Things that have been a godsend
*Foam support for baby bath - LO used to try to do the backstroke and startle himself in his bath, plus I have both hands free to wash him.
*Rainforest playmat - he's loved this from the first day he's used it and often has a cheeky nap on it too.
*Bumbo seat - LO loves it, he loves sitting up like a big boy
*Bigger clothes - Initially I only bought newborn/1 month/0-3 clothes but he has now moved into 3-6 and I am working on his 6-9 and 9-12 wardrobe so I'm prepared when he outgrows his current stuff, although it's a pain trying to predict his size/the weather.
*Growbag - LO has only just got over the weight threshold for these within the last six weeks but I don't know what I would do without it already, he likes to kick the blankets off all the time, he even kicks the hell out of the foot muff on the pram to get it off him.
*Tommee Tippee Steam steriliser - love it, just add add water and switch on and go and watch Corrie!
*M&S Petit Bebe booties - these fitted my LO's feet so snug when socks would just fall off, plus they look dead cute. I bought 1 pair and then went back and got another 3.
Things that have been a waste of money/weren't essential straightaway
*Tommee Tippee bottle warmer - pointless!! Seriously don't get one, use the kettle.
*Johnsons lotions and potions - although my MIL got these, she's a notorious stockpiler and I have about 20 bottles of each product gathering dust, it dried LO's skin out (the ones in the purple bottles in particular)
*Bouncer - we have a vibrating bouncer and the rainforest swing and he much prefers the swing, in fact I've only just started alternating between the two purely to get use out of the bouncer which he doesn't hate but both are unnecessary.
*Newborn clothes - had far too many clothes in newborn/up to 1 month size and my LO was prem and still grew out of this size soooo quick, plus when he came home I was getting into a routine and getting used to everything and we stayed inside most of the time so kept him in baby grows and vests most of the time for the first few weeks.
*Sophie the Giraffe - LO still won't entertain it.
*Phillips Avent baby monitor - I find the battery is awful even if been on charge all day and often dies though the night, plus I leave all doors open and have great hearing (makes up for my bad eyes!) so I ALWAYS hear him, even when I'm asleep I wake everytime.
*Tommee Tippee grooming set - he still hasn't got enough hair for me to brush, I bite his nails as I'm scared I'll cut him with the clippers and scissors and the aspirator thingie has always been too big for his nostrils, come to think of it I don't even know where this set is now that's how useful it has been.
*Fancy carriage pram - good for walks and very pretty but totally impractical. Too bulky for public transport and taking it apart we could never fit it in the car if we were going out with my 2 step kids and the baby in the carseat. Bought a £120 buggy suitable from birth when he was about 6 weeks old and have never looked back.
*Top and tail bowl - never used although this came with the bath so not a waste of money.
*Bibs - I found they never caught dribbles of milk and stopped using them when LO stopped dribbling, he was never sick and I've only started using them again when he has food, never use them for his milk feeds.
I think thats about it, there's probably loads more that were useless/amazing but I'm all thought out.