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First time Mum - what do I need ???

24 replies

ellesgirl · 02/01/2019 21:33

I'm a first time mum and with only 7 weeks left have gone into a complete panic that I haven't got enough stuff!!!

I'm probably overreacting like I do with everything

I have ...

Pram / Car seat
Nappies/wipes/changing mat
Clothes (mainly all in ones/babygrows)
Bath / towels / soaps and creams etc.
Changing bag
Moses basket
Bottles /sterilisers /bottle brush

I'm probably forgetting some bits but can you think of anything else

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Mumof1DS · 02/01/2019 21:37

Moses basket sheets?
Sleeping bag/group bag?
Muslins - lots of!
If breastfeeding - lanolin cream! The purple tube one is great.

barleyreed · 02/01/2019 21:38

Sudocrem or nappy rash cream
Muslins

Mumof1DS · 02/01/2019 21:39

Sorry, ignore lanolin, just seen you said bottles etc.

Other than that, I wouldn't worry too much, babies don't need the 'stuff' that's marketed at new parents!

Interested in this thread?

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JohnLapsleyParlabane · 02/01/2019 21:40

Thermos cup for you
Pads for you
At least one hat and one cardigan for baby

Fanjita1 · 02/01/2019 21:43

Face flannels instead of muslin. Much better for absorption. Baby bouncer?

somersetmum2018 · 02/01/2019 21:46

For you: breast pads, individually wrapped snacks for when you’re starving and can’t make anything! VERY comfy pants for the first couple of weeks.
For baby: cellular blanket to go over baby in pram/car seat/if you’re doing skin to skin. And more muslins than you ever think you could need.

mummmy2017 · 02/01/2019 21:49

Stock pile nappies, buy a pack every time you do the shop, go for 2nd size...
Food for you. Nice not to have to cook.
Buy yourself some treats...
Go to the pictures with your partner... Or a meal... As your going to be very busy and tired soon.

PleaseLetMummySleep · 02/01/2019 21:56

A couple of toys/books aimed at newborns.
Blankets (Aldi do good cellular blankets), sleeping bags, sheets, next to me / co sleeper cot, a sleepyhead, blackout blinds if your room is quite light. A jacket or snowsuit. Baby carrier / sling.... em I'm trying to think of what we used in the early days... think that's about it!

Yewnicorn · 02/01/2019 22:11

Cotton wool pads
Bouncer chair
Fitted Moses basket sheets
Blankets
Sleeping bags
Muslins
Sling
Lots of vests
Cotton hats
Scratch mittens
Nail clippers

Silkei · 02/01/2019 22:15

One of those playmats with the music and flashing lights. I literally would not have even been able to put my baby down and eat a meal if it wasn’t for that playmat.

And Apple AirPods so you can listen to podcasts or watch Netflix without waking the sleeping baby or getting him tangled in cables.

PleaseLetMummySleep · 03/01/2019 07:29

Dummies

Jackshouse · 03/01/2019 09:41

Napisan to remove poo stains.
Netflix’s or other tv package.

FartnissEverbeans · 03/01/2019 14:26

Just get Amazon Prime and you’ll be fine.

DS came three weeks early and we had hardly bought anything beyond the travel system, Perfect Prep and a cot/sheets. In retrospect I think we saved quite a bit of money as we only bought things we knew we needed (for example, swaddle blankets were a late night purchase).

The only thing I really regretted not buying was a Next2Me cot for the early months. Our cot is nice enough but I had a horrible inflammation postpartum and could hardly walk. The Next2Me would have been ideal (and you can see your baby in it, which I didn’t realise would be so important to me).

lovely36 · 03/01/2019 14:43

Baby monitor!!! So you can see your bBy at all times if you're in a different room like washing dishes or something and she's napping. Also have loads of panties for yourself in your hospital bag and a few changes of clothes because anything can happen. I lost lots of blood when I gave birth and had to stay 4 nights! Had two blood transfusions, and literally went through about 6 changes of clothes because of how much I was bleeding. Regardless you're going to bleed a lot. So lots of pads too.

stiltonontoast · 03/01/2019 14:44

Have you got sleepsuits OP? We foolishly bought 0-3 sleepsuits for the hospital bag thinking that would be fine - they were huge! DS was 2 weeks late but only 7lb so he needed newborn. Just get a few for the early days as it makes them so much easier to handle without legs and arms dangling in the way.

Some easy meals in the freezer, lots of snacks and the best thing my mum got me - Lavendar bath salt, excellent for healing and promoting sleep.

Fanjita1 · 03/01/2019 21:16

Agreed. New born sized sleep suits a must. Also foolishly believed 0-3 months would be fine.

crazychemist · 04/01/2019 13:05

Vests for baby to wear under onesies as it’s chilly at the moment. Get plenty of cheap plain ones. My DD was very skinny when born as she was a couple of weeks early and had a tiny bum, so nappies of any size left a big gap up the back, with obvious unpleasant consequences! I cut one off with scissors when she was 3 days old as she was screaming in misery and I couldn’t bear the spend the time peeling it off and cleaning her up when she was cold and tired.

Maternity pads for you. I was amazed by how heavy the bleeding way on the second day. Not painful, but just so much of it! Ordinary lads were fine after the first week, bleeding lasted for nearly 5 weeks in total. Also breast pads as I’d leak everywhere when my DD cried. Day 4 was the worst for that.

A couple of different nappy creams. Liberal sudocream is great, get a huge pot to put with changing mat and a few little ones for nappy bag. I also got bepanthen and meitnerium (not sure if that’s how you spell it!) as it seemed more effective to alternate when she had a really bad patch following tummy bug.

If you’re going to do naps in the pram, get a cozy toes or other fleecy sleeping bag thingy. They are absolutely great! I still use mine with DD, who is now 27 months.

Nice warm hat and mits.

TV and books for you!

I could go on, but you need astonishingly little for a newborn because they mostly sleep and feed and need warmth and cuddles. You’ll need more when they are a few months old in the way of entertainment. Books and a nice activity mat are a must.

LaurenSarah22 · 04/01/2019 15:24

Thermometer for baby so can check their temperature, baby hair brush and nail clippers

Shadow1234 · 05/01/2019 07:46

Baby formula - (unless you are breastfeeding)
Nappy sacks
Baby bath

TinyBearCub · 05/01/2019 09:41

I loved having baby moisturiser, a tiny soft hair brush and round ended scissors for her nails. I spent hours 'grooming' DD while she slept, it's one of my favourite memories.

stiltonontoast · 05/01/2019 09:44

@LaurenSarah22 "baby hair brush"

Not necessarily! my DS only just has hair now at 11 months and we never need to brush it. We have 4 unopened bottles of baby shampoo too... Grin

milliejones25x · 06/01/2019 18:26

I would 10/10 recommend one of those bouncers that rocks the baby itself so you don't have to. My DD2 was the most challenging of the lot, probably because we had a lot of issues with the pregnancy and she was born with a few medical issues, so this bouncer was heaven. She would only sleep if she was being rocked and made it so much easier for us to get her in a sleeping routine.
Best wishes for you and baby, they're truly the best miracle life can give you xx

PRoseLegend · 12/01/2019 13:17

New mum here. Lots of good recommendations, although I'm from northern Australia so the clothing I got is quite different. Babies here just need short-sleeve onesies and a light swaddle.

I recommend:
A good thermos, because you won't be able to finish your morning coffee/tea in one sitting for a while and no one likes microwaved tea.
A good water bottle. You need to keep hydrated if breastfeeding, and if getting up frequently at night.
A pack or two of terry towel cloth nappies. I don't actually use these as nappies, they are so versatile and I currently use them as burp cloths, change mat, play mat during nappy free time, cleaning cloths, face wipes... And you will use them for years to come.
Meals - over the next few weeks, cook double what you would usually cook, and freeze half to be reheated later. Post-partum you will thank you. Also prep some easy freezer friendly meals that only require defrosting and dumping in the pot eg chicken soups, curries, etc.
Groceries: before your due date, stock up on non-perishables you might run out of eg long life milk, cereal, cans of soup, pasta etc... Also buy some easy to cook food like frozen pizzas, noodles, sandwich meat and bread, etc.

If you have a vaginal birth, things will hurt down there. Get some condoms and fill them with water, then freeze them laying kind of glad. If you have a vaginal birth, you can put these icy condoms between your pad and underwear, and they are amazing for the pain down there.

Speaking of pain.. Peeing and pooing post-partum can be quite painful if you have a vaginal birth. Stock up on some gentle osmotic laxatives and start taking 1 a day from the day you give birth. It will keep things softer and make pooing a lot more comfortable until things don't hurt anymore.
Also get some urine alkilisers and take 1-2 a day along with drinking lots of water (they're what you use when you have a UTI, get the ones containing Bi-Carb Soda). This will reduce the acid level in your pee, and help it not to sting any tears or stitches. I only used these for a week post-partum, but they really helped.

PRoseLegend · 12/01/2019 13:19

*lay the condoms flat when you freeze them, not glad. Although you will be glad to have some ice on your sore areas, it makes such a difference.

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