A practical guide to buying baby essentials

Preparing for your new arrival and overwhelmed by the list of "baby essentials" you think you have to purchase? Here’s a great list of 12 baby items you don’t actually need. You might be surprised by a few!

1. Baby shoes: It’s important to allow your baby’s feet to grow naturally. Going barefoot or wearing very soft booties helps their feet grow correctly and assists in strengthening their muscles.

2. Bottle warmer: As tempting as it is to to make bottles up ahead of time, it’s recommended to make up each bottle as it is needed to reduce the risk of infection. If you need to heat it back up a little, putting it in a jug of hot water is much quicker and more convenient.

3. Washing powder specifically designed for babies: Unless your baby has allergies or very sensitive skin, using any brand non-bio detergent won’t be a problem.

4. Baby bath: A baby bath really isn’t necessary. A bath support in the tub or sink works just as well.

5. Bottle bag: Most baby changing bags have an insulated bottle holder built into them.

6. Wipe warmer: Although heated wipes sound nice, it really isn’t necessary! Room temperature wipes are fine to use on your baby’s bottom.

7. Nappy bin: Nappy sacs keep in all the nasty smells so you can just pop it in your ordinary bin.

8. Cot bedding sets: Pillows, duvets and cot bumpers are not recommended until at least a year old (cot bumpers not at all). Shortly after, your baby will be moving into a toddler bed, so until then we recommend just buying fitted sheets, baby sleeping bags and cotton cellular blankets.

9. Baby movement monitors: This product may give you a false sense of security. If you have a healthy baby and feel confident about supervising regularly, you will most likely be fine without this kind of monitor and just a standard audio one.

10. Baby blender: If you choose the traditional weaning method, then your ordinary blender will do the job. There is no need to buy a separate one.

11. Changing table: Voted the most useless baby product by 80% of parents. Rarely used for its intended purpose. Large and cumbersome, it takes up much needed space in baby’s room.

12. Too many clothes: Babies grow incredibly fast. By the end of their first year, they’re likely to be roughly triple their birth weight, be about 1.5 times as long as they were a birth and the head circumference increased in size by approximately 130%!

Do you disagree with our list or is there something you think should be added? Leave us a comment and let us know!