My 9 Most Useful Baby Items So Far

Baby products, so many to choose from. How do you pick the ones you will really need? I remember clearly walking through the baby aisles
during my pregnancy and feeling, ..em, rather baffled at times.

Ok, here we have swaddling blanket, and here are baby sleeping bags. Hold on, what are these cellular blankets, shawls, all these fancy items, that I have no clue what to do with them or whether I really need them.

And that’s just the beginning. What about all the other baby accessories?

Now, that my baby is nine months old, it may be a good time to look back and identify which baby products were worth every penny I spent on them.

So, let’s dive in and find out what are my top baby buys so far.

Moses basket

Do you really need one considering it will only be used in the first few months of your baby’s life? In fact, my friend’s baby only slept in his Moses basket for six weeks before it was too small for him. So, I was deciding on this one for some time before I finally bought one. And I don’t regret it.

As I live in a single storey apartment, it was very easy to transfer from our bedroom to a living room for daytime naps. That was one of the main reasons I bought it, Moses baskets are portable, lightweight and very convenient. I knew I wouldn’t have any trouble moving it around. I loved having my baby right next to our sofa, where I could always see her in those early months. It just gave me that peace of mind. So, yes, happy with this purchase.

She had outgrown it when she was three months old, but she has always been a bit bigger for her age. Otherwise, we might have used it a bit longer. When the time came to move her to a cot bed, I felt a bit sad, that I won’t be able to just stare at her for hours on end, like I sometimes did when she slept in the living room.

Nursing pillow

This has been one of my best buys. It’s just such a versatile item. I’ve been using it since I was pregnant, up until now, although I’m only using it occasionally now. I used it during my pregnancy as an extra support for my aching back. The standard pillows didn’t help as they were too soft compared to this one. I also used it for some daytime naps to support my growing belly. I tried it during nights, but it didn’t stay in one place, had to pick it up from the floor and move as I changed positions.

When my baby was born, I’ve used it for my baby’s and mine comfort while breastfeeding. It fits perfectly around my waist. I have also used it for some tummy time. My little one used to hate tummy times, but when I placed her on this pillow, she could bear being on her tummy at least few minutes. A massive improvement hey?

Lansinoh nipple cream

Ok, so this is a mummy buy. But let me explain why it’s been an absolute necessity for me.

I actually just have one word to describe this product; lifesaver. It really was.

As many mums know only too well, breastfeeding at the beginning can hurt, A LOT. I didn’t get the nipple cream until I needed it desperately. I stayed in the hospital for five days when I had my baby, so I asked a friend to get it for me.

By day four in the hospital, I was in agonising pain, but once I started using Lansinoh nipple cream, the relief was pretty much instant. I applied it after each feeding session, and the pain became a lot more manageable.  I’ve used up almost full tube in the first month, and I didn’t really need it that much after that.

It’s a bit pricey, there are cheaper alternatives available, but this cream is worth every single penny, let me tell you that.

Baby bath support

My baby had outgrown the baby bath when she was around three months old, so I got her a baby bath support.

Now, I use the bath support inside the baby bath in the bathtub. It’s been an instant relief to my back, not having to hold the baby while bathing her and I don’t have to mop the floor after all the splashing and wriggling like before. A win-win situation.

At nine months we still use the bath support, and my baby loves it. She enjoys being in this reclining position.

Teething toys

Small babies don’t need too many toys, some rattles, soft toys you can attach to your pram, possibly a playmat will do. When my daughter learned how to hold stuff in her hands, she started to put everything in her mouth. I bought her some teething rings, and they quickly became her favourite toys. I used to carry them everywhere.

Even now, at nine months, she can still entertain herself with them. Instead of just chewing on them, she also likes to inspect them in great detail now.

Changing bag

Given the fact that changing bags can be quite expensive, you could always use your usual bigger sized handbag. I liked the idea of having all those different compartments for bottles, nappies, etc., which you don’t get when you use a traditional bag. Still, I didn’t want to spend a fortune for some fancy ones.

I found a changing bag in Argos for less than £20. What a great bargain. After nine months of use, it still looks like new. And when I visited my family in Slovakia back in December, guess what? My sister had exactly the same changing bag for her baby. I mean, what are the chances of buying the same bag in two different countries? There were some funny moments when I tried to grab something in my bag, only to realise that the content of the bag looks entirely different.

Dummies

Yes, I know. The worst thing ever invented for babies. And what a bad mother am I for allowing my baby to use them?

But guess what? For my little one and me, it’s a win-win situation. While they help my baby to settle down and go to sleep, they definitely help me to stay sane at times. My baby has been using them since she was few weeks old, but I always try to restrict the time she uses them as much as I can.

I try to limit the use for bedtime, although it doesn’t always work out that way.

Cellular blankets

You see, I did figure out in the end, what they are for. They were great in summer when my baby was born. I used them at night time as well as when out and about to keep her warm but not too hot. I had few fleece blankets but they were hardly used in summer months. Cellular blankets let the air flow through them, they are recommended for newborns instead of fleece or duvet, due to suffocation risk with the latter.

Aldi Mamia nappies

This is a continuous purchase, but I thought it’s worth including it in the list. I find these nappies to be excellent quality.  I would even go as far as saying that they are better than Pampers.

I tried both when my baby was born and had no issue with either of them. I decided to stick with Aldi nappies because they are a lot cheaper. Next time I used Pampers was while on holiday in Slovakia when my little one was six months old. No more, that’s for sure. My baby had soaked through one night when I left the nappy on longer than usual. I never had this problem with Aldi nappies. With Pampers, after few hours, my little one’s clothes in the nappy area also felt damp on more than one occasion.

So, for me, Aldi nappies all the way.

In summary

These are the items that I personally found most useful in my mummyhood journey so far. This list is by no means exhaustive. We all know by now that every baby is unique and what works for us may not necessarily work for someone else.

What’s your most useful baby gear? I would love to hear about other items you just can’t live without.

Zuzana