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!

It really is so dependent on the baby. For example I bought 30 muslins and still sometimes couldn't find a clean one (sicky baby!). And I loved our baby bath as the normal bath took forever to fill and it really hurt my back to bend over it. I also bought lots of blankets and have barely used them, despite her being a November baby, as she hated being swaddled, she has a gro bag for night time and I generally took her out in a sno suit and sling.

I have this white pramsuit that i used for ds on rainy days (it wasnt massively thick or fleecey) but he was born in may so never really used... do you think this will be enough to put october baby in to bring home from hospital? Over a normal babygro?

Breast pump (DS refused to feed so we were on 100% on formula by day 4.)
Top and tail bucket
Sling / baby bjorn - could never get the hang of getting DS into the thing.
Baby 'outfits'. Babygros by far the most practical thing for first few months.

Things that were super-useful included: muslins, bath thermometer, swaddling blanket, more muslins, baby gym, even more muslins

Top and tail bowl it is essentially a plastic bowl!
Baby bath thing - Second time I used a little plastic bath chair thing for mojo mamas and be be which was fab and just attached to bottom of normal bath
Changing table - changing mat on floor better and safer
Musical Baby mobile - waste of time and just disturbed baby!
Sling - took it back after trying it and finding it cumbersome and hot

Oh best things
Baby gym ring thingy
Sleep suits not outfits
Copious Muslin squares and bibs
Dummies
Bouncy chair which they both slept in loads
Car seat that fitted on pram
Bath seat thingy was the best as could wash baby without mega stress

Too many clothes. It's the one thing everyone else buys for you.
Bibs, proved to be not needed for my breastfed babies.
Breast pump, wait and see if you need one, same goes for bottle and dummies.
Things I massively recommend-
Good swaddle blankets
Slumber bear
Baby monitor for peace of mind with PFB, didn't really use it for second baby.
Easy to use car seat, base and buggy system.

My DD2 loved her bumbo ...used to sit in it whilst I hung the washing out, had a shower etc etc - and used it as a high chair when visiting my parents...but it was second hand & cheap ...
Actually OP - that's what I really would recommend - ask on freecycle etc and buy second hand - lots of stuff they don't need new and if it doesn't work out you can sell it on...
For DD1 (accident) we were in the process of buying a house and a business - we had to watch every penny in case the business went wrong...I got given stuff, I bought second hand - I remember reading something saying everything I needed would cost £1500 ...I probably spent less than a tenth of that in the first 9 month-year ..
I got given lots of baby clothes as presents - ended up with eg 20 0-3 month vests -where I could I took some back and swapped for 3-6 and 6-9 ones...
Also look at what is for sale second hand - a good indication of what you don't need! For DD1 (13 yrs ago!) I was looking for a pram/travel system - looking in the local adverts there were lots and lots of big travel systems for sale - cost £700, 6 months old, like new...made me think why? They mustn't be worth having. (I think main reason was they take up all the boot space!)
I was given a car seat (clean history) so I bought a cheap suitable from birth, lie flat buggy (£35!) - it was light, compact and used till she didn't need one and then I used it for DD2 too...

Baby bjorn
Top & tail bowl
Bumbo
Cotton wool (you get fluff everywhere!)
Baby oil (what for?! I panic-bought a LOT of this kind of shite)
Anything by Johnsons, most babies seem to be allergic to it
We did use our Moses basket but if we have another I would get a co sleeper
Breastfeeding pillow, much easier to arrange your own cushions/pillows as you like
One of those Breastfeeding aprons for feeding in public, you can't see what the hell you are doing and you don't actually flash much anyway, quick tug on your top then pop baby on boob, their head covers everything!
Will come back if I think of more!

Everyone's lists will be different, I seem to have found everything useful that others haven't!
Loved the bumbo, perfect for hanging out washing/me showering.
Used my nappy bin a lot, just finished with DD who is 2.5 and ready to use it again in November when the next one arrives!
Needed my breast pump in the first few days to relieve pressure/cracked nipple so couldn't feed, glad we had that in the house, used it daily for over a year.
Used the baby bath a lot in the first few weeks.
Snow suits good for walks with dog/in pram/in sling (I had a winter baby)
Used Moses basket for first 20 weeks.
Things I didn't use-

• Baby monitor
• Electric steriliser (waste of money for 'just in case' it was needed and haven't been able to sell it second hand) *Cotton wool *Baby bjorn type sling - bought a more flexible style quite early on.

Manual breast pump, was useless...but perhaps they work better for other people, borrow before you buy if possible.

Massive box of breast pads, didn't need them, just used the washable ones.

Too many outfits for up to 3 months. Hot weather - vests. Cold weather - vest and sleepsuit.