Suggestions for baby equipment?

[nickb]

thanks for the nappy info Holly-I was considering it but she'll be spending a fair bit of time with my mum who wouldn't cope with terry nappies now so not too sure which way to go.
I have a big maternity pillow-forgotten the name of it which is lovely and can be used as a breatsfeeding pillow/support too.

Just won a crib and bedding on ebay-we pick it up on sunday-my first proper baby purchase . Having measured the nursery up for furniture and realised how big the cot is it wouldn't have fitted in our bedroom so the crib will be perfect and I can have a moses basket for downstairs

Hi Natt-tried the bugaboo but found it a bit too low down for me-but no luckily price isn't too much of an issue the in-laws are buyingthe pushchair for us , we've been very very lucky cos my parents are buying the nursery furniture too.
I think they all feel after us spending fifteen thousand to have her we need all the financial support we can get!!!!!

[hollilyric]

you can always use cloth nappies at home and send disposables to your mother's. i find that even using a couple of cloth nappies a day makes a big difference in the amount of money we spend on diposables. i checked when we looked at nursuries that ours is ok with cloth nappies but not all will.

i like terries because they are dirt cheap and so you can buy plenty of them. i only do 2 nappy washes a week (i know some people say they are not ecological but that's only if you wash every day) and use the milton out of the steriliser for nappy soak which works a treat and would just be thrown out otherwise.

as you know, i could only breastfeed for 2 weeks due to recurring mastitus and i tried SMA, Aptimil easy digest and Hipp organic formula. the Hipp is by far the best and Leo poos just as he did on breastmilk and not just once a day like the aptimil. the aptimil is also £9 a tub for the easy digest formula compared to £5.50 for the Hipp organic.

when it comes to formula feeding Leo also has it at room temperature. some people give me grief for this but it came about because he wouldn't drink it warm and always waited until it was cold before guzzling it. now when i go to baby groups i can help but smile when i see people carrying around jugs and thermoses full of hot water to warm up bottles!

[haddy]

I've not got kids yet, am in the "trying to work out if i could cope with pregnancy and child are and soon to be trying" camp.
My research has thrown up the tummy tub, my plan was to use a new washing up bowl in the sink til I found this. Now this will go in the sink . http://www.tummytub.co.uk/about.html

The other thing was for when baby can go in forward facing seat, the acids rotating car seat http://m.mothercare.com/mt/www.motherca ... B004H20UNE I've tried with my diends habits and can't life-support them and car aats, so rar facing car aat will stay in thee car and nan will b nought out of it.

And a changing mat with harness for when they get more wrigly http://www.2became4.com/580/Nappytime-S ... g-mat.html

I know this post hasn't had a comment for a few years, anyone who originally posted got any any more baby equipment ideas, what worked, didn't work after your years of experience?

[Rosie]

Hiya

OK, it was a while ago now, but what made life so much easier for me was a baby car seat (first 9 months) that clicked into a bas unit. The base unit remained in the car, attached by the seat belt, and teh baby seat just dropped into it, meaning that i didn't have to lean into the car to put the seatbeelt around the babay seat every time I put my son in the car. It still has to be lifted in and out, but it was the leaning bit that I really struggled with so this was brillliant!

Rosie

[nickb]

Haddy, we had that car seat that rotates-highly reccomended!!!! I found out about it from another hmser, it was a godsend

I will have a think and try to remember anything else that was handy when madam was small

[haddy]

Thanks. Trying to prove to myself that it will be doable.
Been trying to find a high cot, as all my friends I couldn't bend down into. What do you think of this cot called shanticot or bunkcot. It's designed for twins and can be double cot, one cot and bed or two beds. The reason I liked it because the cot was high. Have a look at the picture on the far righ. It's the 5th scrolling to the right and shows a parent putting a baby in.
What do you think?
http://www.bunkbedsworld.co.uk/p/Shanti ... ot_Bed.htm

[NinnyNoodleNoo]

Terry nappies can be fab as they are adjustable to the size of your baby and easy to wash and get dry, although I also used shaped. Having had my 5th child in June, really cloth nappies are not as much of a faff as you might think (and I have probably saved a massive amount of money over the years).

With regards to the Babybjorn-style carriers - they are not necessarily ideal when it comes to babywearing and there are likely more comfortable slings available (somewhere like http://www.thebabywearer.com/index.php would have good advice). If you're wanting to use a sling (and I have done so when I've been capable for many years now - my eldest son is 18 and, like I said, my youngest is a few months) then you really need to be looking at a sling that really distributes the weight well across your back - especially bearing in mind the extra strain that this can potentially put on your body.

Much as I love using wraps and mei-teis for carrying, it can sometimes be a struggle and I have to use a pushchair more than I like I really wish I could carry my baby more, but the c**p fact of the matter is that I can't for any distance (although I do try to go for short walks with her in a sling as I home-ed and try to give my younger children an airing in the woods/fields by here when possible).

I have always co-slept - but do have a cot pushed up against the bed with one side off to create a bit more space when needed.

A large firm pillow (or special breastfeeding pillow) can really help with breastfeeding - especially in the early days when you're getting used to it (because it can and does take practice).

I have to admit that although A is almost 5 months, I have never bathed her, OH does this job (because I've not been able to - although I haven't always had this particular problem and did manage with the others).

Pay attention to how you lift baby - be gentle on yourself. x

[roqchiq]

This thread is brilliant - have found some really useful ideas - thank you!

I've also just found this site http://www.ricability.org.uk/consumer_r ... parenting/ which may help when people are researching different products.

I think the biggest problem is that everyone with HMS is so different. A previous poster said the Baby Bjorn wasn't ideal, but when I tried one on in the shops it was the best one. The lumbar support was great and I didn't want to take it off! I guess the best thing to do is just shop around and find what suits you.

[zornna]

I'm currently 29 weeks pregnant with my second and would suggest that anyone with problems with their hands buy a nappy wrapper bin.
last time i had no problems (it was nine years ago eeeekkkkk! ) and managed with cheap nappy sacks but after struggling with trying to get one open at a friends house i have just bought one of these. this way it is just a case of dropping the nappy in and turning the top bit no fiddling with trying to get bags open!
muslin squares instead of bibs as they cover more up just wrap around your baby and wipe up much more baby sick than a bib ever would