Confused between a wash cloth, burp cloth and face cloth?
Clueless about what to buy & what NOT to buy for yet to be born baby?
Bewildered by staggering items mentioned in lists shared on baby & parenting forums ?
Don’t get baffeled in your last trimester my friend. Read on for a comprehensive newborn checklist – what to buy before the baby arrives.
Buying stuff before baby is born can be quite over whelming. On one hand you would want to wait till the safe period (mostly 32nd week onwards) while on the other anxiety levels start rising as you are nearing the final day. So here is an exhaustive list of what you should buy and should not buy before the baby’s arrival.
Basic essentials
- Thermometer : This is an extremely important gadget that should be bought before hand. We bought Chicco Digital Thermometer. It’s easy to use and comes with several unique features
- Diaper bag : from the very first doctor visit ( which is typically once the baby is 3 days old) to your social outings, this is going to be your best buddy. Buy one that is spacious, easy to carry and waterproof. We picked Mee Mee Nursery Diaper Bag in a neutral color because although it’s a “baby bag” but it’s the mommy who’s going to flaunt it for next 2 years!
- Face napkins : Do not compromise on quality when it comes to face napkins. Pick one from Carter’s Set of 6 Baby Small Soft Napkins for Cleaning your Baby or Mee Mee Napkins. Buy atleast 12-15 of such soft pure cotton napkins.
- Wrapping sheets/ Swaddlers: This is a must-have for the little one. You can pick from varied range of cotton wrapping sheets like Owen Receiving Blanket , Momspet baby wrapping sheet to hooded baby wrappers like Tiny Care Nursery Print Poly filled hooded wrapper.
- Sterlized cotton wool: Keep atleast 2 packets of cotton balls for cleansing newborn’s skin everyday especially around the navel part. Mothercare All We Know Baby Cotton Wool Balls is a great product as it’s very soft and gentle for the baby’s sensitive skin
- Baby pillow
- Mosquito net
Also read “Simple Tips on establishing bedtime routine for your baby”
Go Mommy Tip: Buying small sized several napkins is a total waste. Because these things are going to be washed very frequently, pick only good quality ones that will last longer. Also, wash cloth serves the same purpose as any other towel or napkin. It’s purpose is to clean the baby after nappy or diaper change. So do not get baffeled by the jargons used.[/pullquote]
Also, newborns do not need bibs this early. Their main feeding of semi solids starts not before 5 months. So do not stock up on newborn sized bibs.
For baby bedding, do not buy bedding sets or gadda sets at this stage. Babies outgrow it very fast. So just see the requirement and then purchase. Optionally you can buy running fabric ( in cotton or light foam or flannel) with nursery print and get 8-10 sheets of dimension 60cm * 50 cm stitched from any tailor.
You may also like ” Five must-have toys for infants”
Clothing
- 5 vests(undershirts) – preferable full sleeved : We bought Zero baby Full Sleeves front open top with Built-in mitten cuffs on sleeves that saved the hassles of managing mittens separately
- 5 bodysuits/overalls/sleep suits : Buy it here
- 2 caps: You could go with KiddosCare Baby Bonnets Caps
- 4-5 pairs of cotton socks: Mee Mee Baby Socks
- 1-2 dress up outfits: We picked Zero baby full sleeves Suit
- 2 pairs of mittens
Bath & grooming
- Bath seat : I would recommend Mastela Bather Baby Bath Seat since the baby fits snug in it.
- 3 Soft bath towels : Tiny Care Hooded Towel
- Bathing soap
- Soap case : Baby Oodles is a cute one.
- Shampoo
- Nail scissors
- Hair brush
- Laundry detergent : We used Mee Mee Mild Baby Liquid Laundry Detergent for almost 6 months.
- Baby cream and body lotion : Most Paediatricians recommend Sebamed
Feeding essentials
- 3 feeding bras if you plan to breast feed: Buy one size larger than your final trimester size
- Feeding pillow
- Breast pump, bottles, teats, steriliser , cleaning brush (in case not breastfeeding) – I used the Philips Avent Breast Pump and I would highly recommend this considering the ease of use. You could also stick to Philips Avent bottles as they go well with the Pump and Philips Avent Steriliser.
- Nipple cream to soothe sore nipples
- Nusing pads: Disposable ones are handy and easy to use.
- Comfortable button down gowns/shirts/dresses:
Play time
This is important not just for the development of the baby but also for you as a parent to connect with the new born in more engaging way. You can opt for infant toys like playmat, cot mobile and rattles. It is always a good idea to start reading out loud to the baby. Your voice would soothe the little one and make it familiar with your voice also.
Check out Five Must have Toys and Five Must have Books for infants
Nappy time
- Diapers : Enough stock of diapers for atleast 1 month ( average 8 diapers per day) is a must. I swear by Pampers in this segment. Pampers New Baby diapers are a perfect fit for newborn. It’s extremely soft and comfortable. I have never had problem of diaper rash with my babies thanks to this product!
- Wipes : We were quite apprehensive of using artificial products especially when it comes to baby skin. Himalaya herbals gentle baby wipes come closest to what we wanted. This being a herbal brand ensured no eruptions or rashes in delicate skin of our babies. You can keep 4-5 packets in stock that would come handy for atleast a few weeks (newborns poop over 6-7 times in a day!!!!)
- Cloth nappies : We were quite astonished to find such soft and comfortable cloth nappies in the market. My mom got over 100 triangular nappies( also called langots) stitched for our twins. But frankly that triangular shape serves no purpose! Check Tiny Care Baby Muslin U Shape Nappy. These are padded, soft and washable- a must have for baby’s Nappy time!
- Rash cream : We picked Himalaya Diaper Rash Cream for diaper rashes. You can also opt for pure coconut oil to sooth diaper rash but check with doctor before applying it on the baby
- Changing mat: Instead of those slippery pieces of rubber mats you can check out this one. It has soft cotton sheet on one side and plastic changing mat on the other. Looks good and serves dual purpose of changing as well as sleeping mat for the baby
- Quick dry sheet : This is an ultimate invention- the best in recent times I think! No, trust me. It’s a wonderful revolutionary thing, simply because it dries really quickly! It’s a soft foam-like sheet which doesn’t let the liquid go down and yet keeps the moisture pass through. This is a must buy. It comes handy as you don’t need to carry separate changing mats or sheets along with. We bought Quick Dry Baby Bed Protector Twin Pack and used it to the fullest.
- Nappy bin : Dumping spoilt nappies or baby clothes on the floor is a complete no-no. Instead of placing a typical bucket in your room, opt for something cuter like OKT Nappy Bin
While out shopping for newborn, look for brands like Tinycare, Zero and Mee mee. They offer simple, comfortable and reasonably priced products.
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Shopping for a baby you are yet to meet can appear as a very daunting and at the same time heartening experience. But do not get anxious about it.
First of all, the little one is not going to roll around anytime soon. So stocking up clothes keeping in mind 3-4 changes in a day is not a great idea. Secondly, babies grow up very very fast. Buying everything of the same size will end up being a waste. And lastly, baby essentials are available at almost all chemist or baby stores or online. So even if you miss out on something, don’t panic. You can anytime get things in place.
But having said that , it’s always a good idea to do some pre-work and keep the essentials given in above checklist handy so that you are sorted for at least first 1-2 months.
Gear up and Go Mommy!
Getting ready for the new role? What to expect- read here
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