October baby- what will I need?! HELP!

[apples82]

I'm due to give birth mid-October to my first baby, and I am clueless as to what I am going to need.

DH & I are hitting the shops this weekend to pick up the 'essential' baby bits to get us started, but what are these?

I'm out of my depth as to how to even cloth the baby at this time in the year

Help!

You'll be fine

DS was an October baby. Vest & sleepsuit at night, vest & sleepsuit with little cardigan or a little outfit (Still with the vest under) during the day. One layer more than what you are wearing, remember!

Blankets are good for sleeping, going out in the pram, car seat, etc. We had some cotton and some fleece. I wouldn't bother with a coat until baby can at least sit up. Snowsuits are completely pointless IMO. They're a horrible faff to get on and off and if you're going in and out of shops, the car etc, your baby will get really hot when inside. If you do get a snowsuit or a padded coat, be aware you shouldn't use them when your baby is in a car seat. But generally blankets are fine, until they get big enough to kick them off, but even then if you get a cosytoes/footmuff type thing for the buggy, that solves that. :)

Oh and don't forget a hat or two or three.

Oh and hoodies. Don't buy any hoodies in a size under 6 months, unless they are the kind which zips or does up at the front. Babies really hate having things pulled over their heads!

Thanks BertieBotts. And a good tip about the pulling over their heads thing, I'll keep a look out for sleepsuits with popper fronts etc!

Grobags are much easier for sleeping than sheets and blankets. TK Maxx usually have good deals, or try the supermarkets.

Sainsburys babygrows are good, as some have flaps on the cuffs to use as scratch mittens.

Google 'NCT Nearly New Sales' to find out if there is one in your area soon - you'll find loads of bargains of baby stuff there in really good condition, all at a fraction of the price of buying new!

Most things will have popper fronts, or envelope necks, or buttons/poppers at the side of the neck to widen it - it's just most hoodies don't seem to. I got given loads for DS and they did look cute and snuggly, but I'd probably avoid them another time unless I find another one with teddy bear ears

Grobags def easier if they are in a cot, though I think they have to be a certain weight first, don't they? I found blankets a lot easier for co sleeping, sorry, forgot to mention that bit.

Yes my mw said they can't use grobags until e.g. 5kg or 9kg.

Right now we've got moses basket with sheets, and then we'll put a blanket over the top. Is that enough?

9kg? That's huge! 8lbs, I thought. That's about 3.6kg.

Blankets are good because you can layer them and fold them. Remember each fold is another layer, though. In October it will depend on whether you have heating on overnight. But throw away room thermometers and gauges of how many blankets you will need, they just make you paranoid. I think DS usually had vest, sleepsuit and cotton cellular blanket folded into 4 layers. Check the baby's temperature by putting two fingers on the back of their neck/collar, if it feels sweaty, take a layer off, if it feels cool or cold, add another layer. You'll get the hang of it quickly enough, and you'll probably be in hospital with nurses and midwives to ask if you are worried about it for the first night or two.

What do I need in terms of clothing though to begin with?

5 vests?
5 sleepsuits?
Cardigans?
Hats?
Scratch mitts?

I have no clue!

No, vests under everything, so one per day, one per night, calculate by how often you wash. Then double it. No, treble it, and add an extra pack for good luck. Babies can be, uhm, leaky. (Basically you want around 15-20. Remember people will buy you stuff, though. Apply this rule to all clothes shopping.)

Sleepsuits probably 7-10, double that at least if you want to use them in the day rather than mini outfits. Again, sick, poo, wee, excessive amounts of drool.

Cardigans - 3 or 4?

Hats - at least 2 - a cotton newborny one for in hospital, and a slightly thicker one for outdoors. Plus more to match outfits as required if you are a particular lover of hats on babies. You'll get given hats though, or they come with sets which are usually a vest, sleepsuit, bib and hat.

Scratch mitts I didn't rate, I just trimmed DS' nails (usually with my teeth).

Don't get too much stuff smaller than 0-3 months, unless you are expecting a tiny baby for some reason. They will grow out of it ridiculously quickly and it's better to have baggy babygrows for a couple of weeks than to realise suddenly everything is too small when you are still trying to recover for the birth.

Also better to get loads of cheap or secondhand clothes at this age rather than a few nicer ones. As Bertie says, babies are leaky and you'll have better things to do than washing every day and worrying that there's nothing clean and dry for baby to wear.

I would add to list of essentials:

Sleepsuits and vests in newborn size with poppers down the front (ss) or underneath (vests) - get the multi-packs from John Lewis, they are very good quality. Two cardigans or hoodies for going out. These are all you will need to start with.

Cotton hats x 2

Socks - but I dressed my newborn in sleepsuits only for the first couple of months so didn't use these often.

Moses basket (everyone told us we wouldn't need one and we ended up picking one up after 2 weeks of DD sleeping poorly in the cot - so handy for mobility as well), plus two sheets, and four blankets

Disposable change mats (can change baby on bed or travelling or anywhere really)

Nappies - get packets in two sizes

Cotton pads and a bowl for water for nappy changes

Sudocreme

Muslins x 8 (for reflux etc)

Breastfeeding cloth (for feeding in public - eg bebe au lait) and nipple pads

Gosh does that help? These were my essentials anyway and I had a March baby (after February snow, so was still quite cold). In terms of going out, I found that our buggy had a buggysnug which was warm enough to use with just one blankets. I bought extra sheets and blankets for the buggy too.

PS you will be washing everyday regardless and my newborn was 7 lbs and 3 ounces and required newborn size (smaller than 0-3) for the first month at least

I'd suggest ~10 short-sleeved vests, 7 sleepsuits, a couple of nice warm cardigans with and without hoods, a nice warm hat, and a couple of blankets.

Also, indulge yourself and get 2 or 3 of the cutest outfits for LO to meet the grandparents etc.

We wished we'd bought more in newborn sizes than 0-3. Unless you have a big baby (9-10 lb) 0-3 will be huge!

We used a cellular blankets to swaddle DD for the first few weeks until she hit 8lb and was big enough for a sleeping bag. I do recommend getting a sleeping bag, we really haven't looked back and I have friends who used them with a moses basket. Continually reswaddling after night feeds and when baby wriggles out is a pain. We had a couple of those shaped swaddling blankets that we really didn't get on with (2 big for our little DD).

I agree about the snowsuits. Too warm if baby is asleep and you stop for coffee. We put DD in a big cuddly (Grandma-knitted) cardi and put a blanket over which could be taken off indoors without waking her.

I don't know if you have your buggy yet, but I'd strongly recommend one with a carrycot. The HV bang on about babies spending too long in a car seat and if you're anything like me the guilt will get the better of you if they do a long sleep. DD slept beautifully in the carrycot - as well as she might in her bed - whereas she'll only do 30 min in the buggy now.

Another thing... LOTS of muslins. 20 isn't too many.

And a DVD box-set - I used to watch an episode of House during night feeds in the early days and while she slept in my arms in the day. It has to beat daytime TV!

Good luck!

I agree, lots and lots if muslins, I kept running out! Also lots of cheap flannels. Good for washing plus dd used to wee everytime I took her nappy off so put a flannel underneath and at least it won't run over all their clothes!

I agree a carrycot is really useful, dd wasn't comfortable in her car seat till about 3 months.

Wow, you ladies are creating a great list for me. Thanks all for all your advise, I really am completely lost so your posts are exactly what I need to know!

Nappies.
Change mat.
Cotton Wool (don't bother with wipes at first, they aren't kind enough for a newborn's skin)
7 vests
7 sleep suit
All Season Hoodie
A sling that both you and your DH are happy to use. You can try them out at a Slingmeet
Somewhere for LO to sleep
3 sheets
Swaddling
A couple of blankets
Car Seat if you have a car

Not essential but nice to have

A pushchair (ones where you can see the baby are probably nicest for you and the baby)
Day Clothes
Tube of Metainium
Breastpads (you may leak at first even if you ff, I've always found Lansinoh disposables ones the best)
A Tummytub
DVD boxets (if you are bfing you may spend a long time on the sofa)
A freezer full of meals
Babycalming by Caroline Deacon
An online account with a supermarket
A milkman
Some understanding friends (see if your local NCT has a group that meets regularly, with most of their groups you can go along while you are still pregnant and afterwards too and they welcome everyone).

Don't bother spending loads on the nursery either as both of mine screamed if they went anywhere near theirs for over a year.

Forgot towels and Muslins.

Hope you have a lovely time shopping for your new baby

Some way of disposing of nappies ie nappy bags and a nice big bucket with a lid if you are doing disposables.

If you are doing reusable nappies you'll need more than one bucket imho.

We only really got into reusables once ds was 3 months. He seemed too small for them before that.

More importantly, you will need a good winter coat that you can push a pram in all weathers (good bum coverage essential), don't mind getting sick on, and can fit the LO under in a sling if you like using one.

Good luck. Ds was born on October 15th and I have great memories of cuddling him in the cold.

A special place to dispose of nappies? What is wrong with the bin?

I might be weird but I never used nappy bags, nappies sort of fold into a neat little parcel these days - only really for pooey ones once they really start on solids.

I loved the sling and we took our dd1 out everywhere in it. Much better in crowds. Also if you are planing to express milk, get an electric pump not a manual one - they are sooooo much better.

apples, I have not got much by way of advice, other than to say that you don't need half of what Mothercare and the baby magazines/websites tell you. Nobody on this earth has even used a nappy wrapping machine (anyone who says they actually use it is a liar so ner ), there is no need to buy special bowls for topping and tailing - an ice cream tub is fine, babies don't need Levis and Timberlands, just sleepsuits are fine.

My list:
10 vests (minimum) get size 0-3 rather than newborn
10 sleepsuits (minimum) ditto re sizes
2 blankets (fleece ones don't breathe like cotton so I'm not a fan)
A hat (I never used one but everyone else seems to)
10 muslins (I used a lot of terry nappies instead - more absorbent)
cotton wool
nappies
wipes and nappy bags (for if you're away from home)
car seat
sling (don't even go there with Baby Bjorn type carriers unless you want to be crippled 3 months in - a wrap sling like a Moby or Kari-Me is much better)

For you:
Breastpads
Kotex pads/maternity pads
Huge el cheapo knickers from Matalan (don't buy disposable, they're expensive and uncomfy)
Nursing bra if you plan to breastfeed

Honestly everything else can be cobbled/borrowed/bought later once you've found your feet. You don't need baby baths/fancy prams/all-singing-all-dancing-light-and-sound-musical-mobiles. Anything which you do decide you need can be bought afterwards.

And YES YES YES to online grocery shopping - if you haven't done it before have a couple of practise shops so you're not learning to work the website while juggling a baby, also make sure you have takeaway menus, cake, a comfy chair and nice bubble bath (so when you get half an hour's peace around 6 months after the birth you can enjoy it with a glass of wine )

Good luck and congrats :)

DecapitatedLegoman had to smile at the takeaway menus, even took mine into hospital with me when I had DC2 just incase they kept me in. Couldn't survive on those tiny portions at the best of times never mind being up all night in labour and bfing a big fat chubber too

apples82 how did your shopping trip go?

I was going to say a stretchy wrap, loads of you have beaten me to it! With loads of layers of t-shirt fabric, my warmth and coat I'm thinking it will be the best way to keep the right temperature. Also should keep me warmer and not get cold hands pushing a buggy, one umbrella will keep us both dry, plus it's just lovely having them so close. www.slingguide.co.uk
I used the rule of thumb with my first of one more layer than you are wearing.

Jilted the shopping trip went good ta. We spent the whole day out yesterday test-driving pushchairs- settled on a Mamas & Papas Sola pushchair. We haven't purchased it yet, and i'm hoping for some mumsnet feedback on it here...
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pushchair_chat/1284388-Mamas-Papas-Sola-Pushchair-opinions-pls

We've so far bought:

6 x vests with poppers
6 x newborn sleepsuits
6 x 0-3 month sleepsuits
2 x 27 pack newborn nappies
Big pack of wipes
Pack to two hats
Scratch mits
A little cardigan/jacket
Pack of bibs (on offer)
Bouncer
Steriliser (on offer)
Play mat
Nipple pads
Sanitary pads
Birthing ball (to help my current sore hips/pelvis)
Car seat birth-4 years

We're going to buy the pushchair shortly, and still need to look into sling maybe.

Ok ladies, what have I forgotten so far???