Jon keeps commenting on how much baby products have evolved just since Tyne was born and that was only 2 years ago...I'm not sure if that's true or if we're just looking at different sorts of things this time around, but I have been really impressed with the choices on offer this time and the value for money too.
One of my best discoveries during this pregnancy has been Online4Baby - which is where we bought the one item that we were both determined we wanted as soon as we found out about having baby number 2! - a co-sleeper!
I remember when Tyne was newborn and how much we struggled to get him to sleep for more than an hour at a time in his moses basket...the only place he seemed to settle was when he co-slept with us and both of us were so worried about the associated risks but were also so desperate for some sleep!
This time around we knew we wanted a co-sleeper crib so that, if this baby is also difficult to settle in his own bed at first, we have a safe co-sleeping option!
I had researched a few different co-sleeper styles online, and the one that most appealed to me was the Chicco Next 2 Me....I loved the padded sides which looked so much more comfortable to me than some of the cotton alternatives on the market, I loved the ventilated mesh window and I loved that it has a removable side so that you can use it as a stand alone and progress it away from the bed as the baby gets older to encourage solo-sleeping.
I also loved that it's available in Dove Grey which matches our bedroom decor perfectly!
Online4Baby were so great to deal with and kept us informed of our order progress throughout - the cot arrived the very next day after ordering, and we were given a delivery time slot which was kept to...a very welcome change from the experiences I often have with couriers!
We are really excited to start using this, and will be featuring an in depth review once the baby has been using it for a while.
Online4Baby are well worth a look when you're expecting as they really do have some absolutely amazing bargains available - including Cosatto double strollers for under £140 and Claire De Lune moses baskets for under £30!
Check out their sale section here!
We're also really excited to be reviewing the Nuna Leaf once the new baby arrives.
This was something I spotted a blogger friend of mine using about 6 months after I'd had Tyne, and I remember thinking how beautiful it was and how much I wished I'd known about it before as by that point we had already bought various bouncy chairs and swings for Tyne and didn't have the room for any more.
So this time around, I knew it was something I wanted to try...I asked a few friends about it and the feedback was very positive!
The leaf is basically a chair that holds children from newborn up to 60kg, so will last for quite a while!
It needs no batteries or chords...you simply give it a gentle push and the side-to-side rocking motion lasts for over 2 minutes, it's super soft and comfortable for baby, and you can lock it to a standstill too to enable it to be used for feeding etc.
I love how stylish and elegant the leaf design is, and it's available in a choice of very tasteful color combinations...we chose the Bisque as this fits perfectly with our cream and tan living room decor...unlike a lot of baby items, this offers both practicality and functionality for baby while also managing to look stylish in the home - perfect!
Tyne has already tested this out on behalf of his little brother and approves very much, he seems to love chilling out in it so fingers crossed the new baby will feel the same way!
To find out more please take a look at the Nuna website or go to John Lewis to purchase - full review coming soon once baby has tried it out for himself!
I've hunted high and low for a playmat I really loved this time around...when we had Tyne I bought a Brightstarts one which did the job just fine but wasn't the most attractive thing to look at!
I knew that I wanted something a bit prettier to look at this time but still fun for baby, and my main issue with playmats is that they are always made from quite thin material and so seem like they might not be that comfortable for baby to lay on...I remember my Mum always drove me mad saying that Tyne seemed uncomfortable on his Bright Starts mat and always putting cushions under him! (Sorry Mum!)
I saw April from Lilly & Me mention the Mothercare Loved So Much playmat on her blog a while ago, and I thought it looked perfect! So squishy and comfortable, fun for baby and a perfect match for his nursery too...so I had to have it!!
I can't wait to see if he likes it!
Available from Mothercare for £45.00
Another item we didn't have for Tyne which we wanted to get for this baby was a bath support.
I guess we never really needed one with Tyne because we bathed in a baby bath until he was a few months old, and then once he was ready for the big bath we only had him to worry about so we were able to support him while washing him....this time it will be much easier to bathe both children together after a few months, and so a bath support for baby will be a real plus to help us manage two at once at bath time.
We've chosen the Minene Bath Support because it looks cute and functional, and comfortable for baby - we got this from House Of Fraser where it was reduced to a bargain £14.00!
We also picked up a couple of shirts for the boys too in their fab sale - how cute are these?!
A Pumpkin Patch shirt & tie set for Tyne reduced from £22 to £10 and a Bennetton Baby Shirt for the new baby reduced to £8!
Sticking with the bath time theme, I've bought a few normal towels for the new baby as we still use hooded baby towels with Tyne and obviously I want the baby to have his own nice soft new towels...but one thing we didn't have for Tyne was a Cuddledry towel and ever since seeing them on Dragons Den I have thought they seemed like such an excellent idea and something that would definitely make bathtime a lot easier this time around!
Basically the Cuddledry is an extra long towel that allows you to wear it around your neck, clipped into place with a secure fastener...so that it becomes an apron-style and allows you to cover yourself and your clothing ready to receive baby from the bath water but leaving your hands completely free! Genius!
I can't tell you how many times I have retrieved a wriggling, wet baby from the bath water while having no choice but to try to hold the towel between my teeth or under my chin! Such a simple invention but once that make life just so much easier!
Available from www.cuddledry.com
What items did you find most useful with your newborn?
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