What to buy before the birth
A first pregnancy is so overwhelming that we are vulnerable to suggestion from all angles. We seek information on every aspect of our condition from family, friends, the medical profession and the media.
How much is enough?
Marketing people would like you to believe that you need to spend thousands of pounds on completely new 'essential' equipment to go with your completely new human being. There is the subtle yet common suggestion that you prove your love through conspicuous consumption.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Even if you have the money to spend - and so many of us take a dive in income at this time - caution is still a good policy. Before the birth, it is difficult to imagine what your baby will require. There is nothing to stop you filling in the gaps after your baby arrives.
Remember that your baby will grow rapidly in the first weeks. Nothing will fit for long.
Second-hand
Baby equipment has no long-term use in the average family. (Except baby baths which made terrific party wine chillers.) Friends and family who have finished reproducing are only too happy to pass it on, otherwise it just gathers dust in the attic.
It's worth looking out for second-hand prams and pushchairs in good, clean condition, unwobbly and made by reputable manufacturers.
Safety first
Do check all items for safety. It is better to know where, and from whom, your equipment comes, rather than buying it second-hand from strangers. Good second-hand shops and NCT sales are also worth exploring.
You must find out if a car seat has ever been in an accident. Buy the best you can afford new, unless you know the seat's full history, and have checked it is a recent design. Use it for every journey, without exception. Don't use it in the front seat if your car is fitted with a passenger air bag.
Before the birth, make sure you know how to fix the seat into your car and baby into seat.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | next
printer friendly
send to a friend
Delicious
Digg
reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Horoscopes| Message Boards | Quizzes | Newsletters | Join
iVillage Ltd is a UK company registered in England & Wales (3837269) at 80-110 New Oxford Street, London WC1 1HB
