One of the first things I realised when I became pregnant was that the baby market is swamped with items you really don’t need. Over-engineered toys, pointless equipment and products that simply don’t work.

Four years down the line I’ve also discovered there are some amazing products out there – so amazing that I now use them for myself!

There are lots of baby products I now couldn’t live without (how did I ever survive without wipes?) but these have to be the top 5 baby items I use for me:

1. Organix sweetcorn hoops.

They may be designed for stage 2 weaning, but Organix’s sweetcorn hoops are the perfect nibble with a nice cold beer or glass of wine. The carrot sticks aren’t bad either, and even better they’re less than 100 calories per bag – so much better for you than a bag of crisps!

2. Johnson’s baby moisturising bath with baby oil.

Forget Radox or Sanctuary Spa – this is the best bath soak I’ve ever come across. It’s smells gorgeous – gentle but not too overpowering – and because it contains baby oil it leaves your skin feeling silky smooth without the need to moisturise afterwards, a bonus when I’m short on time. Which I always am.

3. Sudocrem care & protect nappy cream.

Who would have thought cream for bottoms could be so good on your face? I’m a big fan of Sudocrem because it sorts out nappy rash so quickly – in fact since they sent me their care & protect version to try out I don’t think Little B has ever had nappy rash – and it turns out it can do the same job on a spot. If you’ve got one lurking, dab a bit of this on it before you go to bed (don’t rub it in though – admittedly not the most alluring look) and in the morning it will be gone. Honestly!

4. Baby hair slides.

I don’t know about you but when I’m pregnant and breast feeding my hair takes on a life of its own and starts sprouting new growth in the most inconvenient places. Those teeny tiny first hair slides are perfect for pinning down unruly strands which otherwise frizz and curl the minute I step outside the front door.

5. Kids’ chocolate.

Last but by no means least is kids’ chocolate. Cadbury Freddo Frog, Kinder Surprise eggs and Smarties – why is it the chocolate meant for kids is the stuff that actually tastes the best? There may well be the nostalgia factor at play here, but I think chocolate makers are missing a trick: they should be targeting chocoholic mums like me.

How about you? Are there any baby items you couldn’t live without?

This post originally featured as part of Love From Mim’s brilliant #MyFiveThings series.

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