1st year baby essentials.

[nimz]

Slightly off topic but a musing....why is Baby Feed seemingly the same price everywhere and exempt from promotions/voucher schemes etc?

The Government enforce the price fix for all formula for newborns under 6 months old. No promotions or special offers. No TV adverts etc.

Follow-on milk is exempt however.

 

[jamief]

Slightly off topic but a musing....why is Baby Feed seemingly the same price everywhere and exempt from promotions/voucher schemes etc?

To encourage breast feeding, I believe. A bit ridiculous as families are financially penalised if the mother can't breast feed for some reason.

Follow-on milk (12m+) was created so that formula could be marketed.

 

[mame]

only thing I'll add is that we got bought as a present, one of those £400 buggie things. One day I got fed up with folding and mauling the thing and bought a £40 pushchair and I don't think the buggie ever got used again. It would probably only be more useful if you were planning on going on a full day out walking which will probably never happen and even if it does, a simple pushchair would still be fine. Just no need for one.

Oh and don't go overboard on clothes. You will get loads given to you as gifts. They grow fast and you will be forever coming across unworn items that are now too small.

 

[ShortWarning]

What about a car seat?

Are the £100+ ones really any safer than the cheaper ones? The Mrs seems to think so...

 

[Phoenix211]

car seats are a nightmare if you want isofix as they only last to a certain size and then you have to buy another seat with another isofix base. We got the pebble + which can fit into a 2wayfix isofix base. Good thing about that isofix base is that the pebble + fits to a certain age, then we can get a 2waypearl car seat but not have to fork out for a new isofix base. You can have the little one rear facing for longer as well which is safer.

 

[Maloney]

We just got a new car seat for our 1 year old. But as our car doesn't have ISO-FIX and the missus wanted rear-facing, we ended up paying a bit more that we were hoping. The way we see it that she's going to use it for the next 3-4 years, so it's worth the cost.

As for other bits, our little girl loved the Fisher Price rainforest gym, she became quite attached to the Toucan lol.

 

[Jez]

Never really understood isofix myself, belting a non isofix seat in takes quite literally seconds

 

[haz_pro]

only thing I'll add is that we got bought as a present, one of those £400 buggie things. One day I got fed up with folding and mauling the thing and bought a £40 pushchair and I don't think the buggie ever got used again. It would probably only be more useful if you were planning on going on a full day out walking which will probably never happen and even if it does, a simple pushchair would still be fine. Just no need for one.

Oh and don't go overboard on clothes. You will get loads given to you as gifts. They grow fast and you will be forever coming across unworn items that are now too small.

I'll have to disagree with this. The cheap 'umbrella' pushchairs do have their place, but having a full size buggy with inflatable wheels is so much easier to push around. It was a bit of a pain getting the proper buggy out to begin with but I've done it so many times now that it's easy and quick.

Do look at the cheaper full size buggies though, unless you have money to burn.

Never really understood isofix myself, belting a non isofix seat in takes quite literally seconds

My belt car seat feels more secure than the isofix I have. I wouldn't pay the extra for isofix personally.

 

[LiGhTfasT]

Never had a isofix one either, always bought second hand except an ex display recaro one from halfords which look pretty much untouched and got it for £50. I thought that was expensive but seeing some prices that other parents had paid for car seats boggles the mind.

Same goes for prams buy cheap second hand but the expensive model, no one knows you got it second hand. There is lots of competition between parents for some reason.

 

[MrMoonX]

My wife is 4 days overdue, she mad! Pro tip don't ask if she's having contractions yet lol

 

[Malt_Vinegar]

Recaro iso-fix base seat system.
Just ordered a second base for our second child due Mid November.
Having used a few other systems, it is by FAR and away the quickest and easiest to use that I have found

 

[Minstadave]

I think there is more to it than simple market forces. A box of baby feed is exempt from clubcard/nectar points/voucher redemption etc. Try it, go and buy one and swipe a nectar card, you wont get any points on it.

Price promotions are banned to promote breast feeding. As is advertising formula (follow-on milk is ok). Oh and it must be called breast-milk substitute not formula.

 

[Minstadave]

car seats are a nightmare if you want isofix as they only last to a certain size and then you have to buy another seat with another isofix base. We got the pebble + which can fit into a 2wayfix isofix base. Good thing about that isofix base is that the pebble + fits to a certain age, then we can get a 2waypearl car seat but not have to fork out for a new isofix base. You can have the little one rear facing for longer as well which is safer.

I believe the new rules have meant the step up from the pebble has been replaced and needs a new base.

 

[Darey]

I've not read the whole thread, so this might have been said, but ask if you can borrow things off people. Anything really. Ask people at work. I borrowed steriliser, moses basket, high chair, clothes, car seat, baby walker. A few things they said we could keep, so was a bonus.

You don't need to have everything brand new. Baby items are ridiculously expensive, and it's an expense you don't need when you have to buy nappies, and baby food.

Look on Facebook buy and sell groups, I've bought clothes from these. They literally last a few months and they grow out of them anyway, so what's the point in paying full price for Next or Adidas. Or if you have a local car boot go to that. I've bought clothes as new for 50p each.

 

[bloodiedathame]

You don't need to buy everything new, go to second hand sales and local groups on FB, you'll find loads of stuff. Well, my wife finds loads of stuff. My garage looks like an Aladdin's cave of kids stuff.

Edit* seems I should have read the last post.

Water wipes are also awesome. None of that cotton wool + water nonsense.

 

[George Hincapie]

As previously mentioned, dont waste your money on an electric steriliser, they are overpriced and break frequently.

Microwave sterilisers are so cheap and so much less hassle.

Nonsense.

We still have our Tommee-Tippee one; it's been fine throughout. Never broke.

 

[Buddah]

It's £60?

Yes, £60.


http://www.johnlewis.com/tommee-tip...=403x145623&tmad=c&tmcampid=73&kpid=232101086

 

[ci_newman]

Nonsense.

We still have our Tommee-Tippee one; it's been fine throughout. Never broke.

Same for us, we used it for our second child too, but abandoned it after about 3 months

 

[godinman]

Re breast-feeding vs. bottle.. both of ours started breastfeed.. with the 1st the misses got terrible infections from the start.. she kept it up till about 6 weeks in but by that point was more blood than milk coming out so the 1st went on to bottle (mixture of some pumped which was bearable pain wise and formula).. 2nd was breastfeed pretty much till she was weaned.. two points here.. firstly do what's right for baby / wife.. midwife / health visitor but so much pressure on the wife not to give up on the first but frankly we should have swapped earlier.. is enough pressures with a new baby without having a hormonal hysterical wife upset about something they can't control.. she was so much happier once she could enjoy looking after the baby rather than dreading feeding time... second point is I see no difference in my children.. both are very bright and reached development milestones at similar times.. sure breastfeeding does have its advantageous (and is more convenient!) but its got to be balanced with the situation.

 

[Hellsmk2]

I expect you could. You couldn't argue that they are equal.

Breast is best.... Blah blah blah shut up.