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Pregnancy

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

Essentials to buy or thrift for a baby's first year

14 replies

RowsOfFlowers · 13/08/2026 18:07

Hello! First time mama to be here.
I don’t have much experience being around babies, so could anyone make suggestions for all the things that we need as new parents for the first 6 months to a year? I am starting to compile a list.

I am hoping to thrift a lot of it I.e.fb marketplace, Vinted, eBay etc. But appreciate some of it I may need to buy brand new!

Many thanks!!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
SleepingStandingUp · 13/08/2026 22:16

We used a carrycot downstairs as baby slept down stairs until we went to bed at normal time, then a small cot in our room for overnight.

Bouncer chair.

Muslins.

One of those raised bath inserts so baby has some support other than your hand at bath time. Baby bath that is big enough for the bath insert.

Baby grows by the hundred weight

GrannyTeapot · 13/08/2026 22:20

A really simple bouncy chair is best, no bells and whistles needed. A wrap-around sling is an absolute lifesaver, and by far the best for your back. Some books. Good thermometer.

FanSpamTastic · 13/08/2026 22:22

On the buy front - car seat, cot mattress, carry cot.

On the thrift front - nursery furniture (cot, drawers, wardrobe, rocking chair etc can all be cleaned up). I’d also thrift things like clothes and toys once they are past 3 month stage.

if you want a really fancy pram then maybe look at second hand options - but I’d try to get one that faces toward you.

geminigalx · 13/08/2026 22:44

Baby bjorn bouncer - I couldn’t stomach paying full price but got one from FB marketplace for £30 and it saved my sanity!

RowsOfFlowers · 14/08/2026 07:21

geminigalx · 13/08/2026 22:44

Baby bjorn bouncer - I couldn’t stomach paying full price but got one from FB marketplace for £30 and it saved my sanity!

I’ve been looking at these. Which one did you get?

OP posts:
ChasingRainbow5 · 14/08/2026 09:22

The best thing I ever bought was a Rockit for the pram, so they stay asleep when you stop walking. I bought it new so I could return it if it didn't work but you'd get one second hand.

I bought pretty much everything second hand, bundles of clothes on Vinted are so much cheaper. Car seat and mattress were my two non-negotiables, had to be new, and of course we got gifts but other than that I don't think I got anything new.

MrsMoastyToasty · 14/08/2026 10:08

I didn't buy a special bag to carry all the baby bits when we went out. I bought a messenger style bag (which was a lot lighter too) from a cheap shoe shop for a change of clothes and a man's box style toiletries bag hor the spare nappies.
I also didn't buy "nursery" furniture. I had standard bedroom furniture from second hand shops which I painted white.
When DS grew out of his cot i bought a standard single bed (with a truckle bed underneath) and got a safety rail rather than buy a toddler bed. I couldn't see the point in buying twice in a couple of years.
One thing I did do was get an electrician to fit a dimmer switch for the main light in the nursery.

MinnieMountain · 14/08/2026 11:13

If I had my time again, I'd buy the vast majority of clothes second hand.

DS went from a cot to a double bed as that's what we had in the spare room when I was pregnant. It was very handy when he was a toddler.

didgeridid · 14/08/2026 11:21

We have a "poo bucket"

They have evolved over the years as they break or kids grow but essentially a basket/tub filled with nappies,wipes, muslins, poo bags, change of clothes when younger etc. we have one in our room and one downstairs so we don't have to keep going backwards and forward

ETA

We just used a rucksack for going out. Baby changing bags are bulky and can't fit everything needed. Rucksack is lightweight and fine for dad too.

ChasingRainbow5 · 14/08/2026 12:11

didgeridid · 14/08/2026 11:21

We have a "poo bucket"

They have evolved over the years as they break or kids grow but essentially a basket/tub filled with nappies,wipes, muslins, poo bags, change of clothes when younger etc. we have one in our room and one downstairs so we don't have to keep going backwards and forward

ETA

We just used a rucksack for going out. Baby changing bags are bulky and can't fit everything needed. Rucksack is lightweight and fine for dad too.

Edited

Seconding a rucksack, and poo bucket is genius. Expecting my second and living in a house now (as opposed to small flat) - definitely implementing a poo bucket!

RowsOfFlowers · 14/08/2026 12:34

MrsMoastyToasty · 14/08/2026 10:08

I didn't buy a special bag to carry all the baby bits when we went out. I bought a messenger style bag (which was a lot lighter too) from a cheap shoe shop for a change of clothes and a man's box style toiletries bag hor the spare nappies.
I also didn't buy "nursery" furniture. I had standard bedroom furniture from second hand shops which I painted white.
When DS grew out of his cot i bought a standard single bed (with a truckle bed underneath) and got a safety rail rather than buy a toddler bed. I couldn't see the point in buying twice in a couple of years.
One thing I did do was get an electrician to fit a dimmer switch for the main light in the nursery.

thank you, some great upcycling there. Great idea re dimmer light switch.

OP posts:
RowsOfFlowers · 14/08/2026 12:35

ChasingRainbow5 · 14/08/2026 12:11

Seconding a rucksack, and poo bucket is genius. Expecting my second and living in a house now (as opposed to small flat) - definitely implementing a poo bucket!

That’s a good idea. Although when I first read poo bucket I did wonder 😅😅🤪🤪 maybe changing basket sounds better lol x

OP posts:
Undercoverpepsicola · 14/08/2026 13:17

Mattresses (including for the pram carrycot if you get one), car seats and bottles and dummies if you are going to use are the only things you need that need to be brand new.

Absolutely necessities are:
Some way to transport baby - so baby carrier and /or pram. Both are definitely worth trying before you. Find a local sling library to try out carriers and for the pram I’d recommend having a nosy at a big pram centre type store and then buying second hand. Imo it’s worth buying a really good pram, especially if you’re buying second hand, but a really good pram is the one that going to fit your family and lifestyle best so have a think about how you’re going to be using it most - popping it in out the boot if the car all the time or lots of time on public transport ? Big long walk over different terrain or zipping about the city centre?

Somewhere for baby to sleep - if you can fit a cot in your room, I’d recommend just putting them down in the cot from day 1. Less to buy and one less transition for them that could potentially disrupt their sleep.
For naps I just put them down in the carrycot from their pram or on a blanket on the floor (and soak up all the cuddled in contact naps you can ☺️)
You’ll also needs sheets, a mattress protector and a sleeping bag plus a spare of each for when the have a blowout/ their nappy leaks/ they spit up all over them in the middle of the night 🥲

Something for them to wear: Buy a bunch of sleepsuits and vests and maybe a couple of cute outfits for showing them off and taking pics. After having had a sicky baby who could get through a dozen outfits a day I always recommend buying more clothes than you think you’ll need, they cost next to nothing second hand and take up very little room at that age. Have loads of newborn and 0-3 and maybe a pack of tiny baby. A few little cardigans a couple of hats and a maybe a pramsuit depending on the time of year.
not clothes but a couple of cellular blankets and a fleece or knitted one is useful too

Feeding - Loads of muslins. Some bibs (a find the hanky/triangle type dribble bibs best pre solids). About 8 bottles, a bottle brush, some way to sterilise them if they’re the pop in the microwave kind and one or two tubs of formula if you’re planning to bottle feed.oh and the next size up teats are helpful to have in before you need them. Not technically a necessity but a perfect prep or rapid cool or something similar is a sanity saver if you do end up bottle feeding.
You don’t strictly need anything for weaning but a basic highchair ( I prefer the basic folding ones to the ikea one) and an allover type bib is helpful. And little tubs to freeze baby size portions of things are useful too.

Nappies - buy a couple of packs of size 1 and a box of wipes but don’t stock up if you’re using disposables. If you’re using cloth I believe there are nappy libraries similar to the sling libraries. A little fold out travel changing mat is really helpful too.

Bathing - a really basic baby bath and something to support them in it. Plus some way to trim their nails and maybe a little brush in case they arrive with a full head of hair You’ll probably get gifted all sorts of lotions and potions and they don’t need them right away anyway so I wouldn’t buy anything like that except maybe a tube of nappy cream.

For you: Maternity pads/ or pants, breast pads and a peri bottle. I always recommend an insulated cup like a stanley or a good travel mug you can drink out of with one hand while lying in a weird position and stocking up on a bunch of your favourite easy snacks before baby arrives 😁

Other bits : a bouncer seat is good but don’t spend a lot - some babies love them, some hate them.
A couple of toys and books but you’ll provably get these as gifts too.

And after all that I’ll say as long as bay is fed, clothed and has somewhere safe to sleep, you can figure the rest out as you go.

Undercoverpepsicola · 14/08/2026 13:19

didgeridid · 14/08/2026 11:21

We have a "poo bucket"

They have evolved over the years as they break or kids grow but essentially a basket/tub filled with nappies,wipes, muslins, poo bags, change of clothes when younger etc. we have one in our room and one downstairs so we don't have to keep going backwards and forward

ETA

We just used a rucksack for going out. Baby changing bags are bulky and can't fit everything needed. Rucksack is lightweight and fine for dad too.

Edited

A poo bucket is definitely really helpful too! If you’re like me and if you drive something similar in the car for when you inevitably forget the changing bag is helpful too 😅

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