July Jelly Beans of 2014! *16 pink bumps, 18 blue bumps, 8 yellow bumps** (24 here)

[BrandiCanucks]

OMG! I LOVE the first shoes!

 

[tymeg]

My sister told me not to make her turn out like me, LOL'
I have over 100 pair of shoes... some still brand new in boxes never been worn...

 

[BrandiCanucks]

I bought Kes a pair of newborn shoes yesterday at Once Upon A Child. For $2.50, I couldn't pass them up.

 

[tymeg]

send a pic.....

 

[BrandiCanucks]

The pictures don't do them justice. They're soooo cute.

 

[tymeg]

They are adorable!!!!!

 

[Tulip]

YAY Meaghan you got the ergo! Good choice, mama x

 

[tymeg]

Yeah Tulip, I did indeed, and I got it at a bargain...

 

[charlie00134]

Only thing I've bought in the last week is a cute as a button onesie for them to wear when my friend visits from OK, USA next December. When she's had a drink she gets more southern and our test phrase is cute as a button because I love the way she says it.
This is two way though as I'm always repronouncing words she likes in British or Yorkshire lol

 

[Linnypops]

Brandi - That's dedication! Your son must have benefitted enormously from your efforts. Cute shoes too! I've held off buying shoes because it seems like babies just kick them off....check out the cheapskate over here!

At the moment i'm just confused, I seem to be literally incapable of understanding travel systems vs prams, whether you need a car seat base, manual vs electric pumps, Cribs vs moses basket, and every other aspect of it all to be honest. Based on my usual method of head-in-sand i'll probably have a few onesies and a pram by the time the baby arrives. Sigh.

 

[BrandiCanucks]

At the moment i'm just confused, I seem to be literally incapable of understanding travel systems vs prams, whether you need a car seat base, manual vs electric pumps, Cribs vs moses basket, and every other aspect of it all to be honest. Based on my usual method of head-in-sand i'll probably have a few onesies and a pram by the time the baby arrives. Sigh.

Based on 4 kids:

Travel System - Easier to just take baby out of car and snap into the stroller and go, especially if baby is sleeping.

YES to the car seat base. Not legally mandatory (here anyway), but on the way to being mandatory, and MUCH safer. A base holds onto the car seat more securely than a seat belt does, and is latched into the vehicle's seat securely. In the event of an accident, the base holds the seat, whereas the vehicle's regular belt may come undone and send the seat flying, or if the car's belt isn't holding the seat properly, it may go flying.

Breast Pump - Electric. It expresses more milk, more quickly, leaving you with more free time to bond with baby, and in case you're pumping with baby is sleeping and wakes up mid-pump, you'll likely have extra milk for baby in case what is left in your breast is not enough for baby to eat.

A manual is also okay for those times you're away from baby, and travelling in vehicle or out of town and need a quick express and don't want to drag a bulky electric. But you'd use the electric far more often than a manual.

Never used a moses basket. I used a playpen/bassinet combo next to my bed for the first six months before moving to a crib.

 

[Linnypops]

Great thanks!...I've been offered a bugaboo frog pram and was seriously confused about how a car seat works with this, turns out I can buy an adapter and get a seperate car seat which then clicks in ..Going to do some research on that as obviously much cheaper this way round.

The moses basket i've been told is problematic if baby wriggles a lot which stumped me because - why bother selling them in the first place then?? They seem like the cheapest option but yeah if it won't last long what's the point...The NCT hire out new bedside co-sleeping cribs for 6 months so i'm sort of wondering about whether that might be best.

Ok, electric for the pump! suspected as much although DF tried to convinve me a hand pump would be fine...So glad we didn't get that. x

 

[BrandiCanucks]

I started with manuals and just got frustrated. It would take up to an hour just to get a few ounces and I always still felt engorged afterwards. Invested in a double electric and OMG what a difference! 15-20 minutes TOPS and I was good and empty, having expressed a good 15oz on average. The most I ever expressed was 23oz in one sitting. I MUCH prefer the electric to manual. I used the manual only if I were going to be travelling in the van for a longer period and couldn't bring the electric along. I'd get what I could out and while my ex was driving, just bottle fed the baby what I pumped. I RARELY ever used the manual though.

I love having the playpen/bassinet. It comes with a swing-up change table that swings down when not in use, attachable bassinet up to 15lbs, and then use it as a playpen. I rarely used it as a playpen on its own but more used the playpen for travel and extended cosleeping. I moved the mattress to the bottom of the playpen and that's where baby slept once he was too big for the bassinet attachment.

This one is very similar to mine, except it doesn't have the diaper storage attachment. The bassinet is removable and the mattress stays at the bottom to be used as a playpen.

 

[Tulip]

I had a peek at the jojo maman bebe sale the other night because baby will need a fleece suit for going in the sling next winter. They had sold out of red in 3-6 months, so he's ended up with a purple flowery one! Like he'll care what colour it is, mummy got it for 12 quid instead of 36!

 

[Sun_Flower]

My personal experience - travel system was great, especially having the carseat clip straight on to the pram frame - was so easy and also handy if I went out somewhere then someone wanted to give me a lift or go on somewhere else in a car - had the carseat already with me so didn't have to decline.

Moses basket - when Eden (my daughter) was born, we lived in a bungalow and she used to sleep in this at night and then I'd bring it through to the living room with us so she could sleep in it during the day. This time round I LOVE the look of the NCT sidecar cribs, so we're going to hire one of those for six months, but still going to have the Moses basket in the living room for baby to nap during the day, seems so much more comfy than sleeping in a baby chair etc

Breast pumps - electric was what worked for me, you feel a bit like a cow hooked up to a milking machine (which I guess you actually are, LOL) but the rhythm they use really stimulates flow, and leaves you hands free to eat/drink etc if you sit with it propped on you xxx

 

[xMissxZoiex]

Sorry, but these types of posts are against forum rules

Requesting (through words or implication) money or charity from the general member population is not permitted

 

[BrandiCanucks]

Thank you! Will take a look for sure. I hope you don't mind, but I added you and Leo to the front page as well.

 

[xMissxZoiex]

Thank you Brandi

 

[astraloree]

Hi girls haven't been posting much but keeping up with all of you!

Congrats Victoria!

Gorgeous 3 D Jack Jack

Thanks for all the info Brandi and all the other experienced Moms!

We purchased a few furniture items this weekend and chose the stroller So exciting! 11 days till big anatomy scan! Gonna be so hard to stay

 

[charlie00134]

Zoie, I've added you as I may be able to offer some advice for fundraising (I have a lot of crafty folks on Facebook).

I'm slowly learning what makes Munchkin kick like a maniac, it's amazing but very distracting when I'm trying to work lol.

Is time dragging for everyone else? Everyone kept telling me how after the first trimester time would fly but it really isn't.