Where can I find a great list

[catobe]

Looking for a list of things we need for our baby that is due in May! Hoping to get some bits soon.

You do not need a pram suit for a May baby!!! Find out what size they are in October.

Also very lifestyle dependent. I have three kids and don't ever use them. They mustn't be used in the car. They shouldn't be used if you will arrive somewhere and leave the baby sleeping. So basically just long walks. When buggy cosy and blankets do the same thing more flexibly

Thanks Poocatcher

Thanks Libraries! Don't even know what a pram suit is - guess this is why I created the thread.

All suggestions welcome but of course, weather dependant.

It's a furry/fleecy all in one. The waterproof sort is a snowsuit - the thing Maggie wears in the Simpson and looks like a star.

Seriously - think clothes, feeding, travel, sleeping.

Ah should've thought! There was 4 inches of snow on the ground the day we took our babies home in January! Pramsuits are like lighter-weight snowsuits. But yes, no snowsuits and car-seats, bad combination! Good luck with your baby!

Yes, good luck with the baby, OP! Libraries totally get your point, I was just suggesting the things that I'd found the most useful outside of the really obvious stuff, of course everyone's needs vary. I had a summer baby and someone bought me a sports bottle which I found a bit odd until I found out how hot and immobile breast-feeding made me! And I've never actually used the baby thermometer either but I figured that for three quid it'd be sensible to have one in the flat to check for fever in case he became ill.

You really don't need to buy much (apart from a car seat and a Moses basket or similar) in advance. Just add bag of sleep suits to your supermarket shop, get some nappies, muslins, cotton wool and wipes, and you're done. Ebay is fantastic for bundles of clothes for kids. And all those other things that some swear by but others hate (rockers, slings, changing bags etc). I'd hold back - you'll get gifts and then getting out of the house or internet shopping is easy once they are a couple of months old.

I'm with libraries now I have the experience but I def was like the OP at that stage.
I went through a MASSIVE list of baby items, thanks MN, and bought everything. I never used 50% of it (baby hair brush?!) and another 25% was only used once (looking at you stupid buggy). I had a beautiful baby room all decorated and stuff and DS at 1yo is still not using it. My best purchase was Amazon premium. I ended up just ordering what I really needed. The shops don't close, you'll actually save money by buying less stuff later.

... But I know... The planning is fun...

sparkly - Ah, an actual thermometer. I thought you meant one of those stupid, bossy, room ones.

Book a personal shopper session at John Lewis. You don't have to buy anything and they walk you through a long list as you pick things out in the baby department which has EVERYTHING. They give you a voucher for a free tea and cake and they give you the list to take away and an online version so family can buy stuff.

I loved my session and the list was really handy. I definitely scratched off about 10 things from it though that I thought were unnecessary and shopped around with the list for deals elsewhere. Then came back to JL for the stuff I wanted guaranteed good customer service/price matching on like buggy. I'd definitely recommend it as you still have a few months to go

Lol at John lewis - I've seen that mentioned a few times. Depends how loaded you are really.

Although we did buy a new pram .... Which we then sold..... For a series of second hand ones..

The best thing to do imp is make up a huge list from all the lists and thing you think you might need. Then leave it 2 weeks. Then go through list and consider whether you will actually need it, if you already have , or how easy you can get stuff if needed. That should get rid of half the list

For example:

• baby towel. Sounds sensible, but surely you have regular towels already? Just use those

• baby bouncer. Your better off waiting and seeing if baby is happy just being on folded blanket on floor or your lap. If so no need to buy, if not you can order online and have in a few days. Most can't be used once baby can sit (4-6months approx), so can be an expensive purchase for little time

Then you can afford to buy better quality of the stuff you actually need and for the next stages ie toddler when you actually spend more, or actually doing things with baby

Think about your lifestyle also. Are you the type they travels lots? If you plan on using planes and trains and long drives within the next 3 years look at small folding items of things like prams. And lightweight car seats.
If you live in the countryside and drive everywhere need to take that into account. Living in the city in a flat will have very different requirements again.

Also always think of longevity. A nice pram for a newborn, might become a nightmare folding and lifting with a 1 year old. A cotbed can last newborn- 5years as side converts off so will save you buying Moses basket, and cot, and toddler bed. Same with toys later.

Imo, not imp!

A cotbed can last newborn- 5years as side converts off so will save you buying Moses basket, and cot, and toddler bed. Same with toys later.

Good point.

Also think about the size of family you hope for. An expensive cot bed is great, but if you plan on another child in 18 months, it can work out better to just have an ikea cot for both of them and save the money for decent full size singles (no need for a toddler bed unless you have space issues).

Similarly, some buggies can convert to doubles.

And trip trap high chairs are great, but very expensive. The longevity (they can be used right up to adulthood) is only any use if you can afford one for each child.

We didn't buy much beforehand and I'm glad we didn't. I think it's best to just buy in the basics and then see how it goes

We had:
A travel system - came with changing bag
Moses basket, mattress, 2 sheets and a couple of blankets. (Got more blankets as gifts).
A pack of vests and a pack of babygrows (Got loads and loads of clothes as gifts).
Baby bath set - bath, top and tails bowl, hairbrush, towel.
Muslins
Nappies, cotton wool
Big pants and lots of maternity pads.
Car seat.

I have heard that lanisoh is great for the early days of breastfeeding. If you apply regularly some people say they get no sore nipples. If I had another baby I would give this a go.

I didn't use any soap for washing in the early days. Just plain water. Likewise I cleaned dd with water and cotton wool not baby wipes on a nappy change until she was on solid foods. Not everyone does this, but I found it no problem.

If you're planning to breastfeed I'd advise getting in some of those premade formula bottles just in case of emergency. I did this and never used them. Dp's family didn't believe I was going to breastfeed (they are sort of against it) and bought me a load of bottles, formula, sterilizer etc. It was all wasted and never got used. I think its best to get the premade just in case then you can buy the sterilser and so on as/if you need it. I did get an electric breast pump but could never produce enough milk using it so stuck to regular breastfeeding. Of course if you plan to ff or mix feed then get all the bits in. I never bothered with nursing bras or any equipment for breastfeeding and aside from the lanisoh I wouldn't next time.

Regarding clothes, we didn't buy much before she was born and I was glad we didn't because we got so many as gifts. Also my dd was tiny and in newborn clothes for ages but I know some baby's are straight into the next size up so newborn size are wasted on them. So that's another reason not to buy too many before the baby arrives.

We had dummies but dd never took to them. She went through a period of suffering with wind and infacol really helped for this.

Oh no, Libraries, I can tell how warm a room is without a wall thermometer to tell me that!