Here are the things I’ve bought for me and baby in the last few months. I’m not saying these are all necessary, nor that they are the best things to buy, but they are all things I’ve seen recommended by friends or that I’ve found from trawling magazines and the internet. Seeing it all written down makes me do a little bit of sick in my mouth at how much I’ve spent (and The Chef is yet to understand the extent of it all) but I told you the nesting instinct was strong. Here goes:
Nursery basics
- John Lewis Lasko cotbed with coir spring mattress, and matching chest of drawers
- Tutti Bambini nursery shelf
- Dutailier glider chair (currently looking to buy second hand on ebay or gumtree for about £50)
- We borrowed a Mamas & Papas Moses Basket and bedding from a friend
- Mothercare Loved So Much wall stickers
- Mothercare Loved So Much rug
- Mothercare Loved So Much cot bumper
- Mothercare Loved So Much knitted blanket
- Mamas & Papas Elfie & Mop musical mobile (reduced to £15)
- Rabbit night light
- Grobag egg room thermometer and night light
- Tommee Tippee baby monitor (bought from NCT nearly new sale for £8)
- Next blue storage tubs and Little Bear neutral storage tubs
- Next A Star Is Born Keepsake Box
Sleeping
- For me – the Dreamgenii pillow
- John Lewis cot bedding (fitted sheets, flat sheets, cellular blankets)
- M&S 1.1 tog sleeping bag
- JoJo Maman bebe 2.5 Tog rainbow sleeping bag
- Kiddopotamus Swaddle me fleece
- Sleep Sheep
Travelling
- Bugaboo Bee pram (bought second hand with rain cover, sunshade and footmuff for around £240. Borrowed Maxi Cosi car seat adaptors and bought coffee cup holder – apparently an essential!)
- We borrowed a sheepskin rug for the pram from a friend and got John Lewis cellular pram blankets
- Baby Bjorn baby carrier (bought for a fiver at the NCT nearly new sale post)
- A babasling (more recommended in comments below – I bought off ebay for around £15)
Changing and feeding
- Luckily, some lovely friends have given me a steriliser, Mendela mini-electric breast pump, bottles (Dr Brown and Tommee Tippee), and breast milk storage bags. All I need to do was to buy was a bottle and teat brush from Boots, and to bribe them with wine to come round and show me what on earth I need to do with it all
- Skip Hop changing bag
- John Lewis wedge changing matt
- John Lewis birdy breastfeeding pillow
- John Lewis muslin squares
- M&S assorted muslins
- I may buy a mamascarf
- I got a second hand bumbo from the NCT nearly new sale
Medical, bathtime and grooming
- I didn’t buy it in the end as I bought separate items, but I like the look of the Tommee Tipee healthcare kit which has brush, comb, thermometer, nasal mucus sucker-up thing, nail clippers and file
- I also did a big shop at Boots for: Arnica pills, paracetamol, baby flannel and sponge, baby nailfile scissors and clippers, Pampers newborn nappies, cotton wool, baby wipes, nasal aspirator thingie, dummies, antibac hand wash, Sudocream, Infacol, breast pads and nipple shields, nipple cream
- John Lewis baby step (I thought I could sit on it while baby is in the bath)
- John Lewis baby bath box to hold all the many baby bits and bobs in the bathroom
- ELC bathtime baby ducks
- A Cuddlemoo cowprint towel apron from Cuddledry
- John Lewis baby hairbrush
- John Lewis dino cuddle robe
- I borrowed a baby bath from a friend and bought a baby support from the NCT nearly new sale for £1
- Philips Advent Digital Thermometer Set
- Advent bath thermometer
Clothes
- John Lewis baby hangers
- Mamas and Papas welcome to the world knitted cardigan
- M&S Matinee cardigan
- Mamas and Papas 6 piece clothes set in brights
- M&S bodysuits
- Mothercare Horse Sleepsuits
- M&S 10 piece newborn starter clothes set
- John Lewis baby elephant set
- John Lewis baby sleepsuits
- Mamas and Papas pramsuit
- Mamas and Papas Zeddy and Parsnip matching suit and hat
Toys and playtime
- Sophie the giraffe teething toy
- Freddie the Firefly
- Stripey horse soft toy
- I bought a baby gym from the NCT nearly new sale for £10 and am borrowing another from a friend
- I have borrowed 2 baby bouncers from friends, and am borrowing a door bouncer
- I bought various rattles, toys and books from the NCT nearly new sale and have inherited lots from friends, as well as getting some lovely toys as pressies
Hospital Bag
- Mine currently has: lavender oil & hanky, nipple cream, arnica pills & paracetamol, throw away pants, maternity pads, slippers, camera, iPhone speakers, snacks, nappies, wipes, cotton wool, newborn outfits x 3. I’m still to get some lipsalve, eye masks and ear plugs, a towel, and cheapie nighties, pants, vests and trackie bums from Primark
- I also love the Hospital Bag checklist from Mums Make Lists and am waiting for the Hospital bag list from The Pregnant Beauty Guide
The Happy Baby Project 