Newborn - What do we need?

[bloodywhitecat]

This might seem an odd question but what bits of kit are good for making life easier with a newborn baby? I could potentially have a newborn coming to join us in the next few weeks so what things will make my life easier? When my own children were babies we didn't have Sleepyheads or anything like that, I just remember having a bouncy chair, a crib, a carseat and a pram, we have been browsing baby bits but there is so much stuff out there these days (and now I sound like my mother!)

Everything you have listed there are the best bits.

I have three kids. Youngest is 2.

The new fancy rockers, sleep pods etc are all great if you are loaded but for the money they don’t vastly improve things nor are worth it.

My most used items were bouncy chair, pram, Moses basket.

You're best of sticking to the basics you've mentioned and then buy 'extras' if you require them. For me, I loved the sleepyhead, it really helped my baby sleep- we ended up buying it at about 3/4 months. I also found the mamas and papas snug chair handy for sitting on the floor.

I think if you are fostering a baby, then a sling might be a really helpful item. But rather than buying one, find out your local sling library so you can try a few with them to see what works.

A perfect prep machine would make bottle make up much easier

TBH, unless you are very rural I'd leave it till the last minute then get a cot, car seat and a suitable from birth simple pushchair and then see what the baby is like

Thank you for the replies.

I am very rural, we are one of four cottages with nothing but fields for miles (which is one of the reasons we don't foster teens). I will research local sling libraries, that's a really good idea. I hadn't even thought about a Perfect Prep so that is another good idea.