To ask what baby item(s) we shouldn’t waste money on?

[Mummytooobe]

What did you buy but never used or thought was pointless?

We were looking at picking up a Moses on marketplace but by the time we’ve done that and bought a new mattress, we might as well have bought an entirely new one. Happy to do so but not if you didn’t use it.

What DIDN’T you use?

On our must-have list we have:

• Brand new mattresses for all baby sleeping places
• Ultra safe infant car seat (looking at the Avionaut or Maxi Cosi models)
• Supportive baby carrier like the ergobaby
• Compact buggy for after 6 months

We have also picked up a second hand Mamaroo swing for very cheap, so we’re pleased with that. Planning on breastfeeding so not getting any bottles or prep machines unless we need to.

What don’t we need? Please de-influence me!

Wondering like, Moses basket - yay or nay? Nursing chair? That kind of thing

All sounds good to me! We never had a Moses basket, just used the carrycot attachment from the buggy for downstairs.

I would see if you can find a local sling library - then you can try out a few to see which you like best. You can usually hire from them to get a proper try too

I second the above - our 10 week old sleeps in the carry cot attachment of the pram when he sleeps downstairs!

I would say you don't need as many hats as you think you will. One for the hospital bag for sure, then maybe max 2 after that! We also really haven't used any bibs.

As someone who also wanted to breastfeed but hasn't been able to do so for many reasons, I would research bottles, formula and sterilising, even if you don't buy anything and never need to. I had to buy all of our equipment for feeding our baby at 4 days postpartum, sleep deprived and very emotional, and I would have chosen differently if I'd had the time to properly think about and research it without the pressure.

You don't need most of it! My friend, trying to be helpful, sent me her list of 'essentials'. Thousands of pounds of stuff. Sleeping pod £££ white noise machine, sleeping sheep, some fancy start shaped blanket that was extortionately priced... I just couldn't afford it all even if I wanted to spend that much. We had to have a budget baby!

My baby hates the mamaroo but loves our cheap baby bouncer. We had a next to me but could’ve went straight to cot after Moses basket.

Nursing chair I didn’t bother with but I did get a nursing pillow- it’s awesome and so comfortable.

We also use the love to dream swaddles and these are awesome. Breastfeeding friendly tops were a godsend.

Carseat mirror and we used the snuzahero for catseat journeys and owlet for night time. I didn’t have these with my other children but alot led me to get these. It’s good peace of mind but doesn’t take away the need for your own vigilance etc ☺️

We have the Avionaut Pixel Pro for DC2 and it’s brilliant, highly recommend. She still fits it at nearly 13 months and it’s so light I can still carry her out of the car in it when she’s asleep.

DC1 would only sleep in the Moses basket for about 2 weeks and then would only contact/carrier/moving pram nap for months. I used it more for DC2 but mainly as a safe place for her away from DC1.

A good carrier is worth investing in but there’s better than Ergobaby. They’re the most well known thanks to lots of advertising but absolutely not the best from a comfort/use perspective. I use Integra ones which are great for folding up small in a bag and are light and easy to use. Tula are also great.

We never used a compact buggy tbh except once on holiday. The wheels are all small so they’re crap for pushing on anything other than totally smooth pavement.

Nursing chair, no. You can use any chair. See also: changing table. Just put a changing mat on a chest of drawers. Moses basket - no need. They can sleep anywhere. If you decide once the baby has arrived that you actually do need one, you can get one then.

My babies have also both pretty much exclusively slept with me since birth. I’ve bought 2 new mattresses that are both still like new 😂 I suggest researching safe bedsharing, which is free to do 🙂

I had babies that wouldn't be put down to sleep so wouldn't have used a moses basket. Unless you live in the back of beyond most baby things can be found quickly and easily so I'd be tempted to wait and see for anything outside of the essentials.

@slowerprofessor we did use a changing table upstairs for the first few months but none of our bedroom furniture suited to put a mat on. We got it for a tenner on marketplace though

White noise machine is another good one. We paid £££ for a Tommee Tippee model but you can get white noise on YouTube, Spotify, Alexa etc etc.

If the Moses basket mattress is entirely encased in sealed plastic covering they are fine to reuse.

Borrow what items you can.

Things I never had which now seem to be the norm:

Nursing chair (?!!)
Baby monitor
White noise machine
Baby furniture except for cot
Cot thing that attaches to a double bed
Baby carrier thing that goes on your chest

I exclusively breastfed so no steriliser or bottles (I'd recommend you don't buy them until you know what you're doing feeding wise)

Things you will need an abundance of:

Muslin wipes

Edited to add: I did use a moses basket and would recommend one.

Don't bother with a super fancy highchair with lots of bells and whistles. The more expensive they are the more of a faff they are to clean IME. Cheap ikea one was the best we had.

Best thing we ever bought was this cheap Fisher Price vibrating bouncy chair, both of our DC loved it and it was light and portable enough we could take it anywhere with us.

Changing mat quite useful for changing on the bed etc when they decide to wee and poo without a nappy on.
Second hand Bjorn baby chair thing v useful.
Don't bother with nursing chair
Get a tea cup that stays warm for ages so you get a hot beverage sometimes
Loads of nappies
Quite a few basic babygros when you find out what size baby is

Cheeky wipes are excellent still using now with 5yo

I'd go for a travel system which has a pram that you can convert into a forward facing buggy when they're 6 months. The more lightweight compact ones leave until they're older.

Next to me crib to sleep in at night.

A bouncer chair from 6 months is a must - there is a bit of time when they can't sit up by themselves but are frustrated with laying flat as they like to look around.

Don't bother with a Moses basket. A bath seat rather than a baby bath. Don't bother with hooded towels or any outfits for newborn that aren't baby grows and vests.

Sleeping bags are a must, as are blankets. I never really under stood the use of Musllin squares tbh.

Have a back up bottle and instant formula just in case - I breastfed but this advice saved us at 1am one particularly brutal morning a few days in!

Muslins- I used them loads with first who was a bit sicky/ maybe had reflux. And almost never with the 2nd so who knows

Didnt use:

cot, bedside crib, Moses basket (co slept for years

steriliser and bottles- breastfeeding went well and didn’t need them

baby bath- used sink

baby toys

cheapish stroller suitable for newborn- flimsy and hated it.

did use:

sleepsuits, nappies, vests, babybjorn bouncer, muslins, carrier, very little else until about 2 then lots of toys…

expensive bugaboo- used this for years for both dc

Also didn’t use sleeping bags- these are often given as a ‘must have’ item but they didn’t work for us and that was a lot of wasted money

Our most useless purchase was a nappy disposal bin. Complete waste of time & money. Just put them in a nappy bag & straight into the outdoor bin (for smelly ones). For wet ones I didn't bother with a nappy bag. My children are in their 20s though, so we didn't have most of the other stuff anyway.

You don't need:

• a Moses basket
• an expensive leather changing bag
• separate shampoo/body wash, Aveeno baby or similar cheaper perfectly fine
• special bath towels
• a large singing and dancing bouncer, Baby Bjorn or similar - light and easy to carry - much more practical
• too many toys or books - up until they're a bit bigger they really don't care
• a jumperoo

I'll think of more I'm sure...

Interesting that everyone is saying Moses basket. I’m just not sure where we’d put baby down in the day?

@Mummytooobe
Just in their crib

We used a swing with our first and regretted it as he became dependent on the rocking motion to sleep. Also it took up so much space. Ditched it for the second and third.