For the new daddies – graduating from FHM. Still has has and gadgets and great competitions.

Link to FQ Magazine: Parenting Magazine for fathers , new dads and single dads

There a raft full of tricks that you can do to help minimise the impact of junior on the gadget budget. But without compromising on quality or quantity (or in woman speak how to get more) it seems that signing up to various parenting clubs run by different brands and shops can help ease the bills, at the price of a bit of junk mail. The precious little ones site has a link to some, but it is far from complete. I know we use (that is to say Mrs Monster):

• Tesco
• Boot
• Pampers
• Early Learning Centre

These clubs normally mean you’ll receive samples and or vouchers for the products that they’re trying to sell.  The good things about the likes of Boots and Tesco’s is as they sell multiple brands you’ll get your vouchers for all the brands.

I’ve been asked about places for shopping for baby stuff.  So from my experience I thought I’d highlight the stores we’ve used.

• Mothercare – good for the basic everyday items that you’ll need (bibs, bootles etc). But when we looked at furniture was very disappointed, for example with a cot when I leaned against it as if to reach in found the side flexing – found that experience very discouraging compared at alternatives.
• Mamas & Papas – the Next of the baby world.  That is to say above your basics – nicely made products a little pricier but not outrageous. Back to the cot experience we found that their cots are a lot more robust than Mothercare (flex test) but a lot more solid.  We also liked their prams – they appear to be pretty solid and integrate well with care seat etc.
• JoJo Maman Babe – the trendy end of the market, they have some nice clothes – but nivce prices as well.
• John Lewis – as a department store they seems to have a good range of stuff particularly when looking at things outside the major purchases (prams, cots).
• Tesco – silly as it sounds for stuff like baby grows and vests – they’re priced cheaply its almost unbelievable. But the price doesn’t mean poor product. Given to start with you’re replacing the wardrobe every three months to start with these can’t go wrong. Our only complaint is that the stocking of these can be a little erratic. For a supermarket at the lower ends of the spectrum they also stock some of the better branded bay stuff such as Avent and Tommy Tippee.
• Early Learning Centre – a good source of more developmental and educational toys. I have to admit I originally thought great an execuse to go into ToysRUs and have a play on a regular basis, but for baby and toddler toys we’ve found it rather disappointing.

Obviously these are our preferences any everyone is different.

A number of friends and colleague have recently discovered that they’re going to be parents for the first  time. Now, I’m not one for dishing out advice left right and centre, after all each parent and bambino are different.  But from our experience, there is one thing we did I’d recommend to anyone who cares to listen. That was to join the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) and attend their antenatal classes. 

I’ve read mixed feedback (from a male perspective) on the value of classes going from excellent to a bit too touchy feely.  But in my mind the crucial benefit was the opportunity to develop a network of friends going through the same experience who you can talk to, share the experience and seek support from. Although from my perspective the network is more about knowing some other fathers who can chat down the pub over a beer. But for Mrs Monster it has been invaluable, getting support and social contact that I can’t give, particularly during those early weeks and months when I’m back at work and she is having to do a lot of the work (i.e. feeding every four hours).

I believe that we (Mrs Monster particularly) now have some new friends that I think we’ll be in contact with for a long time to come.