List of essentials. What do I *really* need?

[bymoonlight]

This is what I think I really need. I am ignoring the Mothercare checklist!

Have I missed anything:

Pram
Car seat
Moses basket/crib/cot + mattress
Muslims
nappies
baby wipes
14 newborn babygros
Lots of 0-3 babygros
Nipple cream (which is the best one?)
Baby monitor (is this essential?)
Nice blankets
Warm hat (winter baby)
Snowsuit
scratch mittens

What am I missing?

[Bamboobambino]

Section is fine. What a civilized way to have a baby. I took fybogel twice daily for last week of pregnancy and a week after section. I had no problems with pooing!
You will find bending a little sore so try to minimize that. You'll still need pads. I found always ultra heavy flow pads comfier than bulky maternity ones.
Best thing for healing is just to eat well, plenty of protein and fruit/veg.
Pain wise- I only needed paracetamol and brufen once home. (I was in for 48 hours) I had codeine 30mg when in the hospital.
You'll be fine x

[bymoonlight]

You are nails bamboo

[noblegiraffe]

Yes you will need maternity pads. Also big cotton knickers. Don't plan on wearing jeans for a good while afterwards, stick with joggers or leggings. Bring your own pillow into the hospital. The food at my hospital was actually pretty good, but pack plenty of snacks. I found lucozade sport really good.

There are loads of threads with c-section tips if you do a search.

[HeinzKetchup]

What type of bedding is best for a cot? Is a bumper necessary? 36 weeks and totally unorganised

[Bamboobambino]

Cot bumpers are thought to raise SIDS risk. One twin is now in his cot and rotates 90 degrees at night and hits his head on he slats Grrrr.
So, I'm considering a breathable alternative. Not sure yet.
www.safetots.co.uk/Nursery-&-Sleeping/Cot-Bumpers/c87_248/p5256/BreathableBaby-Mesh-Cot-Liner/product_info.html

We just use fitted sheets over a hippychick matress protector. Baby in gro bags.

[EeyoreIsh]

watching with interest...

[bymoonlight]

Will taking the arnica before the section help?

[HorryIsUpduffed]

Unless you live in the middle of nowhere you only need a week's supply of anything.

I needed loads of babygros and vests for DC2 because he was sicky, but DS1 could have worn the same clothes for days on end. You definitely need both vests ("bodysuits") as well as babygros ("sleepsuits"). Reject anything that doesn't do up at the crotch, or any babygros that do up at the back

Muslins definitely. I still use several a day for various wiping jobs (noses, faces, hands) and DC2 is nearly two and a half.

Maternity pads, God yes. Eight billion. I easily used a pack every day or two for the first week. Ditto breast pads - I had to change both sides at every feed for a while, so maybe up to twenty a day.

I wouldn't bother with any nipple cream but Lansinoh. Don't wait for discomfort before using - use after every feed to prevent dryness and cracking. It's also incredible on dry lips in winter.

Paracetamol for afterpains during feeds in the early days - bf helps your uterus contract but it can be sore and it squelches more lochia and clots out. I always felt a gush ::glamorous::

[HorryIsUpduffed]

yy to sunshade for car - Sun is very low in winter and they are lower down than us.

I am the only person I know who has never accidentally snipped baby's fingertip or toe-end whilst nail cutting. This is because I use adult nail scissors which are pointed enough to do the job in one, and get a much closer cut so last longer.

[YoniMitchell]

Ooh, hope the scan goes well bymoonlight - had mine last week (when 21wks). It was awesome! We were the same, only letting ourselves think about the things we need once we'd had that scan.

I'm planning to start accumulating bits from later this month, spreading the cost and trying to avoid any last-minute panics (as much as I can!). Want it all as ready as possible when I start mat leave just before Christmas.

There are some great suggestions on here, it's so confusing when you look at what's in the stores. I'm ignoring much of what the retailers say we need to get and just going with MN lists!

[YoniMitchell]

Question - do you need to put bottoms on with bodysuits (the vest things)? Or can baby just stay in them, if it's warm enough?

[KatAndKit]

Only if it warm enough for you to be wearing shorts. If not then the baby needs a babygro or trousers and a top over the bodysuit. Short sleeve bodysuit plus babygro plus cardigan if needed is the easiest and most practical way to dress a very young baby

[HazleNutt]

DS is 10 weeks now.
Nappies and clothes - don't buy too many, as you won't know what size the baby is. DS managed to grow out of most of his newborn and 0-3 clothes before he got to wear them.

Personally I haven't needed room thermometer, I can feel when I walk into a room if it's too hot or cold. Same with bath thermometer.

I'm sure we'll use baby monitor later when he goes to his own room, but at the moment he sleeps with us, and in the living room for his daytime naps, so no need.

I did not need that many muslins and maternity pads, but that depends. Never bothered with cotton wool, went straight to sensitive baby wipes, DS never had any problems with rash.

In general, as someone said, unless you live in the middle of nowhere so nobody delivers, don't stock up too much, there's plenty of time to buy what you need later.

You also need nursing bras - go for a stretchy one until you know how big you'll get and then invest into some proper ones. Underwired ones are fine, as long as they fit properly. Don't let Mothercare or M&S fit you though.

[MostlyLovingLurchers]

Here's an edited version of a list i did for friend recently. Obviously our situation may be different to yours (though also had a winter baby).

Sleeping:
Crib upstairs and Something to sleep in downstairs ? we used a travel cot with bassinet. Could also use a moses basket or carry cot but I thought the travel cot was better value as you can carry on using it ? as a travel cot (duh!) and as a play pen. We also used a small pop up travel cot which was great for staying away from home and camping.

Bedding. I found sheets and cellular blankets were best for the first few months as they give you more flexible temperature control, but after that grobags are definitely the way to go ? you can get them in them ready for bed and put them straight down, and they can?t kick them off.

Didn't find we needed a monitor until a few months on as ds was generally on or near me constantly.

Changing:
We didn't have one but you may want a changing table if having a cs so you don't have to bend.

Changing bag. We just used an old tote bag that doubles up as my handbag. In said bag we have the following:
? Nappies
? Changing mat (portable, washable plus spare)
? Barrier cream (highly recommend Neal?s Yard Baby Barrier Cream ? it?s expensive but lasts ages and is really good)
? Bags for disposal ? we just use cheap supermarket nappy bags (or put them straight in the outside bin if at home).
? Hand sanitiser ? for al fresco nappy changes where no handwashing is available.

Bath:

You only need a baby bath if (like us at the time) you don?t have a bath. Otherwise maybe some kind of support for a big bath.

Baby towels aren?t necessary but nice. You really don?t need any toiletries unless you really want them ? I just used a bit of olive oil for baby massage. For fingernails I just used my teeth!

Transport:
Car seat and baby carrier or sling. This was invaluable just for doing stuff around the house and was much less hassle for going out than a pushchair - we live in the middle of nowhere though and a pram would have been useless for us. Re pram/pushchair I would say that unless you have masses of storage space get something that folds up fairly small.

Feeding:
If you are bf all you need is breast pads, some nipple cream (big thumbs up for lansinoh), a good feeding cushion, and maybe a pump - wait and see what you need though (shops will still be open!) - I preferred a manual pump, but didn't need one for a few months. Muslins.

Other stuff:

Clothes. All you need is vests, sleepsuits (preferably with scratch mitts built in), cardies/jackets, hats and a pramsuit or snowsuit. Outfits are cute put are a pain to put on and keep on, and you will be changing clothes several times a day. Also, most of their time is spent sleeping so it easier if they are already dressed for it. Shoes are frankly bonkers at this stage. Just go for basics and a few nice things for showing him off in ? I was horrified how many things we had went totally unworn.

Other stuff like bouncy chair, baby gym were really good, but you won't need them straight away.

Sorry if a bit long winded!

[Somethingpink]

I saw a midwife yesterday and I questioned what I would need ad I know a lot has changed since I had my other 2dc.

Just blankets..they don't agree with swaddling or gro bags any more due to babies overheating.

They said they also go upstairs and check your baby's sleeping arrangements on their first visit now.

And they advise on no dummies although if u want to use them fair enough.

This was all that had changed so your list sounds on the right tracks.

[sameoldIggi]

No reason why baby should overheat in a global if you have a thermometer in the room and have adjusted their clothes accordingly. No chance of blankets over the head with a gro bag.

[bymoonlight]

They go upstairs?

[MostlyLovingLurchers]

After all that I forgot to add that we just used water and cotton wool for cleaning until about 6 months and then switched to sensitive wipes. Also yes to sun shades for car - we didn't think we'd need those in the winter but as others have said, you really do. And yes to savoy cabbage. Have to say arnica didn't do anything to help me.

[TSSDNCOP]

Pack of cheap, large, black cotton knickers. Be prepared to throw the first few away.

Olive oil. It was without doubt the best thing for baby skin and cradle cap.

[sameoldIggi]

It's worth getting a tube of Lansinoh in, if you do need it you will need it NOW and probably in the middle of the night! Can be good to prevent cracks, do t wait till it gets really sore (if this happens)

[sameoldIggi]

HV never been anywhere except my living room.

[Somethingpink]

I was told its a new policy and its the midwives that do this.stupid really I don't know what they have found in someone's house for them to need to check all babies sleeping arrangements

Maybe some people are still using a drawer?

[HeffalumpTheFlump]

I think it's because some people don't get anything for their baby to sleep in and so the midwife/hv will need to advise re co sleeping and cot death.

[elQuintoConyo]

DS was a winter baby.
He was in grobags from the start, last winter and he has some for this winter (he'll be 2) that my DSis used and passed on, but I don't know if they'll be any good this year with DS walking...? I may just cut foot holes in them!
Didn't bother with room thermometre. Had a bath thermometre, used it twice, used our elbow after that.
Neve bought a muslin.
Used cotton wool and water whenever DS had EBD ( exploding bum disease, ie diaorrhea), but wipes the rest of the time as he'd wiggle and kick the water over and it, and poo, would go everywhere. Never had a rash.
Didn't buy a baby monitor. We lived in a small two bed flat, moved into a house when DS was 9mo and still don't think we need one.
You might find you are still wearing your maternity clothes for a while which is good for cs tummy as trousers are high-waisted and soft.