15 Newborn Essentials You Actually Need and 5 Overrated Newborn Buys to Avoid!

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In 2022 we found out that we were expecting our first baby! Like most expectant Mums I spent the next nine months researching all the newborn care essentials that we might need. There are a lot of lists of newborn essentials out there, some of them long.

My own list of newborn essentials was long first time round. Since then I have become a mum of two and I’m pregnant again! Now my list of true newborn essentials is quite short. As a well seasoned mum I’m reviewing all our essentials for newborns that we’ve used again and again. And those that we will NEVER use again.

I hope that my list of newborn care essentials can save you both time and money! Let’s face it newborn essentials aren’t cheap. First time parents seldom want to skimp, and only want the very best for their new arrival. There’s also the first-time parent nerves to consider. Having a baby is hard, not to mention scary when you haven’t done it before. That makes you an easy target for any product that claims they can make the newborn phase easier. Hopefully this blog will help you steer clear of the pitfalls that we made first time round!

Our list of newborn essentials, really are that… essential. Once you have more than one baby, you really start to value the the ‘less is more’ approach. This paired down list contains the true essentials. I have written additional lists for items that are ‘nice or helpful to have’. Good luck!

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What does a newborn baby really need?

The newborn phase is short (although it might not feel that way at first). In reality there aren’t that many newborn essentials you actually need. During the early weeks Mum is probably going to ‘need’ a lot more than baby. So what does a newborn really need:

• Warmth
• A place to sleep
• Milk/Food
• Care or Hygiene
• Travel

That’s it. A newborn baby is adjusting to the world outside of the womb. Most of all it needs its Mum (sorry Dad, you’re role will come later). It needs to feel safe, loved and protected, as well as being well fed. I realise that this isn’t very helpful in terms of recommended baby buys. So let’s break it down.

Warmth – Our Newborn Essentials Clothes Checklist

First of all let’s talk about clothes. They definitely make it onto the newborn essentials list. Babies need clothes. They need a fair few as poop explosions are common. As is vomit, dribbles and all that other good stuff. So you are going to want sleep suits (also called onesies or babygrows), and lots of them. BUT REMEMBER baby clothes are cute, undeniably so. It is therefore likely that you are going to get gifted a lot of clothes when your baby is born.

Also remember that not all babies come out the same size. Our daughter Felicity was 8lb 4oz when she was born. She wasn’t in newborn sized clothes for very long. Up to one month and 0-3 months fit her much better, and for much longer. So buy a few sleep suits/rompers in each size. Remember, you are likely going to be gifted lots of clothes! Just buy a few in each size. You can always buy more later.

Baby clothing sizes also seem to vary widely from store to store. My recommendation is to buy just a couple of sleep suits from a few different brands. This way you can start to get a feel for the sizing before committing to any one shop.

Sleep Suit Styles and Styles and Styles!

Here’s the other thing about sleep suits… there are a lot of styles! You have:

• Sleep suits with feet/booties
• Sleep suits without feet/booties
• Sleep suits with buttons
• Sleep suits with poppers
• Sleep suits with zips
• Sleep suits that close like an upside-down Y
• Sleep suits that close down one side
• Sleep suits that close at the back and between the legs

The list goes on! I now have my own preferences. I expect all mums do. If you don’t have a baby yet it’s okay not to know which one you prefer. Again, my advice is to buy just one or two of each type.

I know you’re probably thinking… “will I even care?”, but yes, yes you will. In all likelihood your baby will end up wearing the sleep suit you find easiest to put on. Not the one that looks the cutest. You’re going to be tired. You’re going to change a lot of nappies. You’re going to change sleep suits a lot! You will do what you find easiest, not what looks cutest. Trust me.

My preference is for sleep suits that do up with poppers, in the upside down ‘Y’ shape. I like the ones that have built in mittens (for the newborn phase). We almost exclusively buy sleep suits without feet/booties. Both my daughters were born with big feet! Apparently I was just the same as a baby (my feet are normal sized now!).

Baby Outfits

Whilst we are talking about clothes let’s also address baby outfits. I know that it is very tempting to buy little dresses, or sweet dungarees and tops for your newborn. But if you want to save money, or just not waste money… don’t bother. I get it, they’re adorable. In reality you will probably never even put it on your baby. The first few months with a newborn are busy. You’re getting used to baby and baby is getting used to the world. The last thing you are going to be doing is faffing around with little outfits each morning. Both you and baby will want to be comfortable and snug.

The other two considerations are the nappies, which you will be changing very regularly, and the poo explosions! That little cute outfit will look a lot less appealing when it’s covered in mustard coloured poop. Trust me. Keep it simple and easy. Let family and friends buy the baby outfits, that you can pull out for special occasions and some nice photos.

Vests (Sometimes called babygrows)

Let’s also talk about baby grows or vests. To be perfectly honest we rarely ever use vests/babygrows (the legless and armless tops that go under sleep suits). I always preferred to keep our daughter toasty with a blanket or two if needed. It’s easier when it comes to the nappy change.

Honestly even in winter, with the central heating on, I never felt that my daughter was cold. You can always add a hat if desired. When venturing outside in the winter we wrapped the girls up in snow suits, blankets and the prams winter cocoon. If you are having a baby in the winter it might be a worthwhile investment. Again, no one but you is going to see these. So buy second hand. There’s plenty of things you can’t buy second hand that you are going to spend your money on, don’t worry.

Snow Suits

Depending on the season your baby is going to be born in, you may need a snow suit. We have had snow suits for both our girls. If its Winter or Autumn its going to be essential. What I would say is for the newborn stage keep it easy and soft.

Unless your planning to have your baby out in Arctic conditions without a pram, I would buy soft over waterproof. The soft fabric snowsuits give the baby warmth, but are much easier to get on and off. As long as you have a rain cover for your pram. Or a coat you can tuck baby into when in the carrier. I wouldn’t bother buying a waterproof snow suit for your newborn unless really necessary.

Hats

Again this will depend on the season. You may want to consider sun hats as well as winter hats. I actually crocheted a little winter hat for each of my girls. Guess what? Their heads were too big! Again, get a couple. Get a few sizes. Don’t go mad.

Warmth – Blankets & Swaddles

I found that I used a lot of blankets. Blankets definitely fall on the ‘must buy list’. But again be pragmatic. Buy blankets that are both warm and light weight. And most importantly of all, blankets that can be washed and tumble dried easily. I received several beautiful woolen, hand knitted blankets from loved-ones. The gesture was absolutely wonderful, but did I use those blankets day-to-day, no.

The best blanket we have, we bought as a necessity purchase when we came out without one by mistake. It was the cheapest one John Lewis had. It’s thick, soft and can be thrown easily into the washing machine and tumble dryer. Save your pennies, and buy practical.

Now onto swaddles. This is something that I used very little with my first daughter and a bit more with my second. With my third I would like to use them even more, if baby is agreeable.

Again, there a lots of types and brands. Swaddles, like most baby products come in all shapes and sizes. Buy one or two, even better if you can get them second hand. Don’t get commit to anyone type from one brand. Baby may hate the swaddle. It could be a total waste. Or you may find baby suits one brand better. Wherever you can, buy second hand or borrow them. Then you can buy whichever works best for you later if you really want to.

Warmth – Sleep Sacks

I have always used a sleep sack for my little ones. I think they’re fab. Very easy to use. Much safer than blankets in the Moses basket. Now most sleep sacks are pretty much the same. There will be some variation in fabric, and you can make your own choices there.

The biggest differences though is in size and tog (warmth level). So my advice, would be to just start with the smallest size, and get two or three. Get the tog that suits the season that your baby will be born in. Then get bigger sizes and the appropriate tog as your baby grows and the seasons change. Some season will be colder or warmer than others. Babies grow so quick. There’s no point getting all the different tog levels in every size. Just get the appropriate tog for the season your baby is in.

Again, second hand will save you so much money. They’re for sleeping in. No one but you is going to see the pattern. Don’t spend a fortune. We were gifted some sleep sacks that are more suited to a boy. Both my girls have slept in sleep sacks with planes and trains on. Don’t get caught up in the nursery room colour co-ordination. If you are going to spend some of your hard earned money, save it for buying organic natural fibers.

Your Newborn Essentials Checklist for ‘Warmth’

• 15 Sleep suits – I would get about 15 (knowing that you will be bought some too). But here are the rules. Get at least four different brands. Get at least four different styles. Buy in the following sizes (UK): newborn, Up to 3 months, 0-3 months. Where you can, get second hand. You can buy more pretty ones once your baby is here. Wait until you know your preferred style, the best size, and the best brand to suit you.
• 0 Baby outfits – None or one! Again, you can buy these later if really necessary – it won’t be!
• 5 Vests – I would get a pack of 5 (if having a Winter baby). Buy larger rather than small, it won’t matter if they’re a little baggy. You can buy more later if you end up using them a lot.
• 1 Snow suit (for cold months) – You only need one if having a Autumn or Winter baby. I would buy in ‘Up to 3 months’ or ‘0-3 months’, not Newborn. I would buy a soft, easy to remove, and easy to change a nappy style.
• 2 Hats – You’ll only need two (whether that be Winter or Summer). Try to get two that are slightly different in size.
• 4 Blankets – I would get 4 (if having a baby in a colder season). You will only really need this many for the colder months. I would still get two for the Spring and Summer time in the UK. Buy at least two that are really easy to wash and tumble dry. I love natural fabrics, but as baby will have clothes on, so think practically.
• 2 Swaddles – I would have two different styles to hand when baby is born. If a success, you will likely need to get a few more later. But wait until you know which type works for you and baby.
• 4 Sleep sacks – I would have roughly 4 to hand. You can easily end up using two in the night if baby has a poo disaster. And you don’t want to be under pressure with the washing. Make sure you are buying the right tog level for the season your baby will be born into.

*I would recommend getting every single thing on this list second hand if you can. Especially if trying to save money. None of these things need to be bought new.

Baby Sleep Essentials for Newborns

Baby sleep is a hot topic. If you are pregnant you might not know this yet! I’m sure that people will be telling you to get some sleep while you still can! Very unhelpful advice when pregnant and suffering with pregnancy insomnia. It some ways ‘they’ are right. You will be tired. But for me, baby sleep drama wasn’t about being tired. It was about the stress of trying to get baby to sleep and the feeling of failure when you can’t.

So in this section I will tell you what helped us, and what you actually need. All I can say is your baby will eventually sleep. You are not a bad mum. Maybe you will have one of the lucky ones who sleeps no problem. Maybe (like my first), baby will sleep great for the first six weeks… then Armageddon will ensue. Good luck!

Baby Sleep Essentials – Moses basket or crib

Again second hand is a great option here. I think this is pretty self explanatory. Of course there are lots of options. I know that lots of my mum friends absolutely loved the bedside cribs. They are also call next-to-me cribs and are open on one side, which attached to your bed. I borrowed one from a friend to try it out. It wasn’t for me.

I much preferred the Moses Basket. It was easy to move the Moses basket about the house as it was so lightweight. Even if placed on the floor it’s a good way to protect your baby from your toddler. I found that to breastfeed in bed I would need to prop myself upright. Then scoop baby out of the cot that was attached to our bed. Even though the crib was close this action was awkward. It was much easier for me to actually get out of bed. Then scoop the baby out of the Moses basket. The lean over to the next-to-me-crib was too uncomfortable on my sore abdomen.

You will of course eventually need a proper crib. We didn’t make the transfer to a crib until around six months. A crib definitely isn’t a newborn essential unless you’re planning to use a crib from the start.

Baby Sleep Essentials – Baby Wrap or Carrier

I’m putting this on the essential list. Especially if you have more than one child. Sometimes you need to be hands free. Sometimes the pram just isn’t practical. But more importantly, sometimes baby will need/want to be close to you to sleep. That’s why baby wrap comes under the ‘baby sleep category’. Especially during the newborn phase baby will sleep a lot. Baby will need you a lot. Baby will want to be close to you. A wrap or carrier is not only practical, but for difficult sleepers, sometimes its the only thing that works.

A carrier is very practical. Its usually adjustable, and can fit baby from newborn to almost toddler. There a LOTS of types and styles. Too many to mention here. We have tried a fair few from budget ones, to expensive ones.

The most expensive carrier we have is by a brand called Artipoppe. It was cheaper than the current price when I bought it, but not by much. It is very expensive! It’s my favourite carrier though. It’s easy to do up yourself. Its soft enough for a newborn. When baby gets older its really easy to wear on your back as well as your front. I love it, but its expensive!

We also have the Ergo Baby Carrier (which I see other Mums use a lot!). It’s really good! Also expensive, but very adjustable, and very comfy for baby as they get older. We bought it because the Artipoppe carrier just didn’t work well for my husband. Neither he or the girls could get comfy from about 3 months onwards. The Ergo Baby Carrier is practical and works great for him. My only dislike, is I struggle to take it off on my own. The safety buckles make it really hard. It’s also so adjustable, that sometimes I struggle to get the right fit after my husband has been wearing it. It’s definitely the more practical buy though.

However a baby carrier isn’t really necessary for the newborn phase. A soft cloth wrap is actually much better. Your baby is so small and scrunchy that a baby wrap just works better. They do take some practice to get on. It’s one of those things that’s so easy once you know how. They are also so much cheaper than a carrier. You can technically use them right up to toddler age (and even beyond). But for me, I only use ours during the newborn phase.

I would consider getting both a wrap and a carrier. But if budget is your priority the carrier has more longevity. Definitely try to buy second hand! I’m going to do a mom blog on just carriers. I have tried so many. So many haven’t been right. It’s definitely worth trying before you buy where possible, or getting second hand. That way you can sell it on at the same price if it’s not right for you.

That’s it! That’s all you actually need. A crib, Moses basket or cot and a carrier or wrap.

Baby Sleep Nice To Haves – Baby Nest

A baby nest is basically a pillow with sides. In our house we refer to our baby nest as ‘the dog bed’. It looks just like a small dog bed. It basically is a small dog bed. I found the baby nest so helpful. It’s just so light and easy to pop on the sofa, play mat, even on top of your bed. I could have it on my lap for breast feeding. I really got a lot of use from mine. I bought a cheap baby nest from Amazon. Then I bought a couple of organic cotton covers (that were expensive) from a known brand. Some of the baby nests are really expensive! It’s definitely worth getting second hand if possible. You can always buy new covers. I’ve put this in the baby sleep category. But I didn’t use it for baby sleep. More like baby ‘store’.

Baby Sleep Nice To Haves – Baby Monitor

It may surprise you that I am putting this on the ‘nice to have’ list. But is a baby monitor truly necessary? No. Chances are if you are reading this list you are a first time Mum (or Mum to be). You probably don’t have multiple kids, which can complicate nap time. If baby is going to be in your room during the newborn phase? (Which is the general sleep safe advice, but no judgements here!) Then you probably don’t need a monitor. You will be right there. If you have just one baby, and choose a Moses basket, then even during the day, baby can nap downstairs while you get your chores done. Or baby might just nap in the carrier on your chest. You could even bring the pram in and let baby nap there. In which case a baby monitor isn’t necessary.

But if you have multiple kids, sometimes it’s easier to put baby upstairs (if agreeable). So it can have some peace and quiet. In which case you might want a monitor. But even then, it will depend on the size of your house or flat. If you are all on one level, the rooms are close together, you might not need one.

We have a monitor. My husband works with computers, so we opted for an old-school radio monitor. It’s just audio. No Bluetooth, no Wi-Fi, no camera. We choose this partly for safety concerns. Webcams (which is what video monitors are), are extremely easy to hack. I had no desire for me or my home or baby to be seen by anyone else. Is it likely? No of course not. Possible. Yes. Did we need to see baby. Nope!

Our radio monitor works great. It’s got a really long range and picks up sound really well. It also doesn’t pick up consistent sound. So for instance the white noise machine isn’t audible.

For my firstborn we hired a Sleep Consultant. (Worth every penny!) She asked us about our monitor, and was pleased we didn’t have a video one. It can make you a bit obsessive and can cause parents to react quicker than they should. Not giving baby a chance to go back to sleep for instance. Do what’s right for your family. But if you need a audio-only monitor, mine works great!

What helped us

Right! So this list of items is definitely not essential! They are just things that we used that helped us improve the ease and quality of our daughter’s sleep.

• Ewan the Sheep – Both our daughters have a Ewan the Sheep. Ewan the sheep is a sound machine inside a soft toy sheep that also has a red light glow feature. We found with our first daughter that the heartbeat sound and the red light really helped to soothe her to sleep. At first we hung it on her crib or Moses basket. The noise (there are 10 to choose from) can be left on continuously or turned off with a timer. We had both the heartbeat sound and red light on for just 20 minutes. By which point Felicity would be asleep. As she got older, we moved Ewan into the crib with her. Our second daughter hated both the noise and light. But she loves Ewan! We have actually taken out Ewan’s insides and she just uses him as a comforter. If there was a fire, she would save Ewan ahead of the rest of us!
• DreamEgg White Noise – For our second daughter we got the DreamEgg White Noise machine. It’s really good. It’s quick to charge, small, and very portable. We use it both to help Primrose sleep and as a noise barrier between the girls as they room share. Its very adjustable in terms of the timer, sound and volume. We have it on quietly, continuously, and on the white noise setting. It definitely improved Primrose’s sleep, but it needed to be on continuously.
• Comforter toy – Both my girls have had a comforter. (Your not meant to leave these in the crib with a newborn – use your own judgement.) Felicity really wasn’t that bothered. Still isn’t. Primrose loved her little bunny (linked here), and would sleep with it clutched in her hands. Now bunny has been replaced by Ewan. Poor Ewan has a hard life, as she likes to suck on his ears!

So what do you really need for a baby to sleep comfortably? A Moses basket or crib, a wrap or carrier. That’s it. The rest may or may not work for your and your baby. They’re just suggestions that have helped our family.

Feeding Essentials For Baby

Straight away I would like to say that nothing is really, truly essential for feeding a newborn baby if you are able to breastfeed. If you can breastfeed then that’s it. You need your boobs and your baby. Are there things that might help or be practical? Yes. Are they essential? No. So there’s your list for newborn essentials for feeding your baby. It’s nothing!

However there are a few items for breastfeeding that I do consider essential, but that aren’t for baby. In the first two weeks breastfeeding can be tough. There are definitely a few items for mum that can make breastfeeding a lot easier. So much so, I consider them to be essential. Things like nipple cream. As this mom blog is about newborn essentials, I’ll save this list for another post. But bare in mind there is more to think about!

What non-essential things might you want to consider?

Baby Muslin Cloths

You might want to buy a bundle of muslins. Muslins are just soft large cloths used for burping, wiping up vomit and milk overflow. They’re very handy to throw over your shoulder or pack in your bag. Babies are sick a lot at the start. The muslins are really handy. You do go through them quickly, so it is worth having a fair few. I much prefer the really big ones. I use them to cover up when breastfeeding in public. (No haters please! That’s just my preference. I feel more comfortable covered. You do you!) Easy to buy second hand. You’re going to be washing them anyway!

Bottles

I have used bottles for both my girls. I have exclusively used breast milk up to about 10+ months. I like introducing a bottle really early. As soon as my milk supply seems settled (about two weeks for me), I start expressing every single morning. I have found this great!

Firstly, it has given my husband and I a lot of freedom. If we need to leave the baby with one of our trusted baby sitters. Then we have the ability to leave knowing that baby will be well fed. By expressing and introducing bottles early on, my husband also gets much more time to bond with baby. Otherwise I think its easy for dad to feel a bit like a spare part in the first few months. It was also lovely for my older daughter to feed her little sis.

Of course I’m normally feeding straight from the boob. But, having a bottle option gives flexibility and freedom. If we’re eating out, and I don’t want to breastfeed in public I don’t have to. If I want to have a glass of wine with dinner, but I don’t want baby have any by proxy, I can use expressed milk.

I have never had any push back with bottles. I know that some Mums have. Not all babies like all bottles. Who would have guessed eh? I think introducing a bottle young does really help. From two weeks we will have had a go in a no pressure situation. It’s not always perfect from the first try, but I found both my girls soon got the hang of it. You may also want to get a few bottles, just in case you struggle to breast feed. It’s not always smooth sailing and having a couple to hand may just put you at ease.

I have always used glass bottles with natural rubber teats. I like these because I’m conscious about the potential toxins (etc.) from plastic. Especially considering that you warm the milk. I also find the glass bottles very easy to clean and warm (the milk). To warm the milk I just stick the filled glass bottle in a jug and pour boiling water around it. In a couple of minutes its perfect drinking temperature.

Because I’m using glass and not plastic I also don’t sterilise my baby bottles. (Again, this is not advice, just what I do! Do your own research!)

In the same way you would prepare a glass jam jar before adding homemade jam. I just stick the glass bottles in the dishwasher or wash with very hot soapy water. I always then rinse with boiling water. In my opinion, if you can sterilise glass jam jars this way, you can sterilise glass baby bottles similarly. I don’t want to regularly wash baby’s bottle with harsh sterilising tablets. I don’t want to buy a steriliser. It’s just not for me!

Breast Pump

As you have probably guessed I have a breast pump. I have the expensive Elvie one! I love it. I did have the much more compact Elvie pump. It was really effective at getting milk out, but it was hard to really get clean and it leaked. I have a lot of milk, so this might have been an issue with that.

I now have the Elvie stride. It’s much easier to clean and doesn’t leak. I personally only use it at home first thing in the morning. As baby has their first feed, I express on the other side. My boobs are so full in the morning its absolute relief! I only do it once a day. But I freeze the milk each day, so we soon have an impressive stash. For me, that one session fills one 250 ml bottle.

Elvie is pricey. I have only tried one electric pump (well two, but both Elvie), because it worked great from the start. I have also tried the manual Haakaa breast pump. Its very cheap. No charging. Very simple. I know so many Mums who swear by it! It didn’t work for me. I found I got a lot less milk. It also kept falling off if I moved about. I also felt ridiculous with it sucked onto my boob! It just wasn’t for me! A lot of Mums have great success with it. So don’t rule it out. I have big boobs, so I don’t think I’m the ideal shape for it.

I have also tried (on holiday when my first Elvie broke), the Medela Harmony Manual Breast Pump. I got more milk than with the Haakaa, but not by much. I also found it hard to use. But again, I know Mums who love it! It’s very affordable. And has none of the pitfalls of electric pumps. With electric pumps it’s a nightmare when you run out of charge and need to express!

If you decide to use a breast pump you will likely need breast milk bags for storage. Honestly I just buy whichever is on offer. It’s not ideal using plastic. But there really is no alternative if you are storing a lot of milk!

Newborn Essentials – Care and Hygiene

All of these newborn essentials really are essential. Unfortunately you are likely to want to buy them new as well. It’s definitely worth saving money buying second hand in other areas! Newborns can be messy, so there are a few newborn essentials you just won’t want to be without.

Changing mat

So you have probably already have these items on your list. They’re the obvious ones. In terms of changing mats there are lots of different styles and most can be bought cheaply. I actually have a few. I have one in the girls bedroom, and one downstairs in the kitchen area. I also have a compact one for travel.

Now when I say travel, I mean holidays or trips away for a couple of days. For just nipping out and about, where I know there will be baby changing facilities, I use an extra muslin. Its much more compact. I just pop it under baby to keep them clean on the changing bench. You really don’t need more than that! But a changing mat, in one form or another is a definite newborn essential buy. The washable or wipeable ones are the most practical.

Wipes

It’s definitely worth getting several packs of disposable wipes for your nappy bag and the car. I have yet to find a brand that I am truly happy with in terms of the ingredients. For the most part we use Water Wipes.

That being said at home we use washable wipes. They have saved us a tonne of money! I got mine from Cheeky Wipes. (There are other brands out there.) They are just towel like little squares. They’re great. There’s a clean box filled with dry wipes. And a dirty box with a closable hole in the lid. I part fill this box with water, green bleach and an essential oil of choice. I’ll wet a few wipes just as I’m about to change a nappy. Just put them in the dirty box when used. I then wash them on 60 degrees in the washing machine on a long cycle. I run a quick washing machine clean cycle afterwards. We have a lot of the wipes. I have two boxes upstairs and two downstairs. So I just wash them when both dirty boxes are full. The green bleach powder in the dirty box pre-soaks them. It sounds gross but is so cost effective.

Also we have never had nappy rash. I think particularly during the newborn phase, their skin is so sensitive. Cloth and water is so much kinder on their skin. I know that some people keep the clean wipes a little wet in the box. I like to use warm water at the point of changing. I don’t use cloth wipes out and about. Just at home. Goodness knows how many packets of wipes it has saved us. It must be hundreds!

Nappies

For my first baby we did a combination of cloth nappies at home and disposable out and about. The bamboo disposable nappies we use are more expensive than the supermarket brands, but I feel better about the ingredients.

The cloth nappies worked great for us first time around. Really great. I use a small brand called Little Lamb. They are one size pocket nappies. You can use them from about 1 month up to 2 years. Simply put two boosters into the pocket in the nappy and do up the poppers. They are more bulky compared to the disposable, but not by much.

Just like with the wipes, I have a bucket with a lid upstairs and downstairs. Its part filled with water and green bleach and essential oil. Especially for newborns (where the poo is just milk), shove the dirty nappy in the bucket. Wash and reuse. I literally just drain the bucket in the utility sink and then empty the bucket into the washing machine. You don’t even have to touch them. I have had absolutely no issues with my washing machine smelling or not feeling clean. I do always run a clean cycle afterwards. They are not hard.

Full disclosure. With my second, we have used mostly disposable at home as well as out and about. Primrose was quite a petite baby. Not small, just skinny. I found we had a few leaks. Following the birth of my second daughter I went straight back to work (at home). So I was both caring for a toddler and newborn and working all at home, at once. I wasn’t in a good head space. Cloth nappies was just something I had to cross off the list. I think if we hadn’t had a few leaks (likely my fault for not figuring out the right popper combination), we would have kept it up. However, it was something I could cross off the to do list. So I did. And our monthly budget has definitely felt the pinch!

I like cloth nappies. I really don’t mind the washing. Because I add the green bleach to the buckets, I find I can wash the nappies once to twice a week. It adds a couple of extra loads to my routine. But honestly, I’m washing so often, it doesn’t matter. I wash the nappies and dirty cloths/wipes together.

We also have some different (brightly coloured) cloths that we keep in the kitchen to use instead of kitchen roll. I don’t wash them with the nappies or wipes for bums! They go in with the dish towels.

I would not use cloth nappies out and about. They’re too bulky, and then you need to carry around the dirty ones. It’s just not practical. Same with the wipes. But doing cloth at home saves us A LOT of money. Like A LOT! It is also undeniably better for their newborn skin. I still used cloth wipes exclusively at home for Primrose. And we did do some cloth nappies, but we haven’t kept it up. Now pregnant again, I do intend to use cloth nappies at home for baby number three. By then Felicity will hopefully be out of pull ups (she is too big now for cloth nappies). They’re also not pull ups, so not right for her anymore. Primrose could and might go into cloth nappies. But honestly, I think I’ll wait until baby is here. At least our bills won’t go up anymore!

Nappy Cream

There are lots of types. Do your research with regards to ingredients. I actually use nipple cream in the first few months. For starters the brand I use is really clean ingredients. Secondly, nipple cream is much thicker than baby bum cream. It actually works better when their skin is so sensitive. Lastly, I’m buying it anyway for me. It slim lines my nappy bag even more! The brand I use is Nana and Dee.

Nail Clippers

There are lots of nail care options for newborns. In all likelihood you will need to cut your baby’s nails as soon as they are born. So brace yourself. Both the girls had long, razor sharp nails. We had to cut them. We managed to draw blood both times! We joke that it’s a rite of passage now. It was fairly traumatic at the time when you are holding your newborn, and you make them bleed! We just uses baby nail clippers.

I have tried the nail files and scissors. In the end I did find the clippers best. Accept you might have to try all three to find what works for you. Both our girls moved too much for the files to work. I don’t use scissors for myself, so I don’t think I’m well practiced. It just one of those things you have to do and buy! Good luck!

Newborn Care ‘Usefuls’

Bath Seat

This really isn’t necessary! The first three months you really aren’t going to be bathing baby very often. They can go in the bath with you, this actually so lovely! They can also hop in the shower with you (just don’t shampoo and condition).

I have used a baby bath seat so much more with my second baby, and I would imagine my third. Simply because we have a bedtime routine for our older ones. Babies who come along later have to follow along with the routines you already have in place. (At least ours do!)

We ended up introducing our second baby to our nightly routine earlier than with our first. All our kids go in the bath together. Especially if you have a wriggly baby (Primrose!) a bath seat or bath support is really handy. It protects baby from toddler and frees up your hands. We didn’t put our brand new newborn in the bath with our toddler! That would have been asking for trouble. But by 3 months I think they had been in the bath together a few times. Its fun for toddler. It involves them. The bath support was very helpful. Absolutely not necessary!

Bath Thermometer

This is honestly only helpful for me. My husband normally does bath time and he does not need this. My hands (and whole body) are not good at sensing hot! I have very hot showers and baths. I can hold hot things. I worry when I run the bath for my girls I will make it too hot!

If you are a normal person you don’t need a thermometer. You can stick your elbow in the water and sense the bath water temperature. It wants to be about 37c. I am so tolerant to hot water that I worry even using the elbow trick. So I use the bath thermometer every time I run them a bath. Even for our two year old who can obviously tell me if it’s too hot. I even use it for myself when I’m pregnant so I don’t run too hot a bath. It’s just one of those things that is essential for me, but probably not many other people! Maybe you are also a Mum with the very niche super-power of being able to handle hot things… in which case this one is for you!

Newborn Essentials for Travel (AKA Pram Gate)

The Pram (Pram Gate)

Oh god the pram! From the very start I am going to say DON’T BUY YOUR PRAM NEW! You’re likely going to ignore me and then wish you hadn’t later. I am just about to buy pram number four! FOUR!

We did exactly what you are probably about to do. We bought one of those ridiculous travel system prams. It was about £1,000 new! I hated as soon as we actually had a baby in it. They are heavy. Impossible to get in the car. Take up loads of room at home. What a waste of money. I hated the stupid bassinet as it was so bulky and usually ended up putting baby in the carrier anyway. They look nice and new for five minutes. I wish we had bought second hand! I promise you that they look new and clean and nice for two minutes. That’s it. They will look just like the ones on Facebook Marketplace in mere moments. Save yourself the money.

If you have just one baby and live anywhere other than a farm then you DO NOT NEED A TRAVEL SYSTEM. Buy a compact pram. Even if you can’t put a newborn in it, get one with a car seat adapter. That way by combination of carrier and car seat you have the newborn stage covered. There are compact prams that are suitable for newborns. Buy second hand if you can. Even if you do this just to try a few out, knowing you will buy new later.

I hated our travel system. I sold it (half price), and bought a cheap compact pram off Amazon. It served us well. It was used and abused and the straps did break. The straps were always a bit rubbish, and it wasn’t the lightest compact pram. Otherwise it was so good!

When it came to replacing it I decided I would buy either the Nuna Trvl or YOYO as both are so lightweight and compact. I decided on the Nuna Trvl as it was much cheaper. I really like it. It’s extremely easy to fold and put up. Very comfy. Good storage. I do live in the countryside and it manages well.

I am now about to buy the YOYO. It hurts me to say it! I love the Nuna, and even with the two girls ages one and two we have always managed with a single pram. When Primrose was little she went in the carrier and Flissy in the pram. Now Prim is in the pram and Flissy will walk. Or my husband will have Prim in the carrier and Felicity can go in the pram.

The problem is, now I’m pregnant again. If I’m on my own, and we are going any distance, Felicity is still too little to walk all the way. But now pregnant, Primrose is too heavy for me in the carrier. We have tried ride ons, and Felicity is too young. I think Primrose will actually like them more. Felicity just finds them too scary. Primrose is already a daredevil.

The thing is we don’t always need a double pram. I don’t want another pram that takes up space and is heavy. The Nuna is a single. The YOYO can be made into a double (in-line) with the Connect attachment. It’s not cheap. I’ve looked but I’ve not had much luck getting one second hand.

I want the YOYO and the YOYO Connect, so that for those moments when I do just need a double (which isn’t often) I have it. I hope that it’s the perfect solution. Giving us flexibility of both a single and a double, whilst still compact.

I also like the look of the Bumprider. Like the YOYO this can become a double, even a triple. But I’m struggling to source one in the UK. I’m not quite sure why which makes me nervous. The YOYO is expensive, but well reviewed. I have tried it. It’s not as easy to fold down as the Nuna. But it can a double. It is very compact. I’ll keep you updated.

I know some Mums will say that a pram isn’t one of those newborn essentials. I want to be one of those Mums. I’m not. Sometimes you need a pram. Its just one of those things. Carriers are honestly amazing. But prams aren’t just for travel. They’re for storage too. I use mine a lot. Even more as our family grows.

Car Seat and Car Mirror

This is going to be essential if you are going to take your baby in a car. You might not necessarily even own a car. But when traveling with friends, family, even in a taxi you’re going to want a car seat. Again buy second hand. It will look second hand by six months anyway. You can buy really cheap car seat covers if you so wish. I have both newborn covers and toddler covers. I have no recommendations for car seats. I have two, my husband has a different two for his car. My mum has two. My grandmother-in-law has two. They are all different makes and brands. They all have pros and cons. I would buy cheap and lightweight.

This is not on the newborn essentials list. It’s a nice to have. If your child is going to be in the car a lot I would consider a car mirror. That way you can see them even when they are rear facing. It is really handy and puts your mind at ease. Both my husband and I have them. They’re cheap and handy.

Nappy Bag

You don’t need a special nappy bag! Honestly I used the one that came with the pram to begin with. It didn’t work for us. If ever you are without your pram, which I was a lot, then you feel silly with it. It didn’t look like a normal bag. You look like you’re are going to school! Now that I have two, and the outing necessities have doubled I use a big bag. It’s actually an Agro-Market bag from Spain. Its big, with both short and long leather straps, made from straw. I can throw everything and anything in! You don’t need a nappy bag. Just a bag.

5 Overrated Newborn Essentials to Avoid!

We wasted a lot of money on items that were used either not at all or infrequently. I hope that you can avoid our pitfalls. This short list (which could be much longer), contains all the newborn essentials that you really don’t need.

1. Toys

You do not need a lot of toys for a newborn baby. At most they will glance at some black and white cards or book. They can do tummy time on the floor. You can literally turn any household object into something of interest to a newborn. They have never seen anything before. You don’t need special or expensive toys. We have the Lovevery Play Gym. Its great. It’s great once they are 3 months+. It’s a place to put them, to give them some exposure to sounds and textures. It’s nice to have. It’s neither necessary or useful in the newborn stage.

2. Portable Rocker or Electric Bouncer

Full disclosure in a moment of desperation I have tried (and have) both of these! The Portable rocker, which you can attach to your pram I bought. Neither of my girls were easy babies when it comes to sleep. Particularly my second daughter.

Napping during the day was problematic from day one! I mean really, really, really tough! I pretty much tried everything. This includes one of the portable electric rockers you attach to your pram. It made no difference. And honestly even in my (many) hours of desperation, I didn’t like the rock/bounce. I felt even on it’s lowest setting it was unsafe. That’s just my opinion. I’m sure it has been safety tested. It didn’t work and for me, I personally didn’t like how much it vibrated her little head.

My mum, bless her, conscious of my sleep struggle with my second daughter bought me an electric bouncer chair. It rocks, gently vibrates, has a light, can make white noise, even bird song. It didn’t help. It also takes up a lot of room. I’ve only kept it because just as I was going to return it I found out I was pregnant again. Its handy to have another place to put baby down (where they can’t be picked up by a toddler). Otherwise it would be gone. I’ll probably keep it by the shower upstairs. Will I use the rocker/bouncer function? No.

Honestly, I think it’s very easy to make a rod for your own back when it comes to sleep. I will never judge any Mum for doing what they have to do. It’s all well and good saying one thing, when you’re not in the thick of it. But when you’re looking after a baby who screams morning til night because they are overtired… let’s just say I get it.

Now (no longer in that season), I can give two pieces of advice. One, don’t over stress sleep. That doesn’t sound helpful, but I do think your baby picks up on your stress/desperation. Put them in the carrier. It’s okay if they only nap in the carrier. If putting them in the bassinet results in missed naps, put them in the carrier or pram. I ended up walking up and down our street every day with the pram to get our daughter to sleep. It wasn’t ideal, but it worked. With hindsight I should have embraced the carrier more. I was looking after a toddler, had a household to run and a business to keep up with. I put too much pressure on everyone. Primrose picked up on it. I should have put her in the carrier and let the idea of independent sleep go. She wasn’t ready.

Advice number two… don’t make a rod for your own back. The carrier is different. I even think a bit of white noise is different. But if you start using rockers, and creating a room with absolutely no light. A house with no sound. An environment you will never be able to maintain. Well you’re setting yourself up for a hard road ahead. Your baby will eventually sleep.

Unless you have a naturally good sleeper, then first six months can be hard. Hard isn’t bad. It’s just hard. Try not to do what I did. Try not to throw every gadget known to mankind at the problem. What works for one baby might not wait for yours. Accept you’re in a tough season. Try the carrier. Babies want to be with their Mum. I do think it is the one consistent thing that works. It might not be instantaneous! You may have to jiggle and walk. But once asleep, you do normally get quality sleep. The carrier is hard when you want a break. Want to sit or shower. But you get better at being on your feet more. You get better at doing more with the carrier. Promise!

3. Nursing Pillow (or Nursing Chair)

I love my nursing pillow. It was a gift otherwise I wouldn’t have it. I love it to nurse on. I love it for baby to rest on. My toddler loves to play with it. It’s the very expensive Bbhugme. You don’t need one. Use a bed pillow. Use a sofa cushion. Use the baby nest. You will have to learn to nurse without one. You don’t need it. You just don’t need one.

Likewise with a nursing chair. You’re really not going to be in one room enough to justify this. Now I have more than one baby, there’s just no way I could go to a dedicated space to nurse. I have to sit where I’m needed. Most often that’s the kitchen or living room. Maybe I’m in the girl’s room. Sometimes I’m in ours. You’d be better off saving your money and buying a few cheaper armchairs that go with your home decor. Rather than one single chair that you won’t keep. As long as you have somewhere to sit, you can feed your baby anywhere.

4. Nappy Bag

You don’t need one. Use a bag you have. Get a big tote bag. You don’t need one. I got mine because it came with my first pram (which I hated!). You do not need a nappy bag. If you are worried about how you will attach your bag to the pram, don’t. You can buy these pram hooks so cheaply. Then you can attach any bag or your shopping to the pram. They’re really handy and so much cheaper than a nappy bag.

5. Changing Table

We’re about to have baby number three and we still don’t have a changing table. We have a few changing mats. One upstairs on a dresser (with the girls clothes in). During the newborn phase we have one in our bedroom also on a dresser. We have one downstairs on a console table. I even have one under the sofa in the living room. They were all really cheap (except for a pretty one in the girls room – not necessary.) We store most of them away once the kids are about ten months old.

15 Best Newborn Essentials You Actually Need!

So my final round-ups… here they are.

I have broken this down into the absolute essentials and the nice to haves. I will also write-up a separate list just for breastfeeding. There are a few things that aren’t on this list, because they aren’t for a newborn baby. But that I do think are essential in the early months if you are going to breastfeed. I think there are also a few things that you don’t need, but will want to consider as a postpartum Mum. Things you might want for you! I will write a list covering the Essentials for the Postpartum Period. And a list for the Newly Breastfeeding Mum. But for now, here is my round up!

• 15 Sleep suits
• 5 Vests
• 1 Snow suit (for cold months)
• 2 Hats (Summer or Winter)
• 4 Blankets
• 4 Sleep sacks
• 1 Moses basket or Crib (if co-sleeping isn’t for you, but also as a place to put baby safely when needed)
• 1 Carrier or Wrap (I do have both)
• 1 Changing mat (or large blanket or Muslin)
• Wipes (we use re-useable/washable at home and disposable out and about)
• Nappies (we use a combination of cloth and disposable)
• Nappy cream or Nipple cream (brilliant for newborn bums and breastfeeding Mums too!)
• Baby/Small nail clippers
• Pram (second-hand)
• Car seat (second-hand)

Our 10 ‘Nice to Have’ Newborn Baby Buys

(That aren’t absolute newborn essentials)

This list contains all the items that don’t make it on to the true newborn essentials list. Even so I wouldn’t be without them. In particular Muslins. I debated putting them on the ‘Newborn Essentials’ list. But in reality, if on a tight budget, you can manage without them. Using tea towels, hand towels, kitchen cloths. You absolutely can managed without. Are they extremely handy? Yes! I wouldn’t be without them, but my budget might be bigger than others. You could even use old fabric cut into squares.

Breast pumps and baby bottles will be up to personal preference, and will depend on how your breastfeeding journey goes. The bath seat, car mirror and thermometer are all definite ‘nice to haves’. Some people will think a monitor is essential. Now my girls are two and one it is rarely ever used. It was only really used for the first six months. Such a short time when you stop and think about it.

Ewan the Sheep is a luxury. But both my girls have loved him. I just couldn’t be without. The Dream Egg has come in really handy. My girls can absolutely sleep without it. But it does help when you have children room sharing. These are my recommendations. Between this list and the one above, I think I should have you covered!

• Muslin cloths
• Baby monitor
• Baby nest (with a couple of covers)
• Comforter (Ewan the Sheep)
• Sound machine
• Baby bottles
• Breast pump (and milk bags)
• Bath seat
• Bath thermometer
• Car mirror

That’s a wrap for now…

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