Kathryn is a journalist and sub-editor from the UK who married a Canberra boy and settled here. She’s worked for Woman’s Day, Slimming, Woman (UK), BBC Good Homes (UK) and the more local CityNews, and is the mother of 2 beautiful children.
I wasn’t exactly sure what “getting organised” would involve, but I wanted to start providing for our little one. He’d need somewhere to sleep, some form of transport, something to wear and something to play with when he arrived. And I really wanted to check out those huge baby superstore places and start some serious shopping.
But the first time Dan and I walked into a baby shop we felt flummoxed. It didn’t seem like a world where we belonged. It smelled of baby powder and every corner was jam-packed with what might well have been essentials – we just had no idea.
Meringue-like, puffy cribs, giant giraffes, frilly gingham daybeds with so many pillows and doonas there was no space for a child, shiny mahogany cupboards to match stylish sleigh cots, change tables and rocking chairs (with co-ordinating rocking footstools) and a dazzling array of strollers, prams and bassinettes.
We decided to look at the big things first – cots and prams. But the shop was too distracting and everything seemed like it might be important. What about a car seat? Is a baby sling a good idea? A portable cot? Is it too soon to think about a high chair? Do we really need a tropical-island baby gym with a “tummy-time” surfboard?
In the end we pushed around a few prams, conducted tests (races) and decided which one looked the least bizarre for us to be in charge of. Nothing felt right. We eventually left without having bought anything. It was just too much to take in. We would have to do some research.
The following weekend we braved the shop again and actually bought a cot. We felt proud of ourselves for making such a commitment. Then friends lent us their copy of the Choice Guide to Baby Products and the brand we’d chosen wasn’t listed. We had checked that our cot complied with Australian standards, but perhaps our priority had been that the side slid up and down easily. As soon as we put it up we became paranoid that bub would somehow slip down the minuscule gap at the side (even though it was clearly the designated 2.5cm). Buying-for-baby was exhausting.
Clothes shopping was made easier thanks to hand-me-downs. We hadn’t expected any, as the majority of our friends and family have produced girls, but pretty soon we had bags and bags of second-hand clothes deemed boyish enough for our little man – that is, anything our nieces had outgrown that wasn’t pink or flowery. So happily we have lots of white, green, yellow and duck-patterned items, from cute hats with ears and flannelette all-in-ones to velour dungarees and sleeping-bags with arms. Clothes – done! We were also given crates of brightly-coloured, rattly toys that rustled, pinged, sang and squeaked. Toys – done!
We felt organised, though not for long. Perhaps we’d need a baby bath, nappies, creams and bathing things. And what of bibs, hooded towels, bunny rugs, muslins, waffle wraps and fleecy blankets? Why does all cot bedding come with a mini pillow case even though pillows are forbidden for newborns? The list of what we might need never seemed to end.
Our friends with children all had different opinions about what was vital, what was a luxury extra and what had seemed like a good idea at the time but had in fact been downright useless. We were also warned not to buy too much as we’d probably be showered in gifts when the baby arrived.
It’s daunting knowing you need to prepare for a baby while not knowing anything about the things you need to buy. But gradually we figured out what we might need. It seemed sensible to hold off on many of the smaller items so we could see what would work for our baby as we got to know him.
So we kept it basic and practical. Well, mostly. It’s just that the tropical-island baby gym, with the bendy-scrunchy palm trees, happy shrimps and smiling pineapples, was really cool. So we treated ourselves. I mean, provided for our child.
Coffee Break is a parent’s insight to life in Canberra. If you’d like to contribute, we’d love to share your view of the world with other like-minded mums and dads. Just send your contributions through to feedback@canberrakids.com.au along with your contact details.
