Stupid practical questions!

[helgaw99]

Hi all
30 weeks and starting to get sorted stuff wise. I have some really stupid questions that I would massively appreciate answers or advice on.

1. Sheets- in the moses basket do you need two sheets- one to cover the mattress and one on top of the baby under a blanket?
2. If we swaddle- does the baby need a blanket as well?
3. How often do you need to change the sheets assuming that they don't get pooed, wee'd or puked on- is it like normal beds and once a week?
4. Sleepsuits- are you supposed to use a clean one each night?
5. Are sleepsuits and baby grows the same thing? Can we use sleep suits in the daytime when the baby is very little?
6. Steriliser- I plan to breastfeed and then express for a few feeds after the first few weeks to DH can be involved. Do I really need a sterilizer for the one bottle a day I might use? I have a dishwasher that has a very hot setting- would this suffice?

Please excuse my ignorance- I am normally a clever sensible woman, but thinking about what we need for the baby turns me into a mumbling idiot incapable of making decisions!

x

1. yes, you use one sheet to cover the mattress and another to cover the baby (if the room's warm enough you won't need the blanket, just the sheet).
2. no idea, sorry. 3)to be honest, you'll be really lucky to have them not puked/weed/pooed on for as long as a week, 4)yes 5)yes, and yes. 6)It might, but then again, it might not. You could just use milton tablets to sterilise, however.

They're not stupid questions if you've never had a baby before. Good luck

You won't need a blanket if you swaddle. I had fab swaddles from the grobag company but I'm sure some will say a sheet works just as well.

My DS was a puker so sheets and sleepsuits got.changed daily. Frequently several times a night.

He lived in sleepsuits for the first three months or so. So, so much easier for you and comfier for them.

We bought a steriliser but Milton tablets would do the same job. Technically you're supposed to sterilise for first 6 months but technically as soon as sterilise bottles are exposed to air they become non sterile so I'm sceptical on how important it is.

1. yes, one to cover mattress and one spare to cover baby depending on temp of room
2. depends on how thick your swaddling material is and how warm the room is. You'll know by how warm your baby feels.
3. it will get puked on! But babies aren't particularly dirty so prob wont need changing between pukes.
4. highly unlikely it will be clean the next day. I found I kept ds in the same clothes till he dirtied them (which was often - rarely went 24 hours without an incident).
5. yes and definitely yes - much easier carting them about in a sleepsuit. Although you will probably get given lots of outfits you will feel compelled to dress them in before they grow too big to wear them.
6. a steriliser is v useful. Much quicker than a dishwasher, and time will be of the essence when it comes to prepping bottle feeds. If expressing with a pump you'll need to sterilise all the components in the pump each time you express and you may find at first you need to express several times to get one feed's worth. You might want to store expressed milk in those freezer bags you can get for milk - in which case your dh will end up sterilising the bottle while he waits a few minutes for milk to defrost.

Good luck!!!

I agree with what everyone else has said.

You can sterilise by boiling in a pan iirc.

1. Depends on the temperature
2. Depends on the temperature
3. I had a non-sicky baby. I did it about once a week.
4. Even with a non-sicky baby, I went through a few sleepsuits a day
5. You can dress your baby in whatever you want
6. Dishwasher would be okay IMO, I got a steriliser and hardly used it. Your boobs wont be sterilised, so as long as the bottle is definitely clean, it will be fine.

I got a great tip from a friend, put a muslin over the bottom sheet where the baby's head is so you can just whip that away when they're sick. That way you are not constantly changing and washing sheets.

You can also use an old pillowcase on the bottom, I found they fitted great over the moses basket mattress (and they're a lot cheaper than proper baby sheets)

They're not stupid questions - it's a bit daunting, isn't it?!

1. Sheets - a good idea to have base sheets and sheets for over the baby if needed. It really will depend on how often it gets soiled - I would say that a week is a good rule of thumb but that it is VERY unlikely that it will last that long without an obvious need for a change We didn't swaddle so not sure about that one. A lot will also depend on when you have the baby and how warm it is... I promise that all this will suddenly make sense when the baby comes. I think we had four base sheets, four top sheets, a couple of blankets, but ended up using sleeping bags from really early on. It was summer so in the day he just slept with a top sheet.

2. Sleepsuits - again, you'll probably end up using at least one a night. It's obvious when they need changing and they definitely never last for long enough to wonder idly whether it's time to switch suits.

3. I've made a pact this time that DC will be wearing only sleepsuits for his first 6 months couple of months. SO much easier, practical and comfy than the little outfits, even though it's fun to buy them. Babies feed, sleep, poo and puke almost exclusively during that time so they really are the most practical thing all day long.

4. People have different ideas on sterilisers. We did buy one in the end and used it quite a lot in the end despite bf and it didn't cost much.

1- useful to have both, it all depends on temperature in the room and different options for layers will be very useful
2- I used another blanket, but it was a very cold winter. Also i didnt use a special swaddling blanket like i have seen in shops i just used a thin blanket tucked around the baby the old fashioned way
3- If you manage to keep them clean for a whole week you will be lucky. if you are thinking of how many you need i would advise adding a couple more than you expect becaue i found after so much washing and drying they shrink a bit
4- yes when the baby is newborn but as they get bigger you can use your own judgement, but i would always put a clean baby vest on usnderneath
5- yes and yes (baby is more comfortable than in fancy outfits)
6- I will breastfeed again this time, and will only use a large bowl and sterilising tablets. i had a microwave steriliser lat time which was a waste of space for the amount it was used

only my opinions but hope its helpful. im also 30 weeks with my second baby :)

oops, slow typer! Lots of this been said already

hello helga, my advice would be:

1. 2 sheets, one over the mattress the other on top of baby below the blanket. We did to the letter with DD and had a sheet with the open weave cotton blankets for ages, she finally went into a grobag at about 5-6 months, others were less uptight about following instructions but DD slept well with them so took ages to try anything else
2. I did swaddle and then put blanket on on top but think this was OTT, if you swaddle I think the baby will be fine, especially if in a vest & sleep suit. Maybe just a sheet on top to stop them rolling (I used to put rolled up blankets either side of her too), if v cold pop another blanket on top but you'd check first
3. weekly sounds fine if no spills but you may find that due to one end or the other the decision is made for you
4. we tended to have a clean one most nights dt accidents and the like, if they're not dirty though there's no need
5. to me very similar although possibly babygros don't have integral feet built in. YES definitely use sleepsuits in the day, the parent police won't mind at all, in fact I think it's mandatory for less hassle changing. when they're little they can poo loads of times in a day so many outfit changes
6. I got milton tablets for sterilising, we had no microwave (you can buy single bottle sterilisers that fit in easily I think) and I was bf so it was only very occasionally to make sure she'd take a bottle and for the odd night out. You just put the bottles, pump bits etc in with cold water and tablet, it's good for 24 hrs I think (from memory so check) but any tupperware box or big bowl would do

Good luck, thanks for the reminder too, I'll have to remember all this stuff come May with DC2.

not as slow as me bluesky

We went to sleeping bags at about 4wks as DD hated being swaddled. We had four on the go.

I used the Muslin cloth doubled over the bottom sheet to reduce washing but still got through about three bottom sheets a week, even with me turning the mattress from head to toe (it's astonishing how standards can slip )

We got through 10 sleep suits a week on top of daytime outfits (I am a sucker for a pretty baby frock with with frilly knickers).

Pillowslips are great bottom sheets for prams / cribs & cheaper than the "we saw you coming; you must buy this or your baby will surely die" alternative.

Oh - and in the first month, we had to change the sheet on our bed nearly daily too what with me leaking milk, c-section scar bleeding / seeping and DD puking / exploding nappy on the bed.

Bodily fluids no longer shock/disgust me after the muck that newborns create.

Great questions and great answers! I nearly cleaned ikea out of fitted cot sheets when we were buying cots (twins on the way) and my OH thought it was overkill but sounds like the 4 each that I bought was on the conservative end.

While we're on it - I've seen all in ones that have long sleeves, t-shirt sleeves and sleeveless. What are we using all these varieties for? And is nappy plus t-shirt ever an option (e.g. for bed in the summer - mine are due along April/May) or is that just going to cause spillages?

Yes, second time round and I am off to start a similar thread as I can't remember a thing! Always good to ask away.

Be prepared for A Lot of washing in the first few months! My BF dd wasn't sicky but had lots of leaky poos (never go anywere without a full change of clothes, often two in the first few months).

Oh and I agree re outfits too, DC2 (due in 5.5 weeks) will be in sleepsuits/babygrows etc until at least 6 months, especially if it's a boy :) I thought all of DD's outfits and dresses were soo cute to begin with but I look back on some of the photos of her under 6 months and think how silly did she look dressed up like she was (but first time round we're allowed do silly things like that).

buonasera For new borns the long sleeved sleepsuits / baby grows are good. You can add a vest / bodysuit underneath. I always used bodysuits with t-shirt sleeves and poppers. The ones without poppers ride up. When it's hot I often put DS in just a bodysuit (hides the nappy better than a t- shirt). Body suits usually have envelope necks which are easier to get on than t-shirts.

Oh, and DS was in all in ones till 12 months.

Thanks sprinkles... just one more thing?
Sleepsuits = all in ones with long sleeves/legs with feet
Bodysuit = all in one, short or no sleeves, no legs
vest = to the waist only/no poppers, short or no sleeves

is that right? I blame my confusion on the fact that I bought a couple of packs of what I thought were sleeveles bodysuits from mothercare but someone had mixed up the contents! As a result we have some t-shirt style as well. I suppose the wee ones won't care a jot - with twins on the way I'm expecting I'll resort to wrapping the poor souls in spare tea towels by about 3 days in...

rrrr i am quite excited reading this! can i gate crash this post and ask a silly question also as I know nothing, nothing at all and wonder - I must need a pram and a car seat. Do they make a pram thing that turns into a pushchair? and does anyone know if this is the case of one that will go well on the beach? Don't get too jealous, I live in the UK where it has been force 9 for the last 5 weeks! so add to that one with a substantial windsheater! We definately don't like 'stuff' so baby will be sleeping in a box by our bed for the first few weeks!

OP yes, that sounds right. You can get all in ones that have no feet. I found them a pain as you need socks with them. Which get lost. Some all in ones have poppers from toe to chin. These are easier to get on and off than the over the head ones. The over the head ones tend not to have feet.

surf. Buggies are available in every combination you can imagine. And every price range. Some are prams that become strollers (eg bugaboo chameleon). Some are strollers that are suitable from birth (eg bugaboo bee). All have pros and cons. So one with big wheels (eg city jogger) is fab for the beach but may be too big for a small boot, and hard to manoeuvre on public transport and small shops. There is a whole topic on push chairs on MN. You might find that you are better with a sling and then a carrier on the beach. You def need a car seat, even if you don't have a car, for taxis and lifts.

OP for me the definition is as follows:

vest = sleeveless & legless babygro, ie. with poppers
t-shirt/vest = above but with t-short sleeves. I had an August baby so would use vests as a bit cooler, when very hot would skip vest and put just in sleepsuit, when v.v. hot just in vest
sleepsuit = babygro with integral feet, often had integrated fold over bits at the hands which you fold over their hands to stop them scratching themselves. I was recommended cotton mittens but much the same as socks lost them all the time and found them a faff so preferred to get the sleepsuits with fold over bits
bodysuit/playsuit = like a sleep suit but with no feet. and like sprinkles says, often goes over the head rather than simpler poppers up front. For me these tended to be more 'for best' as tended to be pricier than the packs of sleepsuits and somewhat annoying as babies will not keep socks on. btw I found sainsburys great for sleepsuits, lovely patterns, cheap and good quality.

for surf I think the mountain buggy is good for the beach

blimey okay I wont hijack this thread but will read up...yawn... hate buying things - of course i want the baby but hate shops!

Right. I am going to draw myself pictures for the next trip to Mothercare (and will have a wee scout round Sainsburys the next time I'm in). Thanks very much guys - I really wasn't sure about the number of layers but I guess 2 makes sense as they are quite little (high surface area to volume ratio means they cool down fast! It's just like chemical engineering!)