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Baby on board..


Jennyf87

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Congratulations.

 

Advice : Find a health visitor who is not prejudiced against 'water gypsies' and tries to get you into land based accommodation. Stand your ground, you are most probably 'better able to live with a baby' than some (many ?) land based folk


I understand that it's a good idea to feed them on a regular basis...

 

No, NO, NO, that just means they need emptying more often

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Thanks for the replies... assuming it's ok with the marina as a couple a few boats down had a baby last year and there's a family of 4 a few boats the other way..

 

Good point about the neighbours... may need to warn them (oh dear!)

 

It's when he/she starts to walk that worries me, not a lot of space to learn on a narrow boat. Perhaps we can look at a wide beam in a couple of years!

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I know of one lady with a young child from our marina who was "chucked out" on the grounds that the marina felt the open long pontoons were a safety hazard for a toddler. But then again, perhaps that was just an excuse. We've seen young folk on the cut working locks etc with a baby in a papoose. So long as you don't drop it I think that is a great way to stimulate a child - so much better than putting it in front of a dangly sparkly thing or plonking it in front of the telly.

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We've seen young folk on the cut working locks etc with a baby in a papoose.

Thank you, Mr. Norman, for today's new usage. I knew "papoose" as meaning "baby" but did not know that it could also mean a baby-carrier. But I have looked on t'internet, and by George, yes it can mean that!

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Congratulations! I have no experience of raising a baby on a boat, but plenty of experience of babies in general, and my less-than-surprising advice is simply to Beware of Stuff. The amount of Stuff that can accumulate around you when you have a baby is just mind-boggling. Fitting it into a house can be a nightmare, never mind a narrowboat! Maybe you could start an Amazon Wish List of all the Stuff you actually need and want, and persuade friends and family that presents should either be items from that list, or vouchers. Otherwise you face a potential tide of bulky toys and clothes.

 

Other than that, just look for space-saving options - e.g. a booster seat that clips to a table rather than a high chair.

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If you have a stove get a fire guard, possibly have to have one purpose built to accommodate all accessible sides.

Obviously weekly swimming lessons from day one.

Find out what the part exchange rate is on a puppy, much easier to look after and generally more loyal ?

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I'm planning for baby to spend a lot of its time in a sling - which appears to be similar to a papoose - for being on the boat / getting on and off etc. Pram will live in the car - seems much easier!

 

Please dont do the locks with the baby strapped to you. Everyone at some time slips and many people have had the windlass slip which could have devastating results to a baby. I hope all goes well with everything but do take care biggrin.png

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Thank you, Mr. Norman, for today's new usage. I knew "papoose" as meaning "baby" but did not know that it could also mean a baby-carrier. But I have looked on t'internet, and by George, yes it can mean that!

Mind you, I got it wrong now I've checked. A papoose is for carrying a child on one's back, whereas what I had in mind is carrying the child on one's front, which I guess is a sling (even though papoose is a nicer word!)

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When I google image searched papoose the first thing that came up was a load of pictures of a random young black man.

 

I was highly confused!

I'm highly confused as to one of those might be.

Mind you, I got it wrong now I've checked. A papoose is for carrying a child on one's back, whereas what I had in mind is carrying the child on one's front, which I guess is a sling (even though papoose is a nicer word!)

Whenever I see a parent carrying their wee one in front of them I think how awful the consequences could be if they tripped and fell forwards. They seem to cope, though.

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Whenever I see a parent carrying their wee one in front of them I think how awful the consequences could be if they tripped and fell forwards. They seem to cope, though.

 

This happened to me once. I lost my footing on the step outside a shop - where I later discovered a loose tile - and fell flat on my face while carrying my baby daughter on my front. She was fine, thank goodness, and I'm not sure she was in any more danger than she would have been in a pram; imagine if I'd lost my grip when I fell and she'd rolled on into the road.

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Rule no 1. Convince the health visitors and midwives that you can cope on a boat, that you have cool (fridge?), hot -sterilising, and warm -feed and environment.

Rule no 2. Convince said people that you have all the support you need day and night -you will need it.

 

Life on board is better than they think, but you have to demonstrate that when they call.

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Arthur - this concerns me a little as I didn't even stop to think the powers that he might have an issue with it..

 

We of course have a fridge, have microwave, central heating, even a small second 'bedroom' for when they get old enough to move away from us.. you'd almost think we live like humans!

 

I didn't consider that it might not be seen this way, is it likely that there'll be an issue??

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I'm not sure if carrying a baby on your front is more dangerous than on your back.

There is probably more chance of falling forward due to tripping but the cause of falling backwards is more likely due to slipping, if this happens and your legs fly upwards at speed you are going to land on your back with a hell of a lot of force with no way to minimise the impact.

At the very least you can put your arms out to slow the impact when falling forwards.

It takes quite a bit of practice to learn to turn yourself in a fall.

Baby or not self preservation kicks in; in the faction of a second that you are falling instinct will take over to protect yourself, the conscious mind is far too slow.

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Arthur - this concerns me a little as I didn't even stop to think the powers that he might have an issue with it..

 

We of course have a fridge, have microwave, central heating, even a small second 'bedroom' for when they get old enough to move away from us.. you'd almost think we live like humans!

 

I didn't consider that it might not be seen this way, is it likely that there'll be an issue??

 

I have known people who were refused 'care' unless they moved off the boat - hence my post (number 3 on this thread)

 

Get your health worker 'trained' before the critical time arrives.

Prove you have all of the facilities and family support.

You will be fine.

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