What do I need to buy?

[SheWillBeLoved]

I'm sure this has been done a million times before, and I apologize for my laziness in not searching but has anyone got a list of the basic things we'll need for our first baby?

I have my 20 week scan in 9 days, and if all is well, then we're going to start getting a move on in terms if buying things.

I have no idea where to start left to me, I'd just go and buy some cute baby grows and booties I don't want to be buying lots of useless things that we can really do without for now.

Any help would be much appreciated TIA

Car seat to get home from hospital
Transport device of choice - pram/pushchair/sling
Sleep device of choice - crib/moses basket/cot and mattress
Bedding - 4-6 fitted sheets, 4-6 flat sheets, 4-6 blankets (including some for pram perhaps)
Rear end - nappies, wipes, cream, optional disposal receptacle for disposables or soaking bucket if reusable nappies.
Food end - possibly a breast pump and a couple of bottles, as well as some sort of sterilising gadget for the microwave.
12 muslins
6 cheap newborn size vests and babygros
Hat and scratch mittens
3 newborn size cardigans or jackets
Baby soap or baby bubble bath
Packet of cotton wool balls

That's about all you need.

like hedgewitch's theory
but bear in mind that a newborn can get through a vest and sleepsuit at every single nappy change, and her lovely list (which does look spot on to me, no arguments there) will in fact last you a day and a half

You would probably be better asking what you don't need, as I always remember all my useless buys, but forget what I actually did use.

Wracks brain . . . don't bother with nappy bins, and I thought my feeding chair & stools was a complete waste of money. When babies are very little, they don't really need proper baby clothes - I always used babygros & vests for at least the first month (although I didn't really take DC out much in the 1st month anyway). (Also, I always got so many gifts of baby clothes, its not worth buying beforehand). I found baby baths a waste of time - if you can borrow one, great, but by about 8 weeks I was bathing DC in the big bath, using a foam support. Same for baby changing stations - a change mat on the sofa / bed always did just as well.

Car seat & pram are essential - although no need for expensive ones. I never bothered with moses baskests (or the associated stand), as DC slept with me in bed - not everyone agrees with co-sleeping though - and during the day I had a reclinable baby chair / bouncer thing, which is can lie flat.

It may be worth contacting your local NCT to see if they have any local sales of 2nd hand baby stuff.

Oh yes, forgot changing mat!
Kitchen sink excellent for bathing babies - makes life much easier because you can lay out everything you need nearby.
Poos are very runny in the early days so leaks into clothes common. You get lots of gifts of clothes so it's not worth chelling out much.

Bought loads of unnecessary stuff before dd was born and wasted all our money

Pg with number 2 ans just thinking about vests and babygros socks and hats, snuggly things.

Not bothering with a pram going to use the sling mostly (bugaboo can stay in the loft) will sue dds buggy when too heavy for sling.

Will dust off moses for 1st 6 months, am co-sleeping mostly if bf this time though. Get a few bottle if you want depend on your chosen feeding method.

Couple of stretchy blankets for swaddling, a few muslins, then a couple of gro-bags for sleeping and few bed linen sets for the cot/moses.

Car seat essential.

You DON'T need;

A special baby bath
A top and tail bowl
An expensive overpriced travel system
Umpteen blankets
A changing station

In terms of car seat / pram, it has been a few years since I bought mine - so not sure what is out there these days.

It depends on what your lifestyle is - ie will you walk most places, or drive a lot? If driving a lot, it can be handy to get a travel system where the car seat can lift on to the pram, because it saves you distubing the baby by lifting them out of their seat & into the pram (especially if they are asleep).

I also got a car seat which fitted onto a base in the car - it saves you having to reach over the baby and faff around with seat belts (not good for weak post natal backs).

What width is your front door? Will the pram fit through? Do you have storage space for a pram? If space is tight, an umbrella style folding one is good. Also, if you are going to be lifting in and out of the car alot, you don't want anything too heavy.

I actually borrowed a pram and car seat from a friend to begin with, and it was a really useful exercise in realising what I needed (and what didn't work for me).

FWIW I got the Mamas & Papas Plicko pramette, with the car seat & base, have been very happy with it, and still use it - even though my second DC is now almost 2!

No need to buy matching change bag or footmuff for the pram - waste of money. (In fact a lot of change bags are overpriced, and have a load of useless kit in them - TK Maxx do quite good ones).

and good luck hedge...