What do you NEED for a new baby?

[hertsnessex]

Hi,

I am trying to compile a list of things you NEED for a new baby, from nursery (i.e cot, moses basket, black out blind, monitor) to clother (babygros, bibs etc) to feeding (nursing bras, tops, nipple creams, bottles etc) and wondered if any of you great MN'ers could help me? Also a list of the things you DONT need would be great.

I really appreciate your help, i am sure i am missing a few things of my list!

TIA,

Cxxxx

Really, in all honesty, you need very little. It's so tempting to go overboard and feel you have to buy everything and we are bombarded with advertising and marketing designed to make us feel inadequate if we don't. My suggestion would be to think about buying the minimum - you can always buy more later. And if you can, borrow or buy second hand. The time that they need things is so transient. Honestly.

cot and bedding
nappies
clothes (sleepsuits and vests)
baby monitor if you think it is necessary.
Pram. Sling possibly.

That's about it really.

DS2 is 1 week old. Things I think you need are:

6/8 vests
6/8 sleep suits
A warm cardi top
Baby hat for coming out of hospital
Few baby outfits if you fancy but not essential in first few weeks

Car seat
Moses basket
Moses basket blankets x2, sheets x2, undersheets x4
Cot (don't need until about 4 months)
Monitor

Muslins
If bottle feeding/expressing:
Bottles
Sterilizer (Avent microwave ones are good)
Bottle brush
Breast pump machine
If you are bottle feeding prob need bibs but dont really need if breast feeding.
Nursing bras for you x2/3. I never bothered with feeding tops.

Nappies
Change mat
Cotton wool
Travel change mat
Nappy bags

I wouldn't bother with one of those machines? that you put dirty nappies into. Most people I know who bought them never used them or not for long. Wouldn't bother with nipple cream etc either unless you have a problem - could well be fine
Black out blinds I would only get if your room/babies room to be is very bright.

Hope this helps

bf- nursing bras and tube of lansinoh cream.
You don't need specific tops or anything, though for the first couple of days an old shirt or nightie that opens at the front can be useful.

Oh and cotton wool or cheap flannels for nappy changes.

gegs list is good.

Though personally ds didn't like moses basket so we just used the cot.

One thing I found indispensable was a little chair to sit him in. When they're sooo tiny, you have to carry them almost everywhere. I even used to put him in a sling to do the washing up!

I got the little chair when he was about two months old, and realized what a plonker I'd been for not getting it sooner.

You don't need scratch mitts. And you need muslins. A sling is great.

Need breast pads whether you are bottle or breast feeding - they still leak.

Don't need any of the lotions and potions for bathing/massaging baby.
Don't need special nappy bin which wraps for you etc.

Think bets to have lansinoh or equivalent handy just in case...if your nipples get sore the quicker you have it thou me better - plus you may not live near a shop whcih sells it (or may, like me, feel SO post-natally strange that he thought of venturing outside fills you with horror!)

If you co-sleep you don't necessarily even need a cot or moses basket. I bought a moses basket with DD1 and she hated it, would never sleep in it. I ended up selling it on e-bay. With DD2 I used to put her down for a nap downstairs on one of those cotton baby bouncer/chair things or on the bed. Not saying cots are wrong - I had one - but just that they are not necessarily "essential".

Plenty of maternity pads

And I never used a breast pad in my life. Norks like zeppelins and a let down like the hoover dam breaking but never a leak inbetween. So that was something else I bought and ended up giving away.

Sorry, I sound like a right curmudgeonly old wotsit don't I. I will be quiet now.

DO NOT need inflatable travel cot if you need a portable cot get a normal travel one, or one of those pop up ones.

Babies don't need shoes.

I found that rushing around on "emergency" shopping trips gave dh something to do while I was in hospital/he was on paternity leave.

You need:

Probably more vests and sleepsuits than you'd think if you're a first-timer and as rubbish at changing nappies as we were.

Fewer hats, socks and scratch mits than you'd think.

You'll get nice outfits as presents and anyway newborns look sweetest in sleepsuits imo.

A carrycot/crib/moses basket, whichever you prefer. Bedding - everything x 2. The pillowcase for moses basket sheets tip is a good one as you don't use them for long.

A pram, or a sling if you're being really minimalist.

Bottle feeding stuff if you know that's what you're going to do. Nursing bras x 2 (but you may well need to get a different size when your milk comes in so don't get more than that), breast pads. Any other paraphernalia can be bought by dp on a mercy dash.

Changing mat, muslins, newborn nappies (but don't stock up too much on the one brand as we found that certain brands leaked really badly when ds was tiny and it seems to be different brands for different babies). Cotton wool - no wipes for the first few weeks is recommended.

Baby bath - again, no products for the first few weeks and you'll get bombarded in your Bounty bag anyway.

Think that's it.

* something to dress it in
(eg 7 vest, 7 sleepsuits, hat, blanket if cold)

* somewhere for it to sleep
(eg moses basket or carry cot in your room + sheets and blankets. 'Nursery' not needed till 6mo+)

* some way of getting it around with you
(eg sling / pram / puschair)

* something to catch the poo
(eg nappies, flannels or cotton wool for wiping, cheapy changing mat)

* carseat

That Is All

The rest is, as they say, gravy.

Nappies
Lots of babygros
A fleece all in one suit that goes over clothes in case it's cold.
A moses basket because ther are so light you can pick them up one handed and mov e it to wherever you want to be when they fall asleep on you
About a million muslin squares. They are useful for so many things.

Oh and one of those v shaped pillows. Invaluable for breast feeding until you get used to it, useful to prop the baby up on in a month or two's time.

Things you don't need.
Baby bath
Baby monitor
Fancy baby clothes
Mittens
Socks

Things I wish I had had
A bed jacket. It's cold feedding in the middle of the night!

Sorry, forgot the car seat!

Hi
Have 8 month old. Bought far too much. You need. Vests, sleepsuits, muslins,cotton wool (don't need wipes),moses/cot, bedding, pram, car seat, maternity pads, lansinoh, breast pads, monitor.
I used tescos 75p hand towels on the changing mat so I wasn't putting dd on cold mat. Abit precious but they soak up wee a treat.
You can get sleepsuits from Next ot Matalan that have scratch mits included in the cuffs. It took me 3 weeks to work out why the arms were so long with silly envelope things on the end, dur!
Didn't bother with all the fancy outfits as they seemed to swamp my DD. Babygros rule until at least 3 months IMO.
May seem ridiculous but ice pops incase you have stiches. They really do work
Try and prepare and freeze as many meals as you can. Sounds ultra organised but I didn't know what I was doing when DD came home from hospital and not having to cook or think about what to make to eat was fabulous.Stock up on tea/coffee,washing powder etc incase you don't feel like venturing out.
Good luck its easy, really

Nothing to add except to tell you what I definitely DIDN'T NEED but insisted on having anyway in my new-mother-lust.

What I didn't need ( a cautionary tale)

The expensive, tractor-esque three-in-one travel system (something lightweight & genuinely easy to fold, plus a Maxi-Cosi carseat or similar would have been far more sensible)

100 bloody muslins (never actually used a single one)

A moses basket (a cot would have sufficed from birth)

Those stupid thermomemtors that tell you if the bath water is too hot (use your arm or back of hand)

Millions of newborn vests and bodysuits ( he'd outgrown them within 2 weeks)

Bibs (never ever used them. Whats the point? you protect his babygrow fdrom a drbble of milk when you're feeding...then he goes and pukes up the minute you remove the thing!)

Cotton wool OR wipes - you don't really need both for nappy changing, so choose one or the other.

Scratch mitts (never used them)

A 'special' changing bag costing about £50 (buy a simple rucksack or satchel style bag for a lot less, or something that looks nice depending on your priorities...

Loads and loads of baby bath products - water, perhaps a drop of baby bath if you really want to and a little bit of olive oil - and you're good to go for months)

Just read Katelyle and agree something to wear in the night when feeding, dressing gowns get in the way. Breastfeeding pillow I bought but tended to use normal pillow more. I use it now as a sitting support for DD.

gegs list plus maternity pads, chicco bouncy chair, babylistener unless you have v small flat, and socks (0-3 months from gap, they are the ONLY ones that stay on). Socks v important - they get cold little feet otherwise, even in the summer I find

oh and I think lansinoh is crucial. becuase if you need it you need it NOW and won't want to go out and find it in first 3 days.

if you don't need it, you pass it on to the next person you know who is giving birth!

Vests / sleepsuits / clothes in general - if you want them to last more than one baby, go for quality. I've found M&S to be excellent.

And a bouncy chair is definitely handy.

Oh dear!

I am due in 13 days - and I have obviously bought too much crap!
I'm just a sucker for gadgits and bits an bobs!
Someone did tell me about the nipple cream being a 'must have' as if you need it - you REALLY need it. The same was said for ANUSOL or some other cream for piles for the same reason in the early days so I've got some in my hospital bag!

Hiya
I havent read the whole thread but I am going into hosp next fri for my 2nd baby!! (Am very excited!!!!)-Just wanted to mention that something I found very helpful was in the back of the babies r us book (if you go to the shop itself you can take one) there is a pull out and keep tick sheet. I must admit there is lots there and you may not need all of it-but i think it depends on u as a mummy and what you want!! 1 thing I would definately recommend is the contented little baby book by Gina Ford-This will help you het your little one into a good routine (Great for mums and dads too!) the book also goes through the essentials and how to prepare for your lil bundle!! Best of luck