What do I really need?

[Ladypug]

Lots of catalogues telling me what I need to buy for the baby but what do I actually need? Baby is here in 4 weeks and so far I have the following:

Pram/Travel system including car seat
Cot
Wardrobe
Changing table
Baby bath
3 x sleepsuits
Nappies
Baby wash stuff and shampoo
Breast pads
Maternity pads

OK...what else do I need? I know I need isofix and moses basket but what else? Toys? Playmat? Bouncy thing for it to sit in? HELP!!!

You need more sleep suits and somewhere for the baby to sleep in your room (cot if it fits/Moses/crib/your bed).

All the other stuff you mentioned is optional and can be bought later if you decide you want it.

Hi Ladypug,

Going through the same thing myself at the moment - my only suggestion would be more clothes as 3x sleepsuits may only last you a day depending on bum or mouth explosions!

You'll probably need more clothes, baby-gros as well as sleepsuits. Newborns can go through clothes surprisingly quickly with possetting and leaky nappies and weeing the minute you take a nappy off for a nappy change.

Toys and playmats can wait, a newborn baby is too young to be interested in toys.

More sleepsuits, vests, couple of hats, bibs, bumcream, towel just for baby.

If not bf you will need a steriliser too and bottles.

Vests (short/long sleeve, poss sleeveless).
Cardigans/jumpers for child
Hats (cotton/wool)
Shawl/wrap type thing for shoulders for night feeds - advised 16-20 for bedroom which is brrr when you were cosy under duvet and are tired!
Blankets/sleeping bags for baby
Moses basket sheets
Blankets for pram?
My 6w old isn't very interested in toys yet - you are likely to be given loads
Yes to mat for tummy time- make sure it's washable!
Travel changing stuff- bag/mat
wipes or cotton wool - wipes way easier in hospital as you won't have a sink adjacent to cot when you do the first changes. Plus meconium is sticky!
Bouncy chair has been great for us, niece wasn't mad on it.

You don't need the shampoo or was stuff yet - water only for at least 4 weeks. You need more clothes, vests, hat and bibs or muslin squares. Baby may feel a bit lost in the cot, so maybe a crib/ moses basket/ snuzpod? blankets, granny pants to stick the maternity pads in? Car seat, if baby will be travelling by car, isofix optional.

If you hope to breastfeed - lanisoh
Cotton wool and nappy rash cream ( I liked metanium)
Granny pants in case of c-section
Muslins
Baby vests, maybe a cardigan, more sleep suits and blanket
Perhaps a baby monitor?
Changing mat - folding I if out and about or one on changing table if not included

Lots of meals in your freezer!

This is great, thanks everyone!

you don't need a moses basket! bouncy chairs are handy but you don't have to get one before the birth.
Baby needs: somewhere to sleep - cot with mattress and at least 2 sheets. blanket or sleepingbag
Clothing: 6 vests, 6 sleepsuits. you will prob get loads as new baby gifts. coat, hat.
Something to travel in: car seat! and a pushchair or carrier
Food! if breastfeeding then baby needs nothing. bottle feeding then bottles/teats/steriliser/kettle and formula
Plus nappies, wipes or cotton wool, and a sponge or flannel with some form of baby soap.
that's pretty much all you need. everything else is extras

My baby is 12 weeks. You can't have too many bibs or muslins IME.

I also rate my Snuzpod (Co-sleeping crib). When your baby is brand new don't be surprised if they only want to sleep on you or your DP and not in their moses basket. The co-sleeping cribs get the baby used to sleeping in their own space as you can hold their hand as they drift off. I don't think we'd have got DD to go down at all without it. See this thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/sleep/2470698-Any-tips-for-putting-a-newborn-down

I think you might need a bath/room thermometer and one for the baby too just in case.
Nursing bras if you are planning to bf
And yes as pp said more baby clothes

Very helpful post!

You need:-

• Vests
• More babygrows (I got through 3 by 2pm yday!!!)
• something to clean bum (wipes/cotton wool)
• nappy sacks
• nipple cream if intending to breast feed
• bottles & steriliser if formula feeding (& formula!)
• snowsuit/jacket & cardigan or two if winter baby
• hat & scratch mittens
• Muslins/bibs
• blankets (sleeping bags once 9lbs)
• sheets x 2 for crib/cot/pram

Maybe:-

• changing bag (or just use existing bag)

On a practical Point:-

• a decent raincoat - you can't push a pushchair & hold an umbrella easily
• sports water bottle if breastfeeding
• thermal mug for hot drinks
• washing powder & stain remover!!!!!

I found gym & bouncer handy to have from birth as I can plonk my dd there but they aren't essential.

Just thought of a few more things!

• antibacterial wipes for changing mat
• antibacterial hand sanitiser to keep on table (sometimes washing hands can be difficult after a change)
• nightlight or dimmer adapter for existing lamp

Wow thanks Lunastar, that's really helpful! With the sleeping bags, does baby sleep in this or in sheets? I'm confused as to what babies sleep in!

DC4 is due next month, I have -
7 vests
Babygrows (quite a few)
Knitted cardi's
Socks (to keep feet warm under babygrows on cold days/nights)
Pram suit
Hats
Vibrating baby chair thing
Buggy
Car seats
Kari-Me sling
Nappies
Huggies wipes
Pads (get some night time ones, I always found the maternity ones too much and needed the super strength normal ones pretty quickly, much more comfy and did the job!)
Nursing bras
You could get some Infacol just in case (eases colic/wind and suitable from birth)

I don't bother with the sleeping bags but the idea is they have them instead of blankets

I only used blankets until my dd was 9 weeks. We mostly Co sleep so during the summer she often didn't have any blankets or sheets at all as she had my bodywarmth.

I am using sleep bag now. I have a sheet on the crib mattress as her head is lying on it (or at least for the first part of the night then I bring her into my bed). You don't need sheets in or over the sleep bag. If you search something along the lines of 'what to wear in a gro bag' there are a few good old threads on it. I looked them up last week as I was at a bit of a loss what to dress my dd in.

For baby:

• Vests
• More sleepsuits
• Bibs
• At least one hat, preferably a woolly one as they are cosier.
• A couple of knitted cardi's
• Scratch mitts
• Baby nail clippers
• Thermometer
• Sudocrem
• I'd suggest a crib instead of a moses basket, babies usually outgrow moses baskets by 3 months, but my long 3 month old has plenty of room in his crib so will be able to be in our room for the full recommended 6 months.
• You don't need a changing table, just buy a changing mat and do it on the floor/bed.
• Baby bath isn't essential if you have a bath, you can just use one of these support things - we bought a baby bath but needed the support thing too, it's difficult to wash a baby while supporting his/her head on your own.
• I'd buy a few hooded towels, they help baby to keep warm after getting out the bath.
• Cotton pads for changing nappies at the start, or baby wipes
• Muslins - lots of.
• Bouncy chairs (especially with vibration) are fantastic, you can take them with you into the kitchen/bathroom/wherever you need to be.
• Playmat is also really helpful but it doesn't need to be an expensive one. Get a cheap one and make it better by hanging different things from it like any toys you might get as gifts. I'd suggest a brightly coloured one though.
• Breathable blankets/baby sleeping bags. We moved to sleeping bags at around 14 weeks as DS was kicking the blankets off and they were going up to his face, so no longer safe.
• Crib/moses basket mattress (be careful to get the right size for safety reasons)
• Sheets for crib/moses basket. Don't bother with cot/crib bumpers as they really aren't safe.
• Toys aren't too important at the start, they're really not that interested. You can hold anything (safe) with bright contrasting colours/black or white in front of them and they'll be perfectly happy. They also are quite happy staring at your face or your moving fingers :)
• If you plan on bottle feeding, a starter pack of bottles, steriliser (or sterilising tablets) and formula.

For you:

• If you plan on breastfeeding Lansinoh Nipple Cream will help MASSIVELY.
• Dark coloured towel for in hospital so blood doesn't show up
• Long, dark (but preferably not too cosy) dressing gown, also to hide any blood! This was really important for me as I had to have catheter fitted so pads kept leaking. With the horrid white anti-blood clotting socks I had to wear this was not good!
• Nighties - front opening/nursing if you plan on breastfeeding or having skin-to-skin contact. I'd just wear the gown they give you to labour in as there's likely to be a fair amount of blood involved...