[moncai]

Hey this is my first post in relation to baby stuff, I'm a young male expectant father, baby is due on 28th of August... I have no job, i'm actually returning to college to study medicine as a graduate in september so i'm gonna be a few tens of thousand in the hole for that, which means i dont have a massive amount of cash to splash on stuff for a newborn.
Anyway yesterday i came up with a list of things i forsee i will need and so far i have;
Cot, Pram, Car seat, Clothes, Toys, Steriliser, Creamy things for nappy rash etc, Blankets, Big Bag and a monitor.
My questions are;

Is there anything i'm missing?
Any reccommendations for a particularly good resonably priced item off the list?

Also as my partner and i do want to live together and all that jazz there is still a good chance we'll be going on a few weekend trips to our respective families homes around the country so does anyone know of a travel cot that rocks?? I mean physically rocks back and fourth, cos i already have images of me or my lady trying to fall asleep while rocking a cot with my foot... I dunno if one even exists but if anyone has come accross one i'd love to know where to get it. And come to think of it if no one has heard of one let me know too as i may try and invent it and sell the design for a few bob to pay for all this baby gear!

Thanks very much for any responses, i've been reading a few of the posts here, ye all seem very helpful and considerate.
I dont really want to be asking my family about the gear cos i'm afraid they're going to think i'm looking for them to buy it for me or something, although i'm sure i'll get over that independent streak when it comes to help babysitting!

[crazy cat lady]

Congratulations

Baby on a budget...

Don't bother with a crib/moses basket, go straight for a cot. Cribs are cute but they don't last very long as babies grow so fast!

Bottles can be sterilised in a pan of boiling water with some milton if you didn't want to splash out on a steriliser.

If you get a pram with a carry cot, that could double as a travel cot while the baby is still small. Are you sure you want to get into the habit of rocking a baby to sleep?? If you never rock the baby to sleep the baby will never get used to it and then you won't be up all ours of the night with your foot out the side of the bed rocking the baby!

Babies fit great in the sink for a bath, and by the time they grow out of that, your own bath will be sufficient.

Breastfeeding saves on buying formula

You'll need a car seat, pram, baby monitor, bed linen, cellular blankets, vests, babygro's, hats, mittens, cardigans etc... Don't go mad buying lots of baby clothes as you'll get so much in gifts that most of it will hardly get used. So just stick to the basics!

I can't think of much else right now (mostly cos I'm distracted by the big pile of ironing to be done!)

There are a few threads in the Pregnant forum addressing this tho so have a nosey around there

[ThePiedPiper]

+1 on the not buying too much clothes, you'll have loads bought for you..

I'd also take toys off that list for the time being.. You'll prob have people buying things for you and very young kids don't really bother much with toys.

There's some good value on stuff out there at the minute. For example, a Graco travel system incorporates car seat and buggy and is around the €200 mark, as far as I remember. No need to spend €700 or €800 on the more fashionable 3 wheeler jobs.

I'd go with just getting a moses basket for now. Our baby was in it until 3 months and only then did we put her in the cot. I'd also advise against getting a crib or anything that rocks as you'll make the baby reliant on rocking to get to sleep.

Regarding nappies, get a couple of boxes of the size 2 and maybe only a small amount of the smallest ones.. (they're tiny and some babies are too big for them from birth). Get plenty of baby wipes, cotton wool, sudo cream, baby oil, Silcocks base, vaseline, a changing bag, changing mat, bag for carrying bottles when you're out and about.

There's probably 100s of other things to think about.

One big piece of advice. Try and enjoy the next two months you and your partner have together on your own. Life's going to change and get a lot busier so enjoy every quiet minute and sleep in you can get.

Best of luck.

[Swizzles]

Congrats

Alot of the stuff i was going to mention has already been said..
The graco buggy..We have one that comes with the car seat and a lie down insert for the baby..Take them both off and its for a toddler.
There is alot of stuff out there to be gotten cheap you really really need to shop around..Wipes for instance are 2.99 in some shops but Dunnes and Super Value have an offer on 4 packs for E5.
Keep an eye out and pick up a few bits as the weeks go..
Agree 100% about the nappies i bought the size 2s and havent got any size ones..Ill just fold them down..No point in buying if they might not fit in my opinion.

We got a cot and a family member loaded us a moses basket..
Is there anyone in either family who you could borrow the bigger items from?Moses baskets are only worth it if you dont have to but them i think..Im due next month and have a feeling this baby will be a big one so have got a few 0-3 month vests instead of newborn ones which might be a waste if the baby is big..
If people want to buy you gifts for the baby them suggest you could do with this or that..We have done that and you can get things like bouncers and the monitors etc etc

Best of luck with it

[cbyrd]

there's an amazing thingy in smyths for the bath..not expensive, it makes a barrier to make your own bath smaller.. i can't find it on the website but i saw it in the drogheda store for €6.99

+1 on the buggy ... you could get away without a pram if you get the buggy that has the car seat and carrycot attachment.. we got the graco one it was £199 in smyths newry for the whole lot.. will do him til he's 3

i don't use cream on the bum unless they've got nappy rash..

if you get the pampers newborn (yellow pack sizes 1-3 and micro baby) they're super absorbant and you'd only use about 4-5 a day...
box of silicocks base is great, use it in the bath and after and you do away with lots of lotions and potions..and once a week is enough to bath them for a few months... dries thier skin out if you bath them too much. and believe it or not the oil is too heavy for their skin to absorb it and most of it rubs off.. (from my pediatrician)

breastfeeding is cheaper but if it doesn't work a box of formula should do a week if you make the bottles as you need them (boil a load of water once a day and store it) cuts down on waste
don't buy clothes til all the presents come in.. then you'll know what you need.. a few babygro's and a couple of vests..
it's amazing too if you put the word out with family and friends for the likes of the baby baths, moses baskets and things that you'll only need for a few weeks people will rally i only used a moses basket cos my brother gave it to me..
you can get a microwave steriliser €19.99

http://www.toys.ie/Avent-Microwave-Steam-Steriliser-!G15758-prod.aspx

you've no extra expense only water and 4 mins electricity
keep an eye out for special offers they're everywhere, we have the bargains thread too
Baby won't care about fashionable stuff
And congratulations... enjoy the calm before s/he arrives

[Fatscally]

Let people help you.

Make up a list and when people say what would you like for the baby hand them the list and say suit yourself. Well it's practical.

Buy second hand. (If the mammy will let you away with it) Babies grow so fast that the stuff they have hardly gets any use before they're on to the next size. Jaysis when I think of the prams and stuff we were offered only for my wife not to like the colour or something Her boss pleaded with her to use the cot he has, it was spotless and saved us 800quid.

Shop on eBay for clothes "New without tags" (when you need them). Baby shoes never hit the ground.

Keep a few quid put by (like 300-400) for the NEXT Store 4am sales, then you can buy sizes into the future.

[teacosy]

breastfeeding is of course the cheapest and best way to feed baby. no formula or steriliser. i've had 3 children and never had a sterilser - wouldn't even know how to work one. with the right support breastfeeding should "work out" for every mother. try www.breastfeeding.ie for a list of local supports if mammy has any problems.

[Rubiee]

Hi - Sounds like you have got lots of advice from other posters already. Keep an eye out for special offers... supermarkets seem to have them every other week. Register for the Tesco baby club and other sites such as Pampers or what ever baby formula you are going to use if that is way ye decide to go, as they often send out samples or money off coupons.
This week Lidl have specials on Simple baby products and nappies/wipes/nappy bags. I also read that there is a sale on in Eurobaby (www.eurobaby.ie)

Forgot to say I have yet to see a travel cot that rocks!

[moncai]

Thanks a million for all the advice, i reckon i have enough info now to get the baby rolling i'll get things i'm certain i'll use for now and then leave the rest for when it's needed i suppose.

Thanks for all the help

[gogo]

Congratualtions!!

Coming from me and my husband who are both in full time employment, the ammount of wasted cash we spent on everything was crazy. Most of it was used for two /three months tops, so my advise is to beg,borrow,steal!
If I knew then what I know now, jebus, Id a saved a hell of a lot of money.
Check out adverts.ie, the baby site is excellent for picking up stuff at great prices, most of it has only been used for a few months, also gumtree.ie
Most people with a baby will have a moses basket/crib/sterliser lying around in the attic, which they will more than likely lend you, they know only too well that most stuff is only needed for a few months and will be returned.

So many people offered me stuff (even clients in work who i dont know that well), and I said no to them all, thinking 'only new for my baby'. Now I have an attic full of nearly new stuff that that riles me when I think of it.

I recently got toys/a nursery set and a few other things second hand which are in perfect condition and really cheap to boot.

Good Luck and enjoy your last few months together.

[gogo]

An afterthough, register with eumom.ie and on other baby websites like pampers, tescobaby club, mulipa. Eumom give you loads of stuff, including an 'expecting a baby box(samples/vouchers)' and a rucksack with free samples(inc. bids,car sunscreen,sudacreme, vouchers, etc) when you have the baby and another 'pack' when its four months old.
Tesco baby send me vouchers every month including 1.50 off pampers and huggies nappies, which dosent sound like much but its all helps.

[caprilicious]

Congratulation Moncai & can I say fair play to you going back to college, something I'd love to do myself, maybe after no. 2

+1 for Gogo's suggestions, I got a lovely Quinny buggy for a steal on adverts.ie (€150 they're normally €€€€€!), dondeal.ie can be ok too.
Pregnancy specific websites like eumom.ie/rollercoaster.ie/magicmum.ie all have classified sections in their forums where you can get some really fantastic deals.
I agree 100% with what Gogo says about getting stuff second hand, especially as baby will use them for such a short time!

Take for example, I bought a 'Bumbo' seat for my little lady as she's bored of her (new bought for €50 ) bouncer chair, so glad I bought the bumbo second hand for half the normal price as she used it for all of 3 weeks but she can get out of it now.
Would've been raging if I'd bought it brand new only for it to go to the attic in such a short time!

For a pram I think magicmum.ie would be your best bet, if you look in the 'buggy addict' section there's many nearly new systems for sale.
I kid you not, some women buy one and use it for a few weeks/months til a newer model comes out and they change for that! so serious savings to be made there.
If you keep an eye on Lidl/Aldi they normally do really good deals also, I know Lidl were doing a highchair for €25 a few weeks ago and more recently a car seat for I think €50

The very best of luck to you and your partner

[haze,]

Just get the basics- the cheaper models are fine aswell. My son sleeps perfectly soundly in his 39 Euro ik*a cot! Talk to others who have young kids- they probably would love to loan say a moses basket (you just buy a new matress) cos you only will use it for a few months max. And the best thing about getting a loan of stuff is that you can give it back because the baby stuff clogs up your place very fast! If people ask can they buy you a big present (siblings, parents) you could say we've picked out x pram would you all club together & get it? People will want to buy lots of presents for the baby- might aswell be usefull. Btw- tesco newborn nappies are the cheapest I think- 2 euro per pack. They were as good as p*mpers aswell. Best of luck