive skin in your families? if not maybe no need to re-wash can always do that if baby gets an all over rash (both my kids were sensitive as babies, but then we both have family members with sensitive skin)

I found moses basket quite handy for moving baby around the house in - bathroom floor while I had a shower etc. DD didn't sleep in it. It's now where the soft toys live. It's such a nice one too