Stuff for babies. So confused. Please help.

[minitoot]

1. What is a scratch mitt? Should I get some?

2. What is the difference between pushchairs and strollers? I have looked at the Mumsnet 'guide to' but am not much clearer about it. Looks like the pushchairs are more solid-looking and more expensive and suitable from birth because they lie flat. And the strollers are light-weight and cheaper. But lots of the strollers I've seen in catalogues say 'suitable from birth' too, even though they don't seem to lie flat. Is there something about how long it's safe for the baby to be in them?

3. What would you buy second-hand and what should really be bought new? For example, I hear that buying a car seat second hand isn't such a good idea because it might have been in an accident. What about pushchairs? If you buy them off e-bay how sure can you be that they aren't missing a crucial screw somewhere?

Cannot believe how complicated it is to buy stuff for babies...

oh! and socks again!
If you have your baby in the winter, socks are good under babygrows, too.
(little cold feet!)
and when you have the heel prick test done, the MW suggests that you put on an extra pair of socks for a day or so before so that it's not too difficult to take the test.

One thing that helped us with buggy shopping, is to sit at home and make a list of your priorities. Are you unusual heights? Very different heights (in which case you'd need adjustable handlebars)? Are you fussed how it looks? Do you need to be able to lift/fold it easily (esp if go on public transport)?

Then, go to the biggest buggy selling place near you, give them your list, then ask for their suggestions. DP did this, worked much better than my general mooching around, humming and ahhing approach!

nickel tights stay on even better under trousers and keep those little legs nice and warm

This is so useful! At 22 weeks, I have suddenly become concerned by my total ignorance about what we're actually going to need.

You will actually need very little compared to what the mothercare catalogue says you will!

And its worth bearing in mind that anything you might need suddenly in the middle of the night with a new baby can be bought at a 24hr supermarket, so as long as you have a DP or someone who can make the emergency dash you will be alright!! Amazon, Mothercare etc do next day delivery so you can order things you may decide you want after the baby is here.

I'm always quite surprised with how many blankets/sheets etc people say you need as well, you need a couple but not loads, IME you will have the washing machine on often enough to keep up with your child.

My pushchair needs are aproximately the same as cyclebump's - I can't drive so there'll be a lot of walking everywhere. I want it to work from birth for as long as possible and be pretty light and manouverable. I think we'll mostly be going around parks, suburbs, that kind of thing. Do I need a cosy toes/ parasol? The baby's due in June but I wonder how much sun there'll be - British summer .

I never had a parasol but you will need a cosy toes in the winter (you can use blankets but they get kicked off). A lot of pushchairs will come with them, or you can buy generic ones that go with most pushchairs rather than pay a lot for their matching one.

You don't need to buy parasol/cosy toes yet (unless they come with the pushchair), these are the type of things that you can pick up when you are up and about with baby. You will assess your own needs. I had an Aug baby and havn't used a parasol as the summer she was born she was parked up in the shade and the next summer she was big enough not to need one.

There is a topic about pushchairs on here, they are very passionate about them, you might want to post a list of your requirments on there and I'm sure someone will point you in the right direction .

You can just use baby socks as scratch mitts...though MIL went a bit wibbly on me and got me some scratch mitt. You'll get more life out of them and they usually have a longer elasticated bit that grips to their chubby little arms!

Also not seeing the point in newborn 'outfits'. Have many, many though (all 2nd hand) and no doubts someone will be highly offended if my baby doesn't turn up in said outfit at some point.

Also, it's worth visiting somewhere (I visited John Lewis) and discussing with someone what you want from your pram/pushchair/stroller and actually pushing some about and handling them. For me it was 1) flat based pram-bit and a sit-up buggie-bit (to avoid harness fatigue) 2) I'm a dwarf, DH is tall, so needed to suit us both 3) basket underneath needed to be decent 4) Wanted to be able to fit a decent carseat to base 5) easy-folding for me and grandparents to hoik in and out of car. No need to actually buy on the day, but it's well worth a visit and a push about.

Never used scratch mitts, they are blooming useless and fall off constantly, next do babygrows with fold over flaps which double as scratch mitts. You can buy most things second hand.

On the pushchair/stroller front a Maclaren techno xt would be a fab choice, it's a stroller but fairly sturdy and will last forever (suitable from birth) I'm pretty sure you can get a little nest thing for it for tiny babies which would be more cosy. I still miss my stolen xt .

You can spend loads on posh pushchairs if that is your wish, they are nice looking but so not essential. For my last child I bought a pramette from ebay brand new for £100 (graco cleo) a pramette is a pushchair with a soft carry cot thing that converts it into a pram, it was fab and we used it instead of a cradle or moses basket when he was asleep downstairs.

Thanks! I'll look for the topic and also check out the Maclaren XT - I've heard good stuff about that on here, I think.

The other thing I was thinking about was this www.mothercare.com/Mothercare-Xtreme-Pushchair-Travel-System/dp/B004EYGUT8

because of the 50% discount - does anyone know if it would be worth it? I think the reviews on here said it was good but heavy.

The xtreme is huge! My neighbour has one and its a monster! Doesn't fold down very small either.

Will you need to fold it for public transport? Or to go in a carboot?

i'coo.

If I was looking for you I'd suggest this. i'coo are a nice make, its very light weight and folds down well. It adapts to be both a pram and a pushchair, and can be forward or parent facing. I find that a very good feature on mine, gives me the option to sing/talk with DD or if theres something to look at she can be forward facing.

The only possible downside is that you can't attach the car seat to it. But since you don't drive I can't see that being a major problem. I do drive and I didn't have the car seat on my pram.

Oh this is not good for me, I have an addiction to baby shopping and I'm already broody enough

The website that pushchair is on is called Precious Little One. It sells alot of good baby equipment and is the best prices I have found, free next day delivery on most things and even beats Amazon on price . I don't work for them BTW just recomending a good place to get baby stuff from!

Id buy socks rather than mittens. They can be used as mittens if needed, and if your babygro is a bit long, then put socks on over the top. It helps keep their feet in the ends of the leg!
Im not a huge fan of travel system prams. I dont like the fact that the baby can spend a lot of time scrunched in a car seat. I much prefer a carry cot 3 in 1. I also have a thing about dcs facing me in the pushchair, so I would go for something with a reversible seat. This might seem daft, but is a lot cosier for them, as they arent being constantly pushed into the weather, and if they are rear facing with the hood up and a cosy toes, you can probably manage without a bulky rain cover.

My pram of choice would be the Bugaboo Chameleon, and Id probably buy a second hand one from Ebay.

minitoot when are you due? Never mind the baby stuff, you'll probably need a kitchen

Try to relax about it all. Honestly, all the books, websites, leaflets etc would have you believe you need an absolute ton of stuff - you really, really don't.

You need (IMO) -

• Boobs and/or bottles (if bottles are washed thoroughly you don't actually need a steriliser, a microbiologist suggests a plastic box (tupperware type thing) in the microwave - absolutely condems sterlisers as doing more harm than good), bottle brush, formula.

• Nappies

• Wipes (disposable or resuseable)

• Cream (sudocrem/bepanthen/metanium - all good for different things and you'll use them over time)

• Nappy sacs - not environmentally brilliant but help with the stinky nappies if using disposables

• Car Seat

• Vests

• Babygrows or gowns with fold over cuffs

• Warm outer layer/hat

• Somewhere for the baby to sleep - a few blankets (but not gazillions) and sheets etc (if not co sleeping)

Pretty much everything after that is a 'want' not a 'need' :)

Relatives/friends will buy you loads of stuff and the shops are all open pretty much every day - so you can buy things as you find you need them or you can borrow a lot of things off of friends, even if it's only for a couple of weeks to see if you like it/will use it, but as baby stuff isn't used for long or harshly, most people will willingly lend you stuff for the length of time you need it (just look after it and return it to the person who lent it to you - don't just pass it on to someone else!).

Mustcontrol :) Hopefully we're getting a kitchen in a few days. Right after that we might have to sell and move, though...!

Thanks everyone for the help! :)

Oh, one more question. Those baby sleeping bags/ Grobags. They don't seem to have sleeves. Don't the baby's arms get cold? Is the idea that you dress the baby in a babygro and then put the Grobag over the top?

I wondered about their arms too, but I think a long sleeved vest and sleepsuit then tucked into a grobag should suffice. In summer, maybe even just a long sleeved vest and tucked into a grobag. Be aware though, they can only be used once LO gets past a certain weight (maybe 9/10 pounds) as before that I think they can slip down them?

It tells you on the grobag website what they need.
It's all in tog ratings.
If the room's the "correct" temperature (18c), then they just need a long sleeved top and a vest.
If it's cooler, then a cardigan, and if it's warmer, then just the long-sleeved vest, or a short sleeved vest if it's warmer still.
here

Babies are crap at regulating limb temperature so their hands and feet will often feel cold, whilst their core temperature is fine. Sticking your fingers down the back of their necks or on their tums is a much better indicator of hot/cold than holding their little handies. So, basically, yes, if they have cold limbs, check their necks, but usually they're fine. Usually a gro and a grobag will suffice, but do look at the guidance and remember that grobags aren't usually recommended under 8lb.

Also, watch out for 'other' brands as they often require poppers to be put in the arpits (most up to date grobag branded ones have poppers in the arm holes) to stop small babies wriggling down and the bag going over thair faces. But, IMHO they're a genius idea, as what's to stop a baby wriggling down under a blanket any more than a gro!? (despit the HV giving me a worried look).

I'm dressing my LO in a poppered vest, gro and a grorbag for nights (though will be watching room temp, so maybe only a vest and grobag - vests are useful for keeping real nappies/and I guess disposables in place). The grobag website has all the information you'll need. I found all of my grobags on ebay for a fraction of the cost...all very well looked after/hardly used at all. Grobag also do a travel version that you can put seat restraints through too!

Also worth noting that pram/cot blanket = 1 tog. Fold it in half/over and that's 2 tog. I've been on mat leave a while and have mentalled about allsorts and this was one of the things that has stuck with me from reading up about how warm baby is etc.