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tommee tippee perfect prep machine +1
If you're going down the night time formula route or just in general, pick one up off facebook market place. We managed to get one for a tenner with the first born, he suffered with reflux quite bad on the boob at night but not the bottle. When we got rid of it they were going for £20, bonus (machine not the baby). Super easy to use and clean even when you're in that 3am zombie mode sleep deprived state.
In terms of the option of bottle (and steriliser!) and getting them used to it. Be aware if she has a C-section then it is harder to start breast-feeding, so just be as supportive as you can be to what mum feels is appropriate at the time. And an option, though of course do whatever works for you, my mate did a mix of formula and expressed breast milk for night times and Dad volunteered to do one 'shift' of feeding so my mate could sleep for 6 hours (with earplugs in!). Their daughter had colic and just didn't feed well so they did whatever worked to get milk down and stay down. But they stuck to the routine that mum and dad had 12 hours together, then mum or dad did a 6 hour shift (6 pm-midnight or midnight-6 am) and swapped over half way through the night. They also swapped evening/overnight every so often depending on dad's work requirements, because as other people have said overnight can be lonely but you also both need sleep. Good luck and enjoy!
Cheeky wipes are the reuseable wipes, I prefer using them to wet wipes, less fear of tearing and poo on my fingers/hand!
Bless you theotherjonv. Like I said luck played a big role for us but it wasn't always easy. No-one should ever be made to feel ashamed, being a new parent is hard enough.
At the end of the day many friends did one of the other and all of their kids are growing up happy, healthy and equally as annoying.
Xx
firstly congrats.
I cba to read everyone elses suggestions im sure they are all good.
My 2penneth.
its hard on mum. Keeping mum happy / alive does the same for baby. Get as much food in as you can. Have bags of sweets / treats for mum and stull to look after her.
grab a microwave sterilizer. nice and easy.
get loads of nappies and babywipes. people will say bet the cloth ones but knackers to that, when your covered in shit it all just wants to go in the bin.
get a thermometer thats fast! one that you have to stick under an armpit for a few mins is no good. get a braun digital one.
get a gro egg. Yes they are not that accurate but it will give you a guide and coupled with the thermometer will be piece of mind for you.
babywipes and cloths.
Oh and go with your instincts. people will force all sorts of ideas on you. do what works for you and dont get upset they are just trying to help. dont be scared by the health practitioners theyll change their tune after 6 months.
look after mum. and yourself. But look after mum.
Some kind of sterilisation system? What
Child 1. Started off sterilising everything until I thought about it. Then realised the amount of bacteria that must go into a baby via their environment is astronomical.
Child 2: Didn't sterilise a thing. Stuck stuff through the dishwasher mostly anyway which I'm sure does the same.
get a thermometer thats fast
Definitely pony up for a gun type thermometer early doors. You won't regret it
You can get a little six pack of pre mix formula bottles with sterile teats that are about 70ml each.
Buy some as your emergency back up for the day the fridge breaks/ kettle blows up/ wife goes missing / all of the above at the same time. Stash them in the back of the cupboard and remember them for when the fan gets hit.
If you're sensible, stash another six pack with them and just style it out when others would be up the creek.
Also, they're perfect for a day out with baby without wife. We had a full day wedding where wife was bridesmaid and couldn't be around the baby most of it. Fill your pockets and you've always got body temp sterile formula on tap, without having to go through finding kettles and sterilising, and sortting powder.
Also worked for trip to zoo while wife went spa with buddies.
Colic burpy stuff.....Ashton and Parsons powder and Infacol
Tummy tub! Honestly this was the best thing ever for our two. No chance of dropping the baby and doesn't do your back in, unlike standing over a bath.
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