• Bodysuits: 6-10 long and short sleeve.

• Pants/Rompers: 3-4 pairs

• Sleepwear: 3-6 Sleeping Bags or Baby-Grows.
  

• Booties/Socks: 2-4 Pairs

• Mittens: 1-2 Pairs

• Sunhat: 1-2

• Parenting Style: Before you start shopping, stop and consider the journey you are about to embark on. Just like marriage is MUCH more than just the wedding, so too having a baby is much more than the cute little outfits and toys. If, like most of us, you want to educate yourself and make informed choices, seek out books that encourage intuitive, respectful parenting. Check out Pinky McKay for wonderful, nurturing parenting advice.

• Nursery Furniture: you might think that baby will go straight into the cot in his own room when you get home from hospital, but I guarantee when that day comes, you’ll want your baby close. Possibly the best thing you could buy is a king sized bed! (Read up on safe co-sleeping to prepare.) A bassinette, cradle or hammock that you can keep beside your bed and move around the house is a smart investment. When it comes to cots, change tables and other furniture, look for pieces that will last through to at least your child’s pre-school years. Leander and Stokke do some very clever change tables that convert to desks when the nappy days are over. Look for a cot that will convert to a toddler or day bed. Oeuf and Ubabub have some amazing designs that will look right at home in the modern nursery. Don’t stress if you can’t decide what style furniture you want before baby arrives; it really can wait. Really.

• Good chair. In the first months you’ll be sitting feeding, rocking and holding your newborn for hours a day, so it pays to invest in a comfy chair. Don’t limit yourself to spending hours stuck in the nursery, put the chair in a sunny or cosy spot in the main part of the house. Keep a folding tray table loaded up with supplies, water, snacks, book etc and you’ll always be comfortable when that quick feed turns into a soundly sleeping baby. We love the Sleepytime Rocker by Nurseryworks and the new to Australia Mo-ma Glider by OlliElla.

• Pram: Probably the most expensive baby purchase you will make. A good pram should see you through the newborn days, right up to pre-school. As easy as it is to simply go for the “It” pram of the day, it pays to do your research and find the right one style for you. As with anything with moving parts, you really do get what you pay for, so although the price may seem high, you are paying for a high use item that you need to last the distance. Look for something light, easy to fold and navigate. Quite possibly buying your pram after you have your baby may be a wise decision in selecting the correct style.   Buy the best you can afford.   The Bugaboo Cameleon continues to be a best seller for its compact and lightweight frame, as is the new Joolz Day Pram.  For a quick fold umbrella style stroller, you can’t beat the range by Silver Cross.

• High Chair: Most high chair purchases tend to be last minute and ultra-urgent as babies seem to reach the stage for solids in the blink of an eye! Be prepared and buy one now. Look for something with a 5 point harness strap for safety, easy to clean and maneuver. The clever Fresco by Bloom can be used from birth, and is great for including your newborn with the family at meal times. The popular Tripp Trapp by Stokke gives you bang for buck with its amazing versatility. Who’d have thought a chair you fed your baby in, would be the same chair they’d sit in as a teenager!

• Clothes: everything looks gorgeous in miniature, but your little one won’t stay that way for long, so don’t go crazy! A good stash of basics like singlets, all in ones, leggings and bodysuits in organic cotton will keep baby comfortable and are less likely to irritate baby’s sensitive skin. Nature Baby and Eeni Meeni Miini Moh do beautiful baby basics and we’re very excited to now stock the Layette range by Dwell Studio.

• Other ‘stuff’:  Even before they start solids, babies dribble, and well, spit up. A lot. Keep those cute little outfits dry by making sure you’ve a stash of good bibs on hand. We love the range by Eeni Meeni Miini Moh. They last and last and will still be good as new when your little one is ready to start hooking into the pumpkin! A collection of muslin wraps will come in handy as burp cloths, swaddling wraps, shade covers for the pram and a discreet nursing cover for when you’re out and about. Don’t underestimate how much stuff you’ll be carting about, so look for a good sized nappy bag. Il Tutto make beautiful bags that have as much, if not more, style as your designer handbag.   Keep your toy selection simple and age appropriate.

Breast feeding in public when baby was small was never a big deal.  There was no need to seek out parent’s rooms or a more private corner of where ever I happened to be. Provided I had somewhere to sit, I could feed him comfortably and discreetly, gazing down into his eyes as he rested calmly while nursing.  Then suddenly, as any breastfeeding mother will tell you, baby gets older and becomes far more interested in what’s going on around them than just staring up at you, making breastfeeding in public  more of a challenge. 

I’ve lost count of the number of times that I’ve flashed passers by as my distracted son with his limited concentration span, wriggles and squirms on my lap, no matter how much he wanted the feed.  Even worse, is when that distraction occurs just as my milk lets down…….we’ve all been there yes?  Seeking out a parents room isn’t always an option.  Actually, finding somewhere to sit isn’t always that easy either.  The demands of a breastfeeding toddler don’t have the subtlety of a newborns.  While a small baby will fuss and cry when hungry, a vocal toddler will inevitably say, in their very loudest voice, “I want booby Mummy!” (note to self, it’s worth creating a code word for boob to minimise public embarrassment!)

Here’s where a baby carrier really comes into it’s own.  If you’re still wearing your older baby, chances are you’ve upgraded your carrier to one designed to support a heavier child, like the Boba Carrier.  Boba is a Soft Structured baby carrier (SSC) that is intended for children between 7 to 20 kilos. Boba has a few extra inches of height to keep your centre of gravity closer to your body and support your little one's back. The innovative thing about the Boba carrier is that there are foot straps attached to the waist belt for the child’s feet to sit in enabling a healthy sitting position for the child. The foot straps not only give little tired legs a rest, but support the legs in a flexed abducted (froglike) position which naturally tilts the pelvis, fills out the hip sockets, and aligns the spine

Breastfeeding in the Boba or  Ergo carrier is as easy as slightly loosening the waist belt and shoulder straps enough to allow your child to sit a little lower, while still remaining comfortable for you.  Once bub has attached, you can use the sleep hood for some extra coverage, however the carrier itself provides a very discreet nursing option.  Your little nursling may still let go and have a look around from time to time, but the carrier keeps them in a position that means you won’t be clutching at your leaking breast every 5 minutes!

Like learning to wear your baby, breastfeeding in a carrier takes a little practise, but it’s a worthwhile skill to have!  I’ve worn and fed my son in every kind of carrier since he was born, and I can say, truthfully, that carrying him now, at over 11kgs, is as comfortable as it was when he was 5kgs. 

Baby wearing and breastfeeding are proven to provide a myriad of emotional and physical benefits for children.  It enhances the bond between mother and child by enabling both to be close and connected to each other in a practical, yet magical sort of way.  Continuing to wear and breastfeed your child past infancy, keeps those bonds strong as the world around your little one opens up to them.   

Shop for the Boba Carrier here.

Can't decide between the Ergo and the Boba?  Check out our detailled comparison post here.

Once "bubba" was safe in the carrier, she was off on her way, looking ‘busy as ever’, ‘cause that’s what Mum does, I guess. I’m surprised she didn’t pick up a square object and pretend to be on the phone whilst she strutted through bebe with her baby in carrier. I was proud of my little baby wearer, and only hope that when she’s older and has her own babies she will remember this beautiful time and hopefully enjoy the closeness too. For now, it is a pleasure for her dolls (and the odd stuffed toy) to enjoy.

Check out the new Ergo Baby Doll Carrier here…

“Baby Wearing” was a style of parenting I was essentially unfamiliar with. Sure, my ‘cluck’ had been activated anytime I caught a glimpse of a mother with a bouncing bundle of joy strapped to her chest (double the effect if it was the father carrying the baby!). I just didn’t think I was the baby wearing type. I certainly wasn’t the earthy looking mother featured in some advertising, and definitely not the fit, tanned, outdoorsy hiking mama featured in others. As I researched further though, it became apparent that the benefits to the child of an ‘in arms’ phase, far outweighed any reservations I held about type casting.

From the moment I lowered Alex into his wrap style carrier, I was overwhelmed by a feeling of ‘rightness’. I quickly realised that I wasn’t the ‘baby in his own room’ kind of mother I thought I would be. Feeling his heartbeat, sharing his warmth, and the sight of those little feet poking out the bottom just melted my heart. Alex slept soundly when in his carrier and I learned how to do everything and nothing with him attached. Our first solo outing to the local shop, startling in it’s intensity after weeks at home, was made less anxious for me by his proximity. He was safe. We were a single unit. Christmas Day was a noisy, family filled affair. Six week old Alex slept contentedly against my chest the entire time! Aside from the evening I choked on a piece of steak and had to alternate trying to free Alex from the wrap while giving myself the Heimlich Manoeuvre, wearing Alex became as natural as getting dressed in the morning.

Sundays in our house mean early mornings spent at the local Farmers Markets, stocking up on seasonal fruits and vegetables for the week ahead. Free from the peril of navigating through crowds and the constant ‘oops, sorry’ as I run into yet another stranger’s heels with the pram, I can wander the markets, hands free, casting the odd sympathetic look to frazzled pram pushing mothers, Alex on my back happily sucking on a chunk of banana. Not to mention the added bonus of all that boot space freed up by leaving the pram at home. More room for shopping!

As he nears his first birthday, Alex is anything but the clingy, spoiled child that is so often thought a carried child would be. He is used to being at the centre of attention, without being the centre of attention, so happily transfers this security to his play and rapidly increasing independence. If he is having an off day, I can pop him in the carrier and he calms quickly. What I didn’t expect though, is when he’s on my back, I get a strange urge to don khaki shorts and hiking boots and hit the trails! Just like breastfeeding, carrying Alex isn’t something I plan on giving up anytime soon. The bond is too strong, the benefits too great, although as you can see, it renders the “I can’t do the housework, the baby was fussy’ excuse, completely useless!

For those interested in the carriers seen in my pics - they are the Sleepy Wrap, Baby Bjorn and Ergo Sport Baby Carrier.

Most readers of this blog would know I am a big fan of baby-wearing.  That is, I carry my babies for as long as I can and as often as they need.  Both babies have loved being carried and spent much of their first year of life in a carrier - sleeping, feeding and just being. We have (gulp!)  6 different baby carriers and on top of this have trialled and returned a number of carriers sent to us by potential suppliers.  You name it, we’ve tried it.

Before I discuss my recent trial of the new BabyBjorn Comfort Carrier, I must share my past experience with the other Baby Bjorn models (Active and Original).    In all honesty, I have never found my Baby Bjorn carriers to be overly  comfortable for carrying babies over long periods.  My husband on the other hand, has always found the Baby Bjorn carriers THE MOST comfortable over the rest.  When I quizzed my chiropractor about this variance in comfort factor, he said (as diplomatically as possible) it was’ all in the boobs’. Ie Women have them and men don’t. When a baby is carried on the chest by  a woman, the woman’s chest draws the centre of gravity point outwards away from the main body frame, resulting in  more strain on the shoulders to carry the weight of baby. When a man carries a baby on the chest, the baby is held much closer to the frame (which is also usually a stronger frame), resulting in much less strain and an even balance of weight. Such an explanation makes complete sense to me.

Despite my previous history of discomfort with BabyBjorn Carriers, I loved the fact that the baby can face out and also that hubby was more than happy to carry them in the BabyBjorn carrier as his carrier of choice.  They also always served as a fantastic distraction during arsenic hour - for baby to be able to face out and enjoy the world was sometimes the difference between a noisy strung out afternoon in our household and one that was somewhat more relaxed.

Which brings me to my test of BabyBjorn’s latest release -  the new BabyBjorn Comfort Carrier. The main difference between this model and the other Baby Bjorn carriers is that the baby’s weight is transferred to hips to prevent the shoulder and back ache just discussed. It is also designed so that you can carry your baby from 3 months to 2 years of age. Both of these are huge advantages.  It’s also made from breathable organic cotton and (like the other BabyBjorn carriers) , it looks sleek and neat.  No messy hoods, lengthy straps, tassles or  overt, outdated branding.  Just cool, scando simplicity.

During my trial, I’ve used it on many late afternoons/early evenings when nothing else will settle Miss H (now  12 months and 12kg) other than being held by Mum. To carry her facing in at this time of day is often more of a source of frustration than comfort as she doesn’t get a view of anything but an extreme close up of my chest.  Arsenic hour (4-7pm) in our house is usually a very messy time of day mostly ridden with destruction rather than production, however I’ve found I  am often able to pop her in the Comfort Carrier facing out and still get a few chores done (such as emptying the dishwasher or do a load of washing).  I will also often take her and Master L for  a stroll down to the park to watch the activity of the world go by whilst we wait for Dad to arrive home.  For longer periods (ie 40 mins plus) I still have a personal preference for my Ergo Carrier as the most comfortable option, especially given Miss H is at the upper end of the scale (the BabyBjorn Comfort Carrier is recommended for up to 2 years or 14kg). I rarely see babies her age in carriers anymore, so yes, you could say I am in the “high-user” category.

I’m not in a position to conclude or even comment as to how I would have found it 9 months /6kg) ago. I dare say it would have been more comfortable for longer walks with lighter weight.    As for ease of use, I found that BabyBjorn Comfort Carrier substantially easier to put on than my other similar carriers, which can be very frustrating to get on especially when you have an un-settled baby crying for the closeness. That said, putting baby in the BabyBjorn Carrier did feel a little awkward as you have to hold the baby up high in the air and slide them through the carrier. Once again perhaps something that gets easier with use.

It’s impossible to recommend one carrier that suits everyone as different carriers suit babies for different stages and lifestyles. Just as different prams/strollers suit babies at different stages.     Not everyone can be expected to have a plethora of carriers on hand, however it is becoming more common for our customers to have two carriers.  We highly encourage you to trial carriers through friends and our baby carrier library, as the only way to know is to use the carrier yourself and assess you baby’s response.  After all happy and comfortable parents = happy babies:)

Bebe’s range of baby carriers can be found here.

My first baby Billy was a whopping  9.75 pounds. He had reflux and colic and would only sleep for 30 minutes at a time, if I held him upright . The novelty of sitting on my butt nursing a baby purely so he could sleep wore off as quickly as the selection of midday movies.

Enter the Baby Bjorn active carrier. I looked at the whole range of carriers and went with this one purely for the added back support (also because my husband thought it was the least feminine of the entire carrier range and was more likely to use it). Billy loved it, I could pat him to sleep on the bottom with one hand as I cooked dinner or did the groceries. It was great to use if we were out at any social event (although few and far between!). I felt more at ease with him next to me and I found it quite easy to transfer him asleep from the carrier to the car seat. Even in the humid weather we both didn’t get that hot.

I currently use it with my 2nd child (Patrick) who is 5 months old and find it just as good. He loves it when I do the shopping and seated in the front facing position plays with Billy (now 2) who sits in the trolley. Even after a c-section I still felt it was easy to use from about the 3 week mark. The only downside it that when my babies hit the 8kg mark the time I could carry them started to decrease and my back would start to hurt after about 40 minutes. I would highly recommend the Baby Bjorn Active.

Images is of Patrick asleep in the carrier…yes I have a fake beard and a bandage on my hand, we were at a Vegas themed party and I was dressed as a character from the movie ‘The Hangover’!

Meet Sara, one of our new resident Road Testers.  Sara is Mum to Patrick and Billy and is from New Souht Wales.  Welcome aboard Sara! We look forward to reading Sara’s Road Tests and also her Guest Blogs.

We bowled,

ate yummy food,

and most importantly (for me!), we shopped!

At day’s end, I was amazed with all that we were able to do. Even better was the absence of the aches (lower back for me, upper back for hubby) and exhaustion we got from our old sling!

Here are our observations:

Cons:

1. Because the fabric is sooooo long, tying it up with the ends not skimming the floor is impossible.

2. Putting bub inside the folds is a little unwieldy, but I’m thinking practice will make it easier.

3. It looks snazzy when wearing bub. But without her, we looked like we were in costume…   

Pros:

1. Sleepywrap’s elasticity is just right to make Kyan comfortably snug.

2. It did not droop the whole time she was on me, I didn’t feel that she was going to slide down or pop out over the top.

3. It provided such excellent support that not once did I catch myself leaning back or stooping my shoulders.

4. And the best part: my hands and arms were totally free to browse and pay for my shopping goodies!

That’s a full family approval of Sleepywrap from us!

Meet Rea, one of our new resident Road Testers.  Rea is Mum to Riley and Kyan and is from Victoria.  Welcome aboard Rea! We look forward to reading Rea’s Road Tests and also her Guest Blogs.

Last Friday, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a warning for sling carriers stating that some bag slings  may pose a suffocation hazard for infants four months and younger. They have specifically quoted the Infantino sling (please see here for official warning).
Bebe is of the optinion that wearing an infant in a well-constructed carrier  and using proper babywearing techniques are of utmost importance. When done properly, babywearing is a very safe and beneficial parenting tool.

When caregivers learn to use their carriers properly while keeping safety and common sense in mind, babywearing can be just as safe, or safer, as carrying a baby in-arms. A correctly-used baby carrier’s positioning should mimic how you would hold a baby in your arms.  The photo above shows the correct way to hold a baby in a sling.  When positioning a baby in a sling, ensure:

- A normal in-arms holding position is fairly snug to your chest with baby semi-upright

 - Check to ensure that your baby is not curled up tightly in a chin-to-chest position; this compresses your baby’s airway. Making sure there is a fingers’ width or two between their chin and chest is a good guide.
Make sure your baby’s back is straight and supported.

- Monitor your child at all times. Make sure nothing is obstructing their face.

-Be aware of how your movements affect the baby: avoid any bumping or jarring motions.

We remain committed to promoting babywearing with numerous benefits for both babies and their caregivers. Always observe precautions listed in manufacturer instructions and enjoy all the wonderful benefits of wearing your baby.

Note- Please note the safety precautions relate to bag sling carriers and not to upright carriers such as the Baby Bjorn, Sleepy Wrap, and Ergo Carriers.

This week’s Facebook contest gives you the opportunity to win a Baby Bjorn Organic Active Carrier (valued at $219.95). Entering is as easy as carrying a baby. We want to know WHAT BABY PRODUCT YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT?  A favourite lovey? DVD/CD?, Bath toy? or that hidden bottle of only-after-5pm-vodka (maybe not . . .) Whatever it is, we want to know and you just have to tell us.

To enter, visit our Facebook page www.facebook.com/bebeonline and post your answer. You will see our competition on the Facebook Wall. 

Please note this contest has now closed. Congratulations to Amy Green!