If you’re soon to be a new mum, especially for the first time, it can be a little overwhelming to know what you need to buy. Having had my first baby myself recently, this is a position I’ve found myself in, and so to help you to figure out what’s really worth spending the money on, I tested out dozens of products – spoke to as many other mums as possible – to get some genuine, tried-and-tested recommendations that really make a difference. Here’s what we all loved, from time-saving tech to sleep soothers…
These swaddling sleeping bags were recommended to me by a well-known influencer who said that her babies slept so much better when wearing these, and my little one certainly did too in his early weeks – they made a huge difference to our whole household’s sleep.
Available in various designs and togs for different temperatures, they keep babies’ hands in a comfortable upwards position minimising the jolting reflex and stopping them from knocking or scratching themselves in their faces, which can cause them to wake themselves up.
Not all babies enjoy being swaddled, but I’d 100% recommend giving these a go to help with sleep when they’re very young.
Your baby probably won’t love being put in one of these seats when they’re first born (not as good as mum’s arms, right?) but from about six weeks onwards, this little chair became an invaluable item. It’s so useful for putting the baby down somewhat upright when you need to – especially after feeding to avoid the milk coming back up – and with a bar of toys strung up above it, it now keeps my son occupied for at least half an hour at a time.
This Munchkin one features five rocking speed settings and plays 12 different soothing sounds, and can be controlled via remote control. Despite its sturdiness, it’s surprisingly lightweight too – handy for moving it around my home.
As a travel editor, I knew it wouldn’t be long before I wanted to travel again – and now with a baby in tow. Unwilling to rely on if whichever hotel or house we’d be staying in had a suitable crib, a good travel cot was an essential for us for UK breaks – and this Nuna PAAL is perfect.
Despite its size and sturdiness (I reckon my baby will comfortably fit in this until he’s about two years old), it’s super easy to unfold and fold up again, and packs up neatly into a carry bag. The bassinet is removable, making the bottom half a suitable bed or play pen for older babies.
This was a recommendation from a mum of twins, so if anyone knows a thing or two about what’s genuinely useful, it’s her.
The new deluxe version of this iconic character features 10 different white noise sounds plus a gentle glowing light and a noise detection setting, automatically switching on when the baby starts to cry or stir. If there’s one thing that could improve it, it’s that it’s a bit tricky to access the controls, and if you have it running all night, it’ll need charging every few nights – but it really does soothe my baby, and we don’t go to down to sleep without it now.
As a travel editor, I knew I’d want to get out and about with my little one early on – whether that be taking the train to our office in London or taking a flight for our first holiday as a family of three – and so in addition to my ‘big’ pram (see below), I wanted a smaller, lighter buggy that was better suited to busy train carriages, aeroplane cabins and Tube escalators – and the Joolz Aer2 is just the thing.
It folds up easily at the touch of a button with one hand, even with the bassinet attachment on, and at 6.5kg, is light enough to carry on your shoulder with the strap underneath. It also fits into the overhead compartments on planes (although I’m interested to see if Ryanair’s strict policies really will allow this…), and comes ready-assembled in the the box – not something that can be said of a lot of prams and strollers. If you don’t want to buy two different prams, this would also be an excellent everyday option if you live in a city or are short on space in your home.
With warmer weather on the way, I was after something to lay my baby on outside – something softer and more durable than simply a blanket – and this fold-up, wipe-clean mat from Infantino is just the thing. It’s big yet folds up neatly to approximately A4 in size, making it ideal for travelling and storing, and the edges clip up to stop toys from rolling away. The designs are reversible, and it’s padded enough for little limbs to clamber about on it.
I think it’s good value too; the newest design, Woodland, is £34.99, but other patterns are currently on sale for £29.74.
If you choose to breastfeed, you’ll soon realise how much it can make your arms ache – I was shocked to learn that I’d even developed carpal tunnel syndrome in my wrists from holding and carrying my baby – so a good nursing pillow could be a great buy.
After buying the cheapest one I could find, which turned out to be completely useless (it’s now being used to plug a hole at the side of our bed!), this Inglesina one makes the world of difference, especially as I don’t have a supportive nursing chair at home. This cushion fits perfectly around my waist, it feels really supportive, and the washable bamboo cover is soft yet durable. Inglesina even found that it’s proven to reduce fatigue by to up to 90% (comparing no pillow vs. the Elysia feeding pillow) – something I’m sure any new mother would be thrilled about.
Tommee Tippee Ultra UV Steriliser, Dryer and Storage
I was particularly taken by this sleek-looking bottle steriliser when browsing the nursery section of a department store, and it has since been a game changer when it comes to bottle feeding, whether that’s with formula or expressed breast milk. It fully dries and sterilises bottles, dummies and breast pump parts in as little as 35 minutes, and I particularly like the continuous ‘storage’ feature, meaning you can keep bottles in there always ready to go.
When I visited my sister when her baby was young, I was immediately taken by the chic William Morris mat set up in her daughter’s play area – at first glance you’d never know it was a children’s product. It turns out it was from Totter + Tumble, a lovely brand that makes stylish yet baby-safe mats for babies and young children, including a range with Morris & Co.
I’ve gone for The Mariner Playmat above for when my little one is old enough to roll about, and what I particularly love about it – apart from how good it looks in our home – is that it’s reversible, wipe-clean, and super-thick and spongy, perfect for little ones to play and learn on, even newborns.
It can be tricky to find a baby changing bag that’s not only practical but looks stylish too, but these Avery Row ones strike the perfect balance, and one mum I know said she found them totally worth the money.
This lightweight padded design features interior pockets for nappies, wipes and even a laptop, a thermal bottle pocket to keep milk at the perfect temperature, mini changing mat and pram clips. It’s also available in cream and black.
When I asked friends about breast pumps, Elvie was the brand that was recommended to me most often. Available as a single or a double pump, mums called it one of the smallest and quietest electric breast pumps they’d tried, and it has two pumping modes available and seven intensity settings, and can be controlled from your phone.
I currently usually only pump once a day, but I find the Elvie quick and convenient for this, and I love that you can control it and track the flow via the app (which saves you from reaching inside your bra every few minutes).
At a John Lewis nursery appointment I was told that the Silver Cross Cove was one of their most popular buggies of 2025, flying off the shelves when it launched, and since then, plenty of other mums I know have told me they have it. And after using it daily for nearly three months, I can see why: it’s sturdy, has good suspension, is easy to fold up, looks really sleek, and my baby loves sleeping in it.
“One of the best things I was ever given when I had my babies were the Aden + Anais large muslins,” one mum at work told me. “If anyone asks you what you want, tell them these. They’re great blankets and really good when it gets hotter too.” I currently have these all over my home, and I love all the cute designs they come in; the larger size really does make a difference.
I was told that a baby carrier would be an essential for going about hands-free with a baby, even if I was just pottering around the house. I’d already tested out lots of different ones – including the celebrity-favourite Artipoppe, which I also do really like – but the brand that came up time and time again with other mums was Baby Bjorn.
The Harmony is one of its newer designs, and after getting to grips with how to put it on (a bit like a T-shirt), I loved how secure it felt yet still comfortable. Unlike others I’d tried, it’s suitable even for newborn babies, up until they’re about three years old, and can be used inward or forward facing as well as on your back.
One thing to note, however, is that it you do have to put the baby down in order to put it on and off (worth noting if they’re screaming for a feed), if you’ve had a C-section, you might find the waistband on structured carriers like these a little uncomfortable on your scar in the first few weeks; I used a simple fabric wrap around the home until I was fully healed.
