The Essentials!

by **charlie crown** » Fri Mar 16, 2022 10:46 am

Hi all
Looking for some help. I need a shopping list to begin work on. I don't want to go overboard on non essential items but would appreciate a list of what I need to have before baby arrives :o)ll

Please help a first timer :wv

by **Port Princess** » Fri Mar 16, 2022 10:52 am

well i got this

travel system buggy
cot
moses basket
blankets and sheets
steriliser & bottles if your not breast feeding
scratch mittens
baby gros
vests
bibs
snow suit

cnt tink of anything else!! hope this helps :wv

by **Sphynx** » Fri Mar 16, 2022 11:22 am

I would really appreciate this too - am clueless!

In fact I think this would be a good sticky topic along with the "what to bring to hospital" one.

by **luigi** » Fri Mar 16, 2022 11:43 am

Buy a steriliser and bottles even if you are intended to breastfeed

(Coming from Mrs... "Im not buying a steriliser cos i'm definately breastfeeding" who only managed 4 days and was very ill post-birth standing in the shop buying a steriliser)

Buy loads of 0-3 mth sleepsuits- they go through them like blazes. People tell you not to buy much 0-3 as they grow too fast but I needed tonnes of sleepsuits

by **grumpy** » Fri Mar 16, 2022 12:19 pm

I agree with Luigi - already I'll have to get new babygrows, and he's only 6.5 weeks! And most people give you vests and "proper" clothes, so chances are you won't get tonnes of babygrows as presents. Get the front opening ones as the others are just awkward :o0

Do get a few cardigans too.
Muslin squares, or a flannel type sheet (something absorbent anyway) that you can cut to size, to swaddle them in at feed time to prevent wet chests and you getting puked on, too much! These are also useful to put under baby's head in moses basket/cot/pram.
Bibs - try to get the plastic backed ones with velcro or snap fastening.
Stock up on nappies, sudo, cotton wool, wipes, powder. I use the cotton wool for nappy changing as the wipes are expensive and no better than water, but are easier for nappy changing away from home.
Don't overdo stocking up on Johnson & Johnson - I've heard that their products are pretty drying on baby's skin, and I've found that to be true. I have an almost full bottle of their baby wash, and am using Nivea.
Towels for baby.
Baby bath, or one of those foam support things.
Socks!
Has changing mat been mentioned?

A lot of it is really a personal thing. I got a moses basket from a friend, and if I hadn't have, I would not have bought a new one, I'd probably just have used the buggy. We got the cot on Wednesday (well, the grandparents bought it and put it together for us on Wednesday!) so you don't need that immediately. I never put any scratch mittens on ds at all, just keep his nails short.

For me, a bouncer is a necessity. Not one of the fancy ones that swings the baby, or one of the door ones, just an ordinary chair type thing. Ours cost €40, but I saw even more basic ones in Mothercare yesterday for €15. I found with dd that she loved to look around, and ds is the same, and I felt bad about putting him down in his moses basket when i had something to do, and he had nothing to "look" at :-8

. He loves the bouncer and I love being able to see him and talk to him when I'm washing dishes, hoovering etc.

by **Sphynx** » Fri Mar 16, 2022 12:30 pm

This is great! Anyone know how to get this made into a sticky?

by **luigi** » Fri Mar 16, 2022 12:31 pm

Buy yourself a kit-

In it, put Infacol, Gripe Water, a dummy, calpol, bonjella, saline Nose Drops, baby vaporub and things like that. You may never use any of it, but somehow if you do need it baby will need it at around 3am when the shops are long closed and you would drive around the world just to get a night sleep. I have used all those bits and pieces at different stages and they get forgotten among the piles of baby wipes etc that mums buy.

by **charlie crown** » Fri Mar 16, 2022 12:38 pm

Great stuff girls thanks so much! Keep it coming :o)ll

by **Gerbera** » Fri Mar 16, 2022 1:42 pm

From now til then keep an eye out for apecial offers on the newborn nappies. You'll often see Buy 1 Get 1 Free so I was picking up 2/3 of each of the first three stages. Meant I didn't have to buy them for the first couple of months at least. Same with the baby wipes, they're always needed.
Also this time I used a Tummy Tub rather than the conventional baby bath and it was a complete godsend! So easy to use, babs loved it and still gets excited when I mention the word bath!
Plenty of cot sheet for changing when baby has let up.
Cellular blankets (the ones with the holes in them) are best for regulating babies temperature.
Baby monitors, loads of differnt types. I use one that has the portable parent side, so when baby is having a sleep I can move around the house and have the unit clipped onto me.

by **bellabella** » Fri Mar 16, 2022 1:50 pm

Great thread, spynx email Fiona and she will make it intoa sticky.
Here's my question.
How many bottles should i buy? If they take 6 a day ( is that right) should i buy 10??
PLus which is better a stemaer steriliser or the other type?
I don't have a microwave so thats not an option.

I am not buy any clothes yet because the average temp when my baby will be born will be 38 degrees.

Thanks in advance

by **Sphynx** » Fri Mar 16, 2022 1:50 pm

I have pm'ed Fiona - so hopefully this will be made a sticky. This info is essential!

by **luigi** » Fri Mar 16, 2022 2:10 pm

8 bottles was grand for us Bella. I wasn't one for making up the bottles in advance though so perhaps someone could tell you something different. Cant help with the steriliser as mine is a microwave one which holds 4 bottles, so 8 bottles meant I aways had clean ones while the others were lying in different pairs of the house.

If you're buying Avent, personally I found the size 1 teats made my newborn colicky as he was a big baby and sucked a lot of air so its worthwhile getting a box of teats the next size up too.

If I were to buy bottles again I would most likely try NUK.

by **bellabella** » Fri Mar 16, 2022 2:14 pm

Luigi, thank you so much for your advice and tips. :thnk

I just freak out about this side of things.

by **grumpy** » Fri Mar 16, 2022 2:27 pm

We have an electric steam steriliser and find it great, but I guess there's pluses for every one!

I just counted, and I have 11 bottles. I make up the bottles twice a day (just put the water in them and put the formula in as needed) and have a spare bottle of water on the go too for when bubs is thirsty, plus I'm expressing a bit still, and 11 bottles is too many, 8 would be fine. No advice about the type of bottles though as we've no problems with Avent.

Gerbera - those Tummy Tubs look great! Although my fella loves to stretch and kick in the bath now, so may not adjust to one at this stage. Wish I'd gotten one of those at the start (the bath was another hand-me-down, so didn't technically buy any!).

Luigi - great advice about the kit. We've already bought soothers, saline drops, infacol and dentinox (hubby doesn't like it though due to the amount of sugar in it, hence also infacol!). If anyone is going to do this, just be aware of the ages on the guidelines, eg 2 months for Calpol.

by **bellabella** » Fri Mar 16, 2022 2:34 pm

Grumpy thank you so much, you are very good to take the time to share and give advice.

How many feeds does your baby get a day?
Ok i am really stupid but can you bottle and breastfeed?
God I am going to be a terrible mother. :-8

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