gearing up for the baby..

almost in my 34th week of pregnancy. and my last child birth was 6 years ago..

hmm.. barang baby banyak yang dah bagi other family members and kawan2. yang ada pun dah lama sangat.. ye lah, Hanif dah 11 y.o, and Sofea will be 6 y.o in 4 days time. in a way, banyak juga yang kena beli baru.

so, for the past few weeks kita dah mula survey barang2 baby kat kedai, visit online shops and blogs. dah mula juga shopping barang2 baby... tapi belum complete.

excited nak menerima kehadiran orang baru tak bermakna semua perlu beli baru. sekarang ni banyak pilihan, cuma kita perlu bijak memilih dan membeli. guided by the latest PaMa magazine, i created a checklist on the needs for the new baby, and would like to share it.. harap dapat dijadikan panduan :)

1. Baby wear
• shirts - you can prepare both long and short sleeve shirts, but staying in this hot climate country, i found long sleeves are not really necessary. as for the sizes, i would advise not to buy newborn sizes as babies usually grow very fast. just buy 2-3 pairs of 3-6 months sizes, and the rest should be more than 6 months size. for a start, i found front-buttoned shirts are more practical and easier to use on your fragile babies as compared to those without buttons. pullover shirts are more advisable when the baby's head control is better. as the baby grows you will definitely buy more clothes.
• pants - your baby will need both short (day time) and long pants (night time). the sizes selection is the same as for the shirt.
• mittens and booties - you need a lot of these. i prefer to buy those with similar pattern as the shirts/pants. but you may also want to buy a few universal pairs which can match along with many kind of shirts. your child will need these mittens until about 3-6 months of age, when they start gripping things.
• bonnet/cap - you just need a few.. with different colors/style. it is only used when you take your baby for outings. you might also want to buy a few sets sold together with mittens/booties.. nampak sungguh cute bila pakai semua satu pasang.
• rompers - baby sungguh cute bila pakai rompers.. masa baru lahir ni mungkin tak perlu lagi, but as the child grows, belilah a few..
2. Baby Diapers
• disposable diapers - i used disposable diapers for all my babies previously. you just need to find the ones that suits your baby well, and do not leave rashes on them. for a beginning, you can start with a pack of newborn size, and followed by S size. change the diapers every 4 hours, or as soon as it is soiled.
• cloth diapers - these modern more eco-friendly have been introduced the past few years. although it may cost you > RM35/piece, it is still considered economical in the long run as you can use the same cloth diaper till your baby reach 3 years. you may need 6-7 pieces for a start, and may add some more as your baby grows. similar as disposable diapers, you need to change the diapers every 4 hours or as soon as it is soiled.
• inserts - used together with cloth diapers. usually all cloth diapers are sold together with inserts.
• wet wipes - really useful in the first few weeks of life to clean your baby as you change the diapers. but always clean with water whenever the baby passed motion. wet wipes are also very useful while travelling
• pelapik menukar lampin - you need these to protect the beddings from getting dirty or wet. also useful during travelling.
3. Baby care
• baby powder and lotion - baby have delicate skin. lotions are needed to make sure the skin are kept soft and supple. the powders are required to keep the skin dry and prevent rashes, especially over the skin folds at the neck. powders and lotion also leave a wonderful smell on your delicate babies.
• hair comb/brush - babies scalps are sensitive.. therefore, a soft hair comb or brush is needed. some babies develop cradle cap.. you need to always clean it with baby oil.
• nail clipper - new mothers sometimes are scared to clip the baby's nails. choose nail clippers with safety features.
• nappy rash cream - there are many creams out there. some that work on other babies may not work on yours. try with small tubes first.. and continue with a bigger tube if no reaction seen.
• barut / baby binders - many modern mothers may not feel this necessary. but i still use barut for all my babies.
• baby wrap - nowadays, there's a lot of choices on baby wraps. the use of the wraps - bagi baby rasa selamat dan kemas as if dalam pelukan.. and therefore can sleep more soundly. i usually use cotton napkins as baby wraps.
• cotton buds/balls - these are to keep your babies in a hygienic condition
• minyak telon - honestly, i don't like minyak... but i found minyak telon/minyak yuyee cap limau really nice and useful to prevent baby colic.
4. Baby bathcare
• baby tub - this is a must for any first child. many options are available out there. look for safety features such as anti-slip or textured bottom tub.
• towels - need at least 2 for a start. look for soft, fluffy towels. many comes with beautiful patterns, but choose the ones that really serves the purpose.
• facial towels / handkerchiefs - need a few to keep your baby clean and hygienic, especially following feeding.
• baby bath/shampoo - you will definitely need these.. buy small packages for a start, and observe for reactions. if it suits your baby well, you can continue with the same brand in the future.
5. Baby nursery/beddings
• baby crib/cot - i had a passed-over baby cot from my sister. but i don't really feel it necessary as i prefer to sleep with my baby next to me on my bed. it is easier and more practical for breastfeeding purposes. but cots are really nice and beautiful. if you think you really need it, find the ones that can be used until pre-school age. some cots come with extra features eg. can be converted into playpen or sofa bed or junior bed as the child grows.
• playpen - may also serve as baby cot, but is more portable as compared to baby crib, and can be easily folded for traveling. the price is slightly cheaper than cribs.
• mattress and pillows - even if you don't buy cribs/playpen, you will definitely need matresses and pillows. chooses the ones that is comfy and safe for the baby. if  you choose to use cribs, you will also need to buy cot bumpers.
• bedding cover - buy the ones with colorful and beautiful patterns, long lasting materials and easy to clean.
• blankets - a must. you need a few. some are hooded, some are not. come with interesting cartoon characters, patterns and colors.
• baby rocker / bouncer
6. Baby feeding
• Breastfeeding
• breastpump - wide choice: manual, battery or electric powered pumps. you might want to consider the size and weight of the pump, and whether it suits you or not. most pumps come with a carrier bag.
• breastmilk storage bottles/bag - you will need many of these, at least 8-10 bottles
• cooler bag - especially needed if you're a working mom. it will keep your expressed breast milk within the required temperature while you are away from home.
• reusable ice-packs - to be used together with cooler bags. it may maintain the desired temperature up to 12 hours
• Bottle feeding
• feeding bottles (BPA free) - glass or plastic. make sure it is BPA free and safe for the baby.
• baby teats - comes in different shapes and sizes.
• bottle brush - a must.
• milk powder container
• thermos - not too big or too small. find the one which is easy to carry for traveling.
• a bag/basket - to store all the necessities on traveling.
7. Baby carriers
• baby carrier - pouch or sling or moby wrap. we seldom use the baby carrier we bought previously.
• strollers - wide choice out there. buy the ones that fit your budget.
• car seats - i sold hanif's car seat to my friend. working mothers will need these. i really found it useful for Hanif. but you need to train your children using it since small. otherwise, they don't like it (like Sofea).

fuh.. panjang jugak ye.. anyway, hope this will be beneficial for 'mothers to be' out there :)