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?

....anyone else insanely broody after reading this thread?

Clothing for 8 months - 18 months as they grow so fast and everyone gives so many newborn clothes that its nigh on impossible for them to wear them all before they outgrown them!

How much wine can you get for £120?

Baby Bjorn bouncer
Play gym
Sleepyhead
My Hummy
Sling

were probably our most useful bits. Just used a backpack as a changing bag and I breastfed so didn't use any paraphenalia.

Cuddledry towel is a great thing to get or give as a present- it’s pricey for a towel but the apron neck strap makes lifting them out and wrapping them is without getting soaked so easy. I still use ours ever day and DS is nearly 2 and a half. It’s so soft and such good quality. Much more useful than the little square baby ones with a triangle hood in one corner, they grow out of those so quickly and mine always hated the hood anyway.

Perfect prep is such a triumph of marketing, it does nothing that you can’t do with a kettle and involves a whole load of extra faff! And ties you in to TT bottles.

And ties you in to TT bottles.

No, it doesn’t. Which makes me think you don’t know how they work?

Baby bjorn bouncy chair
Sleepyhead really is a godsend!
Breastfeeding pillow
Rockit rocker for the pram (amazing!)

Oh and yes the My Hummy- can’t live without it

Perfect prep is such a triumph of marketing, it does nothing that you can’t do with a kettle and involves a whole load of extra faff!

It's takes literally 2 mins (vs 15 or so mins for a kettle by the time it cools etc) and involves zero faff. Have u actually used one?? You press a button, shake it, then press the button again Also you can use any bottle you want, you are not tied to TT.

@elliejjtiny that's so sweet about the balloon, DH bought me 2 lovely big balloons , flowers and a box of Ferrero Rocher chocs (my fave) for when we arrived home from hospital and I was really touched by it too :-)

OP, We swear by the 4Moms Rockaroo, it's an electric rocker, DS LOVED it, could use it until he was about 5/6 months as he was a small baby. We're looking forward to seeing how DD likes it when she's born too.

Next to me crib bough by mil. Hauck travel system bought by df. Bundle of clothes, Teethers, dummies, photoframe ect bought by DM.
My work had a whip round I got variety of clothes, bed and bath sets, sponges, towel, cot mobile, teddy, soft rattle, and some malteasers, muffins and ribena tossed in for myself and Mr lol

Rocking chair with rocking foot rest. Think mine was around £120/£130 in the sale. The hours I've spent rocking my DC in that chair! I'm really glad we got it. Now the DC are bigger, we use a big armchair in their room and will keep the rocking chair for the next baby.

I vote for the perfect prep machine too!!! Bottle made in under 2 mins at perfect temperature.

It's amazing!!!