Baby Checklist

Preparing for the arrival of a new baby is one of the most exciting times of your life.  It is also one of the most daunting, as you are bombarded with advice from family, friends and advertisers telling you what you need to buy.  It can seem like there are a huge amount of items to buy and you may wonder if it is all necessary.  You’ll be glad to know that most items, while they can be useful, are not entirely necessary.  Below is a list of the must have items for your baby’s arrival.

Car Seat

Even if you don’t own a car, you will need a car seat if you wish to travel in other people’s cars with your baby.  Never buy, borrow or accept a second-hand car seat from someone unless you are certain of its history and know that it has never been involved in a crash - even a minor one.  If in doubt, it is safer to buy a new car seat.  The car seat you buy will depend very much on what will fit your car.  Always check that the car seat you are purchasing will fit your car before you hand over any money.  Most retailers will check this for you anyway and will show you how to fit the car seat properly. 

Pram/Pushchair/Sling

It is not absolutely essential to buy anything in which to carry your baby, but it is useful.  A sling is by far the most useful item for carrying a newborn (as well as being the least expensive) as you can use it in the house to carry baby around while you carry on with your tasks.  You can also use it when out and about.  It is easier to keep baby warm by keeping him or her close to you.  Your baby will also be happier being close to you, instead of being put in a pram.  When your baby gets a bit heavier you may wish to invest in a pram or pushchair, but for the first couple of months a sling will be enough. 

Clothes

Your baby will pretty much live in vests and babygro’s for the first month or so.  Nappies do leak and you can find yourself changing baby’s vest as often as you change their nappy.  Depending on how often you think you will be able to wash clothes in the first few weeks, it would be a good idea to get at least eight to ten vests.  You may also need a similar number of babygro’s.  Don’t bother getting newborn size as your baby will grow out of this size within a couple of weeks.  Get everything in 0-3 month size so that your baby will get more wear out of the clothes. 

You will also need a couple of cardigans and a couple of hats to keep your baby warm.  Newborn babies cannot regulate their body temperature very well.  It is just as easy for your baby to feel too warm as it is for them to feel too cold.  You can check their body temperature by placing a finger on the back of their neck.  If their neck feels clammy you need to remove a layer of clothing.

If you want to take your baby out and the weather is cold you may want to get a snowsuit, although if you are transporting them in the car or in a pram, you can wrap them up well in a blanket.

Mittens are useful for keeping baby’s hands warm and for stopping them from scratching themselves with their nails.  Tiny newborn fingernails are difficult to cut so you may find it easier to put a pair of mittens on your baby at times when they might scratch themselves. 

Nappies

It is a personal choice whether you decide to use disposables or washable nappies.  Washable nappies are arguably more environmentally friendly but do create more work.  If you use cloth nappies on a newborn you will need at least 24 to 36 cloth nappies, depending on how often you will be washing them and how quickly you can dry them.  Remember with some types of cloth nappy you need to use separate waterproof covers and you will probably need at least six of these to allow for some being soiled during the day.  If you are using disposable nappies then one pack of 40 should last you about three or four days.  Whichever type of nappy you are using, you may wish to obtain some buckets with tightly fitting lids to store the used nappies before being disposed of or being washed.

Changing Mat

You don’t necessarily need to buy a changing mat. You can lie your baby down on a towel to change their nappy but be aware that young babies can urinate while having their nappy changed and this may soak through the towel. It is a good idea to put something waterproof underneath the towel, in which case it might be just as easy to buy a changing mat anyway.

Breast Pads

If you are planning to breastfeed then you will need to purchase some breast pads. While your milk supply is adjusting to demand your breasts may leak some milk from time to time. You won’t need breast pads after the first couple of months. As soon as your breasts start to make the same amount of milk as your baby is drinking, they will stop leaking. Breast pads can either be washable or disposable. If you are using washable pads you should buy six sets of two (12 pads in total). Whichever type of pads you are using, you will find that you might get through two or three sets a day at first, depending on how much your breasts leak.

Nursing Bra’s

You will need at least six nursing bra’s, depending on how often you are able to wash them. If you have leaky breasts and the breast pads let you down, then you could be changing your bra quite frequently. Nursing bra’s have drop down cups to allow easy access for baby to breastfeed.

Somewhere for baby to sleep

Whether you need to purchase anything at all for your baby to sleep in will depend on whether you intend to co-sleep (where the baby sleeps in close proximity, or in the same bed as one or both parents), or you intend your baby to sleep in a cot. There are several options available. Co-sleeping in the same bed will mean that you don’t need to buy anything except a separate blanket for your baby, but please ensure that you follow the guidelines for co-sleeping safely.

Another option is to buy a co-sleeper cot. This is a cot with a base at the same level as the adult bed and it attaches to the adult bed. It has a drop down side which makes it easier for a breastfeeding mother to move the baby from the cot into her own bed when it needs to be fed during the night.

A popular option is to buy a moses basket, which although it looks very cute, cannot be used for very long as the baby will soon grow out of it. You can also buy a traditional full size cot which will last until the baby is ready to move into a proper bed.

If you are buying a second-hand cot or moses basket you will need to purchase a new mattress, as the use of second-hand mattresses has been linked to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). You will also need to purchase bedding. All you will need are a couple of fitted sheets and a couple of cellular blankets (a blanket with holes which allow baby to breathe if the blanket falls over their face). You could also swaddle your baby or use a baby sleeping bag instead of using blankets.

Baby Bath

You will need a plastic baby bath for bathing your newborn. You will also need a two or three soft towels and a few wash cloths.

There are obviously many more useful items that parents could buy for the arrival of their baby. The above is a list of the absolute bare essentials needed for the first month of a baby’s life. As long as you have these things ready for your baby’s arrival you can wait and see if you need other items.