Having a baby Old Style???

jellyhead

i'm so pleased we got rid of the carpet and got a wooden floor for the living room - vomit is much easier to clean up now - we have a leather sofa too, again easier to clean up vomit!

pickle

Spendless wrote:

A midwife told me that baby is referred to as 'he' because you are 'she'

That's good to know. I still have a surprise then! :T

full-time-mum

"Breast feed if you can, it's free and it helps you lose the pounds. My weight fell off so fast, people seriously thought I was dieting madly when actually I was eating cakes and chocolate like it was going out of fashion! :rotfl:"

You can exclusively breastfeed for up to 6 months (Doesn't apply if you bottle feed). Did this with my second and weaning was much less messy. Sloshy runny mush stage lasted less than a week - almost straight onto food mashed with potato masher rather than all that fiddly liquidising.
Just watch your eating habits when you start weaning as this is when the weight can pile back on as baby demands less from you.

"Make all your own babyfood - it's really easy, much better for baby and much, much cheaper."

If you stop using salt, you can save left over veg etc from your meals and freeze in small pots. You can add salt to your plate if you must but think of the health benefits - if you stick with it you suddenly wonder why you ever add salt in the first place.

" I think my childminder might put up her fees as she's said she's not used to a child that will eat anything and everything!"

Ask for a reduction in fees as your child isn't wasting anything so she must be saving money!!!!

"Second hand baby clothes... "

National Childbirth Trust Branches usually have Nearly New Sales - great quaility Baby/Maternity Clothes, Equipment, Toys plus a good place to meet other mum's and swap advice. Good branches will have weeded out the rubbish before it is put on sale.

jellyhead

full-time-mum wrote:

You can exclusively breastfeed for up to 6 months (Doesn't apply if you bottle feed). Did this with my second and weaning was much less messy. Sloshy runny mush stage lasted less than a week - almost straight onto food mashed with potato masher rather than all that fiddly liquidising.

am i being thick here, are you saying you can't exclusively bottlefeed for 6 months? it's recommended that weaning doesn't begin before 6 months and i had no problems with bottlefeeding exclusively. my little monster's been weaning for 2 or 3 weeks now and seems ready for lumps, he didn't need the watery slush that i've seen my friends weaning their babies (under 6 months) on. i thought maybe that delaying weaning until 6 months makes it easier and less messy whether feeding by breast or bottle.

SpanielsGalore

Not sure if all areas do this but here in West Sussex the council will give you a free reusable starter nappy pack worth £100.
I got mine 2 months ago and it had tea tree oil, nappy liners, 3 waterproof pants, 10 shaped nappies (2 sizes) and a carry bag.
Then the council give you £30.00 , in 3 payments over 18 months if your Health Visitor signs a form saying you are using the nappies. I just had my first £10.00 cheque arrive !!

Vanessa

roadsidetree

great thread i just wish i saw this post earlier on :mad:

we are expecting our first baby on 27th this month (jolly nervous!) and only recently we bought the entire kit from Mothercare :doh:

Mrs_Miggins_2

The saving in re-usable nappies really starts to show with your 2nd child - my nappies (bought new) did my 2, 1 friend, and now they're about to be Ebayed.
I think I did most of the stuff mentioned in this thread - one thing I would say is - expensive is not always best. I got a lovely 2ndhand SilverCross pram which I barely used, and my sister-in-law bought a 3 wheeler buggy for £100's. I carried my babies in a sling until they were old enough to go in a v cheap (£10 I think) buggy from Argos. It was lightweight, folded up really small, and did the job - SIL borrowed it all the time as her buggy weighed a ton and took 20mins to set up.
Also, if you can sew, jumble sale adults clothes have plenty of material in to make great outfits for little people. And, finally, make lots of friends with other Mums - great for you, for jr and for an endless supply of clothes, toys etc. Last thing I've remembered is - for that first outfit, I would buy something rather than borrow it - I borrowed for my 1stborn, and then had to give it back, and still (7 years on!) slightly regret not having that teeny babygro in her memory box.
Good luck with your project!

jellyhead

roadsidetree keep us posted! see if your council has an incentive scheme. some give out trial packs but mine gives £30 cash, it used to be in 3 lots of £10 if you could prove every 6 months that you were using washables (health visitor signs a form) but now it's just a one off payment of £30 and they don't care where you bought your nappies from so they could even be borrowed, mine were from ebay.

pickle

Not exactly 'old style' but been shopping and found the following offers:

* Savers health, home and beauty store - Reusable nappies 4 for £3.29 (just as good as the ones at mothercare which are twice the price).

* Netto has nappy buckets this week - £2.99

* Don't know if its a chain store but 'Ethel Austin' have many things for very inexpensive prices. eg. microwave steriliser (incl. 4 bottles) for £7, bath thermometer £1, change mats £1.50 and many other things.

Of course you may not need these things but if you do then worth checking out.

jellyhead

we have an ethel austin but their change mats are £5 and they don't sell re-usable nappies. ah well ... their clothes are very cheap, i had some vests when splodge was newborn and they were good quality. i got a 'baby on board' sign from there, it's a colourful dangly elephant. i've bought cheap tomy toys from there too. if you're in the 'normal' size range they also sell cheap wonderbras

an added note about baby clothes and tumble drying. to begin with my baby grew out of his clothes within a month but now he's been in 9-12 clothes for more than 3 months i thought he'd outgrown his sleepsuits and joggers but then i realised they've been tumble dried a lot recently (he's had a cold for almost a month and is vomiting lots) and they've shrunk! these are cheap clothes from asda and ethel austin, 100% cotton. so if you line dry, the clothes won't shrink. might be important if you have a slow growing baby. also, tumble drying is expensive