Your advice: Best pieces of baby equipment & what was never used?

[ce2011]

If you have a car theres a mirror you can attach to the headrest so that you can see your baby as they will be rear ward facing unless they are in the front I found this soooo handy argos, tescos do one for around ?10 also a small flask will always be helpful you never know when you need hot water for bottles especially during the night time and trips out

[Jasmina]

SarahLP - You're so right about borrowing and 2nd hand... Babies are expensive. I've already got a cleaner and there is no way I could do with out her now, let alone when baby comes along. She may even get an extra day. x

[Jasmina]

D & Ruth_B - thanks re the maternity sanitary towels. x

[buggie]

For labour/first few days after the birth, forget maternity pads - get some tena lady pants... was best bit of advice my MW gave me and were worth it. When my waters broke on the steps of the GJW, not a drop was spilt, plus were much more comfy in the few days following the birth (the MW advised smearing manuka honey on them to help ease sore bits!!).

[womanofdulwich]

never used a top and tailing bowl- 2 margarine containers were fine. I found a plastic doughnut type hting you stick down your nurisng bra really good- as the baby feeds from one nipple you tend to leak from the other- you can collect that milk and freeze it for when you are not around. not sure what they are called but if a freind had not told me there would have been a lot of wasted milk.

[new mother]

bath thing that came with change-station - waste of time.

thermometer - w.o.t.

300 pairs of tiny tiny baby socks - w.o.t.

"cage" - useful

nice clothes for hospital - first time, I followed advice and took grungy awful stuff as it would get trashed and all my photos were really bad. :-((( take in ncie things to make you feel amazing and with an amazing new little person.

[Jasmina]

Awww... thank you newmother. Thats good advice re nice clothes. xx

[EmmaDoran]

Hi Jasmina

Yes to:

Lots of vests and sleepsuits. We bought quite a lot from Sainsburys and still do - they are inexpensive, have some nice designs and wash well.

LOTS of muslins!

Baby sleeping bags - we have them by Mothercare, Boots and M&S, all are fine and wash/dry well

Ergonomic bath seat - don't bother with a baby bath as they are cumbersome. The seat means you can just lie them in it in your normal bath. Costs at ?15 in Mothercare. Your baby may hate the bath initally though - we had to bath our son in the kitchen sink until he was 2 months old as he'd go nuts if we tried the bath!

Microwave bottle steriliser - we have Tommee Tippee and it's fine

Medela Swing electric breast pump if you are thinking of expressing - a manual pump is a lot cheap but will give you RSI!

Roomy baby bag with pockets, bottle holders and a changing mat

Cot top changer/changing table

Bouncer (our baby loves the Fisher Price Rainforest bouncer)

Baby gym - I got a ?75 Mamas & Papas Lottie the Ladybird mat for ?15 on eBay. Initially our baby showed no interest but at about 3 months he fell in love with it!

Ditto baby toys - babies don't really get interested in toys until about 3 months and you will get lots as presents anyway.

Manduca baby carrier - one of the more expensive on the market but simple to put on and holds baby in a comfy postion

Lots of baby wipes

Two books I found useful: 'Baby Love' by Robin Barker. She's an Australian so some of the references are to Australian organisations, but we have obvious equivalents and her advices is very practical and down to earth. Also, 'Your Babycare Bible' by Dr Anne Deanes

No to:

Baby sling (tried my son in one when he was about 2 months and he looked at me as if to say 'I don't think so...'

Sainsbury's nappies (subjective of course, we didn't get on with them but I'm sure others do)

Baby shampoo, lotion, bubble bath - not recommended by midwives and baby skin is very delicate

Swaddling blanket - our son is more of a fling-your-arms-and-legs around type of guy

Lots of baby blankets - our son kicks them over his head

Cot bumper - would recommend a Safe Dreams Cot Wrap instead

[Gubodge]

My rarely/never used items were:

Changing bag

Breast pads

Baby wipes

Baby bath

Bumbo

Bath stuff - shampoo/lotions/soaps

Room/bath thermometer

Baby bjorn carrier

My must haves:

Wrap style sling

Ergo baby carrier

Cheap bouncy chair

Winkel toy

Cheap flannels for bum wiping

Olive oil - for cradle cap, ear ache, massage

Calpol and syringe.

[Knomester]

It's all so subjective isn't it?!!

For me, the best items we bought (other than the usual) were:

1. A good stretchy swaddle cloth (although I think I'd get one of those cocoon ones next time). Baby K was a wriggler and had a really strong moro reflex so would wake up with every movement. We swaddled for naps until he was 9 weeks and at night until he was 4-5 months and I really think it helped with getting him to settle and sleep well as he felt secure.

2. Feeding cushion. Someone else has mentioned the Thrupenny Bits cushions - mine was a godsend when I bought it when Baby K was 5 weeks old and we were struggling to feed because of various problems nit allowed me to have both hands free to concentrate on latching him on.

3. A sling (which suits you and baby). It's not easy choosing a sling - everyone has their favourite! Baby K hated the soft slings a friend lent me and took a long time to get used to being carried. We ended up with a Babybjorn Synergie which was invaluable in the early days for naps when he wouldn't settle in the pram. He also is the sort of baby who likes to see the world so doesn't like facing inwards when awake and the Babybjorn is great for him to face outwards comfortably.

4. Good sized pram. The only thing I was sure about wanting before Baby K came along was a pram with a carrycot (as opposed to the lie flat buggies) and I never regretted buying ours even if it is a little bulkier than the more streamline pushchairs. Baby K loved his carrycot! He napped in it in the day and would happily lie in it for walks, etc. He wasn't impressed when he outgrew it...!

As for things which I didn't use, probably just the top and tail bowl and the bouncy chair (a Babybjorn in our case). He goes in it sometimes but has never really been a big fan - he's much happier stretched out flat on his playmat on the floor!

Good luck!

-

[Gubodge]

Oh yes, top and tail bowl, never had one, never missed it. In fact, don't tell anyone, but I only ever used one bowl and made sure I did the top first, then the tail. Bad me!

[ladywotlunches]

Gubodge, same here! Funnily enough both mine have survived :)

[MGolden]

So did mine!

[The Nappy Lady]

Ah yes....buggys....I had a Bugaboo 2nd time around and loved the carrycot & parent facing option, so much nicer when they are little. I think being able to tuck a newborn up in a carrycot/pram for walks when they are little is so lovely, it seemed much more comfortable too.

But buggys really are a whole other thread in themselves!

I never had a top & tail bowl either!

[Mazza6]

1. Baby bjorn Bouncer - a big toe does the trick and when they are heavy enough they can bounce themselves.

2. Fisher Price Rainforest Cot Mobile - the little one loves it in his cot.

3. I-Candy Cherry very light, easy to fold.

4. Tommy Tippee Close to Nature Bottles

5. Handcream - for after washing your hands repeatable.

6. A bundle of clothes from the Forum... then you can save you items for more expensive items.

7. Cath Kidson Cowboy Print Nappy bag - still cheers me up looking at it :)

Good luck!

[sb]

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[MichelleT]

The one thing a friend recommended and which I found really useful in the first few weeks were wraparound style vests, if you are at all nervous about pulling vests over the baby's head! Hennes do them, or you can get them online.

And you can't have enough muslins.

And a sling - my baby didn't have a buggy for about 3 months and was very happy in his moby. I now have a manduka which is suitable from newborn to toddler and use it everyday.

Congratulations and good luck - it's so exciting!

[Helen GV]

would second washable wipes, SO much more effective than baby wipes I have found.

[Strawbs]

I've been doing some research online and wanted to know if anyone has any experience with tesco brand nappies? I've read they are great but I wanted to hear it from an actual person who had used them..

Also mothercare are telling me that madela is a great electric expresser and bottles - anyone used one? I'm planning to express so my partner can feed too..

Thanks !!

[Belle]

much bigger size than is relevant to you (for my 2.5 yr old) but I used tesco's own while staying with my mum recently and they did the job absolutely fine - didn't even notice they weren't our usual Pampers at first. Didn't try them at newborn stage though so can't vouch for how well they contain explosive newborn type nappies...

[Pickle]

I used cloth nappies during the day, but at night used Tesco "baby dry" (I think they were called that) and they were brilliant - for a fraction of the cost of the big brand ones!

[dulwichyogini]

Strawbs - Your nappy query has come at the right time for me as I'm not trying to decide which ones to buy. As well as your breast pump query!

[Strawbs]

does anyone have any recs for the best kind of breastfeeding pillow for someone who has had a c-section? x

[bluesuperted]

I didn't use a specific pillow post EMCS but I really recommend mastering lying down feeding as soon as you can: doing it now 9 months on and it's so easy/lazy!

[cazbee]

I'm not sure about the pillow for c-section but re pumps, the Medela electric ones are good. I have the Swing and it has worked very well. But if I had my time again I think I would buy a second hand hospital grade double electric pump on ebay like the Ameda lactaline (about ?40-50 as opposed to ?150 new) and buy a new milk collection kit (about ?12). I used similar up at Kings when my son was in the baby unit but had already bought the Medela one for home. It takes quite a bit of effort to wash and sterilise things for expressing so if you invest the time getting it all ready it really makes sense to have the option to double pump!

Re nappies, we use Lidl toujours and think they are fab. Start at size 3 but our baby seems to have a large bottom (takes after Mum!) so was in these from about 6 weeks. They were voted best disposable on mumsnet recently.

Congratulations and enjoy your little one!