Not as prepared as I thought :-/

[Nellysgirl]

Our nursery is painted. Most of the furniture has been put together.
Now, I'm thinking of getting hospital bags packed and outfits and blankets washed and ready...
The nerves have kicked in (alongside strong Braxton Hicks), and this is all actually happening.
And I realise... I don't know nearly as much as I thought I did sigh....
How much clothes and nappies should I have at this stage??? And what size(s)? I have some but how many do I NEED?
I'm unpacking the cot bumper and the Moses basket. Do I wash the linings of it? There isn't any indication on the packaging. Don't want to ruin it but also not too keen on the idea of inadvertently harming my beloved newborn.
I'm even wondering what else I don't know about and praying I don't find out the hard way...
Anyone else?

[Callmedreckly]

Get your bag packed & put it in a corner somewhere with baby car seat.

Money for car park.

Have you got larger size knickers? I got Asda, cheap black ones in a 16 & Im usually a 12. They were fab.

Night time pads, I used them day & night. Probably used about 8 a day/night.

Slippers/flip flops. You don't want to be bending loads.

Wash the lining on a 30' quick wash, just to freshen it up.

Nappies size 1. Just take 1 pack to hospital.

Clothes for home, Maybe 10 baby grows & 10 vests? I had 2 cardigans,
Mittens as well.

My DD is 14 weeks. Shes got way to many clothes.

How many weeks are you?

Try & relax

[noblegiraffe]

A pack of size 1 and size two newborn nappies, cotton wool strips (better than balls), 10 newborn vests and sleepsuits, same again in 0-3. Couple of hats.
Moses basket linings can be washed, cot bumpers not recommended till 1 year old, I believe.
Shops still open once baby gets here

[Borisboohoo]

You will be fine! First of all, remember that you can buy things once the baby is here . Even with my 2nd child when I should have been more clued up I was texting DH from the hospital with lists of stuff to buy!! (I was kept in, he was with me for the birth )
You will need way more stuff than you think in the first few weeks. Babies are very messy at first from both ends and need constant changing. Get lots of plain/cheaper baby gros (long arms and legs) and vests (short arms no legs) and keep the nicer ones for when you have visitors!
Nappies/maternity pads/breast pads - get a couple of packs in and then just buy more if you need them. My 2nd child outgrew the newborn nappies pretty quickly whereas my 1st didn't.
Up to you re: washing bumper/linings. I washed everything for my 1st but I'm much more relaxed with the 2nd. Don't worry about 'ruining' things, they will be covered in poo/milk etc very quickly and you will be stuffing them in the machine!
I will say it again, anything you don't have you can get pretty quickly! Supermarkets are ace for the basics and open late/early. Also only open/cut labels off when you are sure you want the item, then you can return unused stuff.
Lastly, good luck as you can't have !

[redcaryellowcar]

Don't worry too much, sounds like you are doing really well,.I wrote a to do list at 35 weeks and ds arrived at 36 and all I had done was wash one or two of his outfits, family helped out with washing. We assembled cot when we got back from hospital and dh went to mothercare to buy things like breastpads and towels.

[rallytog1]

The most important thing you need to do now is relax!

Sounds like you have all the bases covered. If you find out you need something you can send your partner out to the shops or get next day delivery from Amazon. You really don't need to have absolutely everything before the baby comes.

With washing stuff, it's entirely personal choice. I doubt you'll ruin anything by washing it but equally you won't harm your baby if they sleep in a cot with an unwashed bumper.

The most important thing for you to do now is put your feet up and make the most of your last weeks before baby comes. Good luck!

[JRmumma]

Wash everything for peace of mind, remember shops open every day so you only need enough nappies for first day really. Get that hospital bag packed as you'll feel do much more relaxed afterwards, even if you then unpack and re-pack many times afterwards. At least you'll know you are ready to go when the time comes.

Then spend time reading up on birth (if you want to) and the first few days of caring for your newborn if you think it might help you feel prepared. For me that's more important in making sure i have the right 'stuff'.

[Nellysgirl]

Thanks so much everyone for your supportive messages. I thought I might have burst my waters pacing around and worrying about having everything ready. I feel like I should have to sit a test before baby comes haha! Or someone should come round and tell you that you have done everything right before they let you walk out the hospital with your baby!
I'm quite well read in terms of caring for the baby once it's here. Or so I think... And I know I've got my class with the midwife soon so hope to be well informed following that too.
It's just as I'm setting the room up and washing the clothes etc that new questions and things are coming to light. I really really want to do my very best by this baby and its relying on us to take care of it (I can't believe it!).
Thanks for telling me about your own experiences. It's good to hear

Call me dreckly - I'm also usually around a 12 and have bought size 14 knickers. Shall I swap them for 16?
Will get some more mat pads etc.
slippers and flip flops are covered.

Noblegiraffe - no bumpers for 1 year? I did not know that... Baby will be in Moses basket first of all. Not sure when baby will be moving to cot but will bear that in mind.
Think I will wash the Moses basket linings etc if poss so i can sleep tonight.

Borisboohoo - will take your advice about getting some cheaper and plain stuff for at home. I've noted your advice and it will be followed when I'm shopping.

I've just put my first load of baby outfits in the washer with some fairy non bio & comfort pure softener. Hopefully nothing poisonous in that stuff...

Taking a deep breath and going to evaluate what else needs to be done.

[noblegiraffe]

I just googled, it seems it would be safer to avoid the bumpers altogether

www.which.co.uk/news/2011/11/cot-bumper-pads--are-they-a-risk-270203/

[Callmedreckly]

Size 14 should be fine, My bump went after a couple of days then just had a spongy tummy still have

[purrpurr]

Just my personal opinion on the whole 'dress the baby in plain babygros and save the nice ones for visitors' philosophy... Things are so cheap nowadays if you buy from supermarkets or second hand from eBay, where I got nearly all my newborn stuff from, that I just don't get why the insistence on refraining from enjoying your new baby in every way you can, whether you have visitors due or not. I really cherished the time I spent with my little newborn washing her, patting her skin dry, then dressing her in a soft, pretty babygro. It is probably rather strange but for me it was another way of me taking care of her, alongside feeding and winding and rocking her etc.

[craigslittleangel]

I remember that panic with my first. Honestly you are doing fine.

Bigger size granny knickers, that you can just put in bin are fine. I got just the size up both times and that was fine.

Fairy and comfort are fine to wash clothes in. Take a minute when you hang them up to marvel at their size. It really is amazing that they will be that size and that they wont be for long. I got Tesco/asda white and pink baby grows and vests. Nice big packs at good prices. Trust me, babies do not care how much the babygrow is that they have just exploded poo all over. But you might hen you realise the stain might remain. Remember to get baby grows that open at the bottom at least and also down the front. Don't worry about which vest to get as long as it opens at the bottom/ They are all designed to be pulled down over the babies shoulders anyway.

If you get a nice babygrow for when they come out of the hospital (although a nice whit one is lovely to), they can wear that when ever you have visitors. Although if they are focusing on what baby has on, they need to leave immediately.

And you will buy loads for the baby and they will have loads bought for it once its here. My OH was just reminding me of us standing in Mothercare seriously considering paying over £200 for a baby swing when our first daughter was a week old. 10 days before I didn't even know they did those for babies.... by the way, you do not need one of those now!!!

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

My tip is to buy products for each and every possible problem that could go wrong. From nappy rash to cracked nipples, through colic and haemharroids! No scenario is too daft and you will be grateful later when you realise you need something and it is on hand already.
Men's briefs are great for after when you have a sanitary pad like a surf board in your knickers! The erm.. Ball space is perfect for the San pro, they are nice thick material and have secure elastic in the legs!

[Callmedreckly]

Funny you should mention a swing, got one yesterday from ebay, searched a 10 mile radius so I could collect.
I paid £10.60, its still in the shops for £100.

Lots of bargains out there OP.

[purrpurr]

We got a swing from eBay too. Fab thing, my DD snored like a train this afternoon in it on only her second go in the thing. Think we paid £26 and again it is on sale around £100 in shops at present. Gotta love eBay!

[ovenbun]

Plenty of moses basket sheets and lots of muslins or bibs for feeds. the average term baby possets 8 -10 times a day...thats before you have the sneaky wee outside of the nappy etc.
you will probably be showered with lovely gifts for baby and as others have said you can get others to pop for shops if you realise there is something you need :) xxx

[PinkFondantFancy]

Loads of great advice. I'd add to get your feet up as much as poss now and listen to your hypnobirthing a lot (if you're into that sort of thing!)

[noblegiraffe]

Top tip, you don't need so many Moses basket sheets if you fold a muslin in half and wrap it around the mattress where your baby's head will be. Most sicks you can then just change the muslin instead of the whole sheet.

[noblegiraffe]

Oh, and if you have a sicky baby: BIBS.

[fluffyraggies]

Yep - my top tip - muslin squares!

My second top tip - muslin squares - lol.

Seriously, you cannot have too many absorbent, easily washed bits of fabric on hand to grab. Little cot sheets, bibs, muslin squares. Have i said that?

-You can lay baby down on them,
-you can pop one over your shoulder when wandering around with baby, -you can hand one to visitors who want a cuddle with baby (isn't that always when they decide to regurgitate hald their milk?!)
-you can fold one and tuck it in and use it as a sick/dribble catching layer as has been said. Way easier to whip that away and wash it than change the whole mosses basket/cot linen.

• you can lay one in the car seat for babies head to rest on.
  
• same with push chair
  

Oh and disposable knickers for the hospital. Very soft and big. Just bin 'em and put on a fresh pair when you go to the loo. No need then to be bringing home stained knickers in a bag :)

[JanieLovesLuckySocks]

Thanks for starting this thread OP! I'm a pretty clueless first timer due in November so it's great to have all these tips

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

Urgh! Paper Knickers!

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

Oh, and pillow cases make great Moses basket sheets. You can get them for next to nothing and if baby is sick in the night, just turn it over!