Must haves for newborns

[bertiebadger]

I'm starting to get my act together getting everything ready for our baby due in a couple of months.
What are the essential buys for newborns?
Many thanks!

[Letsallscreamatthesistene]

Swaddles!

[Keyboard91]

Muslins - lots!

[hulahoopqueen]

For baby, muslins everywhere!! A pack of 10 or so plain white long-sleeved vests. Somewhere for them to rest downstairs, like a pod or Moses basket or something for while you’re in the kitchen/toilet. Stain remover, lol.
For you, lots of non-perishable or long life snacks stashed away for breastfeeding if that’s your plan, also a massive water bottle or thermos so you don’t have to move while they’re feeding. A few packs of heavy-duty maternity pads - better to be prepared.

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

So personal OP- eg. my daughter was never swaddled.
Personally:
A Moses basket (was out of hers in 3 months so don’t buy expensive brands imo)
Cellular blanket
Babygro and sleep suits (no dresses if a girl, bloody nightmares to put on, oh and horizontal poppers on suits are the devil)
Water wipes and nappies (sorry I can’t do sustainable cloth or cotton wool)
Breastfeeding cushion I really needed and sent husband to get on second day home
Angelcare bath seat- no faffing with baby baths
Baby bouncer and a play mat I loved- tummy time roller for when a bit older.

Scratch mittons and Muslims I didn’t really need, not a scratcher or a throw upper - a couple as back up are good.

Other people may tell u: breast pump, Tommie tippee bottle warmer, room thermometer etc- none I ever used or got.

[FrugiFan]

Hygiene:
Washable wipes
Nappies
Baby bath or bath seat
Vests and sleep suits- no need for outfits especially not jeans or dresses

Sleep:
Somewhere to sleep
At least 3 sheets
Gro bag
A few cellular blankets in case they're too small for gro bag

Feeding:
If planning to bottle feed - bottles and stereliser, some bottles of premade formula
If planning to breast feed - lansinoh cream, washable breast pads, nursing bras

[HarrietM87]

I always tell people to get a really good in ear thermometer (Braun do good ones). Because if you think your newborn might have a temperature you will need to check it right away and get an accurate result and amazon prime won’t cut it!

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

Oh a thermometer is a good one - spent about £40 on a really good one from Braun

[Redroses05]

Bottle warmers for when you go out Tommy Tippee were the best! A decent changing bag Baby Mel.

[bertiebadger]

This is so helpful!! Thank you!

[GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal]

I had one baby that hated to be swaddled and one that loved it, so I'd maybe only get a couple and wait and see what they they like. Similarly, our Moses basket went unused as DD wouldn't let us put her in it, but DS had an along-side crib that worked much better.

YY to muslins, lots of. And wipes, extra soap, hand gel - you'll be changing a lot of nappies! Oh, and actually, we bought a spare cheap changing mat, and kept it under the sofa, along with a pack of wipes and some nappies so we didn't have to carry them upstairs every time they needed changing.

Sleepsuits and vests in various sizes. DD was born too big for newborn ones, and had to go straight into the next size up, whereas DS was drowned in them and DH had to go and get him some Tiny Baby ones (he wasn't even prem).

Some kind of sling I always think is helpful. I really rated wallet-style changing bags over the big, full bag style. They hold wipes, a few nappies, a changing mat, and a small tub of sudocrem (also get sudocrem!) and can be stuck into your normal bag or under the pushchair. If you formula feed I imagine they're less useful though as you need to take that with you too.

Oh - and for mum, a thermal mug with a lid. I used to spend so much time trapped under feeding or sleeping babies, never able to drink my badly-needed tea and coffee while it was hot! Now I buy every new mum I know one of these, so they can enjoy a hot cuppa without fear of spilling it on the baby!

Good luck. I'm jealous - no chance of more babies for me, and I miss them.

[2007Millie]

A place to sleep.
Muslims.
Thermometer.
A flask for you to keep your coffee warm and you can drink it whilst feeding baby without worrying about spilling it.


Other than that, babies are pretty resilient and really just need love, food and cuddles.

[EventRider1]

Apart from the usual nappies, wipes etc.
I have a bath seat which is great. I did buy a baby bath initially but it was a complete and utter faff to use.
I have a room thermometer that doubles up as a bath thermometer. Gets used multiple times a day.
Caboo wrap sling was a life saver and great when she was tiny. Meant she could nap on me while I got on with my day.

[fonxey]

Next to me crib
Muslins, though i got loads and haven't really used all of them.
Bibs
Activity/play mat
Black and white mobile
1 or 2 simple rattles
Sleeping bags. Get good intentions. I tried getting cheap ones as i didn't want to spend £20 on each and you can spend more. But in the end ended up spending twice as much.
Groegg or a simple thermometer
A book of nursery rhymes for yourself so you can learn them!

[Babyboomtastic]

Don't bother with too many muslins, you get given lots anyway, and I've always just ended up using them for cleaning and throwing away. Some is good - enough for 1 a day, but you don't want to end up with 50+ which is what happened to me, because everyone said to buy lots.

If it's a girl and a summer baby, then dresses, dresses, dresses!! A million times easier than a baby grow during the day and because in summer you won't be using tights, minimal undressing and poppers to get to the nappy.

A couple of swaddles are good, but don't go nuts until you know baby likes it - I e had one that loved it, one that hated it.

Aldi nappies

Yellow metanium

A stretchy wrap and perhaps a more structured buckle carrier. Or maybe a ring sling.

Sock one.

Co sleeper crib.

[NameChangingShame]

Baby nail clippers!! My little one is two weeks and wow those finger nails grow!!!☺️

[Bobbinsmama]

For me, a sling turned out to be an essential. I used it all the time for walks (DS1 hated his pram), for getting the housework done and for dancing him around to calm him when he got upset. We now have a 10 month old DS2 and still use it every day.

[CharlieB93]

A boppy pillow (or equivalent) saves aching arms for feeding and my DD loves sitting in it!

[countdowntobaby2020]

If you're planning to bottle feed I would definitely recommend the starter kits that come with pre sterilised teats. I'd got some for the hospital but they ended up providing formula and we got discharged really quickly so never even opened the pack I'd bought. However when we got home they were a life saver as we figured out what on earth was going on for the first two days (first time parents!)

Something that I wasn't sure about but has been great is the Tomee Tippee nappy bin, it has saved countless bin trips!

[fonxey]

With the tommee tipee nappy bin (we got one too) you don't have to fork out for the expensive cartridges.

Nappy Bin Liners Compatible with Tommee Tippee Sangenic Tec | Angelcare | Litter Locker II + Roll Cardboard for Storage and Refilling, Minimize Odors, 200m + 50m Free (250m + Paper Tube) www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07QKXLRPZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_zjX-EbF5RR7BS?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

Think we have a different brand but same thing. Baby is 6 months. We only bought 1 or 2 cartridge packs Beeche getting this and we bought 2 rolls. Still on the first roll and we empty the bin about once a week.

Alternatively thigh i guess you just get a bin and napoy bags and throw them in.

[HarrietM87]

I think whether a nappy bin is essential really depends on your household set up. If you’re in a flat and going to the outside bin is a pain and/or if you always change your baby upstairs then I can see they’d be really useful. For me the idea of having a compressed package of stinking nappies was really gross! We used a normal bin (£5 from Ikea) with a lid and just emptied it outside regularly. You also don’t get really smelly nappies until weaning (at least if ebf, I don’t know about formula).

[BlueCookieMonster]

I know people get those fancy changing bags and rate them. I never really got on with them, especially when they got to toddler age and walking (or up and down in a bloody sling!).

If I was doing it all again, I’d just get a decent backpack and storage cubes to go in it.

[bertiebadger]

Thank you so much to you all - loads of good ideas.