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!

Blimey! 4 years old this thread!!

Best:

1. Kari-me sling
2. Tripp Trapp high chair
3. bog-standard bouncy chair
4. baby-gym
5. pelican bibs

Worst:

1. baby bath
2. newborn clothes
3. CDs of 'sleep music'
4. baby rice

best:

1. muslins, the more the better. My baby is a puker.
2. gro bag. Baby kicks blankets ferociously until they are gone, plus easy transfer from boob to crib without tucking in etc
3. big gorgeous fancy changing bag, present from dh, if you have to have a giant bag full of crap you ought to love it.
4. isofix car base. one click in/out- no seat belt fannying aroud in the rain.
5. flask for hot water at night to change nappies
6. top n tail bowl- all cotton wool, nappies, cream etc rammed in and portable day to night
7. cosleep crib. baby has slept well in there from day1, doesnt realise he's not in our bed.
8. nappy wrapper thing. Just for our bedroom night changes. one cartridge lasts 2 months, no smell, tidy for confined space.
9. vibrating bouncy chair. Magic sleep machine!

10. "the food of love" by kate evans, a must buy for breastfeeders

worst:

1. loads of blankets. baby says no.
2. Baby bath/bath chair all have been useless
3. Gorgeous newborn clothes/babygrows fro naice shops. Get cheap ones, they grow so fast.
4. Snowsuits. Pointless, too hot, have to wake baby up to wrangle them out as soon as you get home so they dont bake.