Are there any NON essential items that really helped with a newborn? Recommendations please!

[Jem9153]

Hi!

We’ve been doing a bit of shopping and I think we’re mostly sorted with the ‘essentials’ for when baby arrives.

We’ve got a little money spare and I wondered if there were any little extras which really helped but aren’t really considered a ‘necessity’?

For example we’ve been recommended ‘Ewan the Sheep’ to help baby get off to sleep :) any other ideas or recommendations?

Would love to hear from everyone 💕

Angel care bath seat. Dd is 18 months and still jumps on and lies on it to get her hair washed.

Star blanket handy over winter. From tuppence and crumble. Much easier then snowsuit pre walking age.

Digital scan thermometer but they are hard to get at moment.

I also like my groegg as we are in a cold house so I can see at a glance if room warm enough.

Enjoy op.

Morrck hoody. Godsend in the cooler months when going out in the car as you don't need to wrestle baby in and out of a bulky coat / snowsuit (both of which shouldn't be used in a car seat as you can't tighten the straps up safely)

morrck.com/product/all-season-baby-hoodie/

Tuppence and crumble star blanket rather than a pram suit. So much easier than trying to guide little arms and legs into right spaces.

climate control for bubs room (if you dont already have... but this is pretty essential), thick cosy oversized dressing gown, so bubs and you can snuggle naked and still be toasty - I found this super important for boob feeding success). From 1 month on, a battery operated swing (not a vibrating rocker, a swing. I had the Fisher price one with a rotating mobile. I'm definitely getting one for my bub on the way!)

Shnuggle bath & a video monitor for when they're a bit older - no traipsing upstairs unless necessary!

re getting kiddo off to sleep, goodness knows what works with each kid. no harm in trying ewan the sheep. for us, didn't work. I ended up recording myself singing rock a bye baby and we played it on repeat on a little radio in his room... I still shudder when I hear that song now. hahaha.

Non expensive but the black and white baby book by tana Hoban, my baby was interested in this by 3 weeks. It stands up so I can pop her in the next 2 me with this open and have a shower etc and keeps her fascinated for ages

Also make sure you have some large/extra large muslins, they’re so handy for everything and smaller squares are only useful for cleaning spit up/milk etc. They have some really pretty ones on Etsy!

Bit controversial as the lullably trust now recommends you don't leave a baby in it unsupervised (as the sleeping surface isn't totally flat), but I found the sleepyhead a godsend!

I’m all about the fripperies (three week old baby...)

Ewan does nothing for him so far, BUT a plug in heating pad from Amazon that’s designed for back pain warms his crib up nicely before I yank it out and slide him in, pretending he’s still on me...

BabyBjorn bouncer. A replacement fabric seat for when he pooed on the bouncer and it’s in the wash.

Really nice soft muslins

A kneeling thing for the bath so you don’t get sore knees bending over

An angelcare monitor so you only have to manually check he’s breathing once an hour instead of every five seconds

A nice laundry basket that matches his room because I now get changed about every third day but he’s four or five times a day depending what fluids have erupted

A cot-top changer so no c-section bending

A BabyBjorn newborn sling cos the one I was given second hand is still too big to use it confidently

A massive stash of calpol/wipes/boob cream etc which has proved amazing now we can’t go to the shops

Extra treats, chocolate, ready meals and nice bubble bath for yourself!

My Best Buy was a Clevamama sleeping bag for the car seat. Baby isn't meant to wear a coat in the car seat so this was perfect for keeping them snug! Although may not be suitable for you depending when baby is due.

Sleepyhead has been fab for daytime naps. Other friends have used them in their cribs but that's a bit controversial

Extra long phone charger, and I loved the Stokke baby bath. As we're coming into nicer weather, a giant muslin and a muslin sleeping bag are very handy too.

I don’t think Ewan is loud enough. White noise worked a treat with ours but it had to be loud - our phones turned up on full volume with white noise blaring did the trick!

For me a raisable hospital style side table was a godsend for hours sitting on the sofa, ugly but really handy for putting drinks/meals on when I was sat feeding for hours on end or for having the iPad at a good height for watching etc.

A kindle paperwhite. Meant I could read in the dark next to her and while she was napping on me.

A white noise app for the phone

What a good thread! Thanks for starting OP. Already looked up those star blankets and we definitely need one

A cozy toes for your car seat. Not so much in the summer months, but in the winter they are brilliant. You do the straps up inside so there's no safety issue with bulky coats.

Definitely agree with @MuddyPuddlesAndPrettyBubbles about the extra long phone charger! I’d also say a nice water bottle and some sort of thermos mug to keep drinks hot.

We didn’t have a star blanket with DD but will be getting one for DS. Also pretty muslins not boring white ones - makes mopping up puke slightly less tedious. Along the same lines - pretty fabric breastpads rather than disposable ones. They don’t get all folded up in your bra and I liked getting to pick if I want dinosaurs or Harry Potter or pretty hearts for my sore boobs every day.

A stretchy sling. Absolute godsend in the early days when all they want to do is lie on your chest.

A small portable table that you can pull up to wherever you are sat with all the stuff you need on it.

A really low or dimmable light next to the bed so you can do feeds and change nappies in the early days without having to wake up too much. It's now used as a night light in the children's bedroom.

Not really a small thing but I absolutely love my rocking chair, I use it 3 or 4 times a day. The other thing I'd recommend is a sun hat. Bright sunny weather at the moment so baby will want a hat with a brim.

I was really grateful for prepped salads and fruit bowls. I would pay money for regular deliveries next time. You're so tired biscuits are the obvious one but having fresh fruit ready to eat and salads ok the fridge is a game changer.

Tuppence and Crumble Star wrap as already mentioned. Used mine every day and have bought next size up now. Absolutely loads on ebay so don’t bother with new. I got mine for about £3 plus postage.

Joie Serina Swing/rocker - got mine 2nd hand for £70 and still using it every day and baby 7 months. I’d have a bouncer/rocker for upstairs and down. The Joie lives in my bedroom-use the rocker part to put baby in when I’m in the bathroom and the swing in the bedroom.

A nose Frida is vital!

Love our gro egg - still use it and she's 3! Ewan the sheep was a waste of money - didn't work for us. If you don't have one get a bath thermometer - DD's first baths were too cold as we were scared of burning her until we got a thermometer. They're not extravagances but it's really useful to have thermometers for you and baby - knowing your temperature really helps you decide what action to take eg paracetamol / GP / ring 111

I've got a portable black out blind, useful when you travel for naps or at night time if the room isn't dark enough
www.amazon.co.uk/Company-Anywhere-Portable-Blackout-Suction/dp/B00BKZLWBU?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Ooooh thank you so much everyone, loads of fab ideas to look in to 💕!

Feel free to keep em coming I’m loving the excuse to online shop 😂

I really want one of these. I guess similar to the tuppence and crumble star wrap l.instagram.com/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FKURA2020&e=ATOT3bbhBbA0amw4ifXl4P7-TNm2-TCoMQy3E7QJN1XN5yn_rf3yz4apBRxMb19FzUO6XiBm4y10I8EWC9P5XjfVC8ruQKE&s=1