My sister got us the Bugaboo Stroller that she loved and used with her first born, it comes with a bassinet for a newborn and then a seat for when they're older.
We also got the Baby Zen Yoyo for travelling (6m+) as its light and easy to collapse, you can actually take it on most flights with you or check it at the plane door depending on the airline. *Doesn't hold a lot of weight.
*We also bought all of the winter accessories for both strollers as we live in a cold country like the foot muffs, rain covers etc.
Maxi-Cosi Pebble Pro Car Seat got the best reviews and is also super light to carry in and out of the car, which is good for mums on the go that are carrying many things at once. It was the lightest one that I found in stores but still sturdy that I feel safe with it.
Ergobaby Carrier. I see myself using this a lot in the early months especially living in London, being able to walk around wearing this seems a bit easier than lugging a stroller around every time you want to step out for a walk!
Stokke Mini Sleeper & Extension we chose this because it starts off as your bassinet from 0-6 months, it has wheels which makes it easy to move around if needed.
What I loved about this piece is that you can buy the extension piece and larger mattress/accessories to convert it into the Sleepi Bed from 6 months onwards. The crib is no where near as bulky as other traditional rectangular ones. The oval shape of it is such a space saver. It also saves buying two separate pieces and having to store things. It also looks so cute in the nursery.
*Make sure to purchase all the fitted sheets, crib bumpers etc that come with the beds as they're a specific size.
Stokke Changer/Dresser we also went with Stokke here because it's a great size, looks modern and clean, super sturdy and you can take off the changer top piece and use it as dresser drawers in the future.
*It was a bit annoying to put this furniture together, it comes disassembled. Thankfully my dad is super handy and loves assembling furniture but...not fun at all.
Baby Bjorn Baby Bouncer is the one we went with as most mothers seem to love this one, you manually bounce it with your hand or foot and it comes with cute accessories that you can attach to it for the baby to play with.
Skip Hop Playmat used for tummy time and what not.
Skip Hop Activity Centre which my little nephews were obsessed with, it's so stimulating for them & they can spin around in the seat to play with all the pieces on it. (Age 4m+)
I've never been fond of the traditional bulky, plastic high chairs that take up half your dining room - they don't look great and obviously take up so much space. My best friend who recently had a baby thankfully shared her favourite high chair with me by Stokke. It's so sleek and minimalistic and blends in perfectly with the rest of our furniture at home. The best part is you can build your own depending on what you need and it grows with the child and eventually can turn into a regular stool/chair.
*I built mine to accommodate from 6m+ because I don't think I'll be needing it beforehand. I added a tray table, harness, cushion and the baby set.
Stokke Bath and Bath Stand I chose this bath because it was smaller and less bulky than the others on the market, I don't have the biggest bathrooms and this one definitely ticks all my boxes. It is also collapsable so you can store it on a shelf when not using it rather than having it taking up space. It comes with the newborn seat as well which you'll need for the first few months of bath time.
*The bath stand is sold separately, make sure you purchase it otherwise you'll be bathing the baby sitting on the floor!
This is going to be a long list to link everything needed for changing/bathing.
Mustela Cleansing Water, Mustela Cleansing Gel, Mustela Face Cream, Mustela Foam Shampoo, Mustela Body Lotion
Now this is a longer story. The only breast pump I ever knew about was the Madela one which everyone seems to buy because it does the job. But I couldn't get over how awful it looked. This huge black bra thing which you have to strap to your chest and two things sticking out of your boobs. I'm not huge on looking like a cow is being milked. You have to do this several times a day (if you choose to pump) where you're shunned in the bedroom for 45 minutes to pump on your own, with this incredibly LOUD machine. No. Thanks.
I did my research and came across two new pumps, Willow and Elvie - both which seemed quite similar in how they operated. Willow is a US based brand and Elvie is UK based. You put it inside your bra underneath your clothes, meaning you can pump anywhere, planes, trains, cars, restaurants, the office if needed and it is SILENT. No one will have a clue that you're even pumping. I decided to ask around because I wanted some first hand reviews before buying it and I finally found someone who had tested it out, a very close family friend, she SWEARS by it and was so happy with how easy and efficient it was.
I told my sister to get it and she did, I was very happy because now I'd see if she liked it or not, she absolutely loved it and said it completely changed her feeding experience this time around because she pumps for 15-20 minutes while still being able to chase her two year old around the house at the same time, cook his meals, do whatever errands she needs to do and boom. Done. SO efficient.
*My sister in law got this for me as a gift about a month ago so it's ready to go, I've obviously never breastfed/pumped for a baby before so I'll keep you posted on how I like it through Instagram. I chose the "double pump" (2 pieces) over the "single pump" because its a lot quicker to pump both at the same time.
This is another story. I was extremely confused with bottles. Most mums said to purchase a couple of bottles and wait until the baby tests them out to see what they like. But even with this logic, most mums end up buying 100 different bottles to figure it out and I'd really rather not do that IF I can avoid it.
I started researching and reading about mothers who said the same, they hated having to buy 10 different brands that are so 'reputable' yet they leak and have so many issues.
The brand that I came across that most mothers swear by (all mothers online - none that I know personally) are the ComoTomo bottles. Their Instagram is flooded with celebrity mums who swear by this brand so I thought okay, I need someone to test these out. Enter my sister, again. She was also struggling to find leak-free anti-reflux bottles that just did their job without issues. She LOVED these ones and ordered more once she tried them. Hopefully I will say the same!
The bottles come with nipples that are for 3m+ or 6m+ so I have linked the extra nipples that accommodate 0-3m.
Avent 2-in-1 Electric Steriliser
Ziplock Bags for Sterilised items
I got around 8-10 vests per age group starting from newborn to 18 months.
*Wait to see on average how big your baby is during pregnancy before purchasing new born size, sometimes the baby is too big for them and you end up going straight to 0-3. Now that I know her size/weight more or less I will purchase the newborn sizing.
Most of the Pyjamas I got are by Kissy Kissy. The fabric is incredible and so soft. I got around 5-6 PJ's per age group (0-3m to 12m) from this brand and then a few more from other brands which I will list below.
The White Company Cellular Baby Blanket
The White Company Heart Blanket
Aden Anais Square
*We got 3 boxes of each in different patterns, you use these for EVERYTHING!
I'll be using Ecover Zero detergent and softener to wash all of the clothes beforehand, starting soon..
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