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Original poster

Things you only buy as a first time mum [title edited by MNHQ at OPs request]

97 replies

GreenSlide · 03/03/2021 18:02

I give you...the bump sheet mask Grin

Things you only buy as a first time mum [title edited by MNHQ at OPs request]
OP posts:
modge · 03/03/2021 21:14

I have to say, I don’t regret our expensive travel system at all. We used it until DS1 was three, and then for the same period for DS2. We are now expecting our third, and plan to replace a few parts and use it all over again

Likewise, although only used for one DC. As we didn't have a car for the first 18 months after DC was born we got so much use out of it so on a "cost per use" basis it was a bargain. We then sold it on and had a lovely and very nervous first time dad to be come to collect it, full of questions about how to use it - I remember feeling suddenly very worldly wise compared to him!

I think we avoided most PFB purchases, our only real error being stretchy fabric slings. I had visions of cocooning my baby to me whilst I wafted about handsfree whereas in reality DC was born into a heatwave and neither of us could stand being wound together in layers and layers of fabric. By the time it cooled down, they were much too heavy for wrapping up like that.

RuggeryBuggery · 03/03/2021 21:16

@GreenSlide

Some more info on the bump sheet mask. It is a face mask but for your bump. (Even calling it a bump makes me shudder a bit, and I'm actually pregnant at the minute Blush * '*Treat your bump with this targeted treatment bump mask to care for your skin. Cooling aloe vera hydrates the dry skin whilst rosehip works to help reduce stretch marks.

Tips: Apply to clean, dry skin. Unfold the mask and smooth onto the contour of your belly, the size of the mask is designed to be suitable for all stages of pregnancy. Put your feet up and relax for 15 – 20 minutes. Remove the bump mask and rub in any excess serum to your bump and hips'

Such is my covid conditioning that I was picturing some kind of giant PPE type face mask for your bump 😂
RuggeryBuggery · 03/03/2021 21:18

Bumbo! Pretty useless imo and only used for a very short space of time. Bit of a fad - are they even still a thing?!

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BeingATwatItsABingThing · 03/03/2021 21:22

@RuggeryBuggery

Bumbo! Pretty useless imo and only used for a very short space of time. Bit of a fad - are they even still a thing?!
DD1 and 2 both love(d) the Bumbo seat. We have an activity today for it though and it keeps DD2 entertained for quite a while.
Redcrayons · 03/03/2021 21:29

I had not one, but two top and tail bowls for my precious first born twins. I’m still not 100% sure what you’re supposed to do with them.

We went through the mothercare essentials list and spent about a million pounds buying it All. And doubled up on everything. Not quite sure why I didn’t realise that 3 month old twins don’t mind about sharing baby nail scissors.
Fortunately brand new in packaging baby stuff sells quite well on eBay.

sonnysunshine · 03/03/2021 21:40

Pretty much everything we got given was second hand but we never used more than twice:
The Nappy bin. Wrapped to make sure nappies pollute the world forever and forever. Ugly and a waste of space.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 03/03/2021 21:43

I used the top and tail bowl!
DD2 had a skin condition. I used to put warm water in one half, and the used washcloths in the other half when doing the wipe downs.

Baby bath used a lot with DD1 as we had a massive bath and it seemed wasteful to fill it for a tiny baby.

CluelessHamster · 03/03/2021 21:46

Nappy stacker Grin

Doublechins · 03/03/2021 21:47

Not for the baby but for me, disposable knickers. What an itchy uncomfortable waste of time they were.

Next 3 times I just bought huge comfy knickers, much better!

DoubleHelix79 · 03/03/2021 21:51

@FedNlanders

Baby bjorn carrier.
We used ours a lot - in fact i just washed it so it's ready for DC2 when he's born.
TokyoSushi · 03/03/2021 21:54

I had a top and tail bowl! I also was under the impression that you had to do a nappy change with cotton wool balls and cooled boiled water because wipes were of the devil! My goodness those first nappy changes with all the black poo were a nightmare! I put all of these cotton wool balls into my lovely white nappy bin where the cartridges cost £10 each!!

When I went on to have DD I was definitely a wipes convert and the nappy bin was long gone! I never once used the top and tail bowl, I still don't really know what it's for 10 years on!

Mumdiva99 · 03/03/2021 22:09

@Doublechins

Not for the baby but for me, disposable knickers. What an itchy uncomfortable waste of time they were.

Next 3 times I just bought huge comfy knickers, much better!

Goodness yes. And I'd bought them in my pre-pregnancy size.....forgetting that most the baby weight wasn't a baby at all but all the free Magnums I'd eaten at work whilst PG. I pulled the first pair up in the maternity ward after giving birth and they split down the side!!!

Electronic thermometer- the very few times my baby actually had a fever it was pretty darn obvious....he was hot on the body and red in the face.
It was never used on the other kids as my hand was the best way to tell. (And yes I know I couldn't tell if they were .5 or 1 degree higher than normal - but I knew if they were poorly. )

worriedstar · 03/03/2021 22:13

we kept our top/tail bowl to use as a sick bowl....the kids get a choice of which half to barf in!

AlwaysLatte · 03/03/2021 22:18

I was given a couple of little cotton cones to put over my DS1s Willy to stop the helicopter effect during nappy changes. The pee-soaked little delight went down the back of the changing table in first use so I fished it out and sanitised it, never to be used again. I think we only used the baby bath once too - soon realised it's nicer and easier to just get in with them.

BrownEyedGirl80 · 03/03/2021 22:20

An automatic rocker seat thing.It cost hundreds and ds hated it.

AlwaysLatte · 03/03/2021 22:21

Oh and those little bins with plastic liners in to seal up the nappies. Pointless! I quickly got rid of that and just took the nappies straight out to the outside bin each time. But for a Caesarian birth or with someone with low mobility maybe useful. It just wasn't for me.

AlwaysLatte · 03/03/2021 22:23

A sheep skin. Cost £70, doesn't help with sleep and is impossible to clean. We've still got it, and if they eventually trace COVID back to our manky sheep skin I won't be at all surprised.
That's one thing we DID use a lot - for the pushchair. We had a special product that we could use that meant we could just put it in the washing machine (although I can't remember what it was called)

BrownEyedGirl80 · 03/03/2021 22:24

It was this

Things you only buy as a first time mum [title edited by MNHQ at OPs request]
Florencenotflo · 03/03/2021 22:24

Gro egg. Dd1 born in January and we lived in an old freezing cold house with shit heating. It stressed me out so much waking up to feed her and seeing the poxy egg had gone blue. Dd never seemed to mind and even now she wears as little clothing as possible.

Dd2, different house. Born August bank holiday in 2019, hottest few weeks of the year ever. The fucking gro egg would be screaming red every night, again, stressing me out because our bedroom was 25 degrees and I had no way to cool it down. Except for a big fan, which i'd read wasn't good to have pointed at the baby. I think I would have preferred not having it to be honest. No idea why I didn't just throw or give it away.

AlwaysLatte · 03/03/2021 22:28

Oh yes, the top and tail bowl. I'd forgotten about that! And we soon stopped using the changing table. I put a daybed into DD1s nursery so that if he was crying I could go there with him as DH was up early for work and needed his sleep. We mostly put a changing mat on that bed and changed him there. If I did it all over again I'd definitely have far less 'baby' stuff.

DipSwimSwoosh · 03/03/2021 22:30

I bought nothing for dc1 as my 2 older siblings had just finished having babies and offloaded everything on to me. I soon learnt what was actually useful, and what I wanted to replace new!
I really don't think I spent any money on dc1. The only thing I needed was a baby monitor so I got that as a gift.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 03/03/2021 22:35

A lot of these things will depend on lifestyle. I definitely used different things with DD1 (second floor flat, no lift) than with DD1. Nappies... Having to take the dirty ones down two flights of stairs then to the bin area Vs walking out of back door... Nappy bin lot more useful in flat.
Baby carrier when your washing machine was in the cellar of your apartment block... Essential.
Car seat on wheels when doing nursery/school drop offs... Life a lot simpler.

It really does depend on circumstances.
But somethings are definitely a waste!

DwangelaForever · 03/03/2021 23:04

I agree I used the nappy bin religiously with my first as I lived in a flat and couldn't pop out to the bin, nappy bin kept the smell away! Didn't own one with my second though as I'd moved to a house by then and it was easier

Mummy195 · 03/03/2021 23:05

This thread so reminds of old times.

I had a thingy around the bump to listen to the baby heartbeat. Could not tell if my heat or baby's, so sold it off on eBay.

Had a baby scale, despite pfb seeing health visitor either at home or clinic for a weigh in every second week.

Did not know how to use BabyGro clock, so sold that too.

Had an air clarifier and humidifier too.

The Boots staff knew who I was cause I took about 100 pics of pfb daily and used to go develop them and they would comment about how grown pfb was and I was so flattered. I try to hide some now, as other DC have asked why there are so many pics of dc1.

At some point I would ask DH to walk in front of us down stairs, incase I fell and he would then cushion the baby's fall !

Can't believe how quickly that all went out the window by the time DC2 was born.

SusannahSophia · 03/03/2021 23:34

I always used the changing table. I have a bad back and couldn’t do with changing on the floor. But the top and tailer? I did use it, but only ever one side. Just cleaned their face first and bum afterwards.

I got a top of the door frame bouncer for DS1. Brilliant, he loved it. DS2 however, DS1 just used him as a pendulum and bounced him off of the door frame sides once too often!