List of things to buy for newborn - have I missed anything?

[tacosplease]

I've put together a list of things I will need to buy for my newborn. Are there any items you think I've missed - or is there anything on the list that I won't need? I'm aiming to EBF, but will obviously switch to formula if this doesn't work out. The baby is due beginning of May.

Stuff I already have
Snuzpod (received secondhand)
Bouncy baby chair (received secondhand)
Non-bio laundry tabs for washing baby clothes

Stuff to buy
Snuzpod mattress
Cot and mattress (buy when baby is approaching six months)
Lanisoh cream
Bugaboo Bee 5 pram/pushchair plus cocoon
Nappies
Newborn babygrows x8
Newborn bodysuits x8
Newborn sleepsuits x8
Newborn socks x10 pairs
Newborn cardigans x2
Car seat (group 0 or group 0+)
Muslins x12
Changing mat
Breast pump

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This thread is a little old now so some of the suggestions may be out of date, but if you’ve landed here looking for the ultimate baby essentials checklist, we’ve recently updated our newborn essentials article with the must-haves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

Penelope Leach's book, Baby and Child. It is essential and brilliant reading (none of your preachy 'do this/don't do that' stuff)

Thank you everyone! Opinion seems to be divided on baby baths - I think I'll hold off for now and order one off Amazon later if I feel I need.

There's so much I need to buy - I should really get cracking! Thank god for online shopping!

Snot sucker
Nail clippers/baby hair brush
Muslins
Sun hat + factor 50 (summer baby!)
Baby lotion +bubble bath
Breastpads/maternity pads ( although obviously for u not baby!)

Im sure the list is endless... i remember panicing a day before he arrived that i didnt have a baby view car mirror!!

@Charis1503 I know - I was trying to avoid buying loads of unnecessary stuff, but it seems like you do just need a lot!

I hope you don't mind me jumping on here to ask a question about your origional list...what is the difference between babygrows, bodysuits and sleepsuits? I'm due my first at the end of April and I just can't get my head around clothes options! I've also heard mention of baby vests but noticed these aren't on the list.

I second having mainly size 0-3 and maybe 1-2 newborn sized things. My son was born too big for newborn. If you have a tiny baby you can get stuff in.

You will probably receive lots of clothes too - I wouldn’t say you need to go nuts on things like cardigans. Keep babies in sleepsuits as long as possible. They sleep a lot! Mini outfits from 3months at the earliest I’d say. I always think people should dress babies according to their needs (ie. comfort, warmth), not their parents’ pleasure (ie. living doll).

Scan local selling sites for things like baths or monitors. They are generally always available. Reduce the plastic pollution for your baby 😉

Nipple shields were essential for me in the early days of bf. I would never have managed without them. They do need to be sterilised though.

pillowcases are perfect to use instead of sheets for a moses basket/pram mattress

I would recommend the bassinet for the bugaboo bee rather than the cocoon. With the cocoon you have to strap the baby in because the straps actually hold the cocoon onto the recliner chair. The whole thing never looked very comfortable and was quite awkward. We quite quickly sold our cocoon and bought the bassinet instead. It was an expensive mistake!

Also, buy as much as you can second hand. Even if you can easily afford brand new, these babies have an enormous carbon footprint. I wish I had realized sooner than all of this stuff is available second hand in near perfect condition. Babies grow so fast that stuff just doesn’t get worn out and tatty like it would with adult things. If I had my time again I would buy a second hand pram.

We found the gro swaddles great for our dd as she really liked being swaddled (born end of may last year). Moved to sleeping bags about 2.5/3 months as she outgrew the swaddles.

Used the cocoon in our bee from newborn until about 7.5 months and never had any issues with strapping her in. It was also more flexible when she was slightly older and becoming a bit nosy to allow her to be sat up a bit for short periods then laid down to sleep. Our friend had the bassinet and her son outgrew it before 6 months (he is not overly large).

Baby bath we are still using as dd sits up in our and means we can run a bath very quickly target than waiting for the big bath to fill.

Recommend cheeky wipes for reusable wipes they are great for bums and faces. We still use disposables for poos as it is just easier for us.

@Pastnowfuture Babygros/ bodysuits/ sleep suits are all the same thing - they're onesies with long sleeves, long legs, feet and poppers usually down the middle and down each leg. Baby vests go underneath - they usually have short sleeves, no legs and two or three poppers at the crotch. Our LO spent the first three months in a vest with babygro on top. If it was especially chilly, we added a cardigan or blanket.

The sleepbags being recommended go on top for sleeping in (obvs!). They are usually only suitable once baby weighs 9lbs+ so you would need to use a blanket if their birth weight was lower than that. They have a tog rating (like a duvet). We are using a sleeveless 2.5tog one at the moment over a vest and babygro. When it gets warmer we'll move to a lighter tog. They are an essential item for us - as soon as our LO hit the 9lb mark, it was the end of baby waking up freezing because the blankets were all kicked off!

For you and OP, don't panic about things to buy. You are the essential thing baby needs - everything else you can get next day delivered. Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy!

My 2 never fitted into newborn size so you will want some up to 1 month or 0-3 months too

0-3 vests and babygros too. My ds2 wore his newborn outfit as his first ever outfit but then couldn’t straighten his legs so went straight into 0-3.

FYI we ordered just 0-3 month Sleepsuits and vests from M and s recently, they have arrived and are huge! On looking at them, the label actually says 0-3 months, 13lbs. Assuming baby isnt doing to be quite that big I am going to have to order some newborn as well.

You don’t need baby lotion or wash. You should only use water on their skin when they’re new born. You also don’t need a baby hair brush. My baby had a lot of hair but it still didn’t require a hairbrush. I was given one and never used it.

Also, try to avoid using nappy bags unless you have to change a nappy out and about and there are no bins. Using a plastic bag every time a nappy needs changing is an environmental nightmare and totally unnecessary. Nappies are designed to roll up and stick to themselves. There’s no risk of them falling open.

Thank you @PunchyAnts

Do you prefer hot or cold drinks? Either way a good big flask is a good idea and/or a big jug for squash that has one of those cylinders you can freeze that then sits inside the jug to keep your drink cool.

Just before baby due get in/prep meals and snacks that are quick, easy & appetising and nutritious.

I would say halve the newborn clothes list and get 0-3 months and 3-6 months stuff too.

My dd was skinny but LONG and the newborn stuff never fitted her properly. Especially ones with built in feet and they grow FAST at this point too.

“Long phone charger cable for hospital when the plug is miles away.” yes!

I’d suggest considering something like this too:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07QMVB2WK?psc=1&ref=ppxpoppmobbbasintitlee__
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_Recommended to me by another miner. Then you can charge phone and tablet at same time if you wish.

“Are a baby sleeping bag and baby bath essential items would you say? “ no. Many never use baths I had one and used it once! It was a pita! Much easier to bath dd in bathroom sink (it was a big one we had then) or even a (new) washing up bowl (what my parents and grandparents did) at first and then in the big bath with one of us in with her and then we got her a bath seat similar to this:
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https://www.amazon.co.uk/Safety-1st-Swivel-Bath-Seat/dp/B0187EEZP6/ref=mpp_saa13?keywords=baby+bath+seat&qid=1582659255&sr=8-33_
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_Which she loved!

“In terms of bottles and steriliser - I thought I would wait to see how EBF works out before buying those?” We had a steriliser as I hoped to be able to express once established plus you use them for other things too (dummies, some hard to clean small toys, medicine spoons, syringes etc) but I couldn’t express.

I understand your thinking and I was the same, it weirdly didn’t occur to me I might have trouble bf, but some do, so you may like to have a couple bottles etc in just in case.

“somewhere for baby to sleep during day?” We used the carrycot that came with the travel system. Or the bouncy chair, which worked a treat if I plonked her in it in front of a spinning washing machine!

Nightdresses for hospital - ones with button through tops for feeding. You won’t necessarily want pyjamas on with a waistband irritating your tummy especially if you end up having a section. Also a buttoning dressing gown might be nice to have.

Given when you’re likely giving birth - a fan! Maybe even 2! Possibly bug nets too depending where you are in Uk - here in Scotland summer = midges so essential here.

A laundry net - for washing tiny socks and mitts so they don’t get lost/bugger your washing machine!

If you don’t already have one, one of these:
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https://www.amazon.co.uk/JVL-Multi-Colour-Round-Sock-Dryer/dp/B008VC35QU/ref=mpp_saa115?keywords=laundry+peg+for+small+items&qid=1582659844&sr=8-15

Amazon link but most pound shops, b&m and similar have them for £1 maybe even get a few, very handy.

Again if using a tumble dryer keep in the laundry net or your dryer can end up buggered!

Wow. This is such a useful thread @tacosplease. Haven't realised how many things are needed. Only 8weeks so lots to look forward to.
Good luck and hope you have an easy delivery.

Do not buy too many size one nappies. I didn’t realise that the sizes overlapped when my son was born. He was a big lad so easily could have started on size 2.

Sleeping bags are great for peace of mind that baby is sleeping safely plus our DS settles quicker in one than under blankets.

Get infacol as this helps windy babies and avoids tummy pains.

Ready made formula with the sterilised teats for the hospital in case bf doesn't work out.

I wouldn't bother with newborn socks - DS is 3 months and only just starting to wear socks as all of his outfits until now had built in feet - agree as well that sleep suits with fold over bits on the hands means you don't have to use scratch mits.

A room thermometer is a good one- we were paranoid about the room temp for the first few days.

Best purchase for us was a bunny which played white noise to help him sleep.

I would buy that quantity of vests and sleepsuits but in first size/up to one month rather than newborn - check the labels in store but first size or up to one month seems to be up to 9.5 or 10lbs. Both of mine were in these for at least 4 weeks, at 8lbs plus birth weights (second was not far off 9lbs).

I’d get fitted sheets for the Snuzpod and use sleeping bags rather than blankets. I would also get a Moses basket for downstairs- when they unexpectedly go to sleep on you, you want to be able to try to put them down in something already assembled rather than putting up the buggy one-handed. We have the Aldi one for £30 or thereabouts, which has been fine.

You might want a sling once baby is here but I’d go to a sling library to try them out first.

This is wonderful, thanks everyone. I missed so much off my first list!