Getting organised for move back to HK

S

saralee

Registered User
We're moving back to HK next year. Our daughter will be one year old by then. We plan to have our next baby in HK. I have many many questions about where to get started but here's just a few critical ones....

Would you recommend a stroller in HK - is it more help or hinderance? From other posts I have read here, it seems more of a hinderance...
Is there a one stop sensible shop for baby equipment - cots, highchairs etc.?
Any expat babysitting services you can recommend for evenings as I will be a SAHM?
 
I would recommend Rent-A-Mum who I think are listed on this website somewhere. I do know a few SAHM's who enlist the babysitting services of teenagers that they know in their buildings so once you are settled in you may want to do something like that as Rent-A-Mum is expensive and you aren't guaranteed to get the same person on a regular basis.

Prams - I couldn't survive without mine in HK and obviously there are many different opinions about how useful they are but my daughter is 15 months old and walking but doesn't do long distances so in terms of getting her to the park, getting around Stanley, wandering round The Peak, Happy Valley, shopping centres etc. I wouldn't be without it. It can be a real pain getting round HK but I'm a big 'for' person.

You can get everything in HK - prams, highchairs, cots etc. etc. but at a price. If you have shipping included in your moving package you might want to consider buying wherever you are and putting the items in your container - if not then you can get everything here anyway. I use Bumps 2 Babes as my one stop shop but I know that you can get things cheaper if you shop around but I don't have the time and everything is there in one place.

Good luck with your move.
 
Hi Sara,

I have to agree with aldougie, you probably have all the baby equipment already so just bring them along. However, most HK flats are small with very little storage so if you're going to wait a while before trying for #2 you may just want to buy everything again here.

Definitely bring a light-weight stroller. You'll need it for long walks, Ocean Park, the malls etc. When D was younger he would nap in his stroller, we also had to use it in place of a high-chair at some restaurants.

Rani
 
Hi, Sara,

If you're using public transportation in Hong Kong, a light weight umbrella stroller would be helpful. I've got a McLaren Volo, which I got at Toys R Us for less than HK$1000. I love it. It's very hardy and very light. I'm a minimalist and feel that a good sling for the baby from 1 - 6 months, and then a good umbrella stoller is good enough. A big bulky pram is certainly not worth the trouble.

For a less expensive one stop shop than Bumps to Babes, Toys R Us has got a great baby's section.

All the best on your move!

Cheers,
Stephanie
 
Hi Sara,

I've come across those articles too (about the pain of having a stroller in HK). I've lived in HK for quite a while and have been travelling with my 2 young toddlers (age 3 and 2) to other countries a few times. Compared to those countries, according to me, having a stroller in HK is a must. Especially if you're on foot or depend on the public transportation (MTR or taxi). You also need it to wonder around the mall, park, etc as that will be a bit too much of a walk for your baby.
I agree with others, get a lightweight, if possible, one-hand-operated stroller. I also have Volo - MacLaren. But you have to bend down to have it closed properly and you can only use when your baby is +6 mths (if you consider using it for baby #2 too). Another stroller I have, EDT - Graco, is a real investment :lovedface You can use it from newborn, and I still use it until my 2nd one is 2 yrs old. You can close it with one hand, without having to bend down. A bit disadvantage of it is that you can't remove the front bar so you have to lift your baby in and out all the time.
I love wondering around looking for baby's stuffs. You don't have to buy everything in one go. Buy a few things here, buy a few things there...... enjoy it! You can go to Prince's Building or Causeway Bay or Bumps to Babes or Ocean Terminal, etc, etc. there are lots of shops to see. But again.... it could be a bit pricey compared to back home.

Good Luck!
 
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