What, if anything, did you buy, borrow or find useful please?

sue01 that's a lovely idea. Have heard it before but probably wouldn't have thought about it without a prompt - thank you !

Haven't read all messages, so sorry if this is repetitive.
Its amazing how much you can do without. Like others I started off by accumulating all sorts of things in anticipation, but as they ( boys - now 3 and nearly 6) grew, less and less was needed. We survived without stairgates as parents and children all sleep in a ground floor room - a bit like sardines. Toys were accumulated from charity shops. Best new buy was a high chair - a Cosatto make which folds flat when not in use.Otherwise its quite an item to have to store. Most baby seats can be transferred between cars these days too.

Small unit to sterilise in the microwave would be useful, extra pkt of nappies,wipes,changing mat,toys and plenty if tea and biscuits for the adults. This is all from experience as l have 4 DGC now under 4! Babysit if you can so parents can gonout for a quiet meal too,good luck!

PS. I bought most things from charity shops too or car boots.

We seem to have got as much stuff in our house now for assorted grandchildren as had for our own!
As they are now ranging from 6 months to six years with more to come, I keep curver boxes labelled with age appropriate toys so I can get the right one out when they visit.
Yes to
Car s ats/booster seats in every car to save time
Buggy
Spouted beakers
High chairs
Low chairs
Stair gates
Garden toys

Bibs, bibs and more bibs! Bibs are like socks in this house, in that one minute I've a drawerful and next there's none! I assume they make their way to DDs houses.
Oh and baby wipes. I pick up a box every time they're on offer.

I would advise gettingvthings as tou need them . We have 6 grandchildren and we find they usually bring changing stuff erc with them when they come. We kept our childrens old cot a nd they have all used it as so me wont sleep well in travel cots. We were given a newish second hand high chair (plastic) which they have all used. We bought a stair gate which is very important when they are mobile- we keep it at the bottom of the atairs during the say and move it to the top at night. We havelots of toys and books mostly bought from charity shops and vilage fetes which they live playing with. Stared with baby toys (;well washed!) and gradually got older toys as they grew. I have a collection of plastic cups plates bowls ans cutlery plus a tommy tippee type sippee cup which they all yse when they come. Havent bothered with sterilisers as some were breast fed and bottle fed ones had bottles sterilsed in microwave. Id wait and see! Disposable changing mat is helpful and as thet get older absorbent waterproof under-sheets for beds. I also have little steps for bathroom, child toilet seats and a pottyplus non slip mat and a few bath toys. Also we now have a second hand push chair (from my son) with removable seat which doubles as a car seat (fixed with ordinary seat belts). Goodness didn't realise i had so much! Acquired gradually.

So many great ideas - thank you all so much Sorry I haven't time to reply individually as we are expecting visitors but I do appreciate your input. The thing that shines through most of all is that you all take great pleasure from having grandchildren in your lives - I know life will never be as quiet as it is now for us but I'm delighted at the thought! to all of you x

Hi Wildrose, we find it useful to have our own car seat so if I'm on granny duty and need to shop etc. I can do so. It's also worth picking up a second-hand buggy or stroller for trips down to the park...

We kept a bag of disposable nappies, baby wipes, bibs. All my GC were breast fed so we didn't need bottles etc. As they got older we had feeder cups, toys, a stair gate and a high chair. We also had a couple of car seats for them, as I often took them to nursery school.
None of these are needed now. The youngest is 3, and they live in Glasgow.

Evertheoptimist. Just a tip if you are short of a bib or two for a slightly older child. We use a tea towel with a peg holding it at the back to keep grandsons clothes clean.

Congratulations wildrose, it's an experience like no other. Everyone says how wonderful being a first time Nanny is but believe me, if you're excited now wait until your little bundle is here. It's just amazing.
Not sure anybody has mentioned a change mat? Will need this right from the word go! Also did you know you can buy packs of disposable change mats? I always found them great & really light to be able to keep in your change bag (& throw away if you'd used it somewhere where you weren't too keen!)
The biggest problem with having a grandchild? Not buying everything you see! There are so many gorgeous things out there now for babies. I have to struggle to be sensible! Enjoy every minute, I'm sure you will (& your daughter sounds lovely & appreciative). Have fun x

My first GD was attached to her dummy. She often carried one in one hand and had one in her mouth. If she lost one ( or both, God forbid) there was uproar. We kept an emergency supply in a kitchen draw. She would check on it often. She is now nearly 10, but still smiles at the memory.
p.S. She gave up her dummy when she was about 3

Congratulations wildrose!

For my DGS I made sure I had a cot (with all bed linen) and highchair, nappies and clothes, as well as an assortment of toys as he grew.

Now he's 4, and I still have clothes, shoes, wellies, underwear, toothbrush, toys and books for him. All he really needs to bring when he comes to visit is the Current Favourite toy - which we then left on the train after visiting a friend so I had to go and get him a new one!

Some of the stuff only gets worn a few times, but I just want him to feel welcome, so that any time he comes he can just pick up his life and feel at home.

I can only concur with most of what's been said above. We had charge of our GS for two days a week from the age of six months, and just about everything he had at home we had in ours - high chair, stair gates, travel cot - for which we bought a deeper more comfortable mattress from a company online - and bed linen; as he got older, a bed guard, various stages of car seat, a folding stroller to keep in the car, clothes, nappies, plug socket covers, locks for low kitchen cupboards, a seemingly endless collection of wellingtons, and toys without number. He is now nine. He still has a room here full of his Action Men, Lego, games, books, soft toys, and clothes he seems to grow out of almost before he gets the chance to wear them. The muslin cloths we used from day one he still uses when he eats spag bol or noodles here (and so does grandad!), and one of his old drinking beakers is his favourite milkshake cup. You have great joys to come, wildrose!