Sunday 17 November 2013

My top nursery purchases

I think it's safe to say that kitting out a nursery second time around has been a lot more straightforward than when I was pregnant with Posey.

Being pregnant for the first time,  I felt excited but dumb-founded every time I went into a baby shop!  I just didn't know where to start.  Buzz and I were clueless!

There is a mass of useful information online and available through antenatal groups, such as NCT classes.  The best source of advice I found was experienced mums.  Mum friends who'd already had a baby or were on the second / third babies.  This time I pulled together a list of everything that worked well for Posey and I've bought it for the new baby.  She might be a completely different baby but at least I feel prepared!

So here are my best buys:

1. Bugaboo Bee.

Posey had an icandy peach.  I loved it and wouldn't have swapped it for the world for the first 9 mths but once I started using the microlite stroller for short trips I found the icandy heavy, bulky and a little awkward to keep in the car.  This time I wanted something that both the baby and Posey can use.  I wanted an adaptable, lightweight, stylish and easy to use travel system.

The great thing about the Bee is it ticks all of those boxes.  The baby's maxi cosi car seat can clip on the base with the pushchair seat still in place, rather than having to swap them.  The carrycot is a cocoon which lies flat in the pushchair seat, meaning no separate carrycot to store.  The idea Buzz and I have is that either the baby can be in her car seat or cocoon with Posey walking or on the buggy
 board, or Posey can be in the pushchair and the baby can be in the baby bjorn carrier.  Posey doesn't
use a pushchair much now so it felt silly buying a double.

We chose the Bugaboo Bee All Black special edition at £529, with off white accessories including cocoon, footmuff & parasol.  We also have a buggy board and maxi cosi adaptors so we can easily clip the baby's car seat onto the base.

2. Maxi Cosi Cabriofix and footmuff.

The baby is due on Feb 2, so it will be cold!! Mothercare ran a promotion recently and we got a free cabriofix car seat when we bought the Bugaboo.  It was great!  To save us flagging with snow suits and blankets depending on if we're inside or out we bought a footmuff that just unzips, keeping the baby either warm or cold.  I think it'll work really well.

3. Dr Browns feeding equipment.

Breast feeding didn't work out with Posey and I feel so scarred from it that this time my baby will be formula fed from the start.  I'd love to express too, but all of her milk will be bottle fed.

Buzz and I bought everything from Dr Browns! Their bottles were the only ones that agreed with Posey and stopped her being refluxy.  We found them after trying and giving up on Avent, Tommee Tippee, Medela and Mam bottles through wind-induced lack of sleep!

We have bought an electric steriliser, 12 feeding bottles (10 of which are special edition pink - yay!!), an electric bottle warmer and a selection of follow-on teats.

4.  Next Baby clothes.

I love shopping for baby clothes.  There are such gorgeous pieces in the shops, particularly in at he White Company, JoJo Maman Bebe and Le Petit Bateau.  Great for presents!  When buying for my own baby though, and knowing how many vests and sleep suits she'll rattle through on leaky nappy / sick / milk dribble days I wanted nice clothes that didn't cost me the earth.

I find that sizing is fairly inconsistent between stores and supermarket sizes can be huge! The baby clothes I have from Next though, are great-sized for birthweight, wash well, dry well, don't lose their shape and are stylish.  All of my new baby's clothes are from Next and I know they will be fab.

Note to friends - presents from TWC, JoJo & Le P Bateau though ;)x

5.  Bloom highchair.

I love them! They may cost £400 upwards but boy are they worth it! With the baby snug and 3 different recline positions you can use them from birth.  Posey has used hers every day from birth and is now 2 and 3mths.  I can't see her stopping using it any time soon.  She never resists it and refuses to give it to the baby! So we got another one....

The baby will have a white highchair and orange seat insert.  Her snug will go in the seat fully tilted backwards until she can sit unaided, at which point the tray will go on for her.  Having the Bloom Fresco Loft means she is at work top height in the kitchen rather than in a bouncer on the floor and she can sit with us at the breakfast bar.

What are your best baby buys?
x





















Into Week 30 of pregnancy!

Firstly, it really has been a number of weeks since I last blogged, so apologies for the lack of updates! If you follow me on twitter you'll have seen a few snippets I'm sure.  It really has been manic recently!!!

Today I am 29 weeks pregnant! It's a great feeling and I'm immensely proud of my big bump (which actually measures a little on the large side but we won't worry about that just yet..)

My second trimester was pretty easy going.  I felt fortunate.  I had plenty of energy, ate well, Posey was well behaved and Buzz and I did lots of preparation getting the bedroom ready for our new baby girl.  In fact, right now the only remaining purchase is the isofix base for her car seat! We 've delayed that as I'm having a new car delivered this week and will pop into John Lewis for a fitting once it's here.

So it's been very busy preparing the baby's bedroom.  Many people have commented on how organised I've been with it.  The truth is I'm terrified of having another early birth so want to stay in control as far as possible!  I was also aware that once my third trimester started the tiredness, heartburn and patchy sleep at night could start at any time, and boy was I right! Now most things are done I am spending a considerably greater amount of time relaxing and enjoying me time.  Buzz is being great with Posey and I've cut my work commitments right back, including selling one of my three businesses.  I really want to look after myself and stay pregnant for as long as possible.  If the baby arrives early I don't want to feel as if me being super-busy and un-chilled out as contributed to it.  It's world prematurity day today and I remember vividly the emotions I went through when posey arrived early and spent time on SCBU.  It was tough and I don't want to be there again.

I started a pregnancy yoga class in October.  I love it!  I sleep like a log afterwards and I find it very very relaxing.  I'll keep going as long as I'm able to.  I'd totally recommend it.  I've been doing some gentle TRX and Pilates with my personal trainer too.  I'll do that after the birth as well.  Posey used to sleep in her car seat while I did it last time so hopefully this time I'll be able to do it again, while Posey is at preschool and the baby is asleep! Fingers crossed!

x

Ps. I shall blog more about family, The terrible-twos and my top nursery purchases very soon x