What do I REALLY need to buy for a newborn?

[mmmcookies]

Hi there, I'm 25 weeks pregnant and starting to think about what I need to get in for the baby - clothes / furniture etc. Does anyone have any recommendations about what I'll really need? I don't have a lot of cash so am keen to avoid buying a ton of unnecessary stuff. Thank you!

Heya- I found a breast pump useful to have as we had problems bfing and its good to keep the milk flowing and feed dc till it gets sorted (also good for the oDd bit of engorgement when they start going longer stretches.

Everything else people have said, breast pads and nipple cream for you.

GOod luck! X

Definitely agree about the towels for changing on (we used cheap hand towels). Wee just runs off plastic and gets otherwise clean clothes dirty.

I would also get a night gown for the early days. My DDs legs weren't straight enough for babygrows, and nightgowns made the frequent changes easier.

Remember that internet shopping can be done one handed!

KEEP IT SIMPLE - I was superstisous about the baby until he was actually here, so we had NOTHING when we went to hospital - I was having a c-section due to prev complications. Our hospital but the baby in a nappy and babygrow following the birth, and my Dh went to mothercare with my MIL and came back with a packet of nappies, 5 baby grows, muslin cloths, and a gift for the baby, and that's really it.

I breastfed, so no bottles needed, and you only use water and cotton wool on a newborn, and we had the pleasure of going out shopping together after I was home. You will need a car seat to get the baby home!

People will want to buy gifts - babygrows etc, so you end up with more clothes than you can deal with, and they grow out of the first stuff so fast.

I would recommend going to an NCT 'nearly new sale'- we got lots of really good stuff from there (a baby gym for four pounds, one of those bouncy seat things...good quality and quite posh brands).

You don't have to be a member to join and you can find details on their website.

Congratulations! :)

I'm glad we hadn't stocked up on newborn size - ds went into 0-3 which was used for just a month then he went into 3 - 6 - but he was a bit on the large size.

Newborn size (depending on shop) is usually up to 8lbs or possibly 9lbs. So if your baby is bigger than average that won't fit at all and it won't any average full term baby for long. I'd go straight for 0-3 months.

We had but didn't use:
Moses basket (she hated it and would only sleep with us to start with), the carry cot (ditto, so we used a sling for the first six months), dummies (spat out), the steriliser (Refused a bottle, ever came out of the box), bottles (see last post), hundreds and thousands of tiny "outfits" (babygros and vests are all you need).
Buy everything you can second hand except for the car seat. By necessity baby stuff is redundant sooo quickly!
Have fun shopping for what you go get and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy!

Tons of tops for you (if you don't have loads already).

Babies throw up on you, breasts leak...

Do not take any notice of threads about buggies that cost £1,000. A friend who was short of money put her babe to sleep in an empty drawer with a cut down cot mattress in it for the first couple of months. Babygros, nappies, sling then pram (try and get a second hand one and clean it up), car seat (this should be brand new), a few soft/rattle/bell-type toys, cream to prevent nappy rash. Cotton wool & water is cheaper than wipes. A baby bath that goes over the big bath is good, then you don't have to stoop but you can just hold the babe firmly and bath him/her in the big one. Changing mat for when you are out (piece of remnant quilted fabric will do fine. Cut down old (& thus soft) cotton sheets for the moses basket/cot/drawer. Look for covers in Tesco, Asda etc. Muslins are good & soft for mopping up (I had one I called bye byes and couldn't sleep without it until I was about 4). Bibs to prevent having to wash babygros more than you have to. Washable breast pads. When he or she is a bit bigger, a bouncy chair (can "sit" up to be entertained, see what's going on.

These are the things we used with DD as a newborn. Not saying that any of them are essential but we used them all and we're not an OTT/fussy/PFB kind of couple :

Moses basket & stand
2/3 blankets
Plenty of babygros & vests
1/2 warm cardis/jackets
Couple of hats/mittens
Baby towel
Baby bath/sponge/baby thermometer
Johnson's top to toe wash
Nappies/wipes/cotton wool/nappy sacks/sudocrem
Changing mat
Infacol
Muslins
Car seat
Pram
Rocking seat thing for DD

Have acquired more stuff as she's got older but never felt that we went over the top.

I know that people have mentioned how quickly babies grow out of things, but you might have a tiny one. Our DD was 5.5lbs and the Asda newborn stuff drowned her. DH went out after she was born and got Early Baby stuff from MC. Then after 2 weeks she was onto Tiny Baby then at 5 weeks, newborn. At 8 months old, she's still in some 0-3 mth stuff as depending on where you go it can be huge. So after buying the MN recommended 7-10 babygrows, she never wore them as at 6 weeks she was wearing a Pavlik Harness for hip dysplasia for the next 12 weeks! I honestly found that 3 vests and 3 babygrows was fine. Existing teacloths are as good as muslins. A couple of hooded towels and flannel gloves are good. I recommend Cheeky Wipes as DD was allergic to baby wipes and cotton wool can be a pain.

Oh and BF DD was a copious pooer and we still managed on 3 vests and babygrows.

Lots of good stuff already listed. We bought loads from eBay or borrowed from friends. You don't need to buy everything new, especially for items that you won't use for long. We used a secondhand crib (just bought a new mattress and sheets). We then could spend a bit more money on DD's cot, buggy and car seat.

I would invest in a buggy that lies flat and is suitable from birth. It doesn't have to be fancy as you can add a fleecy liner or similar. Check out review sites and MN for suggestions. Just check it'll fit in the boot of your car (or where ever you'll store it).

You might also want to consider reusable nappies. Some councils offer financial assistance or you can buy secondhand and see how you get on. We've saved loads of money using them despite the cost of washing and occasionally drying with the tumble dryer.

Oh... and get some lansinoh if you're planning to BF. It's quite expensive for a little tube but it goes a long way and is brilliant if you start suffering from sore nipples.

And congratulations on your pregnancy :)

a bouncer, we got one for ds (3 wks) and its brilliant. I put him in there and get any cleaning i need to do done and he sits and watches/sleeps. ive even had him sit in it whilst i take a incredibly short bath :D

baby bath was pointless. Preferred to have her bathing with me and we still do. top and tail bowl was also a daft idea in my opinion as any small bowl is fine as long as you don't plan to use it for eating. A plastic jug from the pound shop will be just as good. It just holds water...

I bought a swinging crib for next to our bed, we mix this with co-sleeping. Her cot is 2nd hand [£10] off a work colleague. New mattress still in bag in her room. Not yet moved her into her own room, 6 months old now. If you are tight for money, it's really not worth getting a cot immediately. Crib was also £10, off eBay and a new mattress from t'internet.

Find out if you have a second hand baby shop near you, local NCT sales etc. It's worth looking to see what prices they are offered at. NCT sales were brilliant and we were also offered and accepted 2nd hand items of work colleagues or friends and family. If you don't have that, hit eBay and see if they have any bundles of baby clothes. I have a large attic and have stored in vac packs the other sizes she will grow into later.

I think the best advice is look around at all options, if you aren't worried about new and happy to clean things over, don't mind selling stuff if they don't use or grow out of then you should manage. I was really tight on everything, but know that it really doesn't make an ounce of difference to DD. I don't feel like I have 'wasted' money on anything.

At my PN group they did give me some stick for my bargains/second hand hunting, as they all bought new. But I wanted to take as much Mat Leave as possible and knew that to do that I had to keep spending down. Quite alot of them are going back to work earlier than planned as things are tight in their household and wish they'd not spent so much on everything.

we got loads of 3-6 stuff but she was only 5lb mothercare newborn drowned her so Dh on emergency run to tesco for tiny baby i think she had 5 sleep suits and 7 vests and 3 cardigans and a pramsuit my mum bought her cute tiny dress for photos, she was not wearing 0-3 months stuff till 6 months old wearing 9-12 months now and she is 18 months mothercare stuff is generally large

if short of money do not buy bathbath or top and tail bowl use 2 plastic bowls 99p anywhere, you do not need any thermomters bathwater test with elbow rooms is you are too hot baby will be if you are cold baby is too generally baby needs 1 extra layer so if you are in t shirt and jeans baby needs vest and tshirt

if you walk everywhere get decent pushchair that is easy and quick to fold make sure it will going so baby faces you, if you car a lot make sure car seat come sin and out easily, if money really tight do not be afraid of getting cheapest model in argos it has still passed all saftey tests otherwise they could not sell it.

even though tiny DD straight into cot just used one end need 3 fitted sheets and a couple of blankets as soon as 10lbs can use grobags then only need fitted sheets
get second hand toys at oxfam/ebay save the child buy small teddy not one the size of a baby I wanted to stop work for a couple of years so am quite careful with money, ( the gym trhing that goes over them when lying down does provide amusement our DD hated baby bouncer so just a well it was second hand.

hint buy the sleepsuits and vests in newborn and keep in packet with receipt attached if baby around 7lb will get plenty of wear if well over 8 get someone to take them back and swap for 0-3 months, if your baby is small they will grow into them

don't buy infracol calpol and any other lotions and medicines in advance

old knickers are better than maternity pants not everyone bleeds for days on end i bought 2 packs there is still a packet and half in airing cupboard

if going to BF do get 2 nursing bra record size and shop if it goes well send someone for a 3rd if not; you have not bought for the UK

You have loads of good suggestions and advice here, but can I second the early poster about the emergency FF stuff. I had every intention to breastfeed till DS was 1 and the only reason I had a sterilizer was because a BFding friend turned up with an unwanted one just before he was born. Borrow or buy and keep receipt plus a small carton of formula. Just in case. Had milk producing issues and ended up leaving hungry, crying 1 month old DS with mother at 7am while I ran to Sainsburys for baby milk.

Something I didn't get and wish I had got someone to buy me.. a nice changing bag.
I had a freebee one which did the job, but didn't cheer me up when added to my wearing clothes that were slightly too big, having to wear the same flat shoes all the time and being restricted to three very boring tops for breastfeeding. Losing my nice bright handbag for a dull wipe-clean thing in grey added to my general scruffy feeling.
Not something you need as such, but it can make you feel nice (if you're a shallow handbag fan like me )