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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Baby essentials?

16 replies

newborncomingsoon · 11/01/2021 15:48

I'm 20 weeks pregnant with my first baby and I've started the shopping! I was really excited for this part but it's actually quite overwhelming and I don't know where to begin.

What were your absolute essentials and couldn't have done it without?

Thank you!

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This thread is a little old now so some of the suggestions may be out of date, but if you’ve landed here looking for the ultimate baby essentials checklist, we’ve recently updated our newborn essentials article with the must-haves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. Flowers
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boymum88 · 11/01/2021 16:26

A very basic list
*Pushchair/ travel system
*Car seat
*Something to sleep in like a next to me or Moses basket
*play mat for tummy time
*clothes - vest- sleep suits

  • depending on how u plan to feed but if bottle then steriliser / bottles
  • one or two dummy's just incase *nappies / wipes
  • swing or bouncer
  • baby blankets *grow bag *muslins
  • room thermometer / baby monitor
  • nappy bin Sure loads more to add
Mimba1 · 11/01/2021 17:50

Can someone explain what clothes you actually need and in what sizes? I get confused about vests, sleepsuits, bodysuits, babygros... are these different? Do I need them all? Very happy to just buy the basics I'll definitely need and top up but I don't know what I need! I hadn't realised I was so clueless until I started trying to buy stuff...

RunnerDuck2020 · 11/01/2021 18:31

I am in the same position at 22 weeks and finding it quite overwhelming thinking about all the things we need to buy. I also don’t understand the difference between vests / baby grows etc. and what sizes to buy things in 🤷‍♀️ every time I look at baby clothes I just get drawn towards the cute little socks but do babies actually need socks, aren’t their feet covered by the baby grows?!

User0ne · 11/01/2021 18:52

I'm due dc3 in march. You don't need most the stuff shops or people on here will recommend and most the baby won't touch until they're 3m+ anyway so it's fine to hang fire.

For dc3 I have:
Nappies
10 of each type of baby grow (10 with legs and long sleeves, 10 no legs and short sleeves)
An outdoor baby grow/coat thing
A sling (left from DC 1 and 2, probably won't use til 4m)
A carseat
10 muslin cloths
2 baby wearing tops (better than a sling for newborns)
Blankets for cosleeping

Most things can be delivered next day via Amazon if you need something last minute.

Clothing wise I've bought newborn size (both dc1 and 2 needed a size down from that initially but maybe this one will be bigger and as I said; next day delivery).

boymum88 · 11/01/2021 19:00

It's very confusing ( I used google a lot)
I've added a pic from the gro website but
It all depends on the weather. But basically body suits or called vests can be sort or long sleeved and go under sleep suits/ baby grows these are the ones that are long sleeved with covered/built in feet
Newborns don't tend to need anymore but you can choose to put baby in "proper" clothes trousers and top if u want to
Again just a few maybe one or two packs of first size/ newborn and 0-3 months of each, then once baby here and you know the size can buy more x

Baby essentials?
2021ComeAtMe · 11/01/2021 19:08

@Mimba1

Can someone explain what clothes you actually need and in what sizes? I get confused about vests, sleepsuits, bodysuits, babygros... are these different? Do I need them all? Very happy to just buy the basics I'll definitely need and top up but I don't know what I need! I hadn't realised I was so clueless until I started trying to buy stuff...
Vests are the first layer Smile can get them both short and long sleeved.

Then sleep suits/bodysuits/baby grows/onesies are all the same thing - long arms/long legs/usually poppers on for ease.

I would get maybe 6 of each in first size just to get you started (George and Matalan do great multipacks), then 8 of each in 0-3 months.

This worked for us but every baby is different - you may need more if you wash less often than me or baby is particularly sickly.

I packed 3 x vests and 3 x onesies in my hospital bag.

Caspianberg · 11/01/2021 19:08

Clothes wise. Babies generally wear:

Vest or bodysuit - this can be long or short sleeve depending on seasons. They wear them as first layer. They have poppers that go over nappy so they don’t ride up. They are worn under sleepsuit when small, or alone if it’s hot. They have no legs.

Sleepsuit or baby grow is the same thing. Wear vest underneath. They have feet usually, but some come without

Generally under 3 months you only need to buy sleepsuits, vests, and a couple of cardigans. Few socks to go over the top of cold.

eternalflame2020 · 11/01/2021 19:26

This is very helpful! Is there really much difference in newborn the 1 month size? I haven't bought any newborn size and just gone for one month and 0-3...maybe I have made an error!

Bearcub01 · 11/01/2021 19:46

@Caspianberg I have loads of bodysuits long sleeve and short sleeve. Can I wear these with little leggings/joggers and a cardigan. Do I need a vest underneath?
(Baby due end of March)

Caspianberg · 11/01/2021 20:46

@Bearcub01 - by bodysuits do you mean vests? Ie no legs? If so yes. They are the vest, then add leggings and cardigan if you like. But for the first few months you would probably use those underneath a sleepsuit. Then add cardigan ontop

My baby was born last May. It wasn’t that cold, but he was freezing the first month or so. Wore short sleeve vests and sleepsuit daily. I often added thin socks underneath and thick knitted ones on too as his feet always cold. Then cardigan.

From about 3 months we mixed up and added leggings some days and sleepsuits the other.

Mother2princess · 11/01/2021 22:13

Babygrows
Vests
Somewhere for baby to sleep
Blankets
Bottles
Muslins
Nappies

purplejungle · 11/01/2021 22:24

Not essentials, but things I really loved/ really helped:

  • tuppence and crumble star wrap - so easy to put on and can be worn in car seat/ sling (unlike most coats).
  • black and white things for baby to look at, 'Etta loves' muslins are lovely.
  • bouncy chair for baby
  • grosnug sleeping bags, can be used from newborn and baby can have arms in (swaddled) or out.

Things I thought were essential but didn't end up using:

  • baby bath (baby much preferred having a bath with one of us in the main bath).
  • 'outfits' - baby much comfier in baby grows when tiny.
GreySkyClouds · 11/01/2021 22:48

[quote Caspianberg]@Bearcub01 - by bodysuits do you mean vests? Ie no legs? If so yes. They are the vest, then add leggings and cardigan if you like. But for the first few months you would probably use those underneath a sleepsuit. Then add cardigan ontop

My baby was born last May. It wasn’t that cold, but he was freezing the first month or so. Wore short sleeve vests and sleepsuit daily. I often added thin socks underneath and thick knitted ones on too as his feet always cold. Then cardigan.

From about 3 months we mixed up and added leggings some days and sleepsuits the other.[/quote]
This is really helpful. Thank you.

MissingCoffeeandWine · 11/01/2021 22:55

In terms of sizes - it all depends on the baby. I cook them small :) so all of the guidance about 0-3 months was lost on me.

My little girl was born in December, weighing 6.5lbs. She wore tiny baby clothes for at least four weeks, then Newborn/0-1 until 3 months old and finally went into 0-3 for a few weeks at 3 months! Other friends babies went straight into 0-3!!

When in tiny baby, we were on size 0 nappies. Which can be hard to find! (I think only pampers do them)

For a baby: I’d recommend at least one multipack of short sleeved vests. Baby grows/sleepsuits (same thing different names). And personally I like having an outfit or two - soft rompers/dungarees etc. and two nice cardigans (but these aren’t exactly necessary!). Newborns need a hat when outside too (but mine never kept them on for long)

Honestly I’d wait to do a “big” shop until you know baba is here safe, and what size they are. As it can really vary!

Star wraps can be really helpful if you are worried about keeping baby warm - in a car seat/arms/sling!

For me. A bouncer was an essential (let me put baby down safely to make a cuppa etc) and a sling (I had a cheap wrap one that I used from birth, but again, the sling you end up wanting, changes based on your baba’s size and needs, so it’s nearly better to hold off on an expensive one and use a sling library for advice when you are ready).

I loved my snuggle baby bath BUT the best thing I got gifted was a sponge bath insert - that I used in it when my baby was tiny. It allowed her to lie tilted but flat and she loved feeling more cocooned, so made the process much easier (think they are about £5 online and £7 from John Lewis).

You will inevitably be gifted blankets - but I did find having two very useful, for the pram, and to line/put under her in lots of places to make soft surfaces to lie on to do tummy time, for bed if co-sleeping.

A folding up changing mat for a bag? (When ever life outside can resume again!)

In terms of toys - babies don’t have any interest in them for months. But the Lamaze ones are great. One attached to our car seat/pram and saved lots of tears!

Muslins- about 10. Mainly used in my house to throw over my shoulder/knees to protect me from baby sick!

This sounds like a lot, but for me, I bought most of it preloved/from other local Mums. Facebook Marketplace is great. The NCT used to do nearly new sales in the UK, currently the are covid closed but in my local area WhatsApp sell and swap groups have popped up - so might be worth asking another other local mums you know.

Caspianberg · 12/01/2021 06:18

Oh and non essential - snow suit or coat for small babies. Even now at 8 months it’s like wrestling a cardboard octopus into something with 2 legs! Layers and blankets fine the first few months.

Not essential but We bought a stokke highchair from 5 months. I wish we bought beforehand and added the newborn part as I never had anywhere handy to put baby when tiny in kitchen dining area without carrying the bouncer chair back and forth.

Wherethereshope · 12/01/2021 07:13

People will buy you the little buts when baby comes like sleepsuits, outfits, toys, teddies. Do just buy minimal sleepsuits yourself. Get newborn (or under a month) and 0-3. They're all scrunched up at the start so the smaller size gets used unless you have a big baby.

Then buy the big stuff yourself- pram, car seat, cot, feeding stuff etc. Definitely a sling, so so so helpful.

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