Prepping for baby

[BubbaM14]

Hi all,

So many people are telling me to prepare for baby to arrive by buying nappies, wet wipes etc every time I go shopping. As this is baby #1 I don't have a clue which brands are worth paying more for. Are pampers nappies worth the cost compared to Sainsburys or boots brands? Also advise on sizes would be much appreciated! Thanks!

Don't buy lots!

Aldi are generally widely rebound for being good and cheap, but to be honest, you'll want to try out several when your baby arrives, as they may be skinny or chunky or have crazy legs (like mine did!), and nappies fit differently, so you'll kick yourself if you waste money on ones you won't use.

Buy a couple of packs, but there are usually deals on at one supermarket or other, so you can still get good deals later. Maybe if you want to spread the cost, put some money aside each week from now that you can use for nappies later?

Wipes... I liked to use water wipes for the first six months, just because it is less...chemically. But after that I use any :) (though I do like the Pampers sensitive ones...bit pricier though).

Oh, and on pampers - I like pampers nappies for night time as they are much more absorbent, but I use cheaper ones or cloth ones during the day, so it's only one pamper per day, so it's not quite as expensive!

Congratulations, and enjoy the nappy experimenting when your baby arrives :)

I agree with not buying much and seeing what suits your baby. Also they grow out of sizes so fast there's no point stocking up really.
bumdeal.Co.uk is a nappy price comparison site and can find you the cheapest.

Thanks TheLongRains! That's great advise.

Great tip on the website AbbeyRoadCrossing thank you

I swear by Asda Little Angels. Brilliant and fit DD perfectly. About £10-£12 for 3 packs with 30 odd in each. Bargain.

But I agree on not stock piling them. Wipes, sure if they are on a deal (again Asda Little Angel sensitive are brilliant) or nappy sacks because they don't really matter so much.

Sorry meant to say I've found Asda to be really good. But I guess that depends if you are near one. Others say Aldi are good but I'm not near one.

You're welcome :) glad Abbey popped up with that website, as I remember looking at it ages ago but couldn't remember what the web address was!

Oh, also, there's nothing "rebound"about Aldi nappies..! I meant renowned!

Really don't like pampers they leak
I'm getting the Tesco yellow pack of newborn nappies which are excellent for 3.75
Heard aldi ones are great to
Wipes I'm getting huggies pure wipes

We're very much a pampers household and never have leaks. The boots ones gave her a rash. All babies are so different so it really is a case of trying them out and seeing what suits. I don't see the point in stock piling stuff unless there is a totally amazing deal. It's easy just to get stuff as you need it.

FTM here too,

My nursery looks like an aisle in the supermarket, I have a couple of packs of every brand nappies and wipes going lol

Chance to experiment and then hopefully no wastage if little one does appear irritated/allergic to any brands

Just got each one as I saw them on various offers

I've been buying a couple of packs of water wipes with the weekly food shop for the last few weeks. They're the only wipes we're allowed to use in hospital.

My DM got us a small pack of Pampers to try, and I'll buy smallish packs of a few other brands/ own brands whilst on mat leave to find which is best for us.

All my friends swear by Aldi nappies!

You're only allowed water wipes in the hospital? Never heard that.

I swear by Aldi nappies!!
When I've used pampers I've had too many "leakage" incidents, but I put that down to my dd's scrawny little hips and legs
One piece of advice from me....don't buy a ton of nappies before baby comes. Just popping out to the shops for things like nappies and wipes saved my sanity in the early weeks - would have gone stir crazy in the house, so was good to have an excuse to go out!

Being yes, water wipes or cotton wool and water only.

Is that only specific to your hospital Rae or is it an NHS thing?

I gave birth in April last year and used baby wipes in hospital - water/water wipes must be just what some hospitals specify!

rae no, they might recommend using something but it's your baby; you can use whatever you like.

Ours specified water wipes or cotton wool too.

A midwife could suggest cotton wool but they certainly can't force you. It's your baby and you'll be changing them (unless immediately after c section) NHS staff certainly aren't allowed to recommend brands either.

I packed normal baby wipes, and the midwife who delivered Dd just politely suggested that cotton wool and water tends to make it a bit easier to get the first, black tar poo off of baby's skin, but baby wipes would do the job as well. She offered water and cotton wool for the first poo, and DH did say it was pretty easy to clean up! But after that one we just used wipes and no one said anything!

Size wise - we were only in size 1 a few weeks - so don't go overboard.

Can I recommend nappy sacks - Morrisons value brand - 12p for 100 which is a sensible size to have in change bag (and in our upstairs and downstairs chamfing baskets) and this are a little thicker than most value brands so you don't put your finger through them. I always pick up 10 packs when I'm in Morrisons as we don't shop there often.

Pampers liners don't go right to the edge of the nappy so for some babies they leak (depending on the shape of your child/how wriggley they are). Someone pointed this out to me and gave me a selection of their 'cast off' nappies (end of bags) when I was pregnant with number 1. It was the best present I had as it allowed me to try before I went and bought the ones we now settled on which were boots own brand. Agree asda nappies are good - both have liners which go up to the elastic at the edge of the nappy. Wouldn't stock up on these - take time to learn what's good for your little one.

Do stock up on fragrance free/water wipes, metanium (best bum cream by a mile), and cotton wool pads (don't get anything that isn't a discrete pad or cotton wool ball as it'll come to bits and stick to baby which is bloody annoying).

Ps newborn nappies have a little 'u' shape cut out of the waste band which allows for the umbilical cord but once that drops off and it all heals these aren't necessary any more

Cheeky wipes - reusable. £30 will get you loads of wipes. Enough you never have to buy wipes again ( ok we bought a few travel size for travel overseas etc). But otherwise they lasted two children in nappies, now face wipes and cleaning clothes.

Nappy wise I would also consider reusable. Saves buying each week. Loads to look at

For the occasional disposables we used Naty brand which worked well

pottering we've been told water wipes or cotton wool only are acceptable for use in the hospital. I'm not really up for a fight with a midwife about whether I'm entitled to use other wipes whilst trying to deal with a newborn, so we're complying.

Being I'm certain that it's not NHS-wide, but my friend in another part of the U.K. had the same thing when she gave birth to her DD last year.