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!

Mine was either buggy in hallway or kitchen or on me or in the sling. Mine were velcro babies though.

Any toys that are loud and flashing annoying lights. Too obnoxious.

Well I personally loved our Moses basket, she slept in it during the day and at night for the first couple of months as I think she liked the enclosed feeling of it as opposed to the bigger bedside crib.

I loved the extra large muslins as blankets but never used smaller muslin squares, but then again I didn't have a sicky baby at all.

Nappy bins are useless and will start to permanently smell no matter how well and often you clean it.

If you get a jumperoo when baby is older definitely don't buy new as there are SO MANY on fb marketplace.

Never had a moses basket and never missed it. Had a crib upstairs at night and used the pram carrycot downstairs in the day.
Never bothered with a nursing chair either. Bought an armchair cheaper at IKEA and it's now in our living room.

I personally like having a portable bassinet for daytime naps as baby needs to sleep in the same room as you for the first six months for all sleeps. I had a Moses basket with my first baby however she now uses it to store her soft toys so I have a co-sleeper bassinet on wheels with my second baby and so far it’s quite handy at night for quickly grabbing baby and sticking them on the boob. My house is all one level though so I can just wheel it out to the living area in the day but it would be too bulky to easily move up and down stairs.

You don’t need the thousands of swaddles you’ll probably be gifted, the zip up ones are much better. You don’t want onesies with poppers because they’re a massive PITA at 3am. I strongly recommend the zip onesies.

As you are planning to breastfeed I would invest in some solid breastfeeding education and maybe some time with an IBCLC before and after baby arrives.

Going against the grain and will say that we used our Moses basket a lot. For daytime sleep downstairs and she also slept in it at night for the first 8 weeks as would settle in next to me to start with! I would get one, they're cheap and useful that you can move them to be where you are etc.

Breastfeeding tops were/are a godsend, I didn't think about these until I needed them.

Mamaroo mine loved too and only way I could eat my dinner in peace!

Ewan the sheep was good too though not essential

Love to dream swaddle bags saved me as she wouldn't sleep unless on me without them!

I'd say nursing chair not needed. I had one as it was given second hand from family. This was barely used and i'm still breastfeeding 2 years later. Spent most of my time on the sofa feeding him in the beginning, and still where we tend to do it, if he wants any during the day. I did and still do co-sleep though, so this might make a difference (breastfed in bed rather than the chair).

For us I'd say a cot and new mattress! Ours never got used. We tried. He has never wanted to sleep alone, so we co-sleep. If they won't be in a cot in the beginning, it might be best to wait to see if they'll actually sleep alone first!

You can never tell. Some people love stuff, some people hate the same stuff. Best to just sell on anything you don't get on with quickly so you can make some money back.

Having a moses basket depends on your house. I left one in the living room all the time and used it every single day.

You don’t need:

baby bath (use a washing up bowl)
Parasol for the buggy
Any sort of special nappy bin contraption
Baby monitor (unless you live in a 100 room mansion)
Nursing chair
special baby changing bag (any old tote/rucksack will do!)
Changing table

What is helpful:
Changing mat for upstairs and downstairs if you live in a house (downstairs one can live under the sofa!)
Fold up changing mat for your baby bag

For us a moses basket was essential. Our house is over 3 floors and I had a C-section so the fewer times I had to walk up and down the stairs to put the baby down for a nap the better to be honest. Realistically they should be sleeping in the same room as you while very young, I didn't feel comfortable being on a separate floor during the day while they were napping. We also have a dog though, I know some parents have a newborn mat/insert that they used on the sofa but I wanted the baby out of the way so the dog didn't accidentally sit on them. We also didn't have a bassinet on our pushchair, just used a pushchair suitable from birth rather than a travel system with a carrycot which is what a lot of people who don't have a moses basket use.

Expensive buggy/travel system. I had a Maclaren which lasted for both kids. Cannot believe people pay well over £1000 just for the name.

We used the Moses basket a lot with both DC. Wouldn’t have been without it.

However, we didn’t have a carrycot or any sort of pram system. We didn’t have a pram at all. We used a sling. We got an umbrella fold buggy later.

We didn’t have:
baby monitor
changing table
nursing chair
nursery
changing bag

On a soft mat or sheet, much easier.

I'd also get things that can grow with the baby as well. We had one (albeit twin) Jané buggy which was so easy on all surfaces, one change bag that clipped to buggy handle, one set of Stokke TrippTrapp chairs which we still use as spare chairs around the house years later.
We did not bother with baby monitor, nappy bins, nursing chair, white noise machine, cot beds.

But where are you going to put the baby on the first day out of hospital?

I think a next to me bed is more useful than a moses basket. You can use the pram for sleeping in the day if you have a baby that will sleep away from you that is.
I would also add a sling to your list.They are invaluable if you have a baby that won't be put down.

Get the absolute essentials now, research, pick and add to your ‘save for later’ Amazon basket. Then make sure you have prime and order if you NEED them.

Another vote for the handiness of a downstairs moses basket (but the pram bassinet wasn't an option for us so maybe we might have stuck with that if it was). Even if it's just for the first few sleepy newborn weeks. I found it handy that the stand stood her at a nice height for me to sleep next to her on the sofa too.

Got a plastic shnuggle one with stand for £10 on marketplace, mattress was £15 from shnuggle direct.

I love these threads as everyone is so different. So many people down voting on baby baths but the one thing I go out of my way to really rate is the Shnuggle bath (or any brand if it's this sit up style with a bump for their bum). My daughter used it 0-18months and saved us ever filling a whole bath.

You don’t or they scream.

We didn’t have a Moses basket, but as a a small baby Ds would never have allowed us to just put him down to sleep.
So usually fed to sleep then napped next to me on bed or on me on sofa. Or just put him on floor blanket or baby bouncer. 99% of naps were taken in pram though so he could be rocked or walked around block to sleep then park up inside. Just used that to put baby in also daytime if he did fall asleep on me.

Never used a full changing bag ( just a bag we already had), or baby play mat (just blanket folded), or play gym.

Changing Mat ontop of chest of drawers as changing station in baby room we used every single time we changed nappy at home for 2+ years (until no nappies)

i had a crib downstairs (personal reasons why i didn't have a moses basket).

i adapted an ikea cot into a next to me crib (side off cable tied to my bed, all gaps dealt with and the health visitor reviewed it and was very happy). i could slide the baby over for a feed and back again.
although did co sleep as well.

slings - essential in my book. wrap when little and ergo when bigger but finding a sling library is a good idea for trying styles and also good positioning advice.

breastfed so didn't have any bottle or steriliser paraphernalia. good breast feeding tops made such a difference. two vest tops with one pulled up and the other down worked well but i invested in some properly designed ones that were a god send.

i used cloth nappies and washable wipes which developed into quite a hobby and obsession but kept me happy.

ikea high chair is the best. easy to clean, cheap and just does the job so well.

changing mat upstairs and down. changed on the floor downstairs and upstairs on the bed.

never had a nursing chair. good cushions and pillows were the way forward.

did succumb to ewan the sheep (not worth the money).

jumperoo - 1st loved it. 2nd hated it.

spent a lot on the first pushchair/pram combo. only any good if baby fell asleep in the car seat so i could clip them on the frame without disturbing for the sling. got a double when the next one came along and needn't have bothered. always had one in the pushchair and one in a sling. both a waste of money and much cheaper and less insta worthy ones do the job just fine. prams are like weddings, add 50% to the real cost just to tug on heartstrings.

muslins great for shoulder carry/winding.

did have a baby monitor as lived in 3 story house.

always have a sandwich cut into 1/4's ready made. one handed eating when breast feeding or just pinned down with a sleeping baby on your chest is a life saver. i had been known to have one during the night if the need arose.

they don't need many toys at all for a while. cuddles, chatting, singing and lots of eye contact is all a teeny needs.

old fashioned baby bouncer is just fine. all these swinging, singing chairs just set you up for a mad panic when the batteries run out and you need 4 AA's and you only have 3!

Bumbo - what was i thinking?

Baby bath - i had one but used it in the big bath. after c sec no way i could carry it.

long phone charger - night feeds with my phone on charge as i discovered mumsnet for the first time saved my sanity!

All large supermarkets sell baby items. Given their opening hours, unless you genuinely live in back of beyond, you can pick up extra "essentials" if they are actually needed!

No need for moses basket, crib, next to me etc. A lie flat pram is ok for naps downstairs and baby can sleep in their cot next to your bed from day 1 (swaddled in a blanket). Baby sleeping bags are a must have.

Car seats are a must have too.

No need to baby furniture - it is cute but usually expensive, cheaply made and has a very short life span.

We used our gliding chair a lot - used to feed during the night in early weeks, but mainly used it to read bedtime stories for years or for a cuddle/to soothe ds if he woke during the night. It was then used in my bedroom (mostly to throw clothes on!) for 15 years until I gave it to my niece for her baby who has also used a lot.

Travel systems not needed. The pram bit is good, the car seat bit can be useful. The buggy parts, which are the longest used part of the system, are poor and there are much better buggies out there.

We didn't need a baby monitor as house was small enough to hear, the temperature bit of it was useful. My niece has one with a camera and audio which is cool to see when her dd is stirring without entering the room, and she will sometime settle if she hears her mums voice, but not necessary.

Someone bought niece a huge electric swing/rocking seat - was expensive, took up too much room, not good for baby as not lie flat, and was only used for a couple of months.

We had a lot use out of Moses basket - we would move it between the living room and our bedroom. Especially with my second I had some where I knew she was safe quickly to deal with the older one.

We didn’t really buy clothes, just sleep suits and vests - we got present so they had a few outfits! But with a sickly baby it was just easier! Muslin squares a must for us! Large ones are good as an easier cover up while feeding.

The other random thing was a travel cot - we had it set up in our bedroom once she moved to her own room and cot. It meant again she was somewhere safe when I had a quick shower or getting ready for work (we kept it up till she was about 2 and half she was safe and cold play with her toys) also if she was restless or poorly it meant she could sleep in it, close to me and I would sleep better!

and we just had a basic baby bouncer. Once she was too old for a Moses basket she had somewhere safe and I would put one of those toys that had the toys hanging down for her to play. Meant I could do something else for five minutes!

We got loads of use out of our Moses basket, baby didn’t like the next to me crib as it was too big at first, Moses basket was nice and cosy and we could carry it up and down the stairs while baby was asleep as they are quite light and portable.