Nappies

I know it can be hard to choose the right size nappies for your child and you may end up being at your wits end, but please, don't despair. Most people may end up buying several types to try find which one is best for the little ones. 

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Check online first if you can they all have different sizes and they don't always mean the same thing from going from one to the other. They will always tell you what is what generally on the packet.

You might think that brand is best but that isn't always the case! For those that might not be able to always afford the brand maybe buy them once a month or just use them for night time as they can tend to be slightly more absorbent than brands. Other than that they are really just the same!

Some size ranges overlap and others include 'plus' sizes for bigger babies. 

In general the ranges that can be seen are: 

Size 1 (2 -5 kg, 5-11lbs)

Size 2 (3-6kg, 7-14lbs)

Size 3 (4-9 kg, 8-20lbs)

Size 4 (7-18kg, 15-40lbs)

Size 5 (11-25kg, 24-55lbs)

Although remember these WILL change!

Bad Neighbours/Argumentative people

I have recently had a hard time with some neighbours. I have been here 9 months, they have 'politely mentioned' it to us before.

It's an issue of parking.

There is no parking on our side of the road as it is a busy street and it says we cannot park there so we took to parking on the other side of the road. Apparently even though 90% of the time we don't park in-front of their property (they say we do). We have proof we don't as I have pictures of my car and it shows where it's parked.

We have done nothing wrong to them we haven't even spoken that much but I now know what they think, they only loosely referred to us as neighbours in an attempt to get us to side with them. I have never had any problems or trouble with anyone before. I have always been understanding that is until someone doesn't even listen to what I am saying then I slightly loose my cool. I've tried to be nice and I admit I have occasionally parked in front of their property as there are no other spaces and we have to carry a lot of things to our house and I openly wait till theres a space but at this time it is usually very late.

There has been delivery trucks that park outside and today in particular they had a delivery (which they hard easily parked there). Yet according to my fiance they came to the door and asked if we could move the car, we wasn't in the way they had plenty of room. We are not hindering their business, if they had reports i'm sure that would easily say it. I've had no complaints from anyone else....

I know I would be unhappy if someone kept parking in what I deem as my spot, albeit as long as I am on the same street I am not bothered. We wasn't even in front of the property in this incident the other couple that has been mentioned we was in front of a council bench.

They have threatened to call the police. I don't know if this was a lose threat to try and get us to move the car or not but I welcome them to call as we are not violating any laws. I never have and never will. I have too much respect for myself and the police force as it is.

I encourage them to apply to the council for loading/unloading bays if they can get delivery at the same times, cause it will prove we wont be in their limits.

First time mum? Or even not!

You may think you have a good idea on what to get a newborn baby, even so if you do, with everything that is going on from the little one's birth it may be quite easy to forget some important things. It doesn't matter what type of mum you are even the most organised of mum's can let some things lapse and it's no fault of your own there is just a lot to do for the little one's life.

Fig 1: Cartoon baby, copyright free image

So it's checklist time!!

Apart from antenatal classes, fancy gadgets, birthing plan and scans. All of which I will talk about in later posts or if there are any requests.

There are some essentials that you will in preparing for your new arrival - supermarkets are generally good at providing the basics especially for those who don't want to know the sex of their baby. You may also feel that their are other things that you believe are essential to your baby. This is not an exhaustive list it is simply a guide for the bare essentials.

1. Nappies!
These are potentially life saving. I have seen and heard of quite a few who can have what is known as a 'nappy crisis'. Let's face it - you don't want to run out in the middle of the night! Always keep a stock so you are well prepared. (A specialist post on nappies will come soon. Watch this space!)

 2. Bodysuits, sleepsuits, baby clothing in general

It doesn't matter how many outfits you have you can never have too many. Ok, maybe you can as babies grow out of their clothes very fast as you will have to keep buying new outfits! A good general rule is to have enough for 8 day outfits and 8 night outfits - include mittens, baby booties, hats etc. The main reason for this is to make sure you have enough if you have to travel anywhere or something stops you from being able to have them washed. That way you are not caught out without! (More to come watch this space!)

 3. Wipes
Wipes are a godsend to most mums although for the first few days mum's may prefer to use cotton wool and water as their newborn's skin will be still so sensitive (even for those hypoallergenic wipes). It's not to say you can't tho! You will no-doubt use them everyday for almost everything and even if the little one isn't there yet as they are amazing! Whether it is washing hands, changing diapers or helping to clean food surfaces! They will go down fast so make sure you keep stock. I used 2-3 packs every couple of weeks even without a newborn.

4. Changing Pad, Bag and accessories
If you are wanting to travel somewhere then the changing bag with all the essentials is a must! Sudocrem, wipes, nappies, talcum powder, nappy sacks and emergency accessories such as safety pins or a spare change of clothing. Ok, you got me the changing pad (or mat) might not be essential but there can be some harmful bacteria on some public changing stations that don't get cleaned as often and even though exposure to some bacteria builds the immune system there are just some things that are not acceptable - this is one of them. The changing bag can also hold all the other essentials too, so make sure yours is big enough. You'll want bottles and toys to entertain him.

5. Buggy/Pram/Travel System
It's up to you which you choose and personally all of them are useful in so many situations. I will talk more about them in later posts but if you are wanting to travel then these are sure one of the best ways to go about it! There are also other alternatives where you can carry the baby in a pouch in front of you or in a harness. Shop around as there are many different types to suit your baby's needs. Some also come with car seats which is a good idea if you need to travel to show your new one of to distant relatives.

6. Mobile
It's great to keep the little ones entertained. It also helps you get away for a few minutes if you need to do something as it will distract the baby so you don't need to give it your 100% attention.

7. Nipple cream & pads
Breastfeeding? These are extremely useful as they help with leaking nipples from the milk that you are carrying - even if you don't choose to breastfeed. Nipple cream also helps to soothe sore nipples for babies that suck for long periods of time - great for those who demand feeding.

8. Muslin Cloths
The baby will often regurgitate some of what it has eaten - this is completely normal. Muslin cloths are a great way to help make sure the mess isn't as messy after all and that you can take it away (wash or throw it away) and know that your clothes are clean (or at least mostly) as they are designed to catch the baby's spit and sick.

9. Moses Basket/Cot/Cot-bed
This is one of the most essential things you will need, you can start your baby off in a moses basket but they will only be able to sleep in a moses basket for around 6 weeks (as an average). Every baby however is different it all depends on the sides. You don't want the baby touching the sides as it could startle them and wake them up during their sleep making them restless. You can move the baby straight to a cot or cot-bed if this is better for you.

10. Bath Time
A small baby bath or something that fits in your own bath will help your baby get a safe bath. A soft sponge or cloth can help bathe your baby too.