Baby essentials checklist - everything you need to buy for your newborn baby
When you’re expecting, it’s difficult to know exactly what you will need for your newborn and what products are best for you. To help we’ve created a checklist of all the baby essentials you might need during your pregnancy and for your newborn baby during the first few months.
Our checklist includes a range of products that cover all aspects of being a mum. Travelling with your baby shouldn’t be stressful, and the right pushchairs and car seat can make all the difference. For home, we’ve selected some essentials for the nursery, bathing and sleeping, along with other baby essentials for mum, including pregnancy pillows, changing bags and essential vitamins.
Pushchairs and carriers
- A buggy, pram or pushchair, which lies flat for newborn babies and features both rain cover and sunshade.
- Or a travel system which is a type of pushchair which is interchangeable with car seats and carrycots, which is useful for transporting a sleeping baby.
- A baby carrier or baby sling which is a brilliant option for carrying your baby with you, while giving you the freedom to move and do other things.
Car seat
- A rear-facing car-seat for your baby’s first all-exciting journey home – in fact you’re not allowed to leave the hospital without one.
- There are many different groups of car seats, all designed for a child’s specific age and height. Group 0 & 0+ car seats are designed for newborn babies aged 0-12 months and 0 – 15 months respectively.
- Or you can choose an i-size car seat, which are car seats which meet new EU safety standards designed to increase safety and offer better protection in child car seats.
Nursery
- With NHS advice stating that baby should be in their parents' room for the first 6 months, many parents opt for a portable Moses basket, crib or cradle as their baby's first bed.
- Most cots come without a cot mattress, so you’ll need to buy one separately. A supportive mattress is essential, as a comfortable baby sleeps better so choose your mattress well and earn a few extra zzzs!
- A changing unit, keeping everything in one place to make nappy changes stress free as possible.
Bathing
- Teeny babies can be unbelievably wriggly and slippery so make bath time fun and easy with a baby bath or a bath support that sits in the big bath.
Sleep and safety
- A newborn baby checklist wouldn’t be complete without a baby monitor which allows you to move around the house while your baby sleeps.
- Thermometers are a great way to get a fast accurate reading of your child’s temperature. Babies younger than 3 months, even a low fever can be a sign of a serious illness or infection.
- A room thermometer in your baby’s nursery means you can see at a glance if the room’s warm or cool enough for your little one.
Breastfeeding
- A manual pump which is portable and discreet for everyday use
- An electric single pump or a double pump for fast effective pumping
- Sterilising bottles, pumps and any other feeding accessories is important as harmful bacteria love warm milky environments, so it’s vital to use a steriliser
- Cover ups can help give you some privacy whilst breastfeeding in public
Baby clothes
- Newborn’s skin can be very delicate, that is why cotton is the best fabric, so try to ensure that any clothes you buy are 100% cotton.
- 6 - 8 sleepsuits
- 6- 8 bodysuits
- If you’re having an autumn or winter baby, make sure to get a few cardigans, a hat and a winter coat.
- 2 pairs of socks
- 2 pairs of scratch mittens
Nappies
- As you'll be changing your baby’s nappy around 10 to 12 times a day, it's important to find the right brand for you.
- Look for first nappies designed for your newborn’s delicate skin. Some have wetness indicators that change colour to let you know when your baby needs changing.
For mum
- A changing bag to carry all of the essentials - ensure you pick the right bag for you. These days many changing bags have different features such as a folding changing mat or insulated bottle holder.
- Pregnancy pillows help you sleep in the latter stages of pregnancy.
- Pregnancy can be hard on your skin, many mums experience much drier skin, so ensure you have some special skincare products designed specifically for expecting and new mums.
- Certain vitamins & supplements are really important when you’re pregnant and later when you’re breastfeeding to protect your own and your baby’s health.
Make sure to check out the Bounty.com Bump to baby product guide to see what products are best for you and help you ensure you have everything you need to buy for a newborn baby.
Plus, don’t forget to download the Bounty Pregnancy, Birth and Baby app to manage your baby essentials shopping list amongst receiving daily practical advice on health, preparing for baby, best buys, birth and more.