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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Checklist

38 replies

Littlemissexpecting · 23/02/2013 18:12

I'm expecting my first dc in June and thought I should make a list of what I actually need. This should hopefully stop me buying things I don't need but also remind me of what I may forget.
Does anyone have a checklist they wouldn't mind sharing, or have a link to one? Thank you

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Shaiandbump · 23/02/2013 18:29

Need for baby or hospital bag or labour ?

Littlemissexpecting · 23/02/2013 18:33

For everything!!

So far I have on list:
Nappies, cotton wool, nappy bags
Bath towels, bath thermometer
Changing bag
Nursing bras (will obviously buy at appropriate time)
Breast pads
Maternity towels
Flip flops for shower (to buy as mine not waterproof)
Nighties

Pram bedding/blanket
Already got crib bedding

Sun hat
More vests
More Muslins

Breast pump, bottles, steriliser
Sling
Baby monitor
Baby gym/play mat

OP posts:
Fairy130389 · 23/02/2013 18:42

I'm watching this avidly as also having first baby in June and clueless.
Have bought what feels like whole of babies r us but not sure I've actually bought anythng useful, just cute!!

My friend with 8 month old twins said baby sleeping bags were a must as you don't have to worry about them kicking off the blankets and you can get them in different togs for different heat.

cupcake78 · 23/02/2013 18:43

I never used a bath thermometer. You don't need bottles etc for a while unless your intending on ff from the start.

The main things newborns do is sleep, feed/be sick, poo/wee and cry.

If you have everything to cover these areas then your done.

Plenty of nappies, maternity pads, breast pads, vests and light sheets to layer or swaddle baby. A few changes of bedding incase of leaking from either end. Plenty of comfy big pants and a big soft bra for the first few days.

Dc 2 due in June also and I am taking ear plugs and an eye mask into the hospital as my last visit to the maternity ward wasn't restful.

Shaiandbump · 23/02/2013 18:46

I'm due in may so maybe we could knock out heads together and come up with a full list I've got :

Hospital bag
Baby
Nappies
Cotton wool
Hats
Vests
Baby grows
Cardigans
Blankets
Socks
Muslims
Bibs
Towel

Myself
Big knickers
Bras
Maternity pads
Nighties
Flip flops
Toiletries
Towel
Track suit (to go home in)
Dettol
Anti bacterial wipes

General baby list
Bottles
Steriliser
Nappies
Wipes
Nappy sacks
Formula
Changing mat
Baby bouncer chair
Baby sling
Towels
Monitors
Travel system
Cot
Baby bath

cupcake78 · 23/02/2013 18:47

Oh and if you have a car you need window sun protectors. The ones with the suckers are IMO useless, the blinds are much better. Also get a blackout blind for whichever room baby will be sleeping in.

Shaiandbump · 23/02/2013 18:48

I really Ideally want to breast feed but I'm buyin bottles and steriliser just in case but I won't open them, if I successfully start breast feeding I'll give em to one of millions of friends that are newly pregnant

Fairy130389 · 23/02/2013 18:51

Shai I just read your post as 'hospital bag: baby'
Thought you had put to remember the baby on your list!!! Brilliant.

If it helps, so far I've got:
Breast pads
wipes
changing mat
baby gym
car seat
pram
blankets x 2 (will prob get more)
loads of what will probably be useless but cute clothes
vests
scratch mits
socks
moses basket (coming soon)
baby bath
sudocrem

And lots more still to come!

Littlemissexpecting · 23/02/2013 18:56

Cupcakes completely missed off the sun protectors thank you!
Getting blackout blind fitted once room decorated but our room already has one. everything else mentioned I either have on list or already bought so not as disorganised as I thought!

OP posts:
cupcake78 · 23/02/2013 18:56

Scratch mitts are useless, they do nothing but fall off. I know your told you need them but socks on hands are better and even better is baby grows with fold over hands.

Fairy130389 · 23/02/2013 19:00

Fold over hands?

I had heard that about scratch mitts on here actually I think... Maybe I will recycle them as puppets or...something...

Phineyj · 23/02/2013 19:04

I have never understood this obsession with cotton wool. It's useless against massive poos! NCT do wipes that are 99% water, those have been a godsend and you can also clean your hands with them, the floor, the wall...

Get twice as many muslins as you think you need.

Nightlights are very useful so you're not tripping over in the night/waking the rest of the house up every time you do a feed. JoJoMamanBebe have a good one that you can leave plugged in all year and only costs 4p in electricity.

If you do end up bottle feeding these are brilliant and mean you can make a feed from scratch in under 5 mins:
www.amazon.co.uk/Twister-boiling-desired-temperature-Preparation/dp/B000NAZZSE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361646183&sr=8-1

Phineyj · 23/02/2013 19:06

Er, I'm not on commission to JoJoMamanBebe or anything honest...! But I like their babygrows as they have the fold over scratch mitts, and also feet (would have been driven mad trying to keep socks on the baby).

rainand · 23/02/2013 22:27

Just copying my essentials list over for you, hope it helps you! :)

CLOTHES FOR BABY
(check various shops: H&M and M&S, john lewis, GAP, GAP outlet, (M&S seems to get best vote or john lewis) or second hand of course!)

NEWBORN SIZE
6 sleepsuits
6 vests
6 bibs
3 hats
1 bootees
2 cardigans
4 mittens

0-3 MONTHS
12-15 sleepsuits
12 -15 vests
6 bibs
3 hats
1 bootees
2 cardigans

OTHER MUST NEEDS:

  • Plenty of Muslin cloths (12-20)
Recommended from IKEA: www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/40054538/
  • 3 shawls/blankets
  • Swaddle x 4 (a pack) ? anais anais
  • Baby sleeping bag/gro-bag

LARGER PRODUCTS
o Cot (plus mattress & bedding)
o Car seat & Pram
o Baby bath
o 2 x Changing mat (one for upstairs; one for downstairs)
o Moses basket (plus mattress, sheets and blankets)
o Electric breast pump (if needed)
o Bouncy chair ? Babysitter Balance bjourn preferable ? can get from Amazon
o Baby video monitor
o Baby swing (from newborn)
o Highchair ? Ikea Antilop
o Changing bag/suitable large nice handbag!!
o Travel changing mat: www.amazon.co.uk/Munchkin-Designer-Change-Colours-Vary/dp/B003WVLZXK/ref=sr_1_11?s=baby&ie=UTF8&qid=1360672969&sr=1-11
o Baby Snug (Mamas and Papas)
o Sling
o Breastfeeding pillow
o Baby Gym

OTHER SMALLER ESSENTIAL ITEMS
o Baby lotion
o Baby wipes
o Baby shampoo
o Nappy bags
o Nappies
o Nursing bra and breast pads
o Suitable pyjamas for myself
o Loads of kitchen roll and cotton wool pads
o Maternity Pads

Littlemissexpecting · 24/02/2013 06:18

Brilliant thank you!

OP posts:
cakesonatrain · 24/02/2013 09:37

I would buy more than 6 vests/sleepsuits in newborn size!
I know there is competitive 'you don't need many' on here sometimes, but really, if you have a baby that is ever sick/ever has a leaky bum (which they will), you will be running out of clean/dry ones pretty quickly.

Littlemissexpecting · 24/02/2013 11:00

Thanks cakes. I would rather have more than not enough.
People say I will be bought loads of presents but I'm guessing that will mostly be outfits for 3 months ish hopefully?! So was going to buy plenty of vests and sleep suits in newborn and up to 1 month size. Then a pack or 2 in 0-3 months that I don't open.

OP posts:
rainand · 24/02/2013 15:44

Cakes is correct, I need to update the list to reflect that! Thanks Cakes! :)

Also, I really don't see people buying gifts in newborn or 0-3 month size.

DeathMetalMum · 24/02/2013 17:12

My tip would to make sure you pick up clothes/vests from a few different retailers. As some are wide others long etc. You will provably find one retailer that 'fits' your baby the best.

For us it was george at asda. Dd was long and slim and the clothes fitted her much better, than anything from next, mothercare, tesco's etc. She would get an extra few weeks from vests and baygrows from george than any where else ie in 0-3 size. Things at mothercare were baggy on her but too short on the body.

cakesonatrain · 24/02/2013 17:28

We got almost entirely 0-3 months stuff as gifts when DS was newborn, so were glad we hadn't bought loads ourselves. The 'up to 1 month' stuff was the best 'newbornish' size for us, but depends on the size of the baby of course!

MiaowTheCat · 24/02/2013 17:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BikeRunSki · 24/02/2013 18:02

Sunhat!
UV suit

Forget car window blinds, Google "Windowsox".

PurpleStorm · 24/02/2013 18:31

Scratchmitts are useless. They rarely stayed on DS's hands for more than a minute. Much better to buy sleepsuits with built-in scratchmitts - they've got an extra bit of fabric on the arms that you fold over the hands - Mothercare and Next both sell these, not sure where else.

Mawgatron · 24/02/2013 20:09

watching this thread avidly - yet another newbie with no clue!

vamosbebe · 24/02/2013 20:39

Here's my tuppence worth:

More bibs than you can shake a stick at. We found that at about 4/5 months old DS got seriously dribbly when eating - he's ff.

From the word 'go' DS hated, and I mean haaaaaaaaaaaaated, the bassinet/cot/playpen. Playpen is on e bay, cot still boxed up with all the bedding/matress/bumper etc, such a shame but he wouldn't settle so we co-sleep.

Bought nursing bras, couldn't bf. Luckily hadn't taken them out of the box and could refund. Hospital provided milk until we left (even gave us a couple of bottles to take away with us). It's perhaps worth looking at sterilisers that take your fancy and make a note, that way if you find you can't bf you'll be able to get something that suits you at short notice rather than DP/friend/mil buying something on the advice of a shop assistant who might be clueless. (Ispeak from experience).

Ikea do (did?) a cute flat frog which is soft and green one side, soft impermeable plastic the other, rolls up really small and is light - it's a really good changing mat. Once DS could turn over, nappy changing time became impossible on the changing table, so frog-on-the-bed it is!

Babygym great idea, as is a babyy bouncer/bouncy seat/hammock thing (I live abroad, not sure of English words for some of this stuff!).

Sling really useful to keep baby close, we found it great for helping with colic.

We found babybath a waste of 10?, we climb in with him, easier to hold a slippery fish covered in Johnson's!

Antilop high chair (ikea) obviously you won't need for some months.

You'll probably get a cushioned changing mat in the bag with your pram, double check to save buying more. Mine was quite plain so I made one much funkier!

Grobags/sleepsacks are fantastic for keeping baby cool/warm/safe.

Long! Sorry.

Congratulations and good luck