What are the most useful baby products?
With Baby #2 due in just over 9 weeks I still haven’t really got anything sorted! Nothing down from the attic yet, just 1 small packet of nappies bought, which really won’t last us long once she is born.
We thankfully already have most things we need, with Isla’s birthday and Bus’ due date less than 2 weeks apart, I’m hoping that we will be able to reuse pretty much everything. Although there may be a few odd things that we need to either replace, or we have decided would actually be really helpful that we didn’t have first time around.
So I thought I’d ask around as to what everyone found were the most useful baby products.
Transport
A sling, without a doubt. Even more so with the second, third and fourth babies. It meant I could get on with life whilst keeping my baby close themummyadventure.com
I could not have got through without my sling – I started with a baby one but quickly moved on to my Ergo which I used every day. Absolutely a life saver especially with second and subsequent babies. inspirecreatedo.co.uk
Definitely my sling! First off with a refluxy baby who always wanted to be carried and secondly while trying to keep up with a busy toddler who didn’t like to sit still. I’m about to have baby number three and the stretchy wrap and ergo360 are washed and ready to go for a third time. mummyswhineclub.com
A sling! Babywearing made everything so much easier, naps were easy, going for walks was easy and I could even breastfeed on the go! It was like the sling was magic and as soon as I wrapped my crying baby in it he would calm down immediately naptimenatter.com
My sling/wrap! Honestly it was the best thing I brought when I had baby number two. It made getting out and about so much easier as well as meaning I could still play/read/enjoy time with my eldest whilst baby slept on me. tantrumstosmiles.co.uk
Kangaroobaby Baby Sling Wrap Carrier
AmaWrap Stretchy Baby Wrap Sling
A car seat base. I didn’t have one with my son but after having one with my twins I can’t believe I didn’t earlier! Makes life so much simpler especially when it’s horrible weather, no ones got time for fiddling with seatbelts when it’s hammering rain twinderelmo.co.uk
phil&teds Group 0 Car Seat Universal Base
We had the Britax Dualfix Rotating Car seats and they lasted from newborn until the girls were over four. They saved my back and made the hassle of double strapping/unstrapping that bit easier. Also rant I didn’t need to rotate forward until I was ready. mummy2twindividuals.com
Britax Römer DUALFIX Group 0+/1
Second time round everyone recommended the Baby Jogger City buggy. Oh em gee it’s ace! It folds so flat, steers well and has an excellent hood for shade and rain. And it’s super swervy, I can push it one handed and it even has a handbrake! Wish I’d had that first time round, it’s ace! maidenheadmum.co.uk
Baby Jogger City Mini Single Stroller
Feeding
I bottle fed my babies and the thing that I couldn’t live without was the Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Machine
“My Brest Friend†breastfeeding cushion. I have a lot of issues with my back and neck and this helped me avoid leaning over as well making sure baby was in a good position to latch. methemandtheothers.com
My Brest Friend Breastfeeding Pillow
My Haakaa silicone pump. All it does is collect letdown while breastfeeding but I ended up with a freezer stash of milk to the amount of around 300oz without even trying. 3girlsmummy.co.uk
Definitely a double “W” feeding pillow to bottle feed my twins at the same time. Like a V pillow but with an extra V! Could put them on my bed and lie next to them reaching across to give both of them a bottle and save SO much time. They’d happily fall asleep in it too when they were tiny. twinstantrumsandcoldcoffee.com
Cuddles Collection Twinkle Star Twin Nursing Pillow
Washing and Changing
A cot top changing mat. I’ve never mastered changing a nappy on my knee and this revolutionised nappy changing with our second and saved a lot of back ache and sore knees from trying to change her on a mat on the floor wemadeawish.co.uk
A box of spares downstairs! We had a four storey house and used an IKEA Drona box on the ground floor with a spare change of clothes, extra nappies, wipes and more. It really helped especially for my second and third born babies when I was in a rush and needed to change them or grab something for them. cupoftoast.co.uk
Well I think we may be a little stuck without nappies! But also I think one thing that is essential for babies is self-care for mum kateonthinice.com
Pampers New Baby Nappies Size 1
Bambino Mio Miosolo Reusable Nappy Set
Definitely the MyChild Peachy Changing Unit. It includes a changing mat, bath, storage and you can do everything standing up which is a life saver in the early newborn days when you’re still recovering physically. mummyowl.co.uk
A foam bath mat. It was cheap but I would have been lost without it. Both my boys love the bath and I’m convinced it was because they were able to enjoy the water from an early age. themummymonster1.blogspot.co.uk
First Step Newborn Baby Bath Support
Bath thermometer. I am so bad at judging whether the bath water is the right temperature or not! imperfectmummy.com
Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Bath and Room Thermometer
Sleeping
Ollie the Owl. You put the music on and mine just fall asleep! But I agree with dummy’s and Prep-machine – I had 2. One upstairs and one downstairs! popitha.com
The Gro Company Light and Sound, Ollie the Owl Grofriend
I had a next to me crib for my third baby and honestly thought it was the best thing ever, wish I’d had one for the other two. It made night time feeding so much easier and I felt so much more relaxed being able to just see her next to me. mamainprogress.com
Chicco Next2me Side Sleeping Crib – Dove Grey
White noise machine worked miracle for baby number 2. Wish I’d discovered it with my first. The ewan sheep was no good for us, we had one that strapped onto the cot. thefamilyticket.com
AVANTEK Sleep White Noise Machine
Aside from those already mentioned we couldn’t have managed without our Grobag Baby Sleep bags. Best invention and our son soon recognised it was sleep time with them! passportsandadventures.com
Baby sleeping bags. Both mine wouldn’t sleep without them and we saved a fortune in bedding to fit Moses baskets, cost and toddler beds…just pop them in a sleeping bag and you’re good to go! everafterwithkids.com
The Gro Company Grobag Sleeping Bag
Mamas & Papas Dreampod Sleeping Bag
The sleepyhead. I didn’t know about it with my first but my second had terrible colic and reflux so it was very difficult to put him down. The sleepyhead provided a safe, comfortable place for him to nap in the day and still be near to me. emmareed.net
Chairs/Seating
A high chair that is suitable from birth. I can quickly put baby in there and it’s nice to have all of us to sit together at the table! cosmomum.co.uk
I like anything that stands the test of time and can be used as the child grows so my BabyBjörn Bouncer Balance, its on its third baby and still going strong! And my Stokke Tripp Trapp highchair, it’s gone from newborn to highchair through to toddler chair and finally to height adjusted seat, it’s now back to toddler for my two year old but will soon be taken over by number 3! dirtdiggersanddinosaurs.com
BABYBJÖRN Soft Balance Bouncer
A vibrating bouncer. Both my children loved them and they meant I could have a few precious minutes peace! theincidentalparent.com
Red Kite Baby Linen Cozy Bouncer
I’d say one of those little baby chairs (a bit like a bouncer, but static, but can recline or sit up). I had two when my son was a baby – one at home and one at his grandparent’s. They are great for putting the baby down somewhere! So when I had baby number two (12 years later!) it was the first thing I bought! allsheloves.co.uk
Monitors
Video baby monitor, with 2 way communication. the video montior is great when old enough to be on thier own to sleep or if you need a few moments to yourself to breathe. Also they get older you can speak to them to let them know you are there if they need reassurance. mebegeek.com
Motorola MBP18 Digital Video Baby Monitor
Definitely the Angelcare breathing monitor, it’s such a marmite product that many friends hate but we adored it, total peace of mind and I hated when he moved into a bed and we couldn’t use it any more!! adventuresofamum.com
Angelcare AC1300 Baby Movement Monitor, with Video
Other
A dummy. I was the Mum who said my kids would never have a dummy
Controversial but I’d have to say a dummy! I didn’t use a dummy at all with my first born and when
I gave O one at a few days old it was revolutionary lukeosaurusandme.co.uk
Philips AVENT Glow in the Dark Night-Time Soothers
Muslins. As many as possible because babies vomit, spit milk, and then dribble, so I must’ve used them until they were 1 year old or so. myeverythingbeautiful.com
Sock Ons! Never lost a single sock with them. thebearandthefox.com
Teething powder has been a lifesaver recently! Lavender oil is another must have also, its good for baby massage and a little bit sprinkled in the cot made Logan sleep so well! lifewiththewoodheads.com
Ashton & Parsons Infants Teething Pain Relief Powder
Tisserand Lavender Organic Essential Oil
Digital ear thermometer. Took all the guessing out of temperature taking. Don’t bother with the armpit ones! arosetintedworld.co.uk
Braun Thermoscan 7 IRT6520 Thermometer
So there you go, a fantastic list of some of the most useful baby products. It definitely seems that a sling is a must, thankfully we have two already that we’ve found comfortable and easy to use.
Are there any other baby products you have found really helpful that aren’t listed?
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