Equipment List

While sitting up in bed sipping coffee yesterday morning I read some of a baby book (“Baby Love” – by Robin Barker) which gave me a comprehensive list of everything I will need and am yet to get in preparation for the grand arrival. I have already filled the baby’s room with boxes and bags of stuff – the pram is there, the crib is there, the baby bath, the clothes, the bunny rugs, the soft toys and so on, but there are all the little things that I would never even have thought of still left to gather. The list is seemingly endless:blunt ended nail scissors, cot sheets, waterproof cover for pram, nappy buckets, power point covers, baby soap, baby bag, cotton wool balls, mattress for crib, night light etc etc.

Hmmm, I don't seem to have enough "snappi locks"

Plus I still also need stuff for hospital and labour (pjs, snacks, heat packs, earplugs, film). I think I am in denial a little about the whole experience and delaying the big bag pack is just another way of hanging on to some idea that this is all just bloat.

While I was reading this, Big-P was sipping his coffee and reading about another adventure into the unknown in “The Dig Tree” by Sarah Murgatroyd. This is an account of the legendary Australian explorers Burke and Wills journey into the desert to find out what there was to be found in the middle of Australia. Their preparation list was also seemingly endless:
“Eight tonnes of food, six tonnes of fire wood, 200 kilograms of medications for the camels and horses and enough ammunition to win a small war… a large bathtub, an oak and cedar table with two oak stools… forty five yards of gossamer for fly veils…two sets of field glasses, two watches and only twelve water bottles”.

Hmm... we don't seem to have enough cedar tables

While I don’t think I will have as much as 20 tonnes of equipment I have a week peppered with shopping trips coming up.

Saturday night we had some folks over for dinner and Big-P impressed everyone with pizzas – the guest’s choice of toppings on top of incredibly good home made dough. There was much munching and much talk about Big-P retiring and opening a pizza restaurant.

Yesterday I spent almost the entire day on the couch feeling sluggish due to the onset of a late winter cold. This cold (and probably due to an incredibly wiggly baby) also prevented much sleep last night so I spent a couple of hours around 4am back on the couch watching Tony Robbins infomercials. At 4am Tony Robbins almost convinced me to spend five easy payments of $49.95 to get his Personal Power II tapes. But not quite. That’s some equipment I really don’t need right now, although Burke could have probably used them well.

PS. Please don’t send me any emails saying I don’t need any of this stuff – and that a baby will be fine in a bottom drawer / clothes basket wrapped up in an old towel. It’s not what I want to hear right now.

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41 Responses

  1. A lot of the things you mentioned can be bought by kit (ie. “bath kit” with all accompanying accessories or “medical kit” with thermometer, snot sucker, etc.)
    Also you can try to get things that multiple uses, like the changing table that doubles as a dresser or the lamp that doubles as nightlight/music box.

    Combining makes it easy!

    Don’t forget your baby shower! you’ll get tons of practical then!

  2. mercy! that’s quite a shopping list! and i have to have therapy just to buy a new handbag…
    anyway. what’s a power point cover?

  3. What if the towel was NEW?

  4. Yay! You updated. I get so impatient to hear how Baby-X and you are doing, I check back here all the time! Now, I get to be the first to comment. Promise you’ll post soon (not too soon, enjoy motherhood!) how things are going… what Baby’s name is, etc. Sending you all my good thoughts!

  5. Melanie — A power point cover is a little plastic cap that you can fit into a power point so that little fingers or little people with metal objects won’t stick them in the power point. I am planning ahead just a little.
    Paul — well… if the towel was new and the drawer was clean then MAYBE….

  6. I think a big concern with coffee is that many people these days drink it instead of water. Lots and lots is not good for anyone, nevermind a mother-on-the-way. I took some herbal medicine classes and was advised that a half-cup per day is actually good for you, it stimulates the brain. Of course there’s the calcium thing, that caffeine leeched Ca out of your system but if you’re getting enough (I’m not a milk person so I go for the greeny greens) then you should be fine. It really comes down to your own body, but I’m curious about the debate since I love love love my one cup per day (organic, at least) and am not sure what I’ll do when we decide to try for a baby.

  7. eradford@gmp.usyd.edu.au says:

    Greetings from Armidale! Shop ’til you drop I say (in more ways than one) and don’t forget to put in requests to all those pesky friends that may be coming to visit you, Big-P and Baby X.

  8. Oooooh, aren’t those bumps-that-stick-out wonderful? I miss those, even if they were a bit painful. When my son #1 was born, I held his foot in my hand and recognized the shape, it used to be the bit wiggling about just below my ribs.

  9. hey claire,
    i recently packed up by backpack for 7 months away and i thought i would never use all the stuff i packed!

    of course youΒ΄re going to need all these things.

    i really wish that i had taken the advice of every packing list and brought a sink plug along. but of course not and every hostal bathroom i go to is missing a plug – which makes washing my clothes very difficult.

    i think that you need to add lavendar oil and a present for yourself (a cd perhaps) to your list.

    good luck and love from pippa in madrid!

  10. nesting and getting all the baby stuff together is a very enjoyable part of having a baby, don’t let anybody ruin it for you – and it’s easier getting it all now than after baby arrives… πŸ™‚ Best wishes!

  11. Yeah, you might appreciate wheat packs and essential oils… I guess you should be thankful you don’t have any camels that need medicating.

  12. Oh! I see you have Huggies in your illo. Don’t waste your money on Huggies. There’s some much cheaper ones available, with grip tabs and all (which is why Huggies are good.)
    If I could only remember the brand.

    We were sucked into buying Huggies for ages, because that was what was in the sample bag. Brand loyalty and all that. Save your money. πŸ™‚

    Here endeth the lecture.

  13. fmitch@columbus.rr.com says:

    Shopping for you and the baby is great therapy, and it’s fun!!!! You will discover stuff you didn’t know you needed, and once the baby arrives, realise you have some stuff you don’t use, or the baby just doesn’t like – every baby and mum are different, but it doesn’t matter ‘cos at the end of the day it’s about nesting and getting into the mood – YOUR way.Good luck Claire and Big P!!!!!

  14. annamartin@ivillage.com says:

    what is a snappi lock?
    good luck with your little one! πŸ™‚

  15. hehe retail therpy for two! that’s gotta rock :]

  16. duh! of course! the american version of power point is (power) “outlet.” but the aussie version makes more sense…

  17. Enjoy all the shopping you can now — it’ll get much harder. You’d probably rather have more than you need now than having to shop for it later. If you buy multiples of something, you might only take one out of the packaging. That way, if baby hates that particular bottle or the booties don’t fit or whatever, you can take it back. Most of all, enjoy the quiet while you can!

  18. Hey, just out of curiosity, are you drinking regular or decaf coffee? I am DYING to have coffee again but here in the States they’ve been beating it into women that you shouldn’t drink any while pregnant. I’m not sure if this is right or not. Anyway, if you’re lucky maybe you can find some kind of gift set that has a lot of that little stuff already packaged together!

  19. Disposable nappies? Based on previous posts, I would assume you would be using something greener. I bet Melbourne has a nappy van or some such…

  20. marmalade_moon@yahoo.com says:

    It’s almost always better to have more than you need rather than not enough. And besides, everything you listed was very sensible and likely to help you cover all the bases. Sounds like you’re right on target.

  21. Thanks for all the kindly words!
    Row — every book I have been reading says, “Whatever you do, don’t get cheap nappies as they leak” etc. etc. Is this a conspiracy? Have you a brand suggestion?

    Lori — I was hoping shopping will get easier… I can barely walk right now and get totally exhausted after about an hour of ducking and dodging shopping crowds. Please don’t tell me it will be any harder!!

    Bunnigrrrl — we have the same thing about coffee here, but Big-P brings me a coffee every morning in bed and I have literally three tiny sips – just for the taste and the comfort factor. I don’t get any kind of caffeine buzz at all. With all the other stuff I have given up altogether this is a tiny concession. I am more worried about the caffeine in the chocolate I consume.

    Alex — ahh yes, the great nappy debate. I have been tossing and turning about this one but the most recent theory is that as far as the environment goes it is much of a muchness. Landfill vs. Chemical pollution and emissions (nappy wash services produce masses). The only safe and healthy way to do go about this is to use cloth nappies and wash them yourself and although I have bought cloth nappies and have good intentions, I am not going to beat myself up about it if I decide that washing 60 + pooy nappies a week is a bit much on top of no sleep, sore boobies and general newborn-freaking out. Baby Love by Robin Barker (which I have linked to in my entry) has a chapter on this if anyone wants to read more.

  22. Have you joined the Coles baby club? My friend said it was really good when she had her baby.
    I think you have a very sensible approach to the whole pregnancy and should be a wonderful new mum.

  23. We never had problems with leaking. It was more that the ones with plastic tabs couldn’t be opened and reclosed if you needed to adjust them. Now we use plastic tab ones anyway cause she’s only in one a night.
    I will try to remember the brand. Look for any of them that use grip tabs and try a pack out.

    As for cloth nappies, they’re not as environmentally friendly as they first seem. Not only is there the cost of water and detergent and energy to wash them (and maybe even electricity for a dryer) but they don’t hold moisture as well, so you need more, and they leak through clothes, even with pilchers (which need washing too!). We used them for 2 months and then Sam got her hip problems so we had to change.

    There are some available which are like a hybrid – cloth pants with biodegradable wadding inside that you change… but I’ve never actually seen them for sale anywhere.

    And is there any reason the nappy packet is pink? πŸ˜‰

  24. Row — I will try it out. Sounds good. The packet is pink because the packet really is pink (sorry! not for any other exciting reasons — we don’t even know the sex yet !!)

  25. noo, i’ve been a nanny for 3 years, huggies are the best! sure, they’re expensive as hell, but they’re much more absorbent than other nappies, they have cute designs on them *laughs* and the grip-tab is to die for, because you ALWAYS adjust nappies when you’re putting them on!
    take care and i’ll be reading πŸ™‚

    <3 cath

  26. M! what on earth are you doing in Armidale???

  27. Claire: You seem to be doing just great. I walked this road with my friends Kristine, Todd and Lauren when Kristine was preggers with the lovely Eva Kai (now two). List of non-essentials or no list, you sound happy and healthy. I hope you have saved Baby-X blog…what a wonderful record. I loved the juxtaposition of lists. I observe similar parallel experience with me and Peter. I’ll be in one room doing one thing and he is in another doing almost, but not quite, the same. That is a momment when I now I am relaly sharing my life with him…imagine when there will be three of you!!!

  28. Nope, shopping doesn’t get easier for a while. My daughter is 17 months old, and it’s OK now, but we have to time a trip perfectly — around naps, meals, gripiness, etc. When they’re really wee, you have to take so much stuff with you, and then half the time you end up carrying a baby on one shoulder while you push a cart with a car seat with your other hand! But rest assured, it will balance out eventually. Plus, I really wanted to hole up and not leave home more than I had to those first few months. Let someone else do the shopping and come to you!
    Some must have things to buy: a Boppy. A Diaper Genie (or other diaper pail that seals the smelly ones off). A Peaceful Planet Aquarium (to turn on in the middle of the night to mesmerize your little one).

  29. I’m just back from visiting friends in Germany who have just had a baby girl. They’ve turned insane. My advice is that you make sure the hospital gives you a receipt, just in case you want to return the baby.

  30. i just had my second baby & i could not live without my baby bjorn. besides making outings easier, it also makes working at the computer easier.
    something else you might try: if you are letting your little one settle down to music, try putting together a mixed CD of soothing music that *you* like because, more often than not, you will be the one soothing the baby & will be forced to listen to the music over & over again. we did this with our first daughter & it made bedtime much more bearable for all of us.

    i don’t think you need to worry – i think you will make an excellent mother.

  31. becky@mybluehouse.com says:

    Okay, you don’t really *need* all those things, but it sure is much nicer to have them. When I was getting ready to have my own baby (two years ago already!) I remember wondering why there was a “spray can of Evian water” on the list of things I had to take to the hospital. Why a spray can? I didn’t know. Still, I bought it. It turns out I wasn’t allowed to have any water for hours before and after giving birth to the baby, and the Evian spray can was used to spray water into my mouth to keep my mouth from going dry. Of course, a regular glass of water was what I wanted at the time but I was sure glad that I had gotten the Evian spray can after not having had any water for so long.

  32. They wouldn’t let you have water? I did.
    Oh wait, I threw it up on the midwife later. I get it.

    (Newborn huggies packs are green :D)

  33. Row – you are so right! I just went and checked and green they are. Oops!

  34. Have you had a baby shower yet? Perhaps you can register for the items on your list and your guests can pick them up for you.
    If nothing else, then try to shop for a few items at a time so it’s less overwhelming.

    Wishing you well!

  35. Just wanted to thank you for sharing so much of your life. I feel like a godfather of sorts (not the mafia kind) crossing my fingers and wishing for the best for you.

  36. This is such an exciting time and part of the excitment is buying the “tools”! Also, don’t forget to get your haircut a few weeks before your due date, as you might not find the time later.

  37. I certainly wouldn’t presume to tell you what supplies you need for your baby, but I can give you a great deal on some Tony Robbins inspirational CD’s… ha… Late one night, three years ago, during my first pregnancy, I caved into the pressure and made the three easy payments… πŸ™‚
    Best of luck… everything will fall into place…

  38. I just have to say.. AWWW about that baby-x blog thing. Hehehehe cute lady

  39. dearmisha@yahoo.com says:

    I’ve so enjoyed your pregnancy chronicle! Can’t wait to read more as the baby grows.
    I know you are probably suffering from waaay too much unsolicited advice. I can’t resist passing on a bit of info about night lights, though. There is some concern that they can damage the eyes of young children.

    There was a study in Nature a couple of years ago. The results were as follows: (a) 172 children slept in darkness, with 10 percent developing nearsightedness; (b) 232 slept with a night light, with 34 percent becoming nearsighted; (c) 75 slept with a lamp on, with 55 percent developing myopia.

    You can read more at:

    http://www.eyehealthillinois.org/visionary/win2000/

    (you have to scroll down the page a little).

    Of course a nightlight would be good for *you* to keep you from tripping in the dark. Maybe you could use one in the hall?

    All the best!
    misha

  40. I never packed a bag. I just showed up,”Hey, how you doin’? I’m having a baby here.”
    If the diaper leaks, it’s time to go on to the next size. I never tried the cheapo ones, i’m not sure of a difference. I heard the same thing though, that they leak a lot.

    And you don’t want that. There is enough to clean up as it is πŸ˜‰

  41. i loved the connection between the two stories of packing πŸ™‚