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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

what will i need for newborn?

96 replies

trishpops · 04/02/2008 09:23

bit boring but i thought this would be the best place to ask.....this is what we have got, what other essentials should i get in preparation for baby's arrival?
we have nappies, muslins, bottles, breastpump, plenty of clothes, cotton wool, sudocrem, babywash, sponge, towel, cot+mattress,bedding, moses basket, car seat, pram/buggy thing, blankets and sunshield for car as baby due in may.
i stil want to get other things like nappy bags and thermometer, but is there any other essentials you can recommend?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

speak2deb · 04/02/2008 09:26

Not sure what bedding you have, but if I could go back in time I would have just bought a few fitted sheets, a few blankets and a ouple of bed bags. I've never used any of the top sheets that I bought and hardly any of the thousands of blankets that I got.

If you're breastfeed get some lanisol (or similar nipple cream). I also found those get-filled breast pads that you put in the fridge really useful in the first painful two weeks.

nervousal · 04/02/2008 09:34

If you are breastfeeding then you'll need breast pads to stop those embarrassing leaks!

Simple answer to "what do I need for a newborn?" - nowhere near as much as you think you do.

Oh - and I think sudacrem is made by the devil - horrible nasty stuff which made my dd's bum even worse - I swore by conotrane

lapinindetention · 04/02/2008 09:38

I preferred the Avent nipple cream to lanisol because I found the latter too thick and hard to apply, but I think that's just personal choice.

Re nappies - if you are using disposables - you will need loads but I would say don't buy too many, because some brands fit better than others. I gave my friend an almost full pack of Pampers because DS always leaked with them - Huggies were a much better fit. She had the exact opposite with her DS!

Umm... changing mat? nappy bag?

Original poster

trishpops · 04/02/2008 10:01

got breast pads, got changing mat and nappy bag, only bought 4 sheets and 2 blankets for cot as thought i wouldn't need too many (can always buy more if needed). i have got a mixture of nappy brands as people are giving me ones on offer! have got about 150 nappies, want to switch to reusable fairly soon, but was advised by friend to make life easy for myself in first few weeks and use disposables.
thanks for the replies, i'm trying to take the "less equipment, less stress" approach and only really wan to buy things that will make life easy for us, so it sounds like we're pretty much on track with what we have.

OP posts:

juuule · 04/02/2008 10:10

Presumably you've got babygros or something for the baby to wear.

lapinindetention · 04/02/2008 10:13

You sound very sorted! Make sure everything is unpacked and assembled before the big day because you'll be a bit shellshocked when you get home - it's a big change. And practice getting the car seat in and out of the car.

Remember to take nappies, clothes etc to the hospital - we forgot, and DH had to dash home .

Good luck!

theUrbanDryad · 04/02/2008 10:17

what i really wish someone had said to me when i was in the "nesting" phase of pg:

"Urban, mate, calm down. You don't need a bath thermometer or a plastic holder to stop bananas getting squished. You don't need 509489743 bottles. You definitely don't need that many blankets.

You do need: a sling (if you're planning to bf, one like this or this is fab as you can wander around with baby all snuggled up and have your boob out and no-one's any the wiser), a buggy, a car seat, nappies, a few packets of vests and sleepsuits - don't faff around buying cute little outfits, if it's your first people will give you so much stuff you won't be able to use it all before baby's grown out of it - a bath insert or a plastic tub to stick baby in, a good nursing bra, some breast pads, Lansinoh, lavender essential oil to put in your bath after you've had the baby to help heal your bits, Arnica tablets for the same, cotton wool, nappies and Kamillosan cream. Much more gentle than any of the medicated ones. If your lo has really bad nappy rash, you can make up some camomile tea and clean his bum with that and cotton wool. Works a treat.

As for the sleeping arrangements - is there any chance you can take a side off the cot and push it up next to the bed? Like this (yes, that is my ds there!!) it's much much easier than a moses basket, saves your back bending over and means in the night you can just whip a boob out and bob's your uncle."

Oh, how I wish someone had said that to me. How I wish....

Congrats on your pg - I'll be looking out for your birth announcement!!

knickerelasticjones · 04/02/2008 10:19

looks like you have everything you need!

One thing to think about though - you say you have babywash. Do you mean some kind of soapy / bubble bath product thing for the baby? If so I wouldn't bother using it. The best thing to bathe a baby in is water. Putting any kind of soap product in baby's bath is really not necessary, and I believe (correct me if I'm wrong, somebody!) not recommended.

theUrbanDryad · 04/02/2008 10:21

oh, and if you join the Boots parenting club they give you a changing bag (which is shite) but it has a travel changing mat with it which is awesome. For home, just use a hand towel. Much warmer and means that when you put baby down on it, they don't wee everywhere)

Also - bar towels make excellent burping cloths.

knickerelasticjones · 04/02/2008 10:22

Forgot to say I also didn't bother with the nappy cream for either of my DDs - only bought some when DD1 was six months when she got the tiniest bit of nappy rash. But then I avoided wipes like the plague and only used water on their bums.

theUrbanDryad · 04/02/2008 10:24

i agree with knickerelastic. don't put anything in baby's bath. i used the Johnson's nighttime stuff from birth and it really made ds' skin flare up, and he has mild eczema now leave it till they're at least 12 weeks, and if you must must must use something, Lush do an Ickle Baby Baff which is lovely and mild and makes them smell all yummy. As if babies didn't smell yummy enough.

knickerelasticjones · 04/02/2008 10:29

Didn't notice until I re-read the OP that you are due in MAY - wow you are REALLY organised. (I didn't get most of the stuff you've mentioned until AFTER my DD1 was born - I had a bit of a weird anti-shopping thing going on at the time )

In that case there is one absolute essential - you have got everything you need so now you can relax and try to enjoy the rest of your pregnancy.

And good luck in May!

kayzr · 04/02/2008 10:31

Dont buy a nappy wrapper. It was a complete waste of money you might as well buy a bin and some nice air freshner.
Olive oil is great if your baby has dry skin its what hv suggested to us for ds dry skin and cradle cap and it worked brilliantly.
Good Luck!!

theUrbanDryad · 04/02/2008 10:33

or just put the nappies in the outside bin if you can.

and IMO the most important thing to remember is NOT TO READ PARENTING MAGAZINES!! they are full of advertising that is designed to make you feel guilty about buying your child a second hand pram so you go out and spend thousands on a brand new Farkaboo chameleon in puke yellow. DO NOT READ THEM unless you are very secure in yourself and know that they are full of shite.

kayzr · 04/02/2008 10:36

I agree Urban. Hence the reason we got a nappy wrapper. The adverts made it look amazing, yet you could smell the nappies despite it saying it stopped the smell getting out.

scaryhairycat · 04/02/2008 11:02

Lol, theUrbanDryad at magazines! Hear, hear!

BITCAT · 04/02/2008 11:12

Some baby monitors might be useful, also i would suggest a cushion for breastfeeding, it's much more comfortable it sounds like you got everything really a baby bath and stand, you don't want to be bending over and hurting your back unless you are going to sit on the floor with the bath, thats what i did!!

theUrbanDryad · 04/02/2008 11:37

i was so scared of ds drowning i went in the bath with him! i had a baad case of pfb syndrome though, which is why i wish i'd had a guardian angel pop up and tell me all this!

theUrbanDryad · 04/02/2008 11:39

Actually, one of the best bits of kit we had was this, but we had it given to us to test because dh was working in the industry at the time. it's a really really brilliant bit of kit, and if you splash out on one bit of "non-essential" gear, i'd totally recommend it!

BITCAT · 04/02/2008 12:10

Looks like a fabulous bit of kit, i would have loved one of those when i had mine. Well to bad cause i aint gona be having anymore 4 is enough!!!

daisynova · 04/02/2008 15:25

I would advise you not to buy one of those expensive breatfeeding cushions which cost around £30 in the shops. Get the V cushion/pillow from Argos - at around £6 it does the same job but a lot cheaper!

MrsBadger · 04/02/2008 15:44

less than you think

sharonv · 04/02/2008 15:47

Non essenial thing i found really useful is a swing, was a godsend for a colicy baby, they are expensive though so you could start looking now for a bargain one!

soremummy · 04/02/2008 16:00

I would definately get a cushion if bf... although I managed with a v cushion abd still use it for our co sleeping dd

ThePFJ · 04/02/2008 16:28

Hi Urban, I looked up that Baby Bumpa and really liked it, but on the Boots or Mothercare sites the page links me to I couldn't find it to buy. Any help please? Thanks xx

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