Best Feeding and Changing Essentials

MAM is the UK's number-one bottle brand and these are its best-seller. The bottles are self-sterilising in the microwave in three minutes, a genuine win for 3am feeds and travel, with an anti-colic vented base and a soft, skin-like teat that MAM says 94% of babies accept, making it easier to switch between breast and bottle. The starter set spans newborn to 4+ months.

The Symphony is widely regarded as the gold standard for expressing, and Medela says it is used in 75% of UK maternity hospitals. If baby is struggling to latch, was born early, or you need to establish and protect supply, this is the pump lactation consultants reach for. Its two-phase technology (Initiate for the early days, Maintain once your milk is in) mimics natural feeding patterns. Rented monthly to your door with a carry case and two pump sets. We rented one when feeding was hard in the early weeks, and it made a real difference.

The Elvie redefined pumping: completely wireless, it fits inside a standard nursing bra and is near silent (the first pump to earn the Quiet Mark seal). You can pump while cooking, on a call, or walking around. The app tracks volume in real time and switches from stimulation to expression at let-down. Only five parts to clean. We used the Elvie alongside the Symphony, the Symphony at home for serious sessions, the Elvie for discreet, on-the-go pumping. Cheaper electric options include the Elvie Stride 2 (~£169) and the Tommee Tippee Made for Me double.

Pre-sterilised, double-sealed, and they lie flat for freezer stacking, with a write-on label area and compatibility with most pumps via an adaptor. A long-standing parent bestseller and one of those products where the budget option genuinely is the best.

The most popular nappy bin in the UK, and the only one that individually wraps each nappy in antibacterial film. Twist the handle, feel the click, and the nappy is sealed away. Holds around 28-30 nappies and is easy one-hand operation. Honest note: Tommee Tippee recently switched to a sugarcane GreenFilm, and a number of recent reviewers report it does not contain odours as well as the old grey film, so this is worth weighing up.

Raised edges to stop baby rolling, a wipe-clean surface, and it fits standard changing units. Simple and effective. Grab a foldable travel mat too (~£8-12) for out and about.

A portable caddy for nappies, wipes, cream and a change of clothes that you will carry between rooms constantly. Look for a sturdy handle, multiple compartments and easy-clean material. The Skip Hop version has a built-in night light, surprisingly useful for dark early-morning changes.