It’s started. I’ve bought so much over the last few weeks that I’m not quite sure where it’s all going to go, not forgetting the fact that I have to take it all back to Dubai with me next week. But being pregnant for the first time combined with a ‘planner personality’ means I just want to have it all perfect and ready for baby.
I also want to snap up some bargains while I’m in the UK and tick a lot off my ‘baby to buy list’ now, rather than later (when it costs so much more in Dubai). Pretty sure everyone thinks I’m crazy searching, asking for recommendations and baby shopping at 5 months pregnant BUT Dubai is expensive and a lot of what I want is either marked up more there, or cannot be delivered to the UAE. We also recently made the decision that I’ll move to Dubai permanently now and give birth there, so this is the last time I’ll be in England this year. *That’s my justification for the shopping 🙂
A few rules I made myself for baby shopping:
- Only buy it if I love it
- Try to keep the majority of items to gender neutral colours so that they can be used for future children (hopefully)
- Stick to my shopping list and only buy items that we need
- Go for quality fabrics
- Spend more money on a select few special pieces that will last
- Just buy it before showing my husband (joking, kind of haha).
So far I have managed to consider these rules when browsing baby stuff and have only gone off plan a few times when I’ve got a little excited and bought something that’s either not practical or a little silly. But on the whole, I’ve done pretty well at researching, comparing reviews and finding the best bargains. In terms of clothing, I’m building up a collection of sizes and probably have a wardrobe full for the first 0-3 months, and plenty for up to 6 months – but that’s another blog post!
Anyway, here’s what I first bought for baby before I knew we were having a boy – all cute, white/grey and suitable for either gender.
*Stock photos but I’ll do a full nursery blog post with each item once baby is born.
The White Company Spiral Indy Cot Toy
The White Company is where I’ll go for just a few special items and this cot toy is something I wanted from the start. It’s the Spiral Indy Cot Toy that has velcro straps to wrap around a cot, pram handle or car seat and is super soft with white elephants and grey stars that rattle. I think I’ll use it first on the pram handle – it’s much larger than it looks in the photo so too big for my crib – but then I’ll move it to the cot once baby transitions.
The White Company Spiral Indy Cot Toy, £28 – Link
The White Company Indy Elephant Rattle
From the same collection as the cot toy, I chose the Indy Elephant Rattle as his first toy as it’s so cute, soft to touch and great for cognitive development. It also has a useful little handle for baby to hold! I can’t wait to use this.
The White Company Indy Elephant Rattle, £14 – Link
The White Company Hydrocotton Hooded Towel
I’ll be honest, I bought this for the simple reason that it looked cute rather than it being a necessity but I’m really pleased I did. The White Company Hooded Baby Towel has adorable bear ears and is made from hydrocotton. I assumed this was simple towelling but apparently it’s good at absorbing water and is fast drying. The fabric isn’t as soft as I hoped but it is thick and the size small is really big, in fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if this lasts a good 9-12 months. The online reviews are positive and many comment on how long-lasting it is so I’m happy I paid a little more for it than a cheaper alternative elsewhere.
The White Company Hydrocotton Hooded Towel, £24 – Link
M&S Grey Bunny
For his first soft teddy I wanted to go for a classic, traditional bunny and this one from M&S is just so darn cute. It’s quite large and won’t be safe for baby to sleep with but he can definitely have a cuddle and it’ll look so lovely in his nursery. Those large bunny ears are everything and it’s all squishy and soft. Perfect.
M&S Grey Bunny, £12 – Link