18 MONTHS ON - THE BABY PRODUCTS YOU REALLY DON'T NEED

I don't think you can open any book or magazine that's aimed at pregnant ladies or new mothers that isn't going to force feed you lists upon lists of what you need for a baby. It's really overwhelming and I remember feeling so out of my depth for not knowing the different between a crib, cot or moses, at the prime old age of 21. It was scary. I packed my hospital bag at 25 weeks because every book told me I had to be prepared, logic now tells me even if I had gone into labour that early, my baby wouldn't have needed clothes, vests and muslins for a long time. But that's just it, the books don't really tell you the things you actually need to know, the useful information and the type of thing your girl friend who has four kids under her belt is going to sit you down and tell you straight. I wish I'd had one of those friends, but as I was the first of mine to give birth, it all weighed on me to establish what was needed and what wasn't. It's safe to say I didn't get it all right, of course I was a first time Mum, but a lesson learned means I can share now the things that I'm certain you will not need for your baby.

Baby bath.
Especially if this is your second child, really don't bother. It'll be much easier to put them in the bath with your first born, or before / after they get in if you're worried about bumps and splashes. We had a baby bath for Noah and it was just a huge pain in the bottom, you had to wait for it to fill, it then was extremely heavy and we had to lug it around the house to find a suitable bathing spot. The baths themselves are incredibly slippy, so it's literally like trying to hold onto a 9lb bar of soap in there. I much preferred a bath support in the family bathtub.

Cot bumpers.
I know they come in a set, they look pretty and they match everything in your babies nursery, but truly do not waste your money. They're not safe, you'll turn neurotic as soon as your baby arrives at it'll be off before they've even laid their head in the cot, and you'll have wasted a good £40 for something that was simply a show piece.

Baby shoes.
I really, really, really dislike seeing babies in baby shoes. There isn't any need for them in my eyes unless they're walking, or cruising, it's merely a vanity thing. They provide zero support and are probably incredibly uncomfortable on your little ones dinky feet. Their feet are growing at an incredible rate and I feel like whacking on some baby converse isn't going to aid that in anyway, I get that look 'cute' but I think comfort is definitely the better side to air on. We had so many pairs before Noah was even born, and when I realised actually how ridiculous they were after he arrived, I soon changed my mind and they all went to waste, I wish I'd just spent that money on things he actually needed.

Hats
I was completely lulled into a false sense that my child would need hats upon hats to keep his head warm. Now this obviously varies dependant on what time of year you give birth, but given Patrick was actually born on the hottest day of his birth year, we certainly did not. Yet still, even now at 18 months, some sleep suits still come with hats. I'm not talking the bobble hats that I seem to own in every single colour, (slight obsession) no, those tiny hats that look like a really odd version of a kippah.

A cot mobile.
Another show piece, you'll not want anything over your baby when they're sleeping for fear of it falling. And, who really wants a distraction when you're hoping your little one will sleep. I will say that we found ours useful to actually attach above our changing mat, it stopped our wrigglers from causing a fuss and made changes a lot smoother.

Soft toys.
A baby can't play with toys, and when they're old enough to play, they want all the garish lights, sounds and action toys, not a cuddly bear sadly. They also cost a pretty penny, which when you're on maternity leave you'll be thankful not to be buying, if you feel you must get something, definitely opt for teething toys for later on in the game.

A nappy bin.
It might sound like you're getting all organised if you buy one of these, but in reality, a mere month in you'll be so fed up of shelling out £15 for literally a roll of bin bags to sit in it, that you'll have given up like the rest of us. Instead it'll be sat in the corner of the room, disused forever more. Don't bother, it's genuinely a huge waste of money for very little convenience.

Learn from my mistakes, and if you're pregnant, or in the early stages of motherhood and debating over buying any of these things, don't. Save your money and spend it on something more worthwhile, like wine or donuts, I promise you'll thank me for it in the long run.