what did you really appreciate for your newborn?

[ladycarlotta]

Posting here for traffic.

We are expecting our baby in a month and DP's friendship group always do a whip-round for a first baby and get the parents something practical of their choosing, at a cost of around £120. In the past people have chosen things like a Sleepyhead, a sheepskin buggy liner, or an Ergobaby.

I'm just wondering, what would you choose? I'm at a bit of a loss working out what we might need - there is so much we haven't got, but I'm also a bit worried that we'll end up choosing something that is not useful, and kicking ourselves for not requesting something else.
I'd ask for a side-sleeper but the Snuzpod ones are over budget, and I don't know whether the cheaper ones are as good.

I know every baby is different, and every couple too, but what was a godsend to you in the newborn days and beyond? What would you definitely not bother with?

Hands down the Perfect Prep

A Tula baby carrier or a lambskin to put in the moses basket/cot/pram.

Travel system with isofix base for the car - so helpful after a c-section.

Electric swing. Bouncer chair made my baby vom, but swinging was great.

Would not gift a Next2Me - you don't know what the parents feel about co-sleeping.
Equally...a changing table would have been useless to us as DS' room is so tiny. We literally have nowhere to put one. We change him on the dining table (cleaning thoroughly afterwards, obvs) or on the floor in his room.
I love my Perfect Prep machine but of course it only works as a gift if you know the parents will be bottle feeding.
I am looking for a bouncer and a playpen right now so I'd say either of those are fairly safe gifts.

Next2me has been the best.
DD is 10 months and still sleeps in it (though its getting a bit dangerous as shes learnt how to stand!)
Moses basket was shite, didnt like it and she grew out of it in 3 months.
Perfect prep is great but mine stayed in a box till 3 weeks ago as i BF exclusively for over 9 months. So if you're going to BF it might be useless. I still prefer fresh from kettle plus my flask of cool boiled water which is quicker.

Opt for milton cold water steriliers or microwave steriliser rather than the electric ones. Stuff builds up in side and they are shite in general.

Mama designs cellular blankets. I have 2. I will never buy normal cellular blankets again! Material is much softer and they are much nicer to look at. Get the bigger size too. (About 28 quid each).

Medela swing pump if u want to express.

I think things like sleeping pods/aids are a hit and miss as it depends on your baby. Mine hated sleepyhead and the myhummys were useless. But i had friends who swore by both.

Don't gift an isofix. I hate isofix bases and find seatbelts much easier, I've got 3 kids and isofix bases are a pain.

I found a well fitting sling or carrier so helpful and DD almost always fell asleep in it. A white noise machine, PP mentioned My Hummy which I've not tried (we just use YouTube as I have a spare phone) but heard good things.
If I had another baby I'd definitely get a NextToMe - could you ask for a voucher so that it could contribute towards it?

Next2Me here for £129:

www.pramworld.co.uk/chicco-next2me-side-sleeping-crib-dove-grey-original?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhoT0uceY4AIVyUPTCh0XXg_IEAQYAyABEgJM6vD_BwE#fo_c=743&fo_k=b8f4348e17b9f5e0e5c0d47811aa17d7&fo_s=gplauk

If breastfeeding - an electric pump.

A sling.

ooh @NuffingChora great spot! Thanks! That is probably within budget.

I'd have asked for an ErgoBaby if it wasn't the one thing we already have. I keep hesitating about what to ask for, because most of the friends are now parents themselves and have Firm Ideas about what is good for baby and what is the work of the devil (and of course they all disagree which is which). I'm twisting myself in knots worrying that whatever we choose, somebody will be judging us for it. But I guess if they're chipping in regardless, it doesn't matter.

I really love the idea of merino sleep stuff. I keep gazing covetously at the sleeping bags and thinking they are out of our budget, but as a nice gift nobody could object.

Perfect Prep might or might not be useful depending on how BF goes. I was thinking of buying the Medela Swing so it's good to know people rate that.

Thank you! Keep them coming.

Don't worry about people judging you. People will judge you. All the time. You're better off doing it your own way and not giving a shit than trying to make sure no one judges you because it's absolutely impossible.

Side sleep crib, playpen/travel cot, bouncy chair, etc. Also, an electric swing chair contraption with music feature - bloody brilliant! It was the only thing our son would nap in during the day for AGES! Or, one of those entertainment centres where baby sits in the middle but can tip toe themselves around 360° to play with different things - useful from about 6 mths onwards - used to move ours around & plonk son in it next to me while I hung washing out, had a shower, cooked the tea, etc. Might even be worth asking for vouchers until after baby is born & you realise what you need/what works for you/suits your baby etc - I think we spent far more money in that 1st 6-12mths then we did before he arrived!

Can you wait until baby arrives and then see what you need?

Depending on feeding method, I’d use it towards either an excellent breast pump or a perfect prep & some Mam bottles.

Best present I got was a box of chocolates from a friend. Out of all the presents for the baby and everyone asking about the baby it was just so lovely to get something for me. 2nd best present was an "it's a boy" balloon to tie to my bed when I was on postnatal and ds was in nicu.

Cook vouchers

This is a really good co-sleeper www.amazon.co.uk/WALDIN-Bedside-Co-Sleeping-adjustable-untreated/dp/B00BY2WVKU/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?keywords=cosleeper&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1548957813&sr=8-3

I never understand why people splash out on next to me's which are nearly £100 more! (well - if they travel I do but lots of people don't have loads of nights away whilst theirbaby is under 6 months
!)

Any sort of bath chair/support so you have a hand free! I found it a godsend and always get any pregnant friends one.

Contigo travel mugs? I have one and the tea stays lovely and hot.

If using disposable ones, a trolley full of nappies in a couple of sizes, sure to get used!
On a serious note, a gousto type subscription for food. Choose the meals you fancy,quick to prepare, home made and can be healthy depending on what you choose!

A perfect prep if you are bottle feeding and a swivel car seat like a brutal romer. These are the two things that have been invented between my first and second and I couldn’t live without them. Swivel car seat is from birth btw so no need for a maxi cosi. Also while I think of it we have a white noise teddy called zazu

I have an 11 week old currently sleeping on me. Definitely a sling for getting anything done. Plus it's great for their development and sense of security to be close to you.
A boba or similar.

Next2Me cot and a Tuppence and Crumble star wrap. The latter was excellent for transporting DS in the car on cold days as it could safely be used under the straps.

John Lewis vouchers. Already had an Amazon Prime membership plus Argos and love2shop vouchers.

Thing is if you have people who can give you hand me downs of decent stuff you want to wait until the baby arrives to work out what else you need. I don't have a changing table and neither do some other parents I know. Some people can't use slings/wraps or only like specific ones or you may get hand me down ones. You may decide to change how you feed the baby once they are born so you don't want a perfect prep or electric breast pump until they are here.

The ergobaby Omni 360 would have been my suggestion - see you’ve got one! My baby is 9 months and we’ve used it every day.

Also the best bouncer is the Baby bjorn one. It seems really expensive for what it is and compared to others but it’s honestly worth it - more ergonomic than others, easy for small babies to bounce themselves, folds flat so easy to hide/transport.

Cook vouchers.

Side-sleeping, the Ikea Gulliver cot is cheaper and longer-lasting than the next2me type things. And the ErgoBaby can be had much cheaper secondhand, and (maybe a minority view) I actually preferred ours once it was less stiff.