Newborn Essentials

[mama2be91]

Hello :)
I'm 20 weeks with my firstborn. Everyone has different thoughts on what they found essential for their newborns, I'd love to hear any tips/lists you swear by? I've started buying a few bits but so far that's only stretched as far a couple of outfits, a towel and some bibs and socks lol!
Thanks

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This thread is a little old now so some of the suggestions may be out of date, but if you’ve landed here looking for the ultimate baby essentials checklist, we’ve recently updated our newborn essentials article with the must-haves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

Also 20 weeks and want to see what answers you get! - Congrats x

https://www.johnlewis.com/joie-dreamer-baby-bouncer/p3382389?sku=237267251&skwcid=2dx92700027454072843&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvezZBRDkARIsADKQyPlIPmEn826jehNDm8sYPkAZeh9nmx58LoOaDFOaxbX6LVeYt1554xAaAlIREALwwcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Best £60 I spent! Can be easily rocked with a foot while you eat your meals with two hands!

Grobags. It makes dressing for different temperatures so easy. No faffing with tucking in blankets just as you get baby to sleep and no worry of covering their little faces!

Lamaze toys are great once they're a little older with all the textures and interesting things.

I think you might get very varied opinions on what constitutes essential!

Apart from nappies, clothes, somewhere to sleep, milk and a car seat (if you have a car!) I was really glad I bought:

Boppy - was the easiest way to breastfeed when baby was tiny, I took it everywhere with me!
Lanolin nipple cream
Muslin cloths - a million uses
Baby sleeping bag - as long as baby is big enough. Can’t be kicked off in the night or wriggled under.

Could have done without:

Baby monitor - small house, if baby cried everyone knew about it.
Any clothes with buttons at the back - incredible faff when they are small and floppy

Muslins. All the muslins. We got bamboo ones which I would highly recommend as they are so soft and gentle, and stayed that way after washing.

Decent pair of baby nail scissors (and nerves of steel).

Bouncy/vibrating chair - only place other than my arms DC1 was happy in the early days. Baby gym also good for this if you have a baby who is happy on the floor.

I honestly can't think of much (other than the obvious things like safe place to sleep, decent car seat, etc) that I would call essential. I'm more inclined to think of things that I wish I hadn't bothered with - baby bath I'm looking at you...

God, how did I forget nipple cream?

Also HaaKaa breast pump to catch letdown. Amazing.

WhirlingTurkey baby bath not worth?! what else wouldn't you have bothered with?

AngelCare Bath Seat

Doona Pram/Car Seat (as well as your proper stroller system)

Metanium Nappy Cream

Nappy Bin

Sleepyhead

H&M vests (they open from the front so no over the head malarkey)

Water Wipes

Pampers Premium Protection Nappies (Change colour when need changing)

Bought and didn't use:
White noise machines, Dream sheep etc

Monitor (yet - DS is 5 months and never alone)

Gro Bags

You can get some good white noise on YouTube to save buying a machine - really helped my daughter stay asleep when she was under 6 months and in with us.

Yep, baby bath has seen most of its use for outdoor water play for toddler! It was just a faff and I found it better just to bath with baby in the normal bath.
Breast shells were a waste of money - so uncomfortable!
Newborn bibs - maybe they'd be necessary for bottle feeding though, I'm not sure. We never needed them even when DC1 had a bottle.
Ewan the sheep - never had any effect on my child.
Grow Egg thermometer - it was useful for a short time but then the light got annoying and now we just have a cheap thermometer off of Amazon which is much better.
We had lots of newborn hats that didn't get worn, although I think that had to do with the time of year that baby was born (June) so it's worth thinking about that.

Don't buy too many clothes as you don't know how big the baby will be.

Any nappies that change colour when wet, water wipes for in hospital, a few different types of blankets (mine has a preference for fleece) and lansinoh nipple cream.
I was give a baby bath and still use it a few times a week a year later, the reusable nappies I bought are only now being used as it was too much hard work with a new born. We also got 7 months use out of the Moses basket. Amazon prime is useful for when you need something urgently.

Perfect prep
Sleepyhead
Swaddle blankets
Giant muslins (the small ones are shit and don't cover your full back for sicky episodes)
Baby swing (put her in it in the bathroom when I showered)
MAM bottles and dummies (worked for us, but don't buy too many of any bottle in case your baby doesn't like them)
Sling (look for local sling libraries before buying)
Lanisol nipple cream
Chocolate. Lots of it.
The 'feed baby' app
This night light
www.amazon.co.uk/Upgraded-Ascher-Childrens-Dimmable-Adjustable/dp/B01EQQEW9I/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?ref=plSrch&keywords=adjustable+night+light&dpPl=1&dpID=31WTSQv9hOL&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1530639419&sr=8-7
A mirror for the car - so you can see baby in the rear view mirror when you are driving
Infacol
Metanium nappy cream
Aveeno baby emolient wash
Tippee nappy bin

I'm sure there's other things but that's what comes to mind.

Grobags
Sleepyhead
Perfect prep
Lanisol nipply cream
Thermal mug
Wrap sling
Waterproof coat with hood (for mum) umbrella and pram/car seat aren't a great mix

Honestly bare necessities are: nappies, wipes, ten or so babygrows, couple of packs of vests, couple packs of socks, a couple of cardigans/jackets and a snowsuit if born in winter, Moses basket/crib to sleep in, pram, car seat and a couple of blankets. That’s obviously if you’re breastfeeding, lansinoh nipple cream is a must and a breast pump and bottles if you want to share feeds. If bottle feeding then bottles, formula and a steriliser? Never FF’d so unsure.

Things that are nice to have are a bouncer, white noise simulator such as the myhummy as they help some babies sleep and a baby bath.

I have had three DC and have no idea what some of the ‘necessities’ up there are .

I don't think a Sleepyhead is "essential" I fell for that and bought one before baby was born. Would he sleep in it? Big fat NO. In fairness he did eventually but it certainly wasn't the MAGIC sleep cure that it's made out to be. And they're expensive!

Decent underarm thermometer is a worthwhile purchase IMO. Braun do a good one.

If you're planning on breastfeeding then a sports bottle is great as you can have it next to you without worrying it will spill and open it with just your mouth.

I found my baby nail filer an absolute life saver. My baby found it ticklish and giggles! It doesn’t hurt at all and takes minutes, and you don’t need to worry about nicking their wee finger. About £13 from
Amazon

Also, sock-ons..... to keep socks on, or to keep feet in baby gros feet bit, as sometimes when you go up a size they are a bit big to begin with, and their legs bunch up in the middle, leaving the feet part all loose!

Nipple shields were bey useful too.

Best of luck to you!

Ooohhh, also a water bottle with a straw in it to have for night feeds so you don’t have to move your head.
It’s unbelievable how thirsty you get if you are breastfeeding, one morning I swear I felt like all the moisture in my body had gone, even from my eyeballs!! that night I had forgotten to drink anything.

Also a night light to be able to do night feeds/ nappy changes by.

Muslin squares and lots of them!
The lansinoh nipple cream (I bought cheap first and it was utter rubbish)
Infacol
Tea tree oil - amazing to use on your pads post birth

Muslins - great for all sorts!
Sleeping bags - brilliant if you have a wriggly baby who kicks blankets off!
Nipple cream

And personally, I loved my thermal travel mug. Kept my drinks warm and little chance of spilling near the baby.

Following this. Similar position ☺️

Also... THESE!

Still use them to this day over his change mat, and great to take out

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/15-Medi-Inn-Disposable-Underpads-Bed-Pads-60-x-60-cm-24-x24-Sap-Plus-Premium-/292321295453?rmvSB=true&ulref=http%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F1%2F710-53481-19255-0%2F1%3Futmmsource%3Dtwenga%26utmparam%3DeyJlcyI6MCwicyI6OTcyMDIzNywiY2kiOiIwMzU1ZTMzYzFlMDVkOGI5ODM4ZTUwYjk0MDAwYTM2YiIsImkiOiI2NTA3MTU3NTkxNjcwOTIxNTUxIiwidHMiOjE1MzA3OTkyOTIsInYiOjMsInNvIjoxNTAwLCJjIjozNjQ0MH0%3D%26utmmcampaign%3Dtwenga%26utmmedium%3Dcpc%26ff3%3D4%26pub%3D5574631662%26toolid%3D10001%26campid%3D5338243305%26customid%3D0355e33c1e05d8b9838e50b94000a36b%26mpre%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ebay.co.uk%252Fitm%252F15-Medi-Inn-Disposable-Underpads-Bed-Pads-60-x-60-cm-24-x24-Sap-Plus-Premium-%252F292321295453%26srcrot%3D710-53481-19255-0%26rvrrid%3D1588536516341%26rvrts%3D6abf88ae1640a9cad8513f03fffddbad&&mwBanner=1&rdt=1&ull_noapp=true

My essentials, most of which i Vibrating bouncer, mam bottles, sleeping bags, Muslins (lots!) Aveeno baby wash/ lotion, cold water

Baby pressed send cold water steriliser.

Stuff I thought I needed and never did: feeding pillow, loads of different bottles which weren't as good as mam, outfits other than rompers, vests and sleepsuits, nappy bins, microwave steriliser (faff) Moses basket, carrycot on pram.