Baby monitors and breast pumps advice

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1097 posts

Uber Geek

#1938484 14-Jan-2018 10:18

If you're thinking of getting a DECT monitor from Amazon at all for whatever reason make sure to go for Amazon UK as US use different DECT frequencies to NZ - believe UK use the same as NZ

blackjack17

1705 posts

Uber Geek

#1938486 14-Jan-2018 10:30

A few other things to think about.

Reuseable nappies. If you get them from alexpress/Alva baby you will save a fortune. We use disposable ones for sleeping but otherwise reusables. You need about 20 if you want to wash every 3 days plus inserts.

Stroller / runner we have just got the babbyj ogger summit x3. Good runner but bit heavy for and everyday pram. The baby jogger CT is a good everyday stroller.

Don't worry about car seats for the first 6 months just hire a capsule.

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timmmay

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#1938490 14-Jan-2018 10:36

Sangenic do a good nappy bin. Keeps the smell in. We use disposables, easy.

We got the second smallest mountain buggy, because the larger ones are heavy and would have trouble lifting in our car. Just make sure whatever you get has some shock absorption, air tyres is enough.

Hobchild

623 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1938502 14-Jan-2018 11:37

I understand babies are expensive but I just don't see the point of hiring a breast pump when we can buy one and use it for as long as we need. The only one available from baby factory for instance is $840 for 6 months but what if my partner breast feeds for a year or 18 months like her mother did. We have already hired a capsule and stroller and we have been gifted another from a friend.

Thank you jnimmo for the Amazon advice I wouldn't have thought of that. We are divided about whether we need video or not, we do have a cat but we can easily close the door to keep her out so I think it might be a bit much then again it might be great just for piece of mind. Though I'm sure I could set something up using an old phone or something if I wanted to.

blackjack17

1705 posts

Uber Geek

#1938546 14-Jan-2018 12:02

My wife just pointed out that if your partner is expressing at work she will need some thing portable. She suggested the medela swing or a cheaper option might be unimom Allegra

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timmmay

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#1938552 14-Jan-2018 12:16

Audio has worked fine for us so far, 14 month old. The time you might want video is when they're a toddler and can get out of bed. For example I've seen photos of a niece who got out of bed and fell asleep on a pile of her toys, like lego. We avoid going into our boy's room when he's sleeping because it can wake up him. So I guess I've given you a case both for and against video there. I'd probably get audio to start with, and video later if you need it.

Baby stuff doesn't sell for much on trademe. Original condition stuff like capsules, sure, but most other things lose most of their value.

Lastman

306 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1938572 14-Jan-2018 13:29

timmmay:
Kids are expensive, get used to it!

Have a look at Breastapo. New parents are constantly bombarded with "breast is best", to the point it's approaching brainwashing. NZ midwives and hospital staff aren't even allowed to discuss other options, to the detriment of the child. Agree there are advantages to breast feeding, but if a woman can't breast feed it just serves to make her feel like a failure. No evidence that "breast is best" is ever offered either - not that I particularly doubt it, I just wonder how much better it is.

Though I don't really want to get into a debate here.

Agree on the breast feeding points. Our baby was born c-section and around 2kg. This often delays the milk coming in and my wife never produced enough anyway. We basically decided on formula ourselves as the baby was losing too much weight. Hospital and midwife kept pushing breast feeding and my wife was only getting frustrated with it.

Went on to formula and never looked back. Baby is thriving. Breast is probably best but not in all circumstances.

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Hobchild

623 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1938574 14-Jan-2018 13:41

blackjack17 thank you she will check at work on Monday to see if she has got use a constant power source.

Timmay yeah I agree I think audio is a better option at least for a start off. But yeah once they start moving might be time for an upgrade.

I have to admit I am rather shocked about the price differences between buying in NZ or buying overseas, a medela swing double breast pump for instance is roughly $500 in NZ but if I buy it from amazon UK it works out to be about roughly $320 including shipping.

timmmay

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#1938576 14-Jan-2018 13:50

It's not when they move you want an upgrade, I think, it's when they move from cot to bed. No idea how old they are when that happens... 2? 3?

A lot of baby stuff is cheaper overseas. Marks and Spencer in the UK has really good quality baby / kids wear at much cheaper than NZ stores for comparable quality. Things like those onesies, you buy a pack of 5 there, some of those overall type things, all good. They have nice features like two matching domes being different colors so when it's 2am and you've had no sleep you can more easily get them done up ;) Shipping is cheap, or free if you spend enough. Just stay under the customs limit.

blackjack17

1705 posts

Uber Geek

#1938581 14-Jan-2018 14:06

Hobchild:

blackjack17 thank you she will check at work on Monday to see if she has got use a constant power source.

Timmay yeah I agree I think audio is a better option at least for a start off. But yeah once they start moving might be time for an upgrade.

I have to admit I am rather shocked about the price differences between buying in NZ or buying overseas, a medela swing double breast pump for instance is roughly $500 in NZ but if I buy it from amazon UK it works out to be about roughly $320 including shipping.

My wife has http://www.unimom.co.nz/forte-automatic-breast-pump $255 she was happy with it. It did develop a fault right at the end but they fixed it for free outside of the warranty period. We don't need it much for our second as he took the breast much easier.

Expressing at work is not just about having access to power, its the hassle of setting it all up each time and lugging it between work and home.

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lokhor

2858 posts

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#1938743 14-Jan-2018 20:15

blackjack17:

Hobchild:

blackjack17 thank you she will check at work on Monday to see if she has got use a constant power source.

Timmay yeah I agree I think audio is a better option at least for a start off. But yeah once they start moving might be time for an upgrade.

I have to admit I am rather shocked about the price differences between buying in NZ or buying overseas, a medela swing double breast pump for instance is roughly $500 in NZ but if I buy it from amazon UK it works out to be about roughly $320 including shipping.

My wife has http://www.unimom.co.nz/forte-automatic-breast-pump $255 she was happy with it. It did develop a fault right at the end but they fixed it for free outside of the warranty period. We don't need it much for our second as he took the breast much easier.

Expressing at work is not just about having access to power, its the hassle of setting it all up each time and lugging it between work and home.

Yeah we have that one and my wife swears by it. At work she was using a Hakaa pump like this: https://www.haakaa.co.nz/products/silicone-breast-pump (buying from AliExpress or something is a lot cheaper though)

All comments are my own opinion, and not that of my employer unless explicitly stated.

Nimma

98 posts

Master Geek

#1938809 14-Jan-2018 22:18

Congrats to the OP.

We got a cheap foscam camera (8916W) for both our boys. Video is good to see if you should go in or not. Good in wifi coverage and if you are comfortable with your security to any other network that is internet connected.

We bought one of these and used for both boys

http://www.babyfactory.co.nz/philips-avent-comfort-single-electric-breast-pump.html#.WlsekKjXbIU

Useful things to have. Good if the wife wants a wine (pump and dump) or gets mastitis. Wait till you need one before you buy. We used one for both babies and gave to our friend when we were done as you can replace the contact parts.

NZ Hospitals are signed up to the Baby Friendly Health Initiative (BFHI) where breast feeding is encouraged. If the baby is not putting on weight they will always supply formula during your stay and show you how to prepare so don't stress about getting your own.

Good luck and enjoy your baby.

Scott3

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#1938829 15-Jan-2018 00:30

We have a little three week old, and can offer some advice.

We were gifted a cheap baby monitor, and are yet to use it. If you you both have a decent chunk of time off work I wouldn't bother getting one yet.

Advise is to sleep newborns in the same room as parent(s), so no need for one at night time, During the day I pick up the Moses basket (get one of these or a bassinet, complete with sleeping baby, and transfer it to the lounge, where we spend most of the day.

Note babies do not care about light or noise (conversational levels). The womb is a very noisy place, and our baby loves white noise generators, hairdryers, lawnmowers, blenders etc. It is ideal if you keep them used to a noisy environment.

I guess if you were alone, a baby monitor would allow you to do things like washing the car, gardening etc.

Regarding breast pump we have the Medela swing (single), was recommended to my wife over the Philips equivalent as this brand is specialised in the area. We have used it three times, and it works good. It comes with a power adaptor, but can run on 4 AA's. If you are going to run batteries, get some high end rechargeable (enaloop pro or similar), as it uses them fast. You also need a sterilizer. We have got a additional bottles, milk bags etc which we are yet to use. Advise is to introduce your baby to the bottle between 3 and 4 weeks, otherwise you risk not taking it.

Big savings buying this kind of gear used. Despite the sterilizer, my wife didn't want to used stuff, so we have a new one.

Other things of note:

You will get lots of gifts of baby clothes, and they grow fast, don't buy many yourself.
Don't bother with a special nappy bin yet. The consumables for these are expensive, its capacity is small, and it is a bit fiddly to use. (I brought a sangenic bin, and 13x consumables when they were on sale a farmers, used up first consumable in like 2 weeks). Newborn poos (except for the first 3 days where you will be in hospital anyway) don't smell. Currently using a 20L bucket, and a supermarket bin liner, and saving the sangenic consumables for when baby starts on solids.
Check your baby capsule fits in your car. In our car (12 year old corolla), it required the passengers seat to be so far forward my knees touch the dashboard. - have mounted it in the middle center seat, and it pokes between the seats, but I don't think all cars allow for this mounting option.
If the birth is done at Auckland hospital, you will be transferred to birthcare for a three night stay, immediately after a natural birth, or after two days in hospital for a cesarean. Auckland hospital let me sleep on a matrices on the floor (private room, free or charge), and things went generally well. Due to a rush of pre Christmas births, and my wife no longer requiring epidural pain-killers, Auckland hospital discharged us to birth-care after one night. At birthcare, if you are transferred from hospital, the standard room is a shared room, where partners are not permitted to stay overnight. Cost to upgrade to a room where partners can stay is $380 per night. I figured (especially as I live 5mins drive away) that we could spend the $1200 better elsewhere. In hindsight I recommend just paying this. Essentially while the staff at birth-care were generally great, they were under-resourced to be able to handle new mothers recovering from surgery, without any other support. Not worth the drama, ended up getting wife and baby discharged two nights early to avoid further drama.

E3xtc

773 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1938838 15-Jan-2018 07:45

We have a motorola video monitor. The video thing is a double edged sword because you get accustomed to watching and then you 'need' to watch and you find yourself starting down the paranoia road trip and watching all the time:D But I wouldn't get one without it (if I had to do it all again) - even as a newborn being able to see movements, where they are in the bed, and where other things in the bed/room are etc is invaluable. Our little person went into his own bed/room at 6 weeks (he outgrew the moses basket and was just a damn noisy sleeper!!), so being able to keep an eye/ear on him was well worth it.

But yeah the temperature monitor aspect of it has been well worth it too (asides from it reading about 2d high)....much like a water temperature monitor for baths...both are great and indispensable.

I think the whole breast pump thing could be largely down to personal preference - but we were happy with the electric advent pump from Philips....we never thought about renting...but the time you get it on special from Farmers/etc at 50% off, buying it outright and then selling it afterwards recoups all your cost anyhow...no brainer for us! :D

fizzychicken

313 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1938962 15-Jan-2018 11:13

I have this camera

Philips-AVENT-SCD630-37-Monitor

It is great, ordered it from amazon US. Missus loves the video and wifi range and the battery life is awesome. Night vision is good. I havent used the two way radio option to play music or speak to the baby as he doesnt seem to like that. It has been great to see if he is awake or not, sometimes he will get up and moan and roll round his cot but as long as he isnt sitting up then we know he will just go back to sleep. My wife has said she couldnt understand how anyone can use an audio only one as she would always want to be checking on the baby. Of course for the first 6 months the baby co-slept with the wife so this isnt the kind of thing you need to rush out and buy.

For breast pump I would recommend borrow or rent one. My wife had low supply issues which we only found out after she started feeding the baby, you wouldnt have thought she would have a problem from the size of her. We first used a tommee tippee portably pump but it was slow so we hired a madela unit, in the end we purchased this...

unimom forte-automatic-breast-pump

having one for each breast and the bra-hands-free strap saved her loads of time as with constant expressing to keep up with demand and try and increase the supply, wife found she didn't have the time to sit there holding a pump. We did get the manual hand pump converter for the bottles but eventually her supply built up and she was able to use a non-mechanical pump...

haakaa silicone-breast-pump

It seems that if you have good supply then these are cheap and easy to use. I would note that the unimom bottles are not that big so for formula top-ups or for when using formula and not breast feeding we use tommee tippee bottles.

As for tips....our kid is now 15 months (first and only) and I can see from the coffee group that everyone is different and every baby is different so do what is right for you. Our kid turned out to be a great deal of work, and still is, so I personally found that anything that bought me 5 minutes of times or saved me having to do something was money well spent, so with that in mind I recommend

Tommee-Tippee-Bottle-Pouch-Warmer I never used the pouches but this meant I never had to worry about bottle temperature or dealing with pans and clean up, stick the bottle in and come back when it beeps, worth every penny I paid.

Tommee-Tippee-Closer-Microwave-Sterilizer same as above, perfect sterlised bottles in 5 mins, travels well.

Some people dont like the nappy bins as the liners are expensive but I only ever get them if they are on 50% sales so I stocked up. I love the bin, lives next to the change table, easy to change, all biodegradable, scented so they dont smell (not a worry during the first few months), still using it everyday. I have this one korbell-nappy-bin

cloth diapers used as burp cloths, still using these now cotton-terry-nappies

hire a car seat, you dont know what kind you need until the kid arrives, Our boy is huge and outgrew the one I bought him within 6 weeks, now I have this thing so I shouldnt need to get another. Ideally I should have hired one fort the start instead of paying money for one that I then had to sell on. Evenflo-ProComfort-Symphony-DLX

It is very true that what you buy before the baby comes along is more for you then it is for the baby, it was fun to go overboard and get a load of stuff and decorate a nursery but nearly everything remained unused for 6 months and we were inundated with gifts (mainly clothes and toys). Baby is fine with mum and a good place to sleep. If you are lucky enough to get a totally chill baby then you wont have much need for anything, if you end up with an ADD hyper insomiac who eats everything like mine then you will need a lot of stuff to occupy the baby and buy you free time. Just wait and find out before worrying about what you need or what you should get.

edited for: also farmers tend to have nursery sales every few months. It has been 50% off which it is worth getting up early for to avoid crowds and sell-outs...however I have heard that they are planning on cutting back on the frequency of these and doing less than 50% sales in the future.

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