What baby items could you not live without or wish you had?

[Sheera1]

Hi,

I am pregnant and ds is 10 so it is a long time since I did this baby thing. 😀

I remember buying a load of crap I never used but also there were things I remember thinking, "if I do this again, I would want.."

Can you please let me know what was a waste of time and money and what were amazing?

I remember thinking I would get a cot that the side could be lowered as trying to put a v heavy sleeping baby into a lowered cot without waking him up was a nightmare. Have these been banned though?

I also thought one of these by the bedside things so you could slide baby next to you to fee without getting up (I was breast feeding).

This time although I still want to breast feed I would not be so fanatical about it and give myself a break and use bottles too (I know, best laid plans and all that). Any tips on bottle feeding dynamite products would be good too. X

Stretchy wrap for me. The one I had with DC1 was a nightmare and took two people. Having one that was easy and comfortable was great ask could get on with things whilst DC2 was in it.

Congrats on your pregnancy!

For me the ultimate godsend was a bouncy chair with vibration settings or a swing. Both worked a treat when DD had bloody awful colic or was difficult to settle. She slept well in both.

Also a nappy bin- think we had a tommee tippee sangenic? Saves numerous trips to the kitchen and the canisters last a good while- also means they don't stink the place out!

Tommee tippee machine to make up formula. Got mine 2nd hand off Ebay. Life saver for the last 18 months.

Loved my ring sling, loved my cloth nappies, wished I had a sidebed cot, electric pump, I had 2 hand ones which were very useful but not as officient.

Yes, forgot about the pump. With my first I bought a pretty crappy hand pump. When I realised BFing was going to work with DC2 I bought an Ameda Lactalihe and it was so much better.

A tummy rub was great too.

Interesting I was given a nappy bin and used it about twice.

Tommy tippee perfect prep as above.

Literally dozens available 2nd hand on marketplace or ebay.

Doona car seat (amazing!)

Love to dream swaddle up, 2nd hand as they're a rip off.

Tommee tippee perfect prep! As mentioned a few times above. Absolute genius invention. Had with my first 4 years ago and will get another for my baby due in October x

Bath thermometer, sudocrem, muslins and infacol I couldn't have done without. And cake, obviously. Cake featured quite heavily in the first few months of motherhood!

Tommee Tippee perfect prep - lifesaver! Nappy bin, Angelcare bath support, muslins, next to me cot, Grosnug swaddles and Sudocrem!

For the 2nd: perfect prep - I looked these up when my 1st was born and didn't really get it. If you're not sure of the appeal I'll explain =]

For my 1st: a particular swing chair. I think it's called a baby cradling swing. The one I had was basically a newborn car seat that you could lean back to different levels and you could twist the seat so it goes back-forward or side-side. I think I've attached a picture of a similar one (new to the forums here).

My son (the 1st) was quite difficult. He really hated being laid down. We could get him to sleep by holding him but any attempt to put him down would wake him and he would be very unhappy. Fast-forward a bit and it seems like reflux medication solved that, but at the time we didn't know what difficulty level was normal... we actually had a shift pattern for a while (maybe 2 months) where at least one of us would always be awake, because he couldn't go more than 30 minutes without being held... and at 5 weeks you're not exactly going to teach him better behaviour. This swing was like having a 3rd parent! It's the only place we could put him that didn't require one of us to be holding him.

My daughter would not be alive today if it weren't for that swing (because we sure as hell wouldn't have had a 2nd child!).

I really liked having the monitor with the wee pad underneath . Gave me peace of mind , lots of baby sheets and muslins .

I also have a very large gap between mine.