As if becoming a parent isn’t bewildering enough, you’re suddenly expected to be familiar with lots of baby-specific jargon you’ve most likely never heard before and parenting items you never knew existed. It can be overwhelming working out what you need and we know that parents-to-be often end up spending a lot of money on baby products that just get left in the cupboard gathering dust.
We regularly ask thousands of parents which products they owned – either given or bought – during pregnancy and the first two years of having a baby. We also rigorously lab test a huge range of baby equipment, including bedside cribs, cot mattresses, stair gates and slings and carriers. Find out the must-have products you should invest in and what you need to know about them.
Car seat
You’ll need an infant car seat to bring your baby home from the hospital if travelling by car. Some baby products are fine to buy second-hand but a car seat is definitely not one of them.
While a pre-owned car seat may look in good condition, it could have internal damage that you can't see, for example a hairline crack caused by dropping it. This could affect the structural integrity, preventing it from properly protecting your little one in a collision. We crash test each car seat we review and we’ve found a number of Best Buys for around £100, so you don’t need to spend lots to get a safe car seat.
Pushchair
Not all buggies are suitable from birth. You either need a pushchair with a lie-flat seat, or ideally a travel system-compatible buggy that can take a carrycot or infant car seat. Pushchairs can be expensive and it's no surprise many parents look to save by purchasing pre-owned ones.
If you’re buying a pushchair secondhand, make sure to look for a safety label confirming compliance with BSEN 1888-2:2018+A1:2022 (the British Standard for safety testing) and if you can't see one, be wary. Also check that it hasn't been involved in a product recall by searching for the product name online along with the word 'recall' or by contacting the manufacturer. Although our most expensive BestBuy costs more than £1,200, our testing has uncovered excellent Best Buy pushchairs costing £100-£200.
Baby monitor
There’s three options - basic audio, video and smart. Audio monitors can cost as little as £25 and will help you to hear when your baby needs you. If you want to be able to look at your baby too, go for a video or smart monitor which will cost £50-£200.
Smart monitors are typically the priciest, but they are more versatile because unlike audio or video monitors, you can check in on your baby via your smartphone when away from home. But if you go for a smart wi-fi monitor it’s essential you set a strong password and activate two-factor authentication to protect yourself from hackers. Also make sure to regularly check for any security software updates too.
Sling or carrier
A baby sling or carrier can be a godsend if you need free hands for an older child in a buggy or on a scooter, or have a colicky or difficult-to-soothe baby. There’s a number of options available in terms of carrier style and if you’re unsure which will suit you best, get in touch with a 'sling library' so you can try one on or even hire one for a couple of hours to see how you get along with it.
Best Buy carriers and slings cost from around £40 up to £200. Generally, fabric wraps and slings are cheaper than soft structured carriers, but structured carriers last for longer because they have a higher weight limit and provide more support for older babies. Beware of fake baby carriers and slings on online marketplaces - where possible purchase from authorised retailers to make sure it’s the real deal and safe to use.
Cot mattress
Newborn babies sleep between 8 and 16 hours a day and it's vital that they're able to sleep both comfortably and safely from the outset on a mattress that meets the relevant British Safety Standards. A cot mattress should be firm and flat, protected by a waterproof cover and brand new for each newborn, where possible.
We’ve tested cot mattresses that we think are too soft for young babies and we would never recommend using a second-hand mattress due to the risk of sagging. Your baby’s mattress should spring back immediately when pressed down or it won't provide sufficient support and could be a suffocation risk. Plus it should fit snugly with no gaps between the mattress and sides where arms or legs could get trapped. We’ve discovered Best Buys starting from £60.
Stair gate
Although you won’t need a stair gate until your little one is old enough to be on the move, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared and get one installed before the baby comes along. Our advice is to go for a secure screw-fit gate, but if you live in a rental property and can't leave holes in the wall, then choose a pressure-fit gate.
The good news is that Best Buy stair gates can cost as little as £20, but if you want a stair gate that fits an extra-wide or narrow space, it could cost up to £200.
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If you’re trying to conceive (TTC), you probably know that there are certain foods and nutrients that become especially important once you’re pregnant. But nutrition plays a vital role even when trying to conceive, much like laying a strong foundation before constructing a house.
Certain nutrients create that foundation by supporting egg and sperm health (yes, nutrition matters for both partners), hormone balance and creating a hospitable environment for a fertilized egg to implant. In fact, studies show that certain nutrients can help increase fertility and improve success rates for both natural conception and fertility treatments.
In other words, nutrition is a key player in the TTC journey, but getting the right nutrients in the right quantities can be tricky. That’s where supplements come in. Just as you’d take a multivitamin to fill in nutritional gaps for optimal health, fertility supplements can give you that extra nutrient boost.
Choosing supplements for your fertility journey
When choosing a supplement to support your fertility journey, look for science-backed, high-quality ingredients. Our editors are careful to select and partner with brands that use ingredients that have been clinically studied to support fertility. Eu Natural® (pronounced you) covers all those bases and more. We love knowing that Eu Natural® products contain zero artificial additives, binders, or fillers and are lab-tested to ensure purity and potency.
When choosing a supplement to support your fertility journey, look for science-backed, high-quality ingredients. Our editors are careful to select and partner with brands that use ingredients that have been clinically studied to support fertility. Eu Natural® (pronounced you) covers all those bases and more. We love knowing that Eu Natural® products contain zero artificial additives, binders, or fillers and are lab-tested to ensure purity and potency.
Which? Baby and child editor and buggy buying expert at The Baby Show
