The show started at 9:30am and we arrived at 10:30am. My first impressions were that it seemed fairly small and fairly quiet, but oh boy the event was definitely not small. As we walked around the stalls, taking in all the information given from pretty much every stand, I soon realised that getting around the show would take hours - all day in fact. We used all the time we were given, giving ourselves a very snappy lunch break. We ended up leaving at closing time, with my last purchase bought in the knick of time.
As a first time mum and somebody who just hasn't been brought up around babies (my brother is only 2 years younger than me), I have absolutely no idea about what babies NEED and what I as a mum will need, so I went to the show with a basic list and an open mind. I hadn't even decided on a specific brand of pram - which made the shopping experience that much funner.
The Show Set up
The show had over a hundred stalls, an almost overwhelming amount. They also had a stage which had talks/ displays etc which personally I didn't have time for - I was too busy shopping! I did want to catch the first aid talk as I'd like to comfort my mind by being aware of those things, but unfortunately I missed the time slot. I couldn't help but laugh at one show - the maternity show - where models with bumps (pretty sure they were fake) were modelling maternity wear, prams and baby wear with their model (real) babies. It felt like I was in a spoof for a moment and James (boyfriend) definitely had a 'Oh god where am I' moment.
The Brands, The DEALS!
Every brand which was on my list were there such as Tomee Tipee, MAM, Silver Cross, Mothercare, Chicco, Joie, Sleepyhead, waterwipes and every brand of pram you could imagine plus more!
Almost every stand offered a freebie, we left with about 6 free newborn bottles worth £6 each, dummies, a couple of baby grows and lots of small product samples.
I'll give you a brief summary of what I bought at the show and the savings we made, perhaps not everything because I would be here all day:
- Chicco Next2Me Dream Crib 2 with mattress and two mattress covers, Chicco Next2 Stars projector, Chicco Feeding Pillow bundle - RRP £269 we paid £229
-Sleepyhead Pillow 0+ months - RRP £130 we paid £105 via mothercare
- Tommee Tippee Digital Video Movement and Sound Monitor, Tommee Tipee no touch forehead thermometer & Tomee Tipee Nursery Bin RRP £277 all together - we paid £155!
- Tutti 3 Piece Nursery with a mattress and changing mat add on - £900
- MAM Anti Colic microwave steriliser set RRP £29.99 we paid £15
We also bought plastic backed bibs, big muslin cloths, a fabulous changing bag and the big one - A PRAM!
The pram we chose is from a fairly new and VERY underrated brand called Mee-Go. Mee-go is a British brand and we were able to meet the designer at the show who had a quick chat with us and explained how he had previously worked as an engineer at Norton motorbikes. I personally love that it's a very personal brand and I know that if we have any problems, they will be a phone call away. We went for the Milano model because we were looking for a pram with good suspension so we're able to walk off road if we wanted to. We were originally looking at the Silver Cross Pioneer but compared to Mee-Go, it was extremely overpriced for what it offered. What I like about Mee-Go Milano is that the bottom tray is covered up and washable, the suspension is adjustable - we can turn it on and off, the fabric was very similar to the Pioneer Brompton look, the carrycot had adjustable lie modes so the baby could be at a slight angle if needed, it was very easy to take apart and fold down and the base even has a handle so that it's easy to carry and they offered a travel bundle which included the car seat, buggy attachment and an isofix base. All in all it came to £649 - WAY cheaper than the Silver Cross Pioneer and in my opinion, a better design. I'm not one to go for looks, obviously I want a decent looking pram(and the Milano is lovely) but trends do not bother me at all. I wanted a pram which was high off of the ground and practical as well as comfortable and safe for bubs. I hate prams like Egg, Bugaboo and the current trends because they are such small frames and very low prams in comparison to the Silver Cross and Mee-go models. Mee-Go is definitely worth checking out! (https://www.mee-go.co.uk)
So that just about sums up my Baby Show Experience. I am SO glad we went, the savings we made are absolutely insane. I loved the whole experience and will definitely be back when I need a high chair etc! TOP TIP: If you are going tomorrow or plan to go to the next show, be aware that you can haggle with the sellers and ask them to throw in freebies!
- Robyn x
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