Ok I'm bored again *LOL* So here's a question for everyone....
Which baby product do you consider to be your best/worst purchase in the first 12 months of your child/childrens life and why?
I'll start....

Best - My Tommy Tippee microwave steriliser.
Why - It was great value and saves me sooooooo much time! Plus the bottles included are great as they have a "too hot" indicator on the side.

Worst - Curash baby powder
Why - My sisters inlaw told me I must use this EVERY time I changed the baby's bum. They swore by it and said it prevents and cures nappy rash like nothing else. Within 7 days of leaving hospital DS had a bad case of nappy rash. The midwife said it was probably the talc drying his skin out. I agree!


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Oh geez - my preggy brain is working overtime now! LOL

For the first 12 months, the best buy was this:



We took it everywhere and Jade slept in it during the day until she was around 9 months.

The worst buy - a crappy el cheapo change table - it broke after 4 months and we had to get another one. We should have just spent the money in the first place and bought a good quality table.

*Bump*
Come on girls I'm looking for some tips here *LOL*
Thanks Eilleen, that bouncer looks great. We have one but it doesn't bounce or even rock slightly. We got it 2nd had for free so can't complain! And J.D. seems to find it very comfortable and that's what's important!


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Hi

My best purchase was a rocker, it has been fantastic especially after discovering Logan had reflux.

Worst purchase was the baby bjorn carrier - beware girls this is not for big babies!, our baby out grew it at 3 months old

Technical error - sorry!



This message was edited by Logiebear on Wednesday, 28 July 2004 @ 10:12 AM

worst - hatchling sling (I really should have borrowed carol's *LOL*) i couldn't get the hang of it and ryan HATED it.

best - baby bjorn lasted us til around 6 mo and then we got a macpac possum backpack. (ryan hated the cot for a LONG time) also brauers colic relief


Ryan James :: He's 1 & he's walking!!!
<font color="#ff11bb">edd #2 aug 04 :: 4 n a bit weeks to go!</font>

ooops that should say he hated the pram!

Hi Sam,

Welcoem to Canberra and EB. I'm Elizabeth and don't post much but here goes.

For me I'm changing it to most and least useful (I don't want to think I bought the worst of anything LOL ;p )

Least useful:

1. Baby Oil. What was I thinking? We used it maybe twice on DS. Then saw that awful thing about Baby Oil on Oprah and threw it in the bin.

2. Baby Bath. Our change table came with a baby bath. DS grew out of it too quickly and got showered a lot. With DD we never used it at all (she had showers and now bath or showers). However, it works well full of ice to keep drinks cold for parties.

Most useful:
1. Ear Themometer (there's no way you can keep a crawler still for 2 plus minutes with a themometer under their arm.

2. Rocker. Wonderful for the first 6 months.

There are others but they are the stand out ones for me.



E.
DS 20 Sep 1998
DD 20 Aug 2003

Thanks for the welcome Elizabeth!

What thing on Oprah about baby oil?!



~Sam & JD~

Hi Sam,

It was about a child (toddler maybe) who got hold of some baby oil and later died due to the oil coating his lungs after he drank it.

Here's the link: http://www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/tows_2...0020531_d.jhtml

I don't mean to freak you out okay? My DH saw it and it scared him.

E.
DS 20 Sep 1998
DD 20 Aug 2003

This message was edited by emackie119 on Thursday, 29 July 2004 @ 10:58 AM

BEST: Either my Zoo pillow or my pram (Valco Runabout
Deluxe if you want to know)

WHY: Because I've got very large breasts and had alot of trouble positioning bubby and my pram is just very light to push and easy to turn etc.

WORST: Fisher Price Clasical Chorus baby gym. She hates it!


Goodluck!



Heidi Louise born 17 March 2004 (breech c/s) 8Lb 10.5oz
<a href="http://lilypie.com"><img src="http://lilypie.com/baby1/050317/0/2/0/+10" alt="Lilypie Baby Days" border="0" /></a>

Hi,
I have been 'lurking' around for a little while not saying much, and thought I might put my two bobs worth in!

My best purchase was the angelcare sound and movement monitor. I was completely paranoid about SIDS, and with this monitor I can lie awake and hear soft little 'pips' as he breathes. I know it's not completely fool proof, but I sleep much better at night!
The worst would have to be the cot mobile. We actually got it as a gift, but rather than sending him to sleep, it hyped Jasper up and he started flapping his arms and singing. Needless to say, it has been in the cupboard ever since.

Sam
mum to Jasper (6/1/04)

Hello
This is a great topic.
My favourite things have probably been either my Amby baby hammock, which has made it easier to settle my baby (who was outraged at being put to bed), and my Jeep Cheroke Pram, bought because it fit in my tiny car and is incredibly light and easy to steer. The baby bath has also been good as it has a back support in it and I think it has saved my husband a lot of backache and made bathtime more relaxed and fun.

The least useful has probably been the bouncer (which doesn't bounce, like yous, upsidedownsam), which he never has really taken to.

SNAI

Anslie, my baby boy was born the same day as yours. Isn't this a lovely age!

Best things -

- my Victory II pram (single). Just wish my limo style pram was as light LOL.

- T-shirt wraps. A friend of mine bought me one for my baby shower when I was expecting Cale. It was just fantastic that DH went out and bought another three LOL. They were from David Jones and they worked so much better for us than muslin or sheeting.

- Change table. We bought ours from Kids Essentials in Phillip. We had looked at heaps as I have a bad back and needed one at a good height. I just hate changing nappies on the floor or a bed so for us a decent change table was a must!

- Sleeping Bags. Seeing as it is freezing in Canberra and my boys seem to be the types to kick off all their blankets these were essential! For Cale we were given some from David Jones (Snug time brand). One with feet and one without. Cale prefers the feet in from a very early age so you could say the one we were given without feet was a bad purchase but at least not made by us. Orin was given one from Target and it too has the feet in. It is so cute. Bright green with litte sheep on it and orange feet! I just can't rave on about them enough LOL.

Bath thingamegig - don't quite know what it is called but it looks like a wire frame with a terrytowelling lining (think huge face washer). You just lie baby down on it in the bath and you don't need a baby bath. Well we didn't. We were given two different size baby baths and they were used once each with Cale before we discovered this fantastic thingamegig!

Avent breast pump - worked a treat for me and I used it everyday for 14 months.

Avent sterilizer - another baby shower gift but it certainly came in very handy especially with needing to clean the breat pump everyday.

Mittens - my boys were forever cutting their faces with their very long nails so I had about half a dozen pairs of mittens!

Worst things -

baby sling - It was given to us but we never used it. My bad back didn't think much of it LOL.

cot mobile - gift from inlaws but really it was just too much of a distraction.

That will do for now. I am sure there is more but I am probably starting to go on and on LOL.

Hope some of it was helpful






Jennifer
DS 15/12/01
DS 14/12/03

Thanks for your posts everyone! Got some great ideas on what is useful and wat to stay away from!

~Sam & JD~

Coming in late as usual:

Best: Car seat (SafeNSound Guardian), Stroller (Bertini Shuttle), cot (freebie!), swing (FP lift n lock), Bruin activity gym, Happy Baby dummies!

Worst: Bouncinette - Ryan hated it. I also had a second hand fancy rocker but even that Ryan didn't like too much.

And those glass bottles that Mum bought which can't fit in my steriliser!

And the Medela breast pump that I was lent (and then gave away!).

Alice & Ryan

Hello there, I'm attempting to keep this thread going because there's so much I have to learn from you all!!!

BEST:
Tetra mattress - DS sleeps in it now and we take it along to friends/family for naps, it look so comfortable.

Stokke cot - fits through DS's door, has wheels so we can rock DS to sleep.

Baby Beehinds cloth nappies - everyone thought I was mad until I showed them how easy they are to use and look after.

Fisher Price Calm Vibrations Rocker (purchased off ebay for $20) DS loves it, gotta make sure we have heaps of batteries, DS will let you know when they've run out

Baby Love by Robin Barker and Up the Duff/Kid Wrangling by Kaz Cook, the only books you'll ever need!

Worst:
Disposable nappy bin unit - waste of money, it smelt (even though the sales girl said they don't) and we ended up to switching to cloth anyway.

100s of booties I was given as gifts - DS mainly wears jumpsuits.

Bibs without plastic backings, sure they look cute but dont work.

Ok I will keep this one going!

BEST: The $129 Safe and Sound car seat that the sales assistant told us was better than the $350 one we were going to buy, the only difference was the level of padding. It has done 2 kids and we just had it checked and got the thumbs up for baby#3!

Phil and Teds double pram - a godsend, again will be used with all 3 kids. We bought it right before the e3 came out and save $300 on it. It fits in every store and doesn't steer like a trolly!

WORSE: Nappy Bin, I agree completely with Bzzzbee, it still stunk! Complete waste of money!

Knitted booties I was given - both DD's haed them, and our eldest was born on Australia Day - the hottest time of the year!

Am intersted in everyone else's....

Hi, thought I'd jump in too.

Best: Playgrow playmat - Bella can't get enough of the musical lion!
Vibrating rocker (although I haven't replaced the batteries that went flat about a month ago).
Dangling pram toy - everytime she grizzles we just give it a little shake and she's in bliss again!

Worst: Baby oil, but not for the same reason - it actually started drying her skin out worse and she now has eczema in her elbows and behind her knees.
Good old dependable Oprah!!!!


Tahlia is 8, Nicky is 6, Sam is 4 and <a href="http://www.tickercentral.com"><img border="0" src="http://www.tickercentral.com/view/4usn/2"></a>

Best: Valco cocoon. Great for naps, especially when visiting friends/rels, and it fits in the bottom of the P&T E3 pram so I can transfer from pram to house without waking baby (encourages me to avoid the car).

Worst: 3-in-1 baby carrier bought at Target - like Baby Bjorn. My baby didn't understand how her head could be buried in my chest with no boobie access. I use a My Sling with the new baby, she loves the lying down position.

Emma
Sophia 10.04.04
Juliet 11.09.05

Just keeping it going

And the latest...

Best
* Fisher Price Lift and Lock Swing: DS has fits of giggles when I push him.
* Dry bibs, they're small bibbies with that fast drying material (only good for dribble - wouldn't use them for solids), they're pretty expensive but come in packs of which should last you quite a while.
* Motherly cubes (http://www.motherly.com.au/motherlycubes.asp) I make sure all our rellies have some in their freezers for DS!