What to buy for a first baby....

[anythingwithagiraffeonit]

Hi everyone!

Expecting my first baby (very happy!) but totally inexperienced when it comes to children :p

I'm trying to make a list of everything I need to buy to be ready!!

My parents are buying my a bugaboo cameleon, but will I need a seperate Moses basket? Also, clothes wise I've bought some sleepsuits and things but all in 0-3 which I now realize will be huge???

Someone help me :p x

[ShowOfHands]

My dd wore newborn stuff for about 2 weeks so 0-3 stuff was quickly needed here...

You need...

Clothes (sleepsuits several, bodysuits several, cardigans several) Don't worry about outfits as other people will buy them and they only vomit on them or poo on them anyway. For ease, sleepsuits and bodysuits are best. Plus something for going out if you have a winter baby like a snowsuit.

Nappies, wipes, cotton wool, nappy cream etc

Something to transport it, including carseat

Somewhere for it to sleep (DD fitted a moses basket for about 6 weeks but we mainly co-slept so didn't bother with a cot) and blankets, then grobags.

Muslins

Camera

List of breastfeeding counsellors if applicable

Cake

[MarineIguana]

Not sure about the basket as I don't know much about the Cameleon - does it have a carrycot part? In which case you wouldn't need a basket.

I think 0-3 is the best size for newborn clothes, unless your baby is v. small - otherwise they get outgrown in a couple of weeks.

You need a crib or cot, ideally that will fit next to your bed, plus mattress and sheets for it.
Some full-body babygros and also the smaller vest-type ones. You will get given a load of clothes though so keep them minimal.
Socks, and a cardigan (100% cotton so you can wash it).
A few cotton baby blankets and loads of muslins.
Newborn nappies - even if you go for re-usables, have some disposables in in case you needs them and for trips out etc.

[ShowOfHands]

And if bfing, pads, nipple cream and a breastfeeding cushion's quite good esp if you end up with a cs.

[largeginandtonic]

Yes yes bf cushion very good.

What they said really >

Cotton blankets are good. Some of mine have loved being swaddled tightly.

A sling is also a good idea. I had a peanut shell for dd. She lived in it for weeks.

Top and tail bowl useful for those first few weeks and very inexpensive.

Baby bath useless imho.

[MarineIguana]

I found I was sending DP out for things like extra vests and muslins, breast pads, cot sheets etc. in the first few weeks, but that's OK. You can get most of this stuff at a big supermarket, and it's nice for your partner to have a part in choosing stuff for the baby. You often don't know what you won't need, eg you don't know how sicky your baby will be or how leaky your boobs will be, so it's possible to be over-prepared with a load of stuff you don't need.

[somanyboyssolittletime]

Congratulations!

I would get;

moses basket and rocking stand (not imperative, but they look so lost in a cot!)

car seat

newborn clothes - vests, sleepsuits, snowsuit (not too many as they grow so quickly, and baby might be quite big when born, plus you get tonnes of presents!)

muslin cloths, nappies, wipes, changing mat

baby bath, sponge, soft towels

formula feeding stuff (if intending to - steriliser, bottles, formula etc)

sheets and blankets - for moses basket and pram (quite a few due to poo/wee/vomit etc)

sling?

On my fourth but realising am actually quite rubbish at this! Just remember you can go shopping quite soon after having a baby, so don't panic that you have to have absolutely everything beforehand!

[largeginandtonic]

Disposable pants. For you after childbirth.

[ShowOfHands]

Or big cheap cotton pants that you can chuck out. Those disposable ones cut me in several places. And I had an episiotomy wound and a cs wound, it was an exquisite torture.

Slings good.

[largeginandtonic]

Or your own pants that are so old and worn and battered that you could do with buying brand spanking new ones when all the baby gunk has gone.

Disposable pants did not work after my section either. Not high enough. Cut in to the wound.

Are we scaring her now?

Sorry.

Your birth will be lovely. All plinky plonky music and breathing the baby out. It might be you know.

[ShowOfHands]

And birds will sing and angels will get their wings and the sunlight will filter through the soft, cotton clouds as you exude a beautiful and fulfilled glow. It will be exactly like that.

[anythingwithagiraffeonit]

Scaring me a bit :p too excited to be scared off ;)

Thanks for all the advice... My list is growing

[PureAsTheColdDrivenSnow]

don't buy a nappy bag - get a big bag that you like, and use it as a nappy bag (or you'll all end up with the same black mothercare one at your postnatal group meetups

isofix base for carseat - being able to drop the maxi-cosi one into the base was genius for me. there's a new one out that also fits the next stage up car seat.

plenty of vests and babygros (be warned, the supermarket brands are huge so you could get some from Mothercare in newborn size that will fit, and the sainsbury's ones will be longer - useful to know when they're inbetween sizes)

I found a baby bath very useful, but a top and tail bowl useless (just used a glass bowl)

Also found a change table invaluable, as I have a terrible back and knees at the best of times, let alone post-natal, and we used it for 18mo.

HTH andcongrats!!

[anythingwithagiraffeonit]

Excuse my naivety but do you need a dedicated changing table? Or a surface... Like the top of a chest of drawers for example with a changing mat there?

Thanks everyone for the advice... I'm so utterly excited yet fuzzy headed at the same time about all of this :p

[MarineIguana]

I used a waist-high chest of drawers with changing mat on top at first, that works fine when the baby is little, but as soon as they can roll (possibly from a few months) it becomes a hassle and they could fall off (only takes a second).

Then switched to a changing platform thing that fitted across the top of the cotbed (bigger cot that eventually turns into a child's bed - v good thing to get to follow on from crib or moses basket etc). I liked that becasue even if the baby did fall off they'd land in the cot.

Another option is just put the mat on the floor or on a bed - but not so goodif you've had a C-section as it can be harder to bend down or twist round.

[itshappenedagain]

the best place to change a baby is on the floor. any mat will do..or towel. when i was in labour i cryed to my mum that i didnt have a changing unit...she assured me that she hadnt with any of us...friends that do have them tend to not use them...but again personal preference. how long do you have to go?
im alos with everyone on the babygrow thing...bought loads of outfits and newborn things, i only just squeezed him into them (8lb 11oz, 4 weeks early)when he arrived, have bought 0-3 this time around then second hand newborn ( very few) bits incase she is smaller ( hopeful emotion). oh and congratulations!

[MarineIguana]

Actually all that "nursery furniture" you can get is just off-the-scale unnecessary - you don't need a special changing unit, and certainly not a special baby wardrobe or all that guff. And a lot of it costs loads.

[theminniebobble]

Congrats! I've got a five and something week old and am pleased that I didn't go overboard with purchases.

Would agree with what's been said thusfar. However in RL you will probably have people tell you to buy a bouncy chair/ baby gym/ door bouncer blah blah.

Chances are that your baby will love one of those things and you will love the fact that they are amused! but which one to buy?

I have found that through friends who already have kids you get to try out things like that when you visit their houses. If they don't invite you then ask if DD/ DS can have a go. Then you will know what your baby likes and you can invest in that accordingly.

Also....don't be afraid to ask for nappies/ wipes as pressies- if people want to buy you something useful rather than a keepsake. It can all be so expensive.

[MarineIguana]

A baby monitor is something that hasn't been mentioned yet - some people don't feel they need one (esp if you're in a small flat) but I did - and it's a good idea if you're going to be a few rooms away or upstairs/downstairs from the baby when they're asleep.

[ShowOfHands]

You end up changing them wherever, sofa, bed, floor, chest of drawers, your knee. You don't need any of that dedicated rubbish that's designed to use up your money and be utterly unused. Especially when you're changing them mid-feed while they come off for a quick snooze and nappy fill. You won't want to bother with rearranging your clothes, carrying sleepy and possibly pooey baby up a flight of stairs just to whip a nappy off and stick a new one on. You do it on your nap, with one hand, amazing precision and practiced confidence and don't even wake them. Or you do it in a sleep-deprived haze. One of the two.

Buy some nice comfy pyjamas or front-opening nighties if having a summer baby and make sure you have a lovely dressing gown. Stuff to make your life easier maybe. Some people get face spritzy stuff and stuff you can just comb through your hair to freshen it up. Helps I think when it's one of those days.

Freeze some nice meals too for the first few weeks when you can't be bothered.

[BertieBotts]

I didn't buy a baby monitor at first because when DS was newborn I didn't leave him asleep in a different room.

Agree you don't need a changing table - but if you have a bad back/bad knees/c-section they can be very very helpful.

I only got 0-3 month stuff for DS - I don't think I realised newborn size existed for ages! He was smallish (6lb11) but was fine in 0-3 stuff, someone sent us a bundle of "newborn" and "tiny baby" clothes they had had and he fitted in the newborn stuff for a couple of weeks but equally was fine in the 0-3 month stuff.

Best buys were a stretchy wrap sling and the highchair I chose - but don't think about highchairs yet If you want a sling don't get a baby bjorn/tomy type carrier, get a decent one like a wrap which will actually be comfy to wear for more than 5 minutes. If cost is an issue you can get them secondhand or even make one yourself, no sewing required.

Moses basket useful for them to sleep in during the day, carrycot also fine for this purpose. DS never had either, but we co-slept since birth and he used to sleep on my lap or next to me during the day until he got bigger.

If you want to breastfeed I suggest this book - www.thefoodoflove.org

[PureAsTheColdDrivenSnow]

Sorry, didn't mean a dedicated change table - we had the malm 3-drawer unit from ikea, and it's the perfect size and height. only £40 too (rather than £140!)

If you want to get a good baby monitor I cannot recommend the BT 150 enough. We had a shitty analogue one and were constantly up and down the stairs when we couldn't hear DS. This one picks up everything and made for much more relaxed parents!

A lot of people will say you don't need one, but even in our tiny house we can't hear DS crying when the TV is on downstairs.

[largeginandtonic]

Take your list and go to the nearest NCT sale. They are fabulous.

Get there early there will be a queue.

Plenty of bargains to be had. Take parents and in laws too.

[hophophippidtyhop]

Instead of buying a breastfeeding pillow, which are usually about £30, buy an ordinary v shaped pillow for about £10, it will do the same job.
We bathed dd in the bathroom sink for the first month or so. We tried using a baby bath, but it was hell trying to support her in it, we ended up using one of these until she was able to sit up, then switched back to the baby bath.
I also bought 0-3 month clothing, only for dd to turn up weighing 6lb 4oz, and everything falling off her! worth buying just one or two newborn bits just in case!
A small blanket to swaddle your baby in is useful too - I bought my blankets in the right size for the cotbed we had, not thinking about the small amount of bed she would actually take up!

[BertieBotts]

See, hophop, I was told that one of those bath supports was a good buy, so I got one dutifully before the birth and it got used... once.

DS hated water and refused to be bathed unless in with someone, so that quickly became Daddy's job, since I was breastfeeding, and if he went in with me all he wanted to do was feed. I think it was really nice for them to have that skin-to-skin bonding experience.