Shopping tips

Wanted to place this on the blog a while back but didn’t quite get to post it as our purchasing list just gets longer each day.

For mums to be you might want to check out the baby hyperstores / distributors located at Kaki Bukit Ave 1, Shun Li Industrial Park ( Tel: 68441123 – BID trading, unit no. 69)) . It’s a one stop shop where you could find stroller suppliers & baby product distributors. There is a wide variety to choose from so don’t limit yourselves to the usual shopping malls, Kiddypalace/ Mothercare retailers.

The best deals could also be found at seminars conducted by various hospitals such as KK/ Thomson Medical. Formula samples coupled with free gifts will usually be distributed at the conventions so don’t miss the freebies. For those who sign up for the KK antenatal programme( 10 sessions @$180 ), the hospital would usually organise an external seminar for vendors to sell their products. Don’t hesitate to place a deposit / make your purchases there and then. It’s definitely the best deal in town.

To give you a flavour of what your baby may need, below is a list of our purchases for Natalie from Daddy, Mummy, Po Po and Gong Gong. I’ll be updating it on a periodic basis.

List of essentials
 Quinny Zapp Stroller - Took us a really long time to purchase the perfect stroller which is lightweight, compactable, stylish and functional. In fact daddy had to carry & return the Capella (in it’s original box) which weighs 15kg to John Little Orchard and in exchange we got a lime green children carseat to match daddy’s car. It’s currently in the store room now, collecting dust but it’ll come in handy when Nat is much older. Prior to this we even went overseas in search for suitable car seats, strollers etc but cost of delivery is way too high to justify the purchases. In fact we nearly had to part with 1k to ship a Eurospec stroller which is equipped with wind breakers, snowshield etc. However the quickwitted mummy saved the day by getting the shippers (a separate vendor) to come by the store to weigh and provide us with a quotation before we pay for our stroller. The retailer is also kind enough to understand our predicament even though they had spent over an hour trying to pack the item into a makeshift box.

Quinny Zapp is a lightweight stroller with an extremely compact fold. It is a superb stroller to steer and despite its lack of recline feature has a generous and comfortable seat. It is a great choice for anyone who needs a compact stroller, or appreciates a quality stroller that is easy to manouver.

 Maxi Cosi cabriofix infant car seat – Compatible with the Quinny stroller, detachable and multifunctional – an infant car seat cum infant carrier /stroller. Winner of Best Infant Carrier, Practical Parenting Awards 2007/08

 Mothercare baby carrier

 Picollo playpen – Comes with wheels and could pass through standard door width

 Baby cot – Complimentary from Po Po and Gong Gong.

 Foam mattress X 2 – for cot and playpen. The better ones are made of latex and of course it's sold at a premium. We bought the mid range ones with air pockets to facilitate airflow.

 Cot Bumper + Diaper holder - bought 3 sets. 2 are Carters ( comes with beautiful butterfly & animal designs) and the third came free with cot which was purchased during one of Tangs sale.

 Mattress covers / bedsheets X 6 - Buy a protector as base (zipped type preferred so it does get tangled with the sheets ). Ikea sells good cotton, bedsheets which is strechable and would fit cot size of up to 28X52inches ( size of my cot). It comes in 3 standard colours, baby blue, pink and white. I like it plain without patterns.

 Pillow / Bolster X 2

 Organic bean husk pillow - Useful as back support. Nat likes it on her tummy to help with her balancing and reduce her 'jumpiness' caused by sudden noises.

 Bathtub set - Bought one which comes with a thermometer. Useful as heat could be subjective to indiv's body temp. Good indicator, particularly when you are training your maid/ thrid party to assist with bath preparation.

 Towel with hood X 3 – You’ll need at least 2-3. Buy the 100% cotton ones, polyester would not absorb the water quick enough.

 Baby blankets/ wrap with hood X 2 – Useful for wrapping baby, esp during the initial stage where you may have to visit the paediatrician quite often. I’ve made at least 6 trips to RH just to check Nat’s jaundice level.

 Face towel X 7 - Must be 100% cotton.

 Napkins X 50 - Bought and tried all brands in the market. Pureen has a closer knitting, slightly thicker to hold the liquids well. It's less painful for the wallets too and you may get the occassional 20% discounts if you purchase at Metro.

 Baby wipes (large quantity)

J&J products
 J&J head to toe shampoo – you can get these at a bargain during the expo JL sale.
 J&J body lotion
 J&J baby oil

 Mosquito net- We bought this lovely mosquito net which comes with a floor stand support and extra height so both Hubby and myself dont have to bend too low to pick / change baby. It comes with beautiful ribbons which parts at the sides like curtains. Satisfy the aesthetics and functional criteria. ( Bought it from a supplier at 25 Tagore Lane)

 Nail scissors – Concept of using a pair of scissors was really quite scary at first, but compared to a nail clipper it’s really easier and more for cutting baby’s soft nails.

Clothings
 Mittens & Booties X 6 - Buy more if you can as they tend to go missing real easily.
 Bibs X 7
 Rompers (0-3 months) X 7
 Bodysuit ( 0 -3 months) X 7
 Long pants X 7
 Baby caps X 4 - Must have, if you intend to let your baby enjoy the aircon with you.
 Baby Abdominal Binder X 6 – Covers the umbilical stump and keeps the tummy warm.

 Pigeon Airfield rubber sheet

 Pigeon soft changing mat - for the cot. None rubbery surface appeals better to baby's skin and she won't feel the temperature difference as it has the same feel as that of the bedsheets.

 Ikea Changing mat – This is definitely a good deal cost approx 10bucks. It’s mobile, lightweight, durable and comes with foam lining which gives baby the added comfort.

 Medela Pump (Electric Plus) - understand the ones with 2 phases pummping rythm may be better, but bought this a while back and it's still functional so I'll stick to this.

 Milk/ Storage Bottles – Bought couple of brands for Nat to try out ie Bfree, Avent, Nuk, Browns.) Avent bottles are designed to reduce the chances of baby developing colic but it's not BPA free.Whilst Bfree and Browns bottles are BPA free, both comes with a complicated tubing that allegedly would likewise help prevent colic. Nuk glass bottles is easy to clean with no added gadgets. Each bottle has it's stated advantages, at this stage we are still unable to tell which is Nat's fav brand as she is fully breastfed.

 Steriliser – Tollyjoy cheapest in the market, functions are simple and effective.

 Pigeon Sterilising tablet (for travel)