Need to start prepping for baby, not sure where to start!!

[preggersteach]

Just had 20 week scan yesterday and luckily all was well :) dh wouldn't really talk about baby actually arriving until that was done but now feels a bit real and not really sure where to start with getting ourselves ready for baby's arrival! I feel I know nothing at all!! Going to start with a couple of possibly crazy basic questions - what do babies sleep under or in? As in I know Moses basket or whatever and sleep suit but are they under sheets or in a sleeping bag thing from new born?! Also what do babies where during the day when out and about? I get hopefully lots of time will be asleep so in sleep suits but what about when we go out? Baby due in July as well so realise won't be one of those very big warm looking suits! Any help would be gratefully received!

We never had a Moses basket. DD slept on me for 4 months, then in her hammock (or in bed with me) for 5 months, then in a cot (or in bed with me) for 8 months then in a full size single (or in bed with me) from 17 months. She napped in her pram. Didn’t bother with baby baths, changing units, playpens, baby proofing, baby furniture, monitors. Used babygros not clothes until 6 months.

Alpaca - Spot on!!

My advice is to not go crazy with clothes we bought loads and then we were given so many as gifts half the stuff was never worn. Shes almost 2 and people still buy her clothes. When it comes to packing them away half of them still have taggs on. Stock up on nappies and wipes when there is baby events on, i intend to do this this time so i don't have to nip to the shop a lot. I also will stock up on formula just incase because i couldn't breast feed for long last time. Also supermarket own brands of bath stuff for baby is just as good as johnsons or named brands. Sudocream also get when baby events are on. I have kept everything from my last pregnancy so we litrally have nothing to buy x

I would recommend getting a changing unit if you are prone to a bad back btw, even one day of bending over to change her ruins my back for days

Just buy basic clothes before the birth e.g vests and sleep suits. You will get given lots of newborn outfits as presents and they grow out of them so quickly half won't get worn so you don't need to add to that.

Similarly you will get tons of teddies.

Really think carefully about who will be using the pushchair/pram and how it will be used. I've got a all terrain pram as I live very rurally and prior to DD coming along I assumed we would need something like that to cope with the mud etc. The reality was that if we we going for a walk it was much easier to put DD in a sling, so the pram was mainly used for going into town shopping, so I was having to lug this great big hulking pram in and out of the boot of the car and it wasn't really a pram designed for squeezing into shops etc and had no basket storage underneath.

If you have room you can save quite a bit of money by just buying a cot and taking one side off and pushing it up to your bed. That way when the baby is ready you can just put the side back on rather than having to move them into a whole new sleeping environment. Naps downstairs can just be in the pram/sling

Lots and lots of muslins. I didn't use them that much pre 6 months as I had a very non sicky baby but my word muslins came in so much use when weaning started.

I second Chicco Next2Me cot - neither of mine slept in a Moses basket.

Try out a few slings, I barely used pram/buggy for first few months.

I only used babygros for first 6 months, no piddling around with vests or 'proper' clothes.

My DD is 11 weeks and having compiled my list off MM this is what I'd suggest

Sleepyhead
Snuzpod crib
Muslins
Nappies (wait for the offers)
Aveeno or weleda nappy cream/baby wash
Saline drops
Infacol or gripe water (gripe when they are 1 month old)
Baby water wipes or look at cheeky wipes
Formula & bottles if not breastfeeding-I took mini ready made bottles to hospital too even though I breastfed
Cellular blankets plus at least 1 really warm fleecy blanket when out and about
Snowsuit-depending on when due
Footed leggings
Sleepsuits
Vests
Hats
Cardigans
As dummy medicine dispenser-I use mine for gripe water!
Baby grooming kit
Bibs
Baby bouncer
Baby bath
Baby changing mat
Dummy/soother and clips
Lanbskin-I use it in the bouncer because it's quite cold near the floor
Baby hooded towels
Lidded bucket for nappies or dirty clothes

That's all I can think of at the moment, I also bought s Star wrap from Tuppence & Crumble which has been useful for taking her outside to the car without getting cold and a Morrck fleecy wrap for her car seat-neither is essential though.

@preggersteach you should do the (free) John Lewis nursery tour. They talk you through the 'essentials' you'll need and take you through the shop. Bear in mind they will overstate what you need, but I still found it useful. And there's free tea and cake at the end! :)

Bedside cot was the best thing I bought - I got a 2nd hand one and bought a new mattress.

Until they get a bit of strength (3m ish) it is really hard and pointless to get them into anything other than vests and sleepsuits (the sleepsuits need to have poppers up the front, don't be tempted by pretty designs if they don't!) - also they fall asleep quite often and randomly so they may as well be wearing the equivalent of pjs all the time.

If you live somewhere with 2 levels, have a changing station upstairs and downstairs (I had a changing table downstairs and then a mat, nappies & wipes upstairs.

If it's a boy I found the boots large square cotton wool pads to be a godsend - when you open the nappy you often get a little vertical wee so you can be ready to pop one on while you sort out the rest!

Oh I also found the giant muslins to be brilliant.

And this might be useful:

Overwhelmed by all of the advice, I think I want one of those sleeping bag swaddle things for me! Thanks for the list monkeypuzzle! Hope you and your lo are doing well!

My list :

Moses basket with 2/3 fitted sheets
Maclaren techno from birth pushchair
Car seat
Stretchy sling - Caboo
Buckled carrier- connecta
Changing bag with folding mat

1 Pram size cellular blanket
1 Pram size fleece blanket
Several large muslin blankets

Pack of muslins
Changing table with loads of compartments ( I kept all the baby junk in this including clothes nappies toiletries so everything is in one place )
Hands free baby bath
All in one baby soap for hair and body ( love green baby lavender/ chamomile one )
Nappies , wipes, sacks , flannels, baby scissors
6-8 Bodysuits 0-1 month and same amount in 0-3 months
6-8 Sleepsuits 0-1 month and same amount in 0-3
A hooded newborn cardigan
All in one coat 0-1 month
Summer baby - 0-1 month footless rompers
Soft trousers and tops 0-1 month - optional
Outfits - one or two literally for pictures - optional .
A couple of soft hats

Sleepyhead expensive but my daughter slept like a dream in it

Grobags definitely and we have a chicco nexttome which worked great for ds and hopefully will for our second due in June.

You can't have too many muslins especially if you have a child like ds who despite being a good natured baby 99 percent of the time hated bibs from the outset.

You don't need too many outfits at first. I bought a lot of 0-3 months and then ds was tiny so nothing fit him properly to begin with. My Mil had to go and buy some newborn stuff for him. On the other end of the spectrum, I know someone who bought a load of gorgeous newborn stuff and then had a giant baby who couldn't fit in any of it.

Don't assume your baby will fit into newborn size clothes, mine didn't! He didn't even fit the 0-3 sleepsuits I took to the hospital (although they just came up small, he did fit other 0-3 stuff!) so lived for his first few days in a nappy and wrapped in a blanket. Maternity wards are insanely hot anyway, and we were doing lots of skin to skin for feeding.

If you live near shops and have someone who can nip out, I'd just buy a few sleepsuits and see how you get on, then go out to get more clothes when baby is here and you have a better idea of what you want/need.

Baby bouncer was great for us for first and third but just didn't suit my wriggly second.
My mother in law (mum of 5) gave me a baby bjorn one which was great but new they are very pricey. It means when they are little and awake you can go to the loo or make supper with them watching you but safe.
Enjoy your lovely baby when he/she comes. Now I am out of the baby tunnel I see that I worried too much about the wrong things (the house being messy etc). As long as they are safe and warm and with you they will be fine. I had a kind older friend whose kids were at university when I had my first and she was brilliant - she pointed out one day that my crying baby was simply bored.......so you need a good friend, hopefully a nice health visitor and GP too.
Good luck with the pregnancy.

Oooo been stealing ideas from this as I too am in the same position, 20 week scan this week then will start getting more stuff! Couldn’t resist getting some lovely rompers in the same but all naice easy access sleepsuit/rompers!

I haven't got much to add as everything has been pretty much covered except I'd take a few different size babygrows to the hospital with you- my baby was 9 pounds but all the 0 to 3 month stuff i bought was massive and and even new born only just fit! And ear plugs in case you need to spend the night on the ward ( midwives are wonderful but very loud😁)

DS is 4 months old. Here are our must haves:

Next2me or similar for sleeping
Portable changing mat and a decent rucksack, no need for a specific baby bag.
Decent sling - we have the ergo adapt and love it. We didn't use a pram for the first 3 months just carried DS everywhere.
Cheeky wipes, washable nappies (we have bambino miosolos) and a cheap nappy bin
Snuggle bath - it's brilliant
Something to put them into or on in each room - we have a bumbo, a bouncy chair thing, a baby gym mat and keep the pram in the kitchen. Although you can get all this when baby is bigger, for now just a sling is fine and allows the baby to nap while you can potter about if you fancy it. We got all of these things 2nd hand - are are super cheap on facebook marketplace.

Clothes wise dont go too crazy. DS is on the 95th percentile and has outgrown newborn, 0-3, 3-6, 6-9 in 4 months! We got all our clothes handed down from family thank goodness because otherwise would have cost a fortune to keep buying new clothes in bigger sizes every few weeks.

You will get lots of 3-6 as presents but hardly any 6-9.

Lots of Muslims and dribble bibs, also sockons are great if your baby is wearing outfits that need socks.

We haven't needed any toys as such yet also hes starting to show a little interest in one that has a crinkle noise.

For you - decent breastpads (washable are nicer and less faff) comfy clothes that are easy to feed in (if bf'ing) or pjs. Have 2 dressing gowns so one 2cm be in the wash if you get puked on.

Congratulations!

Great advice here. For yourself make sure you have lots of hand cream and eye drops for tired eyes. Also in the hospital it's nice to have a nice shower gel to make you feel a bit more normal.

thanks preggersteach we are doing very well thank you!

I thought of more;
breastfeeding pillow-good for feeding full stop and for supporting your back
put little outfits for hospital into a clear food bag so they are easy to get hold of.
YY for a few different sizes too in sleepsuits

I bought things second hand - there's no way I could afford everything otherwise! Also I discovered Mum2Mum markets, I bought bundles of baby clothes fro there that hadnt even been worn for £1 a bundle! Same for Ebay and local FB selling groups-I saved so much money and then if something didnt work for me, its not a complete waste of money!

Totally agree with a previous poster about babies being big business. It's really like the wedding industry in that respect. You really don't need to buy everything you see mum bloggers touting for instance - like motorised rockers, or Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep stuff. Or even expensive changing bags. Saying that, it's your first baby, and you should buy things if you think they'll make you really happy, like a beautiful baby dress or changing bag!

Clothing wise, I'd wait til the July sales are on and get a few 'day outfits' if you fancy - I know people have said they'll be in babygrows at the beginning but I had a baby in June, but especially with girls, you'll want to put them in a pretty outfit or two. Especially as it may be hot and sticky. Also, the photos!!

And i agree on 'equipment' or gadgets not being needed really, but I do think a rocker is very useful - as is a Sleepyhead type thing (there are other less pricey ones on the market) as it's a portable sleep device for home etc.

But, the best thing is to look at your own lifestyle and then take a call - like, will you travel to grandparents a lot for example? Then you will need a travel cot, etc.Best of luck! My 2nd due tomorrow!

We could have spent a fortune on our baby, easily, but we're getting married this year so really needed to budget. I got the cot, bounce seat, and a huge bundle of 3-6 and 6-9 months clothes on Facebook. I got the Moses baskets, bundles of newborn and 0-3 months clothes, pram, sling, blankets and just so much other stuff on eBay. We saved a fortune. The pram is a graco four in one travel system which we got for £20. I look in horror at the price of brand new prams!