beauisblue@gmail.com
When you have a baby the amount of things you need to get soon adds up! As Baby E is our first baby, we looked into everything and bought what we thought we would need at the time.
Somethings that were very hyped up we bought into and some we didn't.
I thought I would tell you about the things that we have managed to live without for a whole 10 months. Later on in the post I will tell you what we bought after Baby E arrived and didn't need or use!
Things we didn't buy into were the very hyped about Perfect Prep Machine. To be honest, I wasn't as clued up on it as I maybe should have and I think looking back it would have made life a little bit easier for myself. But I'm more of a 'let's save money, and do it the old fashioned way' kinda girl.
There have been times I have thought about buying one, but then again, how easy is it to boil a kettle and let it cool in a tub of cold water 30 mins before the bottle is due and save yourself 90 bucks?
Another we by passed and never even looked at was a changing table. I never even thought about buying one, when Baby E was newborn/3 months we changed him in his cot on a changing mat (he slept in a Moses Basket in our room - the cot was in his room) We were happy, Baby E was happy. The only thing was when we moved him into his own room for sleeping, but we have a changing mat and managed very easily to whip that out on the floor and change him there and then. Also Baby E is a very wriggly baby and I just wouldn't feel comfortable using it in case he wriggled off - not that I would leave him unattended, but you know what I mean!
One thing we did looking into and was super close to buying was a nappy bin. Our bins are not at our front door, so with smelly nappies this seemed like an easy option. But Baby E came along before we actually bought one, and we have managed to live without one. I usually bag his used nappies in a nappy bag and either pop them in a bag to go outside or waiting until he was a sleep then went down to the bin. This has worked for us so far and has saved us a bit of money.
Lastly, the thing we didn't look all the much into was a Baby Carrier. I just was really unsure of them and didn't want Baby E to be constantly stuck to me and get clingy. My friend swears by them and has offered us one to try but I never used it. I think for me, its easier to use my pram and we have never been in that situation that a pram was not ideal. I think now he's maybe a bit too heavy to use one anyway, but even if we have a second I don't think we would buy one, just because we've managed without with Baby E.
Now onto the things we wish we hadn't of bought....
Something we bought but soon realised we didn't need it was a baby walker. We popped Baby E in the walker at about 7 months and he just didn't take to it at all, we tried a couple more times over the month but still had the same reaction. This now sits unused. I think we might actually sell it as even if we have another I don't think we would use it. Baby E loves his push along walker much better!
Another thing we bought but only used a handful of times is a Bumbo seat. We bought one before Baby E made his appearance as they were pretty hyped up and I thought I needed to have one. Sadly for us, Baby E just didn't like it. We popped him in it a couple of times and I felt he was very squashed in it and he would try and get out so that was that and it was put to the side and never looked at again.
One thing that was a good idea at the time and have only used it a couple of times for it's intended use is the the Playpen. I did a post on it over here where I gave it lots of praise. I do like it and it did help us when Baby E was at the stage of being on the move. Now we leave the gate open and he is free to go in and out of it. I don't think I have locked him in it for a couple of months now. To be honest it's now just taking up space in out living room and if I went back and time to when we thought about buying this I wouldn't have bothered. Maybe it will come in handy when hes older who knows!
Did you give into any baby product hypes? Are there things you bought that you wish you hadn't? I'd love to know!
The first piece of advice I ever give friends having babies is "Buy the bare minimum until you know what you actually need" - all baby needs at first is vests, sleepsuits, nappies, wipes and something to sleep & travel in. All the rest is just stuff which may or may not fit into your life. Like you we've never felt the need for a nappy bin but I couldn't live without my carrier - it all depends on your lifestyle and your baby doesn't it :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up with #TriedTested this week x
Ahhh I remember when Bumbo seats were a big thing. I got my youngest one when she was little and I think she sat in it twice....My eldest did manage to get herself nearly stuck in it though. lol We had a Playpen too but as we lived in a flat we didn't have much use for it.
ReplyDeleteI loved my prep machine, one of the best products we had haha but we had it from day 1 so definitely worth it. We've never had a changing table or nappy bin, nothing wrong with a nappy bag and normal bin I think xx
ReplyDeleteWe didn't get a change table either. Honestly, what's the need? No harm in sitting on the floor with a change mat, and in my mind, a lot safer too!
ReplyDeleteWe got a Bumbo too and it honestly wasn't worth the money for us. Alexander is quite a chunky boy and so he just seemed squashed in to the seat, aside from that, I don't think it would have been much use anyway.
One thing I wish we did rush in to was a manual breast pump. Ultimately, I wasn't able to breastfeed Alexander - for a couple of reasons - and so that was definitely not needed!
:-)
Life’s Open Pages
We got a changing table that is also a dresser, to be fair it wasn't used much for changing on, but the front came off so it's now just a dresser! Also got a bumbo, but wasn't ever used! However we love our wraps and carriers, even more so with number 2 baby, he never goes in the buggy and is happy to be carried everywhere! :) xx
ReplyDeleteI bought a changing table for Daniel and it is used every day still. I find it so much easier changing Emma on there as the wriggles far less than if she is on the floor on a changing mat. Also I sue the underneath to store our cloth nappies. We have more than had our monies worth from it.
ReplyDeleteI have LOTS of baby carriers, and still carry Daniel (who is 2.5 years old) and Emma (14 months). My biggest waste of money buy conversely was the pushchair as it is only really used when there are other people with me who would want to push Emma around. I *hate* using it and find it just a real pain.
interesting though that what one loves another hates xx
#toddlerapproved
we invested in a 'from birth' highchair which was the best thing we ever bought, it was great for meal prep and even sitting at the table when T was newborn, I'd recommend one to all parents, although ours was on the large size and took up a lot of space.
ReplyDeleteSorry my comments are so late this week, thanks for linking #toddlerapprovedtuesday xx
I've never understood a nappy bin before. We looked at a Bumbo too when Baby L was starting to sit up but not properly - in retrospect, we're really pleased we didn't as it'd only last like a few weeks. Get a baby carrier for the next one you have, they are great :)
ReplyDeleteI've never understood a nappy bin before. We looked at a Bumbo too when Baby L was starting to sit up but not properly - in retrospect, we're really pleased we didn't as it'd only last like a few weeks. Get a baby carrier for the next one you have, they are great :)
ReplyDelete