Do we need a baby bath etc? Any ideas for luxury must have?

[pippinleaf]

27 weeks and visiting a big town tomorrow which sells baby stuff. Nowhere near where we live does so think we need to buy stuff tomorrow - I hate shopping! We've got a pram, a crib, a car seat, a carrier and heaps of clothes - all from lovely friends and relatives.

So, do we need:
A baby bath (I'm thinking bog standard bucket might do the job)
A changing mat (or can I just put a towel down?)
How many nappies?
How many maternity pads? (Both need enough to get us going, don't fancy going shopping in the first week I'm guessing)
Small towels
Flannels
Anything else I've not thought of?

My luxury item is a cocoonababy. Is there any other luxury treat that you're glad you had?

I'm not going to get a baby bath, just use the big bath, much easier to do and easier to store!
I would get a changing mat as they are easier to wipe down after leakages rather than washing towels all the time. I figure I will have enough washing to do!!

Nappies someone told me not too buy too many of the same brand before as they fit babies differently etc..

That's about all of my knowledge as it's my first too! I think we are going to get a sling, useful for going for walks etc rather than using the pushchair all the time so that will probably be my luxury item!

Have you thought about feeding things, baby monitors, blankets and sheets etc...xx

Baby blankets - I was thinking a swaddling wrap and a sleeping bag thing for later. I haven't really got a clue!

Feeing things? They're stuck on to my chest. Are you buying bottles in case? Again, no idea if this is done or not. I'm going to try and breast feed but I'm not going to trash myself with sticks if I can't do it. Maybe I should get bottles in case.

My dad is buying us a monitor - he likes gadgets. I did think that I'd probably hear a baby squeaking anyway as our house is quite small. I'm so anti all the 'fuss' that seems to go with a baby that I'm possibly in danger of being way under prepared.

Muslins , you can never have too many.

I'm going to try breast feeding to but was going to get bottles in just incase, plus I'm not intending to breast feed forever and would like to express so I thought I would use them then anyway.

Blankets, I've got a few Moses baskets sheets and cellular blankets and then a couple of nice wooly ones for the pushchair. Again I'm not sure if that's enough!

I've got a baby gym and bouncy chair as well, so I've got somewhere to put them down! X

I didn't get a baby bath, but I would next time.

Our bath is really high sided and I hadn't realised. A wet baby is a slippery baby, and leaning in it felt awkward.

I'd get one second hand, easy to clean. You can fill with Milton and sterilise it.

Regarding, feeding. I had to get DH to dash out and get a steriliser as bf was hard work and the midwife lent me the hospital pump, I didn't have anything to sterilise with or any bottles for ebm.

You can get Milton and cold sterilise in a Tupperware if needed. Then not much outlay if it's not needed.

A changing mat is a good idea. I would get one for upstairs and one for downstairs as they are cheap.
Get lots and lots of maternity pads. I found tescos to be good. I used two at once for the first few days. Get 100 in, the thick ones not the thinner ones.
Three packs of size one nappies is enough to start you off, that's about 80 odd so should last a week or so. If your baby is big you might be ready for size 2 by then.
You will need more than one swaddling wrap in case of a night time nappy fail. Three of anything bedding related (sheets, sleeping bags) is enough usually.
I never used a baby bath I have a cheap plastic newborn support that goes in the big bath. Much easier.
Lansinoh balm for your nipples is useful at first.

Definitely get a baby bath if you have any back problems and maybe a stand but as someone said you can get these second hand and as my mum said they're quite handy for other things like soaking clothes. I wouldn't get a shaped one though cos they're a pain. I washed ds in the bathroom sink for the first month or two.

Buy plenty of cheep towels to fit on changing mat. It's warmer on babies skin and they always let loose as soon as you take nappy off. It soaks everything and a full clothes change at 3 am is no fun.
Bath cradles are great and saves lugging baby baths full of water around if you end up with c section.
I was given a top and tail bowl which we used until DS was out of nappies. Thought it was a non essential but so much easier than separate bowls. DS had very sensitive skin so we tried not to use wipes too much.

Based only on my own experience (and everyone does it differently)

I would get:
baby bath (put it in the big bath, saves loads of water)
change table (saves your back, get one that subsequently become drawers)
good bouncy chair (the movement helps to be able to put them down for a few minutes, recommend a bjorn balance)
Good footmuff thing for your buggy

I would not get again:
Toy hoop for car seat (DS screamed anyway)
bumbo (DS pushed himself off a ledge in it at 9mo and ended up in A&E)

No point buying bottles in case you might need them, because the shops will still be there if you decide you do!

You won't be leaving the baby alone for a while, so monitor is also not urgent.

Re nappies, allow for about 10 a day at the beginning. We used Huggins pure wipes from day one as life is too short for cotton wool balls IMO.

Maternity pads, lots. I reckon 6-8 a day depending on how squeamish you are. Bear in mind that after you are less sore but still bleeding you would be able to use heavy duty normal sanitary towels instead.

My must haves: a lidded water jug. If you are bf you will need to drink like never before, day and night.
A really comfy zip up fleece that you can wear while bf in the middle of the night
Muslins/cheap towels
Wipe able changing mat
Something cosy to watch

We used a baby bath for the first few weeks - our bath is quite deep and I would have struggled to lean over. We put the baby bath on the changing table (removed the changing mat) which made it a comfortable height.

I bf and didn't buy any bottles in advance on purpose - they're quick enough to get (delivered if need be) if you decide that you want to FF or express.

Treat yourself to some fancy muslins - they get used more than anything in the early days!

I found that using a small, thin cotton sheet to swaddle our dc in the early days was helpful with a cellular blanket on top.

Make sure your sofa is comfy, your remote batteries are well charged and you have a plentiful supply of cake for when your lo arrives!

By carrier do you mean a sling? If so, for us it was invaluable. Money wrap first then onto a Manduca which is more structured.

Until about the 6 week point baby gyms are essentially useless in my experience. I also never used the baby bath we were given as I preferred bathing together.

Moby wrap, even

I would also say think of ways your DH can be involved, especially if you are BF.

A sling he is comfortable with, a plan that bath time is his domain, an 'out of the house' time that is his...

One of the reasons we stopped BF was that DH felt left out and so desperately wanted to be an equal in the care of DS.

I only needed about 20 maternity pads until I went on to normal sanitary towels so don't go overboard as you can buy more at the supermarket anyway.

Breast pads, just get one box to start with.

I don't have a change table as I have used both a chest of drawers and a normal table which were fine height wise. When they get older and wriggly you do have to stick the mat to the table with double sided tape though!

Don't bother with top and tail bowl, wet flannel wipe face etc, rinse then clean bum. Done.

Luxuries - hmm I now have 3 slings. Love my new stretchy sling from Victoria the Sling Lady. Sheepskin footmuff for pram. Lovely blankets.

I'm on second baby now and struggling to think of things I 'really' need as am much more relaxed this time round.

Baby bath -yes
Nappies- not too many, there were some brands I got on with and others I didn't, it was best to try a few.
Changing mat- yes, you can get them cheap and they wipe clean
Changing table- we didn't get one last time and didn't need one either, so easy to change on floor/bed/table. However, think I'm having a csection this time so I'm thinking of getting one for ease.
Breast pads - I bought a box but never really leaked so still have the same box somewhere.
If you are planning on bf, make sure you buy a couple of good nursing bras and something to wear at night. Buy v cheap dark coloured nightwear from somewhere like Primark for the early days.
Special baby towels, although cute, are unnecessary. Any old towel will do.
Lavender oil for post birth baths.
I was all for using cotton wool and water to clean baby's bottom, but the hospital midwives gently nudged me in the direction of sensitive baby wipes to deal with the meconium. We never looked back.

Oh yes changing table - if you have some drawers you can put a mat on top of that will do but it will save your back. I have a change box upstairs and downstairs with mat, nappies, wipes, cotton wool, nappy cream/vaseline and a bowl for water. In the bedroom I have a chair to sit and comfortably feed at night next to a plug so I can charge phone/kindle to use at the same time and a dressing gown positioned so I can pull it over my shoulders. I got one of the plug in night lights from ikea for about 3 quid which gives off enough light to see what I'm doing without keeping me awake.

I went through about 10 maternity pads a day for the first week.

Didn't bother with bottles or pump until 8 weeks.

Bouncer or swing is a good idea for somewhere else to put baby

We used the baby bath, dd was born early March and we had heavy snow, the bathroom was cold so we bathed her in the warm living room, you also a lot less water than the bath and they are at a much more convenient height, wet, floppy babies are incredibly slippery. We used it until she was about 12 months and still use it now at the caravan (she's 20 months).

Definitely get a changing mat, they're much easier and quicker to clean than a towel if they get soiled, we use the cot top one upstairs and the foldable changing bag one downstairs.

Never used a muslin, I don't know what people do use them for, dd was never sick and any dribble was wiped off with a wet wipe, I've still 3 unopened packs of them.

We did have a monitor from day 1, the Angel Sounds one with the sensor pad that goes under the matress and sets off an alarm if they stop breathing for a few seconds, I think we paid £60 off eBay, still used daily.

Just thought I'd weigh in -

My son is EBF but I would definitely have struggled to keep breastfeeding going if I hadn't have bought bottles and a basic manual pump (Avent, I heard Medela is also good) because DS was unable to latch on for a couple of weeks (tongue tie, birth trauma and inverted nipples here!). The hospital had me purely hand expressing like a wally and life was so much easier to get home and use the pump.

(I know you said that you weren't desperate to BF, but the expressing stage for me was just a minor blip really).

I bought a cheap changing mat but I don't use it very often because it always seems more convenient to change him on a towel on the end of our bed. He looks (and acts, less tears!) more comfy there as well.

Get loads of pads. I just got a pack of maternity pads but as soon as I got home went off to get several big bags of affordable maxi pads - highest absorbancy I could find (you will need it in the early days).

I bought a box of 74 size one nappies and a box of 74 size two. I didn't want to get too many in case he got nappy rash with the brand I got. I got Pampers, which I haven't had any problems with at all. I like the colour changing line!

I got a load of blankets, thinking I would swaddle, but in the end DS always kicked and punched his way out, he didn't really like having his arms restricted and I ended up using sleeping bags which we are still getting on well with.

I used the bathroom sink for a newborn bath! Much easier to fill/empty and no need to store. You can always get a foam insert, I got one just in case but DS was quite happy without so I just kept it basic.

I got flannels and sponges, DS prefers sponges - more gentle I suppose.

I got a couple of those little hooded baby towels but gave up on them after a little while. Although he likes being in a nice warm bath he doesn't like getting out into the cold so it's much better to have a big adult sized towel.

Two must haves I would suggest are:
Waterwipes. They are basically water and cotton wool in wipe form - they are the only ingredients plus a drop of fruit extract. They make things much, much easier in my opinion than using actual water and cotton wool in the newborn stage.
Somewhere comfy to plonk the baby down when you want/need your hands free. I use my breastfeeding pillow which works as a little nest/seat next to me on the couch and a bouncy chair everywhere else. The bouncy chair has come in particularly useful for putting in the bathroom while I'm trying to have a shower or go to the loo.

We used a baby bath until DD was 9 months and it was the best purchase over. I could leave Dd in it without having to hold her since birth. Was amazing.

Yes to a changing mat - they are waterproof and towels are not. Not expensive and will last years. Portable.

My luxury item was a second-hand nursing chair and footstool that we still use in my boy's room at 14 months. It's bloody marvellous. Kaiser footmuff was also pretty pricey but very practical and will last from birth til he stops buggying.

Other than that, one of the best things I bought was a cheap inflatable baby bath from eBay - we used a washing up bowl at first, which was fine, but a soft blow-up bath to lean him against was very useful. IME it's very hard to successfully bathe a newborn in a normal bath!

I'd recommend 3 x value washing-up bowls in diff colours - one for soaking pooey clothes, one for cleaning/sterilising (even if you're bf you'll probably express at some point) and one for washing baby, if you don't have an inflatable bath.

A lidded safety cup is very useful for bf - the £4 Wilko no-spill one was a godsend.

Stretchy wrap sling, Lansinoh, phone numbers of bf support lines, ready meals in the freezer...

Pampers when newborn, but Aldi nappies all the way from 3mths onwards :)

Ikea inflatable changing mats are great.