Baby care items- wipes, diapers, wash questions etc!

"HollyLewis" wrote in message
...
We did try Ayr saline solution, once (someone gave us some), but
breastmilk
worked as well. And DS learned how to blow his nose pretty early on.

How did you teach him how to blow his nose? I am currently trying
without success to get Julie to do this.
--
Cheryl S.
Mom to Julie, 2 yr., 9 mo.
And Jaden, 4 months

Cleaning the house while your children are small is like
shoveling the sidewalk while it's still snowing.

On Fri, 23 Jan 2004 15:21:56 -0500, "Cheryl S."
asserted:

"Katie" wrote in message
news:401169c9.5861221@shawnews...
I keep hearing/reading this but our hospital (BC Women's
in Vancouver) now advises to not use alcohol, but to just
wipe the cord stump and area with water. I don't know
why they've changed their recommendation.

I've read that using alcohol kills off the beneficial bacteria that help
the stump detach.

Thanks, Cheryl. That makes sense.

Katie
DS Nov 7/03 (11 weeks old today!)
Real email: sphyrapicusathotmaildotcom

"Jill" wrote in message om...
"Irene" wrote
8. Is there anything you MUST have, or NEVER use (baby powder, baby oil,
etc?
Well, you have to be careful with baby powder, since it's an
inhalation risk. DS has/had good skin, so I never bothered with
anything.

I get stuffed up from baby powder so I plan to do whatever is necessary,
never to use this! I also never thought about diapers being perfumed since I
have never lived with a baby it hasn't been an issue, but I bet I will have
problems with the strongly scented diapers. I also plan not to use baby oil,
yech- mineral oil. If I do need it for cradle cap or whatever I may use
Burts Bees Apricot Baby oil, or if I think it will bother the baby I am only
going to buy a small travel size bottle of baby oil. It grosses me out. So
greasy. Since I have allergies and headaches, I will probably be looking for
baby wipes and other things also that are fragrance free and irritant free.

In that case, you probably don't want to use Dreft for washing baby
clothes! (I use All Free & Clear for all of us.) I also don't use
baby oil or powder - I never saw a need, and with the powder, there
was a good reason NOT to.

Irene

"Jill" wrote in message
m...
I am trying to get a list together of items I want to have on hand as
starters and items that are well-liked to try. I know it;s different for
all
but I do hear a lot of the same opinions about good products etc. The same
brands keep coming up in praise etc....I would like any suggestion or
rec's.
I am going to ask about formla so those who is can tell me what works well
for their baby so I will know, I hope to end up breastfeeding though....I
know I won't use cloth diapers I will need disposables...


Here is my list for my baby that is due soon. My husband has very sensitive
skin, and as a result, he has contact dermatitis in the winter (when he
doesn't apply appropriate lotion on himself). Just in case my daughter is
prone to it and since some babies can already have sensitive skin, I have
looked at the ingredients of some products. I have also read tips here and
elsewhere. Plus, I am frugal by choice on some things. Dunno if this is
what you are looking for. :-)


1. Best Baby wash?

Pure and Natural soap with glycerin in it. DH and I use it.

2. Best baby wipes? (no desire to make my own, need brand recs)

For traveling, Huggies Newborn with glycerin in them. At home, will use
cheap washclothes with plain water.

3. best disposable diapers?

For traveling, Huggies probably. We were given Huggies Newborn diapers that
will be used up, but we will use cloth diapers most of the time.

4. Good formula brand and type?

No comment. Will BF. I was allergic to milk-based formula so I was put on
soy formula, but I was always a sickly child. However, if my daughter must
be put on formula, I will check the newsgroup here and elsewhere for advice.

5. Best diaper rash cream?

Burt's Baby Bee Diaper Cream just in case.

6. Best bottles, brand and type?

Dr. Brown if using EBM in the future. They are designed to cut down on usual
problems associated with bottle feeding.

7. Best baby lotion?

Johnson's soothing skin baby lotion with glycerin

8. Is there anything you MUST have, or NEVER use (baby powder, baby oil,
etc?

To me, the must have's are nasal aspirator, digital thermometer, Maya wrap,
bouncy seat, crib for safety purposes when I need to do something without
her and because I have two cats. Probably teething toys.

Not using baby powder, baby oil, baby comb/brush, etc.

10. WHat should I have on hand for when I bring the baby home, and what do
I
need to have in a diaper bag before leaving the house?

Others already have given good advice.


Thanks for any info!



---
EDD: 2/16/04 Baby girl
Age 39 First baby

How did you teach him how to blow his nose? I am currently trying
without success to get Julie to do this.
--
Cheryl S.

I'm afraid I can't help. I don't recall having to teach him how to do it. He
just did it. :-)

Holly
Mom to Camden, almost 3
EDD #2 6/8/04

Jill wrote:


1. Best Baby wash?


Water ;-) I tend not to use very much of anything,
as most things seem to be pretty drying.


2. Best baby wipes? (no desire to make my own, need brand recs)


Hmmm...I haven't found any I'm particularly fond of.
DH hates the Luvs wipes and the Huggies wipes.


3. best disposable diapers?


Depends on the kid. The brand that fits one kid
the best could be terrible on another kid. I think you
just have to try them out yourself.


4. Good formula brand and type?


Not a clue. If you really want to breastfeed, I'd
recommend not even having formula in the house. Do have
on hand some Lansinoh or similar product.


5. Best diaper rash cream?


We've always used A&D ointment, but we only use
it when they have a rash, so I think we still have the
tube we got when Adrian was born almost nine years ago ;-)


6. Best bottles, brand and type?


Don't know much about this either. On the rare
occasions we use a bottle, we use the Avent bottles
(mostly just because I use the Avent Isis pump).
Genevieve hasn't objected ;-)


7. Best baby lotion?


Still looking for one I really like. The Burt's
Bees one is in the lead so far, but I haven't found
anything I really love (maybe I'm just too picky?).


8. Is there anything you MUST have, or NEVER use (baby powder, baby oil,
etc?


Never used powder or baby oil (except to remove sticky
labels from things, in which case it works like a charm ;-)
Really, I don't use much. Diapers, wipes, lotion, shampoo
are about it.


9. Other good babycare products to have?


Cotton balls are handy.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Sophie wrote:


Back in 2001 when I had my last baby plenty of people here said using
alcohol was no longer recommended to them. Well it was recommended to me
and it worked just fine.


It's not that it doesn't "work." The problem is
more that it works too well at killing off the bacteria.
A certain amount of bacteria is necessary for the cord
stump to rot and fall off. The key is to make sure that
you find that happy balance where there are enough of
the right bacteria to do the job and not too many that
you get an infection. Generally speaking, they've found
you're most likely to hit that happy medium just washing
with water or soap and water and making sure it's nice
and dry afterwards. Statistically, the cord stump is
likely to fall off soonest this way.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Sophie wrote:


Back in 2001 when I had my last baby plenty of people here said using
alcohol was no longer recommended to them. Well it was recommended to me
and it worked just fine.

We used some alcohol -- in 2001 -- because the hospital supplied some little
alcohol wipes for us.

I won't do the same this time, because DS' stump took a *very* long time to
fall off.

But my main point is that even if you do want to use alcohol, you may not have
to go out and buy it. You can just bring it home from the hospital.

That's also why we ended up with 3 or 4 digital thermometers, 3 nasal bulb
thingies, an extra comb, a little bar of glycerin soap, etc., etc., etc. We
just took home everything the hospital stocked his bassinet with. For the OP
and interested others: If you know people who've given birth recently at the
same hospital you're planning to use, ask what they brought home. Saves having
to buy stuff you might not need.

Holly
Mom to Camden, almost 3
EDD #2 6/8/04

Cheryl S. wrote:


I've read that using alcohol kills off the beneficial bacteria that help
the stump detach. As long as there is no discharge or odor it doesn't
really seem to matter based on personal experiences I've read about
here, both using and not using alcohol. The universal advice I've seen
regarding the cord stump is not to submerge the baby until it falls off,
just give sponge baths.


Even baths are not a problem as long as you make
sure the cord stump area is thoroughly dry afterwards.
All three of mine have had real baths from the hour of
their birth onwards (and they love them). The cord
stumps fell off on day three with the first two and
on day four or five with the third.

Best wishes,
Ericka

I see you already have lots of responses, but I will throw in my 2 cents
worth anyhow!

1. Best Baby wash?
We use Johnson's baby wash, it is good for skin and hair and is not too
strong smelling.

2. Best baby wipes? (no desire to make my own, need brand recs)
We use huggies natural care or something, if your baby has sensitive
skin you may need to use a softer wipe. You are probably better off buying
a small pack first and making sure that they work for you and your baby! I
got a few different types at our shower and liked the Huggies...

3. best disposable diapers?
We use Walmart's Equate brand. I really like them and they are not too
expensive. These are something else that you may need to try a few
different types of.

4. Good formula brand and type?
No idea, but I wouldn't have formula on hand while learning to
breastfeed, it just gives temptation!

5. Best diaper rash cream?
I use the store brand zinc oxide cream, I put it on probably 3 times a
day in an attempt to avoid a diaper rash. Seems to work.

6. Best bottles, brand and type?
When we do use bottles, which is rarely, we use the Avent ones that came
with my breast pump. She didn't like them at first but does now. First we
had more success with the platex nurser bottles, with the bags in them.

7. Best baby lotion?
I don't use this much, but I do have a full bottle of Johnson's from my
shower. It came in handy for the couple times she got dry cheeks and
forehead!

8. Is there anything you MUST have, or NEVER use (baby powder, baby oil,
etc?
I never use baby powder, the nurses here tell us that the babies breath
in the particles and that is not a good thing. I use Vaseline (or some
other petroleum jelly) with every diaper change and I rub baby oil in her
hair after the bath in an attempt to prevent a flaking scalp and cradle cap.
I also squirt a bit of baby oil in her bath!

9. Other good babycare products to have?
We have some lavender baby oil gel that I rub on her for baby massage.
The smell is supposed to calm and the gel goes on the skin easier then the
oil. You should also have some q-tips handy, I use these to dry the
outsides of her ears and to get out boos from right inside her nostril. I
did buy one of those nasal aspirator things but she hates it, is too squirmy
for my comfort, and the one time I tried using the thing it didn't really
work. I just let them come down far enough for me to get out with the
q-tip.

You may or may not need lots of bibs, depends on how spitty your baby
will be. You are probably better off having a couple, I got a bunch at the
baby shower so I didn't need to buy any at all.

10. WHat should I have on hand for when I bring the baby home, and what do
I
need to have in a diaper bag before leaving the house?
Our baby was 12 days early but we were pretty much ready for her. At our
house we had a few pairs of sleepers, lots of diaper shirts and onesies,
lots of receiving blankets and wash cloths, diapers galore, warm blankets to
wrap them up in, a cradle for her to sleep in, a change table, vaseline,
baby wipes, and a wash basin for sponge baths until the cord fell off.

In our diaper bag we have: 6 diapers, a complete change of clothes, 2
recieving blankets (one for changing on, one for burping with), 4 wash
cloths, a pacifier which she doesn't like anyways, a couple toys (our
daughter is 3 mos, you won't need toys at first since they don't take
interest anyways), a water bottle for me, vaseline, wipes, her mcp card and
birth certificate (I live in Canada), a changing pad, a bib, a pen, and some
change.

Best of luck,
KR

Thanks for any info!