Newborn essentials

moozikgal

tea, coffe, buiscits for the visitors!!
if your wife is breastfeeding, you will need some breast pads. you can buy some which are like cups which actually collect the milk so it can be used in a bottle or frozen. if you have a baby clinic near by, check if you have a breast feeding counsellor as they can provide pads and pumps for free on the nhs!
we found that a sling to carry the little on on your front around with you was very handy. you could get on with some work or even read the paper while baby slept soundly. ebay or freecycle are great for these sorts of things.
my little one is 7 months old now and not so little!!

looneyleo

Do you know if you are in a Sure Start area/now called Children Centres? Sometimes they have incentive schemes for Breast feeding and give loads of freebies out. i remember getting brand new expressing kit, nappies, muslin squares, nursing bras, sterilising fluid etc etc etc. Sure Start aren't as geographically limited now so may be worth checking. Great for free baby groups even if you don't get anything else. All the best with new babe and "chill" about everything! Go with the flow as they say and remember...you are the boss not baby!

Lillibet_2

Def don't bother with a baby bath, I got one of those baby shaped sponges which layed in our bath & was fab until Spud was old enough to sit up on his own.

In addition to extra babygros you'll need vests, newborns feel the cold enormously even in summer (they are used to being inside you, outside is freezing in comparisan until they get used to it!). You will need one hat as the midwives won't let you leave hospital without babe wearing one even in the height of summer. Don't think Spud has worn a hat since that day though! I'd also suggest a couple fo cardigans

Excellent that you are getting sleeping bags, they are fab esp. for minimal disturance during night feeds, but get one or 2 sheets & a blanket to cover baby over when the sleeping bag isn't pratical i.e in the car, at friends etc.

Forget the baby wash. It isn't recommended for babies under 6 months old & is totally un-necessary anyway, just use warm water & tons of cotton wool. For the first few months use the same for cleaning babys bum, midwives will tell you this in hospital as it causes much less nappy rash & skin reactions & is more pratical than either washable or dispoable wipes at first.

Personally I'd suggest about twice that number of muslins, although you can use old towels etc they are bulky to carry around and take a long time to dry, muslins really are ideal for every eventuality!

Get some Kamillosan cream in for your nipples if BF, you might or might not use/need it but it is also fab for nappy rash which you will probably have to deal with at some stage!

Re the monitor, I only live in a small house but I found mine great just for re-assurance! Most of the time we have the sound switched off & just teh "lights" on, so if I wake itn eh night & am not sure if it's because of spud I jus tlay in bed watchign to see if the lights flicker, doesn't disturb hubby & I don't feel the need ot get up & check. also handy if you are in the garden etc.

You'll need some sort of changing bag although this can just be a regualr rucksak etc, Boots were doing an offer to get a free one when you signed upto their parenting club, might be worth checking out. But you will need something pratical & waterproof to carry baby's paraphenilia around in!

I didn't have a carry cot but did (and still do have) a fab push chair which went flat so baby could sleep comfortably. If you are going without a pushchair then you might find it worth while to get one of the pop-up travel carry cots? Personally I wouldn't have been without my push chair, much more convenient & comfortable for Spud & as it is a birth to 3 years one it is still in use every day!

For you, I'd suggest getting a night time nursing bra nearer your due date, you can be measured for it during your last month although I just bought one in my regualr size, I'd recommend the crop top style with drop-down feeding cups, although intended for night time they are much more comfortable during the day for the first few days than other ones.

Something no-one suggested to me but I found essential was warm night clothes as constantly getting up in the night I found it very cold even in summer, I switched to PJ's and have never looked back!

Good luck;)

aeuerby

Lillibet wrote:

You will need one hat as the midwives won't let you leave hospital without babe wearing one even in the height of summer.

I never had that problem!

katskorner

You will need cotton wool - lots of it. Forget wipes at first as newborn skin is far too sensitive for that. You will wash them and wipe everything about them with cotton wool for a good while.

Loads of vests and sleepsuits.

I would go for Growbags - I used them on both my boys and the baby still has his. They don't get cold from kicking the covers off so you get more sleep in theory!

I only have one muslin - it is great but I wouldn't pay the silly money they want for them. Just keep a handy supply of bibs and wipes in you change bag for faces when you are out and about.

A changing table is worth thinking about as it will save your back - you will change around 4000 nappies before they are potty trained! I wasn't going to have one but hubby talked me into it and it was well worth it!

Definitely join the Boots Parenting Club - it is worth it for the changing bag - I have used them since I got mine with DS number one and love them. You also get loads for you if you register before you are 28 weeks. Don't know how far along you are.

teagan1966

hi
u can put a newborn baby in a cot st8 away i did with my son as he did hated his carry cot, you just have 2 make sure there at the bottom of the cot so they cant cover themselves with blankets unless its all changed again since i had my son , i also just used cotton wool and warm water 2 clean him no baby wipes,
teagan

inkie

I see what you mean about the bottles - I'll get some before it arrives just in case bf doesn't work. They'll get used eventually anyway, won't they?

Not necessarily - both my 2 never used them - went straight onto a cup. I think it could be tempting duriing difficult says with the BF to allow a bottle if you have the formula and equipment in the house - perhaps less likely if you hav'nt got it.

Bexstars

The main thing that comes to mind from my expreience is to invest in some anti colic bottles and also to decide on which formula you would like to use should you need it. I had fully intended to bf my daughter and was not prepared when I couldnt. The midwives asked me which formula I would like to give to the baby in the hospital and read off a list of different ones and told me they couldnt choose one for me. I hadnt looked into formula when I was pregnant and ended up choosing the one everyone else semt to be using on the ward which luckily suited my daughter. I started off by using boots bottles as they was pretty cheap but my daughter started with colic at about a week old. After changing her bottles to anti-colic ones this did improve a great deal. They are more expensive than normal bottles, I chose the Tomee tipee health check ones which are around £9 for 2 bottles but I would deffinatly buy them again should there be a baby number 2

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

If you havent already sign up with Boots parenting club - you will get an excellent nappy baby bag and bits and bobs - the changing bag is amazing quality and has a change mat inside too. Alot of the time these bags cost over £20 so this is a brill offer.

Just a question - which area do you live? i have a few bits like a baby bath and loads of new born clothes and stuff and if your anywhere near me maybe you will be interested - pm me if you want.

Justie

quick question about the boots changing bag - can you get it without buying Huggies nappies? I only want to buy degradeable ones so don't want to shell out on some Huggies...