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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

what did you really appreciate for your newborn?

139 replies

ladycarlotta · 31/01/2019 17:03

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?

OP posts:
pandarific · 01/02/2019 03:48

We have the nct babynest which is a side sleeper. We really like it.

Otherwise sleepyhead wins hands down

hammeringinmyhead · 01/02/2019 04:04

You need something for them to sleep in your room even if it's not attached to the bed - I've just put DS back in his Tutti Bambini Cozee bedside crib, which he sleeps 8 hours a night in, but I know some babies hate them and end up cosleeping in the actual bed.

A bouncer chair - ours is the Fisher Price Kick and Play which plays music and vibrates. He sleeps 2-3 hours a day in it and it saves my sanity.

Schnuggle baby bath. Easier/quicker than running a big bath with a support.

fabulous01 · 01/02/2019 06:26

My advice is wait and see. Definitely good and Amazon prime
But formula can be made and stored so no need for perfect prep. Baby is always with you so we didn't use monitors and slings is personal choice so go to a sling library and rent one before buying

I wish I had bought more second hand but my twins liked the bouncer, the jumperoo and soft things to lie on floor
Lovely memories

Fcukthisshit · 01/02/2019 06:32

Someone bought us one of the camera baby monitors. That was really useful and we used it loads!

Highonthehill · 01/02/2019 06:56

Things that got used the most

Muslins the large ones
Bouncer chair or swing seat
Lots of plastic spoons and little bowls
Sleeping bags
Nappies and nappy bags and wipes
Water wipes
Really good baby monitor (didn't bother with camera one but needed one with good range)
Ewan sheep

Tartsamazeballs · 01/02/2019 07:02

Morrck blanket
Sleepyhead
Perfect prep

Or money towards a babyzen yo-yo buggy. They are the absolute tits.

Seahawk80 · 01/02/2019 07:17

If you're planning to breastfeed I wouldn't ask for a pump in case it doesn't go to plan, you won't need to express until BF is established and if for any reason you have problems and need to express you can borrow money me from hospital / buy one quickly. I got a brand new pump from eBay that had never been used.

My vote would be a baby Bjorn bouncy chair. They are around £110 and before DS was born I thought why spend that when you can get one for £20. But as they get older there is something about that toy bar that they love and it is much more sturdy when they are bigger. I used mine until DS was one for when I showered and he was super active but even once cruising and crawling he was still happy in it for 10-15 mins at a time. It folds flat so is easy to take away with you and it's so easy to take the material part off to wash. You can also buy /
Sell them second had for around £50

Seahawk80 · 01/02/2019 07:20

Sorry that should say borrow one from hospital

I also meant to say with things like sleepyhead / swaddles it will really depend on your baby and what they like. A voucher for John Lewis or amazon could be good so you can buy what you need

divadee · 01/02/2019 07:24

Perfect Prep was the best thing ever for me. Also a nuna leaf chair. My daughter was discovered to had hip dysplasia at 2 weeks old so all the door bouncers and sleepyheads etc.... would of been redundant as she wasn't allowed to use anything like that as they are not hip friendly.

Cook vouchers would of been amazing.

ethelfleda · 01/02/2019 07:26

DH and I said that our absolute best purchase was the baby k’tan fabric sling. Really easy to use and I got so much done with DS strapped to me when he was a baby. We hardly ever took the pram out either!

HeyDuggeesCakeBadge · 01/02/2019 07:29

Sling
Sleepyhead (defo get one!!)
Bouncy chair
If you are planning to bottle feed I've heard perfect prep machines are great
Video monitor (didn't realise how expensive these were!!)
Steriliser

ethelfleda · 01/02/2019 07:29

Regarding a breast pump
I had to buy one from very early - less than a week after giving birth. DS couldn’t get a good latch as it turns out I was too full so had to express a little off so he could feed.
Also - I did ignore the advice and expressed off a bottle a day so DH did half a night shift each night for a few weeks - got me rested and over the birth before proper sleep deprivation kicked in!

Wineandchoccy · 01/02/2019 07:31

Sleepyhead - amazing and sleep is priceless
A gabe and Grace pram sheepskin liner - they do custom ones to fit different prams

DrWhy · 01/02/2019 07:42

So many things here we never used! For us, Chico next to me cot, sleepyhead, changing table (with storage cupboard underneath) and stokke trip trap highchair were the big ticket items we used most then jumperoo when he was bigger. Had a simple bouncy chair, breastfed so no perfect prep etc. Did use a pump and express but after about 8 weeks the baby wouldn’t take a bottle so that was pointless! Bathed in the sink then the adult bath, used very few toiletries (newborns really only need water and at some stage a very mild shampoo/body wash and vegetable oil if their skin is dry).lots of people gave toys and clothes as gifts so we just filled in hhe gaps of what we needed after that.

user1471426142 · 01/02/2019 07:47

A good high chair or a video monitor for that budget. I think it’s a great thing to club together for something practical. I got about 30 cuddly toys (lots duplicates) they are still not really played with.

I loved my perfect prep and sleepyhead but you might not need either and are things you could buy quickly if needed. We got a sling as a present but my baby hated it. I’d have been better going to a sling library and trying a few out and renting.

Louiselouie0890 · 01/02/2019 07:52

Prep machine. Swinging chair moses basket. Pretty much sums up my days

MadeForThis · 01/02/2019 08:00

Somewhere to put the baby down in each room. Moses basket, bouncer, swing, pram etc you can eat, drink coffee, shower without dragging things from another room.

Jumperoo, piano play mat. They can kick it. It's amazing.

High chair you can easily clean. Ikea one is excellent.

Travel mug so u don't spill coffee on baby when feeding/sleeping.

Muslims and baby sleeping bags

Food. Batch cook and freeze. Ask for people to bring meals when they visit.

Lanisohl for breastfeeding. Amazing in the first week or two. But only needed for then so one tube is enough.

Baby thermometer. You will panic when they get warm and this helps.

Isofix base for car. So much easier to just click it in.

Rain/sun cover for pram. Make sure you can get out for walks. Keeps you sane.

Phone charger with an extra long lead. In case you need to charge while breastfeeding.

Medela pump. But again wait until baby is here.

Kirstiesmith1234 · 01/02/2019 08:38

A sling! My LO loved this and was much happier in there than in his pram!

Wavingwhiledrowning · 01/02/2019 08:39

The Tiny Love 3 in 1 rocker napper has been a godsend. All 3 of ours used it - goes from a chair to a day bed so ours spent most of their time in it!

Amazon Prime membership is a great idea. There are so many things you might find you want/need but can't easily get out to buy.

Highonthehill · 01/02/2019 08:46

Ooh a shnuggle bath with stand. Dd used it until she was 1 from birth..was brilliant.

VeganCow · 01/02/2019 08:49

sil made up a basket hamper of baby toiletries, mittens, bib etc. I loved that

stroan · 01/02/2019 08:53

Close caboo sling
Connecta or Tula baby carrier
Tuppence and Crumble Star wrap
Ewan the dream sheep
Jumperoo!

AprilShowers16 · 01/02/2019 08:59

We have the superloved merino sleeping sack and it was one of our best purchases. You can use it from tiny until they’re two and you never have to worry about what tog bag to use etc. Yes they’re expensive but we are using ours with our second child now after our first wore it for nearly two years and have found we only needed the one as they dry pretty quickly and plus don’t have to change size as they outgrow it the weather changes

Aspergallus · 01/02/2019 09:45

Depends how much cash is going to be collected, but my advice would be to get something substantial for 6month into toddler years. I have 3 kids and we’ve got through the newborn period in completely different ways for each child. How they’ve preferred to sleep/be carried/dress etc has been different. Better to buy, inexpensively, what you need as you go.

At around 6 months I would love to buy this:
www.babipur.co.uk/triclimb-natural-pikler-triangle.html

Expensive, but lovely. Baby can lie under it with gym toys attached, or a muslin making it a tent, then a climber and lots more imaginative play as they develop. You can also get attached slides and climbing wall type things.

N2986 · 01/02/2019 10:35

I second a 'myhummy' bear. Absolute godsend