please learn from my mistakes

[gymboywalton]

i have been reading another thread about special outfits for newborn babies and i thoughtit it might be fun to have athread where people can share mistakes we made when ours were new.

my number one mistakes was buying clothes/babygrows that fastened up the back. wtf was i thinking? impossible to get the baby into and they end up lying on the poppers and being uncomfy.

2nd mistake was buying babygrows made out of velour-they felt all lovely on the outside but insdie are scratchy and sweaty and horrible.l
the day i found out i was pregnant i went out and bought an outfit that was both velour AND had poppers up the back.
it was worn once!!!!

[Inertia]

While you're buying the load of cheap flannels that Whirliwig mentioned, buy a load more in a different colour (still reasonably pale so you can boil wash) . When you change baby's nappy and roll their top / babygrow up, put the flannel under the baby's back. If baby then does a nappy-off wee the flannel will absorb it, and you won't need to change the vest/ outfit as well.

[spiderbabymum]

Tip : ikea are great for cheap flannels

[bonzo77]

If you have a prem baby they need prem clothes. Not newborn or 0-3 months!

[PetiteRaleuse]

I bought a big pack of cheap tea towels to go on the changing mat to deal with nappy free accidents the first couple of months.

I prefer pjs that have poppers up the back. Just put the baby over my knee to do it up and it burps them at the same time.

I keep my baby in vest and baby gro pretty much the whole time. Can't be faffed with proper outfits. It's frowned upon by some on here but she'll stay dressed like that pretty much all the time until she is about 9 months, like her sister. Exceptions will be when we go to restaurants or to friends' houses. You might feel the same so don't buy too many..

[Eletheomel]

My mistake was pre-washing all the clothes we got as gifts for DS as soon as we got them.

Of course, once that was done we couldn't return them and exchange them for different sizes and as DS lived in sleepsuits for about 3 months we wasted loads of good clothes sized 0-3 months that we couldn't exchange :-(

So, definitely worth not doing any washing of an item until you know you're going to use it, and all shops that we took baby clothes back to exchange (once I'd learned my lesson) exchanged them happily without a receipt, so if you do get clothes gifted that you don't like, just take them back and swap them for something you do like!

[rainand]

PetiteRaleuse, I'm planning to do the same re babygrows. Are pyjamas easier to get them in than babygrows?

[rainand]

spiderbabymum Thanks for tip on the washcloths: www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/40054538/

[SnowyWellies]

only thing I would recommend is to take lots of non-perishable food to the hospital.

I have birth a bit after midnight and was told no food available (I wanted tea and toast! Waaaah!) until breakfast. I was starving starving. DH left me with a packet of wine gums that I inhaled. I was also unable to walk the first few days due to bad bleeding and a transfusion, so had to wait for food to be brought to me. It took until mid-morning and I nearly tore the arm off the poor person delivering it! Then DH brought in biscuits and babybels and grapes and all sorts cava and I was happy again.

[5madthings]

For babies get those baby nightgowns! John lewis sell them and mother care, so easy for night time nappy changes.

Think john lewis call them a baby bundler?

[5madthings]

m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-baby-bundler-white-one-size/p230591844?un_jtt_v_pdp=yes


Here you go, these are brilliant!

[suzyrut]

Baby baths? You have a bath already...one that your poor weakend abdominal muscles don't need to lift when full of water. Used mine once then bought £10 terry towelling bath support from Mothercare. xx

[greenhill]

A baby bath is only any good if you use it in the normal sized bath. And only if it has a plug hole, so you don't have to lift it to empty it.

Baby wipes can be warmed up by leaving them on a radiator.

[SchroSawMargeryDaw]

I liked the baby bath for one reason... I would make DP take the moses basket off the stand and put the bath in the stand and sit it in front of the armchair.

Made things much easier in the early days when I was recovering post nightmare birth.

[Littlemissexpecting]

Great thread thank you everyone. Keep them coming!!

[VeryDullNameChange]

If you do want to go with the midwife-approved cotton wool balls for changing then a bag of 100 balls may sound like quite a lot. It is not a lot. A really determined bf new-born baby can get through 100 cotton wool balls in 24 hours. Bags of 300 balls are a start, but only a start.

Oh, and one scene you never see on TV births is where you ring the hospital, say "I'm in labour!!" and a blasé midwife says "take two paracetomol, have a bath and ring back in three hours. Taking two paracetomol features much more heavily in real labour than TV labour, so have some in the house just in case.

And YY to long-life food in hospital bag - commercial flapjacks are ideal.

[TinkyPeet]

Do NOT buy a lovely brand spanking new WHITE baby chair/bouncer thingy. Explosive baby + white chair = I'm sure you can imagine!!
The chair in itself was fabulous! Laid right down or sat up and had a squishy memory foam type thing in the middle for newborns. Haven't got a clue what possessed me to buy a white one!

[SchroSawMargeryDaw]

Oh and you don't have to use cotton wool, even in the hospital. You can use these.

They have no reason to tell you not to use these, they are great and you will be happy about them for the meconium poo!

[rrreow]

Don't buy babygrows or anything with really tight cuffs. Trying to get the hands of a tiny newborn through the cuffs will make you feel like you're manhandling them.

[soupmaker]

You can't have enough muslins. Use for modesty if BF, wiping up bodily fluids, putting on top of changing mat to catch wee and flying poos, swaddle baby in extra big ones, use to wipe faces and hands when weaning, use extra special grubby ones as floor cloths, cut them up to put spices in when making chutney, use to buff up polished shoes....the list is endless.

[MrsLyman]

If your using cotton wool then the large square pads are easier to use than balls. If you have already bought balls then unravel them so they are flat pre-use, it makes them more effective and you'll be able to use stretch a bag further than one nappy change

[piprabbit]

Don't bother with those legging things with feet on. The baby just kick their legs until the leggings fall off. Ditto socks. And shoes.

[Jacksterbear]

Don't buy pale-coloured nighties or pjs for after the birth as chances if maternity pad leakage are high - walk of shame across post-natal ward with bright red patch on bum = not good!

[Jacksterbear]

Also, don't pack a hospital bag that's too heavy for you to carry, should you end up having to get yourself to hospital in labour in a hurry! Have a small, separate, emergency bag!