Most and least useful things for a newborn?

[upanddown83]

Hi I am expecting my 1st baby in may and have been making list of things we need to get to spread the cost. But I am having trouble deciding what things are essential ie bouncer swing and what things seem like they would be useful but have turned out not to be all advice and thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Will be watching this with interest as our first is due in May too.

Most useful for baby - Probably a sling. Newborns don't really like being laid down all that much.

Least useful for baby - Baby bath, virtually impossible to use comfortably; and top/tail bowl, totally pointless.

Most useful for you - Thermal mug. Trust me on this.

Most useful- a bouncers seat and muslin squares.
Least useful- a wipe warmer

At first babies need to be warm, eat and sleep. And be transported possibly. Later they may need amusing but you can cross that bridge when you come to it because you will get given stuff.

Essential

Sling
Boobs or formula plus bottles
Some kind of cot/crib
Vests, pyjamas, blankets and bedding
Probably a car seat and a pram
Nappies and wipes or cotton wool
Muslins/other vom-moppers

For you:
Maternity pads
Lansinoh
Breast pads

Not essential/pick up on freecycle

Bouncer
Special playmat
Breastpump (hand express)
Toys
Complicated travel system
Moses basket plus crib plus cot (pick one, 2 max)
Cute outfits
Changing table (use a mat on the bed or a chest of drawers)

Most useful : Muslins, sleepsuits with poppers down the front, cotton wool.

Least useful : baby lotions and potions, just use water for the first couple of months. Impractical baby outfits, especially denim, they probably won't get worn.

Seriously buy aden and anais bamboo swaddle muslins! The softest most versatile thing we bought, they're a bit pricey but amazon often have them a lot cheaper! They are truly brilliant & super soft!

Most useful: seconding sling (don't get a babybjorn or similar as it puts pressure on the baby's pelvis, get one of those wrap ones) and 98739837489367 muslins. Also depending on how leaky your boobs are: breast pads.

Least useful: also baby bath (just take a bath with the baby, my DC1 loved the deep water, very womb like I imagine). For us personally the swing wasn't very useful but I think it would really depend on your baby, could be a godsend but our DS just didn't really like a rocking motion, he preferred a bouncing motion.

I second leboob on the Aden and anais muslins, I bought four from tk max for £20 and use them for everything from keeping baby warm, using as a bf cover (they are way bigger than normal size muslins) impromptu changing table cover, cot sheet, loads of things. I also agree re not bothering with a Moses basket just go straight for a cot and sleep suits that do up the front are pretty much all you will want to put the baby in, agree that denim dungarees may look cute on the hanger but you will probably not be bothered to put the baby in them

Aside from the obvious important essentials like Moses basket, nappies etc;

Vibrating baby bouncer - very essential
Changing table - waste of money, get a foam changing mat from mothercare for about a fiver instead.

Thanks for all your advice ladies!

Pascha, love your recommendation on the thermal mug!

For us it has been cloth nappies, nappy bucket, car seat, and a wrap sling.

We have survived parenting without a cot, moses basket, pram, monitor, baby bath, steriliser, but that's just how it has worked for us. It is worth baring in mind that some babies just don't like moses baskets and you may find that you will get more use out of a crib.

Most useful... baby bouncer that reclines and vibrates. With one of those you might... might... be able to actually have a wee. Or a 5 second shower.

Muslin squares that are massive for swaddling. Buy on eBay as you won't use them for long but it means you might be able to put the baby down occasionally.

Grobags. Bargains to be had on eBay andthe newborn sized ones don't last very long. Ds is now 4 months and in the next size but then he is huge.

Moses basket is probably not needed. Both my dc hated it anyway and both slept in their cot in my room and their bouncer chair during the day.

Blackout curtains or blinds are good as you can use them to make the room dark for sleeping earlier in the evening so hopefully baby will start to associate day with activity and night with dark and sleep !

Useless - vests, sling and boobs
DD1 was born in the middle of winter, but was always too hot.
Probably the reason she hated the sling too!

Best - Mountain all terrain buggy, I'm a country girl, being able to walk across the fields and along the canal was a real life saver.

Fortunately DD2 did use both the vests and the Boobs (didn't bother borrowing the sling again). Stuck to the buggy.

Most used - playmat and swaddle sheets

Least used - as in didnt waste my money on them and never missed them - baby bath and a top and tail bowl.

Boobs, nappies, vests, babygros

That's it.

Most useful -
Comfy buggy and pram that you can easily -steer /assemble /dis assemble/ lift into and out of ..cars and through shops streets etc
Lansinoh... Lashings of it after every feed
Muslin cloths
A years supply of non bio washing powder
A cleaner
Guests who bring food, and know when to leave
One of those things that removes bogies form babies noses
Finding the right nappy cream combination for your baby's skin in our case burts bees for dc1, Vaseline then sudocreme for dc2.
Moby sling
A comfortable mattress on your own bed
Breastfeeding pillow
Comfy armchair
Yy to the thermal mug
Repeat shop function on your online grocery store
Gro bags

Least useful
Guests who overstay their welcome or expect to come for a 3 course meal/ 3 bottles of wine / or guests who call after 8pm.
Little cutsie outfits with 25 tiny buttons that your post preganancy fingers can hardly manage but hey the baby looks cute .... Just try feeding / changing a nappy 10 times and see how cute they still are
Hanging nappy holder thing
Baby bootees ---- never used
Bumbo seat

MOST USEFUL
baby swing
bouncer
lots of bibs
changing table
nappy bin
baby bath
baby talc - makes it so easy to get rid of excess moisture
baby hooded towels - only thick fluffy,

LEAST USEFUL
muslins - i used kitchen towel
booties
bumbo style seat
baby oil/lotion - never used

Useless: Definitely the top and tail bowl, huge too so no-where to put them safely near a changing mat. Err, start at the top and work your way down. Wash bowl.
DD hated swinging bouncer seat and legs were too fat plump for a Bumbo. Def try out bouncy seats if you can to see which one they like. They're too small to put them in one initially anyway so take them to a dept store when they're a month old
Baby monitors for heart rate - everyone I know seems to have a nightmare with them. I have never ever heard of anyone [even on MN] saying that their child's heart stopped and they were resusitated as a result of the alarm going off.

Useful: Nappies came in handy.
Sheepskin rug was v handy for bathroom floor while I had a shower.
Baby monitor was mostly used for checking room temperature

Most useful - the list of reasons stuck on the fride to tell you why the baby is crying that you work your way through on autopilot when your brain has shut down from sleep deprivation. The frozen meals in the fridge that mean you actually get to eat something nutritious at least once a day. Someone to watch the baby so you can have a shower and turn back into a human being. The remote control. Thermos travel cup Which is the only way you get a hot drink in the first few days/weeks/months
Dimmer switch in the nursery. A muslin cloth under the baby's head in the Moses basket/crib means you only have to whip out a fresh muslin at 2 am when the baby pukes all over after a feed, rather than changing the whole sheet. Baby gowns with elasticated bottoms that don't require any mental input when doing up poppers. Pull up gown, change nappy, pull gown back down, job done.
Least useful things- bottle warmer if you are breastfeeding. Scratch mitts.
any item of clothing that fastens at the back. Bath supports. Black tops that show every speck of baby vomit, especially down the back ( top tip, always check over your shoulder in the mirror lest you walk all the way around the asda with a large streak of baby sick down your back until the kind woman at the tills points it out to you)
Also, never ever be tempted to drive around the block to get the baby to sleep. Driving when you are so tired that you don't know what day it is, nor even care, is not a good idea, and the baby always wakes up when you get back inside anyway!

I have put my Muslims away and just use my trendy scarves. Fashion and practicality. I just change them about 3 times a day! Other essentials for me are a morrck- much easier than a coat, heavy duty bounty chair that takes babies upto 40 lb, some vests and babygros. I've always preferred a pram to slings as you can put bags underneath.