20 weeks - what do I need to buy?

[Sarahlouise86]

So I'm now 20 weeks and feeling happier about starting to buy some bigger bits for the baby. Only problem is I'm really at a loss about what I need. This is my first and I'm really not very clued up on what are 'essential' newborn things. I'm also wondering if given the current situation, ordering some products may be a bit more difficult in the next few months as even some online retailers are closing. I was hoping to go to shops to try things out but that's not happening anytime soon

So my list so far is a pram, car seat and a bedside crib. Anything else? Hoping to buy a couple of bits a month between now and July to spread the cost! Any suggestions for particular products I've heard good things about the snuzpods and baby zen YOYO but there are sooooo many options.

Also as I've been told it's unlikely I will be able to do to antenatal classes, any online recommendations?

Thank you 🙏

Hey 🥰 not sure if this might help out? Its a list of the things i've gathered together from other threads as I'm a first time mum so very clueless 😳

All the best xx

Ahh the pic isn't uploading of my list 😒

I'm after the same advice.

I’m also 20 weeks (due in August) and have made my own little list on the notes app on my phone and am ticking them off when buying. I’m also making a little note of roughly how much I wanted to spend on the bigger things. Luckily I got the travel system just before lockdown so was able to try in shops but everything else will be online purchases. I’m a HV so spend a lot of time around babies and therefore felt fairly confident making my list but who knows if it’s any good or not This is what I put on my list, if it helps? I tried not to put too much as can always get more afterwards and especially things like clothes will be gifted and can be picked up from anywhere.

Main items:

• bedside crib
• pram
• infant car seat
• baby bath / bath seat
• stretchy sling
• haaka breast pump (or any breast pump if BF)
• bottles / steriliser (if formula feeding / planning on expressing)
• thermometer

Clothes:

• Vests (one small pack in each size: newborn, 0-3m and 3-6m)
• baby grows (same as above)
• sleeping bag
• extra large muslins to use as blankets
• 2 thin cardigans
• pramsuit / coat in bigger size

So I've literally just bought my pram as the lead times are ridiculously long now due to current situation. Made me feel a little more excited at least xx

Here is the list from earlier that wouldn't upload 😊 xx

Thank you @Nfblues, that’s a great list. So many things I hadn’t even thought about like a baby bath! I’m due on the 16th August so you must be around the same time as me 😊

Im definitely planning on breast feeding if I can, so a breast pump is a good idea too. I was hoping to be able to express enough so my husband could do one feed in the night but I was told not to count on that being possible 🤷‍♀️

I know my mum, mum in law and sister are going crazy on the clothes so not worried about those for the time being but I’m guessing they won’t get the practical bits like muslin clothes.

This is going to sound ridiculous but how do you dress a baby in August? I mean I’m up north so it’s not exactly going to be boiling but you usually see babies all wrapped up coming out of hospital and I didn’t want to buy anything too warm if they don’t need it.

Thank you for your help!

Thank @TTC1993, just saved a copy of your list. I had to google what a cellular blanket was 🙈 and I had completely forgotten about some kind of swing. There’s so much I just hadn’t thought about, I’m definitely going to start picking up a few things here and there.

I want to try to breast feed but I really like the idea of my husband being able to give him a bottle as well so just need to decide whether to invest in bottles, prep machine etc.

If you’ve got everything with a tick then you’re doing really well! So far I’ve got a pack of baby grows 😂 xx

There is a good list on MN which I used, here:
www.mumsnet.com/pregnancy/newborn-essentials

I ordered all of our stuff this week as like you am not sure how easy it’s going to be to get hold of things over the next few months.

@Beau2020 I had heard prams might be the difficult things to get so it’s top of my list. I’m just looking online at Jojo mama Bebe and John Lewis and they seem to all be in stock and readt for delivery but don’t want to risk it. I don’t really know of any local shops near me that do prams so I guess they are my main choices.

It still doesn’t feel real that I’m pregnant, I’ve had a lack of symptoms throughout (except peeing every 5 minutes) so I think buying something big like a pram will defiantly help me feel a bit more excited! Xx

Remember, anything you don't have you can likely order for next day delivery. I bought a breast but never used it. I bf for 10 weeks.

I couldn't use my sling until around week 5 as had an EMCS. So this could also wait a while.

Things I would recommend

• pram / travel system
• changing bag
• bedside crib
• light blankets
• plenty of muslins
• a grolight. (it's the best thing I bought as it doesn't wake baby in the night too much and you can still see what you are doing!)
• a nappy disposal. I would have been lost without my angel care. I buy the compatible bags now, 6 for around £13. That lasts me about 4 months. I have a 6mo son.
• changing table was a last minute purchase as I had an EMCS and couldn't bend down
• buy yourself a nice water bottle. You will be amazed how difficult it is with a newborn to drink. Especially if you are home alot by yourself like I was. My DH used to fill my 2l water bottle and make me a tea in a thermal cup before going to work.

For an August baby, I would dress in a sleeveless vest and then a sleepsuit on top. If going out wrap a cellular blanket over . My baby was born beginning of sept and this seemed fine.

• buy a pack of wipes and a pack of nappies and hide them. These will be for when you run out completely, but no wait! This should buy you a day or two to get yourself sorted
• same with washing powder
• my baby would need changing (clothes wise) about 3 times a day. So plenty of vests and babygrows.
• baby thermometer and bath thermometer
• baby towels

Good luck for the rest of your pregnancy!

• I bought a breast pump. Not a breast. That would be bizarre!!

Oh! Few more things

,- bottles and formula , in case you are unable to bf.

• breast like tommee tippee dummies/soothers. I bought some but though oh I won't use them. Well my DS decided to be on me for hours at a time just for comfort. So out came the soother. It was a miracle.
• lanisoh cream if you are breast feeding.

I think 'stuff' is all very person dependant.

I am 35 weeks now, and haven't bought half of whats of the lists above, but have bought different stuff.

Baby bath - haven't bought, planning to just use sink or actual bath
Breast pump/sterliser etc - haven't bought. Have bought 1 emergency bottle and 4 ready made formulas incase needed. Otherwise plan to breastfeed and buy anything else as needed.

I have bought a pram, but right now it seems slightly OTT seeing as we can't go anywhere, so Baby sling will prob be fine the first few months.

Clothes wise, well baby due beginning May here, but have just bought some sleepsuits and vests, plus couple of cardigans. I figure if its cold they can wear vest, sleepsuit and cardigan. If hot then just vest. Or a combo of each. I would say for August the same would work. I have just bought some multipacks from M and S, they deliver (well do so far), and the quality seems good for the money. All the sleepsuits under 6 months have fold over mittens also. Ps the size 0-3 are big though with them, I had to order some newborn as well as when they arrived 0-3 was actually from 13lbs. Not an issue though as will fit at some point.

I think in the current circumstances certain items might take longer to arrive, but at 20 weeks you do have quite a while for things to change so wouldn't worry too much. The following would cover all basics:

1. somewhere they can sleep and bedding
2. car seat - need to get home
3. some simple clothes

The rest really are nice and handy to have ie baby bouncer or muslin clothes, but if they can't be sourced alternatives are fine ie blanket on floor they can lay on, and an old towel cut up.

Actually one thing I am glad we have bought is reusable nappies. Disposables are currently not always easy to get, and I'm not sure how the situation will be in upcoming months as many made in asian factories. So maybe worth researching them anyway to see what your alternative options might be. But for me right now its one less worry of 'if' thye might be a supply source this summer. Same with formula tbh hence I would like to breastfeed if possible.

Sorry...essay length.

@sarahlouise86 so lucky you've had no symptoms! I feel much better than I did in first trimester. I'm due 4/5th August! I ordered my pram online but if yours are in stock with John Lewis you should definitely be ok! Which travel system are you thinking of? Xx

My dd was born in the heatwave last July. She spent the first couple of months in vests!

My recommendations: loads of big loose cotton t-shirts and stretchy cotton pyjama shorts for hospital. Hopefully you will be in and out pretty quick, but if you stay a few days, comfy cool clothes will really help. Also flip flops for hospital shower. I would also take a 2l bottle of lemonade or something, the hospital water cups are tiny!

Unless you're expecting a big baby, tiny baby clothes. I find baby clothes sizes come up big, DD was in tiny baby until she was about 9lb (born 6lb5oz). You can't go wrong If you buy a ton of babygrows and vests. Maybe one cardigan in case it drops off but I never used mine.

If you have a breastfeeding pillow, take it to the hospital, not just for feeding but so you can sit on it for the car journey home I had an episiotomy and it really helped with the pain.

A breast pump - I had the Calypso which was brilliant, if baby doesn't take to feeding straight away you can use it to express and keep your milk supply up. Also handy so your partner can do a feed while you get some sleep.

We never really used sleeping aids, we would have the radio on very quietly that was it. It could be coincidence but dd is a good sleeper now and will drop off quickly at nap times. I figured if we started using them we would have to keep using them, but every baby is different.

Baby sleeping bags in 1 tog - worth every penny, you don't have to worry about messing around tucking sheets in or baby pulling blankets over their face.

Good luck

Worth pointing out that expressing milk through a breast pump isn’t recommended before 6 weeks so don’t feel like you have to have bought a pump before the baby arrives! Up until this point the baby will be feeding loads to boost your supply and expressing on top of that can cause oversupply as your body makes more milk to replace that which is removed. I started expressing at 3 weeks as my baby was feeding over 20 times a day at one point and I needed to be able to sleep, and ended up with oversupply problems that took months to even out.

A soft haaka style silicone catcher is all you really need in the early days to stick on the opposite breast to baby to catch the letdown and not let it go to waste.

I'm replying so I can keep watch on this post, it's very helpful

@Sarahlouise86 i also had to google half of this 🤣 and i also plan to breast feed but got all this as a back up just incase the baby isn't a breast boy 🥴 im 27 weeks and just buying all this now so your doing fine! Xx