When did buying baby equipment get so flipping complicated?

[Isntitironic]

I need help!

I'm expecting my first and doing a bit of research on how much different bits and pieces cost so I know how much we need to put aside for them. Trouble is, there are so many options I don't know where to start! (A moderately severe case of baby brain is not helping matters - I have enough trouble figuring out what to wear in the morning!)

At the moment I'm particularly bamboozled by the number of different types of cot mattress. I thought I just needed to find one that would fit the cot we've been given and that'd be that. Now it turns out you can get foam mattresses, sprung mattresses, organic ones, ones made out of mohair and coconut shells, hypo-allergenic ones, antibacterial ones, antifungal ones, never mind all the weird and wonderful technologies that keep the baby cool, resist moisture, draw moisture down and away, provide superior back support, kill dustmites... pretty much everything but change the baby's nappy and make you a cup of tea.

I'm stuck. Is most of this extra stuff just a way of getting more money out of people, or are there genuine good reasons for some of them? I'd be really grateful to know what other people think and have used!

I just went with the mattress that fits and have had no problems so far. We have an Ikea cot and since they have odd dimensions had to go for a Ikea mattress. Our daughter slept on it for 2 years with no ill effects.

I've got a Mothercare sprung mattress with a zip off top section so that can be hot washed if when baby is copiously sick

I think it cost in excess of £100 and was a gift. I would never have spent that much! It would have been foam all the way.

I feel your pain! Have you got onto prams and / or resusable nappies? About a gazillion choices with both. You will need to stop work completely at 20 weeks pregnant in order to focus entirely on researching baby equipment. I hope you've got a spreadsheet? .

I think you've answered your own question: most of this is clearly a way of getting money out of people. I find that not having a huge amount of money is a great way of not having it taken out of me! .

FWIW, my answer to the cot mattress thing was to go to John Lewis and get the most basic, on the basis that anything that JL sells is bound to be fine. It really wasn't that expensive - about forty quid I think.

For the most part, just pick one (of whatever it is you're looking at at the time) that you like the look of and can afford. In the end it really is that simple. Lots and lots of it, you can in fact live without. Like a baby bath chair (by the time DD could sit, she could get out of it). Or most of the toys.

Cot mattresses you can get from here. We went for a standard foam one with waterproof cover, purely because it was the least confusing and not very much money. But as it is, she sleeps great on it.

We just got the one which came with the cot on the basis that it would definitely fit.

We thought about what we wanted and made a list then looked them up online and compared prices at a few places. Got a sprung matress as there was a deal on at kiddicare and hope it will last for 2 kids and sleeps them up to 4 yrs old. Try not to get too distracted with all the extra gumpf online

John Lewis do a good list of things you will need to get hold of. It is comprehensive and split into essentials and nice to have sections. Get the list and decide what is important to you to spend money on and what you don't really care about. I don't really care about cots and cot mattresses so I got a cheap one of each from IKEA. I decided the buggy was important to me because I walk a lot and I don't want to have to deal with breakages. Loads of the stuff came from ebay!

I cot my cot mattress from john lewis and cot from ikea. Love both, I think they are the best.

Agree with joannezipen... the buggy is the REAL debate. This is what I took ages to pick and you use it at least twice a day so its important to get the right one based on your needs...

now i am pregnant with number two and debating which double buggy...ugh its tedious!

I've decided to go with the babies r us half price offers for cot bed and mattress....why pass up a half price deal I say. Do a little research as a few companies have offers.