Baby On The Way, What Could Be Useful To Get From Europe

[yeti]

Hi,

Our first baby is on the way, and as my parents will come over few months before delivery they asked me if there is anything they could get us that would be difficult to find or very expensive in Thailand.

As we didn't even begin to think about what we will need after the birth, I am asking more experienced parents here: if you could, what would you get from Europe?

Thxs

[nikisue]

I am trying to think back when my daughter was born and if there was anything I felt I could not get in Thailand. I do think it depends on where you live. If you are in Bangkok or in travelling distance then you can get everything you need. And probably at a better price..... Now my daughter is older there are some things that I have brought back from Europe. The first is clothes, just because I love the clothes that you can buy in Europe for young children, the design and quality.. I also brought back a pram, as they have some great models that were not available in Thailand. I also brought back a stairguard - as now she is of walking age and stairs in our house are an issue. I also got a bed guard. As now out a cot and needs a guard stop falling out the bed. And now of course many books, DVD's and CD's. always a plus.

What happened to me was I used what was available in Thailand, and all was fine. But when I returned to Europe for a holiday, I went shopping and of course I wanted everything I saw. Probably not really needed. What is useful (don't know if you can buy in Thailand) is miltons sterlizing tablets. You can put them to disolve in water and all the baby's bottles and things, really easy and quick to use.

[Boo]

Def milton tablets, couldn't be found anywhere & nothing similar in a different brand. Decent cotton cot/crib sheets & cellular blankets. Muslin cloths for spills & to use as a light blanket when out & it is hot, also good for keeping mossies & flys off baby. A really good pram/pushchair/car seat combo. The quality vs cost is so much better in the UK IMO.

Also worth parents bringing over the vest style baby grows, ones without legs, we used these for my son to sleep in (3months when we brought over from UK) & they can be picked up for less than a fiver for 7 in the January sales. Also for during the day if out of the house, the short sleeve or sleeveless baby grows with shorts style legs. Keeps baby nice & cool but not sweaty when held.

When we came over I checked out all the other stuff & can get sterilisers, cots & cribs & other stuff but the bedding options were really poor (lots of polyster mix, scrathcy silky crap) as were pushchairs & car seats for the money.

Take a look at the argos website under baby & nursery, also mamas&papas & mothercare websites will give you a good idea of whats on offer & what you haven't been able to find in los.

PM me for pics if you need to know what babygrows I am talking about

[samran]

push chairs!!

Bluddy expensive in Thailand, cheap as chips back in the west.

[SnakeBite]

Car seat for children, hard to find here and very expensive if you want QUALITY and SAFETY.

[think_too_mut]

Car seat for children, hard to find here and very expensive if you want QUALITY and SAFETY.

World leading brand, Combi, car seat (and carry capsule) + prem it fits in, were 32,000B in BKK and 32,000B in Tokyo.

I did not have to ferry them.

Prices of car seats only in BKK, also by Combi, are identical down to 1 baht to what they are in Japan.

Over last 4 years there was absolutelly nothing that was needed and could not be found in BKK.

The only drawback is - those top class products are imported once per quarter and choice of color or models may be restricted in weeks prior to stock replenishment.

[torrenova]

If coming from UK, get them down to John Lewis and you get on the net.

Buy Avent bottles and teats (get the whole range and enough), a microwaveable sterilizer (no more tablets). Muslin squares (cannot have too many), some breathable blankets, some initial clothes (buy bigger than you need and don't buy newborn, they are too small).

In fact, John Lewis have baby planners who will go through it with you. They have great literature and their website is fairly good as well.

If not living in Bangkok, consider pushchairs / car seats / all in one systems. Not necessary but you won't have time to go after the birth and Bangkok is terrible if you are pregnant.

Perhaps a moses basket. Again, John Lewis has some fine examples.

Get a baby holder (seat sort of thing) to put in the baby bath which they do not have in Thailand.

I went back about 3 months before the baby was born and spent the afternoon in John Lewis getting some things we wanted. A nightmare to get it all to the airport but glad I did it now.

[Boo]

Agree about clothes size, newborn is good for a month max but 0-3months is better. May be a bit big on lo for a while but then will last for 3-4 months. Another thing I found was babies clothes in los were too small for my baby as he is half thai half UK & is bigger than the average thai baby, not by much but noticable on leg & arm length.

[torrenova]

Agree about clothes size, newborn is good for a month max but 0-3months is better. May be a bit big on lo for a while but then will last for 3-4 months. Another thing I found was babies clothes in los were too small for my baby as he is half thai half UK & is bigger than the average thai baby, not by much but noticable on leg & arm length.

I bought some in John Lewis in the UK (our baby is Thai / Western as well) and I did not bother with the newborn size. With the baby being 3.8kg, the 0-3 months I bought were of little use after less than 2 months.

In Thailand we tend to buy Enfant clothes and she is constantly about a size ahead but they have a good range. Well stocked at Tesco in Pattaya with a constantly changing selection. We tend to buy long sleeved and long legged seperates for nightime and short ones for daytime. They work out about Bt120-180 per piece. I really rate their quality and am pleasantly surprised we can get them here.

[Boo]

Next are quite good on sizes, they tend to be quite big when starting but last much longer. The designer ranges at debenhams are nice designs but they tend to come up small (suppose so you wil buy more, more often?) M&S do good sized baby clothes too. LO was 3.6kg at birth & is now 2 1/2 feet long & 9/1/2 kgs at 7months but can stil fit into the 3-6m two piece pyjamas with feet from M&S. Good to know there are some decent brands in tescos lotus to be found, I'm sure in BKK there must be more choice too but we were up in KK & they had practically nothing!

[yeti]

Thank you all for your inputs, lots of interesting information there.

So I asked them already to bring sterilising tablets, and a baby holder for the bath (this seems to be useful, comments from other posters?).

As for the clothes, given that it is winter in France, I think that most of what is available there will be way too hot for Thailand.

Boo, a quick look at Google Images gave me a good idea of what babygrows are, I think.

Concerning the muslin squares, is it typically an english thing? Seems it is possible to find some in France, but only one brand (BambinoMio, 18€ = 13£ for 6) and it's not really a common thing.

One more question: we have a swimming pool at our condo and I certainly plan to go with my daughter. Are swimming nappies available in Thailand, and is it useful (I guess it is)?

[bkkmei]

These are things that I asked folks to bring over from the UK:

- baby monitor - you can get them in Thailand but they are quite pricey. So I ordered mine over ebay and sbdy brought it over.

- breast pump - ditto

- dentinox shampoo for cradle cap

Also bought a steam sterilizer from abroad

All baby grows have been bought in Bangkok e.g. Bobae market, Pratanum Centre... carry export stuff. Found that I've got a lot of clothes in 3-6 mth range now due to gifts!

Agree that bedding is not great here - and Mothercare is expensive here!

I think sling choices maybe greater in the UK too.

[torrenova]

Forget all else apart from a microwave sterilizer. No steaming, no tablets. just get from Avent (John Lewis, Boots etc.). You wash then put in with 200ml water then 4 minutes in the microwave. 21st century technology. Can't believe someone is still considering tablets and the like nowadays. Really, do yourself a big favour. About £20 or something.

Just noticed today that Carrefour has started stocking the Le Bon / Enfant range here in Pattaya.

Another thing is Sudafed cream which I have yet to see here.

Muslin squares are about £5 for 6/8 in John Lewis.

Haven't seen swimming nappies here.