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Original poster

Advice on newborn essentials

54 replies

Alex8899 · 13/08/2023 01:34

I’m really stuck on what to buy as a FTP and reading lots of reviews and articles is making me more confused.
What does a newborn need in terms of the following?
-bedside crib for the first 6 months or straight to a cot? Snuzpod and Chicago next2me sound appealing - are they worth it?
-travel system 3 in 1 up to £450 with isofix base. I like the idea of the Joie Litetrak. Could the bassinet included double up as a Moses basket, or should I buy a separate Moses basket?
-baby swing: I like the joie seraphina, any other suggestions welcome
-are sleepyheads worth it?
Thank you!

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This thread is a little old now so some of the suggestions may be out of date, but if you’ve landed here looking for the ultimate baby essentials checklist, we’ve recently updated our newborn essentials article with the must-haves Mumsnetters think you can't live without when your baby arrives. We hope you find it useful. Flowers
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rhu22 · 13/08/2023 11:11

@BuffaloCauliflower thanks I'll have a look at these too. I like the ones where it can be removed as a bouncer. It would be good to have one that sees us through from newborn to child but I find that products marketed at multi use usually aren't reviewed as good at every stage!

BuffaloCauliflower · 13/08/2023 12:23

@rhu22 yes the Hauck chair comes off to be a bouncer, but I’ve used it as one barely a few times over 2 children. Neither have been particularly into being bounced, unless in my arms, and developmentally it’s best for them to be on the floor as much as possible rather than in containers

rhu22 · 13/08/2023 12:39

@BuffaloCauliflower have you found it best just to use a play mat on the floor then? I was going to get one for tummy time but assumed it wouldn't be used a lot at first but I've just read tummy time can be done from birth 2-3 times a day! So much to learn

BuffaloCauliflower · 13/08/2023 12:48

@rhu22 yes pretty much. Not even a playmat half the time, mostly just on the rug! First 8-12 weeks I’ve pretty much just held my babies the whole time, they sleep a lot, loads of breastfeeding and then sleeping on me in between, in a carrier if I need to move. Harder with second baby but you figure it out! My first we just sat together most of the time, or I walked him in the buggy (covid baby) As they’ve got bigger I’ve played with them on the floor, or carried in a carrier. Time in a carrier counts as tummy time, as does them lying on you chest to chest.

QueenOfWeeds · 13/08/2023 12:52

rhu22 · 13/08/2023 12:39

@BuffaloCauliflower have you found it best just to use a play mat on the floor then? I was going to get one for tummy time but assumed it wouldn't be used a lot at first but I've just read tummy time can be done from birth 2-3 times a day! So much to learn

You can also just do tummy time on you! You lie down and put them on your tummy/chest.

Our local Facebook pages always have playgyms on them, and generally they go in the washing machine, or you could Milton wipe the hard bits.

Tiqtaq · 13/08/2023 14:35

Everyone is different, their house, car and lifestyle is different and every baby is different too.
So which products will work best for you is just unknowable right now.

I bought everything second hand except for the car seat and cot mattress (these were presents from the grandparents). Once I was done I sold it all on and got pretty much all of the money back. That way if something didn't work for me I had no problem getting rid of it and also felt free to try out a baby swing etc and just sell it on if I didn't get on with it. This approach worked well for me. I went through a few different prams and buggies and had doubles of a lot of kit at my mums house which was great.

I could easily have spent thousands on baby equipment but prioritised having a few extra weeks on mat leave so this was the right approach for me.

Original poster
Alex8899 · 14/08/2023 10:46

Mumuser124 · 13/08/2023 01:55

Moses baskets are brilliant because you can move them around and pop them in the cot at night.

swing was absolutely useless with a newborn, mine liked it for 5 mins at a time and then wanted to be held again. The swing was a godsend from 3-4 months onwards.

I found my sleepyhead to be a waste of money. My baby wanted to be held constantly so I only used it when I needed to pop out of the room to make sure they were safe, I could have just popped mine in the Moses basket to be honest.

Something I found very useful was a head cushion to stop flat head syndrome. I bought mine from Jojo, cost about £15 and stopped my little one from rolling over in the night.

I also bought an owlet foot sensor which was above all, my most most useful item. Without going into details, for us, it was worth its weight in gold.

Thank you so much for your advice. I did have a look at the owlet, which is pricey but saw some second hand ones. Thank you also for the tip about the pillow x

OP posts:
Original poster
Alex8899 · 14/08/2023 10:48

Hufflepods · 13/08/2023 06:56

OP I would advise you to get a bedside crib rather than straight to a cot. Firstly the baby is in your room and most people can’t have a full size cot by their bed. Also babies that young struggle to sleep in a big, wide space so you would probably come across that issue. The side also comes down on the next to me and snuzpod which makes it easier to get a tiny baby in and out.
I really rave the snuzpod, they are easy to pick up second half for about £40/50. Buy a new mattress and you’ve still saved half the amount.

Thank you! I looked at the lullaby trust link but couldn’t see anything about the Snuzpod.
That is sound advice, I can imagine a large space being too big for a tiny baby.

OP posts:
Original poster
Alex8899 · 14/08/2023 10:50

PurBal · 13/08/2023 07:06

Sleep
DC 1: Moses basket on stand that I could move up and downstairs. Outgrown by 4 weeks (I have long babies) so into his own room in a cot. I shared with him.
DC 2: Moses basket as before. Outgrown by 4 weeks so moved into a travel cot in our room (DC will share eventually). I felt nervous about using a travel cot but HV were fine with it and just point me to the lullaby trust safe sleep guidelines.
Friends and family rave over sleepyheads but neither of my babies have slept so badly I’ve tried them. As PP said, “nests” aren’t recommended for overnight sleep. I also co slept with both.
Travel System
Some bassinets are suitable for overnight sleep but if you look at the lullaby trust more are probably okay than are certified. Certainly I’d use them for daytime sleep. I actually went with a lie flat from birth pushchair and a lie flat car seat (Cybex Cloud Z) which extended the time DC could be in the car seat. It depends on your lifestyle. A bassinet attachment would have been too bulky for us, at the time DC1 was born I had a 3 door mini and live rurally.
Didn’t get a baby swing, not needed it.

That is wonderful thank you. I’ll take a look at that travel system. Space is an issue in the house so the huge travel systems put me off x

OP posts:
Original poster
Alex8899 · 14/08/2023 11:40

Thank you everyone. I’m still going through all the messages but wanted to say a quick thank you for all of the guidance and tips! It’s super helpful xx

OP posts:
Caspianberg · 14/08/2023 13:00

If space is premium a pram that is suitable from birth without carrycot if worth looking at. Most babies outgrown carrycot by 4-5 months

fivelilducks · 14/08/2023 13:06

PeopleAreWeird · 13/08/2023 01:45

https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/

Please check the current guidance on things like snuzepods

I think you're confusing snuzpods with best sleep pillows

fivelilducks · 14/08/2023 13:06

Nest*

FlySwimmer · 14/08/2023 13:33

rhu22 · 13/08/2023 10:29

Hi, I'm 28 weeks and got quite stressed at times wondering what on earth to buy. I did a lot of research before I bought anything because I just hadn't a clue.
So far I've got:
Tutti bambini bedside crib because it folds up nicely and we have a couple trips away from home planned. I was always planning on getting a side crib as I plan to breastfeed and our house is getting done so no room until he's 6 months anyway. Then I'll want a cot that converts to toddler bed.

Travel system was a headache for me I went back and forth so much. In the end I got a shop floor model for about 500 less - pram with carrycot and accessories. It's the uppababy so carrycot approved for overnight sleep, there's even ventilation and little feet on the bottom so it can actually go on floor, but I got a rocking stand off amazon as only plan to use for downstairs naps if he likes it, I won't buy anything else for sleeping in.

Baby swings I've looked at but seem overpriced if he doesn't like it. I've got the munchkin one saved but I might wait til he's here before deciding.

Sleepyheads and baby nest type things have too many warnings for me to want to bother. We both work from home and have a teenage stepdaughter and between us there will always be someone willing to sit and hold baby in first months if he won't settle somewhere.

Other things I've considered are a high chair with the newborn seat so he can sit at the table with us sometimes and just a basic bouncer. And a play mat, nothing fancy and won't be using lots at first as we have small dogs so I will prefer him to be up off the floor.

The avionaut pixel car seat - I'll just belt it in - at first I wanted the all singing and dancing spin and slide base or a reclining cybex, but since looking into safety and really considering how I'll use it I've decided a really lightweight seat is more beneficial for me and the ones for the fancy bases tend to be heavy. I also wouldn't leave baby in the car seat long at all even with recline so see no point whilst he's so young. Can't see us needing to clip the seat onto the pram often if at all either, but wanted the option in case so have bought adaptors. Next stage seat I'll reconsider a spinning base that stays in the car as he'll be too heavy to clip on pram or carry in and out in anyway. As he'll be a winter baby I think it'll be easier to nip in and out with a light seat too.

Other things I've bought are the Joie carrier which can be used from birth so I hope will be good for dog walks. I considered a sling type first but don't last long and some seem a faff. The carrier has magnetic clips and it looks easy enough.

I think that's it for the main things. I've looked into monitors briefly but I'm not sure we'll need one at first until he's going for naps in a different room to us which won't be straight away. So can wait til he's here, I've just been saving things so I don't have to go through the process of choosing again.

I think my point here is you really have to consider how you might use things/your lifestyle which is hard as a first time parent but better than going mad and then not using any of it. Also I've realised I don't need everything before he's here which has allowed me to relax a bit. Deliveries can be next day and at first they are only really going to want and need us. Which is lovely!

Can I ask which Uppababy system you went with - is it the Vista? The option to use the carrycot for sleep sounds very useful and no need for a separate Moses basket then (I’ll probably get a next-to-me type crib for upstairs). Could be useful for travelling for example if the carrycot can double up for sleeping (though not every night I imagine).

rhu22 · 14/08/2023 13:44

@FlySwimmer yes the vista v2! It's not small but ticks the boxes for us. We'll use the carry cot as a downstairs crib and if he still fits in it fine at 4 months we have a trip planned and we'll take it for overnight sleep for a couple of nights. Theres a small stand on Amazon it fits into, I wouldn't dream of paying 200 for the uppababy stand x

Advice on newborn essentials
FlySwimmer · 14/08/2023 13:54

@rhu22 thank you so much. That does sound like it could suit us. I know it’s probably impossible to say, but at what age do you think your DS will outgrow the carrycot? We’re thinking, if all goes well, to go on a trip to see grandparents abroad around the 6-month mark and the carrycot would be so useful for the journey as we’ll need a few overnights on the way!

QueenOfWeeds · 14/08/2023 14:15

@FlySwimmer I’m pretty sure it’s just one Uppababy bassinet for the vista and the cruz.

rhu22 · 14/08/2023 14:34

@FlySwimmer I've no idea but if he's big like I was then he'll be too big by 4/5 months agh. The vista is bulky for travelling I'd think? We'll get a lightweight travel stroller when we plan our first holiday which will be when he's more like 9 months. I believe the post below is correct and carrycot would fit Cruz too, which is smaller but not sure by how much. We've gone for the vista because we walk a lot with dogs and go camping - I saw it described as a 'tank' on here so fits our lifestyle haha

Caspianberg · 14/08/2023 14:40

@FlySwimmer - it’s not size that’s the issue. By 6 months many babies can sit up, pull up at side of crib ( and fall out) or even crawl. So Moses baskets/ low bedside cribs/ carrycots can’t be used once they can do any of this overnight due to safety as you can’t be 100% watching them whilst your asleep.
We used our carrycot daytime for naps until 6+ months for outside or next to me downstairs, but Ds was walking by 8months so we already had him pulling up and moving by 4-5 months. Couldn’t use next to me nighttime after either, and cot had to be lowered right down

Caspianberg · 14/08/2023 14:42

Recommend the babybjorn travel cot for travel. Can use newborn to 2.5 ish years. And it folds way smaller than most other brands.

FlySwimmer · 14/08/2023 15:53

Thank you all for your advice, I do truly appreciate it. I have much to learn 🙈

OP thank you for starting this thread as I’m also finding it so helpful!

Blue2020 · 14/08/2023 21:17

The chicco next2me has been great. We are 4.5months in now and he sleeps well in it at night. He didn’t for the first few weeks but then suddenly changed. We got ours from eBay to save on the cost.

we used the carrycot for the first 2 months for the downstairs naps, then transitioned to just using the playmat (or us) for downstairs naps. We have a travel cot set up but he doesn’t like napping in it and will wake up.

Our friends bought us a play mat and it has been the single best and most used gift. For the first 1-2 months we would limit it to very short durations. Now he babbles, kicks and shakes the toys that dangle. He loves it. He’s still not a huge fan of tummy time, we didn’t try that enough.

A baby carrier has also been needed for us. Our baby likes being held and being moved around. It’s even to the point he will last 10 minutes in the push chair and then I will be carrying him and pushing the empty push chair. It’s a minefield with the range available, there might be a sling library you could visit.

Blue2020 · 14/08/2023 21:27

Oh to add, we got a bouncer and it’s been useless. Got a more solid chair (goes from baby to toddler) and that is semi used.

In terms of car seat we started with a cosatto giggle but our ds didn’t like it and would constantly cry to the point of being soaked. Switched to Cybex Aton and he’s like a different baby. Still the odd short cry if traffic is stationary but so much happier.

Nell80 · 14/08/2023 23:14

As someone else on here has said next to me style cot was a waste of money for us (even though we bought second hand). If you have any form of stitches/tearing after birth it's almost impossible to get out of bed easily with it attached to your bed. We've ended up never actually using it as a beside crib. Could have gone straight to cot in the same place as where it sits on our room.

I'm glad we got our travel system though. Again second hand and worth every penny. The downside is if you want to resell you're going to have the bassinet attachment in your house long after baby has outgrown it.

But every baby is different so your experience could be totally different. That's why buying 2nd hand makes sense as you waste less money of something doesn't work out and if it does work out you could buy new and resell your second hand item.

Original poster
Alex8899 · 15/08/2023 05:56

@FlySwimmer No worries at all! I’m finding it really helpful and feel so much less overwhelmed now

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