Shopping in Jakarta: Baby stuff

It took me quite a few walkabouts to discover all these places. I am fully convinced that the entire baby products industry exists solely to part $$$ from parents. We have tried to keep our spending sensible especially on baby clothes but made sure we spent on items that were crucial for the baby's safety like his car seat.

For parents who are looking to keep to a budget, stay out of Mothercare. :)) I actually like the stuff in Mothercare, the shopping experience is very pleasant, the staff are very helpful but boy, are the prices sky-high. You could try some of the places below for more credit crunch-friendly baby shopping. Trust me, your little one won't know if his layette came from these shops or from Gap Kids. As long as it keeps him warm and comfy, he's going to like it.


ITC Fatmawati
We actually popped by here because we were told it had camera shops. It reminded me a lot of Sg Wang Plaza in KL. Same style, you know - crowded with shops selling mostly handphones. But I also noticed there were a lot of baby shops in the place and they seemed very affordable. Products ranged from clothing to cribs, strollers and other accessories, so it's worth checking out.

Poins Square
I went here to shop at Giant. However, I got lost navigating the floors and kept bumping into baby shop after baby shop. Giant and Carrefour (opposite Poins Square) themselves also carry baby gear, so you can grab some if you're doing your weekly grocery shopping there.

Suzanna Baby Shop, Pondok Indah
I was over the moon when I found this place. It's located right opposite Plaza Pondok Indah, just a straight shot past the traffic lights from Poins Square. It's a one-stop centre for baby products. They sell clothing, bottles, toys, cribs, strollers, bedding... everything and anything you need to prepare for the arrival of your little one. All you need is the baby. And the hubby with his credit card. :))
I'd been hunting high and low for a baby crib. The ones in Mothercare were going for a princely sum of Rp5 mill (approx RM1,800+) and mattresses, cot bumpers etc were all add-ons. The kiddie furniture shop near my house was going to charge me Rp3 mill for a custom-made crib and once again, mattresses were add-ons.
I popped in here after my labour class on Wed and found cribs that cost Rp1.4 mill... with mattresses and teethguards! There was one that was going for Rp1.8 mill and even came with an attached set of drawers! Admittedly, the wood used here was not as good as that used in the Mothercare cribs but no, it didn't look like it was going to collapse under the weight of a baby. I'm dragging Dear Hubby back tomorrow so that all the spending will be put on his credit card, not my supplementary one. Smart lei... :)))


For mums who have an unlimited budget...
If you must and can, then I would recommend Senayan City and Pacific Place. They each have an entire floor devoted to baby and kiddie products at suitably snooty prices. Another good place would be Dharmawangsa Square where they do have the MOST adorable baby stuff but I am always wary of buying stuff that don't have price tags.

Have fun shopping!