what is actually needed for a new baby?

[coops1989]

so the title really says it all i guess.

I've got a super long time to prepare but it was such a long time ago that i had my kids and i don't want to end up going overboard when i start obsessively buying lol.

And i guess i just want to make myself a list so i can get little bits at a time and not break the bank when the time is right to start.

I'm planning disposable nappies, and going to aim to breast feed (although i have both my nipples pierced will this make a difference? i know ill need to take them out to feed eat)

So what is actually essential for a new baby?

I'd love to see what others have found useful or essential :)

I woild say a good quality sling (not a crotch dangler) and a safe sleeping space (they will never use).

It's so hard figuring out the "need" vs ""nice to have" (& what's a gimmick too!), isn't it?

The only things that really need to be new are the car seat & cot mattress, which can help with costs.

I got a lot of newborn clothes from a friend with a slightly older baby which was very helpful, & now buy most of DS's clothing on Vinted.

I got a Serina swing chair on Facebook Marketplace which has been so useful, as has the musical playmat I bought with the voucher work gave me when I started mat leave. Both have given me my arms back & allowed me to have a cup of tea.

I found a sling useful (I have a Close Caboo which was fantastic from newborn but I'm thinking of switching for a more structured one now DS is a chunky 5.5 month old).

My favourite gift was a Thumble nail file - I'd have never thought to buy one but it's actually made doing his nails far less stressful.

I was given a breastfeeding c-shaped cushion by a friend - really helpful when DS was smaller for positioning. I'd bought a different one secondhand which was far too soft, the one I was given is an ikea one and much firmer.

I didn't buy any pumps etc as I just focused on establishing feeding for the first 6 weeks (we live near a shopping centre so knew I could send DH out for stuff/use amazon if we did need it though). I now use a Haakaa silicone pump & got a Medela Swing recently (£10 on Vinted!).

I second a decent sling. Muslin squares. Nipple cream. Baby sleeping bags. That's about it.

Muslins. Babygros, vests, cotton hats. Soft sling. Somewhere for the baby to sleep and some blankets. I think everything else can wait for a month or two.

It slightly depends what your baby is like, an easy one you can get away with a boob and a blanket and not much else, if sleep or feeding are challenging you might start relying on all kinds of stuff.

Need:

• something to eat:

breastfeeding - lanolin cream, nipple pads, nursing bra Bottle feeding - bottles, teats, formula, sterilising method

• something to wear

Depends on season but vests, baby grows, bibs

• somewhere to sleep

Moses basket if you want something you can move around the house, next to me sleeper if you don't want to move it round, cotbed

• a method of travel

Sling and/or pram and/or travel system with car seat

• hygiene and medical

Baby shampoo Calpol Saline spray for blocked noses Baby wipes Nappies Bum cream

Everyone has the list covered…but to answer your question about pierced nips: shouldn’t cause any issues. Only mildly hilarious thing I found was that once bars were removed, and baby decided to unlatch mid-letdown, the spray goes in some very interesting directions 🙈😂😂 So lots of muslin cloths to hand!

Most things have been mentioned but I also found grobags essential. I was rubbish at swaddling using blankets and DD still sleeps in her bag now at 15 months.

thank you for all the replies!

i definitely was overthinking what i would need.

I know with my other kids i did a lot of second hand baby clothes as i couldnt see the point of spending a lot on something that they grow out of so quickly!.
i'll start looking out on vinted and market place for bits and pieces.

and thank you for the piercing info... i never even considered the fact that milk could come out of the piercing holes lol

This. Except DD didn't like a sling and I had a CS so even that was wasted!

Baby bath tub! We have the skip hop moby and its amazing as it can be altered as newborn grows into toddler. We found it a very safe way of washing baby.

Lots and lots of muslins. Especially large ones!

There's a bit on Kellymom about Nipple Piercing here

And they also have a useful list on things you need to BF here

You can get things so quickly now from Amazon or big supermarkets that there is no need to get things that are a borderline requirement until you know that it will be useful and worth it.
I can't see any point in a baby bath , you can bath them in the kitchen sink at waist height for you until they are sitting in the big bath.I used a sling a lot with two of mine but almost never with my third as I was doing most journeys by car. With my first two I used the pram a lot as well as I tended to do the shopping, recycling, visiting etc on foot. These decisions are based a lot on your lifestyle.

We didn't have a baby bath - used the sink til he got too big, then switched to a foam bath support thing (www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-baby-foam-bath-support/p3435645)

I mainly use the sling for dog walks but DH likes using it around the house - DS often falls asleep when in it which helps!

I got a bundle of preloved muslins on Vinted - about 15 for £1. They were well washed and actually far more absorbant due to this than the prettier new ones we received as a gift.

I'd suggest bibs with poppers, not the velcro ones as they stick to other things in the wash and then the velcro doesn't stay together.

get a good supportive car seat, loads out there are crap fits for babies and put them in terrible unsupportive chin to chest positions. Some good car seat groups on Facebook that will help.
breastfeeding all you need are a few soft nursing bras, breast pads. Your milk is better than any nipple cream!
some where to safely sleep - next to me cribs are good.
sling/carrier/buggy.
clothes - vests and sleepuits mainly!

amazon prime for late night shopping 😂

again thank you everyone!
your all being such a great help!
I'm putting a list together so i can get things i actually need :)

There is a website called GetGetGot and it is all about what you need.

Don't forget a long charging cable so you can still MN on those night feeds!

If you haven't got them already

Dishwasher
Microwave
Tumble dryer (some cheaper heat pump ones are now available)

And if you like to read, an e-reader with a back-light.

Agree just get absolute definitely need and also an Amazon prime account so things you find you do need you can get hold of easily.

This is my second so we already have a car seat suitable for a newborn. We've bought the newborn cocoon to attach to the pram. We still have a baby bath - not necessary but really useful while they're tiny. I've only really bought the basics for clothes, some new bottles (hoping to express this time and breastfeed rather than ebf) and a really good carrier (my old one is worn out and I fancied the really lightweight Baby Bjorn). My first never slept in his next 2 me, so I'm prepared to do safe co sleeping again.

Oh also muslins, swaddles and baby sleeping bag,

And if you like to read, an e-reader with a back-light

That got me through plenty of night feeds and some rainy afternoons

The dishwasher was a bloody godsend too.

I second leaving most stuff and relying on Amazon for speedy deliveries once you get a sense of what type of baby you have.

That said I do think having one set of bottles and a microwave steriliser bag on standby for emergencies is a good idea. Even if an emergency doesn’t strike they’ll be useful months down the line if you want to pump and go out.

Buy more vests and sleep suits than you think you need.

I’ve found a stretchy wrap to be invaluable but lots of people don’t get on with them.

DS quickly turned out to be a Co sleeper so the Moses basket and the Snuzpod were unnecessary.

I strongly recommended buying any miracle cure-all product second hand because they probably won’t work. Love to Dream swaddle ups, sleep nests etc.