I'm off to John Lewis to get my 'newborn baby kit'. What do and don't I need?

[hackneybird]

I am now 32 weeks and due in October. Getting things ready and out of the way early as I don't want to be shopping when I'm bigger and just in case it turns up early.

As the baby is due on Oct should I only get long sleeved full baby gros or get some little body suits too?

Am planning on breastfeeding, but should I get a couple of bottles too - for expressing or in case we end up having to use formula?

Am confused. Really don't want to waste money on stuff I won't need.

You don't have enough cotton wool balls or muslin cloths.
Buy Tea Tree oil for your stitches, they hurt.
Breast pads, lots of them, because they need changing after every feed!

Good luck, its great x

for YOU (for hospital bag and home):

lavender and t-tree oil for your bath (to help heal up any sore bits/tears)

one of those wheat/lavender heat bags for holding against engorged norks - I'm sure it stopped me getting mastitis several times

Nurofen

Super pads with wings

Chamilosan for sore nipples

(Sorry if I'm painting an alarming picture here btw)

Second the v-pillow - I found it difficult to get DS into a comfy position without mine. I even took it out with us for the first few weeks so I could feed him in public!

Muslins, muslins, more muslins
Fabric bath support as already mentioned
About twice as many maternity pads as you think you'll need

Best to get fitted for a nursing bra once your milk comes in (about 3 or 4 days after birth) - I did this and the lady was SO helpful, even though I was a knackered sweating mess - they all cooed over my tiny 3 day old baby while I tried bras on

Oh and a squirty water bottle (the sports lid kind) - invaluable for filling with clean warm water to squirt over your bits as you do a wee the first few times after birth!

don't need bottles (some helpful person bought them for me, but they just took up cupboard space ) do get knowledgeable about BF before you give birth, particularly a 24 hour number to call in the event of problems (your hospital unit should have one' or LLeche or indeed Mumsnet is a great place for moral support) Breastfeeding is a learned skill, so don't expect it to go right straight away without help(though, great if it does)

Get a couple of bras before you give birth, just to be comfortable in your current size....I only used them the first few weeks but still worth it. They are comfortable enough to sleep in.

The long sleeved ones are all i use in winter, the ones with feet (socks on newborns is just a hassle) and a snowsuit for trips out. sleeping place for baby (even if you co-sleep, its handy to have somewhere to pu tthem for daytie naps.)

nappies & wipes (if you fancy using reusable see if your local council has a scheme giving them free) - and a bin (there are 'nappy genies' but IMO these are too small, a Tesco Value bin does a better job...

The only thing it is really essential to sort out first is car seat & pushchair/ pram then you can enjoy shopping once your baby is born and you have a better idea what you want.

Babysling! have a look at styles - i love my Premaxx but not great if you can't have baby's weight focussed on one shoulder.

stitches - salt in bath water worked well....

Slings are fab - I don't recommend a premaxx for a newborn though. Stretchy wrap is the best kind IMO but a ring sling also good if you are feeling a bit intimidated by all the cloth (really though it's like shoelaces - once you know how to do it, it's easy)

Have you got the big things yet, ie car seat, buggy, etc?

Buy definitely buy a John lewis cot top changer - saves backache and is soooooo useful - worth every penny of £30 we paid

I found long sleeved body suits a waste of time - buy short sleeved and put a longsleeved t shirt, cardigan or jumper on top

I never got to grips with my breast pump - so wouldnt waste my money on one given my baby days again

HTH

if you live in a house, get something for downstairs for the baby to sleep in during the day - pram, moses basket or whatever. And a second changing mat (or a thick towel) and basket for nappies, cotton wool etc. So you don't have to traipse upstairs just to do a nappy change.
Plenty of muslins.
A spare mattress is useful if they are sick a lot.
An insulated mug with lid for your cups of tea.
Oh and don't waste money on a travel system. Get a car seat and a sling. If you are used to driving everywhere, you won't suddenly start walking everywhere, especially when knackered from lack of sleep! Then get a decent buggy later.

I would recommend using Always night time towels instead of the maternity ones, they always felt like I was sitting on a brick.

Can you get kits for babies now? I had to make my own the old-fashioned way...

Dont forget to buy proper maternity pads. Normal sanitary pads are not good because they are plastic backed. As you have just given birth, you are more likely to get infections if you use normal pads. The sanitary pads are really thick, but it is because they are not plastic backed, but thick to soak up well enough.

whatever is on yr list, you can probably halve it. don't get a baby bath, lots of spare towels etc. even a moses basket imo is a waste of time - they are out of it in seconds. you need a cot, a pushchair , a steriliser - er that's it.

I didn't know the thing about being plastic backed, but they were definitely more comfortable IMO, I used them for DC 2 & 3.

This is making me want another tiny tote...

I just love buying new born stuff.

Anyone fancy being a surrogate?

There's a fair bit of conflicting advice on here! I suppose we all find our own way with it all in the end!

Hackneybird - I found when we started to bottle feed that a lot of equipment comes with free bottles anyway (I got two with my avent breastpump, and four with the steriliser), so if you do end up using bottles, make sure you don't buy more than you need!

Also, Take several babygros to the hospital _ I only took 3 and ended up in for 4 days so DH had to go to Asda and buy more (didn't want to go home and loose his hospital parking space!!).

If anyone asks what you want ask for clothes in bigger sizes - DS hardly wore his newborn stuff and he wasn't that big!

oooh, INTEGRATED scratch mitts. i.e. babygros with the scratch mitts built in - the mitts by themselves just fall off or get chewed off.

normal period pads contain gels that are so efficient at absorbing liquids that they can pull at wounds and stitches and then they'll take longer to heal. bloody hate maternity pads though - like being 12 again and using those effing mattresses in school that made me waddle.

I'd say get a bottle to have on hand cos you can always use it when they're older for water. not those little newborn-sized ones, they're useless later on.

i honestly, honestly think a monitor is essential, especially one you canturn the volume way up on. the amount of times you'll want to go in and check on the babba to make sure she's breathing, but hesitate cos you don't want to wake her is staggering. If you can hear her breathing, you'll be much easier in yourslf. Though can wait a few weeks as no doubt you'll be with her constantly at the start. If we had the money, I'd have gone for a monitor with a camera so I could see whether her blankies were still over her etc.

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don't bother with a baby bath, complete faff, bought a plastic bath seat for dd2 and she absolutely loves it. Means dd1 can go in the bath at the same time lots of splashing and they love it.

Agree you need proper maternity pads however awful they are and buy far more than you think you will need!

A nice bf pyjama set for you for after, I got mine from La redoubte - means you feel better when you get all those visitors.

Vests and babygros - easier to take off and on the better and two sleeping bags for when they are sick.

Baby monitor essential, BT one has a thermometer on it as well.

And a v shaped pillow made everything more comfy. Happy shopping xx

The bottle/breast thing is always going to be contentious but when it gets to 5am and your newborn has been chewing on your nipples for three hours making them bleed. Baby's crying, mummy is crying and everyone is exhausted, a bottle and some expressed breast milk is worth any amount of cupboard space IMHO.

We had a video monitor - well worth the extra money for peace of mind - in the early days to check face was clear of blankets at any given time, and later on to see if standing up or settling down (i.e. to help you decide whether to go in yet or leave for a few minutes more if they are about to settle...).

Invaluable!

A thermometer or fever strips (usually just to reassure yourself that she is fine).

Definitely plenty of babygros and vests from Tesco or somewhere. Bibs are handy for catching little voms and save you changing the whole outfit.

sheets for pram and moses basket are an expensive waste you probably already have spare plain cotton pillowcases that will do the job if not get a few cheap ones to have on hand.

Nappy wrapper bin I found great.

A little baby hairbrush and nail scissors for the well turned out baby around town, though maybe wait to see if you have a hairy talony baby.

If you have an upstairs definitely have a changing spot both upstairs and down.

I bought a baby bath, now known as the ironing basket. Also a top n tail bowl, used for coralling loose cotton balls, etc. Baby gets Kitchen-Sinked rather than Bathed.

Have fun !

Andy don't bother with dresses if it's a girl. They are hopeless until a child can stand up as just ruck up behind their back.

My DD lived in babygros and then moved on to stretchy leggings and t shirts until she was able to stand up.

Scratch mitts are completely useless.

They don't stay on. I noticed the other day going through DD's hospital photos that we look like complete numpty new parents, as she quite clearly has socks on her hands in all the photos (they stayed on better than the mitts, but actually she didn't need them either).