‘It gave us both freedom’: parents on the baby gear they wouldn’t go without
What’s the most stupid thing you have ever bought? If your answer is anything other than a hand-wash-only cashmere onesie for a newborn, I win.
As most parents will know, until you’ve had your baby for a little while, you don’t really know what to expect, and, by extension, what to buy. My son is eight months old: it’s only now that I can look around the multicoloured plastic hellscape my home has become and recognise what was worth the money, and what we could’ve done without. His high-end Italian knitwear, for example, was out of commission within five minutes of us wrestling him into it for the first time.
In a study of new parents in the UK, 90% admitted to having overspent on baby gear. “The sheer volume of baby products, combined with an overwhelming drive to do the very best for your child, is what makes parents of newborns – and first time parents especially – particularly susceptible to marketing,” says Mumsnet founder Justine Roberts.
Every baby is different, as is every parent, so what works for one may be useless to another. That said, there are certain tools, toys and gadgets that my wife and I and fellow parents of babies simply could not live without. So, I asked them about the products they rate – and the ones they’d send back given half a chance.
Soft sling
“Our soft sling was life-saving in the first few months. It allowed me and my husband to wear our baby, keeping our hands free. The baby would usually nod off in there. Once my husband was back at work, it meant I could do things around the house while baby slept. I even managed the odd baby-wearing workout!” Hannah, Newcastle
Freerider sling, £58
freeriderco.com
Ergobaby aura baby wrap, £59.90
ergobaby.co.uk
The thing we could live without …
“We also bought one of those Ewan the Dream Sheep toys. It’s basically a white-noise/red-light machine that’s supposed to help babies sleep. The trouble is, it times out after 20 minutes or so, and we had to keep getting up to press it.”
Zipped babygrow
“Multiple nappy changes throughout the night is the norm, so anything you can buy to make these easier for yourself is money well spent. For us, two-way zipper babygrows were essential. There’s nothing worse than fumbling around with minuscule poppers in the dark while operating on two hours’ sleep, and having the double zipper means you can undo the babygrow from the bottom, which makes things much more efficient.” Andrew, north Wales
Zipped sleepsuit, £130 for a pack of four
babymori.com
Bonds wondersuit, £21
johnlewis.com
or £18
preciouscherubs.co.uk
The thing we could live without …
“We spent £150 on a steriliser before we really knew what we needed. It sterilises, dries and stores, but I wish we had bought one that washes everything too.”
Running buggy
“Granted, it only became useful once our lad was old enough to hold his head up, but the real gamechanger for us has been our running buggy. He loves being raced up and down Brighton seafront, gripping on and smiling all the way. But also, it acts as a great tool to give my partner and me freedom while maintaining physical and mental health by getting out or having some peace and quiet.” Tom, Brighton
Hauck Runner, £179.95
boots.com
or £150
argos.co.uk
The thing we could live without …
“We soon realised there’s no point buying nice new clothes for a newborn. Stick to hand-me-downs and Vinted. It’s cheaper, and it’s better for keeping your consumption in check.”
Food catcher
“I have a Catchy attached to my son’s highchair, and I wouldn’t be without it. It sits underneath the chair to catch any bits of dropped food that would otherwise end up on the floor. Introducing solid food is a messy affair, and using this has definitely resulted in less tidying up after meals. That said, it’s probably best in a pet-free home, as it’s right at dog height.” Steph, North Yorkshire
Catchy, £34.95
catchyandcrew.co.uk
£39.95
amazon.co.uk
The thing we could live without …
“We bought a bottle warmer, too. That was a total waste of money. It has only been used once or twice. It offers nothing that can’t be achieved with a bowl of hot water.”
Reusable cloth wipes
“Reusable cloth wipes were an absolute gamechanger in those early weeks. There’s nothing worse than having a 3am poo explosion and fighting to get wipes out of the packet in the dark with a screaming baby. With the cloth wipes it was one and done. They’re way more effective than disposable wipes for dealing with poo, and once you’re done you can just pop them in a container with water and essential oils, then tip it straight into the wash when it’s full. They’re much better for the environment and save you money in the long run too.” Ellen, Northumberland
Reusable cloth wipes, £9 for 10
cheekywipes.com
Reusable cloth wipes, £15.35 for 12
peacewiththewild.co.uk
The thing we could live without …
“The biggest waste of money for me was a seat for babies who can’t sit up by themselves yet. I only got about two weeks’ use out of it. The baby just slumps forwards or sideways the whole time. Not ideal.”
White noise machine
“Our white-noise machine has really earned its keep over the last eight months; we used to struggle to get him to sleep. It’s on every night, every nap time, and whenever we need to get him settled.” Charlotte, London
Lumi white noise machine, £29.99
johnlewis.com
Blissful Baby white noise machine, £24.99
amazon.co.uk
The thing we could live without …
“We spent a fortune on an all-singing, all-dancing bouncer chair. It even came complete with an electric motor that made it sway. We were suckered in by the marketing, but our baby was not. My mother-in-law picked up a no-frills bouncer for five quid on Facebook Marketplace and he was equally content in that.”
Owlet dream sock
“I don’t know how we would have lived without our Owlet Dream Sock. It wraps around the baby’s foot and gives you real-time data on oxygen levels and pulse. It may sound gimmicky, but the peace of mind it offered my wife during her postpartum depression was invaluable.” Steve, Queens, NY
Owlet Dream Sock, from £299
owletbabycare.co.uk
or £299
amazon.co.uk
The thing we could live without …
“A wipe warmer. Completely useless. It’s difficult to use and it’s no good for when you’re on the go.”
Modular pram
“If, like me, you have twins, a practical double pram is essential. The Bumprider Connect is two individual prams that can join together with magnets to make a single unit. This makes it easy to get through doors, and it means each parent can take one child and split the load when needed.” Nina, London
Bumprider Connect 2, £389
designerbabiesmcr.co.uk
Bumprider Connect double pram, £779.80
bumprider.com
The thing we could live without …
“I wish I’d known about this when I bought my Bugaboo Donkey 5 double pram. It’s really comfortable for the babies, but it’s enormous and so impractical for life in London. It barely gets through doors, and I’ve sometimes had to leave the babies outside momentarily!”
Pram rocker
“We couldn’t live without our Rockit. It’s a small plastic rocket that attaches to your pram and gently wobbles it to settle the baby. It was great for us as we like to be out and about during the day, so napping on the go is a must. This gadget helps get our baby off to sleep in minutes and keeps going for ages to ensure she stays that way!” Martha, Whitley Bay
Rockit, £44.99
johnlewis.com
Sleepytroll rechargeable baby rocker, £126.90
johnlewis.com
The thing we could live without …
“We also bought a gadget for cooling down boiling hot formula. However, we managed to get our daughter on to cold milk within a couple of weeks, which meant we could make up bottles in advance and pop them in the fridge.”
Snot sucker
“The NoseFrida is a nasal aspirator for removing snot from your baby’s nose quickly (Google it, I dare you). The kid doesn’t love it, but it’s extremely effective, and infinitely better than those rubber ball things they send you home with.” Devin, St Clair, MA
NoseFrida SnotSucker, £8.49
boots.com
Braun nasal aspirator, £15
argos.co.uk
The thing we could live without …
“Those fancy nappy bins are overrated. You don’t really need one. Just toss everything in the normal bin and make sure to empty it regularly.”
Paddy Maddison is a freelance consumer journalist and first-time dad to an alarmingly fast-moving one-year-old child. Having historically spent his time writing about the latest trends and products in men’s style, fitness and outdoor gear, he now dabbles in prams, high chairs and snot suckers (Google it) too
