Newborn essentials shopping list- help please!

[Sleepybeanbump]

Obviously this has been done before, and I've avidly read lots of old threads about what is necessary and what is not, and started writing my list, but I have a few questions.

CLOTHES
How many complete outfits don I need? I read somewhere at least 10.

List so far:
Vests- are these the same as what the shops seem to call bodysuits? These are worn under sleep suits, right? Would a December baby want long sleeved or sleeveless?

Sleepsuits
Cardigans - do I need as many of these (winter baby)?
Sick towels / Muslins
Blankets

Do I need the following:
Dribble bibs?
Scratch mitts?
Snowsuit thing for outside? I thought I needed one but someone said blankets better.

SLEEPING
Moses basket and stand- I plan to worry about cot etc a few months after
Room thermometer

I don't plan on buying baby monitor as small house.

What do I put in the Moses basket? Sheets / blankets or grow bag thing?

BATHING
List so far:
Flannels
Hooded towels
Bath thermometer

Do I need a baby bath or bath support? I read that a washing up bowl can replace baby bath, or baby can just go in the big bath? Is this true? What if your hands slip? Wouldn't they drown / hit their head etc?!

CHANGING
Changing mat- on basis that soon they can roll off changing tables, so plan to change on mat on floor
Bin- is just a cheapy normal lidded bin fine? Suspicious of fancy contraptions
Wipes
Nappies - undecided re real or disposable. Suspect I may go for real at home and disposable for when out

FEEDING
I hope to breast feed but plan to have bottles around so dp can do some feeds I think

List so far:
Nursing bras
Pads
Lanolin cream
Bottles
Pump

Do I need a Steriliser or Bottle brush? Read somewhere that steriliser not essential unless you're mainly bottle feeding.

TRAVELLING
Car seat- one with a base that stays in car seems best
Pram/ lie flat buggy - not sure if travel system worth it? Don't want the temptation of leaving them in car seat for too long which will be easier if you can just plonk car seat on the travel system frame. Someone also said good to get used to getting them in and out of car seat from early age. Depends on cost as well- they look so expensive so might try to find second hand pram and just buy car seat new

Sling- I walk a lot and think this will be better than a pram for going for strolls. But still want pram for longer trips out, shopping etc

Changing bag

DAYTIME
Have read about bouncy chairs but also read bad things about baby's posture in them. What's good to put them in in the daytime? Aren't they supposed to have time on their tummy? What do you need for that? A floor mat thing?

Feel so clueless. Any advice gratefully received!!

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This thread is a little old now so some of the suggestions may be out of date, but if you’ve landed here looking for the ultimate baby essentials checklist, we’ve recently updated our newborn essentials article with the must-haves Mumsnetters think you can't live without when your baby arrives. We hope you find it useful.
MNHQ

I am sharing my list with you - this is for a first baby due in November.

Big purchases - bought new

1. Chicco next to me side sleeper crib on sale
2. Cot bed that becomes toddler bed from Mothercare under 100 quid
3. Mattress for above
4. Hauck car seat
5. Hauck sleep and play travel cot to stay in living room as day crib and becomes playpen later
6. Armadillo city mini pushchair with 60 quid off at the mo from Mamas and Papas
7. Open changing station for upstairs

EBAY purchases with massive savings, each for under 2-5 quid-

1. Cot top changer in lovely condition for 3 quid for downstairs
2. Tummy tub for 2 quid
3. Baby bath support for 3 quid
4. Couple of jackets for outside 2-3 quid each
5. Ikea poang chair and footstool for nursing for 15 quid in all, sat here all evening usually already
6. New hand knit booties, couple of hats and 2 cellular blankets all under 7 quid in total, all new
7. Barely used baby cardigans about 7 in a single bundle, some barely used, some branded without outer packaging, all done under 10 quid.
8. Used but great condition Blooming Marvellous nursing tops off ebay for 2 quid each plus some postage saving loads on store price

Other stuff from ASDA George for super cheap

1. 2 packs of white baby all in ones with 7 in each
2. 4 white sleep suits
3. 7 colourful bodysuits for outdoors
4. Some towels -3 quid for two I think
5. 2 fleece blankets unisex also 4 quid each I think
6. Cheap tee shirts for 2 quid each
7. Couple or jogging bottoms 3 for 6 quid

Other stuff -

1. Two padded changing mats from John Lewis on sale 4.95 each
2. Audio monitor on sale from Argos
3. Bath and room thermometer
4. Lansinoh nipple cream, two bottles
5. Changing bag from Amazon for 8 quid that's perfect!
6. Muslins off Amazon - 10 for 7 quid got two packs of these
7. Breast pads disposable and washable cheapest off Boots
8. Baby bouncer that goes flat and vibrates on sale from Tesco Direct
9. Some wheat germ oil off. Amazon for perineal massage, some Lavender and Tea Tree oil off Holand and Barrett buy one get one free for healing sore bits

10. Arnica from Helios online for healing or placebo effect don't care 11. One size bigger soft super comfy nursing bras off Amazon - 2 for 8 quid got 2 of these 12. Mum sending me soft dark comfy pyjama bottoms 13. 6 packs of maternity pads from boots, 10 in each

That's us. We are expecting a boy early November. Hope this helps.

Another thing, for every single item I bought, (as you see everything comes from different places, from. Mothercare to online supermarkets, to individual brand shop sales to pick ups from random strangers' houses) - for every purchase I decided to make I googled "Mumsnet INSERT ITEM NAME recommendations" or something similar and read through discussion threads where people shared their experiences of different brands and then bought stuff. I did it with the smallest of items to the biggest of them.

If you have a sling you don't necessarily need a thick pram suit. I carried DS in a close caboo that fitted under my coat when he was tiny so I just added a hat and an extra layer (all in one or joggers). Also meant I didn't need to worry about him over heating in shops etc. It really is up to you.
Room thermometers give you an idea about temperature by babies can have their own ideas. First night home from hospital DS lept waking. Realised he was really cold (despite correct room temp and recommended 2 layers. Ended up doubling blankets and adding. Nice furry sleep suit. Then he started doing 5 hour stints at night (big barrel tummy and greedy feeder so obviously he filled up his tummy)
If you want to BF them don't worry about expressing for the first few weeks. You'll be feeding on demand and will probably want to rest between feeds. Once baby settles toots regular feeds then you can fit in expressing.
I use real nappies but again recommend waiting until baby is a few weeks old. That way you can get into the swing of things before worrying about fitting in washing too. Also newborns need loads of nappy changes so easier to let everything settle down first.

Just a thought to consider - I never used scratch mits or covered my babies hands and never found it an issue. If you keep their nails short they shouldn't scratch themselves and if the do on occasion, it's not serious and heals quickly. They are used to being able to explore their environment by touch in the womb and to touch their face etc. some newborns even already have a self soothing habit of sucking their fingers/thumbs. Also their immature brains are busy growing and developing neural connections based on the sensory feedback they are getting from everything around them. For me I never found the risk of a scratch worth depriving them of their sense of touch.

That's a good point re overheating in a sleep suit in shops. Hmm, will have to ponder. I'm thinking a snowsuit for outdoor walks (we do a lot) and not for popping in and out of places.

Focus thanks for your list! I love that travel cot playpen thing for daytime naps, but annoyingly not sure it will work for us. Have cats one of whom shreds everything in sight. Obv the room would be out of bounds if baby sleeping but if the cot lived downstairs the cats would have access to it some of the day and I just know something fabric like that would get destroyed.

I'm reading a lot about Moses baskets getting too small too quickly. I think I'm going to get a drop-side co sleeper crib for upstairs, and still undecided about downstairs. Since we'll want a full sized cot for the baby's room later on, and I need something hard and indestructible for downstairs, would it be practical to get a proper cot now, use it downstairs to start with for early days day time naps and then move it upstairs after 6 months or so? I'm assuming that by the time the baby is sleeping in its own room at night, I'd want to put it down for its naps upstairs in its own room too? Saves a third purchase (plus you can get a cot for 35 quid from ikea, which is looking quite appealing!).

I do think a downstairs option is realistic, at least for us. We really want baby in living room when we are home, and to get used to everything. If travel vote won't do for you, hmmm....there's Chicco lullago but that's fabric too, or just get a cheapidh wooden crib from mothercare or ikea?

If you have a pram with a suitable carrycot and suitable mattress the baby can nap in that downstairs during the day. Not all carrycots are suitable for overnight or long periods of sleeping so you do need to check but most are fine for daytime naps. I know the one that we have bought is suitable for overnight sleeping if we have a safety mattress so we are going to get the mattress and use that for daytime naps until baby is a bit bigger at which point we will use the travel cot.

A carrycot suitable for overnight sleeping is a great suggestion, especially for trips away too as you dont need to tale a separate sleeping item with you.

I have the basic white wooden mini crib from Mothercare and DS is still in it with plenty room at 8mo. Its been a perfect purchase!

I have another stupid question! I have now established - thanks to this thread - that vests and bodysuits are the same thing. What's the difference between sleepsuits and babygrows? The mumsnet newborn essential checklist lists both, but other threads I've read asking the same question say they're the same thing!?

OP - Yeah sleepsuit/baby grow/onesie etc are used pretty interchangeably I find, so don't worry!

You mentioned that you are considering real nappies and just thought I'd add my 2p worth on this - I've used them for my two children (and will be again for my third), really can't recommend them enough, so if you fancy trying them, go for it. We used Tots Bots ones, so not sure what other brands are like...

The nappies I bought first time around will have done all three children and on a back-of-an-envelope calculation, I reckon it's worked out at a tenth of the cost of disposables.

Bodysuits/Vests - the ones with no legs and poppers under the crotch (sleeveless, shortsleeved and longsleeves)

Sleepsuits/Babygrows - the all in ones with legs and feet in. Long sleeved.

Rompers - Similar to a sleepsuit but with short legs and short sleeves. Only for height of summer.