Here are the things I’ve bought for me and baby in the last few months. I’m not saying these are all necessary, nor that they are the best things to buy, but they are all things I’ve seen recommended by friends or that I’ve found from trawling magazines and the internet. Seeing it all written down makes me do a little bit of sick in my mouth at how much I’ve spent (and The Chef is yet to understand the extent of it all) but I told you the nesting instinct was strong. Here goes:
Nursery basics
- John Lewis Lasko cotbed with coir spring mattress, and matching chest of drawers
- Tutti Bambini nursery shelf
- Dutailier glider chair (currently looking to buy second hand on ebay or gumtree for about £50)
- We borrowed a Mamas & Papas Moses Basket and bedding from a friend
- Mothercare Loved So Much wall stickers
- Mothercare Loved So Much rug
- Mothercare Loved So Much cot bumper
- Mothercare Loved So Much knitted blanket
- Mamas & Papas Elfie & Mop musical mobile (reduced to £15)
- Rabbit night light
- Grobag egg room thermometer and night light
- Tommee Tippee baby monitor (bought from NCT nearly new sale for £8)
- Next blue storage tubs and Little Bear neutral storage tubs
- Next A Star Is Born Keepsake Box
Sleeping
- For me – the Dreamgenii pillow
- John Lewis cot bedding (fitted sheets, flat sheets, cellular blankets)
- M&S 1.1 tog sleeping bag
- JoJo Maman bebe 2.5 Tog rainbow sleeping bag
- Kiddopotamus Swaddle me fleece
- Sleep Sheep
Travelling
- Bugaboo Bee pram (bought second hand with rain cover, sunshade and footmuff for around £240. Borrowed Maxi Cosi car seat adaptors and bought coffee cup holder – apparently an essential!)
- We borrowed a sheepskin rug for the pram from a friend and got John Lewis cellular pram blankets
- Baby Bjorn baby carrier (bought for a fiver at the NCT nearly new sale post)
- A babasling (more recommended in comments below – I bought off ebay for around £15)
Changing and feeding
- Luckily, some lovely friends have given me a steriliser, Mendela mini-electric breast pump, bottles (Dr Brown and Tommee Tippee), and breast milk storage bags. All I need to do was to buy was a bottle and teat brush from Boots, and to bribe them with wine to come round and show me what on earth I need to do with it all
- Skip Hop changing bag
- John Lewis wedge changing matt
- John Lewis birdy breastfeeding pillow
- John Lewis muslin squares
- M&S assorted muslins
- I may buy a mamascarf
- I got a second hand bumbo from the NCT nearly new sale
Medical, bathtime and grooming
- I didn’t buy it in the end as I bought separate items, but I like the look of the Tommee Tipee healthcare kit which has brush, comb, thermometer, nasal mucus sucker-up thing, nail clippers and file
- I also did a big shop at Boots for: Arnica pills, paracetamol, baby flannel and sponge, baby nailfile scissors and clippers, Pampers newborn nappies, cotton wool, baby wipes, nasal aspirator thingie, dummies, antibac hand wash, Sudocream, Infacol, breast pads and nipple shields, nipple cream
- John Lewis baby step (I thought I could sit on it while baby is in the bath)
- John Lewis baby bath box to hold all the many baby bits and bobs in the bathroom
- ELC bathtime baby ducks
- A Cuddlemoo cowprint towel apron from Cuddledry
- John Lewis baby hairbrush
- John Lewis dino cuddle robe
- I borrowed a baby bath from a friend and bought a baby support from the NCT nearly new sale for £1
- Philips Advent Digital Thermometer Set
- Advent bath thermometer
Clothes
- John Lewis baby hangers
- Mamas and Papas welcome to the world knitted cardigan
- M&S Matinee cardigan
- Mamas and Papas 6 piece clothes set in brights
- M&S bodysuits
- Mothercare Horse Sleepsuits
- M&S 10 piece newborn starter clothes set
- John Lewis baby elephant set
- John Lewis baby sleepsuits
- Mamas and Papas pramsuit
- Mamas and Papas Zeddy and Parsnip matching suit and hat
Toys and playtime
- Sophie the giraffe teething toy
- Freddie the Firefly
- Stripey horse soft toy
- I bought a baby gym from the NCT nearly new sale for £10 and am borrowing another from a friend
- I have borrowed 2 baby bouncers from friends, and am borrowing a door bouncer
- I bought various rattles, toys and books from the NCT nearly new sale and have inherited lots from friends, as well as getting some lovely toys as pressies
Hospital Bag
- Mine currently has: lavender oil & hanky, nipple cream, arnica pills & paracetamol, throw away pants, maternity pads, slippers, camera, iPhone speakers, snacks, nappies, wipes, cotton wool, newborn outfits x 3. I’m still to get some lipsalve, eye masks and ear plugs, a towel, and cheapie nighties, pants, vests and trackie bums from Primark
- I also love the Hospital Bag checklist from Mums Make Lists and am waiting for the Hospital bag list from The Pregnant Beauty Guide
January 30, 2013 at 7:41 am
Your list is like super long! Lol! Are you going back to work? That will help you determine whether you need a stroller, and disposable diapers, pacifiers, bottles, etc.
January 23, 2013 at 9:52 am
I remember writing a list at 12 weeks after our first scan and although I LOVE shopping, it did scare me a little..
But once you start looking at what you’ve bought the list seems even bigger! lol Although I do seem to have bought the contents of the baby boy section at Next, which takes up space..lol
I pretty much have everything you have too.. I love being organised.
I’m just finishing off buying things for the hospital bags.
Love the look of the nursery! Looks so pretty!
Just found your blog and will keep checking back. x
January 21, 2013 at 3:53 pm
Wow! I have been enjoying buying some boys clothes as it is different to the girl’s things I am used to buying but I still have quite a lot I need to get I think. Mainly odd bits and bobs as I have most of the big stuff now, either from last time or second hand. I do have a new Moby wrap and Pink Lining changing bag which I am looking forward to using. I was thinking about getting a maternity pillow as I am getting a bit uncomfy at night but I think I have left it a bit late now as I won’t get much use out of it. Not long now! x
January 21, 2013 at 4:56 pm
Hi there! Yes I heard the Moby Wrap was great – was looking at those on ebay but got the Babasling instead, let me know how you get on as love the idea of carrying them round with me Asian style..
I find the dreamgenii great but only because I’ve been having back trouble (literally cannot get comfortable at night) but agree quite a lot of £ for only a few weeks x
January 20, 2013 at 5:13 pm
Wow, you have been busy! Well done! Ebay great for some if the bigger items, we hit Bugaboo from there too. Thought you might be interested in my blog post on packing your hospital bag, lots of great tips from mums in my Mamascarf FB page. http://www.mamascarf.co.uk/blog/ Next time you might want to look at a Babasac, it’s a multi tog baby sleeping bag so would have saved you from buying two. I noticed Mamascarf on your list, let me know if you’d like to review one for me?
x
January 21, 2013 at 5:04 pm
Thanks for this – love the hospital bag post, sums up lots of advice other mums have given. Also I heard bringing your own mug for tea is a good idea too! I’ve emailed you re the mamascarf – looks brilliant so yes would love to try (although review won’t be until baby oot end March / start April!) x
January 20, 2013 at 2:51 pm
This list is a godsend and speaks to my heart (you are so organised!). Have been on ebay all day because of it. Cheers!
January 21, 2013 at 5:04 pm
Retail therapy! I have to say feel so much more calm now have blitzed it
x
January 20, 2013 at 11:23 am
That’s a nice list Sasha! I have to tell you though that a lot of the things you may not need until quite some time later, but then again – it’s good to be organised. I am not sure I will ever need a baby hairbrush considering that James loses his hair in lightening speed. Ditch the cotton balls and go for Waterwipes from DermaH2O – I felt the cotton was actually irritating James’ bottom and the waterwipes are just so practical (and are basically just water
January 20, 2013 at 3:47 am
You should get some “up to one month” sleepsuits for baby. Marks’ and next definitely sell them. If baby is on the big side he/she will be out of newborn before you might feel like going shopping and 0-3 months can look and feel huge. Put a mug from home in your hospital bag too – you can’t get a decent sized cuppa in hospital! We also took our own decaf bags as caffeine not good for your milk.
It does make me feel a bit ill to think of all the stuff we have bought! Well done on being so organised!!
January 21, 2013 at 5:06 pm
Good call on the mug *makes mental note*. I know what you mean re sizes – have some newborn stuff which looks just TINY, including a pramsuit which I reckon will last about a week, and then have 0-3 month stuff which looks HUGE but little inbetween. I expect I’ll wait to see what size he / she is first and then invest in some medium up to 1 month stuff as feel like I’ve gone a bit overboard already – wardrobe full of different sized sleepsuits and have a feeling about 1/2 will end up never / rarely worn! Thanks for all your comments hon, really appreciated
xx
January 19, 2013 at 10:41 pm
And a breast pump and bits. That’s what you might need the steriliser for.
January 19, 2013 at 10:40 pm
I am in awe of you. I don’t own a lot of these things and the baby is sleeping upstairs. So organised!
I found earplugs and eye mask useful in the hospital. And arnica sorted me right out!
Again, I am beyond impressed. Lucky baby has got a very organised mummy!
Oh, is steriliser on the list? Work out how to sterilise everything in advance, we had a very stressful sunday of not being able to work it out because we were fvcked with tiredness. It’s really easy in actual fact.
And maybe some dummies just in case. (We’ve never used them but they may prevent a nervous breakdown in the middle of the night at some point.)
‘citing!
xx
January 19, 2013 at 11:29 pm
Ah yes forgot to add, lovely friends have given us a steriliser, mini-electric breast pump and bottles, now added to the list! Have forgotten about them really as stuffed in a drawer and not entirely sure what to do with them tbh… Will ask some mummies round with promise of wine to show me what on earth I need to do… x
January 19, 2013 at 7:29 pm
FUCKING HELL.
January 19, 2013 at 11:29 pm
Yes dear *pats head*