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Soldato
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So what items and devices have you all found a must have, I hear that perfect prep machine is very handy.
What not to get as well.
 
Soldato
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Can't understand parents who force their babies to sleep in another room and let then cry and cry etc.

We always let our daughter sleep with us. No issues as if you think back, humans always slept together. Be it in caves, mud huts etc. Forcing a child to sleep in a room on its own when it clearly upsets them is plain wrong.
 
Don
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Can't understand parents who force their babies to sleep in another room and let then cry and cry etc.

We always let our daughter sleep with us. No issues as if you think back, humans always slept together. Be it in caves, mud huts etc. Forcing a child to sleep in a room on its own when it clearly upsets them is plain wrong.

I guess it depends on your definition of sleeping "with you" - co-sleeping has been proven to increase the chance of SIDS, where-as co-habiting (bed in the same room) has proven to reduce chances of SIDS.

I agree with you though, I despise the cry-it-out method.
 
Soldato
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Stoke area
So what items and devices have you all found a must have, I hear that perfect prep machine is very handy.
What not to get as well.

Tbh, 2 kids (5 and 2) and we've not bothered with any of it the second time around. £200 swinging chairs, baby monitors etc...mostly useless and takes up so much space.

Microwave steamer for bottle cleaning
Good push chair/pram
Cot

Save the money, put it towards more books/toys later when they are 1+
 
Soldato
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Middlesex
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
SIDS thought it was agreed to loose the acronyms in this thread. What the hell is SIDS.

As above. Often referred to as cot death.

Second one on the way, due in September. Pretty excited. Now we just need to find a bigger place to live that we can afford (they appear to be mutually exclusive, haha).
 
Soldato
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That's horrible :(

They don't really know what causes it, but there are factors which increase the risk. Babies sleeping on their belly for example, is proven to increase the chances.
But only if placed on their belly, if they can roll then its ok iirc. i.e. if the baby rolls themself. I think its recommended that they are placed are their back tho so if they want to roll over its their choice.
 
Don
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But only if placed on their belly, if they can roll then its ok iirc. i.e. if the baby rolls themself. I think its recommended that they are placed are their back tho so if they want to roll over its their choice.

When they are old enough to roll themselves, usually they are outside the risk window for SIDS anyway
 
Soldato
OP
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So what items and devices have you all found a must have, I hear that perfect prep machine is very handy.
What not to get as well.

Generally speaking, a moses basket, loads of sleep suits, nappies and wipes, and muslin squares. Thats all must have stuff.

Stuff that has been handy: feeding pillow (imagine a bigger version of those neck pillows for airplanes that goes around your waist) was great for when she was very little. Now she's nearly one and the most useful thing is her little chariot (seat with wheels so she can run around Flintstones style) as it keeps her busy and safe so we can sit down for a few seconds. She's started walking now so we can't leave her for a second now!

Everyone says that monitors are a waste of time, and to an extent they kinda are because you'll hear your baby crying unless you live in a big house. On the flip side, if she is just fussing quietly I can run upstairs and stick a dummy in her mouth and she'll go back to sleep. By the time she is crying it's usually too late to get her back to sleep easily. So early detection is a plus imo.
 
Soldato
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On the subject of dummys, if you can avoid them then absolutely do so.

Both of mine had dummies, I regret it in both cases!

Our lad stopped using his dummy once we got back from the Canaries in December last year (used it for the sucking effect for landing. We were prepared to get him off it before the holiday but thought it would help out if he had it. It did to an extent). Just took it off him and he moaned a bit then got on with life. Never needed it since. He was a week or so short of 23 months old then. At 17 months he slept in his own cot bed without bars. He's getting a full size single bed next week. He is now a week over 25 months old.

We had/have it good. Very lucky to have a baby/toddler/child the way he is. Just the terrible twos now. Arrrhhhghggg.. :)

edit: his climbing has settled down a great deal now. I think hes forgot about the drawer unit in his room. He just climbs on the dinning room chairs and sits down, which is pretty good really. Odd occasion hes got on the table but he soon got down once we told him not to get on.
 
Soldato
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We purposefully choose not to offer either of our 2. It can damage development of teeth. Also baby wipes can clean pretty much anything, I've started using them to clean mucky finger prints off walls and doors.
 
Soldato
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Stoke area
Everyone says that monitors are a waste of time, and to an extent they kinda are because you'll hear your baby crying unless you live in a big house. On the flip side, if she is just fussing quietly I can run upstairs and stick a dummy in her mouth and she'll go back to sleep. By the time she is crying it's usually too late to get her back to sleep easily. So early detection is a plus imo.

I think that's 2 of the worst things you can as your making a rod for your own back.

If they are just fussing quietly, leave them, they learn to nod off on their own then. if you go running in they are going to expect it every single time. As for dummies, or blankets, big no here. Trying to get them to leave them when they get older is a nightmare. I know of only one person that managed it without too much fuss, and that kid was 3 and she had to give her dummy up so Santa would visit. Every other parent I know has had a nightmare experience getting the weened off dummies.
 
Soldato
OP
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I think that's 2 of the worst things you can as your making a rod for your own back.

If they are just fussing quietly, leave them, they learn to nod off on their own then. if you go running in they are going to expect it every single time. As for dummies, or blankets, big no here. Trying to get them to leave them when they get older is a nightmare. I know of only one person that managed it without too much fuss, and that kid was 3 and she had to give her dummy up so Santa would visit. Every other parent I know has had a nightmare experience getting the weened off dummies.

Yeah I hear you guys. We don't give her a dummy during the day because we want her to start talking more. It's just a night time thing. Also, we don't go into the room unless she actually starts crying, but if you leave it until she gets worked up it tends to be a long night. It's just easier to keep her asleep rather than let her wake herself up crying.
 
Soldato
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Cut the dummy before they are old enough to ask for it. We took our daughters away at about 18 months but she knew what it was and it took 4/5 days of tantrums. With our sons we took them away at 6 months and they were fine in one night.
 
Soldato
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Stoke area
Yeah I hear you guys. We don't give her a dummy during the day because we want her to start talking more. It's just a night time thing. Also, we don't go into the room unless she actually starts crying, but if you leave it until she gets worked up it tends to be a long night. It's just easier to keep her asleep rather than let her wake herself up crying.

I think that is the thing a lot of new parents don't realise, all kids are different. My little lad sleeps through and we can sleep in until 10 some days because he's happy as larry playing in his cot. What works for one family may not work for another, hell, one worked for my daughter doesn't always work for my son.

I always tell new parents as well, when you're rocking them and think it's time to put them down, ALWAYS wait another 10 minutes :D Nothing is worse than putting them down, turning away, reaching the door and hearing that cry... :D
 
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