Baby Shopping

[CuriosityDoor]

First thread I've started so apologies if I'm in the wrong place!

I'm 26 weeks and starting the daunting task of buying the essentials for our first baby and wanted to get some opinions from people more in the know about these things!

We are thinking of getting a Sleepyhead, after numerous recommendations and having seen good reviews. We are also going to get a Next To Me crib. Do we also need a moses basket?? Can you move a sleeping baby in the Sleepyhead into the Next Yo Me, without waking them up??

Also, what are people's opinions on baby baths, angelcare seats and a top and tail bowls? Do I really need all 3??

Thanks all!

[smallplainblonde]

I can't advise on the sleepyhead as I don't have one but I do have the angel care bath support and I love it. Although I probably didn't use it until my baby was about 6 weeks old, it's so handy though and she loves it too. The only reason I waited to use it is because my friend bought me a baby bath so I used that for the first few weeks. I don't think you'd need both. Is there specific bowls for topping and tailing? I didn't know that. I had a couple of plastic bowls and just used them. Best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy and enjoy the shopping!

[CharminglyGawky]

I'm a couple of weeks ahead of you so don't 'know' as such but this is what I'm doing!

I want a next to me bedside crib as well, they look lovely. I don't like the brown or the pink ones though and am debating whether it's worth spending an extra £25 to get a grey circles one or the john lewis baby blue one!

I have looked into the sleepyhead but it looks like not all babies need one and as it's £110 and sold on amazon I'm not going to bother getting one in advance. If little one is a nightmare sleeper I can order one on prime and get it the next day anyway.

Not buying a Moses basket as it would only be used downstairs anyway and I think they grow out of them quite quick. We do need a place for baby downstairs though so am thinking of getting a travel cot that has a floor that can be raised for younger babies to use as an oversized Moses basket and as a place I know a sleeping baby is away from the dog if I nip to the loo or something. Our dog is as soppy as they come and loves kids but I'm not taking any risks! Also if I end up with a Velcro baby and the cot doesn't work at all it won't be wasted money as we will need one at some point anyway!

Top and tail bowls tend to show up a lot on lists of things parents wish they hadn't bought so I'm not getting one!

I'm just getting a baby bath I think, some come with newborn inserts which I guess are like the bath seat thingies. I'd definitely get a bath seat thing if I had a bad back to save having to hold baby's full weight whilst leaning over the bath. I am debating getting a brightly coloured garden trug thing, the round rubbery ones, to use as a baby bath in the kitchen sink for the first few months. I've seen good things about them on the internet (especially if I end up with a section, I'm guessing standing at the sink is easier than leaning over the bath) and once baby graduates to the baby bath the trug could be used as a toy box. Or you know actually go in the garden!

We are planning on moving house early in the new year so it's really made me focus on not buying too much as we will have to move it all! I'm not getting any furniture for baby yet, I may even be able to get nursery furniture in the Jan sales which would be awesome!

[loveulotslikejellytots]

Sleepyhead - dd loved it. You could carry them from room to room in it, very carefully but it's not recommended. It's not really got much structure to it so with 7-8lbs of baby in it, it's not the easiest thing to do. But it is possible if little one is sleeping.

Angelcare support, again we loved it. Dd is 9 months and I still sit her in it to wash her hair. Then she gets out for a splash about. We went away and didn't take ours when dd was a lot smaller and I found it hard to bath her without it, but it's just what you get used to.

We didn't use a top and tail bowl. Just used water wipes from day one (even in hospital) and then moved onto normal wipes after about 3 week bad mummy but everyone said not to bother with cotton wool etc. it's just a faff. But everyone is different. When dd has had nappy rash I've used cooled boiled water and cotton wool, but I've just used an old Tupperware.

[Ca55andraMortmain]

We didn't have a baby bath or top and tail bowl. We used the angelcare seat in the big bath from the start, although we often brought DD into the bath with one of us in the early days too.

We also didn't have a Moses basket as I thought she would grow out of it too quickly, we just used the carry cot from the pram for daytime naps downstairs which had the added benefit of being able to pop her in the pram to go out without waking her up.

[loveulotslikejellytots]

Oh and we had the next to you crib. We only needed up with the sleepyhead as dd wouldn't settle in it to start with, I think it was quite big compared to how little she was! And the brown isn't as bad when you see it in the flesh!

[loveulotslikejellytots]

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[ZippyNeedsFeeding]

For my first child I bought a baby bath, but by the second it had been relegated to holding washing. I found it was too long, with too many skidding/slipping possibilities.It was also heavy when full and difficult to empty without flooding. For the next three babies I found a washing up bowl was better, easier to move about and more practical- also cheaper!
I did use a top and tail bowl, but didn't use disposable wipes. Horses for courses I suppose.
First time mothers tend to over-buy a bit because there is so much pressure to have the most up to date kit, and so many opinions on what you really need. So long as the baby has somewhere to sleep, a car seat, basic clothes and some means of being cleaned, I'd advise you to buy only the very bare minimum because almost anything you find you need but don't have can be delivered very quickly.

[soundsystem]

We had a bedside crib (Snuzpod) which was great, and will be using again for DD2.

I like the idea of the Sleepyhead but DD didn't need it, so I'd maybe hold off on buying that in advance and only order if you think you need it once the baby is here.

We were given a Moses basket and found it useful for downstairs, but I wouldn't have bought one. If you can pick one up for free (free cycle/local Facebook page/friends who are finished with theirs) and you have space I'd get one but if not you an easily do without.

We had a tummy tub bath which was great (and about £2.50 off eBay) and didn't bother with a top and tail bowl.

I'd also strongly recommend signing up for Amazon Prime just before the baby is due. The free next day delivery is a lifesaver! We made really good friends with our postman when Dd was born

[Whatsername17]

I'm a second time mum to be and I honestly wouldn't bother with a moses basket. My dd absolutely hated it. We are getting the next to me crib instead this time. Swaddle blankets are brilliant for helping a newborn to settle. I'll post some links in a second. A baby monitor- for me, one that monitored her breathing was essential. A gro egg temperature monitor thing for the room and one for the bath. I used a bath seat rather than a baby bath. Muslin squares a great too.

[frikadela01]

I have the cheapest next 2 me crib. It's sort of a beige colour and is quite nice. I didn't get a sleepyhead because I think it's a lot of money for what it is. Ds settled well in his crib after about 2 weeks although he needed swaddling.

We didn't bother with a Moses basket and fully planned on using the carrycot downstairs. In reality he slept either on us or on the sofa next to is during the day.

I didn't get a baby bath or a top and tail bowl, just more things to store. I got a bath support that been used about 5 times. We tend to bath Ds (17 weeks) with either me or dp. Dp loves it and Ds splashes around in the deeper water safely.

I love the gro egg thermometer that changes colour depending on the temperature. Dp loves the video monitor we got.

[CuriosityDoor]

This is all great and really helpful, thank you so much! I don't want to get sucked down into a wormhole of baby paraphernalia but also want to make sure I'm not left sobbing over something foolish that I didn't think of!

[GinIsIn]

Hi Curiosity, sounds like you've got lots of good advice here but if you fancy it, over on the February due date chat in ante-natal clubs, we are all at about this point too so there's lots of chat going on about cribs and sleepyheads

[frikadela01]

It's so easy to see things in bloody mothercare and be convinced you need them.

Second what pp said about Amazon prime. When breastfeeding went tits up for me I just ordered all the bottles and formula off there for next day delivery, took such a pressure off things.

[NickyEds]

I'd hold off on the sleepyhead and the moses basket and not bother with the top and tail bowl or seat thing at all. My ds would only nap on me for the first 6 months so no need for a bed downstairs. Dd would nap on me, in the sling or the bouncy chair so no need for a bed downstairs either. We did have a moses basket but you won't need one if you're getting a crib- ds lasted 7 weeks in his before we just put him in his cot.

I used our baby bath a lot for ds- just put it into the normal bath as it used less water. Now it's storage for bath toys!

[GreyBird84]

DS was in a Moses basket until 5 months so that was esential for us.
We got a baby changing station which was fab & covered baby bath.
We did get a top & tail bowl but I don't think it's necessary,
We got a poddle pod as opposed to a sleepy head which was great but DS outgrew it quite quickly.
DS moved into the next to me at 5 months until 9 months. Was very handy to pack away for overnight stays too.
One thing I adored was out morrck car seat hoodie.

[Tiredmummy247]

I would recommend the poddle pod, it does the same thing but for less then half the price (£39.99 I think) they come in 2 sizes 0-6 and 6-24 it was perfect for them nights when he wouldn't settle we could pop him
In it and into our bed with out the risk of rolling on him, it helped him settle when we moved him from the Moses basket to him cot,it lasted a lot long then 6months x x

[Dixiechick17]

We bought the sleepyhead when our DD was a week old, got it next day delivery on Amazon, so may be worth seeing if you need it first, for us it's been brilliant and we now have the sleepyhead grande. My friend also has one and uses it her next to me crib. I've found it brilliant for the occasional co sleeping night too, but definitely worth waiting to see if you need it. They do sell well after though, I sold mine for 75 on eBay, so got most of my money back.

[DrWhy]

I've got the next to me crib, held off on buying the sleepyhead as it was so expensive and ended up sending DH to John Lewis for it on about day 4 when DS hadn't yet gone to sleep in the crib! I move him between rooms in it but it will may well wake him. Generally when he finishes his 5-6am ish feed I put him down in it and if he won't settle immediately take him through to the spare room and plonk him next to his dad on top of the covers.
We have a poddle pod for daytime naps but it's not approved for overnight sleeping, it works for us instead of a Moses basket but it's generally on the floor, if you have pets you might need to put it up on something.To be fair now he won't sleep anywhere but on me or DH or in a moving pram, sling or car!
We didn't get a baby bath or top and tail bowls, he gets a dunk in the sink if it needs to be quick (midwife told us to use a flannel to wash and dry his face and head first before taking his nappy off and putting him in the water), then in the evening he has a bath with me or DH where he can have a proper splash around. We also have a bath support that works well if I'm on my own as it's tricky to get yourself and a wet baby out of a bath and get you both warm and dry on your own.

[Sixisthemagicnumber]

I looked at the next to me crib and thought it was expensive for the size. Instead of the next to me crib I bought a space saver bedside crib which does the same job as the next to me but is a little bigger (and was less than £100 with mattress) so lasted DS until he was almost a year old and was moved into a cot bed in his own room. I didn't bother with a sleepyhead as I think they are expensive and I was worried about safety. Baby slept fine without a sleepyhead (all 3 of mine have).

I have always loved my baby baths. I use them inside the normal bath. It it saves a lot of water as I only have to fill a small bath. I would also recommend a bath seat as they are useful for the first couple of months. Top and tail bowls are a bit of a waste. My mum bought me one and I did use it for the first few weeks but that was all. My mum bought the top and tail bowl from pound land so I suppose for £1 it was worth it but obviously it is a lump of plastic which went to landfill after a few weeks.
I had a Moses basket with dc1 but didn't keep it and didn't bother buying a new one for dc2 or dc3 as they just slept in the carrycot bit of the pram during the day and when they outgrew it they went in the travel cot or upstairs in their proper cot.

[norbert23]

Another big thumbs up here for the sleepyhead - we got both sizes in the end so that when she transitioned to the cot bed in her own room she was happy. I also used it as a place for her to nap in the day (until she started rolling) and just bought it downstairs each morning. She hated the Moses basket though.
A nice comfy rocker or bouncer is really handy for when they're a little bit bigger and you want to put them somewhere for naps or to keep an eye while you shower.
I wasted lots of money on clothes she never wore, she lived in sleepsuits and vests for the first year really. It's worth going to a baby selling market and having a look as they usually have tons of bargain, never worn clothes for the first year.
Don't worry too much about baby's room as they'll be in with you for the first few months - I also found that I got given or offered lots of nice baby things from friends and people wanting rid of things they no longer needed. Plus they don't really need as much as you think! Enjoy browsing and nesting though xx