Shopping for your baby is like a military operation and can be daunting if you don’t know your nipple teat from your nappy fabric, nor one breast pump from another.

When I was pregnant, I did a lot of Googling, and researched products. But the best advice was from moms themselves, and what worked for them. And when Max was born, I had hit the mark on almost everything, aside from one sling that he almost fell out of, and breast pads that slipped out my bra in the middle of Tasha’s restaurant.

I’ve gathered my top nursery goodies from takealot.com – the ones I’ve used, and can swear by, plus others, like the bibs, which I wish I had back then. Takealot has a massive range of baby and kid brands (almost 70) and products (a few thousand), you need not leave your home to shop (and risk a breast pad fail or a baby or toddler meltdown), and delivery is free for orders over R250, and to your door.

Last week I bought a printer cartridge that arrived the next day, plus I’ve also recently bought books, a cookbook, Essie nailpolish (my best!), and a Moleskine diary (also my best!)

Here are my 10+ nursery must-haves – the ones that worked for us, and the ones I lust over:

It’s bad enough having a sick baby – it’s even more challenging when you have to try take their temp. This Avent digital thermometer allows you to measure their temperature without upsetting them, and you get a quick results. (from R348)

 

Baby Bjorns hadn’t arrived in South Africa when my baby was born, but this would have been my choice. The reviews – and celebs – rate this the best and safest, and the Baby Bjorn can carry weights of up to around 14kg. And who remembers The Hangover, which apparently led to a huge increase in baby-wearing daddies. (from R1 499)

 

 

These JJ Cole wraps not only look great, but are gorgeous and soft and can be used for swaddling and receiving. They are made from 100% cotton and are machine washable. (from R142)

 

Everyone discovers what nappies work for their kids, and I found Huggies to be wonderful for the newborn and baby stage. We hardly had any leaks or “accidents”, and I thought these went the distance. (from R50)

 

The Angelcare Digital Sound and Movement Monitor gave me a lot of piece of mind, especially in those first few weeks when I needed it the most. The sensor pad fits under baby’s mattress, and an alarm sounds if absolutely no movement is detected within 20 seconds. It’s also portable, plus picks up sound in baby’s room superbly. It’s battery or adapter operated (from R1 350).

 

I think every Fisher Price “playgym” is a winner. This is the Kick n Play Playgym, and like similar ones in the gym range, it has lights, sounds and items overhead and on the sides to encourage play and gripping. These are also good for tummy time play. (from R800)

 

Like nappies, bottles are a matter of preference, but I loved Avent. They are BPA-free, and my son never suffered from much wind or colic. I loved the Avent Steam Steriliser that sterilised bottles, teats and breast-pump attachments in minutes. This steriliser can take other bottles too. (from R423)

 

Smelly nappies are as inevitable as sleepless nights, but with the Diaper Champ you probably won’t smell them, plus you can throw out several before having to change the bag. With this model, you don’t need expensive cartridges, and it’s easy to “drop and flip” the nappies. (from R598)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dribblin’ Bibs are not only absorbent and have a big surface area, but they are so cute, and make a pretty cool accessory for drooling and feeding babies. They are machine washable too. (from R79)

There are many products like those in the Baby Sense range, but the original still remains my favourite. My three-year-old still uses his taglet for comfort, and when he was a baby we loved the winter- and summer-weight sleep sacs. (from R297 for the sleep sac, and R98 for the taglet)

Note: This post was brought to you by Takealot. All words and opinions are my own. Prices might change.