Baby Essentials

[Toms Mummy]

I've recently found out I'm expecting no.2, it's 3 and half years since we've had a newborn in the house so was looking through the essential baby stuff, and not so essential stuff thread in the pregnancy club section.

I remember having way too much than I needed last time, and ended up taking a more natural approach.

After seeing a comment of the bare essentials (which is really appealing!) on the other thread from a natural mama I wondered what you guys thought are your good and not so good buys for a newborn?

 

[OmiOmen]

I think it always depends on parenting style but I don't think that babies really need very much. It depends on if your co-sleeping, breastfeeding, and baby-wearing for example. So I can't really make a list of essentials because I don't think there is such a thing as a one size fits all list.

I personally don't think that breast-pumps are worth it; I bought 3 last time before I realised that hand expressing was actually a lot more comfortable.

 

[Toms Mummy]

It's nice to hear people's personal needs when it come to parenting, which is why I thought it'd be nice to share?

For me last-time our son was tube fed for a week after birth so the industrial breast pumps at the hospital were great!

 

[OmiOmen]

That makes sense, I didn't start expressing until 2-3 months which makes it a lot easier.

Do you have anything left over that you want to re-use from last time? We will be re-using a few items of clothing we had stored away.

 

[lozzy21]

My cant live with out things were her chair (a birth to toddler rocker). I used to take it to the bathroom with me when i needed to shower, put it in the kitchen while cooking before i got confidant with back carrys.

Muslin cloths (reflux baby)

sling

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Scarlett's essentials have been:

two slings (initially i had a stretchy wrap and a woven. From 3 months i used a SSC.)two needed as one to use while the other being washed.

- infant to toddler rocker for when i shower

- clothes

- car seat

- nappies and wipes (cloth.)

- Muslins

- bedguard for bed sharing.

 

[Toms Mummy]

That makes sense, I didn't start expressing until 2-3 months which makes it a lot easier.

Do you have anything left over that you want to re-use from last time? We will be re-using a few items of clothing we had stored away.

I had to hand express the colostrum straight in to the tube as there's so little of it, it'd just get lost in a pump! I found it such hard work as my breasts hadn't engorged yet!.... Once my milk came in hand expressing was good but the pumps were great!

I have nothing left except all my reusable nappies and my ergo!.... I want to get a few more nappies and a woven sling I need new carset, we had an extended rear facing one, well up to 2 yrs. Also, I'm hoping I can get away without a pram this time, esp for the 1st few months. I've just sold ours!.... Can you tell this pregancy wasn't planned

I just can't remember what I thought was useless and what was really good!

 

[Toms Mummy]

Aah! Muslins! Yes!

I never really thought about a rocker/chair last time.... can't remembered what I used though :doh:

 

[Feronia]

I love the idea of looking at the bare essentials and looking for alternatives for things people typically buy. For me, the essentials are:

-cloth diapers
-a few outfits, hat, gloves (I have too many outfits-- 4 or 5 would be sufficient)
-muslin cloths
-carseat
-Ergo

I don't need a changing table, crib, stroller, etc., or really anything else! It has been fun trying to do things in a minimalist fashion, but it's going to vary considerably for everyone depending on their circumstances. For me, DH and I are on parental leave for a year and live in a 1-bedroom apartment, so we're always here and attentive to LO and don't have much space for extra things anyway.

 

[CMarie]

Love this thread! For us the bare essentials were:

- breast pump: i go to college in the mornings so this was really important!

- amber teething necklace: we put one on our LO at 3 months and he's been wearing it ever since . . we don't even notice when he's teething!

- moby wrap: i thought this was great in the early months, but i would definitely upgrade as LO gets older.

- coconut oil: we used organic coconut oil on LO's cradle cap and skin instead of lotion and we also never bothered with soaps or shampoos.

- a few onesies and sleepers, like PP said, 4-5 was sufficient for us.

That was about it for us Like Feronia, we lived in a 1 bedroom apartment when our LO was born so we didn't have any room for much. We bed-shared, changed LO's diaper on the bed with just a towel underneath, and we didn't use any baby rockers, etc as I preferred to have LO in his wrap. The only other thing that I loved having was a water proof baby carrier. I really loved taking LO in the shower with me just to relax . . he would snooze away in his sling (I think the shower sound was peaceful for him), and it was super relaxing for me to not have to worry about him since he was right there plus the skin to skin with him was always good

 

[Feronia]

The only other thing that I loved having was a water proof baby carrier. I really loved taking LO in the shower with me just to relax . . he would snooze away in his sling (I think the shower sound was peaceful for him), and it was super relaxing for me to not have to worry about him since he was right there plus the skin to skin with him was always good

Wow, I've never heard of that! It sounds awesome -- where did you get it?

 

[lozzy21]

4-5 baby vests and babygrows was no where near enough for us, she could go through that in an hour lol

 

[Toms Mummy]

Thanks for your replies! Tehy're really good!

I love the idea of looking at the bare essentials and looking for alternatives for things people typically buy. For me, the essentials are:

-cloth diapers
-a few outfits, hat, gloves (I have too many outfits-- 4 or 5 would be sufficient)
-muslin cloths
-carseat
-Ergo

I don't need a changing table, crib, stroller, etc., or really anything else! It has been fun trying to do things in a minimalist fashion, but it's going to vary considerably for everyone depending on their circumstances. For me, DH and I are on parental leave for a year and live in a 1-bedroom apartment, so we're always here and attentive to LO and don't have much space for extra things anyway.

I know what you mean about a change table!... Ours ended up as a storage cupboard under the stairs and we changed Tom on the bed! Tom still co-sleeps but has his own bed so we will be helping him transition so baby has room in the bed. But then again we manage to get the 3 of us and the dog in atm so maybe it'll just be the dog who is kicked out!

 

[OmiOmen]

We needed a lot of vests and sleep-suits too. I almost never used the changing table though and won't be getting another this time either.

 

[Toms Mummy]

Love this thread! For us the bare essentials were:

- breast pump: i go to college in the mornings so this was really important!

- amber teething necklace: we put one on our LO at 3 months and he's been wearing it ever since . . we don't even notice when he's teething!

- moby wrap: i thought this was great in the early months, but i would definitely upgrade as LO gets older.

- coconut oil: we used organic coconut oil on LO's cradle cap and skin instead of lotion and we also never bothered with soaps or shampoos.

- a few onesies and sleepers, like PP said, 4-5 was sufficient for us.

That was about it for us Like Feronia, we lived in a 1 bedroom apartment when our LO was born so we didn't have any room for much. We bed-shared, changed LO's diaper on the bed with just a towel underneath, and we didn't use any baby rockers, etc as I preferred to have LO in his wrap. The only other thing that I loved having was a water proof baby carrier. I really loved taking LO in the shower with me just to relax . . he would snooze away in his sling (I think the shower sound was peaceful for him), and it was super relaxing for me to not have to worry about him since he was right there plus the skin to skin with him was always good

We never used an amber necklace last time, I think they're not reccommended around the neck anymore but will have a look as have heard great things about them!

I love using just natural products on Tom, we're big Weldeda fans, I love the smell!

The waterproof wrap sounds like a great idea!

 

[CMarie]

The only other thing that I loved having was a water proof baby carrier. I really loved taking LO in the shower with me just to relax . . he would snooze away in his sling (I think the shower sound was peaceful for him), and it was super relaxing for me to not have to worry about him since he was right there plus the skin to skin with him was always good

Wow, I've never heard of that! It sounds awesome -- where did you get it?

I ordered it online from here: https://www.wrapsodybaby.com/shop/proddetail.php?prod=water If you search "water proof baby carrier" in Google, there's a lot that shows up from wraps to sling carriers

 

[Pixxie]

I've been thinking about this too recently and I think next time I'll need:

About 30 cloth nappies (Inc all accessories)
New wrap (although I could go without a new one since I have a few I'd like a new one)
14 vests and onesies
Few cardigans
Coat for bubs
Cradle to go next to the bed (still not sure about this one but think I'd get a secondhand one just in case)
Amber teething necklace
Changing bag with changing mat
Car seat

And thats about it! Don't need pram, baby baths, bouncers, changing tables, toys etc its all rubbish