Baby basics for newbie - questions on cots, sleeping bags etc

[Walnut8]

Hi everyone

I'm a total newbie and just starting to buy things for my baby due in March. We don't have much room in our flat, may be moving OS in 12 months and therefore want to minimise "stuff" but don't want to miss out or forget the necessary or helpful things. I have read lots of lists about things to get but still am confused about a few things ...

1. Moses basket - everyone I know seems to have started with a moses basket for baby to sleep in. We have looked at them and they seems a bit of a waste of space if only really useful for the first few months? Is this silly - are we better off starting with a moses then trying to sell? Or is starting with a cot really okay?

1. Sleeping bags/gro bags: these seem like a good idea but how do they work if baby starts in a cot? Do you just put them in a bag and then place feet to foot in the cot? Or would baby be better off tucked in with sheets and blankets (if starting in a cot)?

1. I've read on other newborn "things to get" lists on MN that it's a good idea to buy several packets of vests if nothing else clothing wise. Does this still apply if born in March (which will still be pretty cold) or am I better off getting long sleeved tops/onesies? Are there any other basic clothes I should look to get (hoping to get a lot from rellies but just in case ...)

1. I'm thinking a sling and a bouncer would be really helpful but DH isn't convinced. I think I'm sold on the sling idea no matter what but what is everyone's opinion on bouncers?

I'm sure there's more but can't think of any at the moment ... Sorry if the questions are a bit silly but as you can see, I really have no idea! Thank you.

The baby bjorn synergy has good back support. NOt had a chance to use it yet though, so can't comment if it works or not.

My DD is 7 weeks (my first) and the things that have been useful for us:

Moses basket - she sleeps next to our bed in it every night. In retrospect I would have bought one of those little cribs which have slatted sides so I can see what she's up to (and she can see us) but it's been fine and the rocking stand we got it has been a godsend as she's quite colicky in the evenings. Get a plain one, I spent ages selecting between designs and then you can't use the quilt anyway so they're all pretty much the same. Definitely see her being in the moses basket until she outgrows it, which is £34.00 well spent in my mind

Grobags - I bought a few of these and then DD turned out to be a 6lb 1oz tiddler, so was very glad I also got some blankets and sheets for back-up! We're actually swaddling her in the evenings now as it keeps her much more settled, so won't be changing onto the grobags for a little while yet. With grobags you don't have to put them feet-to-foot, unless you are putting blankets over them while they are in the bag.

Clothing - DD pretty much lives in vests with sleepsuits/onesies over the top. We bought a pack of 7 vests and about 5 sleepsuits and it would have been fine, except she was such a teeny little thing DH had to go out shopping the next day for "tiny baby" sizes. In my experience, people do give you clothes, but you'll get a wide range of sizes (my nan bought her a snow suit in 6-9 months size for example) but they tend to give you the more fancy things and outfits, rather than nice practical vests and sleepsuits. ASDA do nice packs of vests for £5 so it's worth getting some even if people do give you practical things.

Bouncer - DD at 7 weeks is only just starting to be interested in her bouncer, and it's certainly not the magical off switch that sends her to sleep that they market them as! It's a godsend now when she's wide awake and I need to plonk her somewhere for five minutes while I go to the loo/grab a sandwich/hide, but she really disliked it for the first few weeks. Even now, I put her in it with all its lovely lights and music on the activity bar (we got the Fisher Price rainforest one) and DD ignores the bar completely and gazes at the Christmas tree. Not tried a sling as I have bad hips/back but can see how it would be very handy.

Other things which have been useful...Our travel system which has a carrycot attachment has also been fab, she sleeps in that downstairs. We love the fisher price aquarium bath (as does she). We've got loads of muslins (and they're constantly in the wash cycle, very useful) but again, DD is a bit of a sicky baby so that might not be as essential for you. We get through bibs like no tomorrow as well. Cardigans, hats and booties are essential for going out for us, as we use a flat pram we can layer with blankets which are alot easier to deal with than snowsuits when you're in an out of places it's really easy for them to overheat if they're done up for the cold weather and its a pest to be constantly getting them in an out of clothes when you can just shift blankets around instead.

Good luck :D

Great advice everyone thanks. Very good to know to look for back support with the slings. My DH gets a bad back so will need something with support.

Thank you for the info about feet-to-foot Lucky - that's what I wanted to know!

Is it best to get sleepsuits with long arms and legs or just long arms to start with? There seems to be dozens of different varieties.

Slings - the Baby Bjorn ones aren't good for your baby or your back. For a new baby a Moby, Closer or a ring sling are much better for a number of reasons. I'm still carrying my 3.5 year old (not all the time, but he still needs a sleep in the day, so when we're out he needs a ride), and it doesn't hurt my back at all.

Muslins are a must have, and some sort of mat you can put down is, imo, much better than a bouncy chair

Just a thought about Moses baskets: I'm looking at the one I was given right now, and it strikes me that, shorn of the frilly bits, it will make quite a handy simple wicker basket for storing stuff when DS grows out of it....

Just off to get muslin squares now; I'm living in a state of Dickensian poverty, so have compared the price of them in every retail outlet around, and have discovered that TESCO has them for far the cheapest price.

Walnut8 - I missed you saying when your baby was due, but if it's soon, definitely the ones with legs/feet otherwise they'll get too cold. I've got some of the ones without legs and she needs leggings or tights with them, and it just seems easier to have them all in one.

For example DD is in vest, sleepsuit with feet and long sleeves and little cotton cardigan today, and that's in the house which is about 19 degrees at the moment and she seems to be a happy temperature (snoozing in her bouncer actually ), when she has a proper nap, if the temperature remains the same then for her nap I'll take the cardigan off and use two layers of blanket and a sheet in the carrycot.

Have the baby at home and that gets rid of the car seat problem!

Also, if you are planning to get a pushchair/pram with carrycot you can use the carrycot as a moses basket (check though as not all are ventilated which means they are not suitable forr sleeping overnight- ours a windoo by bebe confort was and we used it all the time)

GroBags for £10 in the Blooming Marvellous sale page at the mo. That's way cheaper than anywhere else.

Never had a Moses basket - we lived in a small flat and it seemed pointless to hoik the baby around rather than putting them in the quiet bedroom about 3 foot away. Friend also had problems getting her son to sleep anywhere more spacious after a few weeks as he kept wriggling about and waking himself when he had more space.

Likewise, I never trusted slings - I'm quite clumsy especially when knackered and was afraid of falling on them. Both of mine also hated bouncy chairs (borrowed one briefly) as they have to lie back in them and can't see as much. As you can tell I had very little baby equipment but they are both still alive and don't seem to resent me for their deprivation! Babygrows with feet are great. I don't think mine wore anything else (except cardigans / jumper) for the first 6 months. Just make sure they do up down the front as babies hate having things pulled over their heads. if you can borrow things then try them out first as all babies are very different with their likes and dislikes.

Love grobags, but only used them after 4 months.

Bouncy chair was one of the best things we bought. DS loved it, the vibrate function worked a dream when he was cranky and the little dangly ornaments really helped his co-ordination.

I found the sling hard on my back. Didn't use it often, but it was good to have in the first two months. Found a front carrier better from 8 weeks onwards.

Moses basket worked well for us. We have a large floppy edge one that was big enough to hold DS until 6 months.

I'm a total newbie and just starting to buy things for my baby due in March. We don't have much room in our flat, may be moving OS in 12 months and therefore want to minimise "stuff" but don't want to miss out or forget the necessary or helpful things. I have read lots of lists about things to get but still am confused about a few things ...

1. Moses basket - everyone I know seems to have started with a moses basket for baby to sleep in.

It depends, if you want the baby in your room and there is space for a cot then no point at all in moses basket - maybe try and borrow one?

1. Sleeping bags/gro bags: these seem like a good idea but how do they work if baby starts in a cot? Do you just put them in a bag and then place feet to foot in the cot? Or would baby be better off tucked in with sheets and blankets (if starting in a cot)?

Yes they work well in a cot we never used any of the cot sheets and blankets we bought as DD just got untucked. I swaddle for the first few weeks and then move onto grobags after that.

1. I've read on other newborn "things to get" lists on MN that it's a good idea to buy several packets of vests if nothing else clothing wise. Does this still apply if born in March (which will still be pretty cold) or am I better off getting long sleeved tops/onesies? Are there any other basic clothes I should look to get (hoping to get a lot from rellies but just in case ...)

You can manage with vests (that popper underneath - either long or short sleeved), some babygros, and a hat and a snowsuit. If your flat is cold a couple of cardigans too.

1. I'm thinking a sling and a bouncer would be really helpful but DH isn't convinced. I think I'm sold on the sling idea no matter what but what is everyone's opinion on bouncers?

Do you mean a bouncing chair - yes quite useful - somewhere to put baby down - but you could just put the baby on the floor! Not really essential and a good thing to borrow.

Slings are great but think carefully about which sort you want. Baby bjorn quite uncomfortable if using for any leangth of time.

I'm sure there's more but can't think of any at the moment ... Sorry if the questions are a bit silly but as you can see, I really have no idea! Thank you.

Keep on asking - there are some other stuff you'll need - eg muslins for mopping up, car seat, buggy (if you are in a flat & plan to use a sling might be better for go for something small like a maclaren), changing mat etc.

bigpreggybelly - thanks for the tip about the grobags - just bought the last one I think!

hettie - I was hoping I could use the carry cot part of the icandy cherry for her to sleep in - not full time of course, I'm hoping she'll take to the cot. How do I check if it's suitably ventilated for night-sleeping?

Lucky and jaype thank you for the advice on clothing. Baby is due mid-March. I have just bought two long sleeved sleepsuits with feet that do up at the front to start me off!

Jaype I have heard that it can be difficult to transition from moses to cot so that is interesting thank you.

Practical - which bouncer did you get? I was thinking a basic baby bjorn one to last two years, but I'm learning that you can get them with all sorts of dangling bits and vibration and music settings.

MumNW - thanks for advice on swaddling and cot sleeping! Will I need a snowsuit if born mid March? I have no-one really to borrow from, hence want to make the right choices (as much as possible) about what I'm getting.

I think I'm going to have to look further into slings - I was just going to get a Baby Bjorn original (should last to 10kg, can't imagine carrying anything heavier than that on my back/front anyway) but it sounds like they might not be the best.

Hey Walnut it looks like you've got a good idea of what you need so far. I'll just throw in my 2p anyway tho!

I've got an icandy cherry too and I've been really happy with it, sorry I don't know the answer to your question about night sleeping but have you looked on their website, or ask the shop where you bought it.

My daughter outgrew her moses basket at about 7 weeks, so I wouldn't bother buying one if I were you, straight to cot is fine.

I swaddled my children for the first couple of weeks and then moved on to Grobags, like most people are saying.

Oh and you don't need a snowsuit because you have a pram to contain blankets and stuff.

For bouncy chair thing I've got this www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3754229/Trail/searchtext%3EFISHER-PRICE.htm Fisher Price chair, it's expensive but I got it 6 years ago originally and it's still going strong, goes up to about age 3 and has a few different positions. I'd buy another one if it broke tomorrow.

Lastly, people on here generally love slings, BUT remember that if you are planning on going out with it you will also have a ginormous bag of nappies, wipes, changes of clothes, bibs, muslins, your own things, possibly bottles, etc, etc to carry aswell, so personally I wouldn't bother with a sling either...