Toni2706 wrote:Hi All,
Sorry if I seem a touch of a freak but I thought this thread was so useful with so many tips and lists of what to get but I found it hard to read through all of it and pick out all of the tips so I did this for myself(which is now an excel speadsheet checklist.. very early doing this I know ) and I said I'd post back the finished list.

This list includes every suggestion so obviously some items are completly personal choice.

Thanks again ladies for all the advice

Home
Moses Basket with approved mattress
Cot with approved mattress
Blankets
Relevant Sheets for COT &/Or Moses Basket
Baby Towels
Travel System buggy
Car Seat
Bouncer
Steriliser
Bottles & Nippples x 6
Bottle & Nipple Brush
Breast Pump
Baby Monitor
Baby Bath
Sling or Baby Carrier
Baby Bouncer/Swing
Bouncy Baby Seat
Baby Bean Bag
Rattles and other baby toys

Changing Baby
Changing Mat
Changing bag to include:
Nappies
Cotton Wool
Nappy Sacs
Wipes
Talc/ Oil
Sudo-Cream

Baby Hygiene
Baby Shampoo
Baby Scissors/Nail Clippers
Baby Bathwash
Wash Clothes

Baby Clothes
Baby Gros
Scratch Mittens
Vests
Bibs
Muslin Squares
Cardigans
Snow Suit
Socks
Hats

Baby Kit
Infacol
Gripe Water
Dummy
Calpol
Bonjella
Saline nose Drops
Baby Vaporub
Bulb Syringe for suctioning mucous
Baby Thermometer
Eye Dropper or Medicine Spoon

007Babs wrote:This is my version of what is recommended on the list on the sticky above: including things I found useful. It might be helpful to someone:

Sleeping:
1. Cot – can be used from birth
2. Cot Mattress
3. Crib – we just use the Quinny Dreami carrycot for all his sleeps, didn’t buy crib/moses basket. Pillowcases make perfect sheets for his carrycot.
4. Crib Mattress
5. Travel Cot - for during the day and visiting people. Have not got this yet as he uses the carrycot all the time but he will be soon grown out of it so will have to get it. My friend used a travel cot for all his day sleeps instead of carrycot from birth.
6. Monitor - 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
7. Cot Sheets - ‘Baby Be Safe’ cot sheets from Grobag. Buy 3/4 fitted cot sheets for spitups.
8. Grobags - can use from 7lb
9. Safababy Sleeper

Feeding:
1. Muslin Cloths
2. Steriliser
3. Powder Milk
4. Bottles. We have 6 of the 9oz bottles
5. Breast Pump – if you breastfeed (BF) though you cannot use it for about 6 weeks anyway
6. Breast Pads – whether you BF or not you need these
7. Bags for freezing milk if you express – Boots do them
8. Bottle Brush
9. Nursing Bras (if buying prenatally, I hear you should buy one cup size larger than your pregnant bra size)
10. Nursing Pillow - handy
11. Feeding Chair – essential if you breast feed

Changing:
1. Changing Unit – we got the Cosatto Easi Peasi Changing Unit and it has a bath and lots of storage
2. Changing mat/cot top changer for upstairs on top of you chest of drawers for night-time. You will break your back if you do it leaning over the bed.
3. Nappies
4. Nappy changing cream – they all recommend Vaseline and that you shouldn’t use it much - only about once per day
5. Cotton Wool – best way to keep from getting nappy rash is simply use cotton wool and water for changing – wipes are drying, but handy if you are out and about
6. Bowl for water
7. Changing Bag with changing mat inside – most of them have this
8. Talcum Powder alternative – I use a cornflower based one which has no talc as talc is not recommended for babies
9. Nappy Bags – handy when away from home for disposal of the bad ones in particular
10. Towel for under baby on changing unit

Bathtime:
1. Baby Bath
2. Top and Tail Bowl
3. Baby Body Wash – public health nurse recommended Silcock’s Base for washing baby after a month or two, but to just use plain water for first while
4. Baby Shampoo – not essential
5. Face sponge – not used on bottom
6. Baby soft-bristled hair brush
7. Towels – one for him/her to lie on while you dry them and one to dry them with
8. Face Cloths - for putting on baby’s chest in bath – makes them feel warmer and calm

Play: - nothing essential here but chair and floor gym are handy
1. Floor gym
2. Mobiles
3. Rattlers and other baby toys
4. Baby chair - this is mine and it's great: http://babies247.co.uk/ProductDetails/mcs/productID/1691
5. Teddy (Kaloo make nice ones)

Getting Around:
1. Buggy
2. Car Seat
3. Sun shade for car window

Baby Kit:
1. Thermometer
2. Bulb syringe for suctioning mucous
3. Eye Dropper/Medicine Spoon
4. Gripe Water/Infacol - apparently GW is no longer available in ROI. Get in UK/NI.
5. Dummy
6. Calpol – from 2 months
7. Bonjella
8. Saline Nose Drops
9. Baby Vaporub / Karvol (both only suitable after 3 months)
10. Nail Scissors

Clothes:
1. Baby Gros/Sleepsuits, 0-3 months and newbirn. 8-10 of these. Newborn ones are best in the early days unless baby is big. The sizes of them vary hugely from shop to shop. During the day my boy wears a short sleeve vest with babygro and also at night in the early days. Now he wears just a long sleeve vest under his grobag at night.
2. Scratch mittens – 1/2. If baby will tolerate them.
3. Vests – 6/8. H&M do wraparound vests which are much handier than the ones that go on over the head
4. Bibs – Cotton backed ones for small babies – M&S ones are nice, Dunnes ones go baubled after one wash. You won’t need these for maybe 2/3 months if you use muslins for feeding. Plastic-backed ones are better when weaning.
5. Snow Suit – 1
6. Cardigans/Jackets – 1/2. I hardly ever used these and never used a cardi as house is warm. Mainly used snowsuit for outdoors, though jacket is handier if weather is not too cold.
7. Socks – you won’t need socks if baby is wearing babygro. Only needed for when baby wears outfits
8. Hat –1/2 - most jackets/snowsuits have hoods anyway.
9. Blankets – cellular. It is nice to swaddle baby in the first few weeks as they can get frightened by their arms flailing around - they don’t recognize them as their own arms! After that we used the Grobags (baby sleeping bags) cos they are so safe – no danger of wriggling under blankets.
10. Don’t bother buying (m)any outfits as you will get loads – dungarees are way better than trousers/jeans for babies as they have no waistband to dig in to their tummies

Things you will need for yourself:
1. Arnica tablets - start taking during labour or after birth depending on your midwife – helps with the internal healing
2. Tea tree oil. If you have stitches &/piles after labour, the best thing you can do for yourself is have a bath with tea tree oil twice a day. It is so cleansing and soothing even if you have no stitches/piles.
3. Lavender oil for bath. Nice combined with tea tree.
4. Special cushion to sit on if you have stitches, like a rubber inflatable ring or your feeding cushion.
5. Heavy duty sanitary pads – you will need lots of these but don’t stock up in advance until you see if you have stitches because if you do, please get the cotton Dr. Whites, as the plastic ones like Always irritate them.
6. Breast pads – whether or not you BF you will need these
7. Lansinoh cream – for cracked nipples if you BF
8. You will sweat buckets after giving birth so bring a good deodorant!

Before you go into hospital:
1. Know how to use your car seat & pram/buggy properly.
2. Have some non-maternity loose/comfy clothes ready for when you get home.
3. Cot/crib made up.
4. Make a few curries, lasagnas, and freeze. You would want to be ultra-organised to have this done in advance…
5. Have a coming home bag packed for partner to bring in with an outfit for you and baby.
6. You might find your feet swell up after you give birth even if you had no swelling in pregnancy, so bring loose fitting slippers and shoes for going home.

For Hospital:

For Labour Ward / Pre Labour:
1. Nightie for labour and maybe a change in case it gets soiled
2. Slippers & gown
3. Food & water for Daddy and you (something like Mars bar for you)
4. Birth plan if you have one
5. Socks for cold feet – they can get cold
6. Outfit for baby – vest, babygro, cardi, hat, nappy
7. Small amount of toiletries & small towel in case you need them, e.g., moisturiser, lip balm, hairbrush, etc.

For Hospital Stay:

For Baby:
1. Snowsuit for going home if weather is cold
2. Vests
3. Babygros
4. Cardis – I never used these as hospital is so warm
5. Scratch mits
6. Hat
7. Car seat
8. Going home outfit
9. Nappies
10. Cotton wool
11. Sheets - I used pillow cases for the hospital crib instead of sheets, as I didn’t know what size to get and they were perfect
12. Blankets - cellular
13. Soft towels - make sure you get a nurse to show you & partner how to bath a baby

For Me:
1. Light Nighties/PJs (hospital is a hot place!) – opinions differ (nighties more comfy if having a Caesarean)
2. Cheap undies – I used ones 5 sizes up
3. Maternity pads like Dr. Whites
4. Nursing bras if breastfeeding
5. Lansinoh cream
6. Breast Pads
7. Dark towels
8. Some emergency food & water supplies – if baby born at 8pm it’s a long wait to breakfast! Pack some cereal bars, etc.
9. Toiletries & Accessories – the list is endless but apart from the obvious shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, shower gel, etc.
10. Arnica tablets – homeopathic healing super for stitches/piles/internal healing
11. Tea Tree oil to put in bath
12. Own soft toilet roll/wipes
13. Ear plugs
14. Notepad & pen to write down any questions so you don’t forget
15. Flip flops for shower
16. Hair dryer & brush
17. Mobile phone & charger
18. Camera