Where to start?

1

1stimemum

Registered User
Hi all, I'm trying to get started on getting all the things i need for babe's arrival and have downloaded the newborn checklist from the site (thanks Geobaby!) and frankly staring at the list made me a little panicky!

Is there a good place to buy almost everything? I went to Mothercare in Prince's building and it was so tiny... Stopped by Eugene's too and frankly i was appalled... staff there looked so bored and more busy chit chatting then helping customers...

if anyone can point me in the right direction to get started, I want to start
with the Stroller, Cot, Grobag, Swaddle blanket.

thanks all.
 
Bumps to Babes in Central is also not bad and has most Western imports. But Mothercare, Eugene Clube and Bumps to Babes are the big ones in HK. Which mothercare did you go to? I believe the one in Causeway Bay is quite a bit roomier. You can check out the 2nd floor of Lee Gardens Two. There are some baby stores there. I think you expectations might be a little unrealistic for HK baby shopping.
 
For Grobags, I think Bumps to Babes and Mothercare sell the "Grobag" brand (there are other sleep sacks, but I'm not sure about brands). We bought our cot at Ikea - it is small, simple, converts to a toddler bed and all the bedding can also be purchased at Ikea. Also, there was no wait, delivered the next week.
We bought our swaddling blankets and one stoller at Eugene Club (other strollers were bought second hand). I've found the employees at Eugene Club can be helpful if you approach them.
Good luck!!
 
thanks, I will try Bumps to Babes next and maybe a larger Mothercare store. the one in Prince's building seemed to be under reno and was tiny!
I never thought of Ikea. yet one more to check out.
 
I went to Mothercare in Ocean Terminal to get most of the stuff we needed (the basics anyway). Eugene was cheaper for things like bottles and baby monitor. Bumps to Babes have some lovely things but a bit fancier. Mothercare is great but agree, Princes Building one is quite small. Think they are moving across the way into a new (hopefully bigger) store.

Mothercare Ocean Terminal - good range of strollers, swaddle blanket (the miracle one is great) - Bumps to Babes have a good range of swaddles too

Cots - basement of Ocean Terminal have a few baby stores to check cots. We bought ours overseas. Always lots on AsiaXPat for sale second hand. Have also heard good things about Ikea cots.

Eugene - I am with you on the staff - terrible. Had to wait at the counter while 5 staff chatted and only 1 served the customer in front of me!
 
It looks like the Mothercare in Prince's Bldg in Central will have a slightly bigger store from mid-August onwards...or so the sign says outside.

Our first baby is due in October and I have started buying most things from Mothercare (Ocean Terminal is good if you go early enough to avoid the crowds, esp at weekends), Bumps to Babes and also I find M&S good for babies clothing.

I also went to Ikea in Shatin last Sat to look at a cot which was in their catelog, but unfortunately, they don't have any cots on display in that store.
 
definately reccommend gro-bags... we had trouble with our lil one waking up in the night and after a friend suggesting these, they did the trick!
 
I have a silly question:
I was given a sleeping bag (different brand and therefore no tog #) but don`t know if I can use it now. I use air con in my baby`s room and he usually wears sleepers with or without the feet. So, can I use it now - it`S not so thick, but I don`t know, and what would he wear underneath then? And does it prevent them for turning over? I like that he can turn over, bc I swear, he sleeps better on his tummy.
 
Shenzhennifer - we use a 1 tog bag at the moment with aircon on. The bag is not that thick. Our son sleeps in just a short sleeve jumpsuit (no legs) and he is fine. I do check him by feeling the back of his neck to make sure he is not too warm or cold. I would give it a try and you can adjust the aircon and/or clothes to suit.

It does not prevent them from rolling over. That is the beauty of the sleeping bags as they don't get tangled up and the covers stay on them if they roll around.

How old is your baby?

SB2
 
you don't have to buy the entire list!!! just get the bare essentials otherwise you'd end up with too much stuff you don't use!
 
solidstars, I'm glad someone said that! the whole list will cost a fortune too. Its a great starting point but I've started to sit down and really ask if i need to get everything and right away...

I'm going to aim to at least get the big 3 - Stroller, Cot, Carrier and then move on to the next : Grobag, Nappies, Miracle Blanket.

Question: are bottles, sterilizers, teats nec to get before baby arrives? I intend to breastfeed but have heard it good to have this one hand.



I"m guessing right now : Nappies,
 
i didn't get bottles till about a month or two later, but on hindsight wished i had so it wouldn't be so hard teaching him how to use one! I only bought ONE breastflow bottle though.

steriliser, i got one ahead of time, but with milkmonster's advice got a TEFAL steamer (newer version), which i love!

MilkMonster Laughs: Steaming Goodness
 
I bought most of my stuff from Jusco at Taikoo.. they have quite a nice selection of things. More Japanese/Asian compared to the other big baby stores.. cheaper and have lots of sales too!
 
Starbucks - thanks for your sleeping bag guidance. I might try it, but I`m a bit worried about putting him in a short sleeve jumpsuit. Our ACs suck and even though it`s on a low setting, and although it alternates between really cold and not cold, the room is tiny and so it gets cold fast. I`ll try it though, can`t hurt. hopefully he`ll sleep better than he did last night (woke up 5-6 times, maybe due to teething?).
 
Question: are bottles, sterilizers, teats nec to get before baby arrives? I intend to breastfeed but have heard it good to have this one hand.

I wouldn`t buy too many bottles because you don`t know which your baby will like/reject. But I second the Breastflow bottle - very nice, especially since you`ll be breastfeeding. I had a hard time BFing so I didn`t use any bottle at all until 5-6 weeks, but by then it was too late anyway and he rejected all bottled:(
I would get a sterilizer ahead of time though. I didn`t and that 2 weeks of boiling my breastpump every day got old fast.they have ones that are bottle warmers and also that heat up your food. I have a Pigeon one that I got on sale.
 
Hi Shenzhennifer - good luck with the sleeping thing - can be a nightmare!

On sterilizers - we bought the big electric Tommy Tippee one but actually I liked the microwave one which came free with our manual breastpump more! Quicker and portable.

On bottles - definately get a couple just in case (worst case) breastfeeding does not work. Also get some forumla just in case for the same reasons. Everyone has a different view but I liked the idea of giving expressed milk in a bottle earlier rather than later to get the baby used to a bottle. We did this early on for the night feed and my husband could then give the feed while I went to bed and prepared for the 3am feed (!!!). We bought a heap of Tommy Tippee closer to nature bottles which we loved but then a few months later the plastic drama came out in the press (BPA drama) so we ended up changing to glass NUK bottles and some BPA free medela ones for freezing expressed milk. Just make sure that if you buy plastic bottles that they are BPA free or have the correct number on the bottom (if you google it there is a list of "safe" numbers for plastics).

The lists are helpful (although the Bumps to Babes one is just scarily long) but you certainly don't need it all at once. Grobag for example - we didn't use that until baby was 6 months old. Up to then, we swaddled.

SB2
 
hi starbucks2~
just curious- the tommy tippee bottles, i thought they were already bpa free? or is there additional/more recent news about these w/plastic drama? we were planning on using them too...
 
i just feel I have to report my progress so far as everyone has been so helpful.

I went to Apita this sunday- first time hubby and I have been there and first of all, it was really silly of us to go on a sunday afternoon. It was packed!! poor guy was rather miserable. we spent 3 hrs there and at least we bought 1 item and are considering another 2-3

took advice and applied for an Apita card.

Thanks everyone and will keep all posted.

If I have any advice for anyone next time, is go prepared. Seeing so many types of dampers or milk bottles brands for eg can be overwhelming and you'll never make a decision. We at least knew what we were looking for when it came down to a stroller and bed and hence these 2 were the easiest for us.
 
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