What wouldn't you buy the second time round?

[MooMaid]

Hi all,

Apologies if this has been done before - I've done a search but didn't get much up.

Pregnant with our first and have just read the Baby Coming thread where some people have spent a lot of money (makes me wonder how much we're going to spend!). We shall be looking on eBay etc for second hand bargains as well as buying new but it got me thinking...

What did you buy/get given with your first baby that you probably wouldn't bother with your second? There's so much stuff out there to buy that I reckon you could go mad but what wouldn't you bother with again?

I'm hoping your examples will help me work out what the hell I don't actually need!

Never used a muslin, I have three packs of unopened ones.
Shoes.
Mobile
Teddy bears
Talc
Baby oil
Cotton wool

I'm pregnant with dc2 and all of the above are still in the cupboard unused.

Angel care nappy bin! Waste of time, much easier to use bags and straight out to the bin.

baby bath , moses basket, carrier, cot mobile

would recommend a bath bath support though .

Also snow suits , coats , jeans, shoes

I used snowsuits quite a bit - DS born in December and I can't drive so walked everywhere.

Didn't use the baby bath for more than a few weeks. Never used the top and tail bowl that came with it.

DS loved his moses basket but think next time I'll get a co-sleeper cot instead so transition to cot is a bit easier.

Didn't really use my baby bjorn because my back was fuckered after pregnancy/labour, DS was almost 10lbs at birth, and I hadn't bought the kind which fastens round your waist as well as the ribs. He also hated every single other kind of sling I tried him in (luckily I didn't buy those though).

didn't use the nipple shields I bought. I have tits of titanium clearly.

Barely used muslins - DS just wasn't a sicky baby. Your baby might spew milk like the exorcist, some do, so I'd get some anyway!

The ear thermometer. Waste of money and never worked properly.

The playpen. DS LOATHED it. Keeping it as it might be useful to corral one or other kid if we have a DC2 though.

Mobile. Wasn't in his own cot until he was big enough to stand up and grab the bloody thing and break it.

Breast pump and milk bags. Just could never really get pumping to work, so resigned myself to boobing constantly instead.

Microwaveable steriliser. DS refused to ever take a bottle so only used it a few times for bottles which weren't drunk. Again I'm keeping it because who knows what will happen with DC2!

YY to buying stuff when baby is here and you have a clearer picture of their needs or leaving unwashed in original packaging and keeping receipt just incase.

I bought swaddles, couldn't use as ds was rolling onto he's side from birth, apparently shouldn't use once they can roll.
Never used pram carrycot as ds had reflux and was better not lying flat.
Rarely used changing mat, used thick towels instead.
Used sling twice, didn't suit us.
Rarely expressed as it was too time consuming.
In hindsight didnt need changing bag, could have used any large bag.
Never used cotton wool, used sensitive wipes.
Had far more baby toys than necessary.

Never bought changing table or one of those nappy disposal units and never felt I was missing out.

If I had another I would buy a second hand pram and I would treat myself to glass feeding bottles so I can put them in the dishwasher without them getting tea stained.

Moses basket definitely! I co slept for about 2 months then moved the cotbed next to me.
Mobile. What was i thinking.
Shoes. Pointless.
537 muslins. Used about 5. Tops.

.... I'm sure i'll think of loads more.

A 'coming home' outfit for the baby. Utterly absurd.

...and I know this is slightly off tangent but the next time I would slap the Bounty bird on the ward and push her trolley over.

Moses basket, breast pump, hardly used any muslin cloths and I bought 1000s , scratch mitts

I liked my baby baths ...but at first I used a big washing up bowl for both...
I just have to say playpen - I had one like a travel cot for DD1 - it was fantastic for storing toys ...
For DD2 I got one the hexagonal types - second hand, very cheap. It was handy when cooking etc..not sure I would spend ££££ on one - but did hear the best use for one is put a chair in there and you can sit and read and have a coffee without being climbed on/hair pulled/poked whilst your offspring run riot around you ...

I brought a baby bath and then realised how hard it was to bathe a slippery wet newborn with one hand supporting them and one to do the washing so got one of those seats for in the bath (looks like a sun lounger) and thought baby bath was redundant. However now dd can sit up, we use the baby bath again to save running a whole big bath!
I also love my baby bjorn miracle carrier although it's not used every day it's got it's place and has been very handy to have!
Don't worry about buying loads and loads of toys, my dd is happier playing with packets of wipes etc than the lovely toys she has!!!
The only thing I didn't use for long was the covers you can get for the changing mats. Just extra unnecessary washing IMO!!!
Congratulations

Bumbo seat, DD1 sat nicely in it for about three weeks, then the challenge was on to escape from it. Sold it on Ebay and made most of my money back, didn't bother with one for DD2.

Cute outfits (sleepsuits only or those long nightgown things for night). DD2 had reflux and needed several changes a day!

Moses basket. DD1 lasted 5 weeks in one and DD2 lasted 3 weeks, luckily I lent it and had just spent a tenner on a new mattress. A crib is much better and lasted us 6 months.

A baby bath, the white plastic bath chair from mothercare in our bath was far easier. Gave the baby bath to my DP's for their dog and they are still using it 9 years on. At least someone got some use out of it!

An expensive vibrating, music playing bouncy chair with an elaborate looking toy bar. DD1 hated it, got given a basic baby chair for DD2 with a multi position back rest but no toy bar or music settings, she loved it. Still sat in it at 18 months!

One of those pop up bubble travel cots (by Samsonite I think). They hated it, very uncomfortable. Spending a bit more on a proper travel cot was the way to go, especially if you will be travelling or staying out overnight quite a bit.

Oh and I've got a shed load of unused cotton wool left, but did use loads and loads of muslins when dd was younger and still bf. Less muslin use these days

Yes to Bumbo too, waste of money

Playpen but then it was second hand so only £20. DD also hated bouncy chair but friends' kids didn't mind theirs.

We loved baby Bjorn and I plan to rely on it almost exclusively for at least first three months when no 2 arrives next year and I have DD to walk about with.

My advice would be: you don't need everything now. Make a list and get your essentials in then you can see how things evolve in the first few weeks. Get your Moses basket (or alternative of your choice), clothes nappies etc and relax.

On bath time I had a fab thing from JL that looks like thin towelling material on a metal, coat-hanger esque frame. Means you don't have to break your back holding a tiny baby up. Wish i'd known about that from day one! Cheap too.

Oh and if you're breastfeeding you absolutely need the lanolin cream in the purple tube! Very essential.

Good luck and congratulations.

See now i actually did use cotton wool to clean around ds's ears and eyes in the bath. I just ripped off a bit, dunked it so it was a squidgy ball, used and then threw away. I went through loads. Its also good for the skletch they get between the toes and fingers.

Shouldn't have bought -
Bumbo, nappy bin, manual breast pump, breast shells and pads (didn't produce enough to ever contemplate a leak!), nursing bras, sling, too many pretty blankets, any clothes that weren't Jersey cotton!

Brilliant buys -
Vibrating chair (he practically lives in it!), baby sleeping bag, swaddle, those soothing blanket toys they cuddle, electric breast pump (as he wasn't going to get the milk out himself!) nuk bottle (he'd got used to their super soft teets in special care) My bugaboo bee - I love it! Finally... Those packs of moist toilet tissue... TMI but you get the idea.

Also just to add most people say don't bother with bottles, steriliser etc until baby is born, but so glad I did as my DS couldn't breastfeed and ended up in special care being topped up with formula. We arrived at home after a week on a Sunday night when the shops were closed so would have been screwed! Within minutes of being home DP ran to sainsburys for instant milk while I tried to figure out how to work the steriliser, all the while hoping he didn't wake!

Breast feeding cover. Just irritating as couldn't see what was going on, he got hot and bothered... Used once and never bothered again. When I felt the need to cover up in the beginning (rarely) just tucked a muslin in my bra strap and draped over instead. Loads of cotton wool - I went straight to wet wipes. Lots of stuff relating to labour (music, crossword puzzles, massage oil blah blah - didn't use a thing)

I bought a ready made hospital bag from mothercare with my DS was an absolute waste of money, not sure if they still sell, quite embarrassed to admit that, didn't use bottle warmer,snow suits,door swing, and don't pay a bomb for breast pads I used to buy cheap sanitary towels and cut them in half to pop into my bra

Oh and outfits in newborn size (he wore outfits in 0-3 but didn't fit them until 3 months) For the first 3 months vests and babygros only, and mainly in white for ease of washing in one load at a high temp! (Don't bin poo stained clothes. Wash with napisan from the supermarket along with your non-bio then leave in sunlight, eg a bright windowsill. The yellow staining is bilirubin, same as what colours the skin in jaundice and, like jaundice, sunlight breaks it down and it disappears in 24 hours. Wish I knew that at the beginning before binning stuff on the regular!)

I think everyone's list would be different depending on the baby.

My useless list are
Muslin clothes (I learned not every child is sicky).
Bibs for babies before weaning
Nappy bin
Normal changing mat (did my back in, I bought a cot top changer and should have got a changing table)
Cot mobile
Cellular blankets
Socks on
Baby outfits
Carry cot with the travel system (DD hated the pram)

And yes thee breast pump, bottles, steriliser and breast milk bags are useless too

I'm onto dc number 2 and they are very different eg dc1 hated the Moses basket dc2 loved it. With dc1 could never have enough muslins with dc2 they are hardly ever used. Things that I have found were an utter waste:-

Baby bath- easier to have a seat thing in the big bath
Bumbo- both hated it.
Swaddle cloth - both hated it
Baby shoes- just fall off
Outfits- save your money for when your baby is toddling round and you can see what they're wearing.

My good purchases:-
A swing
A travel system so you can clip car seat onto pram base
Isofix car seat base so quick and safe
Once weaning bubs which cover the arms

Wow some great things here! Going to have a proper read through and think about what's really required!!