31 weeks and don't know what to buy panic!

[babbashouse]

We haven't bought a thing. We went shopping to look at pushchairs, carriers and cots today - and swiftly let in panic!

So I turn to you lovely ladies for advice...

1. Carriers. I'm torn between the structured sorts of things and the slings. The structured carriers (no idea what they're really called) seem more obvious, but then I've heard slings are better for breastfeeding as you can lay baby down in them? Is this even true? Shop assistant showed how they carried baby safely with the criss-cross thing and one leg looped through each hole, but how on earth is that converted to support a lying down position? In sum, any opinions/ advice on sling vs normal carrier much appreciated!

1. Pushchairs. I've always really wanted one where you can put in a carseat so don't have to wake to transfer. Also for it to be parent-facing. Anyway, there seem to be hundreds. First thing DH saw was one that cost £150(!) and now he's convinced there's no need to spend anymore than that. I on the other hand was more attracted to ones more in the £6-700 range. My question here is are there any particularly good ones that reflect my (minimal) spec, and is there any argument for spending more or is DH right?!

1. Cots. Again, we've seen massive price differences. Again, I've not much idea why... Is there anything in particular we should be looking for it a cot?

Any advice at all greatly appreciated. We're just so bloody lost!

Ignore all those 'helpful' lists that shops give you, you don't even need half the stuff on there.

Don't get a Baby Bjorn or that kind of carrier where the baby dangles by its crotch- they are not good for their hips. A sling or wrap would be better. They take a little bit longer to get the hang of but once you'd got it then a decent ring sling for example will last until your DC is a toddler. Ergos are very popular. See if there's a sling meet near you.

Push chairs, no idea, sorry! We used our travel system once I think. We had a second hand pram and our cheapo stroller got a bit more use.

Cots- we never used that either, we ended up co-sleeping Ours was a cheapo Ikea one anyway.

Which I guess leads me onto my top tip-

Don't spend tons of money because you can plan all you like but you'll never know what you'll use and what you won't until your baby arrives. Consider some second hand stuff but obviously things like cot mattresses and car seats should be brand new.

If there's an NCT sale nearby then they are great for getting bargains on all kinds of baby equipment. Then if you never use stuff you won't have wasted hundreds of quid.

HTH, good luck with the birth :)

There is a forum with MN reviews of pushchairs so maybe check that out for ideas of whether its worth spending the money?

I remember being distinctly overwhelmed & not wanting to make the wrong choice because it seemed such a lot of money. We bought a Britax travel system in the end which, with car seat, cost toes, etc came to £500 so more of a mid-priced one, although by no mean cheap!! I am very happy with it & not relishing the double-buggy shopping required this Autumn...

As for cots, it depends what you want. I wanted drop-side but not everyone thinks that's essential. I will say that you can get some good bargains for second-hand ones & a cot doesn't really need to be new (although a mattress does).

Can't advise about slings as made poor decisions there myself!!! Will be hunting down the nearest sling library myself soon... :)

We have a sling library near us that rents out slings, the lady running it does consultations so you can work out which one suits you best. I would advise going to a sling library for a consultation before buying one if there's one near you.
We bought a babybjorn carrier for DS, as we knew people who used them, but DS hated it. We only used it twice because he hated it so much. Big waste of money for us, but some babies love them. So try sling library first!

We got a drop side cot for DS, but that's not essential. Price differences in cots seem to be for mainly cosmetic reasons as far as I can see. Second hand cots are fine, but new mattresses are essential.

I've never seen the point in spending ridiculous amounts of money, and to me anything over £250 for a pushchair is ridiculous amounts, I got my travel system for DD for £30 from a carboot and it was in great condition! I think it was a mothercare one, but most brands make them, graco are a good one for travel systems.
This time I would really like the icandy peach blossom as i'll have two DC but definitely won't be buying it new - Ebay always have them!

Our cot was free from a friend, plain and simple Ikea cot (obviously we'll be getting the mattress new),
The one thing I did buy brand new was the sling, my beloved Moby Wrap, and even then it was £40 off of Ebay yet such a fantastic wrap sling and goes from newborn to 2 or 3 years.

After feeling totally overwhelmed by the choice of prams/travel systems (and frankly not knowing the difference) went shopping last week to try some out. I've just bought a Mamas and Papas Sola and car seat. There is a discount for buying them together and 10% off online orders atm too so its £240 for both.

Just had it delivered, I set it up in no time, really light, switches between forward and rear facing, car seat fits too, easy to put down and steer. It's the one I liked most and seems to have good reviews on Which. Everyone will have different opinions so went for the one that suited my needs, just so happened it was that brand but would have been happy with whatever felt right.

Good luck :)

Re. carriers, borrow friends or go to sling mtg before you buy

Also went for the Sola with Car Seat (we got the Carrycot too as we wanted a moses basket for next to our bed, but it seemed practical to buy one that could be clipped onto the pram). All in all we spent less than £500 on all three elements and are v happy with it as Lois said it's light, easy to put up/down and can face forward/rear no trouble at all :)

Ooops, typo, think it's £340 for both sorry (still a good deal though!)

I would wait until baby is here before getting a carrier and try and borrow one before you buy. My dd's hated slings so we had a Bjorn. DD1 loved it, DD2 didn't want to be carried - strange child

My cot was £60 from Ikea - brilliant, has 3 height settings and you can take the front off so it converts int a bed effectively. DD1 just too big for it now and she is nearly 3 and on the 91st percentile. Did buy a fairly expensive matress though but again that has lasted both DD's so far.

Re getting a travel system, we had a M&P that cost £500 reduced from £700!!

That was ridiculous. Get a travel system that suits your needs for as cheap as possible, and make sure it fits in the car, doesn't weigh a ton and can be put up and down easily. DD1 was transported around like a queen, DD2 in a cheap as chips yet amazingly comfortable umbrella fold pushchair.

If you plan to sling the baby a lot then dont get a baby bjorn type. I have one and its not bad, per say, but I couldnt wear it all day every day.

Pushchairs - I bought a maclaren twchno xlr stroller which has a soft cot which fits inside and also you can clip a car seat in but it is essentially a basic stroller. I love it and shopped around for prices and got softcot for 35 car seat for 90 and stroller 150. All new. However I think the person who uses the buggy mist should get final say as itll be you humping it in and out of the car round the shops etc.

Cot. We loaned a cotbed and bought a sprung mattress 80quid. IKEA do cheap cots.

Re cots - we have a bugaboo frog so the pram top just comes off and is like a Moses basket (so you don't need to bother with one of those frilly fruffy things ;-)!!). DD slept in that for the first 2mos next to our bed. We moved her to her room about then as after being up to feed her I was getting back into bed and laying awake til the next feed listening to DP snoring and DD sqwaking and grunting.

We bought a Baby Bloom Alma mini cot and the pram top fitted in there nicely and helped with the transition from our room to her room etc. The nice thing about the Alma mini is that it's not too overwhelming. Some of the cot beds just swamp a little baby (mine was slightly perm and was just 6lb). Plus we live in a 1 bed house and dd's room is technically our 'landing' (it's quite a big space) and it's not big enough for the wardrobe, chest and cot bed. The plan was to move this summer and get a bigger house and get the cot bed out of storage (BIL's kind donation). BUT we haven't moved yet and this bloody mini cot which is supposed to take them up til they're 2yo is just never going to last that long. It looks great and the mattress is really good but she's got about 6-8 inches of room left and she can't roll over. £300 bloody quid too!! Now I either have to buy an interim cot until we move and get the cot bed or use the travel cot.

Get a decent size cot. Doesn't have to be £££ but get a good mattress. If you get a combed then you can always swaddle or buy one of those cosy snug things that make the baby feel like theyre enclosed.

Don't get a family fix car base til you've checked put extended rear facing! Marketing con.

Thank you SO much all, have taken notes!

I've been looking at JojoMama catalogue (whilst trying to keep EuRouge's advice at front of mind!) Seen 'Closer Caboo Carrier' which looks like everything I need - really wide base so not hanging from crotch and also it says you can breatfeed in it (though I have to admit I still can't see quite how...)

So my next question is, any opinions on that particular one, but also is it actually ok to use a carrier from newborn? I'm hoping to use it most of the time, in preference to pushchair really, and just got to wondering is that ok? There's no rule about newborns should be lying down rather than upright or anything like that? I know it says 'suitable from newborn', but I still can't help but have to ask (neurotic)!

I had a baby bjorn for my dd ( who is nw 6), both she and I loved it. I wore her every day for six months, and was very sad when she outgrew it.

For this baby I have a wrap sling, a ring sling, and will buy an ergo when the baby is older.

I have just bought a stroller off eBay ( not yet delivered) I can't remember the brand, but it was about £80, brand new. I spent a lot on a stroller for dd and ended up not using it that much so didn't want to do that again.

I was given a cot, but we co- slept so didn't use it. I am glad I didn't spend any money on it.

There's so much you don't need when having a baby, but somehow people / stores convince you that you do!

Can't comment on that brand of carrier but yes, most are ok for a newborn. I'd wait a few weeks but others might not. Also I couldn't just have the carrier as I had emcs and no way I could carry her like that for a while. Plus I didn't find mine as comfy as I thought it was going to be!

I am determined not to waste money on unnecessary things.

Not bothering with a carrier/wrap. Having twins so no point really.

Have a cot a friend gave me, planning on putting both babies in the same cot initially then will probably get second cheap Ikea cot. Buy mattresses new though.

I was so tempted by the iCandy Pear but so glad I didn't spend over 1k on a pushchair. We went for a good, compact double and paid 300 for it.

I have bought as much as I can second hand and friends have been great donating stuff.

Travel systems: as we have to drive to leave the village (middle of nowhere) we are always in the car. We used the clip on car seat very very often - daily. We used the actual pram piece maybe two/three times. A godsend and as it had isofix it was so easy.

Slings: loved my moby but didn't get on too well as I never seemed to get baby as comfy as I'd have liked. Loved it but could have practised more! Will use it again with %232 though and maybe try a close wrap too.