So, I am now a mum to a healthy , sprightly chunky 5 month old little boy . I feel as new parents we did pretty well to not over buy and research before we splurged but even then there are a few items that have still landed on the miss pile ! Being a new mum (and dad) is difficult at the best of times but below is a list of a few things that I feel made my journey in the parenting world that little bit easier.
Sleeping
Lets just say we haven’t got the “sleeping through” down to a tee yet and people are quick to comment about what we’re doing wrong. First of all, ignore the comments ! Easier said than done I know but all that nonsense about your baby, not sleeping due to things you are doing is ridiculous. Unless you’re physically waking them up your self , you’re doing just fine. Every baby is different and although exhausting, is worth it ten fold and before you know it they’ll be teenagers and you’ll be spending all your time trying to drag them out of bed and the memories of sleepless nights will be a thing of the past .
Sleepyhead - Okay so when Harry was a couple of weeks old we regarded this as a “could do without” item and how wrong were we. As I’m writing this at 2200 hours our little night owl is currently laid on the floor next to my settee, as snug as a bug in a sleepyhead.
Yes this is a “splurge” piece of tackle and at £140 you feel like you’re paying a substantial amount of change for what is essentially a dog bed for your baby..... but by gosh this dog bed is good . We didn’t actually realised how much we used it until we were discussing what we could live with out second time round . It is a comfortable, high quality piece of kit and we will 100% re use this for when we have our second .There are cheaper versions around so do what ever is within your budget and although pricey we feel it is well worth the money.
We purchased the -
Sleepyhead Deluxe+ Forest Friends Baby Pod, 0-8 months Exclusive to John Lewis & Partners. £140 Sold by: johnlewis.co.uk
Next to me crib - So I spent far too long researching the different brands of co-sleepers and top and bottom of it is it’s all about individual style . They all do the same thing near enough and that’s let your new born baby share a bed with you without actually sharing a bed with you. The fact the side comes down and you can attach it to your bed is a safe way to co-sleep with your baby and it is a godsend in the newborn sleepless night stage. Also being one of the many women who have had to have a cesarean, it was a great help for me personally having the baby next to me to limit unnecessary bending post surgery . Harry is still using this as his main sleeper, the side is up and is no longer attached to our bed . He is just starting to out grow it at 5 1/2 months, so we will be transferring him into a big boy cot pretty soon !
This is the brand we chose in the end and what we feel, with reviews was the best value for money.
We purchased the -
Tutti Bambini CoZee® bedside crib - charcoal *exclusive to Mothercare*. £165 (this was the sale price and if possible I would hold out for it at its cheapest price )
** another note is that the Mothercare own brand jersey crib sheets fit this mattress and a bargain as they are £8 for a pack of 2 **
Sold by: mothercare.co.uk
Cellular blankets - We were fortunate enough to have been gifted several blankets in various styles but we only owned one cellular. This was the one we used the most as Harry really liked to be swaddled and this was the most breathable fabric of all the blankets and helped him regulate his temperature safely with out over heating ! ( they advises you not to do this now but my health visitor was aware and said they are only guidelines and we can implement these as we see fit, as long as there is no threat of danger to the baby and it follows safe sleeping standards ) and as one of Harry’s hands was always free I felt swaddling was an appropriate technique. I will 100% re purchase more blankets in this style for baby number 2 when that time comes .
Below is a link to the latest NHS website regarding safe sleeping techniques and tips https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/reducing-risk-cot-death/
Asda has a pretty good range of quality blankets all between £6-£10
** Tip wait for the asda baby event if Possible to get even more discount.
Bouncer chair - So this is where the most weird and wonderful contraptions have been created. You’d have thought that Konstantin Novoselov would have created these things as a part of him winning the Nobel prize with how technical and advanced they are ! We chose a basic design and once again this has proved to be amazing value for money for what it is . I am more than happy with my choice of chair and knowing what I know now, I would 100% pick this chair again for my first born. I am going to contradict myself here though and say I wouldn’t keep this one for my next baby and I would indeed buy a chair with more cushion in it. I would refrain from having one that rocks or shakes as I read it can make your baby crave it to settle . I don’t know how true this is or if it’s just coincidence again but Harry has never needed to be rocked or motioned to settle.
This is the one we chose and I have to admit, I have been seeing this all over my social media too, so it proves a popular choice !
Cozy Bounce Linen 804/1346 £24.99
(Pretty sure we got this in the sale for £19 though)
Sold by: Argos.co.uk
Grow Egg - So this was something I really wanted . And with it being April and not the best of weather I really panicked about if my baby was too hot or too cold.
In the first few days / weeks I religiously looked at this to gauge how many blankets to use and what best to put him in under his sleep suit. After a few weeks though we got the gist and stopped using it and pretty soon it was unplugged and put away. Second time round I won’t use it at all as I will be confident enough to judge how warm a room is and how to dress my baby. You’d think it would be simple but as a new parent you constantly second guess everything and worry you’re not doing something right ! This little egg however helps eliminate some of that until your confidence as a new parent grows .
Gro Egg Room Thermometer - £13.00
Sold by: Boots.co.uk
CHANGING
So not much has changed in the way of how we care for a baby during the early months regarding changing needs. There is indeed a gadget for everything now days and me and my other half were in full agreement that less is more and we wanted to keep things simple. Having a baby is expensive as it is and we're not really materialistic, so having the latest and greatest new “in” thing wasn’t the top of our list . If something you were wanting isn’t on this list, I’m not saying don’t buy it and vice versa . Each to their own, you know what will work best for you on your parenting journey, so buy what you like for your baby and if you indeed want the latest gadget , you go get it girl ! (Or guy )
Changing table - So quite a few people told me that this was old fashioned and a waste of money as they just changed there baby on the floor . When Harry was first born I knew we’d be returning to our apartment and although it is roomy we had to be savvy with space to incorporate a baby into our lives. I can honestly say I have used this every morning to dress and wash him and change him through out the day . Don’t get me wrong some times I’ve changed him on the floor or in the bed but more often than not he has been changed on the table. Having an unexpected cesarean meant that bending wasn’t something I was excited to keep repeating more than I had to, so having something like this helped massively with my healing process.
We purchased -
Woodluv Dresser Station, Babys Changing Table Unit (Features Towel Rail) -White £56.99
Sold by: Amazon.co.uk
CHANGING MAT- *** this does say online that it’s no longer available but they have plenty more designs ... and to be fair I would have probably got a cheaper one from another store if it wasn’t for the fact it matched my sleepyhead.
John Lewis & Partners Forest Friends Changing Mat £10.00
Sold by : Johnlewis.co.uk
A PLASTIC BOWL - Yep you read it right . A plain bog standard, plastic kitchen bowl.
You’re not supposed to use baby wipes in your baby's first 6 weeks of life as they can sometimes be too abrasive for their little tushies. There is a product out there at the moment called “WATER WIPES”. These are great for convenience, as I understand that going to the kitchen to get a bowl of water each time you need to change their nappies , 10-12 times a day when they’re newborn (Yes really that many!) is not only a drag but also time consuming. I personally found water wipes too expensive for what they are. So I chose to go with the old fashion water and cotton pad technique !
Now I'm not going to sit here and lie to you saying I got water every time during the first six weeks, as I am a real life , tired, new mum and sometimes, I’m afraid, convenience prevails . I’m not saying for anyone else to do this but Harry has never suffered with nappy rash or a sore bum so I feel that my choice to to do so at that time, was one that worked for me and my boy .
BATH TIME
I will never forget Harry’s first bath time . This was the first time he had cried since been born at a ripe old age of 1 week old ! (Yes I’m aware how lucky we are and nor do I have an issue with crying babies , that’s what they’re supposed to do ! And I wouldn’t expect any less, it was just Harry’s style that he chose to make weird noises rather than cry)
I am happy to announce that he LOVES his bath time now and it was indeed just this one time he felt he was not living his “best life”.
Shnuggle baby bath - This was indeed a great hit for us and has been used up to Harry being 5 months old and something I would class as a newborn essential. Harry was 3 weeks early and although he looks big on the photo I can assure you he wasn’t ! The ridge in this bath helped you feel more supported when bathing his fragile little body and for first time parents, handling a feeble little thing for its first ever bath you really do need all the support you can get (literally). As I say this is slightly more pricey than a bog standard baby bath but I feel it is well worth the money for the support it gives your newborn when sat in it.
We purchased ours from
Shnuggle Baby Bath, Grey Stars
Exclusive to John Lewis & Partners £19.99
Sold by : Johnlewis.co.uk
Bubble bath and wash - So I wasn’t really fussy about baby wash and was planning on using Aldi’s own Brand if I’m honest. However we were lucky enough to be gifted a natural body wash and shampoo and used this to top and tail every morning and to bath once a week ( I was shocked to find out , post birth may I add that you didn’t bath your baby every day). I’m not sure whether this is coincidence or if it’s actually the brand but Harry has never had dry or sensitive skin or suffered with cradle cap (touch wood ). I can’t however confirm this to the product, as I exclusively used only this until recently . It’s natural, has no added nasties and smells amazing and we still have over quater of a bottle left ! I have since started mixing it with Aldis own night time lavender bath and Wash and I can confirm Harry still continues to hold the title to the very famous saying “smooth as a babies bum“.
As I say we were lucky to be gifted it but they sell it in John Lewis for £6.00
Burt's Bees Baby Bee No Tears Baby Shampoo & Wash, 236ml
(Pricey but I would 100% re purchase this if I have another child, for them first few sensitive months !)
BATH THERMOMETER - There are lots of high tech bath thermometers in the market but the more high tech they are the bulkier they seem . Mine was plain and simple and they had a few designs available . Does what it says on the tin !
We purchased the -
Babyono Children's Bath Thermometer BO0008(White/Blue) £3.70
Sold by: Amazon.co.uk
Feeding
How you choose to feed your child in the early months is very much a personal choice . It can be a very controversial topic and one I am planning on writing a blog about (hopefully)some time in the future but I view it as simply ”FED IS BEST” . I chose to breast feed my son and luckily we both took to it really well so my list of newborn must haves will be catered to this, rather than bottle feeding. Although if you’re planning on bottle feeding you can still read on as I tried to introduce breast and bottle at 6 weeks (several makes of bottles have been used ) and Harry still very much prefers the boob 🤦🏽♀️
MUSLINS - So I feel I only bought these as I was breast feeding and I thought this would be good as a multi use tool to cover up with ...... I was WRONG . Bottle or breast I would 100% buy these again in the future. Another tip is, you can never have too many. Over the first few months of Harry’s life I went out and bought more and more . Primark have a really good range and fab designs . And at around £3-£4 for a pack you can’t go wrong . There are more expensive brands of course but I personally refuse to spend a large amount on something that is essentially a sick rag for the most part . But I’m really a big fan of these ! I can’t sing there praises enough ! I also use them to cover up when feeding as they are light weight and breathable but also keep you covered sufficiently when feeding in public.
Bottles - So to begin with we used the Tommy tippee close to nature bottles and these worked for the first few days but Harry really struggles with the shape and size of the teat. I do feel however that if I hadn’t of breast fed he would have indeed got on with these and they are good value for money if bought and the right time along side offers !
We then moved onto the mam bottles and these are amazing ! We got a free mini one in the hospital gift pack but have since gone on to purchase the bigger ones now that we’re attempting to ween him onto the bottle . I do wish we had bought these from the beginning but you live and learn and what works for one certainly doesn’t work for the other. The real bonus point for these bottles is that they self sterilise in the microwave and have a unique teat which makes it easier for your baby to grasp with their mouth .
You can buy starter packs that come with all the different styles of bottle for around £25 but as the process of introducing bottles has not been the easiest thing to implement, I didn’t want to waste money on a big set , if he didn’t suite them.
We purchased -
MAM Easy Start Self Sterilising Anti-Colic Bottle Pack of 3... £15.99
Sold by: Amazon.co.uk
( On a serious note though this whole introducing bottle from breast and weaning off is proving our most challenging task since becoming a parent. Luckily for me , breast feeding has been a Positive easy-ish process , yes the first few 6 weeks were a challenge but not one I found overly difficult . Trying to ween this little boob monster onto bottles though is another story and just not happening. Even after researching, I don’t know if I’m doing anything wrong so if anyone has any tips please feel free to help a struggling mum out ! All ideas welcomed with open arms!)
Breast pump - So I breast fed for the most part but sporadically pumped in the early days to increase milk flow then regularly at six weeks when I introduced a bottle . I had the Tommee Tippee breast pump and although it did its job I just didn’t get on with it . I found it much quicker to manually express . This once again is personal preference and although the product did exactly what it said on the tin , I’m all about an easy life and far too lazy for all that jazz so this wouldn't be something I would re-purchase in the future, so this would have to be a miss for me.
Travel
Pram- Don't get me wrong, some of the prams out there are amazing and I loved the style and make of some of the designer brands and did actually see myself with the latest and greatest model . What I couldn’t see however, was me bringing my self to spend the same amount on what some people would pay for a small car, on a pram. I still wanted style and durability and something that looked good with out the designer price tag . After lengthy searches, many you tube videos and several reviews later I found my little dream racer ! This was a three pram set up in one , a newborn setting , 6 months plus setting and a car seat with an isofix base. You could customise the chassis and the leather trim and it even came with lots of accessories too ! All this for £399 in the sale . It’s light weight , easy to move and has amazing durability ! Including me ragging it down 3 flights of stairs when our building lift broke ! ( I would just like to state that Harry was not strapped in it at the time.) There is a great height difference between me and Ben, with him being 6'1 and me being 5'3 . Another good feature of this pram,is the handle extends so me and Ben can both push the baby at a comfortable position.
This wasn’t a feature we were particularly looking for but very grateful when it came . I would also like to mention the basket space underneath. There is a lot of space here , way more than my sisters pram . I do a lot of travelling and that space when you’re on your own is a godsend !
We purchased the
Ickle bubba Stomp V3 Black All In One Travel System - Graphite Grey . £448.95
**My dad purchased this in the sale and got it for £399 . Tip - search discount codes for the website you buy from to get it at a similar price !
YOU MADE IT ! YOU'RE AT THE END
Hope some of these items help you, along your newborn baby journey , be it being new parents or second+ time round! Each opinion is my own and remember what works for us may not work for you.
I mean if we're honest we are all winging it anyway aren't we!
Congratulations on your new bundle(s) of joy !
Sarah
xx