Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Shopping

From everyday essentials to big purchases, swap tips and recommendations. For the best deals without the hassle, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

Advice on presents for our baby needed!

39 replies

normal · 21/01/2006 11:22

Hi

A first post and probably a common problem.... we're expecting our first baby in a couple of weeks and now family are just starting to ask us what we'd like as pressies. We've already bought the cot, changer, pushchair (and car seat)so I hope we've got all the biggies! (Please let me know if we haven't!)

Anyway....my mum saw this . We've got no idea if it would be useful or not. Your thoughts?

We'd been thinking of getting a travelcot. Given we can get this is a pressie without much cost constraint, is there any which you'd recommend? Or any other useful things you wish you'd had from the beginning which would make good pressies.

Sorry for the long post but I hope it makes sense.Thanks in advance!

OP posts:
mummytosteven · 21/01/2006 11:26

Re:swings. Unfortunately babies seem to either love or hate them. My mum got DS a swing which he adored, so proved to be a wonderful buy. I am a wimp, so get the heebie jeebies at the high up swings - I prefer the fisher price low level "take along" swings.

Re:travelcots. Are you likely to want to take the travelcot on holiday/public transport of any description. Ordinary travelcots tend to weigh an absolute ton - about 10 kilos! So if you might want to consider a lightweight samsonite or nomad travel cot, that's about 3 or 4 kilos.

MrsBadger · 21/01/2006 12:03

Is this the time to make someone else buy you a really really nice highchair?
I know you don't need it just yet, but in 6 months when no-one's buying any more presents and you have to shell out you may kick yourselves.
Just a thought

fairydust · 21/01/2006 12:05

I agree with Mrsbadger - a decent high chair would be a good thing to have althuogh it not be used for a while it another expensive thing out the way

hockeymum · 21/01/2006 14:37

Definitely the high chair thing - I'd have loved a Chicco Polly that are about £100 but fully height adjustable etc etc but once the baby was bron DH got stingy and we ended up with a cheaper one thats not so good.

With regards to swings, the take along fisher price ones do look a bit better as they fold up and you can carry them between bathroom, bedroom, kitchen etc. I didnt have one for dd but got one in the mothercare sale for £35 for my next baby.

Have you got a rocker/bouncer yet? Thats quite a good pressie for someone to get. Again we had a cheap one for dd that wasnt useful for very long, so this time I got a proper adjustable rocker from mothercare (sale again) so it'll work from newborn but they wont fall out of it at a few months old.

Also, our travel cot was really useful, the mothercare bassinet one with changing mat on top. Its heavy but we live a while away from family so its been very useful and just goes in the car. If you're using public transport, I'd get one of the new lightweight ones.

starlover · 21/01/2006 14:40

i wish i had got a swing for ds! he used to tip himself out of the bouncy chair and HATED his bumbo... think the swing would have entertained him for much longer

ja9 · 21/01/2006 14:45

i would highly recommend

this type of thing

  • not necessarily this actual one (i'm sorry but i don't know what they are called!).

ds went in it from about 5 months and was happy in it until about a year. we used an older model that was a bit more simplistic, but the newer ones are even more fantastic... not really the kind of money you want to splash out on yourself...

it keeps them in the same spot with lots of entertainment all around, so you can shower (or do whatever!) in peace!

OldieMum · 21/01/2006 14:46

DD's bouncy chair was very useful. I looked on the mothercare site, but theirs all look less stable than the mothercare one we bought three years ago - DD never tipped it over. We found it useful because she could sit in it safely at times when I didn't want either to leave her lying on her playmat or carry her around. Other useful presents would be a playmat and baby gym combination or a sling.

LIZS · 21/01/2006 14:55

Agree with rocker/bouncer chair. It is very comfy for a newborn and you can lie them on it under a playgym (another idea?). We just used the car seat indoors for ds but dd spent much more time in the bouncer seat and in retrospect wish we'd had one first time. Ours was like this but without the seat insert and I'm sure a bit cheaper !

Also how about a Tripp Trapp high chair, with baby set, for use once the baby can sit up at table to be fed.

Or a sling/carrier - perhaps a Baby Bjorn or similar. Great for taking little ones on public transport or if they need soothing at home but you can still get on with other things.

Travel cot - depends on how long and often you plan to use it . We had a Graco one from about 9 months until 2ish, but it was on offer and included a bassinette which we never used. ds used it as a playpen for a while and we have used it for short breaks away. Not especially luxurious but did the job.

tassis · 21/01/2006 15:04

bumbo seat

sling

door bouncer

back pack carrier thing

I'd have liked a swing

we loved the thing ja9 mentioned too

i'd definately go for travel cot - ours was used HEAPS. go for as big a one as you can find so a 2 year old will fit in it!

starlover · 21/01/2006 15:06

if you go for a travel cot then check them up! we have a second hand one which is fine, but it has a bar right across the middle on the base... i have to pad it with tons of thick blankets etc so that it isn't too uncomfortable for ds.
it has a thin mattress with it... but not much help.

Nbg · 21/01/2006 15:07

I had a bouncer for my dd which was helpful when she was small and I used it for a while when we started to wean.
A friend of mine gave me one of those swings so I will use it for this little bean.

Travel Cots are good if you do travel a fair bit. We still use ours for dd and she is 2.3 but like MTS said, they are heavy.

A Highchair is another good suggestion but but but consider what space you have. We picked a Chicco one and it was really heavy and chunky so we had to fold it up after every meal time and constantly move it about. The Tripp Trapp ones look so much better as they can be used at your own table and for a much longer period of time IYSWIM.

Have you considered a nappy bin? A godsend in the cold months as it saves going out everytime you have to change a nappy. I think they're about £30ish.
Also see if someone wants to buy you a good supply of nappies and wipes. Simple but you'll certainly need plenty!

morningpaper · 21/01/2006 15:07

Travelcot: we never go anywhere now we have children and when we do, they refuse to sleep in it, and if it is a hotel/self catering place they have cost anyway.

Highchair is a brilliant idea.

Otherwise, PREMIUM BONDS are fabulous idea, or get Granny to open an account in the baby's name once it is born, and just put any money in there.

waterfalls · 21/01/2006 15:08

If you cant think of anything else, Boots vouchers will come in very handy.

SauerKraut · 21/01/2006 15:15

I would go for a Tripp Trapp chair. It doubles up as a highchair, and later on you just take off the straps. Every time your child has grown you adjust the seat and foot rest, and eventually it can be used for adults. A great investment against back problems, especially if used as a study/homework chair when the child is older.And no, I don't work for them!!!

Roobie · 21/01/2006 15:16

The best more pricey things we used a lot were the bouncy chair (in it all the time from day 1 - invaluable)
Travel cot - we visit friends and family a lot
Inflatable play nest this one
High chair - we've got a wooden one that converts to low table and chair but also like the tripp trapp
Backcarrier - we go for lots of walks so very useful for this as well as pushchair free shopping (London etc). Ours isn't one but I really like the look of those ones that convert to a lightweight pushchair thing.

BonyM · 21/01/2006 15:17

Loads of good ideas here already.

Big travel cot is a good idea - we are currently using ours as a play pen in the kitchen which is great.

We bought a take-along swing for dd and after the first time which she seemed to love, she hated going in it so I ended up selling it through free ads - complete waste of money.

Bumbo was great for a few weeks but she soon managed to wriggle out of it, again a bit of a waste of money tbh.

How about a nice playmat/baby gym. We had the Tiny Love like this - 2nd one down and dd loved it right from when she was a week or two old.

vickiyumyum · 21/01/2006 15:21

the mamas and papas swing is a good idea, i would love one for no3, but so far no one has offered to buy one, so looks like i will have to buy one myself! i think mamas and papas do a rocker and highchair combined like this can't vouch for how good they are as don't have one, but in thoery seems like a good idea as the mamas and papas prima pappa highchair is fantastic, with adjustable seat etc.

mazzystar · 21/01/2006 15:22

how about
sheepskin rug or sheepskin stroller fleece
a lovely grobag for age 6 - 18 months
a baby nest or gym thing with an inflatable ring
a slightly deluxe bouncy chair thing

mazzystar · 21/01/2006 15:24

i have to say i think its best to wait till baby is born to get something like a swingy chair - some babies love them but i know oither people who have bought them and their los have hated them and got no use at all - and they take up a lot of room

me23 · 21/01/2006 15:28

no doubt already been said,
high chair
bouncer
baby gym
door way bouncer from arond 4 months
also if you havent already bought it a steriliser with set of accessories is very useful even if you plan to breastfeed will need bottles for expressed milk etc.
good luck with the baby

kama · 21/01/2006 15:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

PeachyClair · 21/01/2006 16:36

We had a swing for ds1 which was a lifesaver (small age gap- 13 months) when ds2 came, not sure if it would have been worth space it t akes when ds1 born though, if you have the space might be a good choice tho.

Baby travel cots- we have had our Graco for six years, sisters borrow it often and still great.

The most useful gift is Mothercare vouchers IMO, save tehm for when you suddenly require 32 sick free babygro's in 6 months time!

Original poster
normal · 21/01/2006 17:48

Thanks for all the ideas! The high chair also sounds like a good idea as well as the bouncers etc! One thing that does puzzle me though is what's a bumbo? We've also just realised we don't have any wardrobes etc for the nursery!

All specific recommendations for bouncers etc welcome. TBH, there's so much stuff out there and we can't work out what's useful or good as we haven't got a clue about babies yet!

We've been given a Tomy baby carrier which some friends never used. I don't know if it's any good or not. We also got an activity gym, which I hope the kid'll like. Oh and what type of mobiles do babies like? So many questions and so little knowledge!

Thanks for all the advice so far. It's been invaluable.

PS If you ever need help about mobile phones, computers, audio/video stuff or gadgets etc...feel free to ask!

OP posts:
Original poster
normal · 21/01/2006 17:56

Ooops! Should also add about the travel cot that we don't use public transport much. It's more for using at home or taking to friends or on holiday. Ease of use more important than weight. We saw this one but not sure if it needs all the bits or not which bulk it out or we should go for the simpler one or possibly something comepletely different!

OP posts:
PeachyClair · 21/01/2006 18:02

this is a good idea to try if you're not sure if you need a travel cot, easy to transport, space saving, reasonable price and if you want you can upgrade when it is grown out of.