Baby On the Way - Best Equipment?

[beeailseebob]

Hello,

 

In just under seven weeks I will be having my first baby and I'm wondering if anyone has any really good, space-saving/multi-functional items they would recommend for bringing up a child afloat.

 

In particular, I think the baby will start life in our bedroom at night, and we have enough space for something like a moses basket/carry cot. Just wondering what are good space saving ideas.

 

The baby does have a 6' 4" nursery, which I intend to put a cot/bed in, as we are still fitting out and don't have time to build all the furniture from scratch.

 

I just thought I'd check with forum people before I begin nesting and spending loads of money in earnest!

[Chris J W]

Hello,

 

In just under seven weeks I will be having my first baby and I'm wondering if anyone has any really good, space-saving/multi-functional items they would recommend for bringing up a child afloat.

 

In particular, I think the baby will start life in our bedroom at night, and we have enough space for something like a moses basket/carry cot. Just wondering what are good space saving ideas.

 

The baby does have a 6' 4" nursery, which I intend to put a cot/bed in, as we are still fitting out and don't have time to build all the furniture from scratch.

 

I just thought I'd check with forum people before I begin nesting and spending loads of money in earnest!

 

Possibly not quite the answer you were expecting, but I would say that immediate equipment would be several cigars and a bokkle of Champers!

 

Congratulations!

[Christine]

Have you read Sheila Stewart's 'Ramlin Rose' This is the story of a working Narrowboat family.

 

Get it here

 

Several children were born and brought up on the boat (some with very sad consequences) but in very basic conditions. Its well worth the (tear jerking) read.

[carlt]

Get a moses basket with a stand. They're okay up to about 5 months so you've got that long to sort the nursery. We found one of those high chairs that later convert to a chair/table combo great.

If your new one is anything like George, it'll skip crawling altogether and be dragging itself up to walk earlier than most (not much crawling room in a narrow boat).

 

Oh and the most important accessory of all...an offside mooring. I know plenty of folk who've brought their kids up on the towpath but we'd have gone mad (well madder).

 

If I think of anything else I'll post again.

[Jason Wilson and Family]

What are the needs as far as netting or anything? I am of the persuasion that if you do things right the kid will understand where he can or can't go, but my family thinks otherwise. What sort of safety considerations do people need to take that we might not immediately think of?

[Christine]

We are planning to take young William my Grandson - will 6 months old - on our week long outing on the Avon Ring (if the levels ever go down ) in mid September.

 

Thoughts will be to:

1) Keep him warm on chilly evenings/nights

2) Keep him cool if its hot inside and too sunny outside

3) Keep him safe when traveling - lots of hard edges to fall against when being carried around when we are under way and I'm steering (literally)

4) Keep him amused - tricky if everyone is busy

5) Hopefully Mum will have all he needs but we may be out in the sticks to get shopping

6) Finding room for all his paraphernalia which Mum will feel he just can't live without

 

Certainly at the 1yr old stage they will be into EVERYTHING yet have little or no understanding of what they can and can't do. The working narrowboat kids were tied up on the hatch (I believe) to keep them safe and older children given the job of looking after babies.

[allybsc]

Hello,

 

In just under seven weeks I will be having my first baby and I'm wondering if anyone has any really good, space-saving/multi-functional items they would recommend for bringing up a child afloat.

 

A folding travel cot is a good thing to have, good for visiting relatives and lasts longer than a moses basket, can double up as a playpen when baby gets older.

[carlt]

A folding travel cot is a good thing to have, good for visiting relatives and lasts longer than a moses basket, can double up as a playpen when baby gets older.

We had one of those (still do) but it was too big/flimsy for our bedroom, to be up permanently. Ideal for going visiting though.

 

 

 

What are the needs as far as netting or anything? I am of the persuasion that if you do things right the kid will understand where he can or can't go, but my family thinks otherwise. What sort of safety considerations do people need to take that we might not immediately think of?

Same as in a house except the lifejacket. As long as they can't get out then the problems are the same (fire guard, drawer/cupboard locks, etc). The canal is far safer than a house. It was a lot easier to teach George to swim than car wrestle.

[TimRatRace]

This new born child will thank you for the rest of its life for being brought up on a boat......I suspect you will end up with rather a magical baby! Water, swans, ducks, canal life - the education is complete - we send children to school far too early in the UK. Let us know where you are mooring and we'll happily help out with encouragement and support if we are in the area! Good on you - Oh wise parents.

[carlt]

This new born child will thank you for the rest of its life for being brought up on a boat......I suspect you will end up with rather a magical baby! Water, swans, ducks, canal life - the education is complete - we send children to school far too early in the UK. Let us know where you are mooring and we'll happily help out with encouragement and support if we are in the area! Good on you - Oh wise parents.

Couldn't agree more! I feel very guilty that my youngest, Jack, isn't getting the same first five years George got. Though I sometimes think it might be me missing the life, rather than Jack missing out, prompting the feelings.

[beeailseebob]

Possibly not quite the answer you were expecting, but I would say that immediate equipment would be several cigars and a bokkle of Champers!

 

Congratulations!

 

 

Lol! You may have a good point there! Thank you! Mmm... Champagne

 

Have you read Sheila Stewart's 'Ramlin Rose' This is the story of a working Narrowboat family.

 

Get it here

 

Several children were born and brought up on the boat (some with very sad consequences) but in very basic conditions. Its well worth the (tear jerking) read.

 

 

My partner's read it - I have lost the concentration to read a full book, but yes, thats a good idea

 

This new born child will thank you for the rest of its life for being brought up on a boat......I suspect you will end up with rather a magical baby! Water, swans, ducks, canal life - the education is complete - we send children to school far too early in the UK. Let us know where you are mooring and we'll happily help out with encouragement and support if we are in the area! Good on you - Oh wise parents.

 

 

Thank you, that is our thinking, to give our little one(s) a lovely start in life. We're in Brentford for at least the next few months

 

As far as safety is concerned, that baby will be having swimming lessons at the very first opportunity! Apparently they take to it well from three months onwards. I'm also going to get a mosquito net, as I saw a lot on the water last year.

 

Get a moses basket with a stand. They're okay up to about 5 months so you've got that long to sort the nursery. We found one of those high chairs that later convert to a chair/table combo great.

If your new one is anything like George, it'll skip crawling altogether and be dragging itself up to walk earlier than most (not much crawling room in a narrow boat).

 

Oh and the most important accessory of all...an offside mooring. I know plenty of folk who've brought their kids up on the towpath but we'd have gone mad (well madder).

 

If I think of anything else I'll post again.

 

 

Thanks Carlt, that's answered one of the bigger questions, moses basket it is. Fitting the baby in a cabin with a fixed double does need some thinking. We will keep our off side mooring for a while too.

 

Did you have any thoughts on heating? Boats seem to get either very hot or very cold when stoves and the cold weather are involved.

[carlt]

Did you have any thoughts on heating? Boats seem to get either very hot or very cold when stoves and the cold weather are involved.

I have wooden boats which are far more stable (this only applies to temperature) so I never really cook or freeze, whatever the weather. SWMBO disagrees with this but stick her in the rayburn oven and she'll still moan about the cold.

[bottle]

Hi

 

Congratulations on the imminent happy event.

 

Babies are very tough little people, do not worry to much about the boat temperature, just monitor the baby it will cope very well.

 

Babies lose most of their body heat through their head, nice woolly hat needed.

 

Just remember all the babies raised before central heating, slept in bedrooms with ice on the windows and they survived.

[beeailseebob]

Hi

 

Congratulations on the imminent happy event.

 

Babies are very tough little people, do not worry to much about the boat temperature, just monitor the baby it will cope very well.

 

Babies lose most of their body heat through their head, nice woolly hat needed.

 

Just remember all the babies raised before central heating, slept in bedrooms with ice on the windows and they survived.

 

 

Thank you Bottle.

 

many people I know were raised in homes without central heating, myself included for the first few years. Its actually more the heat thats bothering me at the moment: In our old boat the squirrel stove would occasionally (albeit through user error) go a bit furnace-like.

 

I'm also thinking about the hot weather and keeping the nursery cool enough.

[carlt]

Thank you Bottle.

 

many people I know were raised in homes without central heating, myself included for the first few years. Its actually more the heat thats bothering me at the moment: In our old boat the squirrel stove would occasionally (albeit through user error) go a bit furnace-like.

 

I'm also thinking about the hot weather and keeping the nursery cool enough.

 

We just adapted a normal fireguard to go round the burner but, like the nursery, you've got a good few months to panic about that.

 

When the weather got too hot we have a very mature oak on the mooring (at least 20 30' planks and loads of knees) and we'd swap the boats over to put the one we were living on in the shade. If you haven't got that luxury you open doors, windows and hatches and run fans.

[Machpoint005]

His nibs (10 month old grandson) already knows that the open fire in the front room, the Aga, and the squirrel stove (boat) are things close to which you do not go. If you make it clear to a very small child what is or is not OK, they are remarkably biddable. A child can understand stuff long before he can speak, and from day one is absorbing knowledge like a sponge.

 

Oh - and many congratulations. Hope it all goes well in August.

 

Ian

[carlt]

A child can understand stuff long before he can speak, and from day one is absorbing knowledge like a sponge.

All the more reason to have a fire guard. Kids curiosity about why you shouldn't touch something is often too strong to resist.

[Diane]

This new born child will thank you for the rest of its life for being brought up on a boat......I suspect you will end up with rather a magical baby! Water, swans, ducks, canal life - the education is complete - we send children to school far too early in the UK. Let us know where you are mooring and we'll happily help out with encouragement and support if we are in the area! Good on you - Oh wise parents.

 

Oh this was lovely to read.

 

We are also expecting our first child, due date 5th November & have only been living aboard since December. It was a huge shock/surprise & hubby thinks it must be down to the motion of the water! I have been wondering/worrying how it will work & how to re-arrange the boat layout?! So I too would welcome any advice & suggestions.

 

Congratulations beeailseebob & keep us posted.

 

Xxx

[gaggle]

best you get yourself , another pair of hands and some eyes in the back of your head.

[Jason Wilson and Family]

We are also expecting our first child, due date 5th November & have only been living aboard since December. It was a huge shock/surprise & hubby thinks it must be down to the motion of the water! I have been wondering/worrying how it will work & how to re-arrange the boat layout?! So I too would welcome any advice & suggestions.

 

Congratulations beeailseebob & keep us posted.

We were told it was moving to a new area. We found out about ours a month after moving into our new house.

[Fuel__2001]

Hello,

 

In just under seven weeks I will be having my first baby and I'm wondering if anyone has any really good, space-saving/multi-functional items they would recommend for bringing up a child afloat.

 

In particular, I think the baby will start life in our bedroom at night, and we have enough space for something like a moses basket/carry cot. Just wondering what are good space saving ideas.

 

The baby does have a 6' 4" nursery, which I intend to put a cot/bed in, as we are still fitting out and don't have time to build all the furniture from scratch.

 

I just thought I'd check with forum people before I begin nesting and spending loads of money in earnest!

 

Been away for a while and found this thread.

 

This is our story and hope it helps, it can be done, a bit of thought and consideration has to be taken as the needs of the child change as they grow physically and emotionally.

 

We have brought up our almost 2 year old daughter on our widebeam, yes considerations do need to be taken with regard to the danger areas e.g kitchen space when cooking and the outside space for using this as a safe play area as being trapped inside a boat aint good when a child has masses of energy to burn.

 

So what have we done? Well our daughters bedroom was initially our study with computer desk and the grown up stuff, this room was measured for a dual purpose when fitting the bulkhead dimensions to allow for a the desk and then a cotbed. Clever thinking on my partners side, i was completely unaware of this plan.I just remeber her saying the room needs to be a certain size and i never questioned why, all i wanted the room to do was fit my pc desk into it.

 

This room now has a cot bed in it and within a week of our return from the hospital our daughter has always slept in her own room. We did have a fold up hammock for her but decided a cotbed more appropriate and was selected with great care. The cotbed has a draw underneath it to store her clothing (this space is getting to small now), and also had sliding changing matt which use to sit ontop of the cot rails alos the side panels are static but the base of the bed has adjustment for 3 different height positions. As my daughter has grown we dont use the changing matt on the rails as she has physically outgrown this.

 

Recently we painted her bedroom to add some colour, we just painted ontop of the maple panels as it was seemingly dark and dull for her, to try and brighten up her room as she only has a porthole for a window.

 

The plan is when she reaches an age where we can remove the sides of the cot and change it to a bed soon after we will build her a proper fitted room with cupbaord and draw space, but this is about 2 years away.

 

The bathroom has a 1500mm bath, a regular bath is 1700mm, our daughter loves water, and playing in the bath is a favourite time for her. We are not the tallest of people so this fits well with not just being limited to having a shower as her water play is an important part of her development. She loves water and like you plan we took our daughter swimming at the local pool from a very young age and now she is not scared by water.

 

The crusier stern is protected by panels of woven willow hurdles which stop my daughter falling into the water, and she can now play outside without constant direct supervision, this means we can be inside the boat doing other things, cooking etc but not being more than 20 foot away.

 

Heating is by radiators and she understands the difference between hot and cold and the hot means ouch dont touch.

 

The main Kitchen space is protected by a stairgate, this stairgate used to be on our stairs so we could have the hatch and doors open, this stops her from rumaging through the cupbaords and fridge and coming into contact with the cooking hob, and the oven is raised up to eye level.

 

Being on a widebeam we do have a bit more space than on a narrow boat, also being in a residential marina helps as we have all services, and do you no what, we wouldnt change anything about bringing up our daughter on a boat. Our families where unsure if we were doing the right thing and were sceptical, you just need to think outside the box.

 

The benefits to iiving on a boat, No noise pollution or light pollution unlike what i had to endure living on london council estates. We are immediately effected by tide and wind and the wildlife around us. She loves the ducks and swans.

 

If you want some pictures so you can see what weve done or want any help feel free to ask

 

Hope you find this useful, all the best for you your partner and the bump

 

John, Chloe and Willow

[beeailseebob]

Oh this was lovely to read.

 

We are also expecting our first child, due date 5th November & have only been living aboard since December. It was a huge shock/surprise & hubby thinks it must be down to the motion of the water! I have been wondering/worrying how it will work & how to re-arrange the boat layout?! So I too would welcome any advice & suggestions.

 

Congratulations beeailseebob & keep us posted.

 

Xxx

 

 

Lots of congratulations to you!!! It's so exciting isn't it? We've just moved back on to our boat, which now has a 6' 4" nursery space, although I do think I'll want to have the baby in the bedroom with us at first.

 

Am seriously contemplating the Amby Baby hammock, which I've done some fairly thorough research on to check it's safe, (there's an online forum that a a lot of midwives contribute to and was recommended by my NCT Ante natal teacher. - very informative.) the baby can sleep in it for up to twelve months, it turns into a baby bouncer and folds away for travelling - good for staying with friends.

 

With all the preparation in the world, it seems so much has to be played by ear in terms of what equipment you need, use of space, etc.

 

If there's anything I can offer in the way of advice, although no doubt you'll be inundated, please get in touch

 

Ailsa

xxx

[arpeeuk]

Hi beeailseebob

 

If you intend to move any distance from your home mooring, my advice would be for both you and your partner to start learning to handle the boat "single handed". Pick a nice sunny day without any wind and go nice and slowly!

 

If you don't you'll find that you'll end up having to move "single handed" for the first time in January with a howling gail, lashing rain and a fractious baby with a soaring temperature and, let me warn you, it won't be fun!

 

One other thing, enjoy every minute with the little one, in a blink they're grown up and have flown away.

[carlt]

Hi beeailseebob

 

If you intend to move any distance from your home mooring, my advice would be for both you and your partner to start learning to handle the boat "single handed". Pick a nice sunny day without any wind and go nice and slowly!

Good bit of advice. It came as a bit of a shock to go back to single handing the motor and butty, especially when I was never too sure if there was anyone steering at the back or not (too stubborn to get walkie talkies).

[bottle]

One other thing, enjoy every minute with the little one, in a blink they're grown up and have flown away.

 

Yes, do enjoy them while little but as to flying the nest, took thirty (30) years for mine to learn to fly