How much to buy for newborn?

[Wubbawubba]

First baby due in December and I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to buy. Some are saying I need a thousand babygrows/bibs/vests/muslins others are saying I barely need anything, and really I'm hesitant to buy tons of stuff just for it to not be used and take up space.

Got quite a few cute soft 0-3 outfits (gifts) that others have bought but I prefer little littles in babygrows and as it'll be winter I feel like that'll be easiest for layering up? But I'm unsure how many vests and babygrows I really need, assuming baby spends most of the time in babygrows until she's outgrown 0-3 months?

Also is there any other essentials I'm missing?
Got around 5 blankets of varying warmth, travel system, a bouncer chair thing, Moses basket and cot and sheets for both, a few cardigans, planning to breastfeed so not buying bottles/steriliser. I feel like we barely have anything but not sure if I really need anything else? Will probably get a pramsuit or two, and socks and a few hats. Going to a sling library before baby is born so will probably borrow a sling from there to try and will invest after putting into practice if we like it.

Feeling really lost as everybody else seems to have everything together.

I don't think people still faff with cotton wool and water these days everyone i know just uses waterwipes . a ball of cotton wool dipped in water would be useless on tarry baby poos you'd be there all day 😂

I used wipes in the hospital and out and about but at 10 weeks I’m still using cotton wool and water at home.

Agree on the ALL THE MUSLINS.

We took cotton wool to the hospital - the midwives were like ‘believe me, you’ll want wipes’. Luckily we had some sample wipes from bounty packs. Cotton wool on newborn poo 🤮

Some people saying ‘just use 0-3 don’t bother with newborn’ - it REALLY depends. My baby was overdue and over 6lb, so not tiny, but she was in newborn for at least a month. My husband put her in a 0-3 when she was about 2 weeks old and it was hilarious - so huge. She’s still wearing that one now at almost 6m...! Some babies really do need newborn size.

As everyone’s said, shops are open 24 hours these days. Take a few onesies and vests in newborn/1month/0-3 to the hospital (I’ve never bothered pre washing) then once he/she is here you can choose the right size. And Return the ones which are too small if necessary 🙂

We took cotton wool to the hospital - the midwives were like ‘believe me, you’ll want wipes’.

This. As the lovely HCA was helping us change our first ever nappy, my husband said something like "thought we were meant to use cotton wool" and she just stared at him.

A Star Wrap!
Much easier to put on and take off than a snowsuit and so very, very snuggly!

We were given one as a present last winter and used it every day. Can't recommend highly enough

tuppenceandcrumble.com/shop/star_wraps

Just wanted to say don’t go overboard ! I’ve spent today sorting through my sons clothes. Some of his newborn stuff never even got worn because he was so big and he’s already out of 0-3 months. I would buy maybe 10-12 vests in 0-3 months and the same with babygrows. Plus if you find you are running short you can easily buy more after baby comes. Don’t forget people will buy you lots. We’ve found some stuff never even got worn. My baby has lived in babygrows with poppers in the middle, anything else was just a hassle !

Otherwise it sounds like you are kitted our ! Maybe some sleeping bags ? There will be a guide of temps on the bag but as you are due in winter probably 2/2.5 tog.

There are things I could say are essential but I’ve found that a lot of what’s I bought didn’t work or baby didn’t like and I’ve ended up buying other stuff so I’d see how it goes if I were to do it again.

Going through stuff I realise how much money I wasted - my baby doesn’t need cute little shoes haha.

Amazon prime is your best friend - I bought nothing for bottle feeding and when it all went wrong in the hospital I was on amazon ordering everything to turn up for us getting home.

Congratulations and enjoy !

Bought these for my newborn. Would really recommend

www.gro-store.com/two-rob-ryan-grosnugs-for-30.html

I agree with not going overboard. My LO was in 3-6 months by 7 weeks. 6-9 months by 14!

As this thread shows, don't stock up in advance, buy when the baby is here and you know what you need. For example, both my average sized babies started growing so fast they needed 0-3 straight away. And I still have this massive pile of muslins I bought 7 years ago, DS did not spit up and I didn't really need them. Same with swaddles and similar, he hated them.
Shops will be open later as well, and Amazon prime will deliver.

I thought they did the jumbo packs of nappies but apparently not in size 1! So will get a couple. Just not going to get tons as it's no biggy to send OH out to grab nappies. Hospital is literally a minute from retail park and Sainsbury's so not too stressed, think I'm just starting nesting mode and wanting to get everything ready. We also have Prime and there's a warehouse 20 mins away so generally we can get stuff delivered same day.

The Grosnugs look lovely, I thought they only did bags for after a couple months, thank you!

As far as wipes vs cotton wool goes, I'm taking both with me anyway, so we'll see how we go. I always have cotton wool pleats and pads in the house anyway so no biggy if we end up using the wipes x

That Star Wrap looks really good, thanks @Polestar50 ! Planning for an early March baby here so I reckon the star wrap is more practical than a snowsuit.

I’d personally avoid the Gro snug swaddle things as you use them for such a brief time. I had them and they weren’t great.

The big swaddling muslins double up for a million more uses as they get bigger - my dd now uses hers as blankets for toys, beach towels, etc.

But yes to nail clippers and a changing mat. I’m currently expecting #2 and this time round bought a second hand changing table to keep baby bits in and to save bending. It cost £10 so no biggie if it’s not used tons.

I'd recommend expressing so that your partner can help out. I got so shattered when baby was 4 days so started expressing so DP could have him 9-12 so I could get a few hours extra uninterrupted sleep. Lifesaving.

Don't bother with an expensive pump though, use a Hakka or NatureBond one (about £13) and after a few go's you'll be able to express enough to get a full bottle.

Official guidance is don't introduce a bottle for about 6 weeks or something but based on everyone I know who followed that it's too late by then and baby won't take a bottle. There's no issue with bottle/boob refusing. Congratulations!

Op make sure uv some newborn vests babygrows I was told my baby was gonna b over 8lbs so had only o-3 he came 4 weeks early was still 6 lbs 9 but all my 0-3 were too big and I had to send out for newborn and just plenty nappies/wipes good luck