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?

Perfect prep machine, sleepyhead and battery operated swing chair

Food from Cook, or vouchers to use there.

Not sure if anything we bought was that expensive ! Actually, the cot-bed was around that much, although she only went in it at 6 months (she's 7 months now). Think it was the cheapest cot-bed Argos sell. As she's still tiny and only been it a few months I can't really vouch for it.

The other most expensive things we have for her are the changing table - the cheapest one that Ikea sells, only got this when we moved house when she was around 8 weeks and I wish we had it from birth, massively saved mine and DH's backs! Oh the travel system but obviously that would be way more than the budget you said. The Bednest, but we got that on the rental scheme, which I don't think they do anymore? It was great though, she was in that til 6 months. Most of the other 'big'ish things we got were hand-me-down. We had a rocking cradle from Ikea that is a hand-me-down that is about 16 years old and has seen two kids in it before DD. Dunno if they still sell them, but that was useful for about the first 5 months of her life. Tommee Tippie steriliser was a hand-me-down. We got a Jumperoo second hand for £30, the Finding Nemo one, that has been great, bought it about 2 months ago. They are expensive new, about £80 or £90? Maybe ask for one of them, they're great. I don't know anyone who has one that hasn't found it useful.

Mirror so you can see the cat seat
Carseat liner fleece but make sure you one suitable for the car seat
Thermometer in the bedroom
A mini lamp for your bedroom that isn't too bright so you can wake up for feeds and see easily.

Plenty of meals in the freezer and extra memory cards as youll find that you video and picture everything

Prep machine, hands down the most useful thing ever!
Congratulations x

Isofix base for car seat for car. Yes it's only a 2 min job to fit a car seat with a seatbelt, but with a wailing child that 2 minutes lasts forever!

Oh, and a decent sling/wrap.

A couple of Groswaddles and two or three Grobags - bought new in fancy designs this will easily add up to £100 or so! The Groswaddles are great when they're very little and keep walking themselves up. By the time they start wrestling free they will be big enough to go in the GroBag. A friend bought us one of each and I was on eBay buying more within a week of using them!

And a Lansinoh Momma manual pump - you can use it anywhere, aren't tethered to a socket and I got about three times more milk with it than with the Ardo Calypso Double plus electric pump that Mumsnet recommends. It's only about £30 so could be an add-on.

a nice home cooked meal, nappy vouchers

ear plugs and contraceptives

Bedside cot
Stretchy sling (close caboo)
Baby Bjorne bouncer
Morrck blanket.

www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-baby-bath-support/p6196038

This^

My mum bought me one - the towelling part comes off to wash it. It made bath time so much easier. I always by them for friends when they have a baby and they love them too!

Personally I'd ask for amazon vouchers. After a few weeks you'll work out what you really want, then you can have it delivered the next day

100% without a doubt. Sleepyhead. It's the gift of sleep!!nothing is better than that in the newborn stage.

www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-baby-bath-support/p619603

Sorry, previous link didn't work!

I love my padded feeding rocking chair and foot stool (Mothercare ) I absolutely loved it for through the night feeding, so relaxing and comfortable. We used to set it up before DS bedtime with drink and snacks in the side compartment of the chair so everything was to hand. Love, love , loved it

I've had two a few years apart and have found that stuff our firstborn loved our second didn't always like.

Our Fisher Price playmat was a big hit with both as was our carrier. Our second wears reusable nappies (totsbots and a brand with popper buttons) which have saved us a fortune and her skin is far less prone to nappy rash than her big brother's.

I'd ask for Boots vouchers simply because of all the different things you could get once you know what you need. DS was only 5lb 2oz when born and we didn't have anything that fit. I didn't understand the way sizing worked until then. Newborn being smaller than 1-3months, boots go right down to tiny premie clothes. And you know you could always get nappies or something nice for yourself.

Close caboo sling (£45?), cheap playmat with arch (£25), cheap little bouncer chair (£25), baby fleecy blanket. A bunch of muslins, bibs and a jumbo box of water wipes.
At 4 months you'll want a snoozeshade £12/£20 so could get that early and you'll really want a jumperoo (but get that second hand for £40).

A totter and tumble playmat. Absolutely love ours. My 5month old hated tummy time until we got ours, it is like walking on a cloud AND it looks really smart in our lounge. Even my tight arsed husband thinks it is amazing!!

If planning on bottle feeding- Tommee Tippee Perfect prep machine!

Hands down the most valuable and useful baby item!

It's hard before baby is here and you know what they like.
For my 7m old We had a next to me which I loved but I've never had to take the side down, she hated being swaddled and would have hated a sleepyhead (I'm glad because my friend has a hard time taking it away from her DS when he got bigger!)
I had a Bouncer, she hated it. She refuses dummies so never had to sterilise one.
I didn't buy anything for feeding until I hit problems, medela swing I second that recommendation, then eventually perfect prep (couldn't live without!) and tommee tippee electric steriliser.

I'd suggest an electric swing, we have the ingenuity convert me swing to seat. It can be stationary like a Bouncer or swing, which is great when your tired! It can play music and vibrate too, and folds down. My DD loved it (she's too big now) so it got a lot of use and we never had to change the batteries!

Realised that the original post wanted suggestions for newborns, but that stage is so fleeting, I will stick by my playmat recommendation.

If you can’t do Snuzpod then baby bjorn bouncer

Vouchers for newborn photos.

Going on all the suggestions, we were a bit minimalist with the stuff we bought first time around, but I look at the photos of them as tiny babies every day.

Nice nappy balm and baby toiletries. Toiletries and chocolate for mum. Muslins and terry nappies, you can’t have too many. Bouncy chair. Playmat. Ready meals and take away vouchers!