Alternitives to "Baby" Products Please?

jellyhead

i went into labour expecting to breastfeed so hadn't bought anything bottle related. after the birth it became apparent that i wouldn't have any milk and the baby was being bottle fed (they have tiny disposable bottles in hospital, you don't need your own milk until you get home) i asked mum to buy the stuff i needed before i brought the baby home. she hadn't bought a gift yet so she bought the steriliser, bottles and a tin of formula as a gift - much more useful than a cute tiny outfit that would only be worn once before it became too small. i'd recommend having some packs of vests/sleepsuits that can be tumble dried to hand - people might buy you cute outfits but they are always a nightmare to iron and you really won't want to be ironing in the first few days if you have a c-section or even stitches elsewhere. plain sleepsuits are much cheaper than proper outfits too. by all means put baby in the posh outfit granny bought when you go to visit granny, just make sure you've got enough easy-care things to last until you feel up to washing and ironing the posh stuff :-)

someone said asda have lindam steam sterilisers for under £8 on a thread on here but i haven't seen one yet, you may be lucky though. if you buy it new and don't use it you could always give it as a gift when a friend has a baby.

apparently babies don't need blankets, matching quilt etc. if they have a sleeping bag - they seem to cost between 25-30 but i got one half price in the studio catalogue sale, then saw them in argos additions for only £6 each! asda also have a pink or a blue one for £10.

Squidgy

lillibet
cold water steralising is where you use a container (perhaps a clean washing up bowl or bucket) fill it with a certain amount of cold tap water and add a certain amount of milton (or other suitable sterilising agent) the ratio of water to solution will be on the bottle/packet.
Then after you have washed up your bottles (everything needs a thorough scrub first) with hot water and washing up liquid, rinse and then immerse in the cold water solution making sure everything is submerged and there are no air bubbles - use a plate or something to keep everything in the water. Then cover the bucket - perhaps using another plate - and leave for the time specified on the sterlising liquid bottle.

Sorry if that seems a bit garbled but hope it helps.

Squidgy

Lillibet_2

So cold water sterlising would be OK in the short term/emergencies? I will have miltons or similar on hand anyway & will get a couple of bottles in just in case but leave everything else in the feeding line until we know if it is necessary.

I'll ignore all baby bath products & stick with ordinary soap etc. I have been given a baby bath, a bit like a bucket, not one of the lay-down ones. It looks a bit diffculit to use whilst the baby can't support itself thoguh, anyone got any experience of these?

Quote people might buy you cute outfits but they are always a nightmare to iron and you really won't want to be ironing in the first few days if you have a c-section or even stitches elsewhere. plain sleepsuits are much cheaper than proper outfits too. by all means put baby in the posh outfit granny bought when you go to visit granny, just make sure you've got enough easy-care things to last until you feel up to washing and ironing the posh stuff :-) Unquote
Afraid I don't "do" ironing at the best of times so certainly won't be rushing to do it when Spud arrives! Everyone in my family is terribly pratical & at the moment they all don't want to buy clothes as they won't get much use! Although there are a lot of knitters.....just what an August baby needs.....woolly jumpers!! But seriously (I'm hoping the knitted stuff will be big enough for the winter months) I am stocking up on vests & baby grows & socks in various sizes, I don't have a tumble dryer so guess I will need a fair few of each, will I need much else for the first couple of months? A couple of hats I guess for sun shielding & autumn warmth?

Quote I know it's tempting but buy only the necessary clothes, I got so many from friends and family and they didn't last long Unquote.
I'm not tempted, just shocked at the prices for things which are so tiny!


Quote apparently babies don't need blankets, matching quilt etc. if they have a sleeping bag - they seem to cost between 25-30 but i got one half price in the studio catalogue sale, then saw them in argos additions for only £6 each! asda also have a pink or a blue one for £10. Unquote
I have been advised against using quilts, duvets or the sleeping bags until it is at least 6 months+. My mum is making crib & cot size sheets out of old sheets & I plan to buy cellular blankets (Wilkinsons, £5.99 for 2), our house is very cold in winter (Victorian, complete with Victorian drafts!) so am a bit concerned about keeping it warm enough but then I was a Janaury baby in a similar house (colder in fact, it didin't have central heating!) & I have not only survived but have a good tolerance to cold now so it couldn't have done me too much harm! Obviously I'll make sure it's tucked in well & out of drafts. If necessary would an indvidual room heater, like one of those mini fan heater things, be OK?

I really appreciate everyones advice. Thanks very much.

Js_Other_Half

Lillibet wrote:

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I'll ignore all baby bath products & stick with ordinary soap etc. I have been given a baby bath, a bit like a bucket, not one of the lay-down ones. It looks a bit diffculit to use whilst the baby can't support itself thoguh, anyone got any experience of these?

Is it this sort of thing? The website has a video clip of how it works.
http://www.tummytub.co.uk/

Poppy9

I breastfed then switched to bottles after a few months. Used microwave steriliser - brill 10 year old and now with a friend a great job. I ditched materinty pads in favour of always. Used cotton wool (pleats cheaper) and warm water at home as allergy to wipes. Used flannels to clean up sticky fingers and face. Didn't use any baby bath as it upset skin. I used a washing up bowl for a baby bath as my bathroom was cold and too difficult to carry a full baby bath to empty from in front of the fire. Little poppy was bought lots of clothes in the next size for the next season. Trouble is although started life as a 9lb she didn't put on much weight so loads of these clothes went to waste as she never grew into them in time.

I used a duvet from 6 months on. Bought in mothercare 4 tog and had cotton cover made plus a couple of hand me downs. I found it better as there were no holes to get little fingers stuck into to pull over head I appreciate they have to be used with care though so they don't overheat. Didn't use bumpers as I heard they were unsafe.

When in a bed at 2 didn't use bed guard. Couple of pillows on floor worked a treat. Only fell once.

Becles

Lillibet wrote:

our house is very cold in winter (Victorian, complete with Victorian drafts!) so am a bit concerned about keeping it warm enough but then I was a Janaury baby in a similar house (colder in fact, it didin't have central heating!) & I have not only survived but have a good tolerance to cold now so it couldn't have done me too much harm! Obviously I'll make sure it's tucked in well & out of drafts. If necessary would an indvidual room heater, like one of those mini fan heater things, be OK?

Both of my two had a habit of kicking all the blankets off then waking up crying because they were cold! Both were winter babies. I bought a free standing radiator for about £30. I used to leave that set on low and plugged in all night. It was just enough to keep the chill off the room and both settled better with it running.

Lillibet_2

Js_Other_Half wrote:

Is it this sort of thing? The website has a video clip of how it works.
http://www.tummytub.co.uk/

Yes!! Thank you, that is a help!

jellyhead

we had a radiator (electricity, plugged in) in spud's room (i'll have to think of another name for this baby lol!). one of those low ones, it only did a few hundred watts and cost two penny an hour to run, so £3.50 per week. it kept the chill off the room and there was no chance it would ever overheat the room, it just wasn't powerful enough. there's central heating now but it won't be on over the summer. i'll dig out that little radiator if baby seems cold, i'm glad that it's being born in july though - it won't be cold, plus the birthday parties will all be in sunshine, we can have cheap picnics in the town park, how's that for moneysaving lol!

Js_Other_Half

Lillibet wrote:

Yes!! Thank you, that is a help!

Glad to be of help

elona

Be careful of cellular blankets as baby can get trapped in them (fingers and toes).