To ask about newborns...

[notsureifimbeingur]

I'm due to have a baby in November, and I wondered if anyone has advice of things to buy that were an absolute must have when you were giving birth/ settling into life with a baby at home?

Perhaps things that I wouldn't initially think of, but couldn't live without, and would then have to make a trip out to buy them.
I like to be as organised as possible!

(Sorry, I know this isn't strictly AIBU, but posting for traffic!)

Thank you!

I can answer the big boob question, I fed a very tiny (prem) baby with very big boobs. Cradle hold was impossible so I used a football hold, tucked under your arm with head peeking out. He was very comfy and would spend hours tucked under there. Comfy for me too!

There's no such thing as a typical newborn - there's your newborn. My 2 mother is really chilled and sleeps well (sorry), and I've got a husband that's round a lot, so a lot of the stuff in here doesn't ring true to me. I can count on one hand the number of meals I've eaten one handed (though I do eat with her in a sling sometimes), batch cooking would be pointless and I wouldn't bother putting coffee in a thermos. But my next baby might be the opposite and the that stuff will be important.

Basically, you can only prep so much until you meet your little person and then you'll discover all the things you wish you'd done, or shouldn't have bothered with.
For me, my musts are a good quality sling, and use it extensively, getting out of the house every day and to trust your instincts. Ewan the sheep works well for me, though it for all babies, same with swaddling. Oh, clear space on your phone before you have your baby because you'll take hundreds of photos and videos in the early days.

2 monther, not mother. Obviously.

Regarding giant boobs, I was nervous of suffocating DS too (I have one that's just over a J cup and one that's more an HH) until one of the midwives pointed out that very little babies have slightly sideways flared nostrils so it's actually quite difficult to block them both at the same time. DS didn't get a good latch like you see in videos until he was about six months because my nipples are large too but he got plenty to drink and actually showed a definite preference for the larger one!

I didn't get on with nursing bras either so bought a couple in a half cup style (Curvy Kate Ritzy and Tease) and adapted them using nursing clips so the extra size when they were full could just expand on top without any pressure from fabric over the top, like a cupcake rising in the oven!

Other than that, I wanted to second what others said about the advantages of nightgowns. I discovered them because DM saved some she used for me and my brother back in the late 1970s and once I'd tried them DS only ever wore his babygrows if he needed to go in the car seat until he could sit up by himself. Not only are nightgowns easier for changes and checking if they need a change, they are not so size or shape specific either. Poor DS had a long body and short legs so never fitted babygrows properly. A very generous friend bought him a Bambino Merino bundler nightgown and it genuinely did fit him well from three weeks, when we received it, to more than six months.

Not by any means a necessity but a thing we truly loved as it was a guaranteed fix when he was crying, especially from digestive pain (he had silent reflux and the extra acid he made affected the other end too) was his upright bath. Ours was a Tummy Tub but there are others. He was just so calm, happy and relaxed in it. Sometimes I wished he could just stay in the bath until he outgrew the reflux.

A freezer FULL of M&S ready meals.

We still have a drawer full of muslin cloths unused. DD 8 mo hasn't been sick and I can't think what they're good for?

Me stopping drinking milk stopped baby's constipation and colic.

Breast pads (can get washable ones) so you don't leak through your clothes.

Enough cot bedding that your baby can puke or poop their way through multiple times, so you don't have to be washing and drying in the middle of the night.

A decent sling.

A cup holder for your pram so you can actually enjoy a hot drink whilst pushing your sleeping baby.

Calpol so you have it ready for their first high temperature.

Puppy training pads. You'll bleed more than you ever imagined after giving birth, these will save your mattress and bedding from blood staining and daily washing.

This thread is amazing!
I have a 3 year old DS and can't really remember what was a necessity tbh.
We loved the long pregnancy pillow though! & lansinoh nipple cream is a god send.

Taking note of all these for when we have baby #2!

I second the washable breast pads - I had very leaky boobs and they were so much more comfortable and absorbent than the disposable ones, which tended to migrate while I slept and leak everywhere.
Also not sure if anyone has mentioned this but consider getting a laxative in... the first few poos after giving birth can be, um, daunting so anything that helps things along can be really helpful!! Ah the miracle of bringing new life into the world
All the very best to you OP

Slings are great but can be expensive and you need to find one that suits you. See if there's a sling library near you. I hired one for £5 a month. Did buy one in the end but in retrospect it would have been more cost effective to just hire as my kids were both so huge I didn't use the sling for more than 6 months.

I wouldn't consider many of these things essential.
My essentials were -
A few vests and sleepsuits, cardigans. Snowsuit, hat and gloves if it's likely to be cold
Nappies, wipes, nappie bags. If you buy disposable nappies don't buy many in the smallest size because they grow out of them very quickly.
Bottles and teats, dummies, electric steriliser. Tin of formula. Bibs.
Moses basket/crib/small cot. Sheets and blankets. Shawls.
Pram/car seat/travel system.
Baby bath, cotton wool, whatever is recommended nowadays for the umbilical cord care.
That's pretty much it really. Everything else I just bought as I went along and discovered what I needed.

Wow, such a lot of advice that is so very useful! Thank you to all who posted!
I'm glad this thread is a help to others. Now just to gather up all the things you have suggested, and count down until November!

Keep them coming as I'm also following and picking up some tips for December! So am I realistic in thinking newborns-2 months wear vests, leggings, baby grows, cardigans, rompersuits, snow suits if outside , hats & socks and that's pretty much it rather than outfits?

A phone charger with a long enough lead to reach your couch.

Upto you monkey. Mine has worn outfits about 95% of days. But she's a summer baby, and dresses are very practical in summer for little girls.

Contrary to Mumsnet received wisdom, I think babies are actually dollies. I loved dressing mine- there's only a tiny window before they start having opinions, So I had lots of plain white babygros - but insane quantities of proper clothes. And played "dress up" happily for hours.

monkeypuzzle I did usually 'dress' my babies in the daytime, but that was often in one of their fancier babygros. Those little all in one vests that fasten under the leg are great in really hot weather, you can get them in nice bright colours if you want a more daytime look.It doesn't matter to the baby, of course, but if you want to put cute little outfits on your baby or dress them in certain colours there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Also , you're likely to have baby clothes bought for you after the baby is born.

They can wear whatever you prefer Monkey! At this age, you're the boss, so make the most of it as long as they're comfortable.

My plan when dressing DS, who was a very warm blooded autumn baby, until he could sit up by himself was:

We are going to use the car seat today (generally weekend only, as I don't drive) but his clothes aren't on show: plain white Tesco value babygrow over vest, plus blanket, hat and cardigan available.

We are going out today to see people: smart cotton or linen short rompers, dungarees or shorts that button to the shirt, over tights and vest, plus blanket, hat and cardigan available. I liked these outfits as he had a long body and separates always separated too much and flashed his nappy and lots of his back!

Other: nightgown/bundler over vest, plus blanket, socks and cardigan available.

Dungarees are perfect for baby boys in cold weather. Because they don't have a waistband you don't risk dislodging the nappy when you pick them up or move them. No fraught some on bare skin. Most of them have poppers in the bottom for easy nappy changes. And they look very cute with little t-shirts and a cardi or jacket. This kind of thing:

www.marksandspencer.com/3-piece-bodysuit-and-dungaree-with-socks-outfit/p/p60106703?image=SD_04_T78_1710F_AS_X_EC_0&color=MIDGREY&prevPage=plp&pdpredirect

The other option is joggers over bodysuits. One layer needs to extend past the waist. I do think that babygros are for night time, although when they are really newborn I appreciate there isn't much of a distinction between night and day.

For some reason we ended up with loads of people buying us hats. They only need one, two at a push. We had eight, six of which never actually touched his head. Never used scratch mitts either. Seemed cruel when he likes grabbing things and putting his hands in his mouth. I just cut his nails. He never scratched himself.

Vest extenders for bodysuits are amazing, especially if you have a tall baby. You can spin clothes out over two sizes. We managed to keep DS in size 0-3 bodysuits until he was 4 months, then went straight into 6-9 clothes and avoided buying many 3-6 month clothes at all. Hopefully we'll managed to skip buying the 9-12 month clothes too.

It isn't me being stingy, it just seems such a pity to have all of these lovely clothes that are only worn once or twice because there's a cold snap and then he's grown out of them. If I can keep him wearing them for a bit longer it doesn't feel so wasteful.

We had the grosnugs when DS was first born (baby straightjackets), but when we used them he managed to get his hands out of the top of the neck, trying to get them into his mouth. He got his arm stuck and woke himself up. It seemed really dangerous, like he might garrotte himself, so we kept his arms out and just used it as a sleeping bag. Mostly we just used blankets, if we tucked them in tightly he couldn't kick them off until about three months anyway.

If there is no sling library near you, this one does sling rental by post.

It's a sling thing

Thats interesting, so wearing a vest is basically their underwear? Thanks everyone, I have got lots of vests and leggings and babygrows/bodysuits already plus I do have a few vintage dresses and tights for a more dressed up outfit.
Now off to stockpile a million muslins!

I agree about the vest extenders actually. I have a slender -scrawny- DD and everything gets wider as it gets bigger so she drowned in the right length tops (and could pull them down giving easy access to happy tabs). She's just 2 and still in 3-6m shorts (leggings in 12-18 are nice capris if a little baggy on the hips). Ultimate money saver!

Have somewhere to soak dirty clothes before washing. I'd get a bucket with a lid for the job. Good for poo disasters when little, orange clothes/bibs when weaning and then accident pants when potty training.

Great thread! I'm due in November too, it's actually my third but my youngest will be 8 before she arrives, and I feel like I've forgotten everything!

You all need ..... a star wrap from tuppence and crumble, I haven't read the full thread so it may have already been mentioned but they are AMAZING

Hello cag