Help! What do we need to buy? First pregnancy...

[Hodge85]

Hi,

This is our first pregnancy and we've no idea what we're going to need when the time comes. I'm 14+1 weeks now, due in June so as the New Year approaches I'm starting to get a little nervous at how unprepared we are. Thanks in advance x

Hi @Hodge85, I'm pretty much the same as you. 13+5 with our first and due mid-June. We haven't started making our list yet but intend to after the year. From what I've read, we don't actually need that much initially. Think we are going to buy the essentials and then pick other bits up as we go. The main ones for us are:

Crib, mattress, fitted sheets
Car seat
Pram
Changing mat, nappies, wipes, cream
Baby bath, shampoo
Blankets, muslin, scratch mitts, booties
Vests, baby grows, sleepsuits, cardigans
Bottles (incase BF doesn't work)
Dummies, bibs

Baby will be in our room for first 6 months so no rush to sort bedroom furniture immediately.

There are loads of good lists on Google that will likely throw up things you haven't even thought of. It did for me x

If it makes you feel better I was 28 weeks when my mother in law took me shopping to start buying stuff.

I'd get basics first and not worry too much about the cot ect.
Moses basket/crib for next to your bed
Nappies
Pram/travel system
Car seat
Vests - long and short sleeve
Baby grows
Lots of muslin squares
Mits
Socks
Bottles and formula - even if you're planning to breast feed they're a good back up plan.

Keep it basic as you never know what gifts you will receive! We had so many blankets!!!!

I didn't bother with mittens as many of the baby grow sleeves fold over to cover the baby's hands.

Maybe extra set of sheets if the baby is sick in their crib or Moses basket but most of the time the sheets come in packs of 2.

Anti bac gel and hand cream as you will never stop washing your hands and they become so dry!

Something for baby sleep in for me I've got a moses basket and a cot but there are lots of different options.

Bottles/steriliser (also depends if your going to BF) I'm not sure what exactly you need for Breast feeding

Pram - I've got a travel system comes with carry cot bit and car seat aswell. will do baby till he's around 3 as changes into a buggy again lots of different options.
Changing mat
Bouncy chair
Playmat (not really needed ASAP something you could get a bit later on)
Baby monitors
Baby bath

As pp said there will be lists online you could have a look through may bring up other bits that you want to get. I'm having baby no3 and still forget stuff that's needed.

Do not panic at all, you’ve got a long old way to go yet! That said, the Boxing Day sales might be handy!

Essentials:

Sleeping - Moses basket, co-sleeper or crib that fits in your bedroom. You can buy a cot later if needed as they’ll be in with you for 5/6 months. But you will also eventually need a cot!
Baby Bath - of some kind, you can get seats for your bath or small baths for baby.
Clothes - you’ll get bought loads but it’s lovely shopping for baby clothes first time! Think sleepsuits & vests as essentials. You’ll need lots. I’d go for a few new baby size and more 0-3 months. Think of the season baby will born. I was given beautiful knitted cardigans for my daughter who was born into heatwave 🙈 never did use them.
Pram/travel system/sling - depending on your preference. We had a travel system. Came with carry cot, pram seat & car seat. Prams are baffling but essentially all the same thing. Go look at some, research online.
Car seat - if not included with pram.
Blankets & Muslins - muslins are fabulous for everything, blankets to keep baby warm.
Changing mat - obvious reasons.
Monitor - not everyone seems to think essential but 100% was for us. We have a video monitor, we still use it at 2.5..

I’d say that’s you absolute essentials (bar nappies obvs). Then if you want- a few toys & teddies, a play mat, a bouncy chair or swing, baby sleeping bags (these tend to be from 3 months + but brilliant from this age, no worries about blankets going over heads), swaddles, dummies..

If you are planning to BF, I’d personally say don’t waste your money on bottles/steriliser yet. You can order everything online after baby is born or send your partner to the shops! I did just that, thank you Amazon Prime!

Watching this thread, I’m in a similar position to you, first baby and I’m a few days behind you! So this will be really helpful and I’m clueless and also haven’t bought anything whatsoever!!

Thanks so much for all of your responses! I'm panicking a little less now I'm thinking the sales in January will be very helpful!

A good advice is that the more expensive things you can find them on eBay, gumtree, market for a lot less.

Sometimes it's worth looking for clothes bundles.

Also I never bought a drawer/changer from baby sections. I found myself well with an ikea drawer, much cheaper. They also sell some baby stuff.

Hope it helps. Baby stuff can be expensive all together.

As pp said you don’t have to buy everything new as it can add up to quite a lot, you can easily get a whole nursery furniture set from fb/gumtree that is good as new for a fraction of the price it sells for new.

Start with a car seat.

Research which ones will fit in your car ( not all car seats got every car) then work from there.

I had a baby carrier from early on and it was a god send. Helpful when baby was awake at night - baby carrier for 5 mins and back to sleep no bother. Even if they get a bit unsettled you can pop them in and you have your hands back to carry on doing whatever needs doing. I remember wondering what I would do without it.

Also, think about your pram - really think about it. I got the travel system only to sell it 4 months on - too chunky! Yes, baby needs to lie down, and your pram should be able to do this, but how your pram/buggy functions when baby is a bit older and sitting up is more important. Also, will you wait a while before baba no.2...? We didn't, now we need a double buggy. Some buggies on the market will work as a single from newborn and easily convert to a double for an expanding family.

As for clothes - buy what you need when and as you need it. I think white vests and sleepsuits in the beginning is handy - stains can be bleached out. Funk up with a colourful cardigan and hat.

A good playmat/gym is also handy. I was surprised how quickly our DC was interested in hers.

Oh, and lastly, one of those bouncy seats. Very handy, mine would sit in their quite happily with me chatting away nonsense whilst gettint on with housework or getting some dinner on the go.

And, actually, if breastfeeding - get a good 1litre water bottle and keep it handy - I'd get a mad thirst. And get a cup with a lid, like those thermos ones. You can have a cuppa and not worry about spilling it on baby. And if you get distracted it will be kept warm.

Just had another thought... After I had DC1 I felt a bit rubbish in myself. So I would say, treat yourself before you have baba. Do something that makes you feel brand new. Whether it's having your hair done, or new pj's, nice bath stuff.

Definitely do something for you.

If it makes you feel better i bought nothing until 35 weeks.

Went to town, bought cot sheets, sleeping bags, pack of vests, pack of sleepsuits, nappies, cloths, and a sling.

Ordered a cot, and a pram/car seat.

dd then came early, cot had arrived, but we had to borrow a car seat.

Honestly everything else we bought as we went along. Bf worked out for me but there are 24 hour places dh could have gone to pick up bottles and formula if necessary.

In fact i found it useful not to have stuff. Meant i got out and had a walk to the local shops most days, and we didn’t end up with crap we didn’t need. Playgyms and the like you don’t need for a couple of weeks, you really just need sleepsuits and nappies for the first couple of weeks.

There’s only one thing i regret not buying and that’s a rocking cradle. I reckon getting her off to sleep would have been much easier...

relax. first baby... the marketing is very good and makes you feel the need to buy stuff. no! remember amazon, john lewis, they'll ship that shit to you within 24 hr. supermarkets are open all night (it gives DH something to do in the when he's in his helpless early days).

you need some clothes, a car seat, nappies and wipes, a soft wrap (my opinion), nursing bras, a buggy, a crib, a bath seat.

but you don't need to buy billions of gadgets, fancy cushions, seats, walkers, nursing chairs etc etc etc. should the need arise you will be able to get them asap. oh also toys. they're a con. new babies don't give a shit about toys, once they start to want stuff they'll want whatever you have.

yes don't get a special chest of drawers with changing on top. once you've done a few you'll be changing anywhere but and stuck with a stupid chest of drawers with an annoying lip.