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Quick Survey.......things you couldn't have survived without

153 replies

goldendelicious · 07/08/2006 21:47

Quick Survey......

What are five baby buys you couldn't have survived without, were really useful and gave you good value for money?

Also list 5 things you wish you hadn't wasted your money on, and wouldn't recommend to a friend/relative.

(Sis having 1st baby and seems to want to buy the WHOLE of Mothercare - help me try and talk her round!!)

Mine are: -

Best buys
1 - Muslin Squares soooo handy for all manner of things - sick, spills, protecting sofa etc etc
2 - Graco autobaby car seat & autobase, can't tell you how valuable this was for ease of getting ds in and out of the car - godsend.
3 - Baby sleeping bag/grobag, kept ds warm and cosy and couldn't kick it off
4 - Travel changing mat, brill when out and about and you know its clean
5 - V Tech baby play gym. Kept ds amused for hours on end, we were forever changing the batteries he used it so much! Worth every penny.

Worst buys
1 - Nappy wrapper. Smells even though it claims to lock smells in and a pain to empty and change cassette. Expensive too.
2 - Snow suit. DS was boiling even in mid winter. Found lots of blankets better.
3 - Expensive moses basket. Not suggesting i didn't find it useful, just no point buying a brand new expensive one cos ds was only in it for six weeks.
4 - Baby bath. We used this twice for ds then used a bath support in the big bath. Ten times easier!
5 - Baby play nest/doughnut, ds didn't get any stimulation out of it at all, just kept toppling over and screamed to get out!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
PinkyRed · 08/08/2006 20:20

Best things:

  1. Grobags
  2. Sling - similar to the hugababy one
  3. Muslins
  4. Two changing mats - one for downstairs and one for upstairs
  5. Old fashioned drawstring washbag - the kind that's wipe clean inside. Big enough to fit a couple of nappies, a small bag of wipes and a travel change mat from Mothercare - it means that I can just carry a normal biggish handbag or rucksack instead of faffing around with a specific change bag.

Worst buys (we didn't actually buy any of these but we got given them):

  1. Moses basket - dd was only in hers for 5 weeks
  2. Baby bath - ditto
  3. Baby toiletries that come in sets - you'll end up using one product up and being left with the rest
  4. Babybjorn front carrier - to be fair, this might be because I am quite feeble and dd is a giant hulking monster.
  5. Microwave steriliser - ended up bf'ing dd exclusively until just over 6m, and now only sterilise her one daily formula bottle so I use a milton tablet and our biggest mixing bowl. Seems a waste of time to sterilise everything when she's mobile and crawling around the floor picking up bits of fluff and trying to suck the cat's tail.
goldendelicious · 08/08/2006 20:48

WOW thanks everyone for this fantastic list!!!!! Its a big help to my sis and will be a brill source for all mums to be out there i'm sure. Can't believe there's so many posts! Thanks all x

OP posts:
goldendelicious · 08/08/2006 21:00

P.S. Please keep them coming, any more tips are still very very gratefully received!!!

OP posts:

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mumtoone · 08/08/2006 21:12

My best buys were:
Baby gym
Muslins
Bibs
Dummy
Grobags

My worst buys were:
Baby bath
Bottle warmer
Heavy pushchair
Can't think of anything else

wrinklytum · 08/08/2006 21:20

lol at st george

jodee · 08/08/2006 21:34

Best:
1 Muslins (not again, you say)
2 Boots Electric Vaporiser, from 3 months - still used and ds is 6, absolutely priceless for when they have a cold
3 Sudocrem/metanium
4 dummy (only used for 6 months then he dumped it himself)

Waste of money:

  1. Bottle warmer
  2. snow suit (what was I thinking) 3 top n tail bowl
expatinscotland · 08/08/2006 21:35

Maybe it's Scotland, but we use snowsuits a lot. I saved all DD1s for DD2.

nogoes · 08/08/2006 21:44

Nappy bin.

puff · 08/08/2006 21:45

Agree with someone else re the long beanag cushion - mine is made by grobag, about 5ft long. Got it when I was 4 months pregnant with ds2 and have slept with it every night since - he is now 3 , really comfy for sleeping when your bump gets big, plus brilliant as a feeding cushion for the baby.

I even take it on holiday as I can't sleep without it .

themoon66 · 08/08/2006 22:06

Worst:

Top and tail bowl.
Sheets.
Lacy blankets and shawls (for catching baby fingers in ouch)
Nappy sack system thing (still stinky)
Cuddly toys that are 'damp sponge clean only'
Baby listener/monitor (DD could scream for England and could be heard other side of village without amplification thank you)

Best:

Changing mats.
Changing bag.
Silver cross wayfarer buggy (not made anymore sadly)
Avant bottles.
Sudocreme
Industrial strength breast pads.

Ponka · 08/08/2006 23:26

We bought a travel bottle warmer. Great invention but they do take about 20 minutes to warm a bottle so you either have a screaming baby for 20 minutes or you have to be prescriptive as to when the baby has milk. If you do bottle feed and don't want to give cold milk, it's much better to buy a powder container and carry pre- warmed water in something insulated or find somewhere when you are out.

Sakura · 09/08/2006 06:52

themoon, just out of interest, why are sheets in your worst list? I`m expecting my first in a few weeks, and I just have no idea what is useful or not.

CorrieDale · 09/08/2006 07:29

skyplus. how could I have missed this one off...

anniemac · 09/08/2006 10:48

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anniemac · 09/08/2006 10:54

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Mamamoor · 09/08/2006 11:07

Best:
*Nappy wrapper - does smell a bit but really useful nonetheless. Also dh does all things rubbishy so he empties it, so even better!
*Gro bag - wish I'd bought one earlier for dd1, dd2 in one on the first night home!
*Cheap bouncy chair thingy - both dds had day time naps in it and so useful for feeding in prior to high chair
*Travel play arch/gym - just folds up and easily fits in the car
*Wipes, wipes and more wipes
*Avent steam sterlizer
could go on

Worst:
*Bottle warmer - took ages to warm up buy which time dd1 really screaming! Abandoned it and just stick bottle in bowl of hot water - much quicker and dd2 doesn't mind luke warm milk!
*Hand knitted cardis from well meaning elderly relatives - very cute but never worn!
*Dummy with plunger for giving medicine - don't even go there
*Anywayup cup - even I couldn't suck anything out of it!
*Socks for babies! - can't count the number we lost and would arrive somewhere minus one and no spares!!!

Gerryd · 09/08/2006 11:21

Hi there,

My little boy is now four months and i spent a fortune on lots of un-neccessary things whilst pregnant!!!

Worst -

Quinny Dreami thing - attaches to the pram. It has never been out of the house, its much easier to clip the maxi cosi car seat on the wheels. We only ever do short trips out and about anyway! pointless.

Lots of Baby Clothes - I went totally mad while pregant and bought lots of little outfits in cream/lemon and white! My little boy has never had them on! Given away to other pregnant friends (most likely never to be worn!!) My baby lived in blue vests and baby grows for the first 3 months!

Mamas and Papas Bouncy chair - even though it says removable covers, very difficult to get off to wash. Adam hates it anyway - complete waste of money.

Breast Pump- Couldnt breat feed, tried and tried for weeks but baby wasn't getting enough milk, bottle fed now.

Large Baby Bath - Couldnt ever bath baby on my own, very slippery! Have moulded one now which he just sits in and my hands are free to wash away!

Lots of Teddys given as gifts - dust collectors!

Matching bumper and quilt set - still in the packing!

Top and Tail Bowl - Why?

Best Buys

Dummies - God send!

Quinny Wheels and Maxi Cosi Car seat - FAB FAB FAB

Fleece Blanket - Adam wont sleep without it - it goes everywhere!

Baby musical night light - he just loves it and drifts of to sleep with it on

Mamas and Papas Change bag - its just great, very fashionable and has lots of storage, fits great over the handles of the pram.

Think thats about it!

LemonTart · 09/08/2006 11:26

Best Buys
1.Muslin Squares
2.Baby Bjorn
3.Grobag
4.Moses basket (wish we had it for DD1)
5.Nappies

Worst Buys
1.Too many clothes
2.Baby bath
3.Big expensive bouncer chair - both DDs hated it
4.Re-usable nappies (just failed for us, I know loads are good..)
5.Banana shaped feeding cushion - just shaped all wrong!

Alexandersmummy · 09/08/2006 11:39

Best Buys

  1. Bumbo seat when your little can hols there head up, this became a god send when weaning, also helped my DS sit up straight. 2.Cheap basic bouncy chair, don't waste money on expensive one 3.Travel system we had a silvercross one but I think they are all good. 4.Grobag, my DS hated sheets and blankets. 5.Lots of vest and bodysuits

Worst buys
1.Matching bedding sets, expensive, look nice, not necessary, always in the wash!
2.Cot bumpers the biggest waste of £20.00 ever
3.Cot mobiles, bed time means peaceful time not music!
4.Expensive moses basket I paid £60.00 plus £20.00 for stand only used it for 4 months, wish I'd bought a cheaper version now.
5.Outfits, they never wear them!

Also a friend of ours bought my DH the Haynes Baby Manual and it was really good for him, easy to read, common sense, very funny and helped him feel involved. But apart from that don't read the books they just make you feel bad!

kitbit · 09/08/2006 11:41

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Blackduck · 09/08/2006 11:42

Mumsnet....

thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 09/08/2006 15:41

best things
Muslins
small bouncey chair (inherited actually, very good - very simple no bells or whistles)

worst things
a 2-1 pram - way too heavy as either pram or pushcair; nowehere to keep it
anything that plays irritating electronic music

pointless thing
a sort of tray like thing that you can put over a cot to do nappy changes - had a very small bedroom and thought it would save sapce, but as we had a chest of draws the changing mat went on top of that

Iklboo · 09/08/2006 15:45

Best things:-

Muslins
Baby bouncy chair
Baby swing (invaluable)
Changing station (still use it)

Worst:-

Breast pump
Too many clothes
Baby sling

helenmelon · 09/08/2006 16:12

OK - best things:
1 muslins - great for wiping up anything
2 Graco Aerosport Travel System - great to not have to wake baby up!! Also, was really light to "bump" down the stairs from our flat after a caesarian!!!
3 Mclaren light wieght buggy now dd is older
4 Avent breast pump, lansinoh cream, microwave steriliser, sterilised milk bags for the freezer, etc - was so useful when i was struck down with a stomach bug...
5 Whoozit toy - still plays with and really enjoys
6 babyseat thingie for the bath
7 baby gym and ring - mine loved hers and they were both hand me downs
8 grobag sleeping bags - i bought cheaper ones than the grobag make, but they worked great!!
9 bumbo and decent high chair - still get used
10 baby bjorn - great for round the supermarket

Worst things:
1 rubbish babygros that only do up the back (all pressies)
2 top and tail bowl (another useless pressie)
3 babybath (a freebie from some other parents, so thankfully no money wasted)
4 rubbish teddies and soft toys that aren't ok for under 3s!!! why oh why do people bother when the baby's only just been born!!!
5 booties - again, pressies that don't really get used
6 snowsuits - again, pressies that don't really get used
7 baby walker - a present, when i've specifically said i really don't like them. think it might get 'accidentally' damaged before dd gets to have a go!!!!

Just realised that most of my don't like items are pressies - but there are loads of pressies that we love, too. We were really lucky to get given most things by other members of the family who have children, so most things were really useful. It's generally pressies from people without kiddies that don't seem to be that great!! Makes me wonder what i've bought for people in the past

Happy shopping!!!

pollydoodle · 09/08/2006 18:04

I'd second lots of the things mentioned above but things that I didn't spot when I skimmed through the list include:

Microwaveable self sterilise bottles from mothercare - these have been a godsend when I needed a bottle in a hurry and didn't want to wait for an electric steam steriliser (on the box they say it takes 8 minutes or whatever, it's ony when you look inside that you discover you have to wait another 7 minutes for it to finish sterilising in the steam and cool down period). The bottles were also great as it meant you could travel with them and not lug a steriliser around as most people have microwaves that you can borrow.

Join the Boots parent/baby club and buy the pack of nappies to get the free changing bag. Not the world's most glamorous but it holds a pack of nappies, wipes, cream, nappy bags, change of clothes and spare muslins - I tended to leave mine ready packed and it was ready whenever I needed to go somewhere or to have a second set of changing things downstairs etc.

pampers disposable changing mats - I've only used one pack so far (ds is 15m) but very handy to have when changing out and want something you know is clean - or when staying with friends etc. Most of the time they stay pretty clean and you can reuse over and over again but if they do get dirty you can just throw away without worrying.

I had a pack of muslins and a pack of terry nappies to use at for mopping up, protecting, quick blanket, tiny towel, covering the changing mat to start with (when it was cold and ds shrieked on contact) etc etc. both are useful. in fact only thing I haven't used terry nappies for are as nappies .

small blanket made from brushed cotton (got from the baby catalogue) - had a may baby and it was just right as a thin wrap/sheet/blanket, soft towel, soft layer in the pram - now have several and always leave one in the car and one on the pram.

nuk teats and dummies - I know, dummies not good but I had very ill dh who needed lots of sleep and was in and out of hospital, so had to be pragmatic about either making him more ill because baby screaming or let baby have dummy and not scream. the nuk teats were very good for reducing colic and wind but difficult to get hold of - used baby-supplies.co.uk who were very good

also to remember that if you do end up having to use formula at all babies can react differently to different ones - everybody I had known who'd used formula had used sma and so that's the one that I picked up when I had to give up bf but it gave ds bad constipation - changed to aptimil and no more problems.

things I haven't used:
knitted cardigans from mil

avent bottles (and avent stuff in general) - before I had ds the implication was that I had to get avent stuff as it was the best but having now had a chance to look around there is plenty of stuff that is pretty good that isn't avent. not that there is anything intrinsically wrong with their stuff, just that in the shops that is what I always ended up being steered to.

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