Everyone has a million-and-one tips for what expecting parents NEED to buy before their bundle of joy newborn baby joins us in “real-people World”.
They hardly ever tell you what you DON’T need.
And if they do, we tend to not listen and think we know better – we don’t!
If you want to know what you SHOULD buy for your newborn, check this out:
The 52 Essential Things You SHOULD Buy when Expecting a Baby!
I found out the hard way that most of the “essential things” that people told me I “needed” to buy for a newborn baby were actually a waste of money. I’m talking hundreds of pounds here, people!! This post features a affiliate links. For more info, see the Disclosure.
1. Nappy Bin / Diaper Genie
Ok, so don’t get me wrong, this was amazing when I was always changing Squidge’s nappy in the bedroom. However, once she reached about 4 months old and I stopped going up and down the stairs every time I wanted to change her, I just stopped using it.
Now I just throw the dirty nappy into the normal household bin. It’s not like the bin bag will be there for weeks getting all stinky and rotten – the bin is emptied daily.
Plus, I use lovely perfumed nappy bags to keep the stink locked in!
What difference does it actually make?
I also found myself saving about £30 a month by not having to buy the special bin bag unit things for the nappy bin!
2. Baby Bath Tub
The first baby bath I bought was a medium-priced newborn baby plastic pink bath from Mothercare. Although it had “non-slip” safety ridges on the bottom of the baby bath, Squidge still slipped and slid all over the place.
So, I decided to buy an inflatable duck bath.
…I clearly have a thing about babies and ducks!
She loved that one, and she didn’t slip or slide anywhere and it was handy to take on a caravan trip. The only annoying thing was that it lasted all but a couple of months and then she went in the big girl bath like everyone else!
The inflatable bath also had a very nasty pokey-out bit where the inflatable plug socket thingy goes. This scratched her at every bath time and I found myself using a flannel to cover it up all the time.
I do wish I had got her one of those sit me up bath seats, rather than the “traditional” baby bath.
She now sits on her own little bath mat in the big bath and has enough space to be washed properly and to also play with her bath toys.
Playing basketball with THIS DUCK BASKETBALL HOOP is her fave bath time toy right now!
3. Ten Packs of Muslin Cloths
Everyone told me that you can never have too many muslin cloths.
Yeah right!
I literally went out and bought about 6 packs of muslin cloths before Squidge was born. I ended up giving two packs away!
Squidge is now 2 years old and I still have a fresh, unopened pack of white muslin cloths sitting in my “baby stuff cupboard”!
They are just sitting in the cupboard, waiting to wipe up some spilled milk or juice.
Think about it realistically…when baby spits up some sick, it is normally a VERY small amount. It can easily be wiped off with a normal soft tissue from a pack of tissues.
These muslin cloths are just that – material cloths that can be washed in the washing machine.
I would suggest that you buy just one or two packs of muslin cloths and don’t bother with any more than that!
4. Musical Cot Mobile
Nice idea. Not always helpful. In fact, the one we had was actually gifted for Squidge.
It just ended up keeping her awake.
She was intrigued by the sounds and movements and just did not sleep!
Although I know that they are very beneficial to some people and really keep some babies happy, to some other’s (like me), they are a pain in the bum.
It just ended up just being a helpful distraction if I needed to get ready in the bedroom or keep baby busy while doing my make up etc.
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5. That “Special Baby Teddy Bear”
I know, I know…I sound like a proper Scrooge saying this, but honestly, how many babies actually fall head over heels for their baby teddies?
Of all my friends and family, all but one said that their babies just ended up with a comfort blanket (normally a hand towel or muslin cloth) or a dummy (pacifier).
Before Squidge was born, I dragged her dad around for hours looking for that “special little thing” to get for our soon-to-be born baby girl.
We picked out a cuddly teddy and she never paid it any notice – no matter how much we tried! Now she is nearly two years old, she is finally giving her little bunny with a blanket some attention.
What to Buy for a Newborn Baby!
What to Buy for a Newborn Baby!
6. Tons of Cute Clothes in Bigger Sizes
Stock up!!!
That’s what everyone told us! So we did. We went and spent £££’s on cute little vests, tops, trousers, dresses, jumpers, coats, cardigans and baby-grows.
All the way up to 9-month’s old.
Squidge was born in January, so 9-month old size clothes for September would need to be thick and warm.
BUT, Squidge was a newborn in “premature” size clothing until she was 3 months old, and she was in her 6-9 month old clothes at age 10-13 months. This put her at around Spring time when she was wearing thick Winter clothes. Not very practical!
Needless to say, most of these clothes were never worn and went to Charity Shops or friends. Stick to the safe side and buy when you need to buy.
7. Room and Bath Thermometers
My mum told me countless times that I didn’t need to get any thermometers, but me being me, I got over-excited when baby shopping, and ignored her!
I spent around £30 on a fancy, light-up room thermometer called the “The Egg”. And also a duck-shaped bath thermometer.
Never have I used either of them.
Instead, I used my elbow or wrist to test the temperature of the bath water, and just general common sense to test the room temperature.
Rather than freaking out if the room was one degree higher or lower than optimum!
8. Mittens and Hats
I’m definitely not saying you shouldn’t buy any hats and mittens…of course you should! You definitely should!
But, just buy your newborn a couple of pairs to start with and see how he/she gets on with them.
Squidge never wore hand mittens – from the day she was born! She STILL doesn’t keep them on. I have tried finger gloves, mittens, socks on hands…NOTHING!
She just pulls them off all the time and it was the same story with hats!
Squidge has also had (and still has), the common Plagiocephaly (flathead syndrome) since she was born. Hats don’t really fit her properly anyway (but she still looks SUPER cute in them!
9. Baby shoes
Cute, but in no way practical. Just remind yourself…a newborn baby can’t walk!
They don’t need their feet covered up with socks and baby booties , You’ve probably already swaddled them into oblivion as it is!
Before Squidge was born, I bought about 6 sets of baby booties (one pair to match each of her newborn cutsie outfits). She only ever wore 2 pairs.
This was because we were either inside, so she didn’t need her feet covered, or outside where she was already in a vest, baby grow, thicker snowsuit type jacket, swaddled, layered with a blankie – and then covered with the pram cover.
I don’t think the poor kid felt cool air on her skin until she was a good few months old!
Again, with baby booties, just buy a couple of pairs. Don’t go mad with them.
10. Olive oil
Moisturising and looking after a newborn baby’s skin is very important.
Although, contrary to common belief, olive oil and baby oil are not always the best ways to do that.
Especially if your baby has Eczema or Psoriasis!
Plus, I always felt a bit weird just oiling my baby up like a roasted chicken! That being said though, Olive Oil HAS been known to help reduce Cradle Cap in babies.
Now I just use Sudocrem on her dry body parts (or the parts with eczema). It does the job perfectly, and a simple Johnson’s Baby Lotion or moisturises her after the bath.
I love Johnson’s creams and oils because they are so good to Squidge’s sensitive skin. So many other creams don’t seem to work with her.
