Our baby booty - pros and cons

When you find out you're expecting, everyone wants to offer you advice especially other new parents.  A lot of the comments from our friends were that people ended up buying a lot of things they didn't need and in hindsight wished they didn't.  Thankfully everything we have and have bought has been used but we had taken heed of a lot of advice and also used common sense as to what is a rip off (baby food blenders and flasks) and what isn't.  Every set of parents work differently and have a different routine which works for them.  I am lucky to have a very hands on husband who helps out with the nappy changes, the feeds, the entertainment etc so what works for us might not work for someone whose partner is not so hands on or works all of the hours god sends to provide for the family. 

Here is a list of stuff that really worked for us and still continues to: 

Withings Smart Baby Monitor
Pros - you get to see your baby actually breathing and the app even works outside of the house. Also great for babies who are a little dramatic and cry for attention as you can see them crying and know what they're about.  Tells you the room temperature and humidity too without need for a room thermometer.
Cons - you need a good internet connection, if you don't or your connection is intermittent you cannot use it at all.  The price.  App is not great with Android phones which I have but I use our tablet instead. 

Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Machine
Pros - If you have a baby who is absolutely insatiable at night and will not calm down like our son when he was a little younger this is amazing especially when used with a formula dispenser.  You can comfort your child and you literally just need to shake the bottle twice and press a button twice.  You say lazy, I say multi-tasking at its finest. 
Cons - not great in the Summer as the water in the dispenser gets too warm and it won't work (we don't have air conditioning).  The current models beep way too loud and there is no way to turn it down or mute it without using padding and tape.  Only works with Tommee Tippee bottles.

Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo
Pros - I haven't heard of parents yet who don't have one and whose baby didn't love it.  Entertains baby for ages and you can get stuff done. 
Cons - Quite large so you need room for it.  The retail price. 

Angelcare Bath Seat 
Pros - a lifesaver on your back when baby starts putting on serious weight.  You also feel like your baby is a little safer especially for me worrying that my son would wriggle or slip out of my arms while I was washing him. 
Cons - not good for when your baby is a fidgeter but is under 6 months and not sitting up unaided so you cannot use another type of seat as the fear of baby jumping out is too real - take it from first hand experience.

Bumbo Seat 
Pros - encourages your baby to sit up straight and earlier. 
Cons - nothing really except my son managed to almost twist himself out of it and it was a nightmare to feed him in it - I have not heard this from any other parent.  If you have one, you will know how difficult it is to get out of but he is a special little baby and likes to scare his mother.  

Bababing Deluxe Paternity Changing Bag 
Pros - it has a compartment for everything including dirty clothes at the bottom and each compartment is labelled.  It also has a thermal pocket in the side and comes with a detachable thermal bag which when both are used together keeps bottles warm for ages.  Oh and a travel fold out changing mat. 
Cons - has a fabric outer so in rainy weather if you can't/forget to cover it it gets soaked although it does have a plastic inner so nothing inside the bag will get wet.

A small washing up bowl
Pros - makes an excellent newborn bath tub, is quick to fill and easy to transport if like us you didn't bath baby in the bathroom as it was too cold even with heating.  It also costs practically nothing. 
Cons - absolutely none

Braun Thermoscan In-Ear Thermometer 
Pros - is very accurate and easy to use (make sure you check the same ear each time), plus they use it at our local hospital 
Cons - costs more than other thermometers but we thought it was worth the extra money and it was on our baby shower list so we didn't pay.

I'm sure there are more but I will think of those in due course.  Here are a list of things we bought which we would substitute for other things/didn't need: 

Tommee Tippee Sangenic Nappy Bin
Pros - keeps away the smell of poopy nappies 
Solution - so does any other bin with a lid and the refills for the bags cost too much.  We only use this bin at night and it was a hand-me-down.  During the day we use a bin with a lid and supermarket basic nappy bags for poopy nappies and have done for many months which works just as well. 

Chicco Polly Magic High Chair 
Pros - the seat reclines when the baby is newborn so you can use it for your baby to sleep in before you put it away till weaning time. 
Solution - our son hated it so we never used it from birth.  It's perfect if you have pets and you need to get your newborn up higher away from them but we don't have pets.  We were originally going to get the IKEA Antiliop cheap and cheerful jobby and wished we did as it does the same job for a fraction of the price but this was a gift so was free.  

Electric Bottle Steriliser 
Pros - no need for a microwave and does exactly the same job. 
Solution - we had a microwave and therefore use a microwave steriliser.  We didn't need both but this was a hand-me-down and the other was a gift and this has never been used and remains in the bag it was handed to us in.  It probably also helps that we have so many bottles they are coming out of our ears so we only need to sterilise once a day. 

I hope this is as helpful for you as it was for us when our friends recommended a lot of it.  Please feel free to ask for advice on anything I haven't covered above, as like any other parent, I am more than happy to help! 

~AB~