What did you buy when you were pregnant/had a tiny baby that you just did NOT need? And that you couldn't do without?

[hunkermunker]

My recently-pregnant-for-the-first-time friend has asked me what she needs to buy and it occurs to me that it's very personal.

And, as with all very personal things, it's probably best to ask MN about it

I really loved my ring sling, eventually, but when I bought it, I thought it was a vast waste of money as I couldn't work out how to get DS2 into it - once he sat up it was much easier. But my wrap sling, I didn't use nearly as much.

I can't really remember much else - bit of a sleep-deprived haze. I seem to recall numerous muslins, but they were v useful...for me, though not everyone will use them, I guess!

Hunker that would be lovely

MOst unused thing - ever wonder who bought the wipe warmer?My MIL!
She also bought the nappy stacker and nursery box that matched each other and nothing else on the planet.

Best thing - a Thermos cup.I could drink a relativly warm drink while feeding the boob monster as it had a little push out flap thing to drink out of.Other than that an odd bottle warmer/keep cooler thing that had a light on it which was brighter than a nightlight yet dimmer than a room light and a big fluffy warm fleecy blanket for wrapping up in during night feeds till boob monster worked out that if we were co sleeping he could snack as I tended to sleep braless after about 5 months.

Here the most useful things were muslins, simple baby clothes (vests, babygrows), Moby wrap sling, dvd box sets for me to watch while bf.

Things we were given that I've put away unused - little newborn outfits (denim, wtf???), one of those bath seats, a lacy bag to tidy away all the baby's lotions and potions.

I chuckle at this once a week on average. It's not a baby gift or anything.

The day after I'd had ds, my firstborn, MIL visited me in hospital and had brought me a copy of the Habitat catalogue 'to see if you like any of the lamps'.

Yes because I gave birth, I'm trying to breastfeed, I've been up all night, my life has changed forever, but you know, I do fancy a new anglepoise.

(Hunker, that can go on the pointless list. The Habitat catalogue. Don't give your friend one of those. Or fi you have to, wait a bit.)

useless things:
muslins - i have an unoppened pack upstairs, dd is 5 so i guess i'm never going to use them!

nappy wrapping bin thing - couldn't work it out at all

very expensive sling thing - took out of box once, couldn't work it out, put it back in box never to be seen again

bottle warmer - took about a year to warm a spoon of milk

Baby bath on legs that wouldn't fit in the bathroom and caused a small tidal wave when you tried to empty it

bumbo - the name says it all!

Best buys:
fisher price electronic sminging chair

cot mobile that lasted for longer than 3 seconds

sling- don't buy unless you have a sling meet or someone else to show you how to use it. Love mine, would have been lost without the help though.

Also very glad of our Jumperoo, but didn't get that until she was 4 months.

Resusable nappy trial pack - she was too little for them in the first few weeks and gave us a chance to decide which ones we got on with, before spending a lot of money.

Not Used-actually not much, but we only brought stuff as and when we wanted it. You need so little in the first few weeks/months. Helps that I hate spending money and we knew we were moving countries when she was 4 months, helps to focus the mind. Didn't want to buy things twice.

Does ANYONE use nappy wrappers?!

UnePrune, ROFL at the Habitat catalogue - I will v definitely remember not to proffer one for at least a week

I did use nappy wrappers, yes! We had free one from DD (from bounty) in upstairs bathroom and free one from DS (from bounty again) in futility room.
Worked fine, would use again..

Best:
Huggbaby sling, used it until they were 2.
Cheap padded bouncy chair.
Folding pushchair that could be reclinded almost flat, stood up alone when it was folded and could be opened with one hand, very light to carry, aargh sorry can't recall make.
Drinking cup with just one big hole.
Kamilosan cream(sp?) for my or their sore bits.
Braun electronic thermometer.
Loads of bibs (not the sort with plastic backs) wipes, Calpol.
Cotton blankets.
Big baby gymn thingy with washable mat.
Microwave steriliser.
Classic FM

Useless:
Bottles
Moses basket
Changing mat
Top and tail bowl
Muslins
Blender
Baby Mozart CDs
Bumbo
V shaped nursing cushion

BEST thing ever - mama's and papas electronic baby swing an impulse purchase that my prem dd lived in as she was so small she slid out of conventional bouncers
also
travel sleeping bag that fits in a car seat

WORST item - tommy baby carrier, impossible to get out of once on or get baby out, tell her to get a baby bjorn if she wants a carrier

bath sling, completely rubbish

Thought of something else. I sent my baby gadget obsessed mum back to the shop with the electric bedside bottle warmer.

I bought very little 'cos I'm tight I got lots of hand me downs. However for each of my babies I bought one special thing to wear when they were born. I love the greenbaby 'nighties'- so soft and easy to wear and no poppers to fathom out!

Useless - maxi cosi carseat to fit on pram and isofix base. I never really took the seat out of the car and never used it on the pram. Should have just bought the 0-4 years carseat which I am about to buy for my 7mo in the first place.

Top and tail bowl. Just wash the face first. Obviously.

Brilliant - moby wrap sling. I hated it the first few times I used it, but once we got the hang of it it was a lifesaver. DD was v colicky and wouldn't sleep in cot/moses basket, but the sling kept her quiet in the evenings so we could get some peace and she could get some much-needed sleep (she was a dreadful sleeper).

I also loved our baby swing, although I know a lot of people think they are rubbish. It was one of the few places I could put her down without her screaming.

Best
Bouncy baby chair thing
Hanging from the door bouncy thing
Microwave bottle steriliser
Paracetamol suppositories
Growbag things (until she worked out the zip)
Little stackable things that held pre measured milk powder
Dummy's.
Baby book - vital as I've lost her health cards having moved around so often
Worst
Muslins - I don't think I used one
clothes - DD was born in the middle east and wore vests only.
Nursing bras (bitter because I failed at the BFing lark)
On the whole we didn't do too badly. As so little was available we made do with what we could get.

Blimey, muslins are polarising, aren't they? Lots of people saying they were of no use; I think I had one slung over my shoulder pretty much all the time for about four years......

Don't know if you are still watching this thread, but I suddenly thought of something that I only had for no3 and no4, a snot sucker :) as in nasal aspirator. I firmly believed that it was unnecessary with the 1st 2 accepted advice with no3 and am surprised they are not more reccomended.

Being able to clear their sinuses in the middle of the night is so helpful, big bonus when you are trying to feed them too!
Ds2 learnt to blow his nose aged 11 months and I'm sure it was because of the snot sucker.

We have a very basic NUK one like this very cheap. well worth it :)

Never used

a top and tailing bowl, instead a plastic that had had Onken fromage frais was perfect
baby sling
posh wooden high chair that turns into a table that didn't have a tray big enough for a baby bowl
baby monitor - I couldn't sleep for the flashing lights as she was breathing - lasted less than a week
baby sleeping bag - she's always been hot, still is and thinks it's ok to go out in a t-shirt when it's below zero

Best things

one of those bath seats that's like a little slide and fits on the bottom of the bath with suckers - I could bath one-handed, but dh couldn't so it was brilliant
folding high chair that fitted behind the seat in the car - huge tray and fitted any sort of chair
Pack of terry nappies, especially good once started solid food as you always seem to be mopping gloop

Bought carrycot/pushchair/pram 4 in 1, bath seat and travel cot in Carrefour in Cité Europe and saved a fortune. The carry cot was good as it had 2 anchor points to clip into rear seat belts and a soft head protector to clip over the sides.