Today is a strange day for me – it’s my final day at work for at least nine months.  I been both looking forward to and dreading this day in equal measure!  I can’t wait to meet the little one but I’m feeling slightly apprehensive about finishing work and becoming a mum for the first time.  I’ve become slightly obsessed with all things baby, despite trying not to!  After lots of advice from friends and family these are five things I’m definitely going to buy (on ebay no doubt!) in the coming months – along with all the boring stuff like nappies and a pushchair!

1.  The Bumbo allows children to sit up and see what’s going on and they can’t escape or tip over very easily as their body weight holds them in position.

2. My nephew loves his Tummy Tub.  Apparently it makes them feel like they’re back in the womb again so bath time is a more pleasurable experience.

3. I’m quite keen on a baby carrier if only so that I can get out and about and do stuff with my hands being free – I don’t want to have to take the pushchair everywhere I go!  Our friends have been impressed with their Baby Bjorn one, though how they ever managed to work out all the straps is beyond me!

4. We’ve already bought this BT baby monitor and I often listen to the music just before bedtime in the hope that baby will learn to associate the music with quiet time and will sooth it to sleep  – it’s always worth a try!

5. My sister sings the praises of gro-bags and I’m quite keen on using them too – as a child (hey who am I kidding, I still do it now!) I used to regularly kick the duvet off int he night and end up freezing cold – these stop this from happening as there’s no escape!

What items have been really useful to you with a newborn?