One of the most exciting things during my pregnancy was preparing for the arrival of Baby J. My nesting was completely out of control and I quickly became a dangerous consumer, forever googling products and reading reviews. We were having deliveries pretty much everyday (I think our neighbours got fed up of accepting our deliveries!)
But it is quite easy to get lost in the millions of baby products on the market. There are so many choices and you can easily get carried away in the excitement of it all. We ended up with a LOT of products. Some we were told were must haves but we never used, others were priceless. Baby J is now 4 months old and I have listed our 10 most useful buys and 10 least useful buys to date. Of course every baby is different and it is down to individual circumstances and preferences. The following is just from our experience.
10 MOST USEFUL BUYS
1. Muslin squares – you cannot have enough of these. We pretty much have one in every room/bag for the spit ups, dribble, vomit. And trust me, there are a LOT of spit ups. I would recommend these colourful ones from M&S which are fantastic quality and reasonably priced.
2. Water wipes – these are definitely must haves and have worked wonders so far for Baby J. They've never caused any rashes or problems and are great for my sensitive hands. I initially loved the idea of cleaning him with water and cotton wool, but realistically doing this 10/11 times a day together with the pressures of looking after him was just not feasible!
3. Grobags – these have been amazing for getting Baby J to sleep. No matter how much we tucked in his cellular blankets, he always managed to find a way to kick them off! So putting him in a Grobag means he is always warm and always sleeps well. The convenient zip at the bottom allows night time nappy changes with minimal disruption to his sleep. There are different togs depending on the temperature of the room so make sure you look out for this.
4. V shaped pillow for feeding – Baby J rapidly gained weight and so holding him for feeds especially after a C-Section was never easy. This pillow provides extra support and has made feeding tonnes more comfortable! It's great whether you're bottle or breast feeding.
5. White noise app – there are so many white noise toys (Ewan the Sheep, MyHummy) and although they might work for some we just found they did nothing for Baby J. A friend recommended the Sound Sleeper app from iTunes which has been a godsend. It has a range of sounds on there which have always helped soothe Baby J and send him to the land of nod - plus the app is free!
6. Dribble bibs – when babies start teething this is an essential item. It's amazing how much saliva a baby can produce and how wet they can make these bibs in the space of a few hours. I'm a big fan of the ‘bandana’ style bibs and there are some great choices out there.
7. Baby monitor – Baby J still sleeps in our bedroom, but has been so handy for naps, allowing me to get on with the endless amount of housework. Do ensure you select one with a good battery life, as you'll be moving around the house more than you think!
8. Car Isofix base and car seat – we travel a lot to and from London to visit my parents and so these were essential items for us. Baby J can scream for England if he's uncomfortable in the car seat and if he's asleep then carefully moving him to and from the car can sometimes feel like you’re handling a ticking bomb. So it was important to find a comfortable and reliable car seat. We bought a Maxi Cosi Pebble carseat which is reasonably priced and Baby J loves it. We initially thought the Isofix Base was just an unnecessary gadget but it's much more convenient and safe and so easy to fix. Well worth the money!
9. Good changing bag – it's amazing how many things you find yourself carrying around when out and about. I'm pretty sure I pack half of Baby J’s nursery every time we leave the house! In any event, whatever you want to carry, a good changing bag is essential. I love my Silver Cross one which has loads of compartments to make those nappy changes hassle free, plus it's the perfect combination of style and function for fashion conscious mums.
10. Lightweight buggy – we were completely overwhelmed with the choice of buggies on the market and found it hard to pick one. After scouring shops for weeks for the perfect buggy I chose one from Mamas and Papas which was sturdy but lightweight. Given how many times I lift the buggy in and out the car and I am pushing it around, lightweight was an essential factor. Don't waste your money on an expensive fancy buggy, think practical.
10 LEAST USEFUL BUYS
1. Nappy disposal system – these are expensive and not necessary. Despite the filters there is nothing that can hide the smell of a pile of dirty nappies! I would suggest buying a bin with a lid and regularly emptying it.
2. Oils, creams, lotions – we were given so many baby toiletries and we bought loads too. I didn’t even know so many different brands existed until I started researching. They all have their unique selling points but the truth is many contain unnecessary chemicals which can be harmful and irritable for your baby's skin. All your baby really needs for the first few weeks is water and then a simple body wash. We use Aveeno which is very kind to baby's skin.
3. Shoes – they look cute but are pretty pointless at such an early age as they never stay on. We have trouble keeping Baby J’s socks on!
4. Bottle warmer – this has never been used and in fact most of the time we probably could have done with cooler bottles rather than warmer!
5. Cot bumper – this was one of the many pointless things I bought during one of my crazed shopping sprees in Mothercare. I attached it to the cot and it sat there for a few weeks looking pretty and served no purpose whatsoever. I don't think it's necessary at all, so save your money.
6. Mobile – again this was another purchase for the cot, but we found instead of soothing Baby J to sleep, it did quite the opposite and by the end of the lullaby which played, he was pretty much bouncing off the sides of the cot in sheer excitement. It was instantly taken down. Stick to the white noise app.
7. Baby wipe warmer – this is definitely a useless gadget that you don’t really need. Providing you’re not storing your wipes in the freezer, your baby’s bottom can handle a room temperature wipe. If they find it a tad cold just dip the wipe into warm water before using it or alternatively use cotton wool and warm water.
8. Angelcare bath support - this was another product I bought but never used. Our bath is a little deep and so it wasn’t practical to use. I’ve used a baby bath since birth and it’s worked really well for me.
9. Baby carrier – this is great for some people but it’s probably worth thinking about how you intend to get around with baby before purchasing this. I never used the carrier as the pram and car seat has just been so much more convenient especially when Baby J is sleeping.
10. Too many clothes – this isn't one specific product but generally speaking don't buy too many clothes. I can't even begin to tell you how many people gave me this advice whilst I was pregnant but I chose to ignore it and bought tonnes of baby clothes because they were just too cute. I found myself trying to dress Baby J in jeans and trendy waistcoats at the tender age of 2 months. They’re so impractical that I'm pretty sure it's borderline child cruelty. Babies really grow so quickly and you’ll find yourself changing their outfits 2/3 a day from the dribble/vomit/explosive poos. My advice is bar a few ‘fancy’ outfits, just stick to some good quality baby gros.
TOP TIPS 1. Don't follow checklists – by all means, consider these lists but don't feel you need to buy everything from the list. John Lewis do a nursery appointment for parents to be and they go through all products needed for newborns, so make an informed decision as to what you actually need.
2. Wait until baby arrives – buy your essentials but you'll be surprised how many items you receive as hand me downs, or as gifts. So it might be worth waiting to see what you receive before buying certain items.
3. Do your research and make informed decisions – they are so many products on the market that it is worth doing your research to see what works for you. We never attended any Baby Shows or events simply because we thought we would be overwhelmed, but that could be a good place to start. Good luck and happy shopping!
Comments