Ten Things you Don't Need to Buy for Your Newborn

During your pregnancy you are bombarded by products that your friends and the marketeers tell you, you simply must have, this is a quick way to empty your bank account.  Now listen up, you may not believe me, it doesn't have to be that way.  Newborns are tiny and helpless and yes you will need a few bit's and bob's, but you also you won't NEED alot of stuff too.  

I'm sure there are a ton of items other mum's can tell you, you won't need either, but here are mine.

1. Bottle Warmer  - If you're using formula to feed your little one, you really don't need this useless piece of equipment.  They are actually really slow at heating up, your kettle will boil quicker.  Having said that if you are following the advise on the formula tin, you really shouldn't be pre- making it anyway, so in fact you will be cooling it down, not heating it up!

2. A Bumbo - I have to admit, I did fall foul to these cleverly marketed seats and had a relative buy us one as a Christmas present.  We only ended up putting S into it a few times as she kept falling over to one side and nearly out of it.  if you need somewhere to park your baby while you nip out of the room, then putting them in their pram or in a bouncer is safer in my opinion.

3. Cot bumper - If your following FSID guidelines you should be placing your baby in their cot with their feet almost at the bottom, with there head no where near the top end where they could potentially hit their heads.  Not only are cot bumpers a suffocation risk it's difficult to see your newborn through them, unless you have X-ray vision of course.

4. A ton of clothes - I know, I know, you just had to buy one more cute baby gro as it was so adorable.  But guess what baby's grow - fast!  And whilst you will indeed need a good number of baby gro's and vests to make sure you have spare clothes to wash, baby's are sick alot too.  They just don't need Harper Beckham's wardrobe.

5.  A baby bath - They take up alot of space and are bleeping heavy when you have them filled up with water.  in the initial stages when your newborn is tiny, they can fit in your bathroom sink and you will save your back and get a better grip on them.  When they get too big for the sink you can just fill your normal bath with a little water and lay them down flat in it.  Easy!

6. An array of toiletries - Baby skin is very sensitive and they just don't get dirty in terms of sweating etc.  You should really only use a little baby specific bath wash in the bath to take away the smell of sick etc, if you really must. And talcum powder is a definite no-no.  

7. Changing Table - The floor on a changing mat, or towel or on your bed works just as well as this expensive item.

8. Toys - Baby's can barely see your face close up, so it's pointless buying them toys that they can't see or are interested in.

9. Disposable Nappy Pail - It might not be eco-friendly, but if you're using disposables you're not that concerned anyway.  But your regular bin works just as well.  Just buy some supermarket own brand nappy sacks for the smelly ones.

10. Shoes - I admit, there are some really cute baby shoes out there.  Everyone loves the little Converse one's or Uggs.  But not only are they expensive.  The bones in your baby's feet are still very pliable and you can mis -shape them quite easily by making them wear footwear they don't need until they can walk.