Thursday, November 17, 2011

Mama La Vida Lanka: Baby Shopping La Vida Lanka Part 1


photo borrowed from sonalikagroup.com

Mr. and Mrs. O have been Baby Shopping since hitting the start of the third trimester.  Well actually except for the crib which we purchased waaaay before because it was such a bargain!  A second-hand small crib from one of my co-Mums in Colombo members (an Ikea one I think!) for around Php2,000!  Hubby and I are happy with our loot!  So this post comes in 2 parts: first is all about the process in coming up with the Baby Shopping List and the List itself; and the second talks about where you could actually buy stuff in La Lanka!  Hopefully both will be helpful to you – if you’re also contemplating on a baby shopping list or thinking of where to do your baby shopping in La Lanka!  So let’s start...

First, as I mentioned in Mama La Vida Lanka Book Review: What To Expect Series, What To Expect The First Year offers a good run down of what you should include in your shopping list.  I used that as the primary basis for my baby shopping list.

Then I had to check some items with my mommy friends regarding which were critical.  You see our assignment here did not come with shipping allowance (don’t ask me why) and I wanted to be my practical self.  I got some great tips and awesome feedback.  Like, you really don’t need those food processors!  Car seat – well they said not really but hubby and I decided that it would be safer to put baby in one.  Plus Baby L’s Ninang A gave us her list so we also have a good reference. 

With those inputs we came up with our list.  It was also useful to assign a budget for each item.  Since we did not have any idea on the pricing, I checked out Amazon.com for benchmark prices then entered that into our Excel Sheet.

We then scheduled our shopping days – one day in September, one day in October and one day in November.  The reasons are for practicality.  It’s hard to shop for everything in one day!  Then you have to clean the stuff you bought.  Or some you have to customize – we customized some beautiful linens.  So you have to factor in some waiting time there.  Plus since these are major purchases, you have to be wary of your cash flow as well.  One smart tip is since you have 9 months to prepare, as soon as you know you’re expecting, might as well start saving up for it!  That’s what hubby and I did.  Because there’s no such thing as Baby Wal-Mart or Baby SM here, you really have to search for shops here and there and you can’t just do it in a day.  Along the way we also met people who gave us “leads” as to what and where these baby shops are!  Then there are those that are totally unavailable in La Lanka, so I had to make advanced arrangements for these to be bought elsewhere (mostly in Manila, for my mom to bring over when she comes).

So here is a snapshot of our list – which is by now almost complete!  If you want to check out our pending items, check out our Amazon Baby Registry.

The list below contains the basic stuff we need.  Different families would have different needs.  Hopefully these will help though!  But a word of wisdom, just like Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) of Shopaholic and Baby, Baby Shopping can get addictive.  Too many cute stuff!  So shop with a purpose and start with a list tied to a budget!

Happy baby shopping La Vida Lanka!

Wardrobe
Diapers (both disposable and cloth)
Nappy Liners
Mittens, hats, bonnets
Shorts, shirts, dresses
Diaper pins
Onesies
Socks / booties
Pjs / Sleepers / Gowns
Bibs
Baptismal Attire

Travel
Car Seat
Baby Bag
Carrier
Stroller

Nursery
Crib
Crib Bumper (use with caution!)
Changing Pad
Baby Tub
Mackintosh (rubber mat)
Nappy Bin
Play Gym
Organizer
Mosquito Nets
Baby Toys
Trash Cans

Medicine
Jar of Hope
Jar of Love
Shoo Fly Don’t Bother Me
Ear Thermometer
Nursery Care Kit (Nasal Aspirator, Medicine Dispenser)

Linen
Crib Linen
Bath Towels (with hood / without)
Baby Blankets
Receiving / Swaddling Blankets
Burping Towel
Mouthwipes

Learning
Books

Home Care
Bottle Cleaner
Baby Laundry Soap

Grooming
Brush / Comb
Nail Scissors / Clippers
Powder
Baby cologne, cream, soap
Toothbrush
Sleep Like A  Baby
Moonshine
Sleepyhead
Wipes
Cotton Balls
Alcohol
Baby Lotion
Baby Shampoo

Feeding
Breastpump Set
Electronic Steam Sterilizer
Starter Bottle Gift Set
Feeding Pillow
Boncho (Breastfeeding Poncho)
Bottles with Teats
Nursing Pads (disposable and washable)

4 comments:

  1. Ang haba naman ng listahan! Wahahaha. ;)

    *just a note on powder: my pedias advise against it kasi daw the powder particles are large enough that when the baby inhales it, it could make it hard for them to breathe. so I would remove it from your list. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mahaba ba??? Hahahaha!

    Thanks for the tip on the powder :-) I shall take it out! I heard from another friend that there's liquid powder available in Sri Lanka (Mothercare brand). Would you recommend that? :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lovin this list sweety!! Will definitely be helpful for us in the future!

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  4. Glad to be of help hun! I'm so excited for you. Kebs na ang busy schedule, go procreate! Hahaha!

    ReplyDelete

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