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.

This is what you won't need:

baby toiletries apart from a bar of fragrance free soap and some fragrance free shampoo
Cotton wool and packs of baby wipes - instead you can get a pack of 6 baby washclothes from the poundshop which are great for topping and tailing and using as baby wipes.
matching nursery furniture and wallpaper. just buy ordinary chest of drawers, wardrobe, bedside table etc, paint the walls in whatever colour you fancy and buy accessories to make it look nice for a baby, then change accessories as child grows up - does anyone like decorating? much easier this way!!
pram/moses basket sheets - just use normal ones. pillow cases make good pram sheets by putting the mattress inside them.
anything that is meant to stick on to a high chair as they never stick
clothes for babies under 12 months - babygros and rompers much cuter and more practical
bibs - muslins much more practical as you tie them around their necks loosely to catch all the dribbles and they cover a much larger area when weaning
tomy aromatherapy soother which was a gift that went back. it only stays on for about 10 minutes so you might aswell just spray lavender around the room before bed.
blender - do baby led weaning. did buy a steamer though.
plastic baby forks. they need metal forks to be able to stab anything.
steriliser - just wash the bottles in hot soapy water and air dry.
bottle warmer - made bottles up as needed and cooled down with water
those special cup things for tilting the cot if they have reflux or a cold - just use books!!
changing mat liner - just use a towel
proper nappy bucket - bought a cheapo bin with a swing lid
tomy style sling - puts baby in a really bad position. get woven wrap or one of these
wipe warmers - use reusable wipes anyway but wtf??
sun parasol - used a uv net
changing table - used this changing mat on the floor or sofa
baby bath - used the big bath with one of these
cat net - they don't work
sun blinds for car
dream show thingy (kept ds awake)
baby walker, baby nest, exersaucer, door bouncer, bouncy chair, bumbo
play pen - just babyproofed the room and put a gate on the door and voila you have a big play pen
bed guards, fire guards (ds pulled a friend's one on top of him but i think you can get one that nails to the wall), socket covers, doorstoppers (just keep door shut in the first place), corner protectors, cupboard locks (although a lockable medicine cabinet might be an idea once they reach about 2 and start getting into things)
baby toiletry box
top and tail bowl - just use normal bowls
hooded towels - just used normal ones.
scratch mitts - socks work much better
baby scissors/clippers (i just nibbled them myself)
dummies - didn't use cos of breastfeeding and nipple confusion
change bag - just had a few normal big bags that i could pick and choose with a fold away change mat. i got the free huggies bag from boots and used the change mat out of that.
buying a standard sized cot - mine wriggled so much it wasn't big enough after a few months and had to get a cot bed.
moses basket - either get a pushchair with a carrycot which can double up as a moses basket or the fisher price soothing motions glider looks like it could be used as a moses basket too.
sleeping bags/fleecy blankets - My brother died of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome so when DS was born I was very paranoid about SIDs. I was advised by doctors and a charity called CRY to only use celluar blankets and cotton sheets up to 2 years and then to use a duvet and pillow as there was some research occurring that seemed to show fleece blankets and grobags can cause overheating. They also told me not to use fleecy babygros and if i was using a fleecy footmuff then I should be able to keep an eye on him at all times whilst he was in it.

What you do need IMO:

Car seat
Pushchair
Sling (see above for recommendations)
Vests
Babygros
Rompers
Baby wash cloths
Bar of fragrance free soap and bottle of fragrance free shampoo
Bath support (again see above for link)
Changing mat with harness to prevent those wriggly nappy changes when they learn to crawl (again link above)
Playgym type thing
Insect net for cot if you like to keep windows open in the summer
Cot bumper stops them getting stuck between the bars
Cot mobile - we got a really good one which plays rainforest, sea and heartbeat sounds rather than music which just overstimulated DS at bedtime.
Plug in night light for late night nappy changes
Baby monitor with camera (saves running up and down stairs when they cry in their sleep cos your not sure if they are awake or not)
respisense breathing monitor (but only as I am over cautious of SIDs)
sleep positioner handy for keeping them on their backs
Baby food/milk thermometer
Vicks vapouriser great for when they have snuffles
Sleepcurve mattress
Prince Lionheart slumber bear - but only because it comes with a portable white noise maker which is a god send for stopping them crying
Toys on the cot like the fisher price cot piano were great for keeping DS amused in his in the mornings whilst I got showered and dressed and tidied up and car seat/pushchair toys are great for keeping them occupied on boring journeys/shopping trips
nappy stacker, cot tidy helps save space in drawers and wardrobes - drawer tidies great for little socks and scratch mitts as are net bags to put them in for the washing machine
My friend has a nappy wrapper which means you don't have to go outside in the cold to put stinky nappies out.
Gap style socks with the grippy writing on the bottom and Trumpette socks - all others fall off!!
nice toy boxes you don't mind being on show in your living room (we have the wicker ones) if you want DC to be able to get the toys out themselves get something with drawers if not get something with a lid they have to lift off
electric breast pump
v cushion can be used in both pregnancy and for feeding
bottle brush, rack for drying bottles on
padded or jersey lined snow suit with detachable feet and gloves
carrier bags stashed inside your bag for all the wet muslins and clothes you will collect throughout the day
ear thermometer (i have the nurofen one that plays music)
bath thermometer
comb if your baby has masses of hair like mine (i just use an ordinary one for 15p as opposed to some stupidly priced baby one. wouldn't bother with a brush as babies hair is generally too fine)

OK so what else?

Hmm. The thing about growing out of things quickly- don't bank on it! Mine were in first size for months then zoomed through the others. So I found loads upon loads of white cotton Asda clothes wonderful, and 0-3 clothes almost unused. Buy in batches, as you need them, though.

Oh and smellies- choose something really special. There's a particular brand I used in hospital with ds3 that I now use on his birthday, used on his naming ceremony etc and it has the most wonderful memories associated.

Decent camera- I know thats ounds silly, but we are in the sad position of having lost a lot of our baby pictures after some twunt sent us a virus and really, you don't realise how precious they are! hospital lights can confuse some cameras (BIL couldnt use his state of the art thing in NICU) so my tip is to stow a disposable away JIC, as well as the normal digital.

Absolutely agree with foods, a lack of provision for special diets is a major factor in DS4 having had a HB.

Oh and record loads of programmes you love for those late nights and early mornings (and labour, ds4 was mainly birthed to 2DTV LOL)

Pillow for breastfeeding is great, but, they do come in all sizes and depending on your build some might well put your baby in the wrong position, ie too high or low. So, if it's not far from your lap to your boobs get a fairly thin one. If you're taller and there's quite a way between laps and boobs look for a thicker one. You might well need to change it once your baby has arrived. I rather optimistically got a quite thick one for when dd2 was due to arrive. Ended up having to use a really thin maternity/bf pillow from mothercare instead. Hadnt realised how saggy I'd gotten The really thick one was great for back support for the baby though when she was learning to sit.

Or an inflatable one as you can adjust it as they grow?

I hnever did but thinking on, could well have done I guess!

Oh and snowsuits- yes, but make sure you also have a decent warm jacket (or 2 cheap suits) as they do tend to vomit over whatever they are wearing. Autums also varies a lot in weather so you need to alter what they wear quite a lot (well I did with a spring baby which is similar enough)

Nappyaddict and others - what fabulous posts - taking the time you have have certainly have made it easier for me. Brilliant brilliant brilliant!

I found nursing pillows really useful - as I didn't manage to bf ds1 for very long we all used the pillow for bottlefeeds too. And I use the prettier one that I picked up from a nearly new sale for ds2 all the time. They can also be used for propping up babies and mums, or even dads.

I think vests with poppers are really useful for ages. 2 year old ds1 still wears one at night to sleep in and I used them until quite recently under all his clothes in the day time - then it got hot but also we're trying to potty train. Short sleeves are better because they're more flexible, and you can get long sleeves on babygros, tops etc. You will probably need babygros as well, unless you plan to put baby in outfits immediately.

Join freecycle - all sorts of baby stuff is given away there and it's especially good for small baby clothes which have been outgrown fast and equipment which people haven't used that much. Also try NCT/other nearly new sales. I don't know re Hackney but Haringey NCT has a nearly new sale in Crouch End on 12 September, and Haringey Families has one most months on the other side of Crouch End, near Park Road Pool. Waltham Forest NCT also has sales in a nice big hall, if you can get up there, and lots of branches have a sale in early autumn.

Long life milk for your cuppas - I ran out of fresh milk one day and in my hormonal state it was absolutely the end of the world!

MM7777 totally agree - and some chocolate digestives for those late night feeds.

and bananas - i lived on bananas for the first few weeks of both ds's

I would say that I wish I had had a really good bf'ing pillow, i faffed around with bed pillows which slipped a lot, a long tubey beanbag which was worse than useless. I felt very awkward holding my LO and a decent pillow would have helped me concentrate on the latch. Also some very heavy duty laxatives, I was petrified of my stitches splitting, so some dulcolase (sp?) would have been great.
And yes to the idea of going to the BF cafes near you. I didn't have a clue where mine were and didn't want to venture out too far in the car. I wish I had gone before just to suss them out.

All though that all sounds pretty depressing, I didn't stop smiling for weeks (actually years) after I had my baby.

Stuff we either didn't have, or that was useless:
moses basket (neither of mine would sleep in it, both much happier swaddled in cot. and they were small babies)
baby bath (tummy tub - now v.expensive bath toy holder. bath support in sink then big bath worked better, esp after c-section because I didn't need to bend)
baby bjorn (wrap sling much better)
baby monitor (unless you live in a mansion)
bowl(s) for topping and tailing. wet cotton wool under tap, wipe face, wipe bum, put in bin, what could be simpler?
bath thermometer -- use your hand, and bear in mind there's a difference between "not too hot" and "freezing cold".
changing bag -- bought a fold up mat and kept in my handbag/under the buggy.

Ahh, yes, have just remembered my one piece of solid gold advice, get a very nice handbag that goes over your body. you will be pushing a pushchair for at least a year, and hoiking a shoulder bag onto your shoulder is not good for you. So invest in one you love (that makes you feel good about yourself*), that has pockets for lipstick, mobile, purse, oyster card, keys.

*I found myself feeling very dowdy and rough, walking for hours with sleeping LO, and my lovely red bag made me feel kind of bo-ho and fashionable. (Shallow I know)

Yes. You will definitely need a nice new handbag

Look for breast pads that are slim and large, IYSWIM. I think they are Tommee Tippee? Found them loads more comfortable than the standard small thick ones because when you're already so big you can barely fit in your bra they don't bulk up if you leak and make it even more uncomfortable. Someone else said Chamilosan I think - the best cream, smells wierd but babies don't seem to notice and without that I'd have given up BF after 2 weeks.

My post-natal physiotherapist actually TOLD me to buy a new handbag! Granted, I was on crutches and she said I needed one that went across the body, but it was a totally fab defence when I had to tell DH I was buying a new handbag on prescription!! And now that I am back on my feet a cross body one really is great for when you are pushing the push chair and need two hands free.

My best piece of advice is to make sure that your OH knows how to fit the newborn car seat into the car!. I purposely asked mine if he knew how to fit it before we went to the hospital and was assured that of course he knew. Well it took him about 30 bloomin mins of fiddling whilst the midwife looked on in bemusement, and I was getting progressively more irritated. Tesco maternity pads are much better than boots (horrible and v uncomfortable) Tea tree and Lavender oil in bath definitely helped my stitches heal quicker.
I bought a change bag and it was a total waste of money, ended up only using the travel change mat which I put in an old rucksack.
Probably the best thing we bought was a condenser tumble dryer. Not v environmentally friendly but a total godsend over the winter months, with all the washing you end up doing.

nuffing. You don't need nuffing, - except for muslins which you can make out of old sheets. They can be bibs, nappies, wetwipes, sheets - whatever.

Seriously!

But enough about need, - you'll probably want some kind of nappies, somewhere for the baby to sleep and something for the baby to wear.

You DON'T need to buy lanisoh. The sachet you get in your bounty pack can see you through 10 weeks of bfing.

You don't need anything else, except a car seat if you need to get home from a hospital.

What I didn't have but wished I had

Breastfeeding pillow as explained by SarfEast
Arnica cream for healing

What I am very glad I remembered/ used
Preparation H - ouch!

• BF shawl after leaving hosp -stil using now months later Muslins and more muslins

Experience tells me -
the slightly more expensive disposable breast pads (Johnsons) are more comfortable and 'sit' better or better still use reusable ones

Not needed -
Moses basket- baby never took to it.
Talcum powder

Instead of the dispossable pants they tell you to get just buy tesco value knickers then bin them as just as cheap and a hell of a lot more comfortable!!

Car boot sales and Freecycle can be great for getting almost everything you need - I have saved hundreds of pounds. The only things I would buy new are the cot mattress and car seat.

I agree that it's a good idea to have somewhere upstairs and downstairs to put the baby to sleep - so that you don't have to carry them up and down.

Lots of people have mentioned V-shaped pillows but I much preferred the C-shaped pillow (mine was a Boppy) - though you can just use a normal cushion if you want to save money.

la redoute do some great bodysuits that have crossover fastenings as well as poppers at the bum. It means if there is leakage you won't be pulling a pooey top over baby's head.

other things
arnica
lansinoh
muslins
cardigans
sleepsuits

not too many clothes!

Hello everyone

Thank you so much for the comments and advice, I really am so appreciative that you took the time to put advice together for me.

We have been given a lot of 'big stuff' such as a push chair and a car seat by a generous SIL, so we are very lucky in that respect.

Am now kitted out with a small amount of body suits, hats, cardigans etc., and a large amount of muslin squares as per the many recommendations.

Have applied for the Boots parenting club so will get all my creams, lotions and tablets when that comes through.

xx

And the handbag? Don't forget the handbag

good luck, and congratulations in advance...

I prefer 'wrap-around' vests that you don't have to pull over the baby's head. You do them up with poppers on the side. H&M sell them.

But generally I'd buy the early stuff second hand. Maybe treat yourself to some nice baby grows, but you can save heaps if you get bundles from ebay.

Also, think about getting a sling (ringsling or stretchy wrap). Much better than a carrier like the Bjorn.

I am now 7 days in with our DS and we had a real problem BF in the first few days. I found this terribly difficult and cried a lot until the midwife suggested trying feeds with nipple protectors. I know there is lots of different feelings around shields but he has been feeding like a trooper since and i'd rather that than have ended up bottle feeding. I do try and get him to latch on to me at the beginning of every feeding session so that he doesn't forget completly the feel of the skin so that he will hopefully latch eventually.

Bottles also have been vital as they meant that i could hand express or hand pump so that he could get milk while not latching. Also found that sterilised syringes were great too as this enabled us to give him the milk without putting it in a bottle.

I have however kept as much in the original packaging as possible though so that i can sell on or give to friends anything that i dont need.

Most importanly don't leave the hospital (if you are planning on going into hospital for labour) until you are happy that you can get the latch right for the baby, and keep asking for help.

I agree that the top and tail bowl is a waste of money, and was told my my MW to put olive oil in dry skin rather than any of the lotions and potions that you can buy and it seems to be working.

Good luck.

I started off with:

10 x bodysuits (wrap around kind - the other sort were too big on DS' shoulders and kept falling off)
4 x rompers
6 x babygros
6 x socks
2 x hats
2 x mittens
2 x cardigans
6 x light weight cotton blankets
2 x thicker cotton blankets
millions of muslin squares to be used for spillages, dribble, breast feeding, a comforter, as bibs etc

TBH I don't think I could have coped with less cos it would have meant having to wash much more often and working out how to get it dry quickly when it rained.