Yup.

I think the several packs of jelly babies I provided says otherwise

You didn't find anything odd about a midwife's favourite snack being jelly babies?

Luckily my son just shit his pants and reminded me why I don't want any more.

So how about the winner of the next Mafia scumm game gets to choose the baby's name?

Only fair for us to help out the expecting parents by doing such nice things.

[.spoiler]Also look a baby unicorn

[/spoiler]

I think my best advice is to remember it's all going to be ok and to not be overwhelmed with "I'm having a child" because it doesn't all come in one big swoop.
You're having a baby first, you don't need a high chair and stair gates etc etc yet, that all comes later and you don't have to look into all of that at once
Small baby first, and the things that go with that and then look at what happens after 3 months, 6 months a year etc. You don't have to know it all (or have all the stuff) in one go and you will grow into it and grow with your baby and they don't know anything either
I found a mummy forum really helpful when I was struggling it's nice to read 50 responses say "yup I had that - totally turned out ok"

Mr Mimi might like this site https://www.dadgear.com/

See, 'diaper' bags are not something I wholly get. My sister bought one to match her (ridiculously expensive) pram (because, at the time, you were nothing in Chiswick without a Bugaboo' and it was about £140. When I look at the bags (traditional ones and those rucksacks there) they just seem like normal bags that by calling them 'diaper bags' you can charge 5x the price for.

Plus I have a voucher for Boots for a free changing bag and mat if i buy a pack of nappies. It's plain black, and I am sure will do us.

Pockets for bottles, wipes, nappies. Etc

I had the flaming skull bag, it had a changing mat with it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Angelcare-AC2010-Nappy-Disposal-System/dp/B00E737PO0/ref=sr_1_4?s=baby&ie=UTF8&qid=1427886163&sr=1-4&keywords=angelcare

Use this for nappy disposal

My sister had one of those - it did seem to be a big step up from nappy bags in terms of stopping smells at least.

Life would be a lot easier when out and about if we just stuck the shit in a sandwich bag and hung it on a tree branch like dog owners do.

Or better still throw in on the grass around children's play parks like people do where I live. I have to take my son to National Trust places that have "no dog" areas before I will let him run around on grass

Life would be a lot easier when out and about if we just stuck the shit in a sandwich bag and hung it on a tree branch like dog owners do.

If you join NCT, see what they buy and use something for a week before making a choicentre. Let them make the hard decisions.

Sorry Mali, what do you mean by 'they'? As in other parents or people who run courses? IS choicecentre part of the NCT organisation?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Angelcare-AC2010-Nappy-Disposal-System/dp/B00E737PO0/ref=sr_1_4?s=baby&ie=UTF8&qid=1427886163&sr=1-4&keywords=angelcare

Use this for nappy disposal

For the first one I would choose a hospital, not suggesting that thingd will be anything other that fine with your first but its better to have everything you need around you.

As my son was 2 weeks late he passed his Meconium (first sort of poo) in the womb, this can be nasty so he had to be transferred to a pediatric station for checks, he was fine and this was just a precaution.

Also after the birth my wife had blood pressure readings that were of concern for around 30 minutes, this was due to the drug they gave her (normal procedure) to pass the placenta.

Everyone is different, I was just glad we were in a hospital for our first and people we needed were at hand

We never bothered with one of those. Nappies always went in bags and straight in the bin outside. It didn't save a fortune but it saved £8 straight away.

As for expensive bags, my wife bought one which she used a couple of times. It was just too big and cumbersome! I'd stick with your bag. It sounds much better.

(because, at the time, you were nothing in Chiswick without a Bugaboo' and it was about £140.

I want a baby bath, a pram/pushchair (I have seen the slings/carriers etc and they look great and we may well get one, but when Russell goes back to work and I am at home with the baby for some time I want a way to get down to town and do a bit of shopping... I don't drive and I doubt I'll manage to do much shopping with a baby strapped to my chest and laden with bags of groceries, with 30 mins to walk each way.

Oh, that reminds me.. I still have my IKEA antilop highchair if you want it (free), no use to me now (and probably various other baby bits in the upstairs cupboard) - do you want me to have a look and send you a list?

It turns out that our company doesn't pay anything above the legal minimum for maternity pay, so I was labouring under the misapprehension that they would keep paying a decent salary for the majority of the time Mimi was off. Instead we'll be taking a bit of a paycut.