What worked for you - what didn't?

Ok so I bought the preggy pillow from Baby City yesterday, the one which you can use to breastfeed afterwards.

It's very comfy.
But - on a double bed, there just isnt space to have something between DH & I unless I sleep all night facing away from him which I just couldnt do cos that means no cuddling in winter.

A bit disappointed, but we cant buy a bigger bed until baby is out of the campcot in our room, as there isnt enough space

what worked for me:

Probiotic dropsa must for all babies.

breast pump (what a life saver when baby was sick in hospital!) I wouldn't buy one while pregnant, if your situation doesn't recquire one later. Was very happy with the manual Avent.

baby sense sling. Seems like babies/parents either love this or hate it.

Angelcare monitor.

microwave bottle steriliser

I am happy wiht NUK bottles and dummies.

White noise cd. This actually helped me to sleep better while baby was in our room, as I didn't wake up for any noise the baby makes when moving around. We still have the cd playing on repeat on an mp3 player in her room, our baby is now almost a year.

play doughnut for the floor.
Baby sense sleeping bag. from around 6 months.
small soft fabric books

what didn't work:

that soft carry cot that comes with the HUGE gracco pram. We din't use it once, and we had a winter baby. Some people seem to love this item.

What worked for me

Bathing with my baby, rather than bathing the baby seperately.
Cloth nappies as wipe up cloths, bought them cheap from Jet.
Baby do-nut bought from TreeHouse, used it and using it to death.
A lovely old lady crocheted me a blanket for my baby, and it was brilliant and warm, and so lovely and unique.
NUK bottles.
Lucoderm cream to prevent nappy rash.
Microwave bottle steriliser - worked for me.
Maternity and newborn photo shoot - heaven on toast, worth every cent.
Bumbo seat - also worked out quite well on this one.
A pink backpack - instead of a nappy bag - leaves your arms free. I bought a really cool one at Cape Union Mart and I was given another one as a gift.
My step-father built a custom wooden cot (I designed it the way I wanted it) and it has been passed to each of my kids - they have slept in it until they are 2 years old. It is brilliant.
Small books that you attach to prams, or car seats - brilliant.
Gruffalo child by Julia Donaldson.

What did not work for me

Baby sleeping bags - had three different ones, and they just did not work for me.
Baby slings - had two kinds, and somehow I just preferred carrying baby in the end.
Breast pump - really was not necessary in the end though I breast fed.
Travelling/soft cot from TreeHouse - it is so sweet, I can't part with it, but it just was never used.
Breast pads - I bought a truck load of these, but really ended up using them hardly ever, even though I always had milk spurting out.
I hate towelling socks - you spend more time finding them than the child wearing them.
I had leggings with the toe part as one, again they are always being pulled down - I prefer leggings with socks.

There are so many things I covetted and spent so much money on, that really were just a total waste of money. Pregnancy really makes us hoarde and buy things we do not really need, but think we must need.

My bath seat also had rubber goodies to prevent it from moving around and leaving scratches on the bath.

Rm ours has rubber goodies which also prevent them from moving around.

Did you not find it scratched the bottom of the bath where the corners touched the base of the bath. I had one of these, but opted out of it after the first use, as it left scuff marks on the bath. Maybe it was an old frame and/or and old bath - maybe the newer ones have some sort of protection on the metal.

I agree about the towelling nappies and yes woolies ones are best and nice and big.

Just check the towels out though. Some of them are really small and didn't last long. I also got one from edgars and I still use it now.