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Original poster

Family member wants to gift us something for baby… suggestions please?

32 replies

Doi · 30/01/2024 16:20

We have had an extremely generous offer from a family member who wants to buy us a big ticket baby item, they said such as the cot or pram.

We haven’t bought anything ‘big’ yet nor got any ideas of what we would like. We know we will need a Next to me crib, a cot and a travel system.

What would you recommend to ask for? What has been useful for you as a first time mum?

Thank you.

OP posts:
Aglassaday · 30/01/2024 16:23

Baby monitor with camera or even better, owlet monitor

Merrow · 30/01/2024 16:24

I personally have never seen the appeal of a travel system, they seem such crazy money with no real benefit. I would think about your lifestyle and get the pram / buggy that suits that. When we lived in London with DS1 it was the babyzen yo-yo, when we lived more rurally with DS2 it was the out n about 360. If you want to buy new then that will be a big ticket item.

shewasrooting · 30/01/2024 16:28

have they given any guidance re budget?

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Families
shewasrooting · 30/01/2024 16:30

how far along are you?

frozendaisy · 30/01/2024 16:30

You can get prams/buggies that can convert from basin, to upright and fit a car seat.

I would get this big ticket item from generous relative. Take them with you looking they will love to be involved. They might even have some good advice.

mindutopia · 30/01/2024 16:33

A cot bed (cot that can be transformed into a toddler bed). MIL gifted us ours with dc1 (who is now 11) and we have used it for 2 dc and still get away with it as a bed for dc2 who is now 6.

A cot that can be attached (sidecared) to your bed if you have space rather than a next to me cot. The next to me ones tend to be outgrown quickly, but we had an IKEA cot that we could adjust to be flush against our mattress and we used it for up to 2 years with both dc. Even when they start to sleep in their rooms, there will be times when you need to sleep close to each other - teething, illness, just plain exhaustion - and having the space to safely keep them close to you made a huge difference in our sanity.

Unless you live in London and never go anywhere that isn't paved, an off-road pushchair. We used that much more than than we ever used a travel system or the more on-road pushchair we had.

BurbageBrook · 30/01/2024 16:33

I had a travel system as my big ticket gift -- they are so expensive, so I'd highly recommend this, or otherwise a decent pram. A family member generously bought me a travel system that cost about 1k though, so I'm not sure if you want to ask your family member to spend that much... if they are looking to spend more around the 500 mark or less, I'd ask for a really good pram/pushchair or a decent extended rear facing car seat with a newborn insert.

mitogoshi · 30/01/2024 16:34

I would get a guide to their definition of big ticket because older relatives may be rather alarmed at the cost of branded baby items (when there's items on the market that do exactly the same thing for a fraction of the price. If grandma to be is thinking pushchairs are £250 but you are wanting a fancy £1000 one it could cause upset

Original poster
Doi · 30/01/2024 16:38

I feel awkward asking how much they want to spend. It will probably be in the region of 300-500 from what they were saying.

OP posts:
shewasrooting · 30/01/2024 16:39

Doi · 30/01/2024 16:38

I feel awkward asking how much they want to spend. It will probably be in the region of 300-500 from what they were saying.

what were they saying?

shewasrooting · 30/01/2024 16:39

i think unfair of them not to give you any kind of guidance!

shewasrooting · 30/01/2024 16:39

how pregnant are you?

welshweasel · 30/01/2024 16:46

Decent car seat! The only thing worth buying new and spending £££ on in my opinion.

Bedside cot get second hand and buy new mattress, loads of them never even get slept in!

Try out prams and then buy the one you want secondhand - you'll sell it on for the same amount you bought it for after a year when you will probably want something more compact.

Original poster
Doi · 30/01/2024 16:54

welshweasel · 30/01/2024 16:46

Decent car seat! The only thing worth buying new and spending £££ on in my opinion.

Bedside cot get second hand and buy new mattress, loads of them never even get slept in!

Try out prams and then buy the one you want secondhand - you'll sell it on for the same amount you bought it for after a year when you will probably want something more compact.

That’s true. Plenty of next to mes on marketplace so might pick one of those up. Struggling to find second hand pram listings near us on marketplace that aren’t scams though!

OP posts:
Original poster
Doi · 30/01/2024 16:59

shewasrooting · 30/01/2024 16:39

what were they saying?

Show quote history

I don’t know what you mean?

OP posts:
shewasrooting · 30/01/2024 17:00

Doi · 30/01/2024 16:59

I don’t know what you mean?

Show quote history

you got the impression from what they were saying it was £300-500

what were they saying to give that impression without actually saying any figures?

shewasrooting · 30/01/2024 17:00

op how far along are you?

DilemmaDelilah · 30/01/2024 17:03

My daughter asked for a baby monitor with camera and all the bells and whistles, so that's what we got her.

Original poster
Doi · 30/01/2024 17:03

shewasrooting · 30/01/2024 17:00

op how far along are you?

Why do you keep asking this? I’m really not sure why it matters to my question.

OP posts:
Original poster
Doi · 30/01/2024 17:03

DilemmaDelilah · 30/01/2024 17:03

My daughter asked for a baby monitor with camera and all the bells and whistles, so that's what we got her.

Thank you! Which one did you go for? I keep forgetting we’ll need one of those :)

OP posts:
shewasrooting · 30/01/2024 17:04

Doi · 30/01/2024 17:03

Why do you keep asking this? I’m really not sure why it matters to my question.

Show quote history

it matters

if you are 3 weeks pregnant, then i wouldn’t give this any thought and they’ve just put (kindly intended) pressure on you.

i am guessing you have just found out. just relax and then once over 12 weeks, start giving this some serious thought

thecatsthecats · 30/01/2024 17:40

mitogoshi · 30/01/2024 16:34

I would get a guide to their definition of big ticket because older relatives may be rather alarmed at the cost of branded baby items (when there's items on the market that do exactly the same thing for a fraction of the price. If grandma to be is thinking pushchairs are £250 but you are wanting a fancy £1000 one it could cause upset

You also have to be mindful of the opposite - my ILs spent an extra £200 to "treat" us to the next model up of our pram, and it's a bit annoying for various reasons that we only found out once it was used!

catmomma67 · 30/01/2024 17:44

We have recently been in the position of having 2 babies arrive this year, and we wanted to help, and rather than buy the ITEM.. we gave them the cash. on one occasion sadly the momey never made it to towards the baby, the other and the goods purchased were for the baby. I think its best to either ask if they have a budget in mind, or ask them for cash to spend as you please?

fairo · 30/01/2024 17:44

A decent pram

A junior isa

Mosaic123 · 30/01/2024 17:52

I think an ISA is a great idea. They can give what they want and it will be useful when they are older (unlike a car seat).