A few new questions...

[nori]

Me again! I have a few various questions for you all. See.. this is what happens when you cant sleep!

1. Bedroom temperature: I have a grobag egg and put it on early this morning and i thought it was really cold (it was 20 degrees) I know the ideal temperature is 18 degrees but to me this seems really chilly! Should i just ignore how cold/hot i am and rely on the egg?

2. Bedding: When i first get back from hospital i intend to use the moses basket and sheets/blankets. I may then move onto grobags. Now i know the feet have to be at the bottom. Would i just have the fitted sheet, a muslin on top (tip from a mum) a normal sheet and then a cellular blanket?

3. Baby: Would i dress baby in a vest followed by a grow suit and would i put scratch mitts on? Hats are now a no go arent they?

4. Moses basket: My room is very cramped but i could just about fit the moses basket and stand next to me in bed, do you think this is a better option rather than putting the moses basket in the cotbed initially? All the toys and mobiles are in the cotbed though.

5. Breastfeeding: Do babies need to be burped after each breastfeeding session like they do if they have a bottle? Ive tried burping my niece and im useless!

6. Nappies: Do you put sudacrem on babies bottoms as soon as you start changing their nappy (to prevent nappy rash) or do you just wait to see if they get it? Also, how long do you use cotton wool for before changing to wipes?

7. Nappy off time.. ive heard this is good but how long and often do you do it for and how do you do it without there being a pee or a poo explosion!

Im sure there will be plenty more questions to come but if you got this far.. well done!!

Thanks mums,

Claire x

 

[daftscotslass]

Me again! I have a few various questions for you all. See.. this is what happens when you cant sleep!

1. Bedroom temperature: I have a grobag egg and put it on early this morning and i thought it was really cold (it was 20 degrees) I know the ideal temperature is 18 degrees but to me this seems really chilly! Should i just ignore how cold/hot i am and rely on the egg?

2. Bedding: When i first get back from hospital i intend to use the moses basket and sheets/blankets. I may then move onto grobags. Now i know the feet have to be at the bottom. Would i just have the fitted sheet, a muslin on top (tip from a mum) a normal sheet and then a cellular blanket?

3. Baby: Would i dress baby in a vest followed by a grow suit and would i put scratch mitts on? Hats are now a no go arent they?

4. Moses basket: My room is very cramped but i could just about fit the moses basket and stand next to me in bed, do you think this is a better option rather than putting the moses basket in the cotbed initially? All the toys and mobiles are in the cotbed though.

5. Breastfeeding: Do babies need to be burped after each breastfeeding session like they do if they have a bottle? Ive tried burping my niece and im useless!

6. Nappies: Do you put sudacrem on babies bottoms as soon as you start changing their nappy (to prevent nappy rash) or do you just wait to see if they get it? Also, how long do you use cotton wool for before changing to wipes?

7. Nappy off time.. ive heard this is good but how long and often do you do it for and how do you do it without there being a pee or a poo explosion!

Im sure there will be plenty more questions to come but if you got this far.. well done!!

Thanks mums,

Claire x

1. We have a Grobag egg but they are known for sometimes being unreliable temperature wise though we do generally go by ours. We have a normal room thermometer as well and the temperature on that is always a couple of degrees lower than on the egg.

2. Up to you. In the early days when we didn't use the sleeping bags we just used a cellular blanket. Sheets were a faff. The colder it is, the more layers you use.

3. Similar to above, layer up according to how cold it is. Becky was an April baby and we had her in a sleeveless bodysuit and sleepsuit. When it gets colder we'll have her in a short sleeved bodysuit then sleepsuit. The instructions on Grobags are very helpful - just layer up blankets (a folded blanket counts as two layers) instead of using a Grobag. We had a few pairs of scratch mitts but they were useless. From moment one she flung them off within seconds. She never actually scratched herself anyway. Ditto what you said about hats - when they're in bed they can only lose heat through their head.

4. Totally up to you. I would do whatever is most convenient for you. Bubs won't be bothered about toys for a while though the mobile might be useful.

5. Can't help with that one!

6. Personal choice. If she doesn't have any sign of a rash, I don't use barrier cream. If she does have a couple of spots we use Bepanthen. We are still using cotton wool and water when in the house as wipes don't agree with her. WAAAY cheaper than wipes too. We use Nature baby wipes when out but are thinking about switching to reusable wipes for out and about.

7. As long as you want. My DD would happily have no nappy on all day if given the choice. It's up to you. We used to do it for about 15 minutes a couple of times a day. Now she's nappyless for about an hour in the evening and sometimes it's carnage

Hope that helps!

 

[LisaJ1986]

1. Bedroom temperature: I have a grobag egg and put it on early this morning and i thought it was really cold (it was 20 degrees) I know the ideal temperature is 18 degrees but to me this seems really chilly! Should i just ignore how cold/hot i am and rely on the egg? Generally the room just needs to be 18 degress. Sometimes in our house it can be a bit warmer or a bit cooler so i dress to the temperature. 18 degrees is suggested though.

2. Bedding: When i first get back from hospital i intend to use the moses basket and sheets/blankets. I may then move onto grobags. Now i know the feet have to be at the bottom. Would i just have the fitted sheet, a muslin on top (tip from a mum) a normal sheet and then a cellular blanket? In the moses basket i had the sheet at the bottom and a fleece blanket on her. If i feel shes cold i'll add another thin layer, or if she's warm swap it for a thinner blanket.

3. Baby: Would i dress baby in a vest followed by a grow suit and would i put scratch mitts on? Hats are now a no go arent they? When Angel was born i dressed her in the vest and sleepsuit, she had scratch mitts just to keep her hands warm as they were freezing and she always wore a hat in the early days. Didn't know you shouldn't. Although she had trouble maintaining her temp in the beginning anyway.

4. Moses basket: My room is very cramped but i could just about fit the moses basket and stand next to me in bed, do you think this is a better option rather than putting the moses basket in the cotbed initially? All the toys and mobiles are in the cotbed though. When Angel was tiny she was purely in a moses basket. She had no toys or mobiles but wouldn't have noticed them really anyway.

5. Breastfeeding: Do babies need to be burped after each breastfeeding session like they do if they have a bottle? Ive tried burping my niece and im useless! Before i was breastfeeding i was told breastfed babies do not need to be burped. But Angel always has done. I do it all the time now.

6. Nappies: Do you put sudacrem on babies bottoms as soon as you start changing their nappy (to prevent nappy rash) or do you just wait to see if they get it? Also, how long do you use cotton wool for before changing to wipes? Cotton wool and water is much cheaper so if you can keep that up for a while it's better for your wallet. But i only used this in hospital as it was supplied. I just used wipes when i got home.

7. Nappy off time.. ive heard this is good but how long and often do you do it for and how do you do it without there being a pee or a poo explosion! This is more judgement call. Your baby could have literally just weed but will still do it on the floor! Lol You'll get a few accidents so lay baby on a towel. Do it for as long as you like, as long as they are warm enough

 

[Mik]

Agree with the other ladies about temperatures etc what I would say about scratch mits is hunt around. We had to use them with our boys or they scratched themselves (and me during feeding) to bits! If you need or want to use them find ones with little cuffs or if you are really lucky and see some with little ties grab em quick lol any others they just get off too quick. I found I didn't need to burp my 3 with breastfeeding but I think it depends on the baby mine were greedy bubs and they didn't give the air a chance to get in

 

[trixipaws]

i find 18 degrees bit chilly too, i find 21 degrees perfect. its been fine for us, our baby was born in june and we couldnt get the bedroom temp below 25 degrees, so i just dressed her in a flimsy babygrow so she wouldnt overheat.

when millie used to be in a grobag i just put a cellular blanket over her. i tend to worry overly about overheating tho!

i never bothered with scratch mitts they just come off. idk bout hats, i didnt bother with them wil she was 3/4 months coz she lost all her hair lol

yes i just had the moses basket pushed up against my side of the bed.

i breast-fed exclusively for 6 months and she did still need burping.

sudacrem is preventative, it wont help if baby already has it. buy some metanium for if baby already has it its fabulous stuff! i used cotton wool for the first 12 weeks but i was overly cautious coz my boyf has sensitive skin so thought our baby might do also

nappy-off time- yes only do that if u dont mind wee and poop on ur floor lol

 

[lea m]

I was always freezing in the recommended 18C too lol but its recommended for a reason and its better to add layers when cool then have them overheat! If i relied on my temp then everyone would melt lol! I feel the cold so bad heehee

I would have the moses basket in the room with you! Baby wont even be able to see the toys for a while anyways!

With my others and the same with this one I will have a sheet on the moses basket (and now a muslin instead of a soft bib lol under head) and a couple of cellular blankets! (how many depending on the room temp)

Yep, vest, babygrow and mitts is fine though you may want to add a cardigan too especially as its winter! Again depends on the temp! Some mitts are crap tbh! They dont stay on! Another trial and error thing!

I dont like sudocrem! I know a lot of other women do so its one for trial and error but I didn't use it with my 3 and if their bums did look a little red at any time then nappy off time dealt with that better then any cream! My 3 loved nothing better than lying on their mats bare bummed lol! Though other babies dont always like a bare butt!?

 

[andreag]

Just to add - I would rely on the temp rather than how you feel, as so many things can affect how you feel temperature.

I B/f and LO didn't need burping - guess you will have to play it by ear.

If you plan to b/f, have the moses basket next to the bed. They won't need any toys etc for a few months.

I used to do nappy off time in the morning whilst I showered and tidied upstairs. I lay her on the changing mat on the floor, with a real nappy underneath. Definatley the best way to prevent nappy rash, and they all seem to love it.

 

[lisa282]

Agree with the other ladies for the most part but just wanted to add a little suggestion about scratch mitts. We could never keep them on my son, he just pulled them off or shook his hands and they fell off, bloody useless things! But without them his hands used to get quite cold at night and he would scratch himself to bits too. Mothercare do sleepsuits with integrated scratch mitts where the end of the sleeve folds back over their little hands so its practically impossible for baby to get them off, we found these a godsend!! Using them again this time mainly to keep my daughters hands warm overnight as its gone really cold now x

 

[Sherlock]

Me again! I have a few various questions for you all. See.. this is what happens when you cant sleep!

1. Bedroom temperature: I have a grobag egg and put it on early this morning and i thought it was really cold (it was 20 degrees) I know the ideal temperature is 18 degrees but to me this seems really chilly! Should i just ignore how cold/hot i am and rely on the egg?

I tend to go with what my Grobag egg says as a rule. I've gotten used to 18C now and for LO I find around this fine but try to not let it go over 19C or below 17C. Babies (esp newborn) don't have the greatest thermostats and so we need to be aware of this and not have it overly hot. I know this time of year its getting chilly but 18C is actually a good temp for a bedroom and to sleep in. We also have another thermometer and its usually to within a degree of the Grobag egg, so between the two we find a good balance. A overly hot or cold baby is more at risk of SIDS so don't go mad with the heat. We as adults can take layers off or add them and know when we are hot or cold. A baby cannot tell us, so I'd always stick with the recommended temp or close to it for the baby. If I am cold I just put an extra layer on.

2. Bedding: When i first get back from hospital i intend to use the moses basket and sheets/blankets. I may then move onto grobags. Now i know the feet have to be at the bottom. Would i just have the fitted sheet, a muslin on top (tip from a mum) a normal sheet and then a cellular blanket?

Layer accordingly. Each fold in a blanket counts as one layer. If your bedroom is a good average temp you should only need 1-2 layers blanket wise methinks. Some sleeping bags are suitable from 7lb or so, so check the label and see. I find Galen is fine in a sleepsuit and 2.5 tog sleeping bag and our room is between 17-19C normally at night. The first month he wore a vest also.

3. Baby: Would i dress baby in a vest followed by a grow suit and would i put scratch mitts on? Hats are now a no go arent they?

Hats are a no go indoors. Only when out. For the first month baby should wear what you wear plus one layer is the rule of thumb. So yes I'd go with vest and sleepsuit then blanket etc.

I never used scratch mits. Waste of time IMHO. We did get Next sleepsuits and they have built in ones that fold over on the cuff and therefore never come off. I only ever put them on if it was chilly so LO's hands would not get too cold. Not to stop him scratching. Some babies scratch, some don't. See how you go.

4. Moses basket: My room is very cramped but i could just about fit the moses basket and stand next to me in bed, do you think this is a better option rather than putting the moses basket in the cotbed initially? All the toys and mobiles are in the cotbed though.

I'd not worry about the cotbed tbh. Stick with the basket for as long as you need. Chances are in the early weeks LO won't be spending much time in the basket at night sleeping but will want to be cuddled up on you feeding and sleeping for comfort etc.

5. Breastfeeding: Do babies need to be burped after each breastfeeding session like they do if they have a bottle? Ive tried burping my niece and im useless!

Usually yes. Especially until they get the hang of things and don't suck down too much air. You'd be surprised how quick you can get the ang of it. And there are a few positions to try to wind. Also gentle curcular movements round the back and so on can help.

6. Nappies: Do you put sudacrem on babies bottoms as soon as you start changing their nappy (to prevent nappy rash) or do you just wait to see if they get it? Also, how long do you use cotton wool for before changing to wipes?

I never use Sudocrem. Its a barrier cream and won't let skin breathe. I'd not use anything unless you need to and then go with something else. We used Calendula lotion if LO's bottom got a bit sore. Look around for other things to use in place of Sudocrem.

We are still using cotton wool and water and wipes when we are out. I intend to do this for as long as possible as a) its better for LO's skin and b) its cheaper. Galen is 5 1/2 months old now

7. Nappy off time.. ive heard this is good but how long and often do you do it for and how do you do it without there being a pee or a poo explosion!

In the early days I'd have nappy off time if I had changed a wet or pooey nappy. Just 10 minutes or so to start each time. As LO got older we made it longer. Sometimes he will wee but tbh its not a biggie now. I have learnt to spot the signs of needing a poo so usually time nappy off time to work round this now. TBH as much time as you can give LO with fresh air on the bottom is good.

 

[fothers]

Just to add next sleep suits have built in scratch mitts too!

We started using a grow bag quite early on as M was quite big when born. It was much easier and less disturbing than faffing about with blankets after a middle of the night feed and kept her cosy when feeding. She never fully woke up and always dozed off quickly afterwards.

For nappy off time we put a big fleece blanket on the floor so it could be washed and dried easily if accidents occured

 

[maldives]

I think you have great answers so far I will just add what I did.

1- Be aware that after giving birth you won't know how the temp really is!! I alternated from being too cold to too hot! so ask some one how the room feels? maybe when the M/W visits she will be able to tell better as mine was sheviring when she came but my LO tends to get hot but i can't reduce the temp and further to avoid any nose congestions. so he ends up sleeping with no blankets LOL.

2-I think two sheets( muslin and a cellular) is not practical as he will wriggle and they will keep moving so a normal blanket will be enough.

3- vest and a grow suit (footies) and a mitten is a must! ( they like to be swaddled ).

4- moses basket next to your bed with a stand is best. as a new born he won't really bother about toys and mobiles. mine was interested in them when he was 2 months old!

5- yeah you have to burp them but if they didn't burp in a while then it's ok! try the sitting position mine seems to burp immediatly this way!

6-i have always used sudocream after changing nappies and now i apply it in his creases between his thighs as well. i don't like to wait and see it's better to apply. still using cotton wools!

7- I feared the pee or poo explosion so never had a nappy off time

Good luck and trust me each and every baby is different and you will soon know what your baby needs

 

[trixipaws]

can i just add something about temp- its a common mistake i think for people to asume that newborns need wrapping up warm- and even summer babies are wrapped up in wooly hats, blankets, etc. newborns do NOT need keeping very warm! just warm enough! i was praised by my MW for having such a "nice cool baby"! i was extremely paranoid about overheating and SIDS and when i told her this after telling me i was doing well with her temp she said ITS NORMAL for babies to have chilly hands this DOES NOT mean they are too cold! to check baby's TRUE temp she said feel either baby's chest or back of baby's neck- if it feels very hot or if it feels clammy then ur baby is too hot- which can still be the case even if baby has cold hands! i was CONSTANTLY checking her neck and chest lol! and if hands get cold rub them to get circulation going

 

[KERRYGOLD00]

Deleted

 

[claire_louise]

ahhhh thank you for posting that nori, hope you found everyones answers as helpful as i have , ive been getting myself in a right muddle trying to figure some of that stuff out !

 

[nori]

can i just add something about temp- its a common mistake i think for people to asume that newborns need wrapping up warm- and even summer babies are wrapped up in wooly hats, blankets, etc. newborns do NOT need keeping very warm! just warm enough! i was praised by my MW for having such a "nice cool baby"! i was extremely paranoid about overheating and SIDS and when i told her this after telling me i was doing well with her temp she said ITS NORMAL for babies to have chilly hands this DOES NOT mean they are too cold! to check baby's TRUE temp she said feel either baby's chest or back of baby's neck- if it feels very hot or if it feels clammy then ur baby is too hot- which can still be the case even if baby has cold hands! i was CONSTANTLY checking her neck and chest lol! and if hands get cold rub them to get circulation going

I think thats a good point and something alot of people do have a misconception of. I always thought babies had to be kept warm. To be honest noone really tells you any different. If it wasnt for reading up and being on this site i wouldnt know anything! I really do think the parenting classes should touch on things like this and baby first aid rather than concentrating on what pain relief you get in labour! Everything seems to be about that..

Thanks for you replies as always..

Claire x

 

[moss]

1. Bedroom temperature: I have a grobag egg and put it on early this morning and i thought it was really cold (it was 20 degrees) I know the ideal temperature is 18 degrees but to me this seems really chilly! Should i just ignore how cold/hot i am and rely on the egg?

I was born in Southern California without air conditioning and many babies are born all over the world in scorching temperatures, so I am sure a few degrees won't harm a baby. That's my thinking, anyway. Just make sure when you feel your baby's tummy or back that they don't feel like any particular temperature, hot or cold.

2. Bedding: When i first get back from hospital i intend to use the moses basket and sheets/blankets. I may then move onto grobags. Now i know the feet have to be at the bottom. Would i just have the fitted sheet, a muslin on top (tip from a mum) a normal sheet and then a cellular blanket?

I had the fitted sheet, then a flat sheet and a bamboo blanket. It was such a pain to make the bed (a cotbed) and it was such a relef for everyone when we switched to a sleeping bag. We have a mattress protector on, and the mattress came with a little waterproof band.

3. Baby: Would i dress baby in a vest followed by a grow suit and would i put scratch mitts on? Hats are now a no go arent they?

They do recommend against hats indoors, but I think it depends on the baby. If you are keeping your room very warm definitely avoid one, though. I tried to use mitts but Jacob couldn't keep them on and they prevented him from sucking his knuckles, which is invaluable for getting a little extra sleep!

4. Moses basket: My room is very cramped but i could just about fit the moses basket and stand next to me in bed, do you think this is a better option rather than putting the moses basket in the cotbed initially? All the toys and mobiles are in the cotbed though.

I used a cotbed straightaway, but I can imagine if you are limited on space you will be happier with just the basket and stand. You might be bringing the baby into bed anyway!

5. Breastfeeding: Do babies need to be burped after each breastfeeding session like they do if they have a bottle? Ive tried burping my niece and im useless!

Jacob definitely needed burping every time. Now he burps by himself. It took some practice for both my husband and I to be confident about doing it. You'll be fine! :]

6. Nappies: Do you put sudacrem on babies bottoms as soon as you start changing their nappy (to prevent nappy rash) or do you just wait to see if they get it? Also, how long do you use cotton wool for before changing to wipes?

I use bamboo nappies and it is recommended to use a barrier cream with washables and I read it isn't necessary unless there is a rash with disposables. I don't always use one anyway, but recently I started using Kamillosan when I feel Jacob's skin is a little red, which is rare. He hasn't gotten a rash yet. I think in general, as long as you change the baby enough and keep him/her clean you won't have a problem.

7. Nappy off time.. ive heard this is good but how long and often do you do it for and how do you do it without there being a pee or a poo explosion!

We all enjoy nappy free time. We just put him on a towel and have another ready just in case. I can imagine it's easier with girls, though!