Top 10 essentials for your newborn

We get lots of requests all the time from first time parents or new mums wondering what the most useful products for their newborn are. What gadgets are popular because you genuinely cannot live without or are they just trendy but not really vital to your survival as a new parent (ok this might be a slight exaggeration). My response is usually along the lines of, a car seat, a buggy, lots of vests (and bibs) and lots of love. This still holds true to be fair but there are some other essentials that will without doubt help you through those first few hazy weeks of new parenthood, rather than researching them all myself I asked you to tell me and you did, in your droves, 193 of you commented and told us what the one thing you would buy would be (aside from the necessities like car seat, buggy and cot) – the first 2 were mentioned most;

1. Chicco next 2 me crib came up lots of times
   
2. Tommee Tippee Perfect prep machine – I really really wanted this when I had Ruby but it was just out and it was SO expensive. (just to note this is not recommended by the FSAI, more details here)
   
3. Sling – stretchy – close caboo – ergo – I had a Moby wrap that I absolutely loved even after having a section. Then I moved onto a Connecta and then a Madame Googoo and then…. you get the picture, babywearing is so so handy and so lovely!
4. Sleepyhead/ Coccoonababy – these to me are very similar and would be so handy I think to have instead of a crib, you could pop it into your bigger cot and baby still feels enclosed and safe but you don’t need the moses basket plus the cot or the crib plus the cot.
   
5. Fisher price bouncer/chair – Mamaroo Baby swing – I had the Fisher price one and I recommend it to everyone, so so handy.
6. Muslins/BabyBoo Bibs (obvs) – we have lovely newborn sized ones and yes I agree muslins have so many uses (another blog post follows)
7. Tummy Tub/Shnuggle Bath – I didn’t use either of these but definitely would try the tummy tub I think
8. Video monitor or Angel care monitor with sensor mat – I had the Angelcare myself and highly recommend it especially when you’re so paranoid about every little thing that first decade! (no seriously does that paranoia ever leave?)
9. Braun Thermoscan Thermometer – yup I have this and love it
10. Ewan the dream sheep – cannot recommend this enough – honestly a sheep I know I know but he is an absolute genius for getting little ones settled…
11. Edited to add our SwaddleBoo, we just launched organic cotton pre wrapped swaddles which are absolutely vital in those first few sleep deprived weeks…

    Some other suggestions more for mum were;

12. Bright lipstick to draw attention from the bags under your eyes
13. Coffee/Good coffee machine
14. Wine/Prosecco

What’s your one thing?