7 ways to prepare for your baby's arrival - plus how to get a FREE John Lewis New Parent Starter Kit worth £180

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.

To help make the transition into parenthood a little easier, John Lewis has launched its New Parent Starter Kit - a free baby box worth £180, packed with products from trusted brands including Tommee Tippee, Lansinoh, Maxi-Cosi, Silver Cross, BIBS and My Expert Midwife.

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 a My Expert Midwife On-Demand Antenatal Course, alongside feeding essentials from trusted brands including Lansinoh and Tommee Tippee.

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 either a John Lewis baby sleeping bag or a six-pack of muslins, alongside a SwaddleMe™ by Ingenuity™ swaddle, helping you tick off a few sleep essentials before your baby arrives.

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.

That's why the John Lewis New Parent Starter Kit includes everyday essentials such as WaterWipes Sensitive+ Newborn & Baby Wipes and Vital Baby Hygiene Aquaint® Cleansing Water.

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.

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.

You may also want to think about practical extras that make outings easier. The John Lewis New Parent Starter Kit includes a Silver Cross Car Window Shade and a Maxi-Cosi Baby on Board Sign to help you feel better prepared for family journeys.

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. 

The John Lewis New Parent Starter Kit includes My Expert Midwife All-In-One Pregnancy Supplements designed to support you through pregnancy, postpartum and breastfeeding, as well as Lansinoh Calming Bedtime Butter, helping you prepare for your own journey as well as your baby's.

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

To help you prepare for your new arrival, John Lewis has created the New Parent Starter Kit: a collection of 17 must-have products worth £180, designed to help you and your baby get off to the best start.

Available exclusively from 11th August 2026 to new and existing My John Lewis members who spend £200 or more on selected nursery or baby products*, the box includes a mix of practical newborn essentials, thoughtful extras and support for your own journey into parenthood.

Inside the New Parent Starter Kit, you’ll find:

• Baby Einstein™ Sensory Toy

• BIBS Round Baby Soothers

• Ella’s Kitchen Baby Food Pouch

• SwaddleMe™ by Ingenuity™ Swaddle

• John Lewis Baby Sleeping Bag or John Lewis 6-Pack of Muslins**

• Lansinoh NaturalWave™ Baby Bottle, 60ml

• Lansinoh Calming Bedtime Butter, 290g

• Maxi-Cosi Baby on Board Sign

• My Expert Midwife On-Demand Antenatal Course

• My Expert Midwife All-In-One Pregnancy Supplements

• Nestlé Cerelac Infant Cereals with Milk Rice, 160g

• Pearhead Wooden Photo Prop

• Silver Cross Car Window Shade

• Tommee Tippee Natural Start Baby Bottle (150ml) and Newborn Soother (0–2 months) Gift Pack

• Trixie Silicone Spoon

• Vital Baby Hygiene Aquaint® Cleansing Water, 50ml

• WaterWipes Sensitive+ Newborn & Baby Wipes

How to get your New Parent Starter Kit

1. Sign in as a My John Lewis member (or join for free if you’re not already a member).

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

3. Spend £200 or more on selected Nursery and/or Baby products.

4. Enter the promotional code BABYBOXAUG at checkout to remove the price of the box.

5. Complete your order.

*T&Cs and exclusions apply. Exclusively online, must apply coupon code at checkout. See product page for exact box contents and further details.

**Customers will receive either the John Lewis Baby Sleeping Bag or John Lewis 6-Pack of Muslins.

About John Lewis

"From our expert in-store advice to a beautifully curated range of mid-premium brands designed to kit out you and your little one, John Lewis is the ultimate destination for new parents – especially right now, as spending £200 on Nursery and Baby items gets you a free Baby Box worth £180, packed with goodies for you both." - Roseanne Winthrop, Buying Manager - Nursery, John Lewis