Advertising companies, other parents, family members and baby shops tell you that you need certain things when your baby is born- but trust me- you don’t. We fell into the trap of buying everything we were told to and there are some items we have used once or never even taken out of the packaging. So here are a few things to avoid which will help you save the pennies for something more worthwhile.
Parenting on Female First
Nappy Bins
Nappies are smelly things and putting them a bin, even if each one is in a ‘scented’ nappy bag- doesn’t work to mask the odour. I would advise that you put nappies straight into your outside bin to stop your home smelling like a toilet.
Baby Bath
Baby baths provide no support for your little one, so you must hold them while trying to wash them and if you are on your own this is nearly impossible. You become too focused on keeping your baby safe and they don’t get a proper wash. Even with a partner to help- it’s still a stressful experience. I would urge you to go for a bath seat- like the Angelcare Soft Touch Bath Support which positions your baby in the same way as a bouncer chair would, so they are safe while you get to work removing all the remnants of milk and poo that you have missed on previous changes (that stuff gets everywhere!).
Branded nappies
You may think that the more expensive the nappy- the better- however after trying many different brands- it turns out that the cheaper options can be far superior to the brand leaders. We always buy Aldi nappies and wipes as they are reasonably priced and work well. The new born nappies have a line on them that changes colour when your baby has soiled their nappy, so you don’t have to do the sniff test or go hunting for other clues that there is a gift waiting for you inside.
Specialised baby bath products
My health visitor suggested I use just water on our daughter for the first six months as her skin would be too sensitive even to the products that were marketed from birth. And it turns out she was right- we used a popular baby brand to wash her with and she came out in a rash all over hear head. As soon as we switched to water- it went away overnight.
Expensive clothes
Babies grow so quickly that it doesn’t matter if you’ve spent £5 or £50 on an item of clothing, it’s still not going to fit in a few weeks’ time. Opt for supermarket multi-packs as they wash well and don’t put too much of a dent in your bank balance. Babies don’t care if they have a designer label on their back or not- all they care about is that you love and take care of them.
Separates
This is personal preference but when you put babies in separate tops and pants- the top always ends up riding up and you constantly have to pull it down. If you opt for dungarees for both boys and girls over a short or long-sleeved vest- their clothes will stay put. I don’t put my daughter in dresses or tops and pants at this age simply because it saves me having to readjust her clothes every time I pick her up and put her down. Dresses will come into their own once she can walk.
Over the head sleep suits
They may have the cutest pattern on them but please resist. Babies hate having things put over the heads, so trying to pull one of these over them when they are tired, crying or hungry makes for unnecessary work. Try to stick to sleepsuits that zip or popper up at the front as they are much quicker and easier to put your baby in before bed.
Tagged in Babies