Newborn Checklist!

[deltaxray]

Hello all, happy Monday!

Due my first in about 6 months.. can anyone provide me with a list of things I need for my newborn (have the pram and car seat). As soon as I walk into mothercare I apparently need everything and I wondered if anyone has any lists anywhere of things I actually need rather than impulse buys hehe.

Doing it all so much in advance as I'm saving up then buying as I go along :)

Thanks in advance!

Good thread was just thinking about this! I'm overwhelmed by the choices on offer v. what we actually need.

Surprisingly little.
Nappies.
Cotton wool/wipes.
Bottles/steriliser and formula if not breast feeding.
Clothes. You will get given lots in bigger sizes so buy for newborn. Vests and baby grows. The ones with pull over scratch mitts are good. A thicker cardigan/jacket for going outside in the pram.will but remember not to have on Anything too thick in the car seat.
Somewhere to sleep and bedding. Baby monitor if required.
Lots of muslin squares, handy for spit ups and for laying down in pram/bed so you don't have to change the whole bed if baby is sick.

Extra things I bought that have been useful-
Baby nail clippers.
2 x sleeping bags (1st child did not like them but 8 wk old does and he seems to know it's bedtime once he's in)
1 x groswaddle (only as I had a gift voucher).
Snot sucker (was handy for 1st child).

Pram
Car seat
Cot/Moses basket/crib
Sheets for the above
Day clothes
Sleep clothes
Scratch mittens
Hats
Blankets/swaddles/sleep sacks
Nappies
Wipes
Sudocrem/bepanthen etc
Dummies (if you wish to use them)
Muslins
Changing mat/changing table
Soft toys
Breast pump
Bottles
Steriliser
Baby carrier (if you wish to use one)
Baby monitor
Bibs
Towels
Baby bath (not necessity)
Baby toiletries
Bouncer/rocker
Hairbrush/nail clippers etc

That's the main essentials I can think of

Essentials IMO

• Vests (some with sleeves some without so you can adjust for temperature) and babygrows. Plain is fine. They will be pood all over.
• Couple of hats, cardigans.
• Sleeping bags. The merino ones are expensive but last for 2 years so worth it.
• Pram suit or some kind of warm thing for wearing outside.
• Changing mat, nappies, wipes. Waterwipes for the first week or so.
• Muslins
• Monitor
• Steriliser, unless planning to EBF.

Not essential but well worth it IME:

• Sleepyhead (instead of a moses basket or crib).
• Something which plays white noise (we have a Sleep Sheep, but you can use your phone)
• BF pillow if planning to BF
• Bouncy chair (the Baby bjorn one is excellent)
• Baby nail clippers
• Snotsucker
• A good sling - not the Babybjorn one!
• Baby gym/playmat with dangly toys

A lot of these things can be bought easily second hand.

Oh yes, if you have a bath I'd recommend one of those plastic baby bath supports.

I made nursery appointments at both John Lewis and Mamas & Papas so I could see what they recommend buying before baby is born. We then cut down the list and focused on the essentials. I am due this week and have bought:

Cotton wool
2 packs newborn nappies (will then switch to cloth)
Newborn cloth nappies
Baby grows and vests in newborn and 0-3 months
Scratch mittens and hats (just a couple of each)
Crib + bedding + blankets
Carseat
Pram
Muslins
Breast pump
Bottles & steriliser
Changing mat and table

One thing we have got is Amazon Prime membership so that we can get things delivered the next day if the situation arises where we want something quickly after baby is born. We decided this was a better investment than buying lots of things we don't necessarily end up using. They also offer lots of discounts on Amazon Family for Prime members as well as discounts on nappy subscription (for those using disposables) which has already saved us money on quite a few things already.

I haven't bought any toys yet as I know lots of people will bring them as gifts. Likewise with baby outfits so we have just bought the essential baby grows. Family have already said they want to buy us a bouncer and playmat and they will get that once baby is here - we were told baby doesn't use either in the first month.

We have been told not to bathe baby in first week. After this, should only bathe in warm water with no soap. We plan to use our sink so will see how that goes. If it is difficult, we have our eye on a couple of baby baths we can buy but will only get if needed.

I will take baby to sling library when I am ready and try a few out before investing in one as they are so expensive and don't want to end up with one baby hates being in!

I would recommend having a look at the big items such as pram, carseat, nursery furniture (if applicable) and deciding what you would prefer. Then keep an eye out for offers on them. We got our pram at half price because the colour was being discontinued (still a current model though). We also got good savings on our crib with Boots vouchers and points offers they were doing at the time.

Boobs, babygros, vests and nappies. Wipes/cotton wool. A hat!

Car seat. Somewhere to sleep ( we have a chicco next to me borrowed but buying new mattress). Blanket.

Everything else is a extra I think!

Riddles you sound very sensible in a positive compliment way!

A sling.

This has been the best thing I bought, Ds is a Velcro baby and the sling is a godsend, he sirens most if the day in it.

They are not expensive, they are just long strips of fabric, you can buy them for under£20 on Amazon, I have two so that one can get washed (they get dirty when you wear them all the time!)

It is a con that you need an expensive designer sling for£££.

My Ds is now ten weeks old and I've used the buggy three times, as it's just easier and nicer for him to be in the sling. We go out every day.

The think the buggy will come into its own once he's bigger though!

Somewhere to put them overnight (moses basket/crib/cot)
Somewhere to put them in the day (bouncer, playmat, swing)
Something to put them in for going out (car seat, sling, pushchair)

Nappies, wipes, nappy sacks, sudocreme, change mat (or travel one which folds up)

Selection of vests and sleepsuits, Couple of cardigans, Couple of small blankets

Muslin squares (small for feeds and spit ups, large for swaddling)

Dummy, bottles, formula if you wish to use any of these