Overwhelmed - help!

[KateSu1980]

As a mum to be I'm overwhelmed by all the so called essentials I need and I'm wondered how you all feel and if you can give me some pointers? I thought the questions below could get the ball rolling...

When you were pregnant what were you looking for on the internet?
What would have been helpful that you perhaps couldn?t find online?
What did you find that was helpful?
Did you go to one particular source to buy everything you needed? If so, where?
How did you make your choices about car seats, buggies, etc?

HUGE thanks in advance! x

I used Which for carseats, almost everything else was a hand-me-down from family. Some stuff I thought I'd need I never used.

TBH, and I know I'm in a minority here, I would honestly say buy a few clothes, a carseat, something for it to sleep in and some maternity pads. If your going to FF buy some bottles etc, if not forget about 'breastfeeding essentials'. Then wait for the onslaught of gifts, and buy whatever you need once the baby arrives.

Kiddicare.com good for online stuff, they sell everything.

Mothercare free books have a list in the back of stuff you may need u can tick it off! Mainly u will should have somewhere for baby to sleep, car seat, pram/pushchairs, bedding , feeding , some sleepsuits (ppl will prob buy u loads of other stuff ) so see what is given to you then what u dnt have u can get in most supermarkets now ! I 2nd kiddicare it's really good ! Also I found a baby swing or bouncer v useful !

Cot
Car seat
Pram or sling or both
Some baby grows, vests
Blankets or sleeping bag or both
Nappies
Maternity pads

Everything else can wait for baby to arrive.

Now pg with #2 and it feels odd to NOT be buying anything/feeling overwhelmed by all the advice as I think is so very common with DC#1. It's the same as when playing a wedding though, there is a lot of tat designed just to make you part with your money...

1. I used to internet to research pushchairs, so I could compare them all for the features I wanted (even did an Excel spreadsheet so I could compare & contrast ) BUT bought at the Baby Show in London as I wanted to see it 'in the flesh' first plus 10% discount. It was a travel system so bought the car seat with it.

2. I found the local 24hr Asda brilliant. Cheap & there if you need anything urgently after baby is born (I BF my DD but a brief emergency run to Asda at 4am by DH for formula when we had a minor wobble on the feeding front was a lifesaver).

3. You will need;
   something to wear during labour (no need to buy new...)
   big pants
   something to wear after labour
   breast pads
   Maternity pads

4. baby will need;
   Nappies
   Vest
   Babygros
   Something to sleep in (Moses basket, cot)
   Bedding for the above
   Something to drink milk from (boobs or bottles)

5. Amazon is quite a good website for comparing products, even if you buy elsewhere, as reviews are often available. Same with Kiddicare.

6. gifts will be plentiful, even if you don't have a huge family. Friends of my Mum were knitting for my DD

despite me never meeting them.

Sorry, on fone & posted too early by accident

Get the essentials/likely must haves and get everything else after baby is here & you have a NEED for something. Otherwise, as long as baby is warm, fed, safe, you're doing fine!!

What thunder said.

My thought too thunderboltkid

This is purely research for myself guys. I'm just so excited that I'm sorry if the way I phrased the question sounded otherwise! I have so many questions that's all.

Thanks so far to everyone who has responded. It's so helpful to get your personal responses. Very different to what I've read in books etc.

My best advice is do NOT buy what the shop lists tell you to! You won't need/use half of it!
You will need a car seat, a sling/ pushchair, somewhere for baby to sleep, maternity pads, breast pads, bottles milk and steriliser if ff, pillow if bf, clothes, nappies and muslins/bibs. Everything else wait and see what your baby needs!

Everyone has different ideas about the minimum amount of vests etc needed, but here's my list of essentials (I formula fed):

Feeding
Steriliser
Bottles x 6
Bottle brush
Newborn teats
1-3 month teats
Bibs x 12 or muslin cloths
Formula milk
Flask
Milk powder dispenser

Bathing and Changing
Baby bath
Changing mat
Newborn size nappies
Muslin cloths x 12
Towels x 4
Bath & room thermometer
Nail clippers
Hairbrush
Cotton wool
Baby wipes
Sponges x 2 (1 for face and 1 for body)
Vaseline/Sudocrem for nappy rash
Bowls x 2 (1 for face wash and one for nappy changing or get a top n tail bowl)

Bedding
Cot
Mattress
Waterproof mattress protector
Flat sheets x 4
Cellular blankets x 4
Mobile for the cot
Shawls x 2

Clothes
Vests x 12
Babygrows x 12
Cardigans x 4
Cotton hats for the hospital x 2
Coat
Scratch mitts

Big Stuff
Pram
Car seat
Bouncy chair
Play Mat

Mum to be
Breast pads
Nipple cream
Maternity towels/sanitary towels
Something to give birth in
Pyjamas to wear after giving birth and the next week :)

Toys
First teddy
Rattles

New babies really don't need very much at all. My advice would be to make a list and stick to it. Don't get carried away, and don't forget the shops will be open after baby is born!

Sign up to the baby clubs for Boots, Mothercare, Asda etc. Now do nothing. Wait for the baby events (which come around every 3 months or so) and buy when things are super cheap.

You can often get a really good deal by buying the 'big stuff' from one shop. I managed to negotiate a 15% discount by buying the cot, mattress, car seat and pram together.

Ooooh yes, forgot, muslins. But buy a cheap pack of nice soft ones (like Sainsburys ones) and wait & see if you need more, you might be lucky and not get a constant up-chucker like my DD