It’s time to bring baby home from the hospital! Everyone from your mum to your friend’s cousin has been giving you advice on the baby essentials you need. However, it’s likely you’ll end up with too much baby paraphernalia. Here are the necessities for when baby comes home.
Car seat
A car seat is an absolute must.
Stroller
At the beginning it’s best to start with one stroller, preferably one that adapts to your car seat. These will be a lifesaver for travelling anywhere with the baby and entourage of nappies, blankies and bottles.
Nappies and wipes
Hopefully this goes without saying, but you’ll need an incredible supply of nappies and wipes. Wipes are useful for pretty much anything, from cleaning baby’s bottom to wiping up any messes.
Nappy bag
This will help contain most things you need on a daily basis into one pack. Nappy bags are made to be stylish now, so there’s no excuse for not having one! Look for one with plenty of pockets and a waterproof surface.
Clothing
You’ll be tempted to buy every cute jumper you see, but remember that at this stage babies are growing faster than you can blink your eyes, and it’s likely they’ll only get to wear each outfit once. The essentials:
- 6 onesies
- 6 sleepers
- 3 side snap t-shirts to use until the umbilical cord falls off
- 6 pairs of socks
- 1 cap to maintain baby body temperature
- 6 bibs
Baby blankets
You’ll need a few baby blankets if you don’t want to be constantly washing when they inevitably get dirty.
Nursing wear
A couple of excellent nursing bras will go a long way for your mental and physical well-being. Make sure to stock up on nursing pads to avoid leakage.
Breast pump
This will come in handy for when you want to store milk or alleviate engorgement if you’re in a situation where you can’t nurse the baby.
Bottles
It seems that there are more options for baby bottles than there are stars in the sky these days. Pick your favourite, and stock up on four to six, plus a bottle brush for cleaning.
Burp cloths
Along with those bottles you’ll be needing some burp cloths to clean up the spit-up on aisles one through infinity. This will protect your clothing and dignity. Take as many as you can get, but have at least 12.
Bassinet
At least for the first few weeks of your baby’s life, nights will be spent near mum. Good news is you won’t need a baby monitor just yet.
Thermometer
Good to have one of these handy in case your baby needs medical attention. Rectal thermometers give you the most accurate readings.
Nail clipper
You’ll be surprised with how quickly baby nails grow. Investing in good baby nail clippers will save you from getting scratched up, and more importantly, from baby scratching itself. Look for the kind with big, safety grips.