First time mum with some boring questions!

[CassidyCalls]

Hi, I'm pregnant with my first and am the first of my family and friends to have a baby, so I feel like I don't really have many people to ask.

I've bought a Next2Me crib for our bedroom. Is it worth buying a bigger crib (for after 6mo) for the nursery before baby is here? Not sure if it's worth having to get them used to it so the transition at around 6 months will be easier?

I was going to buy the Shnuggle bath but I've noticed that the baby is very much sat up in it as it's built to support them, but I've also found some sort of bigger baths, where it looks like I'd need to support baby more manually, but they have more room to kick about once a little bigger. Does anyone have any experience with which ones are best?

Do you recommend a Moses basket for day time naps? Or with something like the Next2Me and obviously having cuddles in my arms will it not be that necessary? Also, with the Next2Me, did you buy a travel cot or just use the Next2Me at home and away?

Is it worth getting an actual changing table? Or do you find mats more useful?

For anyone who gave birth in summer, what slings did you find worked well but also weren't too thick and hot?

What sort of entertainment/toys are good for babies first few months? We've got a jumperoo thing on the shopping list but I've heard this isn't suitable for babies in the first few months?

Think that's all, my shopping list for this baby is so huge I just want to make sure I get the right bits. TIA.

Oh and one more, sorry - what blanket is recommended for the crib during summer? Baby will be born in July. I have the crib, mattress and fitted sheets ready so just need a blanket! How many of these would you recommend picking up?

Don’t buy a baby bath or a changing table. If you find the big bath too big at first just use the kitchen sink. It’s much easier because you don’t bend down.

For a sling, google your local sling library and you can go and have a look before the baby is born and a go with them after they’re born. Definitely try before you buy; what suits one won’t suit all.

If the baby is big enough I’d bypass blankets completely and go straight for sleeping bags. You can get summer weight ones.

My babies were big enough for sleeping bags straight off but newborns poo several times a night (or at least my two did), so I found it easier to stick with blankets until the night shitting died down a bit when it was warm, I used one cellular blanket (buy 2 or 3 pram sized ones, just in case you have a vomity baby) and a giant Muslin for.when it's really hot.

Jumperoos are massive, and no use until baby can support their head well. Don't buy it yet and get a second hand one, they're too expensive for how long you get out of them.

Oh loads of people say bath baby in the sink but I had a Stokke flexi bath and loved it, bigger than the sink, portable, has a stopper for easy emptying, folds away neatly, I bathed DD in it when she was 2 and the bathroom was getting replaced. Again I would go second hand.

I wouldn’t buy a bigger cot yet - you’ll be clearer on your requirements closer to the time

Baby bath - I’ve never had one, just use a fabric bath support (I like the mothercare one) in the main bath until they can sit

You’ll want somewhere for the baby to sleep during the day - needs to be in the same room as you do something portable like a Moses basket. Or the carrycot of your pram if it’s suitable, or a baby box or a sleepyhead

Sings - start with a fabric stretchy sling like a kari me. Structured carriers with buckles are more suitable for slightly older babies (even though there are ones suitable for newborns they’re not as adaptable and comfortable as a stretchy)

I’ve never had a changing table - I find it easier to just change the baby in the room you’re in rather than walk to a changing table. Any old mat (or a big muslin) will work. We have a mat downstairs behind the sofa and one upstairs too

Newborns just want to sleep. And then after a few weeks stare at faces and lights and things with lots of contrast. Look for black and white baby toys or Lamaze toys for a bit later on

I had two baths and gave the tummytub away and the schnggle I used until she outgrew.
Had a changing table and never used it. Used a cheap changing mat and probably the same this time except getting a nicer mat.
Your newborn won't need much entertainment and I think we had a playmat that they lay on.
Never used a jumperoo but I think there for babies six month plus (could be v wrong)
You might get lots of blankets as gifts I seemed to. Cellular blankets are best I found but we used grobags.

There is a big sponge you can get for the bath to lie them on that is great- Mothercare sell them.

We never used a Moses basket, baby would sleep in my arms or in the pram when tiny and they grow out of Moses baskets so quickly.

Jumperoo is for when they are older- youngest 4 months but I think the instructions say from 6 months. A play mat is a good idea as it’s somewhere to put baby down for a while and they like looking at the hanging toys. A baby bouncer type chair is useful too.

We had a next 2 me crib and really liked it, however I really recommend getting a Sleepyhead as well. It’s worth its weight in gold and you don’t need a Moses basket as well, baby can just nap in the sleepyhead downstairs. The sleepyhead fits in the next 2 me crib for night time.

Not essential to buy a cot for the nursery ahead of the birth but you can if you want, you’ll need it eventually but no massive rush really!

I didn’t have one of those baths but they look good, I’d be tempted! I got in the bath with baby when they were tiny, it was nice for bonding.

Personally don’t like jumperoos but know a lot of people do. Not great for their hips / legs so I would only use for 10 minutes and then what’s the point really, they’re also huge. But that’s just my opinion. Definitely don’t buy yet! A playmat is good when they are small for them to lie on and a bouncer for them to sit in.

I second the sling library suggestion, that’s what I did and it was great. Try before you buy!

Blankets just get a few cellular blankets then move to sleeping bags when they’re a little bigger.

Bath - get a bath support that just goes in your normal bath, ours is an Angelcare one and has lasted until this last week when DD is 6 months old and wants to sit up in the bath

Next2Me - I had the Tutti Bambini but same concept and it's been great. You'll still need a Moses basket or similar for daytime naps and when baby is asleep an evening because they need to be with you for a while yet

Cot - I did have a whole nursery set up and once DD was older she had all her naps in there. I moved her in at 5.5 months and didn't have any issues with the transition

Changing table - yes I had one and I use it for every nappy change but I suppose that's probably because our bedrooms are on the ground floor so it's just easy to walk her in there

Jumperoo - suitable from about 5 months onwards, definitely only after baby can hold head up very well. We got a playmat but really besides that, they don't really need toys. DD doesn't even have that many toys now.

Hey, congrats on your forthcoming arrival!

My DC was born in July too, they'll be 2 this year.

I swaddled for the first month or so, then transferred into the Grobag thingies. We had a Next2me and it was ace. If I could still use it now, I would!

I only had a cot and changing table as the in-laws bought it for us, in fairness we've barely used the changing table, so probably wouldn't get one again. I had the Tutti Bambini set and the rocking chair was and is invaluable!

Good luck, feel free to shout me if you need anymore help xx

Don’t buy toys. People will likely buy them for you as presents. Plus babies aren’t interested in them for a good few months.

Get an angel support for bath. My 3 month old loves it and has the room of the bath to kick around but also is supported so I can wash my 22 month old!

My first ds was a spring baby so I used the babybjorn air carrier which was mesh and light and not warm at all. Don't get Moses basket- my boy outgrew his after 2 months! I would recommend a good bouncer to pop baby in when you're cooking etc. I swear by the baby Bjorn one. Enjoy every moment. They grow so quick.

Entertainment: baby Einstein do some fab black and white toys- my 3 month old loves the black and white books and puppets. Get a good baby gym and a lamaze toy!

Oh and gro do new born sleep bags with a light tog! Grosnug

Don't know about the next to me, but my DD was out of the Moses basket at 3 months. I now have the cot in my bedroom and a travel cot for downstairs. Some travel cots have an elevated shelf part for when they are very young. Mine did and it has a changing table which I still use and she is now 9 months. I got mine for free off freecycle and gave it a good wash in the bath (great tip found on Pinterest, wash Prams and big objects by soaking in the bath) my travel cot is a graco like this one

https://www.kiddies-kingdom.com/travel-cots-playpens/35089-graco-contour-electra-travel-cot-block-party.html?gclid=CjwKCAiAy-iBRAaEiwAYhSlAzWmGFXFFLdgkUjtzhOM7HY4ZrYN7MbAlVjTk4sRbZ6CCU8VdqYBoC9A8QAvDDBwE#foc=164&fook=5a557c315986902fd6ed386d287cb424&fos=gplauk

I used a baby bath for 3 months and then just put her in the actual bath as she loves to kick about.

She loved her play mat with lots of hanging toys when she was tiny. Then progressed to toys that made a sound like a rattle.

I don't have a changing table, I have something that sits into of the cot (small house) but my friend does and I always love using it. I find changing on the floor was hurting my back, esp when I was breast feeding.

I had a cloth sling that I hardly used because it was far to hot this summer. I then got a baby bjorn carrier which she still loves because she can face out and see the world.

Hope that helps xx

A lot of these are personal preference and depends on your birth.

I had an EMCS and complications. I needed a changing table - well I changed her on the dining table down stairs and we had a cot top changer upstairs. Like wise I needed a baby bath as I could not bend over the bath. I found the angelcare seat useful for when she got bigger.

Look out for Aldi baby events for cellular blankets but only get a couple because you will get blankets as gifts.

You will need somewhere for them to sleep down stairs. We used the bassinate from the pram as it was detachable.

Sign up to a local Facebook parents selling site and get things second hand (not mattessses or car seats) as things are only used for a couple of months.

I love my moby wrap and used it from birth. If he won’t settle for naps in the day and is overtired and grizzly I pop him in the wrap and nine times out of ten he’ll drift off to sleep within fifteen minutes. I call it “the sling of last resort”!

I had a purflo nest downstairs for naps but after about six weeks he wouldn’t settle very well downstairs so now he has his naps upstairs in the crib either with the video monitor on or I read or nap on the bed next to him. SIDS advice is they should always be in the same room as you but I made an informed decision to let him nap on his own occasionally so I could have a quick shower or tidy up. We are non-smokers, he is EBF and we follow all the other advice so the increase in risk is minimal.

We have a bouncy chair and a floor mat/baby gym which has been great from around six weeks - before that he would mostly be feeding or cuddling on me and wasn’t alert enough to enjoy being in them.

We’ve bought a cot that converts to a toddler bed for the nursery, aiming to move him in there at six months or when he outgrows the tutti bambini. You don’t have to get a cot now but it’s probably easier to get it done and sorted before you have a baby to think about.

Never had a changing table - bought a double pack of cheap changing mats from mothercare and one is on the coffee table downstairs and one is on the spare bed upstairs. I keep a supply of nappies, wipes, cotton wool and clean clothes by each and change him wherever is most convenient at the time.

Bought a plastic bath from mothercare which had a removable hammock over the top of it. I bathed him in the hammock to begin with as it was easier/safer but now he’s bigger (10 weeks) I’ve taken it off so he can splash around a bit more. I couldn’t be bothered waiting for the actual bath to fill but the plastic baby one fills really quickly so I’m happy using that for now.

Personally we used the Shnuggle bath with our firstborn. It was great and I'd recommend them to everyone. We used to use ours on the kitchen side rather than leaning down over the main bath!

We bought a chest of drawers with a changing table top. It was literally never used. We've only ever used a mat on the floor (although the situation might have been different had I needed a c-section or had back/hip problems).

My main advice to you would be to wait until baby is born before you buy loads of stuff. Like PP have said, you won't need a jumperoo until at least 4 months. Maybe try your baby in a friend's jumperoo to see if they like it first? Likewise with slings. Try some out before you buy. My MIL very kindly bought me a Kari Me because my SIL liked hers so much. I could never get on with it and baby wearing used to hurt my back. I wish I'd waited until baby had arrived, but understandably I was too excited and thought I needed loads of things!

Good luck with your new arrival!