Bringing Up Baby Old Style ... 2013 and beyond

mrs-moneypenny

pushchair sunshade and rain cover.

think about how much walking you will do or if babe will mostly be travelling by car, i walked everywhere so needed a big shopping basket on my pram. i was lucky and got a second hand coach built pram (during my five children i ran 3 of them into the ground) they are wonderful if you walk to and from shops and need to be able to carry large loads,and during early days i used the pram as somewhere for baby to sleep downstairs. I also had the seat on top for toddlers. BUT if you mostly go by car these will not be cost effective and be too big and bulky.

dont bother with a top/tail bowl i used a couple of washed out plastic containers.
cotton wool is cheaper on the roll than it is buying balls. you can have a session tearing it into small balls once a week and put them in a bag to use.
ice cube trays are brill for freezing hm babyfood. pureed fruit/veg in and as babies appetite increases you just use extra cubes. and you can mix flavours. IE a batch of carrot cubes, a batch of potato, can be combined to put different flavours together.

a breast pump and breast pads are a must if feeding yourself. dont skimp on breast pads you will find sore cracked nipples are NOT fun and using something like a wad of tissue (unless in a emergency) really isnt a good idea.

i used the old fashioned babygowns in the early weeks (can you still get them) with those on you can change a night time nappy really easily without struggling and disturbing baby too much.

instead of scratch mitts newborn socks can be used.

will go off and have a think about some more baby stuff, oh happy memories my 'baby' is a teenager now

kettlenic

I am pregnant and approaching month 4, anyone have any tips on where I can get cheapish maternity wear?

Joarine

Kettlenic - worth check eBay for maternity bundles x

sjprmc01

I used the old fashioned babygowns in the early weeks (can you still get them) with those on you can change a night time nappy really easily without struggling and disturbing baby too much.w

I believe mothercare still do them.

Everyone is different and its hard to gauge what is essential

I bought a breast pump, struggled to BF and never used it!

Things I found invaluable were muslin cloths and baby sleeping bags

optimistic-mummy

miss moneypenny - do you mean the ones open at the bottom and like elastic .... do you mean these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lovedbaby-Nighttime-Bundler-Gown-White-/221090545223?pt=UK_Baby_Girls&var=&hash=item337a05fe47

http://www.mothercare.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-MCENGB-Site/default/Search-Show?q=bundler%20

atypicalblonde

Hi there Optimistic Mummy, and congratulations!

My beautiful daughter is now 9 months old, and I have raised her as OS as possible so far - no mean feat when surrounded a family who are keen on "Keeping up with the Joneses" :cool:

My top tips are fairly similar to yours:

- Breastfeeding. Its ruddy tricky at first isn't it, but I am so glad I stuck at it. Not only is it great for your bubba, but it's free
- I didn't bother with a pram in the early days, she went in the sling (borrowed from a friend). When she hit 6 months, I got a buggy on Freecycle which is fabulous.
- Don't be too proud to ask to borrow things. We borrowed her stage one car seat from a friend (and incidentally never bothered with an Isofix which we were told were a "Must Have" - urrrm no a seatbelt is fine thank you!). I have just bought her stage 2 carseat from Gumtree for £35, the same seat still retails in J0hn Lewi$ for £199. I found that people were more than happy to loan things if we asked, and I have given a bottle of wine or a bunch of flowers as a thank you.
- Freecycle requests: We got her monitor, baby bath, and Gro-Egg thermometer on Freecycle as well as the buggy.
- Making baby food. Yes, in the early stages on weaning it is a nuisance pureeing EVERYTHING (I used to wash up the blender several times a day!) but it is so much cheaper than buying food and gets much easier once they are eating what you are eating.
- I haven't done reusable nappies, but instead use Ald! nappies, which are cheap (£4.49 for 56) and have won several mother and baby awards.
- Ebay and Gumtree are amazing for toys - I haven't bought a single toy fullprice yet.

So, all really common sense stuff I guess. One other thing I did (not to save money but it does have that effect) is to use prescription emolient body wash as opposed to the Johnsons etc. She does have sensitive skin and I prefer using gentle prescribed emolient washes on her skin than the generic baby ones. Obviously her scripts are free so that doesn't cost anything.

And of course the best bits are free: the cuddles, smiles and babbles

xxx

optimistic-mummy

kettlenic wrote: »

I am pregnant and approaching month 4, anyone have any tips on where I can get cheapish maternity wear?

have you tried primark.... not sure if they do maternity, ebay, supermarkets, matalan x

sjprmc01

Primark DO do maternity jeans, I seen them the other week! It's also worth checking next online they always have an offers/sale section. I never bought any mat clothes second hand but eBay is good as most things are barely worn compared to 'normal' clothes and mat clothes sell well afterwards!

New look is quite good too!

pigpen

mrs-moneypenny wrote: »

breast pump.

It is not recommended you express for the first 6 weeks so a breastpump, I would advise waiting until baby is a few weeks old so you know whether you will be bf or not.

tootoo

Love this thread. My babies are now 3 and 1 but I hope I can join?!

my must buy apart from the above mentioned would be muslin cloths. mine have been used so much in the past 3 years and still are now. Theyre great for everything.

I use reusables. They are a little pricey to start out, but they save you a fortune. There are often offers in the emmas diary or bounty books. Different brands suits different babies as they are all different shapes.
Take a look on http://www.goreal.org.uk/finder it will show any nappy libraries in your area (they lend you nappies to try and give great advise for free) It will also tell you of any local authority incentives. Some give you free nappies, some money towards nappies. I could blab all day on nappies - sorry!

breastfeeding is free and In my experience amazing. Although not for everyone so don't feel pressured. Reusable breast pads save lots and I would definately recommend the Lanisoh nipple cream. Expensive but often on offer. Its a miracle in a tube and worth its weight in gold in my experience!! I do have a manual pump (avent) one I no long need if anyone would like it? Also have a few other bits like snowsuits/coats which I would happily pass on free to fellow MSErs.
Clothes - we are fortunate and granny buys a lot i have two girls so have saved a fortune handing them down too

Food - we have done all ourselves apart from the odd emergency out. They both preferred homemade anyway.

Oh reusable wipes too. I also keep flannels downstairs for cleaning faces/hands.

Johnsons products aren't highly recommended by anyone health professional I know. I found other brands better and gentler.