Brit superstitions may leave my baby nowhere to sleep!!!!!

My parents-in-law have graciously said that they will buy the nursery package (crib/cot, dresser w/ removable changer, and wardrobe) that we have picked out, which is wonderfully kind of them, and I/ we appreciate their thoughtfulness so much.  The nursery package has to be ordered from Argo's, and will take up to 2 weeks to be delivered.  The problem I am unsure of how to handle is that they do not believe in buying anything for the baby until after she is born, and if they wait to order the nursery package until after she is born, then I/ we will have to wait up to 2 weeks for it to be delivered, thus leaving our baby without a crib/ cot for the first 2 weeks.  While I respect their beliefs, I am like most expecting Mom's who would like to have the nursery ready before the baby arrives. 
My husband and I have discussed this subject, and he suggested we get a moses basket, but I refuse to waste the money to buy a moses basket that would only be used for 2 weeks (plus we would really have nowhere to store it once we are done with it), so then he suggested a travel cot...£40 is the cheapest travel cot at Babies R Us, and I think it would be a huge waste of money for something that would only be used for the 2 weeks and probably never again.....but I would get a travel cot before a moses basket if necessary, and another idea is that I suppose she could sleep in the pram for 2 weeks......
We don't think that my hubbie's parents realize that it takes up to 2 weeks for the package to be delivered, and we know that we should at least make them aware of that, but we are unsure of how to bring up the whole subject with them.
Any ideas are greatly appreciated!!!!!

Janna

Oh dear. Some of my friends were like this but they weren't buying our cot or anything vital like that.  May I suggest buyng from Babies R Us or Mothercare both of which deliver within 48 hours, and in my experience usually within 24.  Alternatively you could get a cheap Moses basket off Ebay.  Or buy the cot yourselves and ask your in laws to get something else? Or would they give you vouchers now? So you could order it now yourselves? 

Re Moses baskets: It is quite usual here for babies to sleep in a Moses basket for the first 2-3 months. It is nice for the baby to be in a snug little bed and it is nice for you because it means you can take baby around the house with you while s/he is asleep, and newborns do seem to sleep better when you are in the room with them.  We had a Moses basket for the first 3 months and I would do the same again.

I ditto on the moses basket.  I wouldn't have bought one if it were left up to me, but it was purchased as a present.  The only time baby slept in a normal crib for the first three months was during the night.  At all other times, he slept in a moses basket in whatever room I happened to be in.

i used to put the moses basket into the crib for my babies to sleep in until they grew out of them... they slept much better in them than they did in the crib alone... my youngest was small enoughto sleep in a large one  got as a present til she was 6 months old... go for the moses basket... you wont regret it

Our dd would readily fall asleep in her car seat when she was newborn.  We got a Graco travel system that had a car seat combined w/a buggy.  Might be the way to go. 

We used a moses basket-or um, they used to be called 'carry-cots'.  That way the baby can be put to sleep where it's most convenient and you can move them around.  And you'll probably find that you actually use the moses basket for months.  Tiny babies sleep better when they're all snug.   
I come from an American family who has the same superstition.   

When my husband was a baby, he slept in a drawer (yes, as in chest of drawers!) for the first few months of his life.
Did him no harm at all. 

Yeah its not really solely a Brit superstition. I have heard that in the USA also.

As for a Moses basket, well I have never had one. My last baby was nearly 11lbs and to buy a Moses basket would have indeed been a poor investment so we bought a swinging cradle from Mamas and Papas. Its gorgeous and I sent away to Babies R Us in the USA for the American style bedding. I set this thing up a month before Jack was born and wouldnt you know he never slept one single day in it. He hated the thing and refused to sleep in it. Know where he slept? He slept in a bouncy seat and blankets. He slept in that for the first 8 weeks of his life and finally we moved him into the full size cotbed. Babies are compact and can sleep anywhere even in drawers! (lol Otterpop)  I even know someone that made a makeshift Moses basket out of a laundry basket and blankets.

Honey, sounds like youre in a state of panic. Chill out and take it easy. Things will always work out. Im positive your baby will have a nice place to sleep. 


Anyway if anyone knows who wants a beautiful swinging cradle w/bedding I am thinking of putting it on Ebay in a few weeks 

I ditto the Moses basket idea.

I agree with the moses basket idea, regardless. But - have you thought of just talking to your in-laws? If they were aware  it takes two weeks to get the nursery suite then they might decide to buy it before the actual event.  You won't know until you ask, right?  Good luck!

Pebbles - almost 11 lbs?? 

Yeah its not really solely a Brit superstition. I have heard that in the USA also.

Yeah, I have heard that one in the US.... I had to give my best friend a very early baby shower 'cause it had to be organized around one of my trips back to the US and her husband's family pulled this old superstition out - we couldn't figure out if maybe it was a Russian saying or maybe a Jewish one as her hub's family is Jewish and first generation Russian.

One of Gwyneth Paltrow's parents is Jewish, and she did not buy a/thing for her daughter, Apple, until after she'd been born.

I think a carry cot is also a good idea.  I have used one for our baby when we go to friends houses and the baby goes to stay at his grandparents.  I think you would get use of it for more than two weeks, but I guess it depends on your lifestyle.  Moses baskets are wonderful and can be used in any room of the house.

Good luck and congrats on your upcoming new family member.

Baby #3 never had a nursery until 8 weeks old when we moved to the UK.  He did great!  Reality -- he slept part of his nights in my bed (because of nursing).  We used a travel cot with a bassinet insert.  If this is #1 a good travel cot is worth the investment -- you will be surprised the number of times you will use it -- get MIL to spring for that?!  Sleeping in the pram is a great idea b/c you can jiggle them to sleep.

Not having the nursery ready won't bother the baby -- just drives us moms nuts.

Good Luck with the delivery!

Pebbles - almost 11 lbs??

Yeah, he was 10lbs 13.5oz. and that was at just under 38 weeks. Cant imagine going 40 or 40+!
He was a c/section baby.


Also I come from a Jewish background and with my first baby nothing was bought for him until the ninth month. My grandmother said its the "Jewish way". I thought it was an excuse really because I had 4 previous miscarriages and I thought they were saving me some heartbreak just in case.