What to buy for a 2nd baby...

[curiousgeorgie]

I'm having a second girl so not a lot to buy other than a few clothes etc for fun!

But friends and family have been asking us I'd there's anything we'd particularly like them to buy as we already have all the basics, and in the right colour too :)

The only thing I can think of that my parents are going to buy is a baby monitor as I lived in a maisonette when my DD was born and could hear her breathing from anywhere let alone crying, but we've moved to a larger house now and a monitor is essential.

Any ideas for helpful extras we could tell PIL etc when asked? (or that we could buy!)

Are they going to be sharing a bedroom, or could you ask for bedroom bits and pieces? Rug, curtains etc?
Do you need a double buggy? Or one of those buggy boards for the older child to stand on?
If you didn't use a sling the first time around, I would recommend getting one for the second as being out and about with a toddler is much easier if you can still hold their hand.

Get your PIL to buy the monitor and get your parents to buy you something nice (like a spa day, massage or nice pyjamas) :)

Car seat, dependent in age and condition of DD1s.

Will DD1 need a bigger car seat, do you need a double pushchair.

Did DD1 have a bouncy seat, play ring or one of those sit in static baby walkers. Somewhere safe to put DD2 while DD1 needs attention can be very handy.

Travel cot or similar for downstairs naps, spare changing mat, again very useful if age gap is small and taking both up and down stairs is a pain.

New changing bag, mine was on its last legs after two of them.

I wouldn't have minded a nice new one that wasn't stained by a broken jar of baby curry.

I was surprised at how manky some of the baby clothes I'd kept from first time round were and ended up buying some new vests and babygrows.

Also sling! And entertainment for the older child for while you are feeding the baby. DS had special toys that only came out at feeding time and watched the dvd of "Lost and Found" a lot.

Espresso machine and a case of Red Bull.

If you intend to bath them together you can buy a bath seat thing from summer - means you can have plenty of water in for DD1, we use ours every day! X

Things we have on our list are a buggy board, isofix base for car as lugging 2 about will be more of a challenge, really nice baby swing/rocker as I didn't have one first time. Special blanket and toy. Already have a sling so would recommend if you don't already. New buggy toys as DD destroyed hers. Likewise with bath toys. Boring but new bottles and teats, if stored they might not be decent anymore. Other than that we have just asked for either mothercare or boots vouchers, or contributions to put in savings for them as they won't have the government trust fund donation that DD had.

It's hard to think of stuff! Although I have been told on a number of occasions that second babies don't seem to get the large number of gifts from random family as a first baby does.

I've decided to brave it without a double... DD will be 2.8 so most doubles look like she'll outgrow them in no time at all...

I have a brand new carseat to use for the baby that came with my pram (parents bought, but we'd already bought a carseat separately so ended up with 2!)

And DD2 will have her own room but I kept DD1 in with me for a year while her beautifully decorated and furnished room was kept like a museum... Then we moved so not oung to rush to make the spare room into a babies room just yet. Have a family crib we'll use and DD's old Moses baker for downstairs...

Sling is a brilliant idea.
And buggy board...

And actually my changing bag is probably a bit ratty :p

Ameybee - where did you get the bath seat thing from? X

Thanks everyone for your suggestions :)

Also new mattresses, think its recommended new for each baby. They can be pricey so a good thing to ask parents for! DD wrecked hers anyway lol!

I've just ordered Aden and Anais swaddling muslins. Really wanted last time so treating myself with DC2. Think most new nice things will be claimed by DD anyway.
Yy to isofix base too

Sorry for delay! You can get them on amazon - by summer, ill try n post a link! X

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B004L2LE0I/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1361732341&sr=8-2&pi=SL75

Hope that works! Xx

Didn't work! Its called a summer infant baby bather splish splash! X

Snowflake which sling do you recommend?

We had one called an aqua pod from mother care.

Bath mat that is not sling..

Maybe nappies? It sounds quite boring but we just threw a baby shower for a frined who is expecting ds2 and made her a big nappy tower. If your two are from different seasons then you will need some new clothes.