I remember fondly how proud I was when I managed to get the exact pram that I'd been hoping to get after reading really good reviews on it, for a bargain price, despite the fact that it was new. And I remember the first stuffed toy that I got for him - a little multicoloured toy cat from Mothercare. I remember placing it inside his cot that we'd built and was ready and waiting for him in his newly decorated nursery. I don't think you ever forget those little moments.
But as I said, it can be a minefield knowing what you'll actually need and no new soon-to-be parents are in a position to waste money on things that they'll end up not using - I read today that the cost of raising a child over 18 years old is around a whopping £75,147! So today I thought I would share a few products that I loved when my children were newborns/babies so that you know what's worth investing in for your own little one/s.
1. Tommee Tippee Prep Machine We formula fed our boys and I cannot express how much of a fantastic product I think the Perfect Prep Machine from Tommee Tippee was for bottle feeding! I didn't have one when Ethan was a baby and I always found making up bottles a rather long process, but with the Prep Machine, preparing bottles for Logan was SO much easier as it's able to make a fresh bottle at the correct temperature in less than 2 minutes.Its filter system removes any impurities present in the water and the initial ‘hot shot’ of water it dispenses kills any bacteria present in the formula. You just set it to the number of ounces you require and it will dispense the correct amount of sterile water at the perfect temperature - it's literally stress-free!
2. Fisher-Price JumperooBoth of my boys had a Jumperoo when they were babies from about 4/5 months and we thought they were brilliant! Granted, they do take up a bit of room in your home, although I think some of the newer ones can be collapsed to save space? But it's a great fun toy for babies that can sit unsupported. My boys used to love bouncing about and they could also spin around in it as the seat spins around completely. They used to enjoy reaching for the many colourful toys and playing with the activities on it, as well as watching the lights and listening to the music. I always felt like it helped strengthen their legs and gave them a chance to experience standing before they actually could.
3. Aden + Anais MuslinsThese aren't cheap, but in my opinion, they are the best quality muslin cloths. I had cheaper ones when I first had Ethan and I found that they didn't stay soft for very long compared to the Aden + Anais muslins that I had after I'd had Logan. I used Muslins A LOT, especially as my boys had reflux and I found that they had many uses - we'd use them as something for the boys to lie on if we needed to, or a light blanket in the summer, we'd sometimes lay them out on top of our changing mats to make it a bit warmer for the boys when we'd lay them down to change their nappies and of course we used them lots for mopping up bits of baby sick and other spillages. If you swaddle you can also use them for that, so they have tons of uses and we found that you really get your moneys worth.
4. Styfile Baby Nail ClippersThose sharp little baby nails grow very quickly and we've used the Styfile nail clippers for both of our boys since they were born, in fact, we still use them today and our boys are now 4 and 6! They're so easy to use and they have a spy hole in the top of the clipper so you can see what your clipping which makes them safe to use. There's also a Timmy Tickle Baby app that comes with your purchase to help keep your little one distracted if they're not a fan of having their nails trimmed.
5. SnuzPod Bedside CribWe had a SnuzPod when Logan was born and I liked it for many reasons. Firstly, it looked really lovely next to our bed, it was also very easy to access and I liked the shelf space underneath which we used to store spare bedding, Logan's sleeping bag, spare nappies, wipes and nappy bags and anything else we wanted easy night time access too.
You can attach the SnuzPod crib to your own bed as well which I think is a very handy feature as it provides you and your baby with peace of mind and comfort without them actually sleeping in your bed. The bassinet detaches from the stand by just lifting it up, so there's also no need to buy a separate daytime moses basket, as you can take the bassinet around the house with you for your baby's day time naps.
Logan always liked to be rocked to sleep and so we found the rocking stand on the SnuzPod a bit of a god-send as it meant we could put him down in his crib and rock him to sleep that way. I've heard that the new SnuzPod's allows you to set an incline on them to help with reflux which would have been great for us.
6. A good baby bath seatWe found it invaluable having a baby bath seat especially so as I have a problem with my back and so leaning over holding our boys in the bath would have been quite painful for me. I think we bought a cheap one from somewhere like Mothercare or IKEA and I've linked a similar one above, but there are lots of different options available. I don't think it matters too much on the brand, but I do think it's worthwhile having one.
7. Fisher-Price Starlight Mobile When all else failed in terms of getting our boys to go to sleep at night it was the Fisher-Price Starlight cot mobile that was our saviour! It plays really soothing lullabies, has lights that project out of it and mirrored stars that hang down and our boys found it to be such a comfort at bedtime. What I loved most about it is the fact that you could set it to automatically go off after 20 minutes or so, so you didn't need to worry about going back in to start it up again or turn it off.
8. The Gro Company Baby Sleeping bags
When used sleeping bags or grow bags as they are sometimes referred to with both of our children at bedtime when they were babies. We always felt like they were the safest options as it meant that they could be kept warm and cosy at night but without the risk of loose covers/blankets being over them. We found them so easy to use and so simple to wash and keep clean. We had lighter tog sleeping bags for the summer and then thicker togged sleeping bags for the winter. The boys always slept well in them and I wouldn't have used anything else
I hope this list of recommendations has been helpful. If you're a parent already, what products do you/did you love for your baby?
Thank you for reading. Alex xo
