What are the baby essentials?

[NewbieOnTheWay]

Hi Everybody, I am currently 18 weeks pregnant and have just started to think everything through now, what would you say is the most important things to have when baby arrives?

I don't know the sex of the baby and don't have a huge budget. I have been looking at some things online prams etc but they all seem so expensive I was thinking of shopping at Boots so I got money back in points for everything I buy to balance it out a bit.

What are your reccomendations and pet hates please?

Thanks xx

go to thenapppylady.co.uk for advice on washable nappies, they give you tailored advice with no pressure to buy, and you can enter into a huge e-mail conversation with your advisor before you part with any money. if you use washable nappies then you don't need as many clothes for LO as you're washing every couple of days anyway.

i have borrowed a kari me sling for dd2 and it is really good, i don't use it all the time, but if i ever need to calm her down, or can't be bothered to put her in the pushchair then it is brill. i also put it under the pushchair in case dd1 has a fit and i need a way to transport her home, i can put dd2 in the sling and dd1 in the pushchair. i also have an ergo baby carried which i had for dd1, although it wasn't as good as the kari me when she was little. i can still use it now for her though, and it is also brilliant, although it is much more comfy to carry her on my back than on my front.

i have to say i agree with everything people on here have said, this is definitely the best 'what do i need for my new baby?' thread i have read, and i always read them cos i always want to add my twopennoth...

oh yeah, sleeping bags, really good, not essential right away, but essential quite soon, once they work out how to kick their legs just so, dd1 used to be placed feet to foot, and her blanket would end up above her head in the empty bit of cot, serving no one. tk maxx is a good place to get sleeping bags.

oh yeah, a car seat if you have a car. but definitely do NOT buy a 'travel system'. the pushchairs are always really heavy and hard to push and you only ever end up using the carseat bit anyway. best just to buy a car seat on it's own. and they all comply with safety standards, so one that costs £40 is just as good as one that costs £100. a pushchair that is suitable from birth is good. i can highly recommend a mcclaren techno xt, i used that from birth with dd1 and dd2. the raincover fits perfectly to the pushchair, rather than fitting over it, which i think is a huge advantage.

and on that subject we got a cosytoe from shadeababe.co.uk, which is different from other cosytoes, but imo much better. we also have an actual shadeababe which is infinitely better than a parasol, which never actually casts a shadow in the right place for more than 3 seconds. some people don't rate them cos their child doesn't like being covered, but we kept dd1 out of the sun for two summers (born in april) with ours.

sorry to go on, i told you i had lots of opinions...

Muslin squares, muslin squares, muslin squares. And oh, did I mention muslin squares?

Things we bought / borrowed but NEVER used:

--bottle warmer
--moses basket
--nappy bin
--nursing t-shirts / blouses (I just use my normal ones)

Things that have proved absolutely essential:

--my breast pump
--babygros & vests (much more usable than all those cute newborn outfits that people will keep buying you e.g. jeans, tiny shoes etc. I promise they will sit unused in the drawer).
--mobile for the cot
--a taggies blanket for a little later on (became his favourite thing to sleep with)
--dummy (yes I know it's a huge problem in the long term, but can be a life saver & nipple saver in the early days)

Strange the variation of what people consider essential - I had loads of muslin squares and my DD was sick about 3 times in 12 months! I mainly used them later to clean the swings when she got older.

DD never interested in mobile above the cot. Just dug it out - don't get the Tiny Love one the plastic has disintegrated in a couple of years in storage.

Lots of cotton wool - at least 2 weeks its best to use these instead of wipes

Don't buy too many nappies until you know the size of the baby and some babies suit some nappies better than others, one pack of each brand is good idea.

I loved my changing table - but I had a c-section and no way could I have bent down to change nappies. Have a nice wooden one then used for storage and as a bookcase afterwards.

I found a breastpump essential for engorgement although I never fed DD with the milk or gave her a bottle ever. I wish I had just bought a handpump though for the few times I bought my electric. Some people love expressing I hated it.

I came across this for my 3rd baby www.amazon.co.uk/Fisher-Price-Link-A-Doos-Bouncer/dp/B000E5QYW4/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=baby&qid=12331 38081&sr=8-14 and think it was my best buy ever... he was SOOO happy in there.

It's worth spending money on a good buggy and car seat, particularly if you plan to have more children. I think the quinny zapp buggy and a maxi cosi car seat is fantastic for the car - the maxi cosi is a bit pricey but the best we've found (and we've tried a few) and you can just put it straight into the quinny without waking the baby up if he/ she is asleep. The quinny folds up really well, and you get get second hand ones on ebay (we got ours for around £40 and it's great!)

I agree with previous posts - do not buy a changing unit!!!! They just take up space which you'll need later on - and it's much easier just to change the baby on the floor.

If you're buying a cot mobile we've found that this has kept our babies mesmerised www.amazon.co.uk/Mobile-Symphony-Motion-Farmyard-Friends/dp/B00117APB0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=baby&qid =1233138442&sr=1-2 Pricey I know, but agian you can pick them up cheaper on ebay.

Clothingwise, all you need for the first three months plus are vests and babygroes and a couple of cardigans or coats.

Hope that helps!

Good suggestions here - I also want to add that for your first baby, you normally receive a lot of gifts - we had so many clothes, blankets etc bought for ds1 that we had too much for him to wear. You don't need to go out and buy lots of things.....(If you have family and they want to buy a gift for the baby maybe you could ask for bigger size clothes......

If you do buy clothes, don't bother with the newborn size 0-3 months will last a lot longer.

Also, I wouldn't waste money buying lots of baby toys....

Also second not getting a moses basket. Mine went in a big cot from the start - with feet at the bottom it'd ok.

Sleeping bags are fab!

I'd like to add don't even think about breast pumps until the baby is a few months old. I used one too early with my first baby and it messed things up - have never used one at all with subsequent babies and things have been fine.
Also, regarding nappies, I really would not buy re-usable ones until the baby is a few weeks old and you can be sure you're going to be committed to using them. The washing after a new baby is a bit of a shock, and you might find you prefer disposables for a while - do what you can to make life easier for yourself!
Ladymetroland thanks for that link - am off to look into it now!!

I have a question to add. I would like our baby to sleep level with our bed when he/she arrives in May - I'm handicapped and think I'll manage night feeds better if I don't have to move from sitting to standing to sitting too much (can you deal with night feeds this way or do most people find they need to get up and move about anyway?).

We think we will be going back to Australia when the baby is 3/4 months. We were looking at getting a cot with adjustable mattress height, but I'm not sure about that if we're only going to leave it in a few months (there is a cot waiting for us when we go back so no need to take one with us).

Would anyone have any suggestions for something temporary but that could also be height adjustable to level with our bed?

Having had one, this is what I'd do another time:

sling, not pram (my BabyBjorn was fab - he fell asleep in it every time we went out for months) till six months then McLaren pushchair

changing table (second hand from ebay if need be), not mat on floor - my knees still have callouses from many, many nappy changes

baby gym was fab - also bouncy chair

Buy just the clothes you'll absolutely need - a starter pack from Mothercare might do the trick - because you'll get given just loads

After lots of trial and error, I now use Bumgenius reusable nappies - they're great and I'm quite evangelical about them

A sling.

Lots of muslin squares

Lots of babygros

A moses basket so that you've got somewhere to put the baby down safely wherever you happen to be.

Nappies

A freezer full of delicious meals in small portions - things that are easy to eat one handed. Small portions because you might not be hungry and you need to at little and often.

Er - that's it!

Polony - we have one of those 'bedside cots' from mothercare - quite good, but not really a temporary solution.
Would one of these snuggle nests (how cute a name is it?!) be of use to you? www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/detailfash.php?type=FASH&code=A7423&proddesc=Deluxe+Snuggle+Nest&supercatego ry=&branch=&wcategory=&catdesc=&treecode=TRE00009
I've been thinking about getting one for the next baby for those early nights when they just will NOT settle back in the cot....

Some pretty and comfy PJ's for you - not for hospital as they will most likely be spoiled but for afterwards.

You will spend a lot of time in them

One more thing! Those v shaped pillows are great if you're breastfeeding - I think I saw some cheap ones in Primark the other week...

Don't buy any clothes other than a few (say 6 of each) vests/sleepsuits in sizes newborn and 0-3 months. Everyone loves to give clothes to new babies and you'll probably get way more than you can use.
If you do decide to get a steriliser, the Tommee Tippee one is good value as it comes with a couple of bottles.

Don't buy any toiletries, newborns don't need them. Nappy cream like sudocrem is probably a good idea but baby bath, talc, lotion etc are all a waste of money IMHO.

Borrow whatever you can.

The only things I would say to definitely get new are a car seat and mattress for cot/moses basket due to safety reasons.

Go to Mothercare and try out a load of prams/buggies. We ended up getting ours mainly as it was the only one I could manage to fold up! If you can borrow one from a friend, do so and then get a new one yourself when you know what you like/don't like about it. It's impossible to know what you are going to want in a buggy before you've got a baby.

v shaped pillows £5 in ARgos
v good for sitting up in bed

Sorry, just thought of something else! Don't buy any special feeding tops/pyjamas until you've been feeding for a while and know you want them. I had one feeding t-shirt that I found rubbish as it had tiny holes that were in the wrong place and didn't let DS get a proper big mouthful! Much easier to just hoik your clothes around and you soon learn how to do this quickly and discretely.

Nursing pyjamas are a total waste of time. No need to be discrete in the middle of the night. I just wore a big baggy t-shirt and pulled it up.

Oh and a V shaped pillow.

And if it's a winter baby, a bed jacket or something like that for night feeds.

im pregnant with 2nd dc, having given/sold everything from first time round(was not expecting to have another for good few years but hey accidents happen!) the only things we will be buying this time are, a new car seat, sling and mattress.
for breast feeding i also found supposed breast feeding tops uncomfortable so brought some boob tube tops from primark and put them under my clothes to cover my dignity/post baby belly! i had a small electric breast pump not a big fancy one. i found this a huge relief when i became engorged when my milk came in, dd couldnt latch on as was so engorged this was used to take some of the milk out and deflate me!
erm think thats it. have got some plain suits and vests as we got so many clothes last time some things barely got worn once-we ended up with three snowsuits and loads of blankets!

Sling, sling, sling

Honestly, the best thing in the world. I love my Karime (a wrap) as it holds the baby really close and they can go in sideways (like a sling) as a tiny baby then more upright as they grow. However grandparents and dp don't like it as it takes some getting used to working how to tie it so we also have a baby bjorn we got second hand. Ask a freidn with a sling to show you and try hers before you buy. Nweither of mine went in prams untill they were old enough to go in relatively light strollers. Its just SUCH a waste of money getting one of these big travel systems. They sound lik ea good idea as you think you will use them all the way through but you won't as they are so heavy. Just use a sling untill you can get them in a stroller (6 months, earlier if it can lie flat)

slings rock!

Agree with Seeker and MrsBadger re a V-shape pillow/Dream Genii. It's a thing good to get now if you don't already have one as you can sleep with it between your legs whilst pregnant to help support you on your side better.

Did anyone mention a cot top changer? These are a godsend for the back and can be slipped away under the cot when not in use.

I also swear by Grobags and slings too though I'm still on the lookout for the perfect one...

This is the cot you want: http:www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/productdisplayA_324_10751_-1__52459_10001_?cm_sp=product listerpage--endecapromotions--bannerproduct
you put it next to your bed for the first few months and use the bassinet so you don't need to bend down so much. Then when baby get's older you take off the bassinet and use it as a play pen for baby under a year and a travel cot up to 3 years.
Buggy wise it'd go for a Maclaren XT, esp if you'll be travelling earlier on. Graco's are bulky, ugly and don't last more than 1 child (if your lucky!) You don't need a travel system, and it's better to go for the maxi cosi cabrio car seat, which is the safest in it's class. Now you have a pram, car seat and cot all you need is vests and baby grows (tescos are geat and wash well) nappies and a good dvd collection!

Pram/pushchair
Cot
Nappies
Bottle and steriliser
Vests
BabyGrows.
Blankets
Baby sling
High Chair

and my swinging chair was like gold dust to me. It swung baby to sleep and kept her safe and happy while I had a cuppa.

I never used

My baby bath
My changing mat
Special towels for baby

Hmmm - me thinks I may have gone a little overboard, having read all of the above. Woops.

www.newfamilyshop.com babygrows
Agree with all the above - white babygrows for 1st 3.We were loaned moses basket (I bought mew matress) from friend in between children. Would not use again - as found on Ebay a little wooden cot. Have you tried freecycle? Top and tail bucket never used and was expensive to buy....baby only needs water to wash with. I had breast pump, got electric one. Did not use it for first few months but came in really handy - If you do go down that route do invest in glass storage bottles. Oh and yes I wish we had Sky+!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My ds is 4 months and we couldn't live without:
Muslin squares - he's not particularly sicky, but they are great for mopping up all types of fluids
a very basic baby gym - got a mothercare own one for 15 quid. He wasn't interested when he was smaller but he spends up to 30 mins on there now
baby bath support - was given one that has a metal frame with towelling over. Think Tescos have them
Cheap baby grows - primark are 100% cotton but really affordable. It means that if there is a serious nightime explosion you can just chuck the baby grow away!
Supermarket own brand disposable nappies. Just as good & half the price of pampers/ huggies.
2 sleeping bags

Wouldn't bother with:
baby bath
top and tail bowl
changing station - we just put mat on chest of drawers
moses basket - he was out of it by 5 weeks

Have to disagree with scorpio1, though. I didn't have any formula or bottles in the house, being determined to bf. I hadn't counted on a baby that refused to feed from me, despite hours of trying and many, many meetings with bf specialist at hospital. Ended up racing to mothercare 5 mins before closing to buy what we needed to feed him. Might be worth having a couple of cartons of ready mixed formula just in case.

Finally - sex and the city dvd box set!

All you really need, IME, are nappies, clothes, muslins, a sling and a pair of boobs! (oh and a car seat if you're going to use a car ever) ;-)

Then the next thing I'd get would be a moses basket or rocker chair to put them in to sleep downstairs.

Then possibly a bedside cot.

Then a buggy, but not until they're much older so you can get away with a far-less-expensive-than-a-huge-travel-system stroller.