Baby Essentials???

 So everyone knows that when babys come along they cost a fair few pennys. Baby equipment isn't cheap, especially if you want everything brand new and shiny. I have been receiving various catalogues and info packs from companies for weeks and they never cease to make me giggle. Here's one I received today and my thoughts on it.

New Baby Bathing Essentials

• Infant Bathtub  (Never used one, when tiny they were washed in the bath with me or just top and tailed using a bowl of warm water)
• Soft Hooded Towels
• Grooming Kit  (Baby hairbrush is the only thing I ever used in the ones I received)
• Slip resistant bath tub mats (Is my regular bath mat not special enough? It has dolphins on it!!)
• Bathing Toys  (Empty bottles, a sponge, and a plastic jug - hours of fun and pretty much free)
• Wash Cloths (I do agree baby skin needs a sponge rather than a scrubby thing but certainly not a special one)
• Cotton Wool Balls and Cotton Buds
• Shampoo, Oil and Lotions  (I use Johnsons baby stuff or own brand baby stuff on myself usually so we all just share)

New Baby Bedding Essentials

• Crib Bedding  
• Crib Fitted Sheets
• Crib pad (No idea what this is)
• Crib Blankets
• Bassinett Sheets (I used crib blankets for both, the magical bit is folding them in half so they fit!)
• Lightweight and Heavy Blankets
• Mattress Pads (Again no idea)
• Waterproof Liner (I had a mattress protector and changed the sheets every other day/when needed)
• Changing Mat  (Tea towels did better for me, after a day worth of use you can pop them in the wash and not need to worry about germs lingering)
• Wallpaper (Cause your newborn will not develop correctly if you don't redecorate!!!)
• Cot quilt (Saw this and thought of FROOGS!!!!!)
• Pillow (Never ever ever would I give my newborn a pillow! Surely this would be dangerous?)
• Curtains  (See wallpaper)
• Lamp and lampshade (I have a hall light for soft lighting and a main light for bright lighting, no need)
• Changing Table Cover (For dinner partys perhaps?)
• Changing Table Pad  (Huh?)
• Accessories (I brought some cute wall stickers in poundland)

New Baby Clothing Essentials

• Onesies or Bodysuits
• Sleepers or Nightgowns  (Is this not the same as above? DD always slept in onesies, in the day she wore people clothes
• Socks and Booties (Yet to find a bootee that stays on)
• Light cap for night (as above)
• Baby Hat, (Maybe if going outside but not indoors)
• T-shirts (pullover and side-nap) 
• Mittens  (Won't stay on, just use socks)
• Cotton shirts
• Pants (pull on, waterproof) (Pointless, unless baby clothes are in very short supply)
• Receiving or Swaddle Blankets (Your cot blankets won't do two jobs?)
• Crib blanket or quilt
• Sweater / jacket
• Winter coat
• Shoes (Pointless until they show signs of standing in my opinion)
• Sleeveless vests / undershirts
• Rompers (footed and not)

New Baby Nappies Essentials

Disposable nappies

• Newborn nappies
• A supply of cloth nappies is also recommended

Baby ointment / cream / powder (against rashes)

• Baby wipes (disposable or washable)
• Nappy Bag (when travelling)

New Baby Feeding Essentials

Bottles

• Bottles (washable or disposable)
• Nipples (fast and slow flow)
• Bibs, you'll need loads! (Never bothered, only need the occasional muslin for a mop up here and there. DD was never a dribbly baby even though she was an early teether)
• Steriliser (Microwave, Electric, Boiling...)
• Bottle Brush
• Bottle Warmer (Never warmed my bottles, DD learnt quick to accept room temperature/slightly chilled bottles, which means far less faff when out and about)
• Bottle Drying Rack  (I have a regular plate rack and guess what! It worked fine with bottles!)
• Teethers 
• Bottle Caps
• Bottle Liner (?)

Solid Feeds

• Feeding Fork and Spoon   (used teaspoons, plastic once DD had teeth)
• Feeding Bowl  (Regular bowl)
• Food Blender and grinder  (Use the back of a fork or a potato masher)
• Plastic sip cup (DD went straight from bottle to straws/normal cups, again so much less fuss when out and about)

Baby Feeding Supplies

• Highchair
• Baby wipes (disposable or washable)
• Plastic spills mats (near the highchair)   (Don't feed them on carpet and your be fine without these)

New Baby Furniture Essentials

• Chest  (DD had a small chest of drawers that held everything)
• Dresser  (nope)
• Crib and Pad  (Crib from freecycle that we washed down )
• Crib mattress and waterproof pads (Mattress was possibly the only thing we brought new)
• Changing Table and Pad (If you change you baby on the floor it will never roll off it and break a limb, I used my lap when DD was newborn until I could bend again after my c-section)
• Bassinet or Cradle (We were gifted one so we used it, but otherwise we wouldn't have bothered)
• Highchair
• Toy chest (Cardboard box)
• Rocking chair (Nope)

New Baby Health and Safety Essentials

• Thermometer for the nursery  (Used common sense)
• Ear Thermometer
• Nasal Aspirator (?)
• Baby Monitor (We had ears, baby sleeps in room with us until they are past nightfeeds)
• Safety Gate 
• Night Light  (Never had one and thanks to lack of it we now have a baby who isn't afraid of the dark)
• Healthcare Books(Google and emergency mum phonecalls lol)
• Cupboard Safety Locks  (Why do I need these and a safety gate? Anything remotely dangerous we keep in the kitchen behind the safety gate)
• Toilet Locks  (These exist? Seriously?)
• Appliance Locks  (I constantly worry about my new born opening the fridge!!!)
• Pacifiers  (DD was a thumbsucker before she was even born, and this one appears to be following suit after a recent scan)
• Outlet Plugs (Interestingly these things actually make sockets more dangerous, google it if you dare!!!!)
• Door stops (Folded paper works to!)
• First-aid supplies
• Fever Reducer
• Medicine spoon (Used a dropper and still do, they don't to go walkies like spoons)
• Medicine dropper
• Disinfecting hand soap (Wouldn't you normally have this?)
• Teething gel 
• Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors 

New Baby Toys, Books and Music Essentials

Toys Essentials

• Bath toys (Already answered)
• Stroller toys  (Small regular toy)
• Crib toys (Cribs are for sleeping so I wouldn't add anything stimulating in here)
• Soft toys 
• Development and learning toys
• Rattles
• Playgym / Playmat  (Blanket/towel/quilt on the floor)
• Doorway jumper (Don't see the point in these)
• Swing (Again no point)
• Bouncer  (Used the travel system car seat)

Music Essentials

• Lullaby music  (YouTube or Spotify or a regular radio)
• Bedtime music ~(ditto)
• Classical music  (ditto)
• Educational music (ditto)
• CD/tape player (Use what you have already)

Well that's a lot of junk wiped off that list and a lot of space saved in my flat lol. 

x x x x