7 ways to prepare for your baby’s arrival - plus a free John Lewis starter kit worth £150

Getting ready to welcome your new baby is exciting, but it can also feel like there's an endless list of things to do, buy and organise before your due date.

From choosing where your baby will sleep to working out what feeding essentials you'll need, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by advice, product recommendations and social media checklists. The good news? Most parents agree that newborns need far less than you might think.

By focusing on a handful of key priorities now, you can feel more confident and prepared for those first few months together - and beyond.

If you’re already shopping for your new arrival, John Lewis’ New Parent Starter Kit could help tick a few more things off your list. The latest box (worth £150) brings together everyday baby essentials, antenatal support and a few thoughtful extras for you, with brands including Lansinoh, My Expert Midwife, Neal’s Yard Remedies and Weleda.

1. Decide what you actually need before your baby arrives

Before you start filling baskets and registries, focus on the basics: somewhere safe for your baby to sleep, feeding and changing essentials, a few outfits, a suitable car seat, and a pushchair or baby carrier.

It's easy to convince yourself that you need every clever gadget on the market, but most babies need surprisingly little in those first few weeks. In reality, it's often the smaller items that become the real workhorses of newborn life. Nappies, wipes, muslins, baby toiletries, babygrows and sleepsuits are the things you'll reach for day after day.

Once you've covered the essentials, you can always add extras later as you work out what suits your baby and your routine. 

As Mumsnet user sel2223 says: "Consider the basic needs of a newborn baby – warmth, shelter, food and to be kept clean." Once you've covered feeding, sleep, clothing and nappy-changing essentials, you're already well on your way.

Another Mumsnet user ohdearmemummy offers this reminder: "Don't spend too much on baby clothes. One or two cute outfits but mostly babygrows."

2. Learn about feeding before your baby arrives

Feeding is one of the biggest questions you'll face before your baby arrives. Whether you're hoping to breastfeed, bottle feed or combine both, spending some time learning about newborn feeding can help you feel more prepared. 

Antenatal classes can be particularly useful, offering practical information on feeding, newborn care and what to expect in those early weeks.

Mumsnet user Happymchappyface says: "We found antenatal classes really useful. While we could find the information online, the classes gave us dedicated space to actually think about it."

It's also worth having a few feeding essentials ready before your due date, even if you're not entirely sure which route you'll take. When it comes to breastfeeding essentials, Mumsnet user vixen996 recommends: "[…] Nipple cream, reusable breast pads, good breastfeeding bras and a decent sized water bottle for the breastfeeding thirst!"

The John Lewis New Parent Starter Kit includes access to My Expert Midwife’s On-Demand Antenatal Course, so you can work through birth preparation, newborn care and recovery at your own pace. You’ll also find a Lansinoh NaturalWave™ 60ml bottle and a Tommee Tippee Natural Start Perfect Latch Trial Kit, which includes a choice of two teat shapes.

3. Create a safe sleep set-up

Getting your baby's sleep set-up sorted before birth is one less thing to think about when you're adjusting to life with a newborn.

The NHS Best Start in Life and The Lullaby Trust guidance recommends that your baby sleeps on their back in their own separate sleep space, such as a cot or Moses basket, in the same room as you for the first six months.

Your baby's sleep space should be kept simple and free from pillows, duvets and soft toys to help create a safer sleeping environment. 

Practical items such as muslins, swaddles and sleeping bags can also make bedtime routines easier. As Mumsnet user MaltipooMama says: "I used a swaddle, my boy seemed very cosy and content, all wrapped up and slept marvellously!"

The John Lewis New Parent Starter Kit includes a SwaddleMe by Ingenuity™ swaddle and three John Lewis muslins - useful for the spills, dribbles and winding sessions that fill those early days.

4. Set up your changing and bath-time stations

Newborns need a surprising number of nappy changes, so having a dedicated changing area can make everyday life run a little more smoothly. Whether it's a changing table, a changing mat or simply a basket stocked with nappies, wipes and spare clothes, keeping everything within easy reach can make those frequent changes less stressful.

Keeping nappies, wipes and a change of clothes together saves you hunting through drawers halfway through a change. The John Lewis New Parent Starter Kit includes WaterWipes Sensitive+ Newborn & Baby Wipes, ready to add to your supplies.

It's also worth thinking about bath time before your baby arrives. The NHS says newborns only need bathing two or three times a week, and for the first month or so, plain warm water is all that's needed for washing. Having soft towels and a few gentle baby-care essentials ready can help make those first baths feel a little less daunting.

The box also includes Neal’s Yard Remedies Baby Massage Oil, 50ml, for when you’re ready to explore baby massage. Follow the product’s age guidance and instructions before use.

5. Plan ahead for your first trips out

You'll need a suitable baby car seat fitted correctly before your baby arrives, whether you're travelling home by car, taxi or with family. Some parents choose a travel system that includes a pushchair, car seat and carrycot, helping them move seamlessly between car journeys and walks.

If you plan to use a pushchair, practise folding it before your baby arrives so you're not figuring it out on your first journey together.

A small bag stocked with nappies, wipes, muslins and spare clothes can make those first outings feel more manageable. The John Lewis New Parent Starter Kit also includes a Maxi-Cosi Baby on Board Sign.

6. Prepare for your own recovery too

It's easy to focus entirely on your baby, but your own wellbeing matters too. Pregnancy, birth and the early weeks of parenthood can be physically and emotionally demanding, so it's worth thinking about what support you'll need.

That might mean stocking the freezer with easy meals, arranging help from friends and family or simply giving yourself permission to rest whenever you can. The NHS recommends speaking to your midwife, health visitor or GP if you're concerned about your physical or mental wellbeing during pregnancy or after birth.

It can also help to make a note of useful contacts, such as your midwife, health visitor and local pharmacy, so they're easy to find once your baby arrives. 

Make room on your preparation list for yourself, too. The John Lewis New Parent Starter Kit includes Lansinoh Padsicles - cooling perineal pads designed for use after birth - and Weleda Skin Food, a rich moisturiser for dry areas such as hands and elbows.

Part of protecting your wellbeing is recognising that you don't need to have all the answers. New parenthood comes with plenty of advice and opinions, but learning to trust yourself can ease some of the mental load.

Mumsnet user HattiesBag offers this advice: "Trust your instincts, listen to advice but make the decisions that sit right with you. We know our baby best."

7. Remember that nobody feels completely ready

Perhaps the most reassuring thing to know is that almost everyone feels underprepared at some point before becoming a parent. No checklist can cover every situation, and that's completely normal.

The goal isn't perfection. It's having the basics in place, knowing where to find support and giving yourself the confidence to learn as you go.

Mumsnet user Jellybunny56 offers the following advice for the first year: "Tell the truth when somebody asks you how you're doing, or if you need anything. The 'I'm fine' almost falls automatically from your tongue when someone asks and actually people do want to help you. Accept the help [...]."

Discover the John Lewis New Parent Starter Kit

From muslins and wipes to antenatal advice and post-birth care, the John Lewis New Parent Starter Kit brings together practical supplies for your baby and thoughtful extras for you.

The box contains 14 products worth £150 and is free for new and existing My John Lewis members when you spend £200 or more on selected Nursery and Babywear items, using OCTBABYBOX at checkout.*

If you’re already buying essentials for your new arrival, it’s a chance to pick up a few useful extras along the way.

Inside, you’ll find:

• SwaddleMe by Ingenuity™ swaddle

• Lansinoh NaturalWave™ Baby Bottle, 60ml

• BIBS Colour Soother, Size 1, Ivory

• Ella’s Kitchen Organic Nutty Blends Mangoes, Pears + Almonds Baby Pouch, 85g — suitable from six months

• My Expert Midwife On-Demand Antenatal Course

• Maxi-Cosi Baby on Board Sign

• Tommee Tippee Natural Start Perfect Latch Trial Kit

• WaterWipes Sensitive+ Newborn & Baby Wipes

• My 1st Years Mini Bunny Soft Toy

• John Lewis Muslin Squares, pack of two

• Neal’s Yard Remedies Baby Massage Oil, 50ml

• John Lewis Colour Block Muslin Square, single

• Lansinoh Padsicles

• Weleda Skin Food, 75ml

Some items are for later stages, so check each product’s age suitability and instructions before use.

How to claim your free John Lewis New Parent Starter Kit

1. Sign in to your My John Lewis account, or join for free.

2. Add £200 or more of selected Nursery and Babywear items to your basket. Selected lines only; exclusions apply.

3. Add the New Parent Starter Kit Baby Box to your basket.

4. At the payment stage of checkout, click ‘Add promotional code’ and enter OCTBABYBOX to receive the box free.

5. Complete your order.

*Online only, while stocks last. Offer ends 13 November 2026. Selected lines and exclusions apply. Only one promotional code can be used per order, except for qualifying Tech purchases under John Lewis’ separate terms. See the product page for full details.

About John Lewis

From baby clothes and nursery furniture to feeding essentials and pushchairs, John Lewis offers a range of products for growing families, alongside expert in-store advice to help you prepare for your new arrival.