I wanted to try and pass on some of the things I have learned and mistakes I have made to those new mums out there... First post is going to be on some of the items you need to purchase - what to buy and what not to buy.
My first tip would be don't buy too many baby clothes. You will be given so many as gifts that you won't need to purchase anything yourself. Of course you want to pick out a few items yourself (I got our son a little baby vest that said 'Dad's Pride & Joy' - very cute!) but I would try and not go OTT. I'd recommend to get a couple of vests and a couple of sleepsuits, and a going home outfit. You'll possibly also need a blanket for keeping baby warm on the trip home from hospital (I stupidly brought one of my son's blue blankets to the hospital for the birth of our second baby as I was convinced that we were having another boy, so our daughter was wrapped in blue for her first 24 hours! I don't know why I didn't pack the white one!?). For the sleepsuits I would pick ones with poppers down the front rather than ones that you need to pull over their head - it's much easier for those frantic middle of the night outfit changes as a result of vomit and/or poo!!
'Dad's Pride & Joy' vest from BabyGap, 2009
We bottle fed both of our babies, and so a steriliser was a must. For our son we used an electric steriliser from
Mothercare. It was expensive (although it's currently in their sale!), leaked and is now in the bin!! I'm currently using a microwave steriliser (Tommee Tippee if you're interested, although it's Dr Brown bottles I use) and it's easy to clean, takes up minimal space (can be stored in the microwave when not in use) and was much cheaper to buy. You can pick these up at larger supermarkets.
Another of my purchases was a Moses basket. As my husband and I are both tall, I had wanted to make sure I got a decent sized one as I was expecting a large baby. In the end my son was just 4lbs 14ozs when he arrived and so the size of the basket wasn't really an issue! The basket was really handy for the first few months and I'm still using the same one for my daughter. Moses baskets and cribs very in price, but I was really impressed with the quality of my choice for the price (currently £35). I'm glad I didn't spend a fortune on one as it's likely you won't use it for long. My son was moved into his proper cot from about 12 weeks old (I'd just like to point out that this was against the health visitor recommendation and it is suggested that you keep your baby in your room with you until they are at least 6 months old). Some prams have breathable carry cots that are suitable for little ones to sleep in, so you may decide that you don't need a separate Moses basket.
Watch this space for more tips and advice...
