Your unnecessary & essential baby purchases

[niknik24]

This thread is brilliant, I've read from the start

 

[Emerald87]

Bumping this up for more useful suggestions

 

[lotsababies]

This is my first pregnancy, but I have been a fulltime nanny for 6 years. Having seen just about every gadget out there here is my list of supplies:

Convertible Co-sleeper: when baby begins to roll or pullup on the sides, the mattress drops. The side against the bed can come up creating a mini-cot. It is a little pricey but perfect for us! Since we won't have to get a cot and a Co-sleeper!

No tub: baby will either bathe with us or in the kitchen sink.

Baby gowns: the kind with elastic around the bottom. Boy or girl, those are the easiest clothes for a newborn, no snaps to fumble with in middle of the night changes

Quick dry AIO one size cloth nappies: we are granola in our house but like the convenience of quick changes: these are perfect for our needs...plus I make them myself so they are crazy cost effective!

A premium pram: in my line of work I have pushed tons of prams and the more expensive ones are worth the extra expense! Go test drive the one you like before buying it!

Lots of slings: Moby wraps are great for newborns and a breeze for breastfeeding. If you're like me and will be wearing baby often, I suggest getting multiples. Babies can get quite sweaty and you may want to wear baby while one wrap is in the wash. Mei tai wraps are my favorite for babies with head control because they are very versatile and you can breastfeed in them.

Lots of cot sheets: you can never have too many. Your precious child will pee and poo through any diaper and you likely don't want to do laundry everyday!

I'm clearly not one for gadgets, as this is my whole shopping list. I will be registering for more clothing and a few toys but these are my essentials!

 

[vespersonicca]

Baby gowns: the kind with elastic around the bottom. Boy or girl, those are the easiest clothes for a newborn, no snaps to fumble with in middle of the night changes

YES YES YES! These were/are our PJs for our babies for as long as they fit! So easy for night time changes.

 

[Beanonorder]

Awesome thread!

 

[yellowhaze]

Amazing thread, read from start to finish! I am currently TTC and enjoying enplaning around these forums but I hope to come back with some advice when I have done baby shopping ... certainly have a better idea of what we will actually need after reading this

 

[yellowhaze]

enjoying enplaning around these forums

* exploring

 

[purplelou]

Ladies thank you for a brilliant thread!

I have brought a bunch of babygrows/vests in size 0-3 months (and 1 or 2 so far in 3-6 months) do I need to buy a few smaller ones?? like newborn or similar??

thank you in advance

 

[Sarahcake]

Ladies thank you for a brilliant thread!

I have brought a bunch of babygrows/vests in size 0-3 months (and 1 or 2 so far in 3-6 months) do I need to buy a few smaller ones?? like newborn or similar??

thank you in advance

I was advised to buy 1 pack of newborn vests and 1 pack of newborn sleep suits. That way youve not spent a fortune if you dont use them, but it saves the hassle of sending your OH out from the hospital to buy smaller clothes Think I spent like £6 for both sets from Asda and have kept the receipts so if I don't need to use them, I can take them back and exchange for something more useful

 

[purplelou]

sarah - thanks for that, it makes sense - I will add them to my shopping list. they have some really nice little packs in asda and matalan don't they!

 

[Sarahcake]

sarah - thanks for that, it makes sense - I will add them to my shopping list. they have some really nice little packs in asda and matalan don't they!

They do have some gorgeous things in Asda, and cheap too so its not too bad if you do overstock. Ive not actually looked in Matalan since finding out bump was a boy, I need to do that! Can never look at too many cute clothes lol

 

[napamermaid]

Do u not need to wash everything for the hospital leaving no time for oh to go buy correct color size and then not bein able to rreturn stuff u washed / opened

 

[wamommy]

Biggest waste of money = Diaper Disposal units... Diaper Genie, Diaper Champ, etc. A good, lidded garbage can with a foot pedal is WAY easier to use, and cheaper!

Picture exhausted first time mom, up at 4 am AGAIN changing what looks like pureed spinach, fumbling with the lid of a fancy Diaper Champ. Thud, thud, thud... I whacked it against the ground trying to get it to turn. I finally kicked it, started crying, and had my DH get it out of my sight the next morning.

 

[Bingo]

Things I loved and couldn't do without:

Change table - saves your back
Glider chair - again saves your back when feeding, something you will be doing an awful lot of regardless of breast or bottle
Battery operated swinging chair - meant I could eat dinner in peace
Baby bath with stand - it's a killer leaning over a bath whilst supporting a newborn
Angelcare sound and movement monitor
Muslins and lots of them
Lots of sleepsuits - babies have exploding poos and can vomit a lot
Cotton blankets

I sometimes think it's best to wait until you have the baby to see what you will need in terms of larger items. Lots of people say they don't bother with a change table but it's something I couldn't be without. I guess everyone is different and it also depends on financial circumstances.

I bought lots of things we didn't end up using simply because DD didn't like them like the Amby Natures Nest hammock which she hated. She slept on her front so didn't like that at all and a bouncer chair which she never liked either. She just wanted to be held.

 

[staybeautiful]

Ladies thank you for a brilliant thread!

I have brought a bunch of babygrows/vests in size 0-3 months (and 1 or 2 so far in 3-6 months) do I need to buy a few smaller ones?? like newborn or similar??

thank you in advance

I've got a few things in Asda's First Size, which on the label is up to 9lbs, their Tiny Baby size is up to 7 1/2lbs. My reckoning is, get plenty in 0-3m, 3-6 and so on, but still have a few things in newborn/up to 9 or 10lbs. The Asda sizes look quite generous, and the clothes are gorgeous too (they even have nice 'neutral' things!). I think there's more chance of me having a baby that's up to 9lbs than over 9lbs so I'll get use out of what I've bought, even if it's just for a few weeks.

 

[purplelou]

thank you staybeautiful - you have given me the excuse for a bit more baby shopping

 

[staybeautiful]

That's ok! I'm a pro at justifying reasons for shopping

 

[babydust1990]

Essential
-Burp cloths/bibs/muslin: anything to wipe up milky sicks
-Battery operated baby swing: Gives you enough time to eat/do washing/make a bottle ect.
-Cellular blankets: For swaddling!

Unnecessary
-Little outfits: They look much comfier in vests/babygros
-Toys: They don't even look at them when newborn
-Changing mat: Its easier to just whack a muslin or blanket on the sofa and change like that!

 

[Chime]

Thanks for an amazing thread. Read it all the way from page 1. I'm TTC and am 16/17 DPO (2 days late) so the hubby and I have been talking a lot about this kind of stuff.

 

[Peggy O]

This thread is awesome!!!

I read alot of it last night and took my baby shower gift card to the store today and got some essentials. Thanks guys.