What do I need to buy for the baby?

[PixieCake]

I'd like to get as organised as possible for when the baby comes (first one) but don't want to buy unnecessary stuff obviously. Please can anyone add to this list:

Cotton wool
Nappies (what size? Just 'newborn'?)
Do I need baby bubble bath/talc/shampoo?
Maternity pads
Cot/moses basket plus bedding
Pram
Nipple cream stuff
muslin squares
Salt for bath (for me, c section)

Baby clothes - how many sleepsuits shall I get? With legs/sleeves or without? What size - newborn or 0-3 months?

Thanks!

?Clothing - four or five full outfits including outdoor wear, should be enough to start with. Don't feel compelled to buy all new clothes: considering how short a time each item will fit your baby, your might want to consider hand-me-downs.
?Nappies - you have a choice between disposable and reusable. If you choose the latter, you'll need at least 12 and perhaps even 24 to allow you time to wash and dry between uses. Babies get through six to eight nappies a day in the early weeks. You?ll also need toiletries and cloths for changing time.
?Pram or pushchair.
?Car safety seat - many of these double as carriers, or fix to a frame to make a pushchair.
?Somewhere to sleep - a crib, cot or pram top, plus bedding (but not pillows, as they're not safe until your baby's one year old).
?Feeding equipment - if you're bottlefeeding you'll need bottles, formula and sterilising equipment. If you're breastfeeding and plan to express milk, you'll need bottles and teats, and a breast pump if you're not doing it by hand.

Optional extras

?Baby carrier or sling - this allows you to carry your baby and keep your hands free, which makes using public transport easier.
?Baby bath - your baby can use the big bath, share with you, or you could even use a new washing-up bowl at the very beginning.
?Toys - although not really necessary at first, they're nice for you and your baby to enjoy together.
?Changing gear - you might want a changing mat or baby dresser with a changing top.
?Muslin cloths or other large, soft washable dribble cloths are useful for wiping, drying or as a top sheet in the pram or crib.

oh, that's a straight lift from a google search btw. Don't want to try to make you think I came up with it myself.

Mine are nearly 11 & nearly 10. I can't remember WHAT I had.

I do remember that 3/4 of it I didn't need!

nearly 11? actually 11!

Thanks Queen, have added some of the missing things to my list.

I also wouldn't bother with talc, or baby shampoo, when dd was tiny I just washed her in a bath with a little baby oil as she had dry skin, then used top-to-toe wash as she got bigger. Didn't use shampoo until she was much older.

Second hand sleeep suits very handy for night time, and save new ones for the day.

cotton wool

nappies (newborn size are up to 11lb, so get a couple of packs of those and maybe 1 of the next size up)

maternity pads

big knickers (to go over scar - I am still wearing mine 6 weeks after section, not the same pair, obviously!)

pram/pushchair/sling

muslins

lansinoh

breast pads

nursing bra

car seat

cot/moses basket/crib

bedding

v pillow is very handy, whether breast or formula feeding - esp with c-section (protects scar)

clothes wise I have tons of hand me down, but the only thing I have used in this hot weather is the sleepsuits, I haven't used a single vest, if I have gone out I put a jumper/cardigan over the top. At the hospital where I had ds they expected me to have a hat, vest and sleepsuit for him, when he was born. You might not need many newborn size clothes (ds just growing out of his at 6 weeks), so don't buy many.) 0-3 month clothes always looked vast on my dcs.

In hospital a Bounty lady will come round with a bag of freebies, which has a mini Sudocream, top to toe wash and baby oil. But they usually recommend you don't use anything for the first few weeks anyway.

I found a baby bath handy, because I couldn't bend over the big bath with my scar.

Make sure you have some comfy waisted trousers, because anything with zips or buttons digs into the scar.

Nappy sacks
Breast pads

You're not supposed to use anything but water until baby is a month old, so don't bother with toiletries like bubble bath.

I've been recommended to get 4-6 bodies and 6-8 sleepsuits with feet in newborn size, plus a couple of hats and cardigans (baby is due in December). I've got a load more in 0-3 months - I'm trying not to go overboard with newborn sizes as it may only fit for a week or so!

The NCT maternity knickers are recommended for c-section - they're made of a special breathable material to help your scar heal.

Protip- get big knickers from marks and sparks, or wear mens boxers. Get them a size bigger than you are now, as you might swell up a bit with water after the birth (at least I did- the hca was helping me get dressed after my first shower and the knickers wouldn't go past my thighs)

Most things can be replaced with muslin squares if you forget them, so just make sure you get those muslins! Get white, so you can wash them at high temps if you use them as nappies/wipes/washcloths/sick cloths/etc.

Some people swear by changing tables but personally I've managed 6months of changing with a roll up travel change mat that I move around the house and rolls up for the change bag. Depending on the size of where you live you may want to buy a baby monitor too. I wouldn't bother with the special nipple cream either - you can use vaseline or E45. In fact I only needed it when I started expressing regularly. Oh and if you are bottle feeding you can forget the expensive sterilising units and use a bucket with sterilising solution or tablets. As a nice optional extra go for a brightly coloured moving musical mobile for the cot/basket (Tine love do a good one) . Newborns can't really see much or enjoy toys but mine liked her mobile right from the off and I felt I was developing her from the beginning with it.

My DD is now 6 months old and the bits of baby kit that have been invaluable are:

-car rear view baby mirror - so you can see your newborn wen they are in the back
-bath wedge - towelling thing stretched over a wire frame, keeps them safe in the bath so you have 2 free hands to wash them with
-bouncy chair, cheaper the better really, the cheap ones bounce better
-baby gym - used every day since a month old, still loves it now
-big hooded towel, Ikea do a great one
-babygros with fold-over scratch mitts were great

You need to seperate the list into two parts - what you need and what you'd like.

I'll tell you what you don't need- top and tail bowl.

My parents bought us a travle system for DD1.

We are now expecting DC4 and BOY have we had our money's worth out of that travel system.

Pram top is the bed for 1st six months.
Car seat has just had DD3 moved out of it and is quietly sitting in barn (the car seat not DD3)

Pushchair still going strong.

I needed far more sleepysuits than the books say I might need. If you have a poo-y baby you might be changing the sleep suits several times a day and if you're anything like me they won't make it to the washing machine and will be rinsed and dumped in the bath / on the patio. Stock up in Primark, but keep the reciepts and open the packets as needed.

You will need big pants after a cs. The mesh hospital pants are great. I think they sell them in most of the baby catalogues.

We never had a change table but I bought a cot top changer for my second child (and second cs). It hurt to get on the floor and change a nappy after a cs so the cot top changer was ideal as it didn't take up any space and I could be independant when looking after DD.

don't bother with cotton wool. I still have a roll from when DS1 was born 5 years ago. Baby wipes are the ONLY thing that can properly deal with newborn poo.

I know a million people will say that they may be allergic etc, but my two were fine.

I have nightmares thinking of the whole cotton wool/water/ hospital bed combo.

And dummies, never underestimate the power of a dummy

And good luck........enjoy your new baby - when he/she arrives

Ah, very true re cotton wool.

I remember struggling to clean up a Poomageddon in hospital that first night, miniscule cotton wool balls everywhere...a serene second-time mum quietly slipped me a pack of her wipes with a knowing smile and I was never more grateful.

stresshead. BTW when was your baby born? I have some idea you were on the Feb '10 birth board?

Yes, I was there for a while, she was born 20/02. Did Poomageddon out me?!

not at all......I lurked on the Feb 10 thread. DS2 was born on the 15th Feb and I thought I recognised your name

Just been packing my bag for 3rd. I have made a roll, i got a nice blanket, a vest, hat, sleep suit and nappy and rolled it into the blanket. Hand it to the MW and then after the birth they have everything ready to put baby in save a faff. (After the skin to skin part)

Take good chocolate biscuits for you n partner and can be used to bribe hospital staff if necessary

his time i put a pair of sweat bands in to put on my wrists cos I sweat like a pig when in labour.

If you intend to breast feed make sure you get a TV in your room cos spend hours doing it and cant move, can be a bit boring.

Nursing bra n nursing tops so can whip boobs out.

You will probably not know what you need until it kicks off cos you respond you your babies needs and send partner out to get stuff as you go along, sounds like you have basics covered.

Mothercare do a kit for £15, it has 3 vests, 3 sleep suits, a hat 2 x mittens and a pair of boottees. Its quite a good kit to start you off, then I would get about 5 or six more vests and sleep suits to add ot this.

What everyone else has said, but some babies can be sensitive to the chemicals in wipes (including my DD, but she has eczema and it runs in family) so advise cotton wool pleat or pads with water. They do a better job at cleaning meconium poo than silly little cotton wool balls. Benpanthen is more gentle and for general use as a nappy cream, Sudocrem is better when they have nappy rash. Also scratch mitts, their fingers are so tiny it took me time to build up the courage to cut DD's nails! Ahh yes nail clippers:)

I got a microwave steriliser for a tenner in ASDA - bargaintastic! :)

I'd go against Hekate's advice about "4/5 complete outfits" - when you're getting to grips with a newborn frightened of breaking arms, the last thing you want to be doing is faffing around with "real" clothes. Keep it simple!

Consider the weather - the day my son was born it was 38 degrees - I did not and have not needed "outdoor clothes" in the weeks since. When we go out in the pram he's in a vest with a blanket over his bare legs.

We did not buy a monitor and probably won't. He's not been out of our sight in the last 7 weeks and I imagine by the time he is we'll not be terrified of him dying!

I would say plenty of sleepsuits and babygros you dont really need any other clothes unless you want them, my boys were 8 and 9 pounders and went straight into 0 - 3 clothes and were out of them by almost 2 months

If you get baby wipes go for the most basic blandest stuff possible for sensitive skin I used Huggies Pure and found them to be great

Bed, I had a cotbed for my two and they both looked so tiny in it even when the were 6 months I used a moses basket and put them in bed when they didnt need me as much during the night as the basket could fit next to me while I was in bed, second the advice about no pillows or duvets

Prep your oh on what he needs to buy if BF doesnt work but I hope it goes well and you recover well after birth

Yes definitely drag your dh/p to Boots or wherever and show him what he might need to buy, take photos if necessary! I remember a very long stressful phone call from dh as he floundered round Mothercare looking for breast pads.