Parenting experts on their top buys for new mums and dads – plus the little-known brands to look out for
PLANNING for a baby is daunting – everyone has an idea of what you should, and shouldn’t, do, buy or even say.
Sifting through all the noise can be a difficult process, especially when it comes to getting the right kit. So what do you actually need?
Midwife Hannah Ewin’s tip is to steer clear of loads of baby clothes for one thing.
“Avoid buying lots of baby clothes. You will receive so many beautiful outfits in 0-6 months that the baby will hardly have time to wear them all,” she says.
Her top three buys are cheap and cheerful too.
“A fabric Sling for those days at home where little one always wants to be held,” she advises.
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“Large muslin squares and swaddles to minimise your ever-growing washing pile and an insulated cup to always guarantee a hot cup of tea.”
Of course, you can’t get away with only the above – even if they are a great place to start.
“Think about what’s essential for your baby’s first few weeks,” Elizabeth Duff is Senior Policy advisor at The National Childbirth Trust (NCT) – the UK’s largest parent charity – suggests.
“Somewhere to sleep, maybe a lightweight Moses basket; something for travel, maybe an ‘all-in-one’ system with wheels and a car-seat.”
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Cot
Of course your baby will need somewhere to sleep – to be honest possibly a couple of places, for ease.
The Lullaby Trust is full of useful information on the does and don’ts, such as why cots should be free of clutter (like bumpers) and the right mattress for your little one – which should be firm and never secondhand.
Zoe Bosner, Show Director at The Baby Show, told Fabulous: “Your new cot needs to conform to British Safety Standards BS EN 716:2008 and their guidelines stipulate the distance between the top of the mattress and the top of the cot sides should be at least 50cm.
“The mattress needs to conform to safety standards BS 1877-10:1997 and come in either standard or continental size and go in their equivalent sized cot. Choose one that feels firm because your baby needs support while sleeping.”
Bed wise, a Moses Basket like the one from Little Green Sheep is a solid idea for when your newborn comes home from hospital.
NHS guidance is for your baby to be in the same room as you for the first six months when they are awake and asleep, so you may find it helpful to have a Moses basket in your living room and something else in the bedroom.
One of the most well thought of cribs for newborns is the Snuzpod. It has a special system to help regulate your baby’s temperature, zip-down fastening so you can access easier for nappy changes and comes with a handy shelf for spare clothes and nappies.
Some parents like to use a baby nest to soothe tots, they can help hold them in place and make them feel more comfortable – but concerns have been raised about their safety for overnight.
The Purflo Sleep Tight Baby Bed has been tested to meet the European Safety Standard that applies to carry cots and moses baskets, and is different to others in the genre because of the innovative fabric it’s made from. If you want to give one of these a go, Purflo is your guy.
While a holiday might not be top of your list of plans straight out of hospital, you’ll be surprised how much use you’ll get out of a travel cot.
Whether it’s during trips to the grandparents, staycations or oversees trips, it’s a piece of kit you’ll likely need at some point.
The Micralite Sleep & Go Travel Cot is a great option because it can be put up in seconds (literally, in two), is lightweight AND doubles as a playpen.
Car seat
Although most will get their pram first, the car seat is where it’s really important to splash the cash.
“This is the one product you should spend money on as it needs to be the safest piece of equipment for your baby. Never use a second hand car seat,” Tiffany Norris is the UK’s first ‘Mummy Concierge’; a self-professed ‘PA for parenthood’ and guru to London’s elite and the Royal Family, explains.
There are so many on the market it can be confusing, but the key thing to remember is you need a car seat which meets EU standards – it’ll have an E mark on the label.
And this is one area where you cannot save by going second hand – there’s no way of telling if a car seat has been in an accident, which could render it useless. So always buy new, as per NHS guidance.
One to look at is the Maxi-Cosi Pearl 360 which is suitable from birth until four. It works with an Isofix base to sit securely in the car and can be easily rotated so it’s easier to get babies in and out – especially handy when they’re sleeping.
Another pick is the Joie Every Stage. This one is a bargain buy as the easy insert system means you can adapt it for use from birth right the way until 12. It isn’t an Isofix and is held in place by your car’s seat belt, so is easy to switch between vehicles too.
Pram
Probably the first big piece of kit most new parents will buy – and it can be one of the priciest.
For that reason think carefully about what you actually need.
Christy McGhee, Consumer and Reviews Editor at MadeForMums, told Fabulous Digital what to look for when buying a pram: “All pushchairs must comply with British Standard 7409:1996 or BS EN 1888:2003 – most will but it’s worth checking if you buy second-hand.
“Look for a five-point safety harness (again, most will have this as standard) and use it.”
If you like in a city you might want something zippy and lightweight like the BabyZen YoYo Stroller or Nuna TRVL Stroller could work well – think carefully about stairs, escalators and whether you’ll be getting public transport. If so, the lighter the better when it comes to your pram.
The Nuna only weighs 6.7kg and folds up really easily too, so it’s a good option if space is at a premium at home.
For a bit of fun, think about the Rockit Portable Baby Rocker too. Anyone who’s tried to grab a drink while jiggling a grumpy baby in a pram will instantly get it – add this to the side of your pushchair and the jiggling happens for free.
Feeding
There’s a lot of pressure on new mums around feeding, so the most important thing is to go with what’s right for your family.
If you’re breastfeeding, you will likely want a pump. Even if you’re not planning to express lots, there may be times you need to and it’s a helpful thing to have to hand.
The Medela New Swing Max pump is the newest version from the famed baby brand, and has the USP that it’s very compact so easy to carry around as needed.
If you’re the sort of person who loves the latest phones and gadgets, the Elvie Pump might be for you. It’s light-weight, quiet, tiny (it slips inside your bra so you can go about your business as normal) AND is run via an app.
It may also be worth getting something like the Dreamgenii pillow, which can be used for comfort when trying to sleep while pregnant but doubles as a feeding cushion too.
Those going down the bottle route will find the Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep machine a lifesaver. It gets bottles drink-ready in two minutes with no faffing (or testing dribbles of milk on wrists).
The firm also has the Ultra UV 3-in-1 Steriliser, Dryer and Storage machine. It uses UV light to kill viruses and virtually all bacteria, ideal for new parents getting to grips with things.
Once your little one starts weaning, something like the Beaba Babycook Neo will be useful.
It’s a specialist food processor which makes cooking purees, steaming and blending really easy – flip between the cooking and pureeing at the touch of the button (so washing up is cut down too).
The Ziza Highchair and Tray isn’t the cheapest high chair out there but is a solid choice – mostly because it lasts until kids are three, so you won’t need to replace later down the line.
Monitors
At first your baby will be in the room with you – during the night and day (safe sleep guides dictate this is best for six months).
As they get older you may start putting them to sleep in their own room, which is when a monitor comes in handy.
Technology in this area has really advanced of late, with Owlet leading the way. Its Smart Sock Baby Monitor tracks a baby’s heart rate, oxygen levels and how much they’re sleeping, all linked to the handy app.
A more traditional option comes from Angelcare, courtesy of its Baby Movement Monitor. It has a sensor pad you put across the mattress which notes when your baby is moving and flags anything necessary.
All the extras
Now the main bits are sorted, you can have some fun picking out all the extras.
You’ll likely want a baby bath, and Boon’s collapsible version is ideal. It can be used in the bath to keep your tot secure, but works just as well in another room if that’s need – meaning it’s also easy to move around so great for holidays.
Pregnant mums never think it’ll happen, but once their baby arrives they usually find themselves inundated with toys from wellwishers.
If you’re able to steer pals towards something, try a Ewan the Dreamsheep or Misty the Smart Cloud.
Ewan (now in a dashing beige colour) has been a favourite with parents for years because he emits a red glow which mimics the womb and also plays white noise – both help tots sleep.
Misty is a new kid on the block but set to be a hit – she’s a thermometer, night light, sleep trainer and PA all in one.
She’ll monitor how hot a room is, plays lights to help soothe to sleep, shows older kids when it’s time to get up and has the capacity to store feed times and nappy changes.
JoJo Mamen Bebe’s Cloud Gym is a lovely play mat option, full of colour to stimulate and texture as babies start wanting to touch things.
Multipurposing at its best comes from the Dingle Dangle, which was created by a new dad.
It works as a rattle, mobile and can even go on your head to distract your baby during wriggly nappy changes. The bit of kit you never knew you needed.
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Although babies don’t need lots of toys at first, you may want some to brighten up the nursery.
JoJo Mamen Bebe’s Safari Plus Stacking Game will last kids for years as there are so many different ways to play with it, while the Lovevery Play Kits are specially designed to appeal to every leap your child is going through (and will really up your shelfie game).
- Dingle Dangle 3-in-1 Sensory Play Set, £34.99 – buy here
- JoJo Maman Bebe Skip Hop Silver Lining Activity Cloud Gym, £90 – buy here
- Maxi-Cosi Pearl 360 car seat, £299.99 – buy here
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