What rubbish DO/DONT you need to buy for a new baby?

[MyselfandI123]

I'm 28 and 24 weeks pregnant with my first child and I'm looking at all the bits for sale that you can buy for your baby. Call me old fashioned but do you need all this rubbish??

Baby bath... What's wrong with the sink, your own bath?
Nappy disposal system....errr bin??
Changing table.... Floor, bed, table with a mat on? Etc etc

I have the basics: crib and bedding, clothes, muslins and cloths, steriliser, bottles, breast pump, play mat, few toys, bouncer seat, nappies, wipes, toiletries, pram. That's it really. Myself and my two siblings survived on nothing really as my parents were young and skint and and we all turned out ok.

Is there anything you brought and really regretted it or anything that was a life saver??

Thank you ????

I say your list sounds pretty good its all number 2 will be getting + a sling/carrier.

Depending on your house I'd say gro egg was useful - it made dh keep the heating on, our house was freezing and he's tight!

You can always get stuff as and when newborns are pretty basic.

Things I've loved....

If you're bottle feeding, a perfect prep machine will be the best thing you ever buy.

Bouncy chair we've used every day since DS was born (he's 10 months and is currently sitting in it now)

Tons of muslins, can be used for anything and everything

Jumperoo, when he started to want to be more upright, could pop him in it, know he was safe and dash off to stick some washing in or hoover

Sleeping bags/gro bags, SO HANDY

Things I didn't love.....

Sling, just couldn't get on with it, relegated to the back of the wardrobe

Parasol for pram, a faff. See muslins above, perfect sunshade.

Tummy time mat, waste of money, just don't even bother.

Baby shoes, epic waste of money

Don't buy a nappy bin, just get reuse able nappies. Wash every 2 days and then you don't have dirty nappies hanging round for a fortnight, grim

I loved our bath and used it til he was over 6 months. Saves loads of water and therefore time which was great when I was doing bedtime on my own.

Slings are fab but do try a library so you find one that works for you.

I had a changing mat on his chest of drawers instead of a changing table. In fact I still do and he's two and a half. (Not safe to leave but you just don't?)

Probably already been said but most used/useful things I bought were...
Sling (Moby)
Woombie swaddle (like a sleeping bag but tighter fitting so stops them flailing about and waking themselves up)
Bath support for in the big bath
Baby gym
Linking rings, DS loved these fir waving and chewing on
Door bouncer for when he was a little older

I would also get some snuffle baby, Calpol and a snot sucker.

I couldn't change DD on the floor, i fractured my coccyx in labour resulting in 8 months of physio. DH is 6ft 5 and couldn't do it comfortably on the floor. Changing table was an essential (we still use it at 19 months and in 2 weeks time will be used for DC2).
Never bothered with steriliser/bottles/pump.
Loved our baby bath, it made things much easier.
Reflux baby meant we got through so many muslins but I know some people who bought them and haven't used them.
These threads just highlight that all people and all babies are different so there is no definitive list of 'essentials'. Best thing to do is wait until your baby is born then buy what you need.

We used our baby bath loads, up until DD was over 2 (we had the Mamas and Papas one). It must have saved us gallons of water! Bouncy chair and baby gym are also great, but we got ours second hand so didn't spend a fortune. Baby monitor - again check eBay. The Ikea Antilop high chair was our best investment, and then a travel booster seat when DD turned 2.

Outfits for under 3 months (and even largely 4-5 months) are pointless, stick to sleepsuits and vests. I liked my wrap sling with DD (again, second hand) but have already decided it will be too much of a faff for DC2 with a toddler to keep an eye on, so will be getting one with clips etc.

I had stacks of stuff thanks to a car boot queen of a mil. most stuff is useful but not essential imo and unfortunately the essential stuff varies from baby to baby and is difficult to predict. dd1 hated bouncers, dd2's verdict is still open. I loved the sling but for certain kinds of outings. couldn't have ditched the pram entirely like some friends did. I have been tempted by a ewan the sheep and sleepyhead after reviews on here but am holding out for now.

most stuff can be got very cheaply second hand. school jumble sales are the best. cheaper and less busy than nct sales

Pump and bottles is a tricky one as it's not recommended that you get a second hand pump (though I always wondered why you can't just replace the tubing). I barely used my expensive pump as dd1 refused bottles but have a friend who pumped every feed.

imo space is the biggest limiting factor as a lot of stuff can be got cheap or free from friends or freecycle. I have 3 different baby baths (tommy tub, normal baby bath and support thing that goes in big bath) I have used them all but have cursed falling over them more often

avocadotoast exactly that's the point. You can't live without muslins. I didn't use any for my 2. There are no right or wrong list because it depends on the baby. Mine are both breastfed but never bring up any milk or needs burping. But I leak like crazy so uses a lot of breast pads. I have heard people say breast pads are useless but I use them for DD1 till I stopped at 18mo!

The muslins I bought for DD1 is still around. She uses them as tails when she pretends to be dogs or ponies or cats

One persons rubbish is another persons essential imo, even if it is bought as a sanity saver.

One of my best buys was a total non essential, it was a mobile by Fisher price that went round and round with music long enough for me to have a shower.

I bought loads for DC1. When I fell pg with DC4 we had sold or given away everything as we were convinced that we were stopping at 3 and we bought hardly anything.

I like to have a sling to bring them home from hospital in, so I would buy that before hand so you can have skin to skin time straight away. Slings sell on really well at a good price so you can always sell it on if you find another that you like better later. I also didn't bother with a travel system/pram for DC3 and 4 just bought a birth to age 4 car seats and used the sling for the baby and the buggy for the next youngest.

The other best buy was a bedside crib, I like co-sleeping but also like my own space, cribs are small but with the side down there was enough room for them until 6/7 months.

Tbh op, you just don't know what your baby will get on with!

For us, essentials:

Chest of drawers for her stuff which doubles as changing table - we bought a proper wood one for £££ but it will be something she can use throughout childhood and take with her to her own home

Dummy - she's a very sucky baby

All terrain pram, we go for lots of woodland walks (got given this)

Tummy time mat, DD loves this and spends ages on it, it's where she learnt to roll over

Snuzpod - means DD is right next to me all night but I don't have to worry about rolling onto her as with co sleeping

Door,bouncer, takes up less space than jumperoo and can be taken on holiday etc. DD bounces happily in it whilst I do paperwork or get a wash on!

Angelcare bath support, used twice weekly since we started giving her baths

Digital ear thermometer - she's only been ill once so far but her temp went from 36.5 to 38.8 in an hour, v good to be able to keep track and explain to GP on the phone

Didn't use
Moses basket - she just decided she didn't want to sleep in it

Sling - we trialled thru local sling library, found one she liked,,bought it..... Two weeks later she had a screaming fit when put in and has refused it since

Steriliser - just chuck some Milton fluid in a bowl

Gro bags - blankets can be layered and you don't have to worry about tog ratings etc

Lots of toys - you get given loads and tbh her favourite thing is a random octopus her grandparents bought her actually her favourite thing is the light fitting in the living room

Bottles - am bfing

This is all very useful to read!

I liked having baby at a decent height for changing (I couldn't get up and down off the floor after labour - I was knackered for two weeks), but we used a mat on the top of a chest of drawers. Same as a changing table in terms of having everything handy, but a piece of furniture we could use afterwards. Well, it was an existing piece of furniture. I got a cot top changer when we finally got around to getting her her own bedroom with a cot in it.

I bought a bouncer for £10 from Mothercare, it was fine.

Someone gave us a baby gym, but if I'd had to buy one myself I'd have bought this from Ikea: www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/70108177/ - can hang over a mat, the bouncer the car seat.. whatever.

I had a Sleepyhead too - just about my only expensive purchase, and it was worth every penny.

Oh, and I had a stretchy sling in advance. I think sling libraries are excellent for when you're wanting to be properly out and about with a month/6 week old child, but to begin with at home, a stretchy sling is amazing. I learned how to tie it when I was pregnant, then when I came home from hospital I put her straight in it... it was where she stayed for about 3 months!! A brilliant thing, allows you to get on with your life a bit (obviously not really but you feel less confined to the sofa/confined to a life with one hand), and makes them feel safe/keeps them warm.

Hope OP is getting the message that you don't know whether you're going to need a table to change on (doesn't necessarily have to be a purpose built changing table) until you see what state you're in after labour. If you can get down on the floor easily enough, you're fine. If you have a section, get bad SPD or have a complicated VB it may well be a while until you can get back up and down again. As for them being covered in piss and shit, you're supposed to clean them.

Re baby baths, we didn't get a colossal amount of use out of them, but as a pp pointed out, the great advantage they have is if the baby shits in the bath. Or pisses. You'd at least know if they'd crapped. You can put baby in the bath along with you of course, but there'll probably be times poosplosion when you want to bath them without you being in there. Bit of a waste of water to have to fill the whole bath then. You can get inflatable baths when space is an issue.

I have about 10 pairs of shoes never worn for baby, not sure why I bought so many I tried 1 pair on they seems to not fit right so he isn't wearing shoes, it's not like he needs them he can't walk.

I love angel monitor I bought it at 8 weeks and since then I have not been up and down shining lights on poor bambino checking he is ok all night even though he is in my room

Love baby sleeping bags

Baby bath is rubbish I find it tricky to do it on my own

I also have a very reasonable priced travel system, I was limited to what I could have as I have a little boot. It really was cheap but it's amazing it's great. even if I had a huge car I would have this one again

Re useable breast pads were a waste of money too.

Useful things for us (though many have been borrowed rather than bought)
Giant playmat. It is in its 5th year and still going strong. We have wooden floors so this is vital.
Gro bags and swaddleme velcro wraps.
Borrowed moses basket
Borrowed jumperoo (takes up space - looking forward to giving it back!)
Stacking cups. Babies and children love them.
Muslins. Endless muslins due to messy eater who now loves to cuddle them too.
Microwave sterilser. I am a slave to it.
Cot top changer. Bought off evay for a tenner. We don't use it on top of the cot but stick it on top of a single bed.
Skiphop changing bag.
Video monitor. An ingenious and very useful thing to have.
Ikea highchair. Brilliant.

Things which haven't worked out..

Cloth nappies. Bought for dc1. Never used.
Moby wrap. Heavy wriggling baby couldn't get the hang of it.
Mobile - pretty pointless
Bumbo. Only some kids fit in it and like it.
Bibs. Ds hates them.

As reflected in PP's posts, every baby is going to be different in its preferences so it's not really possible to say if (for example) a bouncer will be pointless for you. Ditto every mother is different - one person may find something essential because she's pushed for time or has particular family/domestic arrangements, while another woman never uses that same thing.

We got almost everything free from a family member who'd had all her kids, so had the luxury of trying lots of things out without worrying about wasting money if they weren't right.

My personal experience is that DD loves the vibrating chair and it's been a lifesaver - giving me 10 minutes to eat breakfast, for example.

Sling is great, but get one that's designed to spread the weight and give you good back support or it'll ruin you.

Love our bath support hammock thing, inexpensive from Mothercare and it makes bathtime easy. Ditto baby bath. Saves water and time running a little bath, and DD is (at just 6 weeks) too big for the kitchen sink.

For me, a breast pump is essential. Expressing means I can get more than 3 hours' sleep at a time. It has kept me sane. Doesn't need to be expensive or electric, mine is a slightly knackered old Tommee Tippee hand pump. Works fine.

Microwave steriliser. 6 minutes and you're done.

I personally find washable breast pads great, but having said, that I don't leak much. If that's you, I recommend them. Plus you can save money in the long run. Little Lamb do good ones. Buy enough for a week, week and a half and bung them in with the normal wash.

Things I don't use:

Towels with special bits on (clips to go round your neck, little hood to go over baby's head). Normal towel is fine as long as only baby uses it.

Scratch mitts

Toys. DD will be interested in them later I'm sure, but right now the sight of me crinkling up a plastic bag is the best thing ever. She doesn't care about the special 'newborn toys', bar her black-n-white fabric book.

Parasol for pram. Drives me nuts, useless unless I am stationary and there is no wind at all. Muslin, bit of clothing or pram shade cover is just fine.

Oh, and I didn't bother with a bath thermometer. I just use my elbow. Many find them convenient tho.

I found a changing table very useful as you will change a newborn about a thousand times a day and night. It saves trying to find a suitable space and it keeps all your changing boa together rather than ransacking the whole house looking for something with a half naked baby. I ended up buying one to keep downstairs too when DS was little. I still use our upstairs one as he stays still better knowing he is at a height (he is 13mo). Nappy bin also useful for keeping out the smells (until weaning starts!) but we never bought the cassettes. Good quality nappy sacks poked through the hole do the job just as well. A sling was also a must have for me and a rucksack rather than a changing bag if you intend to use one out and a about. Baby on front, bag on back.

Changing table was a god send after a c-section.
Morrck hoodie for stage 1 car seat was fab.
Medela pump
Infacol
Water wipes
Ewan the dream sheep

Top n tail & breastfeeding cover was a total waste.

Breastfeeding cover is great for travelling to some countries. For example in east asia, the locals cover up when breastfeeding in public. I have been told to cover up but you can't kick up a fuss as there aren't any equality rules like here. I do have a cover as I know they are more 'modest'. That time I was just cba to fish it out of the bottom of a push chair.

It definitely varies by baby.

DS - my essentials included a carrier, bouncy chair and later a jumperoo - otherwise he wanted carrying 100%of the day. Useless items: carseat raincover, pushchair adapters (he hated his car seat). Hardly needed any muslins and no dribble bibs. DS wouldn't go on baby gym.

With DD she's a major dribbler and even dribbles milk when she feeds so muslins and dribble bibs are on her essentials. I've also found a car seat raincover and adapters for pushchair to be really useful, as DS is at preschool and when it's raining and she's asleep in carseat, I can leave her asleep in seat just stick raincover on and attach to pushair, rather than disrupting her constantly. This time I bought the isofix base (didnt bother and didnt need/feel like i was missing out with DS) and was glad of it as I've been left with a lot of physical problems and can't lean in to fasten the seat with the seatbelt. DD also loves bouncy chair and baby gym. I also love my tommee tippee perfect prep (got it at an absolute steal in amazon black friday, with the view that if bf worked i could easily get my money back), as DD is on specialist formula, so can't buy ready made, and it can't be stored once made (i tried but it goes weird), so helps me get a bottle ready really fast.

I agree with others about sleeping bags rather than blankets, particularly at night. Also about just bodysuits and sleepsuits not outfits in early weeks (outfits impractical and never look comfortable).

A thick change mat would be handy if you don't want a change table. You can put it on a surface rather than the floor if you need to.

A thermal bag for bottles is handy as well, when you're out for the duration of 2 feeds worth. Even if you don't have everything now, you'll have a couple days to send people on errands for you anyway and they can get things you've forgotten or need. What about things for you?

But yeah, most baby stuff is a con to get people to buy it, they create something, then make you think you need it. It's expensive because people think they need it. Like toys...they're expensive because they know kids are going to pester their parents for it.

I used my baby bath to death, it had a support built in and was only a tenner.

Older feral sibling in bath so I did him at the side until he was robust enough to survive a bath mind.