Medicine/Health Kits question...

[nicknack]

Not sure if this goes in this section, but I thought it might. BRU has lots of those kits for health care of baby, with the nose thing, clippers, etc...Do you prefer one kit to another? Should I even go with a kit or should I just get things separately?
Thanks!
nicole

[brubeck]

I ended up going separately because there were specifics I wanted about most of the items that weren't all met in a kit. For example, I wanted a nasal aspirator with a detachable tip and I wanted clippers with a bulb to hold onto. And the comb and brush were useless for my essentially hairless children.

I guess if you really want EVERYTHING that's in the kit it's worthwhile, but we're only talking about saving $1 or $2 at most from buying everything separately, so go with what you WANT.

[Marisa6826]

I agree with Helen. A lot of those kits only come with sample sizes anyway.

Remember that you CAN'T use Motrin (ibuprofen) until the baby is six months old unless your ped says otherwise.

The Little Noses saline kit is nice. The "nose sucker" has a really soft end and the saline is a necessary thing to have.

You might be able to do a search for "first aid kits" here and see what others have in their houses.

Here's some stuff to have on hand though:

Baby Tylenol

Saline/Nose Sucker

Rectal Thermometer (most peds will ask you the *rectal* temp when you call if your little one is sick and the ear ones aren't reliable when the baby's young, The First Years makes a very good 10 second one)

Vaseline or other lubricant for thermometer

Aquaphor (for dipe rashes)

Qtips (to clean noses and ears)

Cotton balls (to clean the baby's eyes when brand new)

Alcohol or alcohol wipes(for belly button stump although there's a controversy right now over whether to use or not. If you don't go crazy dousing the baby, it is usually helpful in drying it up. I also use the wipes to clean the thermometer after use.)

Syrup of Ipecac (NEVER use it unless ped or Poison Control says so)

Triple Paste (another good dipe rash/skin rash miracle cream - ask the pharmacist for it, they keep it behind the counter. It's expensive but worth it!)

Baby Nail Clipper and Files (their nails are very sharp but very soft in the beginning. You probably won't be able to clip them, but you can file them when the baby's sleeping)

Bath wash/shampoo (we like Aveeno since it's definitely not as irratating at Johnson and Johnson stuff. Burts Baby Bees has really nice stuff, but it's not tear free)

Apricot oil or olive oil for cradle cap (Burts Bees has apricot oil which is nice, but olive oil works just as well and you probably already have it in your kitchen)

Baby comb (for combing the oil through and removing skin scales)

Moisturizer (You can use the Aquaphor but it's nice to have some other stuff on hand for that awesone freshly washed baby smell!)

Cortizone Cream 1% (sometimes peds recommend if baby acne gets really bad)

Mylecon and/or Gripe Water (we had MUCH better luck with Gripe Water over the gas drops. You can get it at Whole Foods)



There will be other suggestions, but these items will certainly be enough to start with!

-m

[nicknack]

WOW! Thanks for that list, that will come in so handy! I think I'll go for not getting a kit and just getting all of these separate things. Thanks SO much!

[August Mom]

I have two answers. I would skip the kit of medicines and buy what you want separately. We got one of these kits and the samples were so small. Plus, we haven't used a lot of the things included in the kit. You'll probably get a nasal aspirator from the hospital, so I wouldn't worry about getting one of those.

On the other hand, I WOULD get a grooming kit. Someone gave us the Safety 1st Hospital's Choice Deluxe Grooming Set http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/baby/B00004D3EL/qid=1057164278/sr=2-2/ref=sr_2_2/002-7043513-2536031 and I love it. We've used everything but the toothbrush. I like that it's in a case and therefore everything's together. It's really easy to lose those tiny clippers and emery boards. You'd be amazed. I found that when DS was really little, I'd trim his nails with scissors. Now I use clippers. I've filed them all along. My DS had a lot of hair from birth, so I love the brush. The handles have rubbers grips on them, which is nice. I highly recommend this kit.

[heidi_timms]

We bought our stuff seperately because you get so much stuff at the hospital. They told us in Lamaze to make sure and take all of the stuff you use at the hospital because your insurance is already paying for it once a package has been opened.

Items we got at the hospital:

Nose sucker bulb thing
brush
thermometer
newborn hats/caps

I would also suggest getting the nailclippers with the magnifying glass at BRU. I love those!!!



~Heidi
Mom to Kailey Ashlin
4/27/03

[stillplayswithbarbies]

We didn't get a thermometer at the hospital. The nurse told us they have not given them out in years. They use the electronic ones with the sheath that each nurse just carries one around and uses it on all patients (with a disposable sheath over the part that touches the skin)

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[Marisa6826]

We were given about FIVE mercury rectal thermometers when Sophie came home. Like we need five??!

We didn't get a single nose sucker though!

-m

[August Mom]

Well, it looks like it depends on your hospital. We got a nasal aspirator and newborn caps, but no brush or thermometer. We did get a comb.

[mharling]

I'm not sure that it makes a lot of difference. I registered for most of the items separately because I thought I liked one brand over another on a few things. As it turns out, someone bought a kit for a shower gift, since I had registered for mostly everything IN the kit. At first I was semi-annoyed because I had specified exactly everything I wanted.

It turns out that the kit is just fine and we have used most of everything in it. The only thing that I really don't like out of the kit is the aspirator. Not a problem though since we got one from the hospital that works great.

Mary & Lane 4/6/03
http://www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b3237413c427 - New 6/18

[stillplayswithbarbies]

wow. Our community has had drives to collect and replace mercury thermometers. You could get a new thermometer free for turning in a glass/mercury one. I am surprised any hospitals still use them, let alone give them out.

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03