Newborn essentials - what do I actually need??

[Andersonx3]

As per title, first time mum, 26 weeks today, starting to think about getting essentials together! We have a Moses basket & cot for later, pushchair & travel system, baby bath and some nappies & toiletries but I've no idea what else we actually need?! I'm due November 30th so a little winter baby - I know this will make a difference when it comes to bedding & clothing.

Sorry for being such an amateur!

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Clothes and blankets - that's it really. You can get everything else if and when you need it.

I'm due middle of October and am 32 weeks with my second child. So far I have, bedside crib, travel system, bottles steriliser, baby sleeping bag, bath seat, comforter, fold up changing table, vests, sleepsuits, hats, and a couple of cardigans and snowsuit/pramsuits, in the first 3 sizes so newborn, up to 1 month and 0-3 months. Although I wouldn't bother with that many in newborn as they grow out of that size so quickly. Also muslins, bibs, nappies, sudocream and baby towels.

I’d put some money aside now for things that you find you need when the baby’s personality emerges! For example, we ended up buying a Sleepyhead as she had reflux and was so wriggly she kept banging her head on the side of the crib. We also invested in a MyHummy white noise toy and Snoozeshade when it became apparent that she was struggling to sleep in the day due to being ‘alert’ (kind way of saying nosey 😂). She still uses these three things at 9 months - albeit the larger size of Sleepyhead.

Nappies are essential. Some kind of cleaning, feeding, sleeping & transport systems. Everyone is different... here's an incomplete list of often considered essential (one list) I never owned:

changing table
'composter' (what is that?)
steriliser, humidifer or vaporiser
swinging crib, moses basket, rocking chair, special crib sheets
electronic monitor, lullaby or white noise makers
dummies (but I can see these can be very handy)
whatever a Sleepyhead is
disposable pants for me
special breastfeeding pillows (wtaf)
baby shampoo, bathseat,
ear thermometer, nasal aspirator

One thing I didn't get until baby 3 was a bouncy seat; not essential but cheap and handy, highly recommended though not essential.

People gave us hooded baby towels; we didn't need them; any old towel would have done. Baby can get by on 7 basic outfits (7xvests + 7xgros) but 10-12 will make life easier. We had slings but didn't get on with them.

I will just say now that Sleepyhead is not recommended for safe sleeping to prevent SIDS. I would recommend having a baby grow bag to sleep in. Doesn’t have to be the branded ones, supermarkets do them too usually. Helps keep them warm and they can’t kick it off or over them.

I'll second what @Harper33 has said about baby growbags, so much easier than worrying about blankets at night and we use ours to signal night time to DD (daytime naps aren't in the bag).
However just watch out that the bags have a minimum size, DD is two months now and the bags still look big, she's been in grosnugs since day 1 as these are geared up for newborns.

You will get given loads of clothes! If anyone asks for a gift idea we have really made good use of our gro-egg ( to help avoid disagreements about what clothes she needs to wear at night- the egg decides!) And Ewan the Dream Sheep white noise toy has been another really good part of her routine as he only gets used at night, but he really does help her settle.

Thank you everyone!