shopping advice

K

kellyst

Registered User
Hi all,

about to do a last round of shopping for all the baby stuff before baby's due end Sept. would like get your comments on if you've found the following useful? or if any other substitutes are better:

1. diaper pail - planning on cloth diapering, do i need to get an 'official' diaper pail to contain the odour? or would a good old garbage bin with a solid lid be good enough?
2. Gripe water - i just learnt about this online. have mom's found this useful? any particular brand?
3. feeding bottles - do i need for backup for now if i'm planning on breastfeeding? what about sterilizer sets, useful at all?
4. sleep positioner - should i get one for a newborn? any experiences?

any comments greatly appreciated! thanks much!

--kellyst
 
hi there,

1. diaper pail : can't help you out as we use disposable diapers, we use a diaper bin bought at Bumps to Babes which keeps in the smells quite well actually, just make sure you buy one that doesn't insist you use a special type of bin bag so it's more user and cost friendly in the long run.

2. gripe water : very effective for bringing out the wind, our son at 7 months still takes it ocassionally if he's a bit uncomfortable that day from more "gassy" foods (he's on solids now). I use Woodward's gripe water from Bumps to Babes, note that you aren't suppose to use it for babies under 1 month. As with anything, use in small doses, just make sure baby is well bumped after each feed. Also with breastfed babies, they tend not to built up wind for too long as they expel the wind easily through burps or very explosive (ie loud) farts and poos.

3. feeding bottles : it's good to keep a backup bottle and cleaning system even if you are fully breastfeeding(expressing is highly recommended for keeping your milk supply up and giving you a much needed break later on). Also even though breastfed babies don't need water, it's good to introduce it early (esp in summer months) on so they get into a habit of taking it, esp once solids are introduced at 5-6 months. Water (cooled boiled water) can be given via a feeding bottle. I bought 5 x 9oz Avent bottles and newborn teats and had a second hand Avent steam steriliser given to me. For warming bottles, you can just put the bottle of milk into a cup or bowl of hot water.

4. sleep positioner: we didn't find we needed one as babies don't really move enough to roll until they are about 2-3 months and in the early months you can use 2 rolled up baby bath towels (like 2 giant spring rolls) on each side of the baby. Stop doing this the minute they aren't swaddled and can roll or move arms/legs.

Hope this is helpful - have a wonderful labour!

Sumei
 
1. we made an attempt to use cloth diapers. i had 2 diaper pails. one for the poops and another for wet diapers. it all got tooooo messy and we gave up and switched to disposables.

2. gripe water is avialable everywhere. mannings, watsons, regular pharmacies. i bought a bottle but we never used it. good to have on hand just in case baby does have wind.

3. if you plan to express then get a couple of bottles. we didn't get the sterlizing sets and just went the old fashioned route and soaked everything in boiling water.

4. I LOVED the sleep positoner. Once D started rolling he was all over the place. We used it till he was 9 mths.
 
Cloth diapering pail

I'm due anyday now so I can't speak from experience yet, but I plan to use Kooshies cloth diapers with the disposable liners and the additional cloth liners. The disposable liner if biodegradable and flusable and perfect for the early messy stools. I plan to use a garbage pail with foot pedal that lifts the lid and includes a bucket. Ikea sells a smaller size garbage pail that is metal. GOD sells the larger size and upmarket Brabantia ones, but not sure if I want one so big as I imagine I would want to empty often.

Good luck and I think its wonderful that you thinking about cloth diapers.
 
I have an ordinary garbage pail with lid for my cloth nappies and it works well. In fact if you're using any type of preformed nappy - Kooshies, Motherease - they are pretty bulky and I would imagine they would fill up one of those small nappy bins pretty quickly. A bit of tea tree oil in the bin keeps the smell under control too.

In terms of bottles, I would personally advise against buying lots of one particular type. I bought a Avent set of bottles and steriliser and then changed to Nuk as my daughter didn't get on with Avent very well.

All the best for the arrival of your little one!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top