have you bought anything that was a waste of money

[pud1]

i am now 23 weeks and am having to start to think of all the things i will need and the cost. has any one got any tips on things they thought they would need but didnt. i feelt hat there are so many things that you could be fooled into buying.

The problem is that whats a waste of money for one family might be an essential for another (this thread is testament to that) We figured it was best to see what WE needed and would find useful once OUR baby was here, after all the shops are still open and thank god for online shopping

This is what we considered to be the absolute basic:
nappies, few basic clothes (vests, babygrows, couple of hats), couple of sheets for wrapping, couple of blankets, moses basket (actually a surprise pressie from the family), 4 bottles, microwave steriliser and some milk powder incase bf didn't work out and a car seat (could always borrow one for trip home from hospital if you've got your eye on a travel system). The rest can wait although its still worth thinking about so you can make informed decisions.

IMHO don't bother with a moses basket or a crib or a pram - we used a small baby friendly sheepskin on the floor or sofa (luxury that is def an extra) or in the buggy that went almost flat in the day for naps. We bought a full size cot and they're totally fine in those - just put baby at the foot end and swaddle. You could also swaddle baby and put them to sleep in an open drawer....they're really not that fussy and you don't end up with loads of stuff to store when they move on to the next phase.

No need for breast pads - just one pair of Lilly padz - the dog's bol*~?cks.

and one more afterthought - don't buy too many really tiny newborn clothes. We were fine, but I know a number of people who unexpectedly had "big" babies and moved pretty quickly (if not immediately) to the next size up.

ps - plenty of washing powder / comfort or dryer balls to soften clothes a VERY good idea!

Hmm PTIYPASI - would love to hear more about Lilypadz (sorry to hijack...)

They're just rubber discs that stick to your boob! You put them on by pushing the nipple in first and then stick them on and they keep the nipple pushed in. That then stops the milk reflex and nothing comes out, therefore no leaking! You just wash them in warm soapy water (e.g. couple of times a day or so) and then reuse them. Marvellissimo! Also useful under tops when you don't want your nips sticking out!

oh and the best thing is that you don't need to wear a bra with them. I did in the day and just a tightish camisole / tishirt thing at night.

oh god there's so many truly pointless things to buy
Loved:
baby bouncer
baby sheepskin
bath support
sling
maxi cosi car seat
lots of babygro's (some for the day, some for the night)
bumper packs of flannels fron ikea
plastic ikea high chair (?antilop? legs come off so you can throw it in a cupboard and no inacessible corners to clean)
buggyboard
snot sucker (all hail mr snotty!)
Hated
Bumbo seat
baby gym (older kids get under it as soon as it comes out so no space for baby)
tandem buggy - can't get into shops- nuff said
Changing unit with bath under(great fun trying to wheel the damn thing into our miniscule bathroom to empty it)
Changing bag - After using umpteen badly made,naff impractical bags, i bought a billy bag - the giant one that sits under your arm , which fits all my stuff plus 3 kids worth of assorted crap without being lumpy and bursting at the seams - is also ten times stronger than a 'real' changing bag
'proper' clothes for newborns - they just look wrong
Lisa X

Waste:

baby bath - bought lay down bath seat with sucky bits that stick to our own bath

Top and tail bowl - don't know anyone who actually used this

Scratch mittens - she was not a scratcher although I guess this you can never know

Muslins - not a sicky baby but again depends I suppose

massive M&P travel system with all added extras - bought phil and teds off roader after just a few weeks

Loved:

Blankets for swaddling

Baby wipes (used them for everything and still do for getting staines off clothes and furniture etc etc)

Cotbed

Handtowels for changing matt

Bouncy chair

Baby gym

the only things i can think of that were never used were scratch mits, they were pointless.

top and tail bowl rarely used, but we only had it because it came with baby bath (which we did find useful)

i'd say not to bother with all those cute proper newborn outfits- they are hard to resist, but seriously, newborns don't need jeans and snazzy shirts, and you'll rarely dress them in them. And within a week they've outgrown them anyway!

Great thread girls - keep them coming! I am making loads of notes here!

bibs - didn't use them until DS was weaned.

scratch mitts - they didn't stay on.

change bag - a big handbag is fine, and looks better. you don't need much for a quick trip out with a newborn. This is a good reason for a new handbag .

Buy Waitrose As Good As Eating Out meals with the money you save. Is ages before you have time to cook again, ime.

Anyone recommend a bin for reusable nappies? I think I'll want to soak them - guess a small, ordinary plastic bin with a lid would do the trick?

my tommee tippee nappy wrapper was a total waste of money.

used baby bath once.

never used changing table 2nd time round.

never used my bottle warmer 2nd time round, just nuke it and shake it well.

microwave steam sterilizer is great.

also baby carrier, BabyBjorn, i think we've got. the black one anyway. Is great, my dd2 still loves it, but she's too heavy to go far in it now. she start shouting and giggling when she sees it come out though!

My dd1 was sicky and we NEEDED all of our muslins - and i estimate we have about 30.

I bought a very firm breast feeding cushion, recommended to me by a breast feeding consultant at Kings, and it was the BEST thing I bought.

Cost about £35 but meant that I breastfed DD1 when otherwise I would have given up within days.

Avoid bibs with velcro. Although very easy to put on the baby if you forget to stick the velcro together before putting them in the washing machine they stick to your clothes!

McSpooky, try your local hardware type place (the sort that sells plastic tat) and try to get a mini dustbin type one with a lid that clips down at the sides. not because of water (dry bucketing is better) but so that when LO is big enough to get to it, they can't take the lid off and drape the contents around your kitchen
Lisa X

We bought this instead of a baby bath - and loved it. Used it until DD was able to sit up unaided and then opted for non-slip bath mat as she was so wriggly and wanted to stand all the time.

Waste of money:
Baby bouncer
Baby sling - just didn't get on with it
Bottle warmer
Baby nail clippers
Hat and mittens
Bottles

Used all the time:
Muslin cloths - buy coloured and white, so you can distinguish between them. We used white for bottoms - with water instead of wipes for baby with excema, as cover for changing mat so baby not on freezing cold mat, as emergency changing mat when out and about - particularly useful in department stores so you know baby is lying on clean changer.
Coloured ones use as sick cloths/clothes protectors and also as toy/baby comforters/snuggly. Totally safe and you will have more than one, so you can wash their snuggly regularly and if you lose one there's no major panic.
Breast pump

Don't forget the medical stuff. When you want it you'll want it in a hurry. I suggest Calpol (baby paracetemol), digital in-ear thermometer (v difficult to use any other type), rehydration crystals for babies, baby Vic, and one of those unspeakable snot-removing things.

Also if you were planning to follow the plot of any TV program other than Teletubbies over the next 2 years you'll be needing a digital recorder with live pause.

I would also suggest a really expensive, big bag. You will be taking said bag everywhere with you, so you might as well like it. And unless you're one of these miracle people, you may not be pinging back into your real clothes as soon as you'd like. A really good bag will distract everyone when they've finished cooing over the baby.
Good luck!

didn't use:

moses basket
bottle warmer
scratch mitts
baby comb
changing table
bouncy chair
baby swing
playpen
babygym

did use:

cot
bath sling (used baby bath for about 3 wks)
LOTS of flannels & muslin
baby bjorn sling
carseat/stroller system
breast pump

wish I'd had:
rocking chair for nursing
breastfeeding cushion

for yourself:
lansinoh (just in case-you don't want to get cracked nipples & have to send dh out in search of Lansinoh at 2am as you sit crying & desperate as lo wants to feed 10 times a day)
reusable breast pads
sanitary pads - can be put in freezer then worn to help with swelling after delivery - also nobody ever tells you that you could bleed for weeks after deliver.

Sorry! don't want to scare anyone

Didn't use moses basket after first 2 weeks (but borrowed one, so it didn't matter. Paid loads for baby bjorn sling which both kids hated, so complete waste of money. Bought new battery operated swing which ds loved and dd hated. Should have bought it used. In fact, bought very few things new, but pretty much everything I bought new, I wish I had bought used, since it got used so little. Most things I borrowed, got as hand me downs or bought used. Somethings that I borrowed were a little worn, like car seat cover and moses basket sheets, so I had new covers made (by seamstress across the street).
You will need almost nothing for the first few weeks except lots of plain white (bleachable) onesies and nappies. My advice is don't buy anything until the baby comes and you see what he/she is like. Buy used on gumtree.

Useless:
Baby bath (fortunately borrowed not bought)
Medula double electric pump (hand pump much more efficient)
Sheets and blankets for moses basket

Couldn't live without:
Huge cellular blanket to cover over me whilst bf and co-sleeping at night
Lansinol (sp?)
Baby bjorn sling
CHOCOLATE AND DH (!)

This is an interesting thread. People have put things down on here that I personally thought was really useful. I think it depends on the type of baby. Mine was high-maintenance, reflux-a-go-go baby!! Here's my essential list:

ESSENTIAL
BIBS!
Moses basket & stand (borrow if you can - used mine for 6 weeks)
2 small cellular blankets
2 small fleecy blankets for covering them up in car seat/pram
Sleep suits/rompers/vests
Hats - a couple
Monitors - great for if you go to relatives/friends and their houses are bigger. I always used mine regardless at home cos I wouldn't hear LO downstairs and felt happier with a monitor. I didn't get a V expensive one though!
Bath support

WHAT A LOAD OF C*AP
Top and Tail bowl
Jeans
Gillet
Thermos bag for bottles
Bottle warmer (I used microwave although that is a 'sin' apparently)
HUGE fleecy blanket
HUGE cellular blanket

HTH!