One stop baby shopping/Consumer Reports

Just curious, where did you shop for baby?  We need to start looking for cribs, strollers, etc.  A friend of Rich's said he found a place in London that did it all.  (Waiting for him to ask about it, but it could take a while, I'll keep asking though)

Does the UK do their own version of Consumer reports?  I would like to see comparisons to all the different baby items out there.

Thank you!

 i subscribe to www.which.co.uk  Very very useful for household goods, etc... they have some reviews on baby moniters/pushchairs etc... you can sign up for a 30 day trial and get all the info you need then cancel.

Thank you!  I think I will do that.  I saw they also have a book to buy, but seems to have been published in 2004.

Most of our baby stuff came from Mothercare (a lot of it was bought by my parents) except for the pram and a few other things from Babies R Us (which in the UK in inside Toys R Us stores).  There is a really big Mothercare in Oxford St, near Marble Arch that has pretty much everything you would need to get started and you can also order from their catalogue or website.   I have found most of their stuff to be good quality but not that keen on their baby clothes.  It is a good idea to shop around on big items like the pram & cot though as Mothercare is not always the cheapest place and there are some good baby discount places around. Kiddicare is an online one that is always worth checking out. 

                 

Thank you!  If he is talking about Mothercare I will laugh. (Just because, well everyone knows about Mothercare) I have been on Kiddicare as well and registered there for my parents friends.  As far as I know my mom is buying the cot and grandparents are buying the pram.

As far as clothes go, my mom and I picked out the layette for the first 3 months in NY.  With the thought that most people will buy clothes for him as well. (Especially my friends that I know of) 

My goodness there is a lot to buy and think about.  How do you choose?

My mum helped me make a list of what we needed and then I got the Mothercare & Babies R Us catalogues and studied them long and hard! When it came to prams we went to Mothercare where they are very good at demonstrating them to you and explaining the features and which ones are good for what (eg they told us the 3 wheelers are heavy and therefore not good if you are going to be using public transport). 

I feel unqualified to post here because I have no kids! But a friend of mine adopted a two-year-old about 6 months ago. She did all the research on the best carseat, pram, etc. But then she ended up buying a lot of it on eBay. She got some really good deals on things that she would otherwise have had to buy new.

I ordered the Mothercare catalouge, can't seem to find the link for the BRU one though.  I'll keep looking for it.  (Did find the web page though)

Helen, how did your friend do the research?  I'd do the same just not sure where to start. (Not true, I will be looking at which.co.uk) 

There is just so much out there.

I did get a sling (Just today) off ebay.  A woman on there makes her own.  It's gorgeous!  I can't wait to use it!

Good point about Ebay! I would be careful about buying a used carseat though and if you buy a second hand moses basket or cot do put a new mattress in it.   

Helen, how did your friend do the research?  I'd do the same just not sure where to start.

I'm not actually sure, but am seeing her later this afternoon and will ask.

Thank you!

Wow, Rich actually wrote his friend and he wrote back.  No website, but this is the store:
'Designer Baby', 378 Mare Street, E8 1HR, tel. 020 85333217

He said something about a Mamas and Papas 'Boardwalk'  buggy, anyone hear of them?

I was looking at another, this one:
http://www.kiddicare.com/invt/3i1hakcsfmrucrncl
Seems to have everything included

Originally I wanted a bugaboo (everyone on the Upper East Side of NYC has one, biggest turnoff!) but was told they are just OK.

Mama's & Papa's Stuff is lovely 
There is a branch in Basingstoke's Festival Place, Stacey! They do have sales and the bedding/ equipment stuff didn't seem too expensive.

OK, we will have to take a look then.  Thanks Jen!

I did a little of this, a little of that.  John Lewis is brill, tho!

Bugaboo . . .yawn.  So ugly, even kids laugh at them.  I went to Halford's the car shop and noticed they were carrying unique, spectacular buggies.  We got one there.  Soooooo cool and different.

3 wheelers - sorry, but I think they just suck for city use.  Heavy, too.  Just my experience, as we didn't have a car for some of the time after Aillidh was born and so the buggy got a lot of use.

one thing I learned - don't buy much.  Slings, for example.  Aillidh HATED them.  She was born in summer and is by nature a hot person who therefore doesn't like heat. 

Roisin, on the other hand, has two and loves them. 

Different strokes for diff follks.

A friend got this cute little hat that reads, 'Made in Edinburgh' and a babygro that reads, 'Made in Scotland'.  Can't wait to meet her up next week and get some pictures of Roisin in them!