Usefull/useless baby parephenalia

[Bodicea]

As the proud mummy to a 3 month old (so obviously extremely experienced fnar fnar) I thought I would impart my knowledge, so far, in what was worth buying and what wasn't and invite others to do the same.

Useful :
Angelcare soft touch bath support - Worth spending that little bit of extra money on compared to others. Absolute godsend especially when bathing baby on your own.
Some tiny baby grows - Expected a large baby but he was early and grandma had to rush out and get some - also you forget they lose weight initially so even 8 pounders fit into tiny stuff.

Useless:
Milton dummy steriliser ball. Thought this was great until I realised you had to change water every day. Too much hassle. The boxes dummies come in are easier to carry around with a few spare.
0-3 baby grows - don't get too many of these as you get loads in pressies.
Fiddly outfits - they are fun but anything involving socks is hard work - stick to baby grows for the majority - preferably with ones that cover hands as scratch mittens are hard work to.

I find those car seat foot muffs very useful saves blankets falling off and easy to unzip when you go inside and its warm. A jumperoo is essential! Cuddly toys are useless as was the bouncy chair she would never go in it.

Useful: box of nappies and change mat downstairs as well as upstairs.
Bottles and dummy just in case.
Bath thermometer.

Useless: outfits for 0-3m, lived in sleep suits. I didn't buy any but was given loads as gifts.
Knitted hats, cardis, booties & mittens. All hand made, all size newborn, for a baby born in a ridiculously hot June.
The million bottles of Johnson's baby oil, lotion, talc, shampoo, bubble bath etc we were given.

Useful...
Giant muslins. I have Aiden and Anaïs ones but 'other brands are available'. Great for lining supermarket trolleys, throwing over the car seat (although see below) if it's raining, swaddling, impromptu play mat etc etc etc
Car seat rain cover
Zipped babygros - Gap do them - no poppers in the middle of the night to induce popper rage
Gap socks - the only ones that seem to stay on without sock ons
Sleepyhead bed guards. At 5 months next week they're still in them and they've been so much easier and more portable than Moses baskets
Video baby monitor. We have a motorola one with two cameras but they're brilliant for when you might otherwise have barged in but actually they're just asleep but restless

Not useful...
We bought respisense monitors and have used them once. I think they're a brilliant idea, just haven't worked for us.

I'll second the baby video baby monitor - allows us to see when he's doing a 'turning wail' as opposed to being awake and crying.

Once DS could stand we got a fun pod that allows hi to stand up at the counter with me safely - he spends ages colouring in that way.

Second extra large muslins - they're great for so many things.

I had a very posset-y baby and I found 'dribble- on' bibs a life saver.

Grobags

Swaddleme - Colton swaddles with Velcro - even DH could wrap him up!

I bought a sidecar crib that had wheels (from John Lewis) so I could wheel it around (we lived in a flat) - even in the bathroom when I had a bath!

Just put my baby in a friends baby bjorn bouncer! He loves it. I want!!! It's so expensive though.

Useful: baby nighties (for boys too) fantastic for nighttime changes as you can avoid poppers completely.
Terry nappies- get a couple even if using disposables. They are great for mopping up and lining the change mat which is soo cold.
Hair bands - used on the wrist in the early days to remember which boob was used last. Eventually even DH could tell by looking but I struggled in the early days.

I agree with muslins, use them every day for everything.
If you use a dummy, mam do glow in the dark ones which are great when you're fumbling around in the cot at 3am.
Useless 0-3 month oufits, too fiddly and DS is 14 weeks but has been in 3-6 month since 10 weeks. I have 4 bags full of outfits that people have bought that don't fit him anymore and some were never even worn. I also have tons of Johnson's products that I can't use because they bring him out in a red rash, can only use aveeno on him after trying everything and being recommended this by HV. I would wait in future before stocking up on baby products to see what suited baby's skin.

Useless: top and tail bowl. Total faff. Gets knocked over and it's unnecessary. I used Huggies Pure wipes and my dd never had any skin problems.

Useful: keeping a Moses basket and full set of changing stuff (& clean clothes) downstairs so you don't need to run up and down and carry stuff about too much.

Spare changing bag kept in the car was very useful.

Kids or even adult socks can be used

Sorry posted too soon!
Older kids/adults long socks can be used as gloves on babies and toddlers in the buggy in very cold weather. Much more effective than mittens and the don't come off!

I loved the baby bouncer - baby Bjorn number one and only bit of kit I'm keeping for visiting babies! Muslins and grobags. Sheepskin footmuff is also brilliant.

Useless
Playpen, slings, buggy board and stairgates.

Useful - vests, muslins, grobags and babygros

Useless - mitts. My boy spends have his life waving his little arms around and the mitts always fell off within minutes.

baby bouncer not nearly as useful as a baby rocker (same sort of seat but rocks instead of bouncing). got my non-sleeper to nap. bloody marvellous. I could rock it with a foot and read a book.

Mrs Marigold, interesting that you found stair gates & play pen useless. Any reason why?

Useful: Jumperoo (actually essential!)
Muslins
PJs from 6 months plus (so much easier ime!)
Formula/bottle/dummy just incase
Nappies up and downstairs
Vests galore!
Baby Spoons galore!
Holey blankets (safest)
White socks
Good, thick bibs
Sudacrem
Lamaze toy on pram/car seat etc
Pointless
Outfits 0-3 months
Teddy's (we have around 3000....)
Shoes ( ime my DD still not keen at 9months)

Most useful: thermal mug, sling.

Most pointless: moses basket

Velcro baby had no intention of being put down for at least the first three months.

Useful :- Muslins (VERY) pukey baby. Went through at least 9-10 a day.
Lots of cotton wool
Breast pump/pads/lansinoh cream
Cellular blankets

Useless :- cot bumper. Dd never got close to the top of the cot and when she could she could move her head and move anyway!
Baby bubble bath/shampoo. Dd has very sensitive skin so just water will do