When it comes to preparing for the arrival of a new baby, it can be difficult to work out what newborn essentials you will need. Let’s face it, you can ask ten different people and they will all give you different answers. But that’s ok. Every parent is different in the same way that every baby is different.

Throughout my pregnancy journey, I made friends with other expectant mums that would due around the same time as me. Our babies ages are within about six weeks of each other. Therefore we all hit stages at similar times and can talk about our essential items. Let me tell you, they are all different.

For example, I follow the Lullaby Sleep Trust guidance and therefore choice not to buy a Snuzpod because these aren’t recommended. However, after doing her own research, my friend decided to buy one. It doesn’t mean that either of us is in the wrong, just that our newborn essentials vary.

I can now say I have navigated through the newborn stage. It’s scary to think how fast time is going but at the same time, I’m loving watching Nellie’s personality come through. I thought it would be the perfect time to talk through what are some of my newborn essentials. By no means do you have to take this list as gospel, because it’s not meant to be. Instead i’d like to think I’m giving you some inspiration, so that you can then go away, do your own research and make an informed decision.

I’ve split this post into two sections. The first explains the kind of things you need to be thinking about whilst the second half is more of a checklist. So without further ado, here is my newborn essentials…

Feeding

Before going out and buying a load of stuff that you might not need, it’s important to think about how you would ideally like to feed your baby. Personally for me, I knew I wanted to try and breastfeed first. But I also knew that I wanted to pump as well so that Ash could also feed Nellie. Therefore I bought a pump, as well as bottles and sterilizing equipment. Had I chosen to just breastfeed, I wouldn’t have bothered with the bottles, pump and sterilizer. Instead I’d have just got some pre-made bottles with the teats attached, just as a backup.

One thing I would definitely say is a must is muslin cloths. These will soon be used for any spillages. From baby sick to dribble and a whole host of things in-between. For example, I take a spare one in the change bag that I can then lay down on public change tables because they never look that clean.

Changing & Bathing

Similar to feeding, you need to have a think about a couple of things when it comes to changing and bathing. When it comes to nappies, you need to decide if you want to use disposable ones or if you want to try the reusable ones. It’s important to do your research if you want to try the reusable ones, because you will need to buy a few things to get started. Whilst you will have the initial outlay, you will save money and the planet in the long run. If you plan on using disposable ones, stock up on some newborn ones to see you through those first few weeks. Trust me, you won’t want to be rushing out to the shops when you are in the beginning of newborn life.

Some people choose to have a change table and whilst this is a great option. Personally I just used a change mat on the floor and didn’t feel like I was missing out.

When thinking about bathing, think about how you will do it. Nellie was born in the middle of winter, at a time when our bathroom was really cold. I therefore decided to buy a baby bath so that we could wash her in the front room. Had she have been born now, I wouldn’t have needed to, because the bathroom would have been warm enough.

Other things to consider are the bathing products you want to try. Don’t go overboard though because newborns don’t need much and you don’t know how any products are going to affect their skin. With Nellie, we started off with Johnson’s products but soon found that they were drying her skin out. We then switched to child’s farm and things have much improved. Having said that, I’m yet to try bubble bath with her because I’ve been using breast milk bath bombs instead.

Sleeping

This is where you need to think about the best way for baby to sleep for you situation. We have an ottoman bed and so a next to me crib wouldn’t work. Instead, we chose to get a moses basket and stand. It was smaller than a standard cot, so that Nellie would feel safe and secure. But at the same time, it was portable meaning I could move it around the flat or even take it on a weekend away with us. Alternatively, you might decide to put baby straight into a cot. My advice would be to do some research and work out what feels best for you. Trust me, your gut will tell you.

Another thing to consider when thinking about baby sleeping is whether you want to use swaddle wraps, sleepbags or blankets. I knew I wouldn’t have the patience to use swaddle wraps in the middle of the night and so choice to use blankets instead. I did buy some sleepbags but I’ll be honest, I haven’t used them. My personal preference has definitely been the cellular blankets.

One last thing I wanted to mention whilst we are on the subject of sleeping is sleep aids. We have sworn by the Ewan Dreamsheep for playing white noise. It settles Nellie and she knows that when that starts to play, its sleep time. In addition to this, Nellie falls asleep a lot better if she has a dummy in her mouth.

Baby Gear

You might think when it comes to baby gear, there is lot’s of big bulky things that you need to have but that really isn’t the case. My essentials would be a good car seat, a pram and potentially a baby carrier or wrap, although this isn’t essential. Definitely do your research when it comes to car seats and prams. Having worked for Mothercare, I can tell you that there are some cheaply made car seats on the market that really aren’t safe to be sold. Make sure you check their safety rating and ensure it is fitted in your car properly.

One major thing to consider when looking for a pram is what size your boot space is. They can be bulky things and you don’t want to find out that you can’t fit anything but the pram in your boot.

Clothing

When people say you don’t need much newborn clothing, believe me when I say it’s true. When I was buying clothes whilst pregnant, I mainly bought up to 1 month and 0-3 months. Yes the up to 1 month looked a bit big for a few weeks but it meant we got more wear out of them. I’d recommend sticking to sleepsuits, vests and hats for those first few weeks. Yes the cute little outfits look lovely on a hanger but that is probably where they will stay. In addition to those basics, I also bought some socks, mitts and a knitted cardigan for if we went out.

Checklist

Feeding

Breastfeeding

• Breast pads
• Nipple cream
• Nipple shields
• Muslins
• Pump if wanting to express

Bottlefeeding

• Bottles
• Steriliser
• Bottle brush
• Muslins
• Formula

Changing & bathing

• Nappies
• Wipes
• Cotton wool
• Change mat
• Nappy bags
• Nappy rash cream
• Baby wash
• Towels and flannel
• Baby bath
• Nail clippers
• Nasal aspirator
• Bath thermometer

Sleeping

• Crib, moses basket or cot
• Bedding plus extras because you will end up needing to change them at 2am
• Swaddle wrap, blanket or sleeping bag
• White noise machine
• Dummy

Baby Gear

• Car seat
• Pram
• Baby Carrier

Clothing

• Sleepsuits
• Vests
• Hats
• Mitts
• Socks
• Cardigan or pramsuit

Other items

• Pram blanket
• A couple of visual toys
• Bouncer
• Playgym
• Tummy time roller

Whilst it might feel like there are so many newborn essentials that you need, once broken down into sections you can see that it’s not actually that much. There are so many more items I could mention, but like I said at the start of this post, I didn’t see them as essentials. Likewise, there are probably one or two things that I’ve forgotten to mention. It’s definitely true when they say the newborn phase goes so fast that you almost forget it once it’s gone.

I hope you have found this post useful and that it has given you some inspiration into choosing your own newborn essentials.