so what else is completely unnecessary?

[star6]

I've just found out - thanks to many helpful mumsnetters, that bottle warmers are a waste of money. There are plenty of threads telling 1st time mums what is most necessary. I would like to know this:
What is out there that is completely unnecessary for a new baby? I don't want to waste money on silly things I will never use

Bathing a newborn is suprisingly easy star - they float mostly since they are very light. You just have to support their heads and splash them with water. They don't wriggle very much and you only need a tiny bit of water. The hardest part is getting a good grip on a slippy body to lift them out but honestly it is nothing to worry about. Bathing a toddler is far more tricky!

No of coarse a changing bag doesn't have to be a grand, expensive one but i wouldn't put under the heading of unnecessary items.

Yes, the change bag, you'll prob find that you pack it til it's full rather than what you need. I just use one of those old nike bags with the rope type sholder straps.

I still have the sudocreme I bought before ds was born, I've never put anything like that on his bum.

My son was born with loads of hair so for a gromming set, you'll just have to wait and see.

Agree about the steriliser, nappy holders, change mats (you'll only use change mat til novolty wears off)

I have a nappy wrapper, the bin is just as good although the wrapper is handy as it traps smells and I don't have to go to outside bin whenever I change him.

Pushchair. I got so fed up of mine after 8 months bought another 1. Also remember when you're trying it in the shop, it doesn't have a baby in it which will change the control and weight etc.

I have a parasol and it is a pain in the arse! Just drape a blanket over the hood for sun protection.

I disagree with the 0-6months toys thing. Ds had some great stuff at 3 months that he loved

this is the bath support I have

baby bath

found it really easy to use and wash them and their har, lasts until about 7-8 months when they start to pull themselves out of it then you can get the seat one

agree with sweet kitty - room thermometers are a total waste of money. Mine also crapped out during a heatwave and stayed stuck on 25 degrees....

Oh, and those massive 'welcome packs' they give you in hospital! What garbage. I just got the tax credit stuff and said, thanks, but no thanks.

Do you mean the bounty packs you get in hospital? I loved those!

I never used a 'special' changing bag either, just chuck baby stuff like some wipes and a nappy in any bag I have! Mind you, this often results in forgetting stuff (compared to organised, pre-packed, well-equipped friends) .

i have two young children and twins on the way.

i must say i still use my nappy holder after 3.5years as i have it hanging on the stairs for when i change nappies downstairs (luckily i only have one in nappies at the moment). i used to have a babybox downstairs when i had my second child but everytime i left the room the eldest would empty it. now they are hanging out of reach and are always to hand.

moses baskets dont last long so i used a codbed from birth with a cot divider so baby was in a nice position but still feet to foot. this time around its twins so i will have a cotbed with a cot divider between them.

i also used my motorised swing loads. it was the only way i could get my babies to sleep sometimes. its nice to know they are safe and out of the way of the toddler running around. that and the bumbo are on my must have list for the twins.

i bought a lambskin bouncer which i never used as baby prefered to vibrating one.

i agree with the bottle warmer, mine never got used.

also top and tail bowl and the baby bath never got used. i put them in the big bath with a moulded baby seat. and i use baby wipes.

i did have two buggies as well, one in the house for daytime naps and when going out from the house and one in the car. we are lucky that we have the room in the house for a buggy to be up all the time.

i think people and babies are different so you might prefer different things to some of us.

oh and i have had loads of fancy highchairs which were useles and huge. some had so many nooks and crannies cleaning it was a nightmare. i now have two stokke tripp trapps that i got off e-bay and they are fantastic.

Fantastic thread!
I thought I could manage without a changing table but spending a day with 4-week-old familybaby proved I can't get up and down to the floor/bed without doing myself in.

So if I need a piece of furniture to put a changing mat on, what should I look for?

My extended family have gone to town with hand-me-downs and anything on Freecycle, so finding what might be useful in the mountain of stuff is going to be more of my problem! I know babies need lots of clothes changes but surely a couple hundred (seriously!) items of 0-3 month clothing will suffice???

My midwife gave me my Bounty pregnancy pack and said "You'll find the only useful bit is the plastic envelope which you can keep your notes in!" She was right!

baby bath = bucket from B&Q (no lumpy bit in bottom) - brilliant as a tummy tub.

We really needed a bouncer as it was the only place Ds would sit where he could see us and then we could both eat tea at the same time, otherwise had to eat one after another to prevent constant caterwauling.....

I used my swing a lot too, as someone else said it's ncie to have somewhere to place the baby where they can see whats going on away from toddler.

Oh other things I bought (I must have spent loads)
bottle warmer
steriliser

waste of money for the odd bottle of EBM really

notcitrus i have used the top of the chest of drawers in the smallest bedroom (which all of my children have slept in as babies) with a changing mat on as a changing table. I have a bit of a dodgy back so its perfect height and we have a shelf fixed to the wall above that we put nappies, wipes and nappy sacks on. Downstairs i have a big leather footrest in front of the chimney breast that is big enough to sit on and lie a child down on for nappy changes (also as leather wipe clean if ever any spillages!) I have not got a big house so we adapted the furniture we already had instead of adding to it!

Great thread!

We have a 2 week old baby boy. So far, so good - we're finding that we need certain things we didn't think we did (loads of sheets, towels and muslins for a start - I only bought 4 muslins!!)
Moses basket - we're using the one which came with our super travel system.

I agree that the nappy holder is the most pointless thing ever. It's on the back of the door, but the nappies are needed to hand, so we've always got a pack open on the floor by the changing mat.

Top and tail bowl - heard it was useless. Instead, we thieved took several of those round cardboard bowls from hospital. But we're cheap.

Books - DH votes for books. We bought many. We were all set with Gina Ford but reality hit. We have no time to read 'What to expect in the first year', so we're being surprised daily. We're too tired to read the sleep book...

vibrochair never used.

snot sucker used for about 2 months (so guess it was worth it)

baby scissors recalled by boots as 'too sharp'!?

another bathing tip from my mum that was great; put a small towel in the bottom of the bath, with about and inch of water and lay them on the towel. they are comfy and don't slip about, and you have more control washing them. took a lot of the fear out of it for me!

I have to say I used my baby bath all the time because it took too long to fill up the big bath.

Also, my child would not have got a drop of breastmilk without my breastfeeding pillow!

And, uh, I still use my room thermometer 14 months later because I am too stupid, or possibly too pregnant, to judge the temperature for myself (am permanently in a hot flush), so would have no idea what DS needed to wear otherwise. I imagine this is not a common problem.

I agree about:

top n' tail bowl
nappy wrapper
nappy holder
bath thermometer
highchair
changing table
parasol
changing mat costing more than £8
clothes and shoes

In my opinion you need

A sling
About a million muslin squares
A moses basket
A v shaped pillow (for breastfeeding then for sitting the baby up against when they get a bit older)
A changing mat of some sort.

errrr - I think that's it!

But ther is a BIG difference between need and want - and baby shopping is lovely!

yeah i got to admit im due to have my 2nd daughter and its been 7years since my first child was born,im also from new-zealand dont know if things are cheaper over here but ive spent $6000 on this baby and im still spending and loving every minute of it im 23 so theres no excuse i guess id prefer to give my children the best start in life and if that means spending money on un-necassary items them thats fine by me

bassinette
cot
babybath and change table all in one
capsule (carseat) inserts into pram aswell
lots of clothes
blankets
moses wraps
baby bag
nappys wipes flannels bits n pieces to much to list
baby swing that moves and plays music
high chair
baby rocker
activty floor mat(blowsup)
baby towels bath wash creams
ear thermometer + bath one to
sheets pillows toys lots of shoes slippers

oooooh and the list could go on...

call me stuped but i lobved every minute of it and would do it all over again

goodluck
happy shopping

xx

Enjoy the shopping - but try to avoid the mind set that says "best start in life" equals "spending lots of money on lots of stuff" Shopping is fun for you, but makes absolutely no difference at all for your baby - and you don't want a toddler, a child or a teenager that thinks expensive stuff is important.

Sorry to preach - but I am nearly old enough to be your grandmother, so forgive me!

Agree, seeker. Obviously it's fun being extravagant sometimes (I really loved buying our Tripp Trapp at 6mths after having bought VERY frugally before birth!) but really money spent does not equal love shown... (thankfully in ds-to-be's case - hand-me-down's all the way )

Message withdrawn

Message withdrawn

For me it has been a moses basket- ds is really long and at just 4 weeks old I am desperate to get rid of it. He is much happier either in his cot or in bed with me.

Matching cot bedding. I just use a grobag and maybe a cellular blanket if its cold.

I kind of agree about a changing bag. There's no need to spend loads on one, any bag you have lying around is fine- maybe its different if you're formula feeding though. I wouldn't want bottles leaking all over a nice bag, but all I need to take with me is muslins and nappies.

Lots of outfits- sleepsuits are best and they look so cute in them I have no inclination what so ever to see my little boy wearing mini jeans or trainers especially at about a tenner a pop.

Toiletries- ds had very cracked skin on his hands and feet when he was born and we were told to just use olive oil- it worked a treat.

A big pram. It's so fun to pick a pram and have it all ready before lo arrives but I hardly use mine. My Close sling has been a godsend. I bought it when ds was 5 days old because I was desperate to not be lugging a pram about, with no guarantee of a place on the bus etc, and the Baby Bjorn I spent a fortune on was killing my back and looked uncomfortable for ds too.

Parasols. Bloody useless and guaranteed to get in everyones way.

Absolute essentials are lots of muslins, sleepsuits in 0-3 and grobags.

well i like to differ age really aint an issue...as i become a first time mother at the age of 15...i did all the same things i have done this time and always said if i had more children i would do it again...so here i am having another girl due in 2weeks and i am looking forward to it i say if ya can afford it why not!!! your children deserve the best call me silly my 7year old is spoilt but she is a good child

xx

One thing that I've found a godsend during my pregnancy and after....a dishwasher!! If you haven't got one, use the money saved by not buying the things listed here and buy one! Trust me, when you get 5 mins peace, you do not want to be spending it blardy washing up!!!