Baby Swap Or Shop

Todays post is a guest post from the lovely Hollie Smith author of First Time Mum

At some point in the run-up to birth, the mind of every expectant first-time parent turns to the unavoidable matter of what they need to buy for their baby.

It’s a tricky matter, no doubt about it, with such a silly amount of stuff available on offer for your baby’s every possible requirement. If you bought it all, you’d be bankrupt – as well as buried. And if you’ve got limited space and a limited budget (let’s face it, who hasn’t?), it helps to know what’s really necessary and what you can well do without.

So what does your average new baby really require, when it comes to consumer goods and essential products? What do you need ensure your new arrival’s demands are met? Or, perhaps more to the point, what DON’T you need?

I devoted a chapter to the matter in First Time Mum and, having canvassed the views of everyone on my mums’ panel, I can tell you that – other than a handful of absolute basics you’d certainly struggle to manage without (vests and sleepsuits; something for him to sleep in; nappies and wipes; and a method of transporting him from A to B), there’s no definitive list, really. Pretty much everything is up for debate. Turns out one mum’s essential is another’s waste of money.

Liat Hughes Joshi , author of  What To Buy For Your Baby http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Your-Baby-Hughes-Joshi/dp/1907952284/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_3, agrees.

‘What’s right for you, your baby, your lifestyle and budget, may be very different to what’s right for others, so it can be enormously confusing deciding what to buy,’ Liat says. ‘It doesn’t help that everyone seems to have different views about what’s needed – a situation which has got worse as parents are now also bombarded with contrasting opinions on internet parenting sites.’

It was certainly interesting to see how many items were considered a duff purchase by members of my panel. Snowsuits are a ‘red herring’ according to Clare F; wipe dispensers are ‘completely pointless’ I’m told by Rebecca F; nappy bins are a total no-no because they ‘smell repulsive – far worse than the dirty nappies themselves’, says Jo W; and special, baby sized sheets are ‘a waste of money’, Abi M reveals, as you can simply cut up normal size bed linen to fit your cot. Among the other regrettable acquisitions on the same list are ‘top and tail’ bowls, changing units, bottle warmers, fancy outfits, baby toiletry boxes and 4oz feeding bottles (because ‘they’ll be knocking back 8oz before you know it,’  - Celine G).

Of course, what you have to remember is that, almost certainly, there’ll also be parents out there who couldn’t live without their nappy bin/changing unit/wipe dispenser. So please don’t let me put you off any these items if you’re genuinely tempted.

Truth is, you never really know what’s going to be useful and what isn’t until you’ve actually put them to the test. Liat’s advice, therefore, is to avoid early onset retail frenzies. It may feel incredibly important to have absolutely everything lined up before your baby even arrives, but for most things, there’s no rush.

‘Don’t buy too much upfront, especially if money is tight,’ she urges. ‘Stick with the essentials and then work out what else you need as you’re going along. You can always send your partner or friend on an emergency run to the shops, or order online. ‘

Whatever you decide you need, it makes sense to get as much as you can on the cheap by buying second hand or nearly new Better still, take anything going that’s free, whether hand-me-downs from friends and family, unwanted bits nabbed via Freecycle. (There are only two things you definitely shouldn’t acquire second-hand – one’s a car seat, just in case it’s previously been damaged in an accident, which could compromise its safety, and the other is baby mattresses, because used mattresses have been associated with an increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.)

‘Consider your spending particularly carefully on items which are only used for weeks or months. Things like bouncy chairs, for example, are really useful, but they’re outgrown by around six months, so you may be better off sourcing them second-hand, or even just borrowing them,’ advises Liat.

‘On the other hand, some things are worth splashing out on even when they’re not essentials. A lovely changing bag, for instance, can give you a boost if you’re feeling frumpy post-birth.’

Finally, bear in mind that, however carefully you shop for your baby, you’ll almost certainly end up with some things you wish you hadn’t bothered with. It doesn’t really doesn’t matter in the scheme of things – you can always get some of your money back by flogging them on www.babyswaporshop.co.uk. Or you could simply pass it on to another parent who might find it more useful than you did!

More top tips on buying for your baby, from the First Time Mum pannellists.

• Let your baby try out expensive non-essentials like bouncers and slings BEFORE forking out for them. Some babies just don’t want to be put in these things! – Lucy R
• No-one ever wishes they’d bought MORE stuff for their baby, but most end up wishing they’d bought less/borrowed more/waited to see what they really needed – Heidi S
• I was the first of my friends to have a baby and I told everyone to get lots of muslins. Most of my friends have since said asked why. Turns out I just had a sicky baby! The moral of the story is every baby’s different. Wait and see what yours needs – Claire A
• Don’t rip tags off or throw packaging away. Shops are often really good about exchanging stuff that’s the wrong size, or simply not to your taste  – Viv S
• Avoid the big baby shops. You’ll walk round and see a zillion things you think you need, but actually don’t. Research and buy online, instead – Lauren