What was one thing you couldn't live without when you first had a baby?

[BabyCJuly]

Hi all,

I think I have got most things for baby arrival

18 years ago with my first. Youngest is 5. My needs didn't really change.
Breast pads!
Flannels (cheeky wipes came along and were a godsend!)
Swaddling blankets
Kindle white is a really good recommendation (above)!
Tommee Tippee toes bath with DC3.

A feeding pillow - U shaped which fits around you and helps position and support the baby.

I found it incredibly useful when learning how to breastfeed.

Oh gosh no, my Best Buy was the angel care breathing sensor/ monitor.

I was terrified she'd stop breathing and this was fab!

Scented bags for dirty nappies, you don't want to wake up in a warm bedroom with the nights dirty nappies anywhere near you. Clothes which take you between bed and daytime and which don't just look like pyjamas. Lots of good breast pads if you've breast feeding

Reusable breast pads. My massive boobs found them comfy and less sweaty in the summer when we had that heatwave last year.
Partner to make you a lunch box if they leave for work. Mines would make a sandwich and leave in fridge for me to grab when I could and bottles of water and snacks in every room I might be in. The thirst was unreal and the sugar rush was helpful.
If your breastfeeding, a dedicated area with tv remotes and or tablet to hand. Amazing to get you through the small hours.
All the best!

Thermos flask for tea/coffee/soup

Muslins.. Large enough to swaddle, wind, nursing cover from visitors or when out, sick etc

Downstairs nappy basket with wipes, bags, nappies and a change of clothes with a muslin

Hospital grade rented breast pump.. Had issues and combination fed

Soft sling. I had one that is half made up so you wrap 2 loops then have the pouch which was easier to do on my own than a long stretchy piece I used later on

Also it's not a thing, but I found it helpful to set up a month of weekly food deliveries with what we wanted/needed so it's all done and you can just add to it if need be before it comes.

Good for budgeting, when sleep deprived and you send dh out for shopping and he comes back with chicken nuggets and chips and sweets!

Dd was born a week before Christmas so it was useful sorting out those bits early too

I'd say amazon prime. Especially if it is your first. You won't really know what you need so it's good to order as and when. With my first I bought loads of stuff I thought I would need but really once they were born I was like "oh I could do that XYZ" and half the stuff I originally bought went to waste.

Also, muslins. Can never have too many

www.amazon.co.uk/Silicone-Breast-Pump-Littlebloom-Hands-Free/dp/B07QHDCBWS?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Little bloom silicone breast pump
Amazon prime
Husbands support

Oh and I agree
Muslin
Baby grow
And a changing table (as you do so many nappies doing them on a mat on the floor and bed will do your back in)

Agree with most of the others but when I had my third baby I found Gina Ford - Contented baby book really brilliant - cuts through all the crap and literally had what it said in the title - a contented baby who slept well - it was a breeze compared to #1 and #2 and that despite having to do all the school runs and after school classes for older too (aged 6 &7 at the time) whilst working part time as well.

Would also add thicker muslin/flannel type squares for "head" area of cot sheet so you don't have to keep changing entire cot sheet every time they are sick/dribbley. Tended to use these only when they were very small and not when they wriggled too much though - making sure that you secured them underneath the mattress to stop them coming loose (Elastic straps under mattress maybe)

Agree with "don't bother with outfits" mantra - 3rd child - always in Babygro.

If you don't already just use non bio for everyone's wash - saves time dividing up washing bundles. Try to sort a dedicated indoor drying area if you can - you will be washing exponentially more with each year these kids grow!!! and you want to avoid expense of tumble dryer.

Finally - take time to enjoy - especially if you think/know its going to be your last baby - mine is 18 now and time has flown by ….

one I forgot - changing bag for downstairs and another one for car...although older siblings great at "fetching" things for mummy...!

Perfect prep if ff, absolute godsend
Changing table, only a cheap one from ikea but saved my back (had changed Ds1 on a mat on the floor, was ruinous for my lower back)
Contigo coffee/tea mug, kept my hot drinks hot for 6+ hours instead of multiple cups half drunk & cold
Zip lock sandwich bags for clean/dirty clothes when out & about. Meant I could seal away any dirty items till I got home to wash them (ds2 was explosive)