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Pregnancy

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

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?

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
debinaustria · 04/02/2008 16:29

urbandryad - can I just ask - is that a special bedside cot or a normal one with the side off? It looks similar to an Ikea one where the side comes off. How long did you have baby in with the side off?

MrsBadger · 04/02/2008 16:35

we had a normal one and took the drop side off too - much cheaper than a special bedside one (esp as it was secondhand)
it did need an extra screw or two to keep it all together though

LadyVictorianSqualor · 04/02/2008 16:58

Ha! I'm due in April and all I ahve so far is my sling

Can you tell it's my third?

This layette list was one a lady on my antenatal thread was given by a maternity nurse that I altered to cut out non-necessary items.

*Cotton sheets minimum of 2 (one in wash, one on) for your Pram / crib or Moses basket, cotton or cotton Jersey but not flannelette.
*Cotton cellular blankets minimum of 2 for your Pram/crib or Moses basket.
*Small hand towel x 2 for top of changing mat(old towels of your own would do fine, this is just to get peed and pooped on!! just wash them with some nice fabric conditioner)
*White Baby gro?s x 6 cotton or velour, in april it will still be quite chilly at nights
*Cotton vests x 3 if a summer baby and 6 if a winter baby, with popper fastenings (under bottom) envelope necks and short cap sleeve.
*Cardigans x 2 Cotton or wool. (Depending on summer or winter baby.)
*12 bibs, with velcro or ties, ties are fine if they are to be used during the day, babies shouldn't go to sleep with bibs on anyway and velcro can irritate the babies neck.
*Hats, all babies need hats when newborn, whether summer or winter, scratch mits help stop baby from scratching their eyes.
*Baby bath towels x 2, you don?t have to buy special ones any small towels will suffice!
*Baby thermometer. The digital ones that take a reading from the baby?s ear are best. (Not the strip type)
*Changing mat
*baby bath if you want but a washing up bowl/kitchen sink does just as well, it is also easier to bath baby with you, they 're wriggly little bleeders that scare you to death when tryin to hold any other way, they will however happily lay on your legs in the bath with you.
*Baby nail clippers or scissors/or bite them, I did!!
*a bag big enough for nappies, cotton wool, a clean set of clothes and a bottle.(i'll be using my quiksilver shoulderbag)
*Small bottle of olive oil.(great for baby massage)
*Jar of zinc and castor oil, just as good as sudocrem, if not better and a quarter of the price (for nappy rash)
*Hair shampoo suitable for babies or baby wash that can do both.
*A minimum of two large packs of cotton wool balls
*At least two packs of nappies, suggest trying each brand, huggies are the btter of the well known brands but sainsburys own are very good.
*Baby flannels/baby sponge, the special sponges (from boots/superdrugs and the like) do not dry out and are amazing, good for skin too.
*Dummies x 2(if you are going to use them), do not go and buy tons of dummies in newborn shape, many babies spit them out and will only take a dummy of the cherry variety.
Breastpadstrampolines/maternity sanitary towels.
pram/pushchaircot/moses basket/crib-IME either get a moses basket or crib, if at all, they are out of them by the time they can sit up.
*Sling if you intend to use one, or material if you're going make your own!
*Some form of coat, probably not a snowsuit, will just overheat the baby by April

Bottle-fed babies
*At least 2 packs of baby formula, Aptimil, SMA Gold, etc; I also suggest you purchase small boxes of ready made formula just in case.
*Six baby milk bottles (large 9 oz) I think boots still do a cold water steriliser which includes bottles.
*Milton sterilising fluid/tablets if you're using a cold water steriliser.
*Newborn slow flow teats.
*Steriliser(either cold water) or the microwave ones.
*Bottle brush

Breast-fed babies
Nipple cream, lansinoh is best
*Extra breastpads, your boobs will leak longer than bottle feeders obviously!
*Nursing bras
*Scarf or blanket or muslins for covering up when feeding if you're shy about it.

Then of course the big things, cot/buggy/car seat.
(I wont be bothering with a baby chair or a moses basket this time, never used them with the other two, babies much prefer laying on the floor and being able to move around).

HTH

LadyVictorianSqualor · 04/02/2008 17:00

oops my stars went awol so some things are bold and some are repeated!

daisynova · 04/02/2008 18:01

ThePFG - try here

theUrbanDryad · 04/02/2008 18:15

babies r us have the baby bumpa i think.

well spotted, it is indeed an Ikea cot with the side taken off!! i propped it up with books, not being very handy with a screwdriver! he's still in it now, and he's nearly 13 months.

meant to say, i wouldn't bother with a changing table either, they're not on them long, it's far too easy for them to roll off (once they start rolling) and they're extremely expensive (Ikea do a reasonably priced one if you must get one). i always change ds either on the end of our bed on a towel, or on the sofa, or the floor.

LadyVictorianSqualor · 04/02/2008 18:18

Actually UD, was thinking about you the other day and how you'd made your 'bedside' cot, do you reckon a cot bed with one side off would do the same??

theUrbanDryad · 04/02/2008 18:39

no idea VS, sorry. the Ikea cot is only aboufifty quid though, so you could flog your cot bed and buy one of them...

LadyVictorianSqualor · 04/02/2008 19:38

Oh I havent bought a cot bed yet, was just thinking it might be easier and last longer.

Rantmum · 04/02/2008 19:47

Also, don't forget to think about yourself - you will most likely need to have some heavy duty santitary towels in your hospital bag and I found that those really old fashioned big "brick" like ones were MUCH more useful than normal sanitary towels (even the super absorbant ones).

On a different note, I never used the baby monitors that we bought after the first week because I found myself sitting beside them monitoring every breath which made me quite paranoid (and we had a small house - I checked him regularly when he was sleeping and could hear his cry instantly, anyway). But some people do find that they help. Also bought one of those "top and tail" washing things and barely used it. Found the baby bath useful and just used a little pot of warm water to wash him because it was more convenient to carry.

LOVEMYMUM · 04/02/2008 20:46

My LO is due end Feb.

I can't advise on what to buy cos i haven't given birth yet, but i would say only buy what you need for first few weeks, especially clothes. It's easy to go overboard but think about what your daily routine may be, and speak to those who have been thru it before. (Mind you, it didn't stop me stocking up on over 100 Pampers - and that's after i took a pack back to Tesco!)

trishpops · 04/02/2008 23:16

wow thanks everyone! got lots of tips now. must say tho that although it sounds like i'm being organised, it's actually more that i'ma control freak....can't relax until i know i've got everything i will need. eeek, having one of those "shit how am i going to cope" spells. so happy about the baby but so terrified. :-(
going in bath now to relax

OP posts:
BearMama · 05/02/2008 00:22

Lol trish you are not alone, I am due end March and obsessed with stocking up. Have about 120 nappies so far and can often be found wandering in Boots muttering "Muslin Squares...cotton wool"

BTW I got the free changing bag today from Boots. "Worth £29.99"?

I dont THINK so

Good to hear the changing mat comes recommended tho...

BearMama · 05/02/2008 00:22

Lol trish you are not alone, I am due end March and obsessed with stocking up. Have about 120 nappies so far and can often be found wandering in Boots muttering "Muslin Squares...cotton wool"

BTW I got the free changing bag today from Boots. "Worth £29.99"?

I dont THINK so

Good to hear the changing mat comes recommended tho...

theUrbanDryad · 05/02/2008 07:51

VS - we didn't bother with a cot bed as we are planning no 2 (and were planning no 2 when i was 30 weeks pg with ds! ) i always think it's a bit mean to chuck dc 1 out of bed in favour of dc2! but i know you're on no4 now or something, so i'm not sure if you're planning more...

anyway, my point really was, just buy a cheap Ikea cot, then move them into a toddler bed when they're old enough. i'm guessing your new lo will be in your bed half the time anyway?

misboo · 05/02/2008 07:57

Whether or not you are breastfeeding buy yourself a cabbage just before you're due or shortly after you return home.

When your boobs get hot and uncomfortable as the milk comes in put a refrigerated leaf down each side of your bra and replace when they're wilting. Honest to god they were even better than the lanisol cream (which was pretty essential for me, it's easier to apply if you warm it on your hand first to loosen it up). It takes the heat right out of them and made breastfeeding so much easier for me, best thing my midwife told me!

As someone else said, breastpads!!!

Also, make sure you've discussed with your partner how many visitors, when etc before baby shows up so there are no awkward "you tell them to leave. No, you do it" moments - you won't want the stress!Don't worry about wanting your own space - it is your baby!

Good luck for May - you are super organised, i'm due then and have got nothing, Mind you it's my second so i have now forgotten everything i will need and am wandering about in misplaced confidence...

misboo · 05/02/2008 08:00

Oh and a tip i read on here (too late for DS but will be prepared for DC2):

steal as many of the huge hospital sanitary towels as you can, they are the best!

lillypie · 05/02/2008 08:04

The most useful thing I had when lo was tiny was a vibrating bouncy cradle.

coastalmum · 05/02/2008 08:56

Hi. Totally agree with whats been said about not using bath products. My youngest is 14wks still bathing him in just water, he's clean and smells deliciously of baby.

I also think baby wipes are evil, my friend cleans her house with them that that powerful. I clean little ones bottom with cotton wool and baby lotion.

My biggest tip would be avoid branded products, own brand are generally just as good but a lot cheaper be it nappies, toiletries or prams.

casbie · 05/02/2008 11:04

hug-a-bub, cloth nappies/bucket/wraps/nappi-nippas, BF councillor, BF bras, vests and baby-gros and a car seat

no bath products (bath baby in bath with you, with just water)

no monitors (carry baby with you or lay down on a thick blanket)

no formula/bottles (really you can BF!)

no pram till 3 mths and baby is really getting heavy to carry with shopping etc

no cot till 8 mths when baby is sleeping with arms and legs a kimbo and no-one can get any sleep, without falling off the bed.

i started out with those lists with my first and now after my third, i've narrowed it down to just the above!

LadyVictorianSqualor · 05/02/2008 11:35

I'm on no3 UD! Have been thinking about no4 already though
Only because of the extra risks of a 4th CS if I have one this time though.
I've emailed some sellers of cotbeds to find out the height of the base, if it matches the height of my bed the I'll get one of those, if not, fuck knows.
I'm sure it's not too hard to put extra holes in the cot to make the base go where you want it to anyway (then no books needed ).
I'm not going to need a cot bed anyway really, DD has bunk beds atm which baby will share with DS when it's big enough for a bed, and she'll have the single room.

frazzledbutcalm · 05/02/2008 14:17

I have 4dc, its great having lots, pleased to see so many more are having more!
Lillypie - my sister has a vibrating bouncy seat and she swears by it.

crabby · 05/02/2008 14:36

The bedside cot idea appeals massively to me. DP (who in general is not a worrier) is concerned that with our V large V fluffy down duvet, it will sneak into the LO's cot and smother him. Is there anyone who can reassure him that grownup duvets stay in the grownup bed and don't try to suffocate LOs? Thanks

casbie · 05/02/2008 15:49

My hubby got the side off the cot and just brought it up to the bed, the difference was minimal and we use a duvet. But, if you are worried just use a sheet for you all or remove the duvet from inside and just use the cover.

Baby will be warm enough just from your body heat and in vest/babygro - so no need to cover him/her.

Sleeping with baby is sometimes the only way to get some sleep, so congrats on practising this from the beginning (and saving yourself a lot of heartache and lack of sleep!!).

Enjoy!

theUrbanDryad · 05/02/2008 17:44

crabby - my dh and i are such duvet hoggers that there was no way ds was going to have any of our duvet! having said that, i have had some scary moments when ds has been in between un halfway down the bed, when he has managed to wriggle under the duvet and go upside down (only discovered when i realised i was trying to bf his feet! ) and when i've beaten dh awake for lying on the baby's head! all in all, it's a miracle ds has made it this far.

my top tips for doing a sidecar arrangement would be: don't sleep with your baby if you're so tired you won't wake up. let your OH have the duvet while you have blankets. put a bed guard (or some rolled up towels as a bolster) between you and the cot so the lo can't wriggle into bed. as well as the normal co-sleeping advice from FSIDS, obviously.