A second-time mum shares top tips she wishes she knew the first time around and her must-buy items.
Sorry to state the obvious, but parenthood is a steep learning curve.
Here are seven things I learned the hard way the first time around, and the essential new-born items I either loved or wished I had (so was sure to snap up this time around).
1. Visit a sling library when your baby is here
There’s a lot of trendy baby carriers out there — I invested in one of the most sought-after carriers in 2022 and went from finding it too big for my new-born to uncomfortable for me as my baby grew heavier.
But across the UK, there are over 150 sling libraries where you can either take your sling or carrier for advice on how best to fit it to you and baby, or you can try on and rent a number of different brands (this varies from place to place) to see which one feels best before you buy.
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2. Use nipple shields if you need to
It’s reported that around 70% struggle to breastfeed with latching issues, pain (often due to the latter) or cracked nipples reported as the main issues. I was in the former group and without these tiny pieces of plastic, I wouldn’t have been able to breastfeed at all. Plastic nipple shields help your baby attach more easily when latching is difficult and can protect your nipples while they heal if they’re too sore or cracked to feed. It’s vital to have the right size — I used Medela’s Contact Nipple Shields (£9.99), as they have a printable measurement guide to make life easier.
3. Invest in a buggy bag
A bag that’s designed to attach to your buggy is a surprising luxury that also makes life easier — plus, why carry any extra weight? Especially while your pelvic floor is recovering.
This time, I’m treating myself to the Avery Row Baby Changing Bag (£79) for days out, as well as a FRIDA Eco Stroller Organiser (£69), which is smaller so perfect for local walks or shorter trips.
Both bags are water-resistant with plenty of pockets for ultimate organisation and come with pram clips to attach easily and not slip around or down the handlebar (or attach to a suitcase for your hospital bag or travels). Plus, for the latter bag, you can get a matching changing mat (£39) that stores nappies and wipes inside with a Velcro attachment for your buggy or bag.
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4. Get out early
Give yourself a few weeks’ grace, if needed, but getting out the house first thing in the morning is extremely beneficial. Not only will this help your baby develop their circadian rhythm for better night-time sleep, but sun exposure soon after waking can help increase alertness, boost mood and lower stress, which are often much-needed during the postpartum period for both parents. To help make this more achievable, ask your partner to pack your buggy bag the night before with a few key essentials for a short stroll.
5. Try an arm-up swaddle
Not all babies like being swaddled — but having arms out means they could be woken by their startle reflex, which can be extremely sensitive to noise and movement. An arm-up swaddle was a sleep- and sanity-saving discovery for me. I bought one from Love to Dream (from £25.99) last time and loved them, but it’s worth noting ergoPounch have a swaddle sleeping bag (£26.95) and that can be bought with an arms-in adapter (£20.95) so you can test both options.
6. Don’t underestimate a water thermometer
Gifted to me by a colleague during my first pregnancy, with assurance that it was much more needed than I might think — it turns out they were spot on. A water thermometer not only helps you run the bath at an ideal temperature, but it also helps track the temperature — newborns baths will be shallow, so the water gets cold much quicker than you might think. Plus, they double up as a room thermometer and tend to be quite small so can easily be taken on holiday.
7. Food prep for later stages
While it’s common to prep food for when you’re fresh out of the hospital, with visitors often bringing dishes too, I found it far more helpful to have meals prepped after my partner went back to work. With a baby who would cry every time they were put down for about six weeks, cooking became impossible. You could also consider adding meal delivery vouchers to your baby registry.
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Newborn baby essentials I’m using the second time around
A buggy for new-born to toddlerhood
The Ickle Bubba Stomp Luxe 9-Piece Pram (£449) is chic, sturdy and affordable. It includes both a new-born carrycot and pram seat with an apron, footwarmer, seat liner and rain cover as well as car window shades and a changing rucksack with mat.
It’s very easy to manoeuvre on a variety of terrains, plus the hood is UPF 50+. At just 7kg, it’s half the weight of the buggy I had the first time around, which makes getting in and out the car so much easier — plus you can buy adapters for several car seats (including the Cybex below).
An award-winning new-born car seat
I absolutely adored my Cybex car seat and now the new, improved and award-winning model is available: Cybex Cloud T i-Size (£229.95). It can recline in the car and lie flat outside of it — ideal if you’re using it on a buggy.
And while most baby car seats last until 15 months, this fits until approximately two years old, thanks to removable and adjustable sections. It can be used with an ISOFIX base (£199.95) — and turns 180 degrees to the door to easily get baby in and out — or with a seat belt, which is handy for swapping between cars or if you take it on holiday.
A baby monitor with a screen (that can be added to)
I went for the Babysense HD S2 (£109.99) video monitor with my first, and I’m so glad I did. Not only does it come with a screen so you don’t have to have an app open on your phone (which means you can’t use it), but it also doesn’t require wi-fi so you don’t need to set it up all over again if you’re travelling or staying with family.
Plus, you can buy it with two cameras and split the screen for twins or purchase a second one later to watch over a toddler and a new-born simultaneously — which is exactly what I’ve done.
A sleep-safe baby nest
The Purflo Sleep Tight Baby Bed (£125) is something I spent many a sleepless night looking up online but, regretfully, never bought — I’m not making that mistake again. The first of its kind to be tested and approved for safe sleep, including overnight (up until around eight months old), the Purflo is known as a baby nest (like a small mattress with sides).
It creates a cocoon-like effect to soothe your baby (ideal for little ones who don’t like to be put down, like my first).
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A slanted changing mat
I’ve held onto my Shnuggle Squishy Changing Mat (£59.95) and won’t be swapping it for baby number two. It’s slanted, so if they wee while being changed, the urine pools at the bottom of the mat rather than them lying in it — plus the angle is helpful for babies with reflux or colic who find it uncomfortable to lie flat.
A wearable breast pump
My last pump was loud, bulky and hard to move around while using. That’s why I’ve snapped up Medela’s new hospital-grade, hands-free wearable pump that’s quiet and slips inside a bra. With the Medela Magic InBra (single pump £229, double £369) you can see through the top to easily fit it, with a handy light for nighttime pumping. You can even link it to an app to track your settings and milk flow.
A steriliser that stores bottles
Whether you’re pumping or using formula, bottles need sterilising. The Vital Baby Nurture Advanced Pro UV Steriliser & Dryer (£89.95 ) was so handy because it would quickly dry bottles after washing and then sterilise them, plus you can just leave bottles in there for up to three days afterwards so they remain clean and ready to go.
A co-sleeping crib
Fitting alongside the bed with the option to remove the side for a safe co-sleeping experience, I can’t recommend a SnuzPod enough. Plus the latest version the SnuzPod 5 (£199.95) has a removeable bassinet or you can install wheels on the base, so you can easily move it if you don’t have the space or budget for something like a Moses basket outside the bedroom.
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A Moses basket
If you do have the space and the budget, I’d highly recommend buying a Moses basket – especially if you have stairs in your home. I had the SnuzPod in the bedroom and a Little Green Sheep Moses basket and stand (from £109.95 for both) for the living room and kitchen. It’s advised that babies sleep in the same room as someone until they’re six months old to prevent SIDS. So, for daytime naps, my little one would be in the moses basket in whatever room I was in at the time. It’s very lightweight so easy to move around – we even took it with us when staying with family over Christmas.
Feature image: Freepik
