It’s no secret that I like a plan; I like a plan and I like to be in control. I’m just shy of 16 weeks pregnant and I would be a total liar if I told you that I didn’t have (numerous) lists ready for our bambino’s impending arrival. My phone contains a ‘newborn checklist’ of things I plan to buy before the baby arrives; a list of things that desperately need doing to the house before baby arrives; a list of things that don’t need doing to the house but I’m going to do anyway before baby arrives; a list of names; a list of furniture; a list of baby shower guests and a list of books to read and articles to scour so I can be ‘prepared’ (we’ll use that word incredibly loosely) to be a parent. I am fully aware that for most it is a game of ‘winging it and figure it out’, but for me, I like to at least think I am prepared. I have also never had a newborn before, or any baby for that matter, and so when I say I have created a ‘newborn checklist’, it is solely a list of things I have compiled together following my own hours of research, reading other people’s lists of what I need to buy. Combined with the advice I’ve received from hundreds of my Instagram followers when asking for advice, I’ve created a list I’m very happy with.
Now, before you start reading this list and are filled with sheer panic at the amount of things we have on this list, I am totally appreciative of the fact it is excessive. There is a LOT on this list, and many people will tell you that all baby needs is you. I don’t dispute that; but I do think social services (and social media for that matter), might have something to say if I buy diddly squat and bring baby home to a house without so much as a vest for them. I have (I think) covered all bases and I won’t buy all of this before the baby arrives – I’ve clearly categorised the list into things I think I’ll definitely need and things that can potentially wait. I have created this list based on my hopes and preferences, for example, I am hoping to exclusively breastfeed for at least 6 months. I know that this might not be the case, but I am not going to spend a fortune on bottles and such until I know I can’t – we will have some emergency bits in, and of course the hospital provide help if you need it, but if I am unable to feed for whatever reason, that’s what husband’s and Amazon Prime were invented for.
Take what you need, and what you need only. We have already made a fair dent in the list or at least planned when we’ll buy each thing, but that’s solely due to my need to be organised. I know people who had bought their pram at 12 weeks and others who left quite literally everything until they surpassed week 35. Every mother and every baby are different, and I am sure that there are items on this list I may never use, and that some may deem as pointless, but this is mine and I hope it provides you with some sort of assistance!
So without further ado, here is my newborn checklist for my October bambino!
ESSENTIAL ITEMS
Clothing
We are personally buying a range of sizes from newborn through to size 9-12 months
Daytime onesies
Sleepsuits
Vests
Outfits (few 0-3 months, mainly 3 months and beyond)
Jacket/Coat
Hats
Scratch Mittens
Pram Suit/Fleece Suit
Stroller Blankets
Bibs
Muslins
Socks
Laundry Detergent – Non-Bio (Baby Friendly)
Nursery
Furniture for the nursery can be bought at a later date if you intend on following advice and having baby sleep in your room for the first 6 months, but we have decided to have the nursery ready so we have less jobs to do once baby arrives!
Cot Bed
Chest of Drawers
Wardrobe
Next To Me Crib (for our room)
Mattresses (Cot & Crib if do not come with!)
Waterproof Fitted Sheets
Changing Mats (3 – downstairs, upstairs, spare)
Swaddles
Sleeping Bags (Autumn/Winter & Spring/Summer Togs)
Curtains
Nursery Decor/Accessories
Hygiene & Health
Nappies (different brands to trial & error with baby’s skin, enough for first 8 weeks stocked up!)
Baby Wipes (as above)
Nappy Cream
Caddy (to store nappies etc in different rooms!)
Baby Bath/Baby Bath Support
Baby Shampoo/Body Wash
Hooded Baby Towels (2-3)
Bath Sponge
Baby Lotion
Baby Nail Clippers
Baby Thermometer
Cradle Cap Brush
Nasal Aspirator
Feeding
This is based on my personal hope to exclusively breastfeed, feeding items can be found in the non-essential list. They may be essential for you if you have chosen not to BF.
Nursing Pads
Nipple Shields
Transport
Pram/Pushchair
Car Seat
Baby Carrier/Sling (or both if you plan to baby wear!)
NON-ESSENTIAL ITEMS
Moses Basket/Mattress & Sheets (we have opted for a moses basket too to keep downstairs!)
Nursing Chair (not a huge essential as baby will be in our room for the first 6 months at least but does provide a nice area in the nursery to feed if you want it)
Nappy Bin (I am personally unsure on this one, lots of people say they’re essential and lots say they’re a waste of money, so definitely a personal choice)
White Noise Machine/Ewan the Sheep (we have opted for a white noise machine to hopefully help baby sleep!)
Dummies (definitely a personal choice, up for debate!)
Baby Powder e.g. Talc (many people love to use this but others are concerned due to research showing such things could be harmful, we have a bottle stocked which I use so personally so it’s not a necessary purchase per se!)
Bottles
Breast Pump
Milk Storage Bags
Baby Swing/Bouncer
Play Mat
Night Light/Room Thermometer
Simple Toys e.g. teddys etc
ITEMS FOR MUM POST-PARTUM
Nursing Bras
Nursing Tops
Maternity Pads (& Bridget Jones pants you’re willing to throw away!)
Nipple Cream (if breastfeeding!)
‘Spritz For Bits’ or other Perineal Spray
Batch Cooked Meals
Support Pillow for Breastfeeding (your pregnancy pillow may work! I have the BellaMoon which splits into 4 parts for this reason)
A Cupboard FULL of Yorkshire Tea (and someone on hand to make it!!)
I haven’t included a machine steriliser as I have read that these aren’t always particularly safe, so do your research, but you’ll need some kind of steriliser too!
I hope this list has proven to be super helpful for you and has at least given you a little bit of inspo for your own ‘newborn checklist’ – I’m finding it a total mixture of extremely fun and exciting, and absolutely overwhelming, so it’s certainly helped me having something to tick off and focus on as we go!
I’ll update you all once bambino has arrived on how much I actually used, and how much was a total waste of time.
What’s on your list? Is there anything I’ve not included that you think I really should have? Let me know!
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