Baby stuff: where to start?

[FlaminNoraImPregnantPanda]

Can someone tell me what I need to get for Baby? I'm feeling totally overwealmed by the mountains of stuff available. We have to be careful with money so I don't want to buy anything more than we really need. My friend/neighbour is around the same stage as me and they've bought mountains (eg 20 pairs of shoes already and 3 different baby bouncer/swing things ). It's starting to make me very anxious. Baby due in April/May.

So far I've got:

• Second hand bugaboo (new mattress on order)
  
• a baby bath
  
• cotton wool
  
• car seat will be provided by local council here in Sweden
  

Ordered:

• 3 baby grows
  
• 5 short sleeved vests
  
• 5 long sleeved vests for cold nighttime
  
• pack of bibs
  
• pack of muslins (don't even know what these are for )
  

Being made:

• baby shawl x2
  
• baby blankets x2
  
• cardigans x2
  
• anything else grandma can knit before he arrives
  

I'm not sure if I'll be BF or FF. I am autistic and have hypersensory issues so I won't know if I can manage BF until I try. If it completely freaks me out, then I'll FF. So I guess I need to prepare for both.

So what else do I need?

[FlaminNoraImPregnantPanda]

Forgot to add, at my scan last week the sonographer commented that Baby had really long legs. This leads me to believe that he's got his dad's build (dad is 6ft2). So I'm wary of buying too many babygrows because they may be too small right from the start.

[Rachel130690]

Okay when I had my son in the first few weeks all I used was:

Bottles as I ff
Steriliser
Clothes (which I was given)
Nappies
Crib
Bouncer (which was a gift)
And a cot downstairs.

Really as long as you have clothes, milk (whether ff or bf) and somewhere for them to sleep that's all you need in first few weeks.

Oh and I used muslin as a bib for first wee while. Or to wipe sick up.

[Rachel130690]

Oh and I could of done without the bouncer. I only used it as it was a gift. If I didn't have it I wouldn't of cared.

[aimingtobeaperfectionist]

I wouldn't worry about any clothes other than vests/sleepsuits until baby is over 3 months. Too fiddly. Don't bother with shoes.
Muslin cloths wipe up sick, snot, milk and pretty much everything else. Very handy.
Practice bf at home and make sure you feel comfortable as doing it in public is quite stressful at first.
I bought pushchair, car seat, second hand moses basket and stand (new matress). Buy nappies any time they're on offer. Same with wipes.
You really don't need much, yo can get plenty second hand and you'll realise over time what you do need.
Congratulations.

[nannyl]

you will need more than 3 baby grows

you could use 3 baby grows in a morning, or even in an hour, same with vests

whilst babies dont need a lot of clothes and outfits they will need more than you have. (also need to allow time to launder and dry)

I bought 3 packs of muslins, and then bought 2 more packs as used them for everything and 3 packs wasnt enough for me. (I think i had about 12 to start with and ended up with about 20 and 12 wasnt enough)

you will need nappies / wipes (i use cloth)
some bag to take all the stuff in when you go out (doesnt need to be a "baby" bag, and bag will do)

bed sheets for the cot or moses basket or whatever.
(pillow cases can work for a moses basket)

its not long at all befire most babies like to sit in a baby chair or swing or something
and most like spending time in a mat with some dangly toys to look at pretty early on too.

[wanderingalbatross]

Somewhere for the baby to sleep, and nappies are the only other big things I can think of.

Your DH can pop out and buy baby clothes once baby is here if you're worried about buying too small. Although you might need more clothes/blankets if your baby is sick a lot as otherwise you'll be forever putting washing on.

But newborns don't need a lot, and you will quickly discover what you need once the baby is here. Plus the shops are still open and you will be able to get things then. I found a sling to be really useful, but again that's something you can decide on when baby is here. If you bf, then lansinoh is very useful to have from the very beginning (guess you can get it or similar in Sweden?), and you'll need maternity pads.

[NAR4]

2nd hand baby sales are great for getting really cheap clothes. Yo sound like you have everything you need at the moment. You can always add more after baby is born.

For my last baby I had;
pram (2nd hand)
moses basket (given to me)
bedding (2nd hand)
Terries nappies and washable bottome/face wipes
Plastic stacking drawers (for clothes, bedding and nappies)
Supermarket packet of 3 babygrows, 3 vests, hat and gloves

Stuff for you though;
breastpads
sanitary pads
disposable knickers

You can't really tell how many clothes and how much bedding you need until baby arrives. Some are really sickey and go through loads of clothes and blankets, others are fine and you just need enough to have clean stuff out of the wash.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Congratulations on your pg Nora.

I had my first one at about that time of year, its such a lovely time to have a baby, in fact am a bit .

Think you have bought plenty already. I too didn't know which way I would feed so bought absolutely nothing to do with feeding as I didn't want to waste my money. If you do decide to bf some breastpads and a couple of nursing bras would be useful, but unless you live in the middle of nowhere you will be able to get these after Lo arrives, same with formula and bottles. Find out too where your local bfing support is.

There are a couple of things I would add to your list, you need to think about where Lo will sleep and what bedding you will use. Mine slept in a Moses basket with a sheet on the mattress and they had those baby sleeping bags.

How about getting some nappies. Don't get too many though as different babies suit different brands and you don't want to buy loads only to find they leak.

I'd also suggest Babycalming by Caroline deacon. It's a great book on babies and is good whichever way you feed your baby. Only wish I'd read it before having my dc1.

Get a sling, I found mine invaluable and stock your freezer up with lots of scrummy meals.

I think everything else is pretty much ok, they don't need much at first, just you! You will probably get lots of presents anyway, my cousin gave birth recently and was given 5 baby gyms.

Don't feel bad because your neighbour is able to buy lots for their baby and you aren't. Your Lo won't care what other babies have, all your Lo will want is your love and attention

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

I bf both of mine and never bought a tube of lanisoh. Perhaps wait until Lo arrives and see how you get on.

[FlaminNoraImPregnantPanda]

I was planning on Baby sleeping in the carrycot and buying a cot a bit later when he needs it. I did read on here that sleeping in the carrycot overnight is not recommended but I asked in the shop where I've ordered the mattress. They were perplexed and knew nothing about it so rang Bugaboo themselves to check. Bugaboo were also perplexed by this advice and hadn't heard it before. They said 'of course it's safe, that's what they're designed for' .

Lots of really useful stuff here. Thank you so much.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

That should e fine

[Rachel130690]

I think disposable knickers are a no no. People on here advised me to get them in a bigger size to allow for pads but I found them a waste of time. They just didn't work for me.

The other thing is bibs you need a lot of these. It's crazy how many you use.

You'll find that once your baby is here you'll get into your own way of doing things. I've dressed my son most days in clothes from about week 2. I didn't every day but most days I did. I didn't find it any harder or fiddler that baby gros/ sleep suits.

Hope all this info helps.

[Rachel130690]

When I said clothes I didn't necessarily mean proper clothes I just couldn't be bothered to write everything separate lazy

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

I didn't use many bibs, mine were just never sick and bibs are easy to get hold of.

[Badvocsanta]

Steriliser, bottles with slow flow teats.
Muslins/bibs
Cot?
Moses basket?
Sheets for both/either
You will need far more vests/babygros than you think..some babies are very possetty (sick) and so will need a change if clothes 3/4 x per day.
You don't need special baby toiletries, but wash cloths and towels just for baby use are a good idea IMO, ESP as they get older and may have stomach bugs etc
Nappies if using, nappy sacks, bum cream
Nice colourful blanket for baby to lie on/tummy time.
Erm.....think that's it!

[PurplePidjChickIsNotTheMessiah]

DS is 17 days old. I use:

Sleep suits and vests - 10-15 to allow for washing
Fleece snow suit (I'm in the south of England, you might need something heavier for Sweden)
2 woolly hats, 2 pairs woolly bootees
15-20 nappies (reusable so again allows for washing and drying)
Stretchy wrap sling
Moses basket for downstairs sleeps, crib upstairs. Sheet on each, plus 2 blankets that move with him.
Car seat with small blanket
Push chair with small blanket
Muslins for face wiping, catching leaky milk, head support in sling, padding nasty plastic public changing tables etc
Cotton wool in vast quantities for cleaning at nappy changes
Baby bath and sponge (bathed weekly, they don't get dirty apart from mouth and bum)

Ds was 6lb2oz so everything was too big - socks keep his feet in his sleep suit and sleeves can be rolled back. We managed until my mum could get to the shop for Tiny Baby sizes (he's still only just in new born). So if i were you I'd get bigger then have a relative pick up the right size on their way to visit if baby surprises you.

I'm breast feeding so can't advise on bottles, I'm afraid

Congratulations

[10storeylovesong]

nora you're far more organised than me! I'm on the same board as you and only got a Moses basket so far!

[FlaminNoraImPregnantPanda]

10 I'm just really worried about finding the money to buy everything in one go. I don't work so it all has to come out of my husband's pay cheque. A little bit each month doesn't seem quite so scary.

[10storeylovesong]

I know what you mean. We've kind of been doing the same but putting it into a seperate account just in case there's anything in the sales after Xmas.

[Splinters]

It sounds like you're nearly there already. 20 pairs of shoes is utter madness!

[MsQueenie]

I'm due around the same time, and I have zero for the baby or me! I'd better get a move on!

[worsestershiresauce]

Not bought anything either, and due February. I'm waiting for the January sales.

[StarOfLightMcKings3]

When my Ds was born I had 5 sleep suits, nappies and a car seat and a blanket.

On day 5 I added a £65 McClaren.

[VickyU]

I found a book called 'What to Buy for Your Baby' by Caroline Cosgrove to be really useful. I thought it gave quite balanced advice about what you really need, what is useful but not essential, and what you really don't need.