What to buy for a first newborn?

[LittleSugaPlum]

Hi all, im 24 weeks pregnant with first baby (daughter).
I seem to have spent a fortune on things already, and i still havent got everything.

I ve already brought cot, matress, wardrobe, changing dresser, moses basket with stand, cot bedding, approx 6 blankets, grow bag, changing mat.

Plus approx 20 newborn vests (no smaller than 9.9lb) around 15 baby grows, 20 bibs, and 7 day outfits with cardigans or house jackets.

Plus approx 20 0-3month vests, 15 baby grows, and around 9 day outfits, plus musims, scratch mittens and hats!

It just seems never ending! I still have to get pram, car seat, bottles, formula, sterilser, baby monitors? baby bath? room temperature? nappies and wipes!

Is there anything that is a waste of money buying? i ve heard people say cot mobiles, baby baths, top n tail bowls that sort of thing are a waste of money?

Do i need more clothes? Feel like im constantly spending!

I ve got the nursery set up, complete with curtains, pictures etc early as i suffer with pelvic girdle pain which is slowley getting worse, so i wanted to make sure that all the big stuff was out the way incase i ended up not being able to move!

Any advice much appreciated!

Oh my goodness, you've gone a bit ott there! Have you opened it all? You could take half the clothes back and have plenty. Step away from the shops!

Everything has been folded or hung up in her wardrobe, i havent taken any tags off anything, as if she never got round to wearing it, and then was too big for it, i was going to put it on ebay! :-)

The book "what mothers do"

Sit down, have a mug of tea/hot chocolate, read and relax.

I would swap 5 of the 6 blankets for 2 more grobags- you don't need both. A playmat has been so useful, and a bouncer chair is also great. I like the cot mobile but it was cheap from e-bay. Apart from that, put your feet up and relax for gods sake! X

Seriously, take half of it back! The shops will still be there when you have the baby y'know. I had a 10lb baby so the newborn stuff was a bit pointless.

I ve always been "on the ball" with everything, i dont want to end up with alot of wasted stuff, but on the other hand i dont want to be short of anything. :-( i ve brought blankets as well as a grow bag as i wasnt sure how i would get on with the grow bag, and i thought the blankets would be ideal for the pram, when in the bouncer chair etc..

Oh, and don't do what I did and buy a 'travel system'- get a macclaren stroller and a separate car seat. Cheaper, lighter and just easier. I now have both and no money. A monitor will be useful in 6 months.

Sorry to drip feed but re-reading your post means I keep thinking that I was like you

Are you planning on breastfeeding?

I was 9.6lb myself so i didnt want to buy anything under 9.9lb in weight ... im sure im thinking about this far too much!

I read on a forum on here last week that newborns need a clothing change several times a day, and i thought oh no i havent got enough for all those changes!!

Baby bath pointless but a bath support (a jahgoo) has been great, and just graduated to the next stage bath seat (6 month to standing up). Top to toe thing also pointless unless you don't know the difference between bottoms and faces!

You kinda sound like you are planning around 10 changes a day? The worst day I've had was 4 changes. Dribble bibs save the day and I have about 20. Buy some and you need less clothing

no plans to breastfeed (own personal choice).

I havent brought anything thats got a guarantee on it i.e electrical stuff, prams etc as i know the guarantee starts as soon as you take it out the shop, so i will get that at around 8 months preg.

dribble bibs? are they the same as standard bibs?

Kiddicare start the guarantee from the due date btw :). I ff too- so I would recommend 6 avent large (9oz) bottles, the avent microwave steriliser, and I use two boxes of formula a week, my DS is 5 months old do you'll use less.

Dribble bibs are cuter- they look like bandannas. I get mine from e-bay (new). I use standard bibs for feeding times xx

I'm going to diasgree with Elkieb here :) We bought a travel system (2nd hand but hardly used) and am so glad we did. The carrycot bit meant that when DD was tiny I could use it like a pram, and now she's bigger I use it as a normal pushchair. It's big and heavy, admittedly, but it's also strong and sturdy. The car seat base stayed in DP's car but I could take the car seat with me (attached to the pushchair with DD in it) if I was visiting anyone, which was ideal if I got offered a lift home. I don't drive myself so it's great that there is lots of room underneath for shopping / nappy bag / whatever. (I did put her in a maclaren type one when she was still quite little but she didn't look secure or comfortable in it.)

Also, I did use a baby bath, as our big bath takes ages to even get a few inches of water in. Much quicker to fill the baby bath.

I ve heard the boots own brand bottles are just as good, and cheaper? Do i need the small bottles at first? or just start straightaway from the 9oz ones?

Which formula is best? There seems to be afew brands about.

The avent ones are brilliant because they last until toddler age- you just change the teats to spouts as it all fits together. I would just buy the 9oz bottles because you use the 4oz ones for such a small period of time.

I drive so wasnt going to bother with a carry cot for the pram (usually sold seperatly with travel systems) as i thought id just clip the car seat on , then i read somewhere that a baby shouldnt be in a car seat for more than 2 hours. So will i need to buy a carry cot as well (i think they can be upto 200quid extra) depending on the pram of course.

I'm 30 weeks and this is what I have bought brand new
Cot
Mattress
1 pack of baby gro for newborn
I pack of newborn vests
1 pack of mittens
2 blankets
1 pack of 0-3 vests
1 pack of 0-3 sleep suits
Moses basket mattress
Bottles

What I have bought second hand
Moses basket (still in m&p for 90) £15
Breast pump n bottle Warner unused - bottle of wine
Bundle of 0-3 clothes £20 (more than enough)
Ditto 3-6 months clothes bundle
Bumper set £15 unused
Travel system 200 (still 800 in m&p used five times)

Been given in excellent condition - shit loads more clothes, bouncy chair, play mat, baby bath, box for toiletries, changing table, did I say clothes already?

Parents are buying chest of drawers and wardrobe from ikea 120 pounds

I plan on selling everything on eBay after

I use cow & gate but it depend on your baby and what suits them. Cow & gate is the cheapest at £8 a tub!

Is all formula the same, but just a different name on it?

signet sounds like you ve got way more than me!

I over-spent with my pfb, and i don't regret it as it was lovely to spoil myself and my unborn baby, although it was amazing how much i didn't use though!

List of pointless purchases i made
Bath therometers: useless pointless, use the back of your wrist
Bottle Warmers:pita & pointless, not all types of bottles fit: kettle & jug much quicker
Moses baskets sheets: waste of money, use new cotton pillowcases, much cheaper
Quilt & bumper sets: v expensive, bumpers are not safe and quilts cannot be used until 12months
Changing table: takes up loadsa space, cant use once baby is rolling, pointless buy a changing mat

In the beginning I thought I wouldn't know anyone to pass things to me do expected to buy all new. Then I saw the prices and we are skint with no savings and my mat pay is only statutory. Once I was 24 weeks and obviously pregnant people kept giving me stuff! Now I'm not a snob at all but at times I was a bit worried but in all honesty everything I have been given is in as new condition! I bought a lot second hand too such as Moses basket and have just replaced the mattress, the pushchair is one of those 9 in 1 things from a family friend and is immaculate.
I made a decision to buy this way simply because it is the difference between being able to afford staying on may leave and having to go back

Some of the stuff from your pointless list, i ve already brought!

:-s