It’s difficult to know what equipment you will need for your baby and having so much ‘advice’ available online or from friends and family can often feel contradictory or simply just too much. In the early days a baby’s needs are fairly simple and straightforward so I would stick to the basics until baby actually arrives and then you can see what else you need. The shops are open most of the time these days so there is not a panic that you will have a long wait for an essential item.
As babies grow so quickly the use they get from many items is often fleeting meaning that the items are only used a handful of times, I would therefore recommend getting many things second hand by looking in charity shops, online or gratefully accepting preloved gifts from friends and family.
However, there are two products that many organisations recommend you buy new for your baby on safety grounds and they are – a new rear-facing car seat and a new mattress, for the Moses basket and the cot. The basket or cot itself is fine to be preloved, but the mattresses MUST be new and fit the basket or cot completely with no gaps. The Lullaby Trust recommends a firm, flat mattress that is brand new and complies with British Safety Standards.
Using second hand mattresses can increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) due to being worn and saggy or harbouring harmful bacteria. Even using a mattress from an older sibling is not recommended due to methods of storing effectively for long periods of time. A car seat, however, may be passed down to a younger child within the family if you know the COMPLETE history of the seat and know categorically that it has not been involved in any kind of accident.
Naturally Baby is a car seat safety centre with resident car seat safety experts on hand to advise you on every aspect of purchasing, fitting and maintaining your car seat to ensure your baby and child are as safe as possible when they travel. We stock Avionaut, BeSafe, Joie, Axkid, Nuna, and Britax. Just book an hours’ time slot on our website to have a consultation, even if you just need some advice. When looking at car seats, prams and pushchairs as ‘travel bundles’ we would recommend looking for and choosing your car seat first and building your other travel options around that. Again, come and have a discussion and gain expert advice from one of the team at Naturally Baby.
Essential items for baby
Clothes – don’t be tempted to bulk buy as the size of your baby might be a surprise!
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Vests x 10
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Babygrows x 10 – ones with zips rather than poppers save time and patience
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Cardigans x 4
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Hat x 2 (cotton or wool depending on the time of year)
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Scratch mitts
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You will probably have many beautiful clothes donated from friends and family, just pop them through a short wash cycle with non-bio powder to reduce any chances of skin irritation.
Equipment
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Nappies disposable or reuseable from companies such as Close Parent Pop-In Nappies, Mother Ease, or Tots Bots. If you want to know more about using cloth nappies, please come to one of our FREE Nappuccino sessions with Anna in our Baby Hub, just book online
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Cotton wool (square make up remover pads are better than balls) or reuseable – we stock Little Lamb Bamboo Wipes
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Change bag with mat
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Shnuggle bath – designed to help baby sit up and feel secure in the bath
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Bathroom change mat (the Shnuggle mat is made of silicon and is warm when you lie baby down, it is also sloped to catch those accidents!)
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Kokoso – coconut-based products ideal for baby’s skin from 4 weeks
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Muslins x 6
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Two fitted cotton sheets for the Moses basket or cot (pillows are NOT required)
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Two cellular blankets or sleeping bags. Ergopouch, an Australian brand available instore, produce beautifully made and Tog balanced sleeping bags, vests and swaddles from newborn up to age 5.
Essential items for you
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Maternity sanitary pads, comfortable pants/maternity absorbent pants
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Comfortable nightwear/tops with button front for breastfeeding
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Nursing bras
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Breast pads - We stock Little Lamb Bamboo Breast Pads - reuseable are so much softer and less irritating than disposable
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Batch cooked meals in the freezer to keep you going!
Items to think about once baby is here
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Sling/baby carrier. It is easier to choose the right carrier for you and your partner once baby is here and you can try them on. We stock BeSafe, Carrifit, Caboo and Moby. We have demonstration slings that you can borrow for a few days, for a small fee, which is then taken from the price of the carrier should you buy it.
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Bottles, teats, breast pump, steriliser – you may not need any of these for several weeks
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Cot
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High chair
Less is more when it comes to buying items for the baby, let friends and family donate or buy for you, this is part of the joy for them. Once baby is here it will become clear what is essential and what you can definitely do without!
