Best buys for babies?

[mylittlenugget]

Just getting all the bits and pieces together now for when baby is here (10 weeks until my due date now!) and because everyone was so helpful on my thread about hospital bags I was wondering if anyone would offer up the things they found most useful with a newborn/wish they'd had? Or even the stuff they shouldn't have bothered with because it was just marketed tat to get anxious mums to be to part with cash?

Download a white noise app for your phone

You can get white noise toys like MyHummy and Ewan the dream sheep but I never found them loud enough so I blast it from my phone (iTunes white noise for babies). White noise is a godsend.

Baby Bjorn bouncer is by far the best.

Sleepyhead deluxe is great, we co-sleep safely with ours.

Black and white cot mobile/books! Babies love looking at black and white images.

I recommend a sleepyhead, babygrows that do up with a zip or magnet (so much better for nighttime changes than fighting with poppers!) and swaddling sacks. You'll also want some sort of sling but which type you get on with best is very much down to the individual mum and baby, so beg/borrow/steal different ones from friends and family, or try a sling library before splashing out on one.

I used a Myhummy and still do at 16 months. Initially thought it wasn't loud enough but soon got used to it and now it seems really loud blasting through the monitor.

I recommend getting some of the lanisoh (Not sure on the spelling) gel pads that go in the freezer for when your milk comes in. I found then great for breastfeeding help when warming them up. And also eased pain when I had mastitis.

Get an Amazon prime subscription as you'll find you'll be ordering stuff in the middle of the night!

I found a big cellur blanket was great for skin on skin and cosleeping.

Thanks everyone these suggestions are going on the to buy list!

Cheeky wipes. Using the same ones with number two they’re fab.

Bath thermometer

Angelcare baby bath support for baby to lie on in the bath

Baby Bjorn bouncer

Sling/carrier

Glider chair (for me to sit on to rock my baby to sleep. He needed rocking for every night waking and nap. It saved my back and sanity!)

Sleepyhead, muslin cloths - great if you’re planning on breastfeeding as you can put them down your top if you start leaking!, swaddle blankets, a good sling (try a nearby sling library if you’re unsure). A travel system if you have a car so you can just lift the car seat in and out.

I also had a Ewan the sheep for white noise. Lamaze toys are also great although at newborn the best thing they like looking at are faces ☺️. I’d have a look on Facebook marketplace and local baby children markets if you’re not fussy about second hand.

Things I didn’t need were the Moses basket as he slept in the sleepyhead, and a glider chair as I just fed in bed! Best of luck

Sleepy head
Muslins
Footless sleep suits with zip from h and m
Babybjorn bouncer, pricy but worth it

Ewan the sheep, set up a white noise playlist on YouTube - pick the 10 hour videos, sleeping bags for baby so no blankets, a next to me is the best cot, slings, perfect prep machine if you're bottle feeding.

My daughter hates her bouncy chair, my son loved his so I wouldn't go too expensive with this one incase baby hates it.

Use local facebook groups or mum markets to get good second hand stuff - i got a babybjorn bouncer for 30 quid. Plus lots of babygros in excellent condition.

Best buys for me:
White noise machine
Stretchy wrap sling
Poddle
Baby bjorn bouncer
Soft rattle
Lots of muslins and a cheap throw for the couch as he is a sicky baby
Angelcare bathseat (a fiver off local facebook mums group)
Deciding to just do baby gros for first 3 months and avoid wrestling with smalll outfits

The big Aden & Anais Muslins.
Sleepyhead Deluxe.
Tommy Tippee Perfect Prep (for ff if bf doesn’t go as planned).
A big vat of coffee because you will be so sleep deprived.
Growsnugs for swaddling.

Might be a bit late but the best thing I bought was the next2me crib. It was so helpful during the early months especially breast feeding in the night.

Wow thank you everyone these are all so helpful! I've been checking Facebook religiously but a lot of it looks like it can't be washed, and whilst I'm not fussy about second hand I do want everything to be clean before I put my baby near it. I'm a little clueless though and maybe there's a way to thoroughly clean things like bouncers without taking all the fabric off?

The baby bjourn Bouncer- you can easily remove the fabric and wash it. I got one for £20 on my local Facebook group. Ideally get one with the wooden toy that comes across it. It does distract them when a bit older.
It’s worth posting on your local Facebook group with the things you want..
the bouncer
The bath support - my boy loved it. Keeps them super secure which helps them feel good and you. Pic attached

But for early days,
Lansinoh cream (most important of planning to breastfeed)
A list of local breastfeeding support places - always worth going to.
A bag that you can easily take from room to room which fits a nice water bottle, some paracetamol, lansinoh cream, your phone so that you can easily move everything from room to room. I recovered fast but had a few days with a sore back.

Congratulations most importantly. I adored those days. Enjoy enjoy enjoy (and seek help for anything and everything)

Pic

Thank you that's all really helpful!
I have a baby bath and then something like the picture so hopefully that'll work the same?

I had two changing mats, one on the changing table upstairs and one in the living room downstairs with a little basket with the essentials (a few nappies, cotton wool/wipes, cream, a few muslins, bibs, couple of vests and babygros. It just meant I didn't have to traipse upstairs all the time). My mum set it up for me and I was really grateful!

My best buys for my now 8 month old are the Doona car seat -Cannot imagine not having this now and recommend to everyone!
Perfect prep machine for obvious reasons
Ollie the owl white noise.

As you’re having a summer baby think carefully about clothes. We’ve had spring and summer babies and never used a snowsuit - just blankets and you’re unlikely to need one until the autumn. Some rompers would be great for warmer days. With my first (a summer baby), I hadn’t thought about rompers but got quite a few as gifts that were used loads as they tend to be nicer than just putting them in vests.

You realise that babies like different things. My first baby hated slings. My second has lived in it. Don’t buy too much ahead of time. An amazon prime subscription has been a godsend for random bits and pieces delivered quickly.

Doona carseat/buggy...genius bit of kit.

I like the idea of a changing mat and little basket kept next to it, no use for it in my flat but maybe for grandparents houses so we don't have to bring loads of extra things to theirs.
Already have a car seat and prom/pushchair and stroller so don't think the doona will be needed, although some look like they can be used until baby is much older so could look into them then thank you!
Yes not planning on buying too much as we (as in both us parents and the baby) may decide we don't like whatever it is but always useful to know these things as a back up if we do decide we need a sling or a new cream etc. Hoping she's easy and what we do have already is good enough.
We have bought warmer clothes but that's all in preparation for winter, apart from a few cardigans and maybe one jacket until she's 3 months old it's all sleeveless and short sleeved clothing and things like leggings and tights. Not sure what to do about night time though, would that just be a vest thingy and a long sleeved sleepsuit? Been told not to use the sleeping bag until she's a bit older so not sure how else to keep her warm because I thought blankets weren't safe during sleeps either?

I'm a little clueless though and maybe there's a way to thoroughly clean things like bouncers without taking all the fabric off?

Check the ones you like. My two had poppers and zips so easy to get on and off and wash in the machine.

Sleeping bags are great. The outfit ones.