To ask what you found really useful and what was complete shit when you had a baby?

[lunalunalooney]

Trying to think of a baby shower present for best friend.

Dont want to buy the usual clothes/nappy cakes etc as everyone buys them and want to spend a bit more as she is my best friend.

So- what useful things did you all get for baby? Any baby books worth reading?

Best thing for me was a bouncer chair that vibrated it sent my daughter to sleep I carried it from room to room. I loved it.

Another if she's formula feeding is a powder milk dispenser. Its brilliant for measuring out all the feeds, easy to pour from and you could put it in your bag without carrying round ready made bottles or buying cartons of milk.

A feeding pillow it was L shaped and I just lay her on that at night whilst feeding it helped loads.

Worst I would have to say moses basket as they grow out of it far to quick. My daughter would never sleep in it.

Bath Bath/ top and tail bowl. I had the bright idea to fill it every night bring it into the sitting room as I thought the bathroom was too cold. It would spill everywhere and my Back ached. If I had common sense I would of just bought a baby chair thing to go in the bath.

I found lanolin very useful and my husband to be complete shit.

I still use my breadtfeeidng L pillow! Youngest chikd is 4!

To clarify i use it for keeping me comfortable whilst watching tv, not breastfeeding!

Hmm- personally I'd have loved the perfect prep machine but best steer away from any feeding related presents- it's such an emotional minefield and she may take it the wrong way, as if you are pressuring/assuming that bottlefeeding is going to happen.

Things I like that I'd buy again: Woollen layers for the winter; simple babygrows; industrial quantities of wine and chocolate.

Things I bought that were a waste of time/space/money: rubber ducks (just get mucky); swaddles (DD hated them); scratch mitts

Things we've used constantly:
Breastfeeding cushion
Tray thing from IKEA that drapes over the sofa arm - means tea/drink/snack is at hand even when you're feeding for hours
Big Muslins (120cm sq) from lässig
Non fancy but good hand cream- don't bother with perfumed stuff, a tube of Norwegian formula or glycerol cream.
A sleepyhead

We were also lucky enough to receive hand knitted items and they have been really treasured. A wool (washable) good quality blanket/wrap is useful for a long time.

That's the problem - hormones can make a lot of things backfire. My friend gave me a babysitting voucher and bottle of bubbly which are both very reasonable in general, but I was desperately upset at the thought of going out and leaving baby with someone else and had no plans to drink alcohol in the foreseeable (12 years later I still rarely touch it, just never got back in the habit).

Weaning books are always nice to have, although not need until six months it comes round quicker than you think. Sun hats would be a great present.

The iou vouchers are a lovely idea.

Useful:
baby wipes and nappies
Muslin cloths (those things are flipping expensive)
Blankets
Sleepsuits
Cardigan with hood
Voucher towards something expensive like a Sleepyhead or swing
Books to read to baby
Big bath towels (the free ones you get in your bounty pack are tiny)
Swaddle blanket

Useless:
Moses basket blankets
Stuffed toys (we got millions, she wasn't interested for the first 3 months)
Gro bags (not useful for the constant night time nappy changes in the early days)

The one item I recommend to everyone is the Tummy Tub bath. It's like a posh bucket and you hold the baby under their chin with your finger and let them float. They love it as its like being back in the womb and is really soothing plus great for reflux. The baby is submerged in the water so doesn't get cold like in other baths.

DS loved it so much he was still using it when he was so big he was pretty much just paddling in it.

There wasn't much that we bought that we didn't use, but we didn't go OTT and buy loads for once

What was a waste of money:-

Jumperoo
Door bouncer
Anything that meant he wasn't being held.

What was well worth buying:-
Ewan the dream sheep

Just realised- teddies! DS was bought loads of teddies and he's never been interested. They just collect dust.

You sound lovely. My favourite stuff falls into 3 categories-1-useful, 2-adorable, 3-mine!
1-wrap/sling, play mat, bouncy chair. I imagine perfect prep would be a godsend if bottle-feeding. V pillow if breastfeeding. Food
2-cute baby grows that are a bit more expensive than the packs of 3. A comforter toy. Anything handmade if you're crafty.
3- Good moisturiser and lip balm. A non-drip sports bottle. Breastfeeding has left me really dehydrated. Dry shampoo. Bubble bath. My kindle.
For ds2 one friend brought a gift box of a homemade pie, coffee, gifts for the boys and bubble bath. I could have kissed her. I may have? It's a disorientating time

Best:

Lamaze toys (especially ones that can attach to the pushchair) & Sophie Le Giraffe have been used a lot by my dd.

Gift vouchers (boring I know but this would be my ideal present). A pregnancy massage would have been gratefully received.

Gin & tonics in cans

Worst:

Swaddle blankets - dd hates being swaddled.

Items out of season for the age. I was bought Newborn fleeces for a summer baby (by someone who had a baby and therfore should have known better imo)

I also echo a pp. Be careful re feeding items. If I'd been bought the perfect prep machine I would have been really pissed off (although this is mostly due to having family and friends who think formula is compulsory). I was bought a bottle by a friend which has never been used so it was waste of money. the same goes for breastfeeding covers, lanisoh etc.

useless

• tummy tub (well useless for washing, baby gets very slippery)

fab

• breastfeeding pillow (still in use as back support for me to read in bed)
• muslins
• laundrette service wash voucher, priceless for after those horrible nights with a vomity child

I found my Moses basket, crib bedding and cot bedding all a waste of money!

Jumperoo, playmat and bouncer were all useful for entertaining baby!

Perfect prep machine was a godsend for bottle feeding! Well worth the money!

I got vouchers for a local photographer who did a shoot a 6 weeks, 6 months and a year and it came with a framed picture from each shoot!

If she wants to Bf an awesome gift would be some motherlove nipple cream, some medela nipple shells and some of their BF supplements.

Anais & aiden Muslins are huge & I love mine.
I would suggest a nice new pair of pjs for mum/vouchers as practically live in pjs in the beginning.

If friend is breastfeeding would suggest as above the side tray to put things in/ breastfeeding pillow/ nipple cream/vouchers for bras.

Teething toys are good like Sophie giraffe/rings etc.

Maybe johnson's sensitive baby wipes or Aldi sensitive wipes or the water ones for useful things.

MrsTerry - DD4 (2 and a bit) sleeps with her softest muslins too :)

I think steer well clear of anything feeding related!
And yeah, soft toys... Not useful. Clothes are also a bit of a mine field- they grow out of them so fast that we had newborn stuff only worn once or twice - then when he hit three months we had nothing that fitted him!! Something like a blanket that they don't grow out of is good.
We've also found the video monitor (angelcare) something we've used a lot.
Nice picture frames are a good gift too.

How about a few of you joining in together to buy a photo shoot for when baby arrives.

This! Lovely idea, however make sure that it is one where she gets all of the pictures from the shoot. I was brought a photoshoot but it only had a limited number of prints with it which meant I received the pressure sell to buy the others or have them deleted.

Something for mum - an insulated cup or flask (contigo is highly regarded on here, I've got a £4 morrisons flask with a flip lid which is brilliant). Or vouchers for all the food and drink she is missing while pregnant.

I like the idea of getting herva newborn photi shoot. I really wanted one with both dc but couldn't afford it!

Don't get out of season clothing. I was given a gorgeous fleecy snow suit for Ds in size 3-6 month. He was born in March!!
With same ds we were earned by mw he would be big (ds1 was also big ). We warned everyone not to buy newborn/first size stuff. Mil bought hundreds of newborn stuff it's Sat in a box never worn because 7 week old ds is already in 6-9 month clothes!!

Fancy chocolates are always good. Or iou for housework etc!!!!!

Ive got a six month old dd, I went to a baby shower recently and took what I called a 'newborn survival kit' I wrapped up the items in paper in a pretty box. It was all the things that really helped us but we wouldn't think to buy when dd was first born. It contained:
Lanisoh cream
Dentinox teething gel
Infant calpol
Infracol
A baby comb
Baby nail clippers .

I also found the following things useful:
A side sleeper cot (we have the chicco one)
A v shaped pillow (take it to hospital with you too)
A drynites mat for under the sheet in baby's cot mattress
Bepanthan
A bouncy chair
A baby gym

I bought a close caboo sling but this was the biggest waste of money. They are good but dd didn't really like the sling!

My favourite and most used baby items were:
Cashmere pram blankets (gentle machine wash) from the Nursery Window
Cashmere pashminas (to use as a very light cover when breastfeeding)
Quilted monogrammed playmats and change mats from Plain Mary
Baby Cook gadget (especially the double sided one)
Annabel Karmel baby recipe book
Double sided breast pump
Tiffany & Co china cup (for my afternoon cup of tea)
Kissy Kissy onesies and playsuits with matching hats (the prettiest and the best)
Lovely nappy bags - my favourites were from Juicy Couture, Kate Spade & Burberry
Tesco own brand baby wipes - for the stay-moist hard plastic snap clap closure
I was just unpacking some boxes from storage this afternoon, found all of these things, and had a lovely time remembering my little girl's babyhood!