best things to buy

[squirmyworm]

hi all - I'm trying to put together a little basket of essential stuff for a friend who is having her first baby. I've read the great stuff you've all contributed to on presents for newborns but I wondered if you could give me any suggestions as to the absolute 'couldn't do withouts'- as I'm looking for this to be practical rather than fluffy in any way. For me it's my Tigex change mat (warm, shaped and cleanable under a hot tap), my Reassurance 8 monitor and my little sleeping bags. What else have people looked at every day and thought 'I'm so GLAD I got one of those...'

oh ditto to the Maws breast pads...

dont let her get a coordinated pram bag, use a large rucksack like
this for example

used them for that too SA - three boys later - no muslins. I never got the muslin thing...

"Couldn't do without" : baby blankets, Nappisan, rags (much more useful than muslins, you don't have to wash them, for instance!) , hat & mits 4 baby 0-6 months old. Some sort of sling or front carrier.

By the way, forgot to mention, for some reason that I never did work out, Metanium isn't with any of the other nappy rash creams. You have to go to the pharmacy counter and ask for it, and they mysteriously produce it from one of their drawers....

didnt work for me though - bloody pampers wipes

I never got the whole muslin thing either, with DS1 I couldn't afford them (get the violins out), we were on a very tight budget and as I wasn't sure what they were for I figured we probably didn't need them and when it came to DS2 I still couldn't work out what they were for so never bought any. IKEA face flannels, Tots Bots nappies, Kamillosan and a savoy cabbage are high up on my list of essentials for a newborn. Something nice for Mum, choccies, something to read (especially if b/feeding).