Ok I may be really ignorant but I was growled at by my midwife yesterday for not having woollen singlets for my newborn daughter.

I am at a total loss as to what that would be. I have never seen any for sale and have been unable to find meriono singlets for sale anywhere either. Obviously I missed that day at school when we were taught to buy woollen singlets for our babies!

Is anyone able to enlighten me as to what they are and where I might get some? I have serached on trade me and it did not bring up anything!

Thanks in anticipation!

T&T have some on special (but possible seconds) for $5 each.
That's a good price

And I can't believe the MW growled you, I don't think I'd have woollen singlets on baby in March but I guess you are South Island and not North Island.

When (or if) you do woollen singlets it's recommended to put on over top of a bodysuit as some children react to wool and/or find it itchy.

lol..i dont know what temperatures you've bn having down there, but if they are anything like up how, then how ridiculous of her.
I used woollen singlets for both of my babies, but then one was a winter baby and the other one struck a particularly cold october, and he def didnt wear them once summer kicked in.
woollen singlets..are basically just singlets made out of wool. I had a mix of ones that my aunts knitted for me, and store brought ones.
farmers and baby factory both sell them (as im sure other outfitters like babycity etc do too). they do last for aaaages and they are fantastic but they arent cheap..i think usually about $20 each for just a basic one. failing being able to find those there is a merino range of undergarments at farmers..and an online place too(i know advertised in the back of the childrens/baby magazines)

here is a link to a baby factory one
http://www.babyfactory.co.nz/products/group/50/page/1/style/78900/#

thats only 80% wool...you can get 100%, they are usually kind of an off whitey colour (no white like in the pic) tho i guess you must be able to get white too lol

and ditto to Bekkaz, i never put the woollen singlet straight against the skin..i always stuck a little cotton one underneath..just bcos wool makes me itch so i figure it prob makes babys itch too lol

Firstly congratulations What a gorgeous name

Im thinking she just meant a woollen/merino layer next to the skin which in that case Baby Factory have a great range of singlets, short sleeved and long sleeved undertops.

They have 100% cotton, wool/cotton blend, 100% Wool and also merino ones - all reasonably priced too altho the merino is obviously a bit more expensive.

T & T also have a good range that is a great price.

Hope that helps

i love these ones...soooo soft and lovely.
http://www.southernrata.co.nz/shop/Baby/Merino+Baby+Vest.html

Congrats!!!! Try the LWR factory shop - sale. On crn of Broughm and ? st

It is cold today and v cold over night here. You need a cotten singlet next to their skin then a wollen one over that.

Its a bugger that your in Chch as the Bobux outlet are having a sale up here in Akld and they have great merino stuff. Buy 1 get 1 I think.

Have any rellies/freinds up here that could do a reccy for you lol

Congratulations - I also love the name - how gorgeous

I have always got Carlos the ones from Baby Factory, they aren't cheap but sometimes they have 20% off and then I'd grab a few. They last for AGES, I always washed them in delicates bags and chucked them in the machine and they were fine after heaps of washes.

When he was younger I'd always get the ones that are like a body suit, either long and short sleeved with the domes under the crotch as then they don't ride up and they stay nice and cosy warm. Because she is so little I'd tend to get the long sleeved ones as I think younger bubs aren't so good at heating their extremities until they are older.

Clairet I just bought Malakai some of the $5 100% wool ones from TnT yesterday. They are just as good as the expensive ones he lived in last winter.

Dont feel bad though, I am surprised your MW said anything... last night was the first cold night in ages. However you definitely will need them for the next 6 months. (at least)

Congratulations again on the birth of Scarlett.

Oh and like Joybelle recommended, go for the domed long sleeve ones.

Clariet - I have 2 or 3 you could have if you want

In AN classes we always tell people to use wool in the first wee bit cos babies can't regulate their own temperatures. That may be why the MW was mentioning it. Also it has been quite cold here, esp today.

Let me know if you want mine.

Oooo yeah thats what I was trying to remember to say - regulating their own temps.

Often people put heaps of layers on bubs torso - singlet, undersuit, tshirt and then a jumper, but more long sleeve layers is better so the heat moves around instead of staying just in their torso

I had no idea either, I remember my mum telling me when Carlos was a bub as he was born at the end of AUgust so still had some chilly days.

Yes, definitely wool for early days whether it be winter or summer. My DS2 wore wool last March when he was born (singlet and cardigan).

Clairet - congratulations on your DD. You can get woollen singlets from Baby Factory too. They are there all year round. (often some shops don't stock them during the summer months)

Mine were born early April in the North Island and we had woollens from day 1. My Mum got ours from a seconds shop in Sydneham (I can't remember the street sorry!) - they sell the Bay Road merinos etc quite cheap too.. quite often have ads on the radio (3ZB and the likes). Much cheaper and better quality than some of the others.

I never used woollen singlets on my two winter/spring babies and we were in Wellington when they were born so not exactly tropical. I just didn't like the feel of them. I used Merino and wool on the outer layers and cotton singlets next to the skin.

I loved having woolen bodysuits on my babies. I was just in at T&T today picking up some stuff for a friends baby & couldn't believe the woolen bodysuits & singlets were only $5 - bargain! I picked up extra

Thanks so much for all the information ladies.

I will head off to Baby Factory and TnT tomorrow and sort this out.

Thanks also for the advice with the cotton layer next to the skin. I can't stand wool anywhere near my skin so I suspect Scarlett may be the same!

Thanks also for all the kind wishes.

Sadly summer has ended in Chch today - wet and about 12 degrees outside - Baby has plenty of woolly cardies and things just no singlets. I am seriously thinking about lighting the log burner tonight...

I got a bit pile of them yesterday for my DD....looked fine to me even though they were apparently seconds.

Farmers have them. Teeny Weeny brand and they are 25% off at the moment. (I think they are $17.99 full price.) They last for yonks!
Bummer you didn't post this a week earlier... I just gave a huge pile of them away and would have gladly dropped them off to you! Bummer