Guess what… I had a baby! The last 15 weeks have been a whirlwind of trial and error, cuddles and love, and the occasional tears (sleep deprivation is a killer!!) I thought that today I would share with you the budget essentials for a newborn baby that have really helped me and kept me sane over the last few weeks. I hope that some of these will help you if you are a new parent, if they do let me know in the comments below…
White Noise Machine
I bought the MyBaby Sound Spa from Amazon after I had seen how well the white noise I had been playing on my phone soothed my baby. It works like magic! I had seen other more expensive white noise machines such as the ‘My Hummy’ and ‘Ewan the Sheep’, but these were much more expensive, ranging from £40-£70. At £14.99 the sound spa is definitely one of the best value purchases I have made so far! I use it during the day either at home or when we are out and about to sooth him down for a nap, or to calm him down when he is upset, it has been a life (and sanity) saver!
Baby Car Mirror
The first time I took my baby out in the car alone I was absolutely terrified. I couldn’t stand not being able to see my baby and know that he was ok! After a week I had a look online and decided to buy the Venture Acti-Vue Baby Car Mirror and it’s been brilliant. It really puts my mind at ease being able to see my baby in the rear view mirror, so it’s worth every penny. At just under £10 at the time of writing, this was the cheapest I could find, and I can honestly say that the quality is great, and I would absolutely recommend it to new mums!
Mam Bottles
Although I am breastfeeding, I like to express milk throughout the day with my Mothersucker (we will come back to that later) so my partner can give him a bottle at night, or so his grandparents can enjoy feeding him too! I tried tommy tippie bottles and the Nubie bottle, but he didn’t like them and gagged when I put them in his mouth, as he is so used to the breast. The Mam bottles have a special flat teat that is slightly shorter, and Jake took to it straight away. The bottles are cheap and self sterilising, so I would definitely recommend them to any breastfeeding mamas who want to give the occasional bottle! I have also been using the Mam dummies as they were the only ones he would take as well! *tip* – ***as these are anti colic bottles they have a special screw on bottom- make sure the white rubber is pressed down properly at the bottom or they can leak- which I learned on my first use!!***
Zipped Baby Sleep Suits
Oh My God. I don’t know why all baby grows aren’t zipped! These have been amazing for at night time, saving me fiddling around with poppers in the dark. I bought mine in the sale at Sainsbury’s and on eBay, but I know they also do them at Gap and M&S, and a few places online. Seeing as they only fit for about 5 minutes, I would recommend buying bundles of them them second hand on eBay, you will save so much money!
Maxicosi Zelia Travel System
I was looking for a budget travel system that still looked cool and I came across the maxicosi Zelia! I love it because it fits my maxicosi car seat, and the bassinet turns into the pushchair seat too, so you don’t have to store a bulky bassinet when you are finished with it! The reviews were amazing so I went for it and bought it, and I was not disappointed. Another great thing is its super light and folds up to fit in the tiny boot of my car, I would definitely recommend this to anyone!
Nature Bond Silicone Breast Pump
This silicone breast pump is a must for any breastfeeding mamas, you suck it on to the other boob while your baby is feeding and it catches the let down and you can stick it in a bag and save it in your fridge and freezer for when you need it. Perfect to build up a stash of milk without the hassle of pumping!
Kroser Backpack (Nappy Bag)
All the nice nappy bags I could find online were ridiculously expensive, and the cheaper ones looked crap to be honest. So I ended up getting this laptop bag from amazon- its perfect! Its nice and big so I can fit everything I need in it, and it has pockets inside for different things (nappies, travel changing mat etc) Plus, I’m sure i’ll use it for years to come for other thing, as its a really nice bag!
Stretchy Wrap Baby Carrier
My god, this is absolutely the best thing I have bought so far! I did purchase a much more expensive babybjorn carrier, but this stretchy wrap carrier is so much more comfortable, and my baby loves it, I use it every day for cooking, cleaning, going for walks, trips to the supermarket etc. Its worth its weight in gold!
Mybabylog Inkless Wipe Hand and Foot Print Kit
This hand and foot print kit is the perfect way to take hand and foot prints from your baby with our making a mess and getting paint or ink on their skin! Great value too 🙂
What are your favourite budget baby essentials? Add yours in the comments below!