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

[goldendelicious]

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!

ooh ooh shopping my favourite thing!

best buys:
baby sling - we have an Ergo which is superb, used from tiny and still using, ds is 21 months and now use mostly as lightweight backpack that can be stuffed in a small space and taken anywhere

digital ear thermometer, fast and no fuss, v easy

socks from Gap - best pressie we were given, only socks that stayed on

muslins (yawn...but still going!)

Protect-a-bub veranda style sun shade for buggy, use it all year round in sun and to pull down to make dark for encouraging naps, also keeps light rain off

portable fabric chair harness for out and about when no high chair available, got it from NCT for about a tenner, squashes down to nothing and gets used LOADS

wind up Tolo mobile...gave me about 3 mins to have a shower. Would have liked longer, in hindsight would get one with longer playing time

popper under the bum vests and body suits, buy loads!!!

soft leather shoes from Inch Blue for learning to walk and for keeping tiny toes warm in winter without having to resort to "proper" harder shoes

worst buys:
nappy bucket tommy tippee thing with refills...stank and v expensive, shame as the idea was great but nappy sacks and a normal bin do the same job

door bouncer (gift) hate hate hate it

top and tail bowl now used by the cats

anything that poppers up the back, mostly gifts given by best intentioned non-parent friends who have clearly never tried tipping a wriggly (or sleepy) baby upside down to fasten the damn things

god I've waffled on for AGES sorry

In defence of knitted cardigans - they might look a bit naff, but I found them loads easier to get on my winter-born son than the various snowsuits and baby-sized anoraks he was given. And to be honest, with a hat, a cosytoes and a raincover, they kept him snug without overheating.

Other good items to buy, beg, borrow...

• cosytoes - zipped open in shops, then quickly done up again
• "little ewe" terry square nappies - cheap as chips, very absorbent and make excellent reusable changing covers too.
• a swinging rocking chair - kept his nibs happy whilst we ate
• Graco cheapo travel cot - doubles up as playpen and idiot-proof

Things I wish I'd never bought/ been given.

• "slingrider" - baby screamed like a cat in a sack when we tried to get him in it.
• an over-one-shoulder changing bag - strap crossed over my boobs at the front and gave me mastitis.
• huge baby bath - hardly used after first couple of months and takes up loads of room
• snowsuits - too hot, too difficult to get on the child!
• most baby books - tend to make you paranoid and undermine your self confidence.

Agree with last poster - Ergo baby carrier is lovely. Lightweight, really comfortable and supposed to be good for a wide age-range. Wish we'd bought it earlier.

Biggest waste of money definately baby monitor only ev er used it in hotels and they usually have one to lend anyway.
Grobags are great.
I think the more babies you have the more you realise you don't need half the stuff you think you do.

Best Buys:

Grobag
Muslin Squares
Cheap Ikea Cot - on its 2nd kid, know expensive ones that have been trashed by one kid
Bath Sponge Support - you don't need a baby bath, just one of these!
Whoozit Gym to Go - fab small portable play gym, goes everywhere with us

Worst Buys

Baby Bath - waste of space
Moses Basket (get a pram instead you can use it for longer)
Scratch mits n boots - came straight off both times
Talc (why?)
Babysling, both of them have hated it!

ps I still needed at least 2 sheets to cover the cot mattress, even with a grobag? went for fitted ones. and flat sheets handy for very hot nights.

Best buys
muslins
bouncy seat
jumperoo
link a doos baby gym
blow up baby bath
baby play nest
swing

Worst buys
baby heart beat monitor ( could of lost my baby due to this )

Things that make my life easier -

1. grobags
2. muslin squares
3. microwave sterilizer
4. travel system
5. thermos travel bottle warmer & avent coolbag

Things that just add to the clutter -

1. egg shaped electric room thermometer (what was I thinking?)
2. top and tail bowl
3. baby bath
4. gifts of summer clothes which will fit baby in the winter (don't people think?)
5. dummies

waste of money:

baby swing
graco travel system (the buggy took up the ENTIRE boot)

wish I'd bought earlier:

a good jogging stroller, all terrain, can take it anywhere.

Best Buys

1. Baby Bjorn
2. Second-hand pram for first 3 months
3. Chariot stroller/jogger/bike trailer
4. Harvey Karp's 'Best Baby on the Block' book
5. Any baby 'outfit' - generally highly unsuitable fabrics, zip/popper positions etc

Worst Buys

1. Nappy wrapper - how bloody honky and unhygenic
2. Any change bag - a tiny cheap rucksack is just as good
3. Branded nappies - Tesco's are fab, although using Moltex biodegradable now
4. Muslins - terry nappies do the job
5. Baby bath

oops, the baby 'outfits' ar crap buys.

Best things:
1 Bonfit Miracle Blanket for swaddling (Mothercare)
2 Vacuum flask for a warm drink for me when feeding in the middle of the night.
3 Fennel tea for milk production.
4 Baby Bjorn
5 Tiny Love cot mobile - the baby adores it!

Worst Things
1 Cute outfits made in uncomfortable stiff materials

good things

1. babybjorn sling
2. babybjorn bouncychair - still using it at 17mths
3. portable booster seat
4. grobags
5. bt lullaby monitor

worse:

1. moses basket
2. wheely bug thing
3. snowsuit
4. baby cot mobile
5. nappy stacker

Best Things:

1. Lumilight which gives very low light for night time feedings
2. Black out blinds & linings - invaluable
3. Baby gym
4. Bouncy chair

Complete waste of money :

1. Nappy wrapper, didn't work properly and DH got drenched in week old pee, nice !
2. One of those bear things with womb noise, thankfully I got it on ebay but still an utter con, don't know what possessed me to buy it
3. Bumbo - DS is only 4.5 months but loves to be active and every time he is put in it he trys to whirl round and escape
4. Huge 3 in one pram system, used only for first 12 weeks when we got second hand maclaren buggy for £50 which is much lighter
5. All newborn clothes & nappies, DS is a big chap and grew out of them before being used
6. Denim without poppers - a present - enough said

Birth ball for rocking fretful baby on, whizzy hand-blender for food.

my worst were ; Britax Solo travel system - Damn heavy and not very compact when folded either! Top and tail bowl - only used once, can't think of anything else except bath for no 2 dd. She hated baths anyway until she learned to walk.... Had lots of great buys and couldnt do withouts including Tomy baby carrier, Maclaren Triumph buggy, Baby wipes!! dh thought I had shares in Johnsons microwave steriliser and Avent bottles and pump

the best:
dummy-dont go outside without it
winnie the pooh cot mobile for the first 3months
maclaren techno-love it
ergo bath support from mothercare

the worst:
bouncing chair-was a late present and dd didnt like it
muslim squares

How are you going to make up ur mind now? millions of 5 best things and now probably ur sister will have to buy all of mothercare and toys 'r us as well
I'm due in 10 days and still didn't buy anything yet coz am too confused and now am even more confused.... all i know is that the nappy wrapper thing, apparently stinks.

Best

Blue teddy bear from Mothercare (gift)
Travel cot
Buggy (Maclaren one which is suitable from birth)
Grobags - probably THE best

Absolute worst - baby monitors bought for £50 and never ever used!

Also forgot to say, for things that were incredibly useful - long feeding cushion from grobag.com

Best-
Bouncy chair from mamas & papas
Muslin squares
Moses basket, she slept in this till she was 8 months old next to my bed, as she wouldnt sleep through!

Worst-
Sling, she hated it!
Big fancy travel system, too heavy!

Also should have said- My Mum!! Best, that is!

Best buys

Muslin cloths
Gro bag
Bouncy Chair
steriliser
ear thermomoter

Worst

big bulky pram - stroller for me next time
moses basket - only used for 5 weeks
nappy stacker

Best:
Baby Bjorn carrier
Breast pump (allowing DH to do the late feed and an early night for me)
Bouncer chair (borrowed and very basic)
Gym-Mat (Fisher Price)
Baby Whisperer Books
Baby Grows
Gro-bag
Jogger stroller (Phil and Teds)
4-wheeler stroller (light and portable)
CD of soothing music for bedtimes
Baby backpack
Portacot (Phil and Teds - complicated to assemble but really light and compact)
Jolly jumper
My Mothers' Group!

Worst:
Have to agree with the dreaded Nappy Wrapper (now an expensive adornment to my garage)
Lots of flouncy frilly dresses for newborn baby
Endless stuffed toys
Electric swing chair

Best

1 - Travel cot (without a doubt the best buy)
2 - Muslin squres and bibs for the early days
3 Travel car seat with own wheels (one that is from birth to 4 years old)
4 Baby sling and later hip carrier for toddler age
5 - Baby bath that sat on top of bath
(Ds didn't sit up unaided until nearly 9 months old so holding him flat in the bath did my back in)
6 Baby gym (I know we said only 5 but it was really useful as ds would lie under it for 10-15 minutes at a time from birth)

Worst
1 - Snow suit - (hardly ever used it)
2 - Big baby pram (It was really heavy and we couldn't get it up and down our flat stairs easily - luckily we didn't pay for it but were given it)
3 - Moses basket (but only because we went to the U.S.A when ds was 10 weeks old and didn't take it with us so we only used it for 2 months at my parent's house so about 10-15 times total)
4 - Nissan Micra car (We bought a new car and didn't think a baby would take up much room - it is a nightmare to go anywhere as it has no space in the boot)
5 - Bedside cot - Should have bought a cot bed as the bedside element made no difference for reasons too complicated to explain