Newborn essentials

ziggy2004

The Kari-me sling is great I am now using it for my second child and he has not been out in a buggy yet(he is 8 weeks) you might want to practice putting it on a couple of times when no one is looking though as it took me a while to figure out how to tie it on nowit is second nature
X Anne

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

Justie - I dont think you can get it without the nappies but its still well worth it for the quality of the bag and other bits - i mean you end up paying about £3.50-£4 for a whole box of goodies including the bag and change mat.
You do also get triple points if you use the coupon too so if you save pionts its great that way too.

The only other place you can get it is ebay but that'll prob work out more expensive over all.

Justie

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle wrote:

Justie - I dont think you can get it without the nappies but its still well worth it for the quality of the bag and other bits - i mean you end up paying about £3.50-£4 for a whole box of goodies including the bag and change mat.
You do also get triple points if you use the coupon too so if you save pionts its great that way too.

The only other place you can get it is ebay but that'll prob work out more expensive over all.

thanks may just buy some nappies and then freecycle them.

heather38

don't think anyone has said this but it is a legal requirement that you bring a baby home from the hospital in a car seat, the hospital wont discharge you if you don't have one.
also noticed that you have a cot bumper, they are not recommended as they trap air in the cot and can cause the baby to over heat.
you need loads of vests and sleep suits i've gone through 5 in one day before now!!
also for you you'll need loads of maternity pads i think i went through about 6 packets in about 2 weeks (or really thick night time ones not the ones that are folded in packets but the ones that look like nappies!!!)

Fizog

Remember to buy a white cabbage for sore boobs for new mother day 3 when milk comes in. Chill in fridge peel off as required insert in bra!!! Sheer bliss..

pingua

I think the changing bag goes through the tills free even if you don,t buy the nappies!!! Could always try it and act dumb if it does not work???? Or hang around boots and ask some nice person to put it through with their nappies??? I would do it if someone asked me!! I got one but never use it. I have never had a changing mat for any of my 3. Just use the floor/bed and an old small sheet if needed.

Baby bath, did not use with my first 2 but for some reason use it all the time this time round. I find it so much better than running a full bath. Now he is sitting up I still plonk him in it and I have to say I would not be without it this time round. I bought it for a quid from NCT sale. It is a newish one too!!! With regards using the sink - you gotta watch the taps so will only work as a bath for a wee while.



If feeding yourself do not worry about bottles. If it does not work out hospital will have milk in tiny bottles for when you are in and then send someone else to get them. I have never found any difference in makes,teats etc other than the looks.

The hospital will have the magic lansolin for nipples - get a sample before you leave - it lasts a while and gives you a chance to try before buying. If you do b/f you probably won't need a pump for a while. I had a hand one and did not use it for months.

Pads an absolute get lots of!!!

We have a monitor and really it only been used in summer when we are in garden and little one upstairs. It is a bit of peace of mind at times though.

Towels (for bath)I used what we had.May have bought a couple of new bath size ones. Small ones really do not last long.

Its nice looking at all the catalogues etc but alot of stuff is not really needed. I would buy as much as you can second hand.

Moonbeam

Forgot about the maternity towels - you definately need loads of them....I'm sure I bought some disposable underwear too and it came in quite handy for the first couple of days after the birth - but if you have old knickers you don't need to get those.

I also bought a small mattress protector for under my fitted sheet in bed - It was quite cheap and have used it since on my sons bed when potty training - so quite useful, cheaper in the long run than the disposable ones - although if you get any disposable changing mats free with the boots stuff you can just use them.

Gosh it's incredible actually when you stop to think about it how many different things we've all used - One lesson I learnt with the birth of my son is listen to all the advice and use what you need, then just discard the rest - what may work for one parent doesn't necessarily work for all, but there are some great tips on here to save a bundle!!!!

abijanzo

We used the baby bath once - it was a nightmare as v.heavy when containing water - baby duly pooed in it and we were left with a very heavy bath with poo in to try to decant down the loo LOL. We then went onto the baby sling thing in the big bath which was MUCH better...when bub could sit up we got one of those bath seats and my dd loved it in the big bath.

I think some hospitals are better than others - ours definitely would not supply milk under any circumstances! They gave us a list of what to bring and were very specific on that one! You could always take a couple of those little ready made cartons in as they only cost about 40p each and if you need any more someone can bring you some in.

I'd be wary of using a sling for 6 mnths...babies do get v.heavy v.quickly and when you are knackered from sleep deprivation the last thing you'll want is to lug junior around. You can get some bargains on ebay - seen as youve got a bit of time till youre due you could just browse the pushchair section for your locality and also keep an eye on your local freecycle. My dd spent a lot of time sleeping in her lie flat pushchair and I would have been lost without it in the early months.

You will inevitably buy stuff you dont use though, but better to be prepared and not use it than not have what you need to hand at what can be a very hectic time of life. Whatever you can do to make life easier for yourself in those first months will be well worth it in my experience. I am due in May with my 2nd and believe me I am stocking up with all the little bits that make life easier, good job I've had 9 mnths to shop around for bargains!!!

P.S. I used baby wipes on DD from day 1 and never had any probs with nappy rash (in fact she's never had it in nearly 2 and a half years!!) so all babaies are different...I know I couldnt be bothered with cottonwool and water with horrible pooey nappies!!!

purplepatch

abijanzo wrote:

P.S. I used baby wipes on DD from day 1 and never had any probs with nappy rash (in fact she's never had it in nearly 2 and a half years!!) so all babaies are different...I know I couldnt be bothered with cottonwool and water with horrible pooey nappies!!!

Ditto - I used wipes in the hospital with DD2 - I dutifully started off with cottonwool to avoid the disapproving looks from midwives but soon switched to wipes when the meconium started! I've been using mainly Simple wipes (currently £2 for 2 packs in Tesco) - if not Simple, always unfragranced ones - from the day after she was born and not even a smidge of nappy rash yet and she is 12 weeks - as did for 2.5 years with DD1. Defo couldn't be faffed with cotton wool and water I'm afraid.

chergar

Congratulations and hope all goes well.

Baby bath - no need, big bath or kitchen sink or at the very beginning a basin.
Changing mat - Not necessity I changed my two on my knee
Changing table - As above
Bottles - If you are determined to bf then don't buy too many bottles maybe just one pack and one carton of pre made formula. I bought loads of bottles and stuff and used hardly any as I bf.
Steriliser - you can boil the bottles teats etc to sterilise or use an old ice cream tub.
Breast pump - you can express by hand (it gets easier after a few days)
Cot - my dd slept in cot first night home from hospital but she slept in carrycot of pram durimng the day.
Baby monitors - Not essential but well worth it

Remember as well don't know how you feel about second hand items but "car boot season" is coming up and you always get baby stuff there moses baskets, playgyms, toys, prams etc so don't buy too much straight away.