What to buy as a first time mum

[BabySquid]

Hi All, I'm just trying to make a list of things to buy as a first timer. Obvs I need nursery furniture, car seat and travel system.
But like, clothes... how many of what? I'm due in Feb so it'll be cold. Feeding pillow, what kind? How many blankets etc? This all sounds so lame asking but I'm honestly clueless and I hate being unprepared 😔

I'm in the same boat as you, so could be wildly wrong here:

I've bought vests just in sizes newborn and 0-3m (ten of each) as I figure by the time baby is three months old in July they probably won't need vests under their babygrows/clothes.

I'm buying clothes in all sizes for the first year. I think they mostly wear babygrows for the first three months so I'm mostly buying newborn and 0-3m but also getting a few in the other first year sizes. Then I'm getting some little "proper clothes" mainly in 3-6m+.

Blankets I've seen that you can get both pram and cot sizes so I'll get four or five of each.

@DerbyshireGirly no rush to buy now but DD is 11 months and still has vests under clothes and baby grows. Keeps the nappy in place. DD spent most of the summer in just a vest.

Remember people will buy you stuff as well.

Moses basket or next to me type crib.
Short and long sleeve vests, baby grows.
Cardigans.
Nappies, wipes, bags, cream.
Muslin squares, lots.
Bath seat, I love the Angel care one.
Baby bouncer.
Play mat.
Scratch mitts.
Hats.

When a bit bigger sleeping bags as they just kick blankets off.

I like my room thermometer and bath thermometer.
I also got a thermal scan baby thermometer which is easier to get a temperature than by ear, you just scan forehead.

Remember most baby related things are quickly available via supermarkets and other shops so a lot can be said for waiting to see what you actually need and buying it.

I agree travel system, cot, nappies and changing mat, clothes, bath stuff like sponges and thermometer.

If you want to breastfeed then lansinoh and a silicone pump and if you want to bottle feed then bottles and steriliser. A lot of other stuff can wait.

Thank you, I'd never even thought of a bath thermometer! I'm planning to BF if I can, so also wondering on what kind of pump to get. Do I need an electric one or will one of these squeezy ones be ok.

If you want to regularly pump decent amounts you need an electric but those silicone ones are meant to be quite good if you just want to relieve a bit of engorement so baby can latch. I think Aldi do one.

Vests - long and short sleeved (it was v cold the winter DS was born)
Sleep suits
A few cardis for going outside
Snowsuit for the pram
Hats
He did have a few soft trousers and tops to start with but we didn't bother with fiddly things like dungarees till he was older.
I wouldn't buy too many clothes as you might get given loads! Supermarkets are great for clothes.

Couple of cellular blankets (again, everyone loves to give a baby blankets so you might end up with lots), sheets, sleeping bags and/or swaddles
We liked the Shnuggle bath, couple of big towels & flannels
Muslins
Breast pads
Nappies
Wipes
Changing mat
Changing bag (I liked a rucksack one)
More maternity pads than you think you might need
Dummies
Bottles & steriliser

We brought lots of stuff in the black Friday sales in November.

One comment - I got a feeding pillow, and for the short time I managed to breastfeed, found it useless. I couldn't get LO to the right position or height with it. I used normal cushions or pillows.

I bought the first year of clothes basics ahead of time too, and can say I wish I'd not bothered with long sleeve vests for my January baby as he runs very hot (but we also had the heating on near constantly for the breastfeeding and being up all night) and that my 7lb5oz but tall baby outgrew his 0-3 month clothes within the first month. Do consider whether you and DP are likely to have a tall baby when planning...

Don't forget many many bibs! I started using them at around a month I think? Remember that velcro fasteners may wake a sleeping baby!

Bouncer, play mat (not the waste of money I'd imagined, still in use now at almost 8 months), basic bottles and steriliser (just in case) were all invaluable to me. Would also recommend a stretchy wrap sling, very cheap online, and great for babies that wont be put down for a few months! Learn how to use it now (youtube) so you have that skill ready!

Babygowns are such much easier overnight for nappy changes!! Even PJs mean less faffing than babygrows.

I really recommend this feeding pillow. www.amazon.co.uk/Cuddles-Collection-Twinkle-Nursing-Pillow/dp/B0173WU0PM/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?hvlocphy=1007178&hvnetw=g&keywords=breastfeeding+pillow&hvadid=259082200453&qid=1568832980&gclid=CjwKCAjwq4fsBRBnEiwANTahcORBJ1wtQxAhazvIR4MjWxwNd7hnCP42uSqplBNDlqcuHSKLDKWzBhoCC2sQAvD_BwE&hydadcr=6876_1752058&hvpos=1t1&hvdev=m&hvqmt=e&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=aud-613527132211%3Akwd-297380385048&adgrpid=49977762141&hvrand=8922572214462474399&sr=8-3

DS is 10 months and I still use it. It was brilliant in the early months as I would push it away from me a bit and settle him in the hollow facing me for a nap. Then he got too long!

He also does still wear vests, just sleeveless in the summer. Sometimes just a vest with some little joggers, no top.

Re: blankets we has a 5lb baby and 8lb was the smallest size for a sleeping bag, so we tucked him in a cellular blanket up to the waist for a few weeks, but they haven't been used since. Otherwise I have 2 proper blankets that we use in the pram in winter.

Honestly, as hard as it is to do (because it's really enjoyable to go through buying nice things and getting ready for baby to come) I wish I had just got the bare minimum pre-baby and put the money aside for post-baby. I was given an insane amount of stuff, some of the things I thought I must have before DD arrived I barely used, I stocked up on loads of nappies and didn't use them as they always leaked on her so I had to try various brands to get the ones that fitted her properly. Bought loads of breastfeeding stuff didn't use any of it as we formula fed after a few weeks, I could go on and on! Anything you want you can get within 24hrs on Amazon prime or online delivery these days, save your money if you can!

Although I would say muslins. Good lord I had hundreds and used every single one of them haha!

I didn't buy any proper clothes before baby was born, just vests and babygros. We were bought lots of outfits in 0-3 and 3-6 after baby arrived.
Off the top of my head:
Moses basket & bedding
Cot & bedding
Nursing bras, breast pads, Lansing
Bouncy chair
Car seat & pram
Vests
Babygros
Hat
Cardigan
Pramsuit
Baby bath
Extra blankets for laying on floor so baby can kick
Playmates
Muslins
Nappies
Wipes
Changing mat
Changing bag
Basket for carting changing stuff round the house

Don't go overboard with nappies/wipes either. My friend bought me a huge box of nappies and a bumper pack of wipes and DS was allergic so I had to give them away.
Muslins are an essential - I was lucky in that when DS was a week old Sainsbury's had a sale of all their hand towels and bought 20 for £1 each which I used a burp cloths on my shoulder or as a layer between change mat and baby. You will also love taking DC shopping to buy pink/blue stuff when they are born. We had a few packs of neutral sleepsuits and vests but our DS was born early and nothing fit him so day after I came home DH and I took him to mothercare to get bits
We got a breastfeeding sterilising set from toys r us which came with a few bottles and a manual pump. Once you are happy with breast feeding you can invest in a decent one. I didn't as I had to stop breast feeding after a couple weeks so was glad I hadn't spent loads
Bouncer chair was godsend to enable me to have a wee
With pram, think about how you will get around. Do you drive, and if so, how big is your car. Or do you use public transport? I got a really clunky graco travel system and wish I hadn't.

Most of all congrats op

Don't get a breast pump in advance. Have a look at the different types and earmark which one you think you'd like but don't actually order it.

Do this for pretty much every product you won't need immediately, unless it's something that can take a while to order e.g. pram, or it's relatively cheap e.g. second hand items.

Get an Amazon Prime subscription. You can get anything next day then. Buy an insulated coffee cup or possibly giant insulated teapot, so you can have a hot cup of tea.

Something to bear in mind that if you have a baby born at the end of a season, you have about a month of newborn fog where they will wear vest + sleepsuit + blankets regardless of the actual temperature, since they aren't very stable at regulating their temperature and this is practical, and by the end of that month you're in the next season - so you really want to focus on clothing for that season rather than the one thwy are actually born in. I did this - got a load of summer stuff for my August baby and then it was late in September by the time we really started using things and so half of it was too cold for the season.

Venicci ultralite is my new absolute favourite car seat for newborns. It goes on maxi cosi adapters so will go on any pram that takes a maxi cosi car seat.

Baby baths are usually useless except the Shnuggle. Or the Angelcare bath support for the big bath.

I didn't use a feeding pillow.

Agree with lots of Muslins I have a lot and go through them all! Never got a bath thermometer though.
I find my gro egg is really useful!
Dummies
Hairbrush/Nail clippers
Socks
Mittens
Babygrows
Vest
Snow suit
Warmer cardigan for the car seat as they can't go in a car seat with a coat on.
Hat
Comforter

I wouldn’t buy too many clothes - you’ll get given loads. We kept them in babygros until they were about nine months old - make life much easier!

DD is now 8 months. Best things are:

Slings (stretchy wrap for newborn then connecta now, but it's a personal preference thing)
Bouncer. Still use this for when I'm in the shower.
Vests and sleep suits for the first 6 months. Don't bother with sleepsuits that pull over a newborns head or don't have inbuilt scratch mits.
Decent water bottle if breastfeeding.

A sling is a good shout but rather than buying a sling I would definitely recommend waiting and then renting one when baby is born. Look out for your local sling library. I bought a stretchy wrap sling and she went in it a few times and HATED it, went to the sling library and they gave me one with Velcro which was amazing and I'd never even heard of. She loved it. I could tell you a million things that I'd swear by and that you should have, but some of my friends with babies the same age would tell you they are rubbish and not worth the money. It's all trial and error. It'll be trial and error with pretty much everything for the next 18 years!!

Absolutely a bouncer was essential for us. DS napped in his every day until he outgrew it at about 6 months. Having somewhere safe to put him so I could have a wee, make tea or answer the door! We had the Fisher Price Kick and Play. Don't buy a lovely neutral grey one to match your decor as babies love colour.

Constant is right. Get to a sling library and find one that you and baby both like.

Maybe, for yourself, a subscription or prepare a playlist of audiobooks, podcast etc and a nice comfy set of wireless earphones. The hours are SOOOO long when looking after a baby, and you can maintain eye contact and chat about what you are listening to so they aren't missing out on 'you', but your tenuous grip on sanity will be a tiny bit stronger with something to entertain you.

I never bothered with a bath thermometer or a baby bath (had a baby bath given to us buy only used a handful of times)
We used to run enough water in the bottom of the bath and let them lie down in it and kick (we rested their heads on our arms for the first couple of weeks until they were a bit stronger) they used to love just lying down and kicking and splashing. To test the water, you have to put your elbow in and if you can feel it too hot or too cold then it's just right (although I always did it slightly warmer)
You'll definitely need a snowsuit for the pram at that time of year, but remember they can't wear snow suits in their car seats.
A changing mat for upstairs as well, we used to change ours on the bed during the night feeds and you don't want to end up having to change your bed lol