What is the most useful and useless thing you had for your newborn?

[lyrablue]

I'm in the middle of making a list of things we may need for baby when they arrive but don't want to get things that we really don't end up using. I thought this would be the best place to ask for advice! So what's the most useful and useless thing you guys had for your newborn please? :)

Useful: zip up swaddle-style sleeping bags, and muslins

Useless: Moses basket, cot and any bottle feeding paraphernalia

I can’t believe no one’s said it yet but zip up babygrows! Especially for nighttime changes.

Just buy as you go or you’ll end up with loads of things some people think are essential but are useless for you and your baby.

Oh, yes!

Don’t buy any babygros, no matter how cute, unless they have zips, ideally double zips. It makes life so much easier!

For good or bad? I don’t think I’ve ever had a zip babygrow. Surely the poppers are much easier than a zip running down the middle?

@4thonthe4th No, I find it much easier to just zip up a babygrow than mess about with poppers, especially in the middle of the night!

We picked up loads of bits at local nct sale for a few pounds rather than buying new - baby bath, top and tail bowl (did use a bit but only for bottom, and only because we had it), sleeping bags, and got loads of clothes for bigger sizes. Then when finished with those bits resold via nct or Facebook.
Most useful things - vest extenders - if vest fits but needs to stretch over a nappy, or just isn't long enough in the body these are really useful to extend the use of the vest.
Snot sucker thing by nuby - great to clear congested nose. They can't blow qThethemselves, and can't feed if can't breathe through their nose.

Do they come down the legs? Currently pregnant and may have to try these with the new baby!

I do not understand why zip babygrows are so hard to come by. They are brilliant! I would only get double zip though.

Useful: v pillow, vest tops and stretchy crop top bras under top for breastfeeding, jumperoo
Useless: maternity bras, changing bags, breast pump

@4thonthe4th Yep! The zip is generally at the bottom of one of the legs so you can just get legs back in after a nappy change and then zip straight up

Useful - lambskin. Used it for all 3 of ours. Warm in winter, cool in summer. And little bits of reflux etc would pretty much just wipe off, so didn't need washing as much as you'd expect.

Useful

Good breastfeeding pillow
Nappy bin
Changing table - had a section so was a lifesaver as couldn't bend down to use a mat

Useless

All the stuffed toy gifts

Useful - a sleeping bag that can be worn whilst in a car seat. There is a flap that has Velcro so that the harness can fit through. Meant that we could put DS1 in his sleeping bag when we were out, he would fall asleep in the car and we could just lift him out and into bed with it him waking.

Useful - a changing station for DS2. Just a cheap ikea one. Meant no bending when changing him and having everything to hand.

Useful - a second Moses basket/crib, so having one for downstairs naps and one for upstairs. Didn’t have to carry him up and down stairs.

useful - one of those activity bars that is arch shaped, which we put over the downstairs changing mat. Kept DS occupied when I was changing him, so less wriggling and whinging.

useless - socks, they never stayed on. I chose thicker velour type leggings with feet instead, Next seemed to have a good range at the time.

Useful: evidence based feeding information www.firststepsnutrition.org/making-infant-milk-safely

Baby carrier or sling
Washable wipes

Useless: moses basket and cot 🤣

Useful - next to me crib
sling/baby carrier
Muslins
Blackout blind
Lumi bug night light (has a sunset function still use it with 4 year old and emits the right type of light)
Multimam compresses for early days feeding
Change table downstairs chest of drawers with table top upstairs

Useless - rocket on pram - both hated it
Expensive bouncer/baby swing both hated it
Long baby bath - nightmare to fill and empty
Teething mitts

Perfect prep and a kneeling pad for the bathroom, both absolutely brilliant.

Useless: muslins, as my boy wasn't a very sicky baby. And cute outfits when they are tiny. We had so many but actually most of the time he was in sleepsuits for comfort and ease. We only needed 2/3 outfits...we had 10 times that given to us!!

Useless - bottles, prep machine, ready made formula, bumbo seat, baby bath, Ewan,

Useful - stretchy wrap, muslins, Bonds wondersuits, babygrows with zips, swaddle sleeping bags, thermos flask, Netflix.

Useful: your baby week by week book, changing station upstairs and downstairs, microwave steriliser for giving the odd bottle (I'm mostly BFing)

Useless: sling, dummies, bouncer(only just started tolerating it at 9 weeks), any clothes without built in feet

Useless: manual breast pump. Cannot believe these are even for sale.

Useful: best electric breast pump we could afford.

Going on my list! Thank you!

Kneeling pad for the bathroom is a great idea

A bouncer very useful for baby who hated being put down on his back doubled as a high chair.

Breast feeding/ pregnancy pillow-was useless.

My cot was useless he never slept in there from day one.

On the muslins debate, I’ve had two very sicky babies and couldn’t have had enough muslins. If you don’t have a sicky baby you won’t need many. So this is a wait and see.

Useless

• elvie breast pump, so temperamental and overpriced. Made me think I had a supply issue, spectra chargeable is miles better.
• moses basket downstairs, DC hated it and preferred a baby nest on the sofa
• slings, I love baby wearing but I wish I'd waited and gone to a sling library and tried before buying. Bought a few based on friends reviews and I hate them, it's such a personal preference.

Useful

• Tommy Tippee swaddle bag, zip fastening super easy. Stopped DC startle reflex waking him
• Milton microwave steriliser, cheap and easy to use
• Lamaze pram toy
• nosefrida, hands down the best snot sucker
• Angel care bath seat
• Electric baby nail file

Most useful Doona carseat/pushchair, so convenient.
Least useful breast pump