What essentials to buy for first baby?

SmlSave

Ohhh, thanks clw1. At the NCT sale you get to pay in one go? I had it in my head that it was lots of tables where you'd have to pay at each one.

I've seen a few people who say that a bouncy chair is worthwhile, hadn't even thought of it before.

Hi grateful I've got a wicker moses basket that a friends lent me and MIL has a baby bath for me to try. I've been very lucky that a work collegue has offered me a cotbed and a travel cot so it really is the smaller bits that I need.

Re playmats - I've got a fleece blanket which I was thinking I might quilt and use as a mat, do you think this would be ok?

digitalphase

The best of luck if you do try and get that bl%dy Boots changing bag! I joined their Parenting club when I was about 8 weeks pregnant and didn't receive any voucher. I joined under a different email when I was over 20 weeks, still nothing. I get the emails reminding me how many weeks pregnant I am though. As if I forget.

Another lady on the preg. thread gave me a code to use for the bag online, bought the nappies, still no joy. It adds the bag but doesn't take the price down.

I have given up now and splurged on a gorgeous Pink Lining bag :cool: Not very MSE, but most of my stuff is :rotfl:

old_motters

SmlSave wrote: »

Ohhh, thanks clw1. At the NCT sale you get to pay in one go? I had it in my head that it was lots of tables where you'd have to pay at each one.

You pay once you've finished shopping, each item is tagged so the seller some of the money back. One more tip, take your husband to hold and carry stuff as you may fill a couple of bin bags. He will hate it, as I did, but the moneysaving element really pays off. Sell it as an hour of NCT sale or a day on the highstreet with the debit card.

SmlSave wrote: »

I've seen a few people who say that a bouncy chair is worthwhile, hadn't even thought of it before.

We had one and it got used to entertain the baby while my wife was doing other stuff. Something else to bear in mind, you can pick up some really great toys at the NCT sale for cheap. It's a good time to stock up for 3 to 6 month old toys.

SmlSave wrote: »

Re playmats - I've got a fleece blanket which I was thinking I might quilt and use as a mat, do you think this would be ok?

That'd be awesome. Our favourite blanket for our little one was quilted by an Aunt.

SmlSave

The best of luck if you do try and get that bl%dy Boots changing bag! I joined their Parenting club when I was about 8 weeks pregnant and didn't receive any voucher. I joined under a different email when I was over 20 weeks, still nothing. I get the emails reminding me how many weeks pregnant I am though. As if I forget.

I did exactly the same digitial! I suppose that i least I have some nappies but stilll.... i was expecting a changing bag too!

Thanks old_motters

ajaney

SmlSave wrote: »

I did exactly the same digitial! I suppose that i least I have some nappies but stilll.... i was expecting a changing bag too!

Thanks old_motters

I received the voucher for the bag through the post. I went to a medium sized boots & they had the bags above the nappy display so I took the packet of pampers & the change bag & voucher to the till & had no problems. You need to take the bag to the till with the nappies, they wont give you one once at the till.

You need to have an advantage card to sign up, some help from Boots.com:

Online? To sign up for one of our clubs online you will need to register to Boots.com and sign up for/register your Advantage Card.
At the end of your Advantage Card application you'll get the chance to click through to sign up to Parenting Club or Health Club (for customers aged 60 or over and Parenting Club is for pregnant women and mums with children under two years of age). Make sure that your address details are correct.
If you already have a Boots.com account and an Advantage Card, you will need to log-in to My Account and click the Health Club or Parenting Club links. Make sure you check the Advantage Card page details to ensure your address is correct.

Over the phone? Please call the Advantage Card team on 0845 124 4545*2 who will be happy to help you sign you up to a club that you are eligible for.

Make-it-3

Sorry to be negative but I was very disappointed with the NCT sale I went to. Most of the stuff was crap, not nearly new but obviously passed on many times. One babygro had a St Michael label - how many years since M&S was last called that?! Possibly the good stuff had already gone - the helpers get first pick and then NCT members before everyone else.

It was a bun fight and things weren't even that cheap. Sleepsuits at £4-5 each when you can get new multi-packs from the supermarkets for less than that.

I bought nothing and wished I'd saved the entrance fee.

SmlSave

I didn't realise there was an entrance fee Make-it-3! Thanks for that. I think I'll have to abandon the mother's in the queue and get in early with my NCT pass then if its that manic.

I think this is my list...

Pram being bought by MIL & FIL
Cot-bed being donated by colleague
High Chair being donated by colleage at Xmas
Changing Matt being bought by friend
Moses Basket borrowed from friend

Baby Thermometer
Baby Monitor
Baby Clothes, newborn and up.
Sun Hat.
Sling
Bouncy chair
Baby Sleeping Bag
Muslin clothes

looks ok?

clw1

Yes there is an entrance fee - normally about £1. If there is early enterance for NCT members then there is often 2 queues - 1 for members and the other for non-members.

The list of stuff looks good, I'd add toys to the list too.

alison6692

If I had to reccomend anything it would be this beanbag

http://www.mothercare.com/Please-Look-After-Baby-Bean/dp/B001BYPK4K


we have used it for both of ours - then a friend had it and now my sister has it. Best baby thing we bought. It has a washable cover too.

Try netmums nearly new boards for lots of bargains too x

gratefulforhelp_2

Why not look up the thread on baby slings, there is a huge variety of slings and opinions on them, and at least one thread on here about it?

yertiz https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2792220