Things to buy for baby

[katerdid]

This is my first child and I'm at a complete loss of what I should buy and what I won't really need. Can we start a good list?

1. Clothes
2. Diapers
3. Blankets
4. Cribs/Bassinets
5. Strollers/Prams
6. Car Seats
7. Toys/Books/Playthings
8. Slings/Wraps/Carriers

Please share what you've found, what brands you like best, what and when you should buy, how long they last, which is safer, which is more cost efficient, etc. What can be easily found 2nd-hand, what is best buying used, and what is best buying new. How much does it all cost, what should be splurged on...basically anything you can think of.

Also, what do you think people will most likely buy for baby shower presents, what relatives like to buy for the baby, etc.

Feel free to add pictures, websites, and links too. I really want to know everything I can before the big day arrives!

 

[lynnikins]

ClothesYou will need lots of clothes dont just by all newborn size though get some things 0-3 month and some 3-6 month, you dont have to buy all new either as most ppl's secondhand clothes are still in great condition

Diapersthis depends if you go cloth or disposable, if you want to think about cloth theres loads of advice in the natural parenting section ,benifits include them being way cheaper in the long run , better for baby and soooooo cute, if you go disposable then you will want to get the newborn in both 1st and 2nd size

Blanketsdepending how warm you keep your house, i find cotton cellular blankets best as you can layer up or take them off easy and they are advised over fleece blanketshttps://www.babys-mart.co.uk/imagprod/cellular-blankets.gif

Cribs/BassinetsThis is down to preference if you want a gliding crib or a bassinet or if you want to go for a fullsize crib/cot right away, then there is always Co-sleeping as an option

Strollers/Prams i would spend lots of time looking and making sure you test out what you like else it can be an expensive mistake

Car SeatsI would look at longer term extended rear facing seats as they are safer statistically than forward facing ( after the infant carrier of course ) and test any seat in your car before buying itTarget birth and up rearfacing seats

Toys/Books/Playthingsthey dont need alot but black and white books and cloth/soft books i find the ones with crinkly paper are great for the early days , babies dont play with much till they are able to pick things up themselves which is 3-4 months

Slings/Wraps/CarriersI would go for a wrap, strechy for the first months and woven after or a mai tei style carrier, Definatly avoid the baby bjorn type of carrier its bad for the adult and for the baby's spine, i wouldnt advise any carrier that says you can face baby outwards its not healthy for their development. again check out the natural parenting section for advice theres lots of babywearers around.

 

[katerdid]

Thank you! That is very helpful!

Is there anything else I will need to get? I plan on BF so I don't think I'll really need bottles right away - at least until I go back to work and have to pump right? Or should I get a few just in case?

 

[MrsG-L]

I would get a few just incase your milk doesn't come, I had no milk in my first 2 pregnancies.

 

[lynnikins]

i honestly wouldnt bother with bottles its highly unlikely that your milk will be so delayed in coming in and your body produces coloustrum in the meantime for your baby and you can send your OH to go get bottles n formula if and when you need it but having it in the house might lead you to stop bf rather than persevere, i would bookmark the breastfeeding section now so you know where to go for advice when baby is here.

I would add a digital or ear thermometer to your list they are really helpful to make sure baby doesnt get to hot.

 

[sophisticat]

The best advice I can give is that if you anticipate gifts and/or have friends or family who have recently had babies then don't buy anything until much later on in your pregnancy. I have been given so much stuff from family and friends that I'm glad I didn't rush out and buy lots of things earlier on. So far all I've bought myself are a few cloth nappies. I am very lucky though that both sides of the family have been very generous in buying us things and passing things down from previous babies.

 

[mumtobe01]

Nearly new sales are great!
https://www.nct.org.uk/in-your-area/nearly-new-sales

Things that you should definatly buy new are any crib/cot matresses and your car seat due to safety.

I would recommend you buy a couple of bottles INCASE you are unable to breast feed or baby just will not take to the breast.

 

[meg79]

As a new mum I had bought EVERYTHING lol. And what did I use in the first few weeks.... NOTHING apart from clothes, nappies and a sleeping bag instead of blankets!

LO slept on me for naps as he hated being laid down in his crib. Same with his cot upstairs, we were/are breastfeeding and co-sleeping and nursing laying down felt like the best thing since sliced bread lol. (enjoy those cuddles, you can never spoil them at that age and all they want is mummy!!)
I was in quite a bit of pain and didn't really leave the house for a good few weeks, so the sling and travel system weren't used, although the car seat was. I love our travel system, the car seat can be used if you are just nipping out (say to the supermarket) without having to wake LO up!
No playthings needed whatsoever as all a newborn will do for at least the first month is sleep or look at you lol.
I did buy a breastpump and a COUPLE of bottles just in case and I'm glad I did as I had a slight supply issue and needed the pump on day 5. I only used the bottles for staorage though as using teats on a newborn can cause nipple confusion. I'd suggest paying out for a decent single electric pump then you can sell it/return it if you don't use it.

*hmmm what else.......*

Clothes.... definately try and get second hand for the bulk of their wardrobe and buy just a FEW select outfits. Also get the majority in 0-3 as this will be the size that is most used. My LO never fitted in newborn at all and has already gone up to 3-6 months at 6 weeks old!! Oh sleepsuits, get loads of sleepsuits not all outfits. I'd get 6 minimum, same for short-sleeved vests to go under them! Oh and try and get sleepsuits with fold-over cuffs if you can - saves little scratched faces and lost mittens!!

Nappies. I'd avoid cloth nappies for at least 4 weeks unless you get sized ones as they are unlikely to fit properly. Disposables, buy a couple of packs of size 1s in different makes to find the ones that suit you and LO best.

Muslin cloths/ burp cloths..... I have 12 and I still don't have enough lol - usefull for loads of things!!

Swings/bouncers I'd avoid until you know whather LO likes to be rocked or bounced!! LO HATES rocking haha!!

That's all I can think of at the mo. Don't worry about buying second hand apart from the carseat and matteress for the cot. Try and buy things that will last.... I forked out on the Stokke range as they are designed to change with the age of the child. Our cot can be turned from a newborn crib, extended into a full-size cot and then into chairs when the cot is not needed . If anyone asks if you need anything tell them, better get something you will need rather than get ANOTHER outfit that will only last a few weeks!

Hope this helps a bit! xx

 

[wild_ice]

We bought room stickers to decorate the nursery. then:

Moses basket
Cot bed
Under drawer cot bed storage
small tall boy chest of draws
bibs
muslin cloths
clothes
hooded towels
baby bath
top and tail bowl
little natural sponge
eo friendly biodegradable nappies (until i can decide if I can cope with resuable ones - bum genius are great apparently)
eco friendly wet wipes
baby wash
Nappy lotion (otherwise known as barrier cream)
baby oil for baby massage
Infacol
baby night time skin gel
Breast pump (so baby's daddy can also feed baby)
Tomee tippee breast to bottle bottles,
steraliser
breast milk storage bags
Cat net (we have cat who has adopted us)
baby comb
thermometer
room thermometer
bath thermometer
bed linen
rattan box for babies toys
changing mat
cotton wool
travel system with car seatnipple cream
breast cooling pads
disposable breast pads

For my hospital bag I have packed:
Ugly big nightdress - for Labour
PJ's with nursing top
two sleep nursing bras
nappies
muslin squares
nipple cream
breast cooling pads
disposable breast pads
barrier cream
disposable underwear
maternity pads ( lots with wings)
dressing gown
slippers
clothes for baby and little outfit for baby to travel home in
clothes for me to go home in
baby bibbs
a couple of baby shoulder towels
towel for me
toiletries bag for me
maternity swim top (incase the birthing pool is free)

I think that's it....

 

[RebeccaG]

What a fantastic thread!! I have no idea really what we need either! We have been given loads and loads of clothes from friends/family and freecycle! It's all those extra things that I don't think of like thermometers, breast pads etc that I'm sure I will forget about and will end up sending husband out to buy!!! Again, thanks for a great list!

 

[robinator]

What a fantastic thread!! I have no idea really what we need either! We have been given loads and loads of clothes from friends/family and freecycle! It's all those extra things that I don't think of like thermometers, breast pads etc that I'm sure I will forget about and will end up sending husband out to buy!!! Again, thanks for a great list!

I second this! So overwhelming if you don't know what to get (and after reading this thread, I clearly didn't...)

 

[hawalkden]

im kind of obsessed with looking at prams and i dont know what design, price range, colour, wheels etc to go for!
Please help x

 

[wild_ice]

If your in an urban area you could go for a four wheel pram or a travel ssytem. A travel usualy combines a pram chasis with a pushchair chasis allowing you greater usage of your purchase. Most times they also come with or can come with adapters to allow you to put a car seat on the chasis as well.

If you are in a more rural location you might consider a three wheeler system.

We went for the Mothercare Mychoice 4 wheeler in red. It was ALOT of money, but did come with a car seat and doesn't adapters to add the car seat to the chasis. The pram converts really easily into a pushchair. It's light and folds down small enough to fit in the boot of a mini (we tried it). Folding it is really simple as the buttons are numbered 1, 2, 3.

The car seat that came with it was MaxiCosi. Again it's really easy to fit in your car. https://www.mothercare.com/Mothercare-Mychoice-Pram-Pushchair-Chassis/dp/B001NLZ0NW

 

[Angel3000]

Here's a list of what i bought for my baby :

Moses basket (Bassenett)
Clothes (Lots of em)
Some rattles and teething rings
baby lotion
baby shampoo
natural sponge (Advice: do not use a normal sponge, grab a natural one it's more gentle on their skin)
Nappies (i like Pampers, but grab which ever ones you prefer)
Nappy Bags (lots of em)
baby brush set
mittens
Socks
baby wipes (plenty of em)
Cotton wool balls ( they dont advise you to use baby wipes for the first few weeks, they suggest cotton wool balls and warm water to clean them)
Top and tail bowl
Baby bath
bottles (any you prefer, Avent are good to are tommy tippy)
baby thermomiter
bath thermomiter
baby towels
blankets
moses basket sheets
cot (crib)
cot bedding
set of draws
changing mat
changing bag
changing table for in the nusery (optional, you can change the baby on the bed or on ya lap)
baby hats
bouncer
Pram

For you:
nipple cream (if your breast feeding)
Breast pump
body lotion (to help fade the stretch marks)
night gown (for labour)
plenty of lady pads (your gonna bleed alot once you've given birth)
pj's
nursing bra's
nursing cover (optional you can use a blanket)
nursing tops (if you feel more comfortable with those)

i'm sure theres' more but can't think right now lol
as to when you should get them. . . any time before baby gets here, i'd advise to have atleast most of these especially the moses basket and baby clothing before 37 weeks and have your hospital bag packed before 34 weeks. everything else grab them as and when you can, but i'd start soon, start with little things then when you get to about 25 weeks start thinking of the big things like pram and bassenett and crib and such
hope this helps

 

[katerdid]

(bump)

Thanks ladies for all the wonderful responses! I'm super exciting to start buying off these lists!

 

[RaspberryK]

Gro bag/sleeping bag!
I have bought a few vests or sleepsuits everytime I go food shopping, asda and tesco have some great value packs.
I am team yellow but hate all the cream and beige, can't find any bright sheets that don't cost the earth so I got some kingsize ones in the sale, I'll cut them up and hem them - really cheap!
I went to a car boot sale, there's loads of crap but I got a baby gym in perfect condition for £2 and a pramsuit/snowsuit BNWT, my moses basket and stand as new on ebay in the next village for £10.
My pram/travel system was Kiddicare ex display so discounted.
I've bought everything neutral so it'll be OK for no 2.
I think there are a lot of things you don't need to buy or you can get alternatives.
I was shocked by the price of changing bags, I got a small changing bag with my travel system but I also already have two large handbag/beach bags so no need to buy a changing bag.
x

 

[katerdid]

I've made up a list based on all the suggestions I've gotten:

Nursery:

• crib and mattress
• rocking chair
• baby monitor
• storage boxes (4+)
• small chest of drawers
• bed linens (2-4)
• blankets (4+)
• room thermometer
• mobile
• night light
• diaper pail
• changing table

Bath time:

• hooded towels (2)
• little natural sponge
• baby wash/shampoo
• baby brush
• baby oil/lotion

Clothes:
(Various sizes and for appropriate seasons)

• onesies (6+)
• sleepers (6)
• sleeping bag/swaddle clothes (4)
• hats for warmth and for sun
• sweaters (2)
• socks (6)
• pants/leggings (4+)
• shirts (4+)

Potty:

• diapers (millions in various sizes)
• wet wipes
• nappy rash lotion
• changing mat
• cotton wool

Feeding:

• bibs (6+)
• burp cloths (10+)
• highchair
• breast pump
• bottles (5+)
• nursing pillow
• sterilizer
• breast milk storage bags
• nipple cream
• disposable breast pads

Travel:

• car seat
• stroller
• diaper bag
• sling/wrap

Play time:

• bouncy chair or swinger
• playmat
• soft rattle
• stuffed animal

Other:

• thermometer
• nail clippers
• nasal aspirator
• pacifiers (2+)
• teethers
• outlet plug covers

 

[MrsLQ]

I personally wouldn't buy pacifiers before you have had the baby as you will be more likely to give I and use them. I never intended to use them on my lo, however when he was 6 weeks h became poorly and it was actually recommended by the specialist at the hospital to give him one, which he had or a total of 6 weeks, until he got better. I certainly wouldn't recommend a dummy until you have established feeding, a dummy is easier to suck on and can (doesn't always), but can lead to what is known as nipple confusion. This is also why I wouldn't recommend bottle feeding for the 1st few weeks, until your both confident and in a good pattern with breast feeding!!!

I do not mean to sound like I am telling you what to do, just think you can make a better decision if you know what your options are....also CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

 

[ChristinaRN]

My 2 cents as a mom of 4
Things that are a waste of money: 1)hooded towels, they are thin scratchy and my regular towels work just as good (well better actually) for the baby 2)bath thermometers, really? Who can't stick their hand in and know if the water is too cool or warm? 3) you only need 1 diaper bad (2 if dh wants a super masculine one for when he has baby out). 4)Bassinets (here in the USA) you only use them a few months at best. You are better off getting a Pack N Play that has the top portion. The Pack N Plays hold up much better, are easier to store between children, and are GREAT for vacation and road trips. 5)Don't buy a brand new baby bath.....you'll only use it a few months so if you can find a gently used on or have a friend who has one that is the better route. They are bulky to store to save for you next baby. 6)Those wedges they sell to put your baby on their side....not necessary and short lived (not to mention they just don't really keep your baby on their side).
MUST HAVES: ***A Britax Marathon (don't get the Roundabout) carseat is WORTH THE MONEY!!! If you watch the Target.com website they go on sale with free delivery for $159!!! These carseats have superior safety and you can use them from the day your child goes home till they outgrow them at age 6! They are made to accomodate your child back facing till 40lbs (which there is talk of them changes the laws to back facing till age 2 instead of 1) and then can hold your child till 60-80lbs....depending on the model you get. These carseats are super comfy (my youngest looks like she's sitting in a Lazy Boy) and super safe and I wish I had spent the money to get one for my oldest at the time.
***Also, as a nurse I highly recommend the temporal thermometers! Much more accurate than the ear ones and you can do it while the baby is sleeping and they are soooo quick! They run about $30-$35 at Target.
*** Recommend that if you are getting a rocker for nursing, get the Ottoman too, your feet and back will thank you!
***Love my Boppy, so helpful with breastfeeding!
***For the car, love the under the carseat mat (keeps all the crumbs and spilt milk off of your interior), love the shade thingys, the rearview mirrors to see your baby have been useless to me (I just never felt like I could actually see the baby and was distracted by them while driving).

I think that's it....but will edit if I think of other things! Hope it's slightly helpful for some of the US ladies.

 

[kellyharrison]

when I was expecting my first I bought EVERYTHING and wasted alot of money. I can definatley reccomend waiting until your baby si here - its a good excuse to have little shopping treats out and waste the afternoon away in a nice cafe somewhere after

Upon review I can think of the following tips:

Baby Monitor - get a digital one with a built in thermometer (easy to monitor from downstairs - you forget to look when your creeping around a nursery)

Rocking chair was the best thing I ever bought!

Buy a fleece blanket, babys settle alot better in them and they only realise they have been put down when they feel a cold sheet in a basket or crib so just line with a fleece blanket and they dont notice as much.

I hated my change table, it never got used because I was always downstairs in the living room and is now gathering dust in the loft, I always preffered doing everything on the floor - each to their own.

ooooooh! Get a change mat with a towel sheet cover - little babies like to wee when you take off their nappy and if you dont spot it - its runs back down the mat and ends up in their hair if your out and about you can use a muslin

For breastfeeding, I can strongly reccomend investing in nipple cream (also good for bad nappy rash btw!) and a set of nipple shields. Majority of women will experience pain from cracked nipples and it will always be in the middle of the night or on a sunday when your doubled over in pain fretting over what to feed your baby, a nipple shield in the emergency bag can be a life saver!

Dont listen to hype about dummies, all babies are different and just wait to see what yours needs. I took one in the hospital with me and didnt need it, but 6 days old, my daughter was such a sucky baby and loved to feed on me, I needed the dummy to offer my poor nipples relief!!

Car seats for babies - whatever the colour, the price, the attachments EVERYTHING buy the lightest car seat you can find. You spend the first 9-10 months luggin them around you become to hate the thing! Mine was heavy and I ended up buying a new one after 3 months. Maxi-Cosi ones are the lightest I find.

Think thats enough PHEW! I can think of loads more....