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I’ve recently shifted back to Australia from the UK in preparation for my first child. Figured family and friends could come in handy. So in addition to expecting Baby Number One in the frighteningly near future, I’m also reacquainting myself with a country that looks the same but feels different (or it could be me), and all the jargon, tricks, products and advice about ‘shopping for baby’.

What makes it even more fun are the exasperated eye rolls you get if you don’t know about something and the assumption that – because you’re a woman – you should. I’d be forgiven for finding a cave to hide in for the next year. Like many new Mums, I haven’t got a clue. It’s all new and daunting.

I quite like my creature comforts, so I’ve opted out of the cave solution and instead went in search of help. I found it at Baby Kingdom at Bankstown in Sydney where I learned more in one hour with their sales team than I thought I would ever know.

For a start, I have to say this store is designed with sanity in mind. Actually, that’s a fib. It’s designed with insanity in mind: particularly the confused, sleep deprived and nervous insanity of new parents who don’t have the headspace to cope with a poorly disorganised store. Here you will find a neatly organised, one-floor space that tenderly guides you to what you need for feeding, getting your baby on the move, dressing and protecting your baby from the elements, and sorting your nursery space.

Babies have to eat

We started in the feeding and care section – right near the entrance. Here we found the breast pumps, the dummies, the bottles, the formula, the sterilisers and the countless other items I’m preparing myself to term as ‘necessities’ in the coming months. You can sleepwalk in, grab, pay, go.

I’m toying with the notion of a breast pump, but don’t know if I’ll need one yet so holding out – but the advice on electric versus manual was straightforward, human and honest. Basically, I’m not going to be in the mood for manual labour and some nifty person far better at maths than I has taken the time to sort an electric option. I say that’s a winner in my book. So I took notes. At the moment the Avent Electric is looking like an option, but we’ll see. I’ll keep you posted in late April.

Getting baby around: Prams, buggies, strollers etc…

Then there was The Buggy. Or Pram. Or Stroller. Or Integrated Travel System. Or Hydrogen Fuelled Infant Rocket. Honestly, my head was spinning on the Big Buggy Dilemma. In any case, I was eased into this with an explanation on a few key factors that I found helpful as criteria for this monster purchasing decision.

There are a few options on baby carriers and slings as well. I’m eyeing up the Baby Bjorn Active myself.

A place for baby to sleep

Then it’s time for the nursery – a whole other story. But it should be said that there isn’t just the cot to consider: linen, mattress protectors, night lights – it’s all there.

Babywear and grooming

You also have accessories, baby grows, grooming and skincare to consider. So there are the lotions, bathing, clothes and of course, nappies and associated products for taking care of a key preoccupation in early life.

Oh my, and then there are the toys. Which is a whole other adventure.

For the minute, I’m enjoying the fact that I actually understand all this a little better and had it explained to me by friendly, helpful and thorough people. They didn’t stare at me aghast that I don’t have the magic microchip that allegedly equips every female with immediate encyclopedic knowledge about baby kit. They have an online checklist too.

If I wasn’t eight months up the duff, I would have invited my newfound best friends out for a glass of wine in thanks.

NewbornMum looking to solve the 'big buggy dilemma' at Baby Kingdom

Now here’s a topic that people have evangelical opinions on: the big buggy purchase.

For the record, feel free to interchange ‘buggy’ with: pram, stroller, travel system, babymobile…and the list goes on. In general, I’m referring to something with wheels and a small body-containing compartment that people push their very young children around in.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not scorning the close-to-religious attachment parents have to their buggy of choice: particularly if it’s a good choice. These contraptions can be the deciding factor that will have you rating your experience of stepping out with Baby along a spectrum of ‘blood curdling nightmare’ through to ‘piece of cake’.

I found shopping for one to be one of the most difficult purchasing decisions I have ever made in my life. I’m not kidding. It outstretched my wedding gown, car and various rental property choices for pure stress value. Sounds insane, I know, but I’m not alone.

Firstly, everyone has an opinion – and they’re all valid because they come from experience. Secondly, there’s just so much choice and so many variables involved.

Buggy considerations

There is a lovely lady at Baby Kingdom in Castle Hill, Sydney, who put it to Hubby and me like this:

• What’s your budget?
• What’s your lifestyle? Indoorsy, outdoorsy, jogging, shopping, urban, rural, car drivers or using public transport?
• How much can you handle lifting? Including if you fall pregnant while you’re still in ‘pram mode’ with your first (or second, or third)?
• What car do you drive and how big is the boot?
• What sort of space do you have for storing it at home?
• How many kids do you plan on having?

Then she got to work with us. And she was terrific.

Buggy rationale

We like to go for walks, sometimes in parks and certainly along the beach or at least along roads that run alongside the ocean. So we need weather protection for Baby – in the cold and in the heat, as well as good suspension on the wheels and tyres for various terrain. We also need storage compartments to carry around the 8,000 varieties of paraphernalia you need to get you from A to B.

Three-wheeler options also seemed to be easier to maneuver, so we decided on that configuration.

We’re not millionaires, so something middle-of-the-range, and a really good deal at that, was really what we were looking for. We don’t drive a massive car. We got ourselves a Subaru Forester, which is pretty generous on size, but then, we also don’t have much space at home for storage when the buggy isn’t in active service.

We also would use this contraption for shopping, and ideally (in my dreamland utopia of parenthood) provide our darling little bundle with the comfort of somewhere to sleep. They do sleep occasionally, right?

I’m not the strongest woman in the world. In fact I have no upper body strength to speak of. Now, I’m told that will change, but in the immediate future my wimpy self needs a pram she can actually haul into the car.

We are planning on possibly having more than one little bundle of joy, but rather than get ahead of ourselves, a dear friend advised me that she often pops the newer of her children in a sling whilst older sibling either sits in the pram or, more recently, walks alongside. Sounded reasonable to me. So I stopped looking at tandem arrangements – not that I don’t think they’re quite a nifty solution.

Buggy of choice

I don’t know why, but there was just something about the Valco Matrix Dart style that appealed on sight. But I also had very reliable and sensible friends chanting the mantra of Mountain Buggy, Quinny and Bugaboo. So investigation was required.

Phil & Ted’s Explorer seemed like quite a good option. Neat little bassinet attachment and, of course, it has the adaptability of a toddler seat or inline options made this a good choice to accommodate the as yet unmade Baby Number 2. I loved the easy access shopping cart and that it folded down so magically. I just wanted a bit more in the way of canopy cover and an easier mechanism on the brakes.

We wandered over to Mothercare at Castle Hill, where they had a great package on their My Choice three-wheeler. The package pretty much gave you everything – rain cover, bassinet: the whole deal. It was very modular, so you just removed or replaced the components as you needed them and it has to be said, the design is lovely. Again, I’d like a little more in the way of a canopy (personal preference). But this was definitely a contender.

Big in the way of a canopy is the Baby Jogger City Elite. Their three-wheeler was terrific. Good storage space for shopping. Oh – and the one click fold is a dream. Really. Not to mention that the brake is on the handle and out of reach of little fingers – so easy for you, and safe for Baby. Just fab. The seat folded down for a newborn, which is great, but I wanted a bassinet (again, just a personal preference from a novice – scoff if you will), and that was in addition to the package at the time. I would recommend this stroller if you’re not married to the idea of a bassinet. Really good buy.

Back to Baby Kingdom, where I ogled the Quinny, Bugaboo, Emmaljunga and Stokke ranges. They are all utterly gorgeous, but I have to confess I didn’t really try them out to their full potential because they were out of our price range. What did occur to me – particularly with the Emmaljunga range – is that if I lived somewhere with a really cold climate they would definitely be the buggy of choice. They all just had beautiful design features, high-quality fabric, and I loved that the Quinny handle allowed you to have the baby facing you or looking outwards.

Baby Kingdom also had a great deal on the Mountain Buggy Swift at the time, which was going for $AUD599 with the bassinet thrown in. The Mountain Buggies look great and their colour spectrum is really funky and vibrant. I loved the fact that it weighed 9.5kg and can take up to 35kg in weight, and the fold-down procedure was really easy. Great brakes too. Our only hesitation here was that it folds down flat and compact – which is terrific – but the length took up the entire boot floor of our car. I loved it though, and we really very nearly bought this. It was our number 2 choice.

The Valco range includes the very neat and compact Ion and Ion Plus. The Ion Plus would have been our choice as it includes the bassinet. If we were only looking to be just indoors or sticking to paved surfaces, this was just the ticket. So incredibly lightweight (8.6kg) and folded down to next to nothing: great for those of us who are sans muscles. Hubby just wanted a bigger handle, and the wheels may not have coped with our walks. So went a bit bigger… and encountered the Valco Matrix Dart Plus.

Loved it. The hood expands, pretty much entirely sheltering your little one in a safe little cocoon and it can take up to 22kg in weight. The brake is really easy to use. Great storage pocket at parent height, and a generously sized shopping compartment underneath baby. It does weigh 11.5kg, but I guess I’m just going to have to harden up. It folds down in two steps so that it’s sort of compact in a boxy way, which suited our car boot as it left room for shopping and other bags alongside it. The bassinet is currently included in a deal at Baby Kingdom – a nice price at $AUD499.

I allowed Hubby to select the colour choice, given I’ve chosen everything else. He went with taupe. See, I would have gone with the grey…but you’ve got to let the boy have some say. Or do you?

My Valco Runabout pram was a gift from my sister. She used the Valco Runabout with both her children and showered her praise for the product – she insisted I use it as well. So I thought I’d see if the Valco Runabout would perform as well for me in Brisbane as it had performed for my sister in Sydney’s urban environs.

I took Baby for excursions to the Brisbane CBD as a newborn with the Valco Runabout in the Bassinet configuration. Baby seemed very cosy in the pram’s bassinet and when it was time for her to be in the seated configuration she seemed comfy too. The ground can get pretty soggy in Brisbane, especially with all the rain we’ve experienced this summer. So the ‘all terrain’ wheels came into their own to demonstrate they can perform in some of the most challenging weather conditions.

While it’s still wet, wet, wet in Brisbane, I thought I would road test the Valco Baby Protector Deluxe Raincover. The Protector comes neatly packaged and when I unfold the Protector it is quite intuitive as to how it fits on my pram. I slip the Protector over the pram, put the rear skirt at the handlebars and velcro the sides. I then stretch the elasticised foot over the foot rest and button it onto the frame. Super simple and could be done quickly if it rains unexpectedly. It provides some protection for Baby from UV and insects too.

The Protector is constructed from three main materials, a water repellent fabric which is black on the outside / silver on the inside, a clear waterproof material providing a flexible window for Baby and a stretchy black fabric for ventilation. The components are well assembled, the velcro is securely stitched, the zipper is clearly good quality and the whole product is hemmed neatly with a black edge.

So it’s time for Baby to review the product. I zip open the Protector and place Baby in her pram seat. At first she looks a little surprised to be zipped in but pleased she can see through her clear window. As we head out for our walk it starts to sprinkle, this doesn’t deter us, Baby reclines and takes in the view. I’m pleased knowing the Protector is well ventilated and Baby will remain completely dry. The Protector fits older and newer Valco models, including the Valco Baby TriMode, TriMode EX, Matrix, Quad Strollers and Runabout.

Another neat accessory I’ve found that is made by Valco is the Bevi Buddy. It holds large size cups and water bottles up to 1.5 Litres. It is fairly straight forward to attach the Bevi Buddy to your pram. You wrap the fastening strap around the pram frame, secure the Bevi Buddy cup holder to the fastening strap. It’s easy to attach / detach the holder with a push button. I’ve positioned the Bevi Buddy on the right hand side of the pram, so I can easily access my water bottle during our walks. For additional storage on my pram I have the Vee Bee Universal Net Carry Bag. It’s a sheer mesh bag perfect for carrying Baby’s water bottle, rusks, teething rings and toys.

Once again the Valco Baby Accessories highlight the ‘Versatility’ of my Valco Baby Pram. My Valco pram transforms from fine weather to wet weather conditions, from urban to regional, from bassinet to seat mode and extra storage mode. To find out more about the latest Valco accessories visit the Valco Baby website.

It would appear from the title of this blog that I’m expecting a highly developed child who will trot into the RTA and go for their provisional license at six months of age. Not so. Mind you, how much easier would life be if this was possible?

Science fiction aside, a new car is going to be a necessity for this ‘soon-to-be-Sydney-Mum’. Baby needs to be moved from place to place and until Sydney’s public transport system improves about one million fold, car it is for the time being.

I would like to opt for a more compact car or better still a hybrid or electric car in an effort to reduce my impact on our fragile planet. The former is no longer practical. The latter is not affordable (for the moment anyway).

So it was with much sadness that I embarked on the trudge around Sydney’s various car dealerships in search of a good second-hand car to do the job. The experience was – as always – every bit the soul-destroying demonstration of chauvinism I always fear it will be. I largely went it alone…unless you count the bump, which I don’t think effectively communicated my ‘empowered female’ attitude at all.

Car advice for baby

I asked around in advance for what I needed to keep in mind, and got a bunch of advice – including thoughts on specific brands and their mechanical prowess that made absolutely no sense to me or registered on the ‘care much radar’ at all.

However, helpful advice from seasoned parents included:

• Make sure the boot accommodates not just the buggy or pram or stroller or whatever you call it, but your shopping and any other stuff you need to put in your car too. Including yourself.
• Ask about the anchor points: Where are they? Do they reduce the boot space? Are they easy to get to?
• Four doors are a must. How often have you seen a poor parent bending their spine into the shape of pretzel around car seats to get to the capsule and waking/possibly dropping/certainly disturbing their blissfully slumbering infant in the process
• Auto vs Manual: a heated debate. More stuff goes wrong with an automatic. The stop-start of a manual combined with the eight-arm dexterity and rearward-facing eyes required of new parents may not be the best. Jury is out. Mine was, anyway, to lunch I think.
• Seats that fold down are a good thing. The space needs to be flexible, and so do you.
• Side opening boot doors are a preference – easier to maneuver when you’re short on hands, but upward opening is ok if the lip of the boot is low. Big fat tyres on the back of boot doors aren’t really an appreciated design feature when you’re already laden with various heavy items.
• Low boots win, high lips on boots not a great thing. Heaving that buggy in and out of a car is going to be the bane of any parent’s existence, so access is key. Also a friend pointed out that that a low and roomy boot allows you a little space for an emergency nappy change. Quite nifty!
• Consider safety very carefully. It’s important. You’re transporting very valuable cargo here.
• Central control on window and door locks is a great feature. Curious little hands do get the hang of these things quite quickly.

Car for baby: the expedition

I don’t cry easily, but a hideous man from an unnamed car dealership in Auburn in Sydney’s western suburbs had me there.

It was a 32 degree summer’s day, I’m eight months pregnant, had driven there on the Sunday because they advertised they were open then – and weren’t. Returned on the Monday (in equally scorching temperatures) and asked to test drive one of the cars and mentioned my husband would come with me in the afternoon to take a look if I liked it. I was told it was too much hassle to take the car out twice in one day and to come back later. I didn’t.

Twenty or so dealerships later and a few private sale investigations and we had the following shortlist:

• Suzuki SX4 Crossover: really fab car, but the boot was too small for pram et al.
• Holden Zafira: suited our needs in every way, but the seat sits too high for my short little arms and I had to reach down to get to the handbrake. Fine for the longer limbed of us. They don’t make this anymore, which is a shame.
• A Toyota Corolla Ascent wagon (up to a 2005 model): great little car with a fair sized boot…if you can find them. They’re like hen’s teeth.
• The Subaru station wagons – Liberty or Outback: just fantastic, really. Great sized boots, safe cars, roomy cabins, run like a dream. A little pricey for our budget, but if I had a bit more cash I’d go for it.
• Subaru Forester: as with the station wagons of same brand, great car and sort of between a station wagon and an SUV. Besides, the in laws drive one and they make sensible choices, so there was a good family endorsement there.

The decision

I got a call from the lovely Seddon at AMR Motors in Petersham, located in Sydney’s inner west. Seddon seemed to defy the entire stereotype of car salespersonship that I had encountered previously and I honestly thought I was hallucinating when we went to meet him. He was decent, and straight talking and helpful. I asked the Hubby to pinch me, but I was in fact awake. So then I asked him to please stop pinching me.

Seddon had a great 2002 Subaru Forester in impeccable condition with just over 70,000 kilometres on the clock and going at a great price. We drove it. We measured the boot. We went for a little spin. We bought it.

I do feel like I’m driving my parent’s car because it’s all so roomy and grown up. So I keep expecting to be asked for the keys back. Then I realise we’re ‘The Parents’ and that freaks me out even more. Anyway, it won’t be roomy for very long. I’m about to fill it with a buggy, a bassinet, a capsule, a baby and bags and bags and bags and bags of stuff.

Watch the films on YouTube: Subaru Outback, Subaru Liberty, Subaru Forester.

The Chicco Open Seas Playpen was delivered during Mothers Group at my place, amongst the chaos of Mums and Babies in every corner of my house. All of us were curious to see this portable playpen. The last time Australia saw this type of “portable” playpen was nearly 10 years ago.

Initial impressions were the playpen was very attractive in appearance. As the name suggests, the Open Seas Playpen has a sea theme – complete with a dolphin, fish, crab, starfish, sea horse and turtle. The playpen is surrounded on all four sides by a strong sheer netting in a beautiful hue of blue. As baby was lowered into the playpen, there were many comments from the other Mums that she did look like she was submerging into an underwater world.

Once inside the playpen, baby looked around and explored her new aquatic environment. The big play area of one square metre was sufficient for baby to freely crawl around. She crunched the tactile starfish, played with the dolphin’s tail and pulled herself up to stand on two of the soft handles. There is a soft handle on each side of the playpen and the handles are cleverly designed to be a helpful height to assist a baby learning to stand. These handles can also be used to attach toys. Two soft toys come with the playpen, a turtle and a sea horse – these toys have proven to be a hit with Baby and her friends.

The portable playpen was easy to assemble and very similar to assembling a portacot. The frame clicked easily into place and the colourful mat featuring all the sea creatures was placed at the bottom. In fact, the mat can be removed and used as a playmat or used as a mattress if needed. The playmat is also fully washable.

Another cute feature of the Chicco Open Seas Playpen is that one of the netted sides unzips – to allow baby to get in and out. There is a small height difference between the playpen and the floor, so it’s sensible to put a mat or rug to compensate for the height difference to make it easier for baby to crawl in and out. Once Baby left the playpen, she turned around to crawl back in! After Baby had finished playing in the playpen, another baby was quick to explore the playpen.

We all agreed the Chicco Open Seas playpen would be great to take in the boot of the car when visiting Grandparents or friends that may not have a suitable play space for baby. It’s easy to assemble, bright, fun and when the babies have finished playing is compact to fold up. The playpen comes with a very practical bag with a handle to make it easy to transport.

The playpen is made by Chicco, a company which is over 60 years old and is still family operated. To find out more, visit the Chicco website www.chicco.com.au The Chicco Open Seas portable playpen can be purchased online from Baby Kingdom www.babykingdom.com.au. To purchase the product, click here – http://www.babykingdom.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=4974&section=search&cat=

I was given the BabyBjorn Original Carrier from my sister who had used it for her first child 8 years ago!

Like most well designed products the BabyBjorn Original is durable, aesthetically pleasing, timeless and highly functional. Baby sits securely in the outer shell and can face inwards or outwards. I must say both Baby and Dad look cute when she is facing outwards. The straps which cross around the back are secured safely at the base and side of the shell. The BabyBjorn can be adjusted as baby grows in length and the Original is suitable for baby’s up to 11kg.

I find the design ergonomic and combined with the well stitched durable light weight fabric – Baby feels lighter in the BabyBjorn than when I am balancing her precariously on one hip!

The BabyBjorn has been fantastic when traveling by plane as I have my hands free to carry my onboard luggage and I can weave my way through the airport terminal knowing baby is securely next to me. Baby found it so comfy on my last plane trip that she fell asleep while in it.

A cute accessory I have recently used is the BabyBjorn bib. Baby is currently teething and quite the dribbler, the bib protects the carrier from the dribble – smart thinking by those Swedes.

I realised baby had mastered the art of sitting, when she managed to sit in a highchair and hold a menu at the same time!

The quest to develop the skill of sitting, started on her Mamas’n’Papas playmat. Baby maneuvered from a crawling position to a sitting position, by rolling over and propping herself up on her playmat. She was a little shaky at first, but with lots of practice and encouragement, she began to improve.

To assist baby in her pursuit to sit, we bought her a Prince Lionheart Bebepod Boost Seat. It has a soft plastic moulded seat which allows baby to sit comfortably and is easy to clean. It comes with a compatible tray, placemat and toy. The seat has a three point child safety harness and best of all is the dual strap which allows the booster to be strapped to an adult chair.

We found the Bebepod to be wonderful when we were travelling, as we could transform any adult chair into a baby high chair and could feed her wherever we stayed on our roadtrip. For more information on tips for baby’s road trips, see Baby Car Travel.

With the festive season coming to an end, those that have celebrated Christmas and New Year with baby away, will be travelling home. Here are some tips to help make a long car trip home comfortable for you and baby.

In my experience, a young baby can only travel comfortably for about 3 hours. My baby loves sleeping in the car and I try to plan the drive to coincide with sleep times.

For protection from the sun while on the road, organise detachable car shades which can be repositioned on your rear windscreen for baby, Tommee Tippee manufacture a good range of sun shades for the car.

Ensure baby is sitting comfortably in the car seat or capsule. I hired a Safe-n-Sound capsule from the Queensland Ambulance Service, to enquire contact Smart Services Queensland on 1300 369 003. My baby is so comfortable in her capsule, that she often falls asleep in the car and I can carry her inside in the capsule where she may sleep for another hour – if I’m lucky!

Pack baby’s clothing, bed linen and blankets in a soft bag to maxmise space in the boot. I generally pack over a few days to ensure I don’t forget anything when we’re ready to leave. A well planned roadtrip will be easier for you and baby.

It is the season to be jolly! And a picnic is a great way for you and baby to catch up with family and friends.

When planning your picnic, choose a location which is picturesque, has suitable facilities and adequate shade. Bring hats and sunscreen for yourself and baby. Banana Boat makes an excellent range of sunscreen for babies, children and adults. Hats with ties can prevent babies and little ones from pulling them off.

Outdoor shade huts are a great idea, put a rug inside with toys and you’ll find it a place to congregate for all the little ones. The babies will love the interaction with the other babies. Bring your stroller to the picnic site and once they’re tired they can retreat for a nap.

Make it a gourmet feast for the adults, planning the dishes you’ll each bring. Outdoor games like bocce are fun to play too.

Finally, relax and enjoy the good company.

The festive season may lead to more plane trips for baby to meet family and friends. Here are some tips to help prepare for traveling with your baby.

Ensure your infant is booked on your ticket. Infants less than two years old travel free on most Australian domestic airlines. When traveling with an infant, you may not be able to check-in online. So leave yourself enough time to complete manual check-in and get to your gate with baby. Strollers and gear associated with your baby can be checked in with your luggage.

Plan to take books and toys with you to entertain baby during the flight. Some items may inadvertidly entertain airport security too. A friend of mine was asked to explain the functionality of the breastpump in her carry on luggage to airport security – very awkward!

Once you do board the plane for a domestic flight, you’ll be given an infant seatbelt. It looks like a small version of an adult seatbelt complete with buckle. It has a big loop, you thread your seatbelt through the big loop to attatch the infant seatbelt to your seatbelt. International or long haul domestic flights may organise a bassinet for baby.

One tip is to feed baby during takeoff and landing. This may help them feel more relaxed and the chewing motion may help their little ears.

Plane travel with baby is easier than you may expect! So safe traveling this Christmas and Bon Voyage!