Items not worth buying?!

[JulyBug]

Wow thank you ladies for your replies, all very helpful!!

The changing mat was one of the things I was trying to work out, I won't be buying a 'changing unit' so will probably just change baby on the floor or wherever most appropriate like you have all said so I'll just get a cheap basic waterproof mat or something I guess?

So glad the bathing thing was mentioned! I was just going to get one of those bath supports you put in the big bath BUT I totally didn't even think about the fact id have to fill the bath up each time and my bath is quite big! Hmm.. I know the little basic baths are not too expensive so I may just get one so I don't need to fill the bath up everytime and then have a bath with bubba too!

I need to know more about these sleeping bags too!.. I feel so uneducated, are those the things that they kind of wear so their arms are out etc? Sorry, I'm completely new to all this baby stuff!! So glad i have you all for help!!

xx

 

[snowbee]

I was not planning on getting a baby bath but my mum has said how useful she found hers when we were little, not for using as a bath but for when we were ill to be sick in by the bed! Now there is something I had never considered. As far as I can tell everyone has different essentials depending on your house, lifestyle and baby! I think we are just going to try a few things and go by trial and error.

 

[lisey]

I was not planning on getting a baby bath but my mum has said how useful she found hers when we were little, not for using as a bath but for when we were ill to be sick in by the bed! Now there is something I had never considered. As far as I can tell everyone has different essentials depending on your house, lifestyle and baby! I think we are just going to try a few things and go by trial and error.

This seems to be true, what someone finds useless, another finds it a godsend! xx

 

[Rose83]

True! It depends, on your routine too. Like a top and tail bowl, never used one and don't know anyone that does (if they needed a bit of water in the first few weeks they used a Tupperware container. I give both mine a bath every day before bed and it's part of their routine - both mine have a lot of hair and were born with a full head so a bath is necessary every day because they are also messy eaters lol! I think you can read other people's reasoning behind a product and see if you think it fits or doesn't fit with what you do.

I've just thought of my biggest 'never use': maternity pads. With my first baby I got an infection early on and bled a lot. The midwives said maternity pads are a total waste of money and totally not suitable for use post partum. Basically all maternity pads and expensive sanitary towels are backed with plastic (the side that touches your pants) and that just makes you sweaty and uncomfortable and can make infection worse. So they told me to go get the cheapest own brand sanitary towels I could find because they said the backs of them would be made of that more fabric type material like the maternity pads they give you in hospital. After much investigation I found that Superdrug do a maxi pad that is 55p for 20 and they were way more comfortable than any maternity pad! X

 

[Aimee84]

For me the biggest waste was Johnson's baby wash and shampoo, I found it too harsh on her skin so I refused to throw it and used it myself but it dried my hair and skin out too, I'm using child's farm stuff for my LG. It's great for sensitive skin and smells amazing!

 

[Rose83]

For me the biggest waste was Johnson's baby wash and shampoo, I found it too harsh on her skin so I refused to throw it and used it myself but it dried my hair and skin out too, I'm using child's farm stuff for my LG. It's great for sensitive skin and smells amazing!

I've had no problems with Johnsons normal yellow shampoo/green conditioner/bath foam etc but their first touch stuff was awful for us! Both my children didn't get on with it! X

 

[Laura1992]

Wow thank you ladies for your replies, all very helpful!!

The changing mat was one of the things I was trying to work out, I won't be buying a 'changing unit' so will probably just change baby on the floor or wherever most appropriate like you have all said so I'll just get a cheap basic waterproof mat or something I guess?

So glad the bathing thing was mentioned! I was just going to get one of those bath supports you put in the big bath BUT I totally didn't even think about the fact id have to fill the bath up each time and my bath is quite big! Hmm.. I know the little basic baths are not too expensive so I may just get one so I don't need to fill the bath up everytime and then have a bath with bubba too!

I need to know more about these sleeping bags too!.. I feel so uneducated, are those the things that they kind of wear so their arms are out etc? Sorry, I'm completely new to all this baby stuff!! So glad i have you all for help!!

xx

Poundland do a foldable changing mat. We have one in the bedroom for night changes, we just chuck it on the bed and change on there at night time. Mat downstairs for day changes in the living room on the floor. We store it under the sofa xx

 

[Glitter2707]

So glad the bathing thing was mentioned! I was just going to get one of those bath supports you put in the big bath BUT I totally didn't even think about the fact id have to fill the bath up each time and my bath is quite big! Hmm.. I know the little basic baths are not too expensive so I may just get one so I don't need to fill the bath up everytime and then have a bath with bubba too!

xx

Hi julybug, with our 2nd we used an angelcare bath support as they both went in the big bath together.
If you just have one, however, I would recommend the munchkin inflatable duck bath, it's around £8 on Amazon & is fab. Doesn't use much water, the sides are soft so they can lean against them, it's great. We bathed our eldest in that every night till she was 19 months & little one arrived! Hope that helps x

 

[violet13]

I have a question regarding the sleeping bag things. From what age did you use them and how do you work out what tog to buy? Xx

Sleeping bags are fab! Wish I'd used one from the start as my son kicked blankets off the older he got so from 3 months ish we used sleeping bags but can get them from birth just make sure baby's head doesn't fit through the gap first xxx

 

[violet13]

Wow thank you ladies for your replies, all very helpful!!

The changing mat was one of the things I was trying to work out, I won't be buying a 'changing unit' so will probably just change baby on the floor or wherever most appropriate like you have all said so I'll just get a cheap basic waterproof mat or something I guess?

So glad the bathing thing was mentioned! I was just going to get one of those bath supports you put in the big bath BUT I totally didn't even think about the fact id have to fill the bath up each time and my bath is quite big! Hmm.. I know the little basic baths are not too expensive so I may just get one so I don't need to fill the bath up everytime and then have a bath with bubba too!

I need to know more about these sleeping bags too!.. I feel so uneducated, are those the things that they kind of wear so their arms are out etc? Sorry, I'm completely new to all this baby stuff!! So glad i have you all for help!!

xx

I've got some travel ones? I have about 6?! Don't even ask how I got them all haha but if you want any I'm happy to post xxx

 

[lisey]

I have a question regarding the sleeping bag things. From what age did you use them and how do you work out what tog to buy? Xx

Sleeping bags are fab! Wish I'd used one from the start as my son kicked blankets off the older he got so from 3 months ish we used sleeping bags but can get them from birth just make sure baby's head doesn't fit through the gap first xxx

Thanks as baby is due in May I think I am going to wait for summer to be done and then buy one. My cousin had a baby in may last year and she said that's what she did. I really feel like a beginner with all this. My son is 15 so it's like doing it for the first time again! Xx

 

[babybee]

Lol by reading through this thread it just proves what works for some doesn't work for others. Its all trial and error but I would say dont get everything at once and just see what you need as you go.

 

[ams25]

I need to know more about these sleeping bags too!.. I feel so uneducated, are those the things that they kind of wear so their arms are out etc? Sorry, I'm completely new to all this baby stuff!! So glad i have you all for help!!

xx

Yes they look like little sleeveless dresses. I think they're absolutely brilliant, no worrying about baby wriggling under the covers or kicking them off. 2.5 tog for most nights, 1 tog for warm weather. Gro-bag ones are best but kiddicare and asda/tesco do good ones too xx

 

[violet13]

I have a question regarding the sleeping bag things. From what age did you use them and how do you work out what tog to buy? Xx

Sleeping bags are fab! Wish I'd used one from the start as my son kicked blankets off the older he got so from 3 months ish we used sleeping bags but can get them from birth just make sure baby's head doesn't fit through the gap first xxx

Thanks as baby is due in May I think I am going to wait for summer to be done and then buy one. My cousin had a baby in may last year and she said that's what she did. I really feel like a beginner with all this. My son is 15 so it's like doing it for the first time again! Xx

We have some summer ones and winter ones as our room is the coldest being above the garage as well it's roasting in summer freezing in winter and wow yeah it is pretty much being a first time Mum again my mums got me and then my brother who is 35 so 10 years gap which she said having me was like being a FTM xxx

 

[JD.Deedee]

I second foldable changing mats are way more useful than the normal big ones as you can pack them and take them with you while out and about! I late got some disposable ones for where they ran out of paper or didn't have any to put on public changing tables/mats!

Grow eggs and all that jazz is a waste of money too! And carriers if you do want to carry go to a sling library and look at ergonomic ones or wraps they come in useful for other things than walks without the buggy like doing the dishes and simple things like that but again it's a personal preference.

 

[louise2610]

Moses basket xxx

 

[JulyBug]

Just bought a snuggle baby bath reduced by £9 from tesco in their baby event they have ATM, it's a bit smaller then the standard baby baths they sell which I liked and was a good deal reduced from £20 something.

Slowly getting a few things together!

x

 

[JulyBug]

Sleeping bags - all the ones I've seen say 6months plus, are they not recommended for new borns? xx

 

[Bythesea]

Sleeping bags - all the ones I've seen say 6months plus, are they not recommended for new borns? xx

Hi julybug.
Technically no, they aren't recommended, but I had an episode with my first baby kicking the blankets over his face, even though he was only a week or so old and I'd wrapped him Tightly, so off to m&s I went the next day and bought one! They did 0-6 month ones then, not sure if they still do. Personally I prefer sleeping bags to blankets until they try standing up.

 

[Bythesea]

Oh, also, Jo jo maman Bebe do a great range of sleeping bags and legged sleep suits. The 3 in 1 is fab. Pricey but worth it, as it suits all weathers.