Is there anything else we need - aka "What was your best buy?"

[Ozziegirly]

So, we have a few more weeks before Ozziebaby arrives. We think we're pretty much there in terms of things we have bought/borrowed, but I was wondering if you would mind having a look at our list, seeing if anything is glaringly obviously missing, and also if there were any products/things that you had in the early months which were real lifesavers or just really nice things to have?

Cot
Moses Basket
Car seat
Pram
Baby bath
Change mat (will change on chest of drawers)
Nappy bin
Baby carrier
Swingy chair
Bouncy portable chair
Steriliser
Breast pump (I don't have bottles yet, but are on list)
Various sheets, blankets, clothes, towels, wraps, muslins etc
Play mat
Breast pads, nipple cream (just in case!)
Nappies and cotton wool

I think that's it.

Any help would be great -thank you!

[bev2102]

One thing I never thought of putting in my hospital bag was sterilised dummies. Whatever your thoughts are I'd recommend packing a couple 'just in case'. Good luck

[hoopyloopycow]

I always found a bath seat useful.

[lowrib]

Sling! A wrap around one like this

An absolute essential. I didn't realise how useful they are until a bit too late. I had the baby bjorn, but I wouldn't recommend it - I recommend a wrap around sling instead any day, and next time I would get one right from the start. It just makes life so much easier!

Wraps are better than baby bjorn types IMO when thy're little as they're more snuggly, the baby is more comfortable and sleeps more easily if they need to. And wrap slings are better when they're older as they distribute the weight much, much better, so it's more comfortable.

Also the baby bjorn types puts al the baby's weight on their crotch, which can't be good for developing bones.

[lowrib]

Oh, also i wish i;d known earlier about breast milk storage bags.

Very useful things. Some of the larger Boots stock them (although be prepared for some funny looks from sales staff in stores which don;t stock them and have never heard of them!) If you don't feel brave enough, you can buy them via the link above.

[lowrib]

Here's an [http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/body_and_soul/article5155076.ece article on slings]] in case it's of interest

[lowrib]

oops I'll try that again.

sling article link

[Ohforfoxsake]

I'd go for a washing up bowl, rather than a baby bath. Much easier to handle, although I bathed mine in the sink when they were little.

The babyswing was useful, but I'd borrow rather than buy.

Large muslin cloths, especially useful for swaddling in warmer weather.

Bibs. Lots and lots of bibs.

Lansinoh nipple cream.

Avent breast shells.

Some nice comfy 'loungewear' for when you feel like crap and want to get out of your PJs. And some nice body stuff for you (not heavily scented).

Good luck!

[lowrib]

Several nighties for the hospital. Nice enough that you want them to be in the pictures (I failed on that one!) but not so nice that you don't mind them not surviving the experience.

I found one of those cheap hand held fans very useful as the hospital was very hot.

Next time we would bring drinks with caffeine for DP. The hospital coffee machine had broken on our floor, and it's a long time awake for DPs. You'll be more than slightly preoccupied, but your DP may appreciate the help to keep him awake if it's an all-nighter (or more). Plus he won't have to be wandering off looking for refreshment. (Mind you apparently DP wandered off a couple of times in search of coffee, but I was so preoccupied at the time I can't say I noticed!)

[Ozziegirly]

Cool, that's all so helpful, thank you very much. Lots of things I hadn't thought of there.

DH was wondering how loony he would look if he brought his coffee machine into our hospital room. I gave him this look and so he said "not into the delivery room, just the room for afterwards" as if that made it more normal.

He does like coffee though.

[Ohforfoxsake]

Yes, allow DH some treats Its pretty hard going for the partners. As long as you can stomach the smell during labour!

[Ozziegirly]

Oh maybe I will then. He can always duck out to the room and have a coffee while I'm in the labour ward I suppose - might be nice to have a break.

[TheBossofMe]

if you are in the UK and having an NHS birth, you may not get a room for afterwards until, well, afterwards. So he may have nowhere to plug in his machine. Most hospitals have OKish coffee bars somewhere in them, a much better option. Doubt they would allow it anyway, probably some daft H&S thing to prevent it.

Anyway, a nice change bag is always good - I bought the nicest one I could afford and then used it as handbag/change bag for a whole year, so money well spent.

[ClimberChick]

Our wrap sling has been amazing, however until we went to the sling meet we couldn't quite figure out how to use it. If there are no sling meets around you, then could just try and harangue some local mothers.

Possibly a foot stool to make getting in and out of the bath easier. Those long soaks are so worth it

[Ozziegirly]

Hi Theboss no, we're in Australia actually and I think we get the room before, although I think it depends on time of day, whether I am induced or turn up in full blown labour etc.

Will check the H&S thing though, although they seem quite happy to allow other plug in stuff.

In fact, I will let DH look into this. I have squeezing a human from my loins to think about.

[MrsKitty]

I second the suggestion of a wrap sling - by far my most used item!

Grobags
Digital thermometer
nightlight (for night feeds)

[Ozziegirly]

Thermometer! Yes, that's a good one. Hadn't thought of that.

Have nightlights and I think I'm going with sheets over grobag because temps are so variable here.

[TheBossofMe]

OP - lucky you! I gave birth to DD on the NHS, and it was grim! No bed for almost 20 hours after DDs birth, she was in SCBU, I ended up on a trolley-bed thing in a corridor. Not the most dignified place to be having post-birth checks.

Best tip for me was from a friend with 5 DCs - she said give DH a job to do (in my case, ensuring that certain obsessions of mine were being observed!) otherwise they just get in the way of you doing your job!

Best of luck - such an exciting time for you!

[TheBossofMe]

Ozzie - you can get lovely thin grobags, which you then layer blankets on top of. Much better than sheets etc which DD used to just kick off and then wake up screaming. Better still, get a nurse at the hospital to show you how to swaddle effectively - really good skill to have!

[Ozziegirly]

Yes, I feel very lucky that I get to give birth in a private hosp here -it isn't the big expensive deal that it is in the UK, as it's generally covered by normal health insurance.

DH will have a number of jobs, if all goes to plan.....including various massaging, keeping aromatherapy oils topped up, keeping the ipod on the go. I plan for him to be kept busy.... This probably won't happen and I'll end up with a c-section or something, but I figure, best to plan for the ideal and take it from there.

I'll have a look at grobags then - I had assumed they were like little sleeping bags, and as it gets up to 40 degrees here, I could only assume it would be boil in the bag baby.

We did learn to swaddle at our ante natal class on Saturday. My teddy seemed to enjoy it at least.

[thumbwitch]

Useful things for you:
maternity pads for after the birth
Disposable knickers or old ones you don't care about (you just can't be fagged to worry about bleeding on yours)
Extra pillows - cheap ones in case you forget and leave them there

Off your baby list - get some cream for baby's bum.
I gave up using cotton wool as soon as I left hospital - just used to dunk his bum straight into the bowl of water (we started with a 4L ice cream container then went up to a washing up bowl) - cotton wool was just hard work and left threads everywhere.

My sis found me a baby bath that sits on the bath edges so you don't have to lean so far over (only any use if you actually have a bath!) but it needed a baby sponge mat inside it to start to stop him slipping. Which in turn needed some doctoring with the scissors to actually work.

Getting close - exciting times!

[Ozziegirly]

thumbwitch, I've gone for bottom butter for the baby - mainly because I use it on myself to avoid (ahem) sweatrash, and it works brilliantly.

And it's interesting what you say about cotton wool. I had wondered how it didn't all thread off everywhere but my book said you needed it so I blindly followed. I kind of feel it would be more efficient at first to have a bowl of water with a small washcloth (and I have a pack of about 20 of these) and then just wash poo off and then bung the cloth in the wash? then go onto wipes when the bottom is a bit less sensitive?

Also - another question. My book says that we should wipe the baby's eyes with a new piece of cotton wool, using cooled boiled water.

At our ante natal class, the woman demonstrating how to bath a 2 day old just got a cloth, dunked it in the (as yet unused) bathwater and wiped each eye with that (using a different area of cloth for each eye). So is cooled boiled water necessary?

[TheBossofMe]

at boil in the bag baby. I'm in Bangkok, so know what you mean. DD has a 0.5 tog one for the hotter season here, which is perfect, you can also get 1 toggers.

[thumbwitch]

I don't recall wiping DS's eyes with anything much but I would have used a washscloth rather than cotton wool, yes. The cooled boiled water is probably a good idea - will kill the bugs that do still manage to survive in the municipal water supply.

A friend in HK sent me a bag of tiny baby flannels/washcloths - they were very useful and I bunged them in the nappy wash (cloth nappies) but I usually managed to get a couple of uses out of each one. I rarely used wipes - only outside the house - even the nature care ones didn't smell nice and left a slight residue on my hands. I had a lovely rice milk soap that I got from Bangkok airport (no nasties) that I used if necessary on DS's bum, other than that it was just water all the way. I have to say he rarely had nappy rash and has lovely skin still. I also had an aloe vera cream (not gel) that I used whenever he did get nappy rash - cleared it up within one day usually, 2 at most.

Thinking about it - I didn't use the cotton wool for anything after the hospital - just too messy!

[Ozziegirly]

I'm glad my bag of small washcloths will be useful. DH looked as if I was a loon at buying such small things, but I thought they would be handy. HA. That'll show him.

i'm planning on water with nothing else (although I have bought some nice organic lavendery type stuff which I couldn't resist )

theboss that's good to know, I actually think it probably seems a lot hotter in Bangkok than here, because of the humidity.

thumbwitch what the fuck am I supposed to do with the 3 bags of cotton wool that I have already bought hmmmmm?

[thumbwitch]

If you can, take it back unopened and get a refund/credit note! Or better still - exchange it for some Epsom salts - forgot to mention they might be necessary for sitz bathing your ladybits after the birth!