What should I buy for a newborn?

Potete leggere questo articolo in Italiano qui.

When you are pregnant you start thinking on what you need or should buy for your baby. Your parents, close relatives, colleagues or friends start asking what gift would you like to receive for the birth of your baby and there will be times when you don’t know what to ask for. Of course, there will be times when those mentioned above will make you a gift without asking if you really need it and you will find it totally useless, or you may already own that item. But this is another story 😀.

To make your life easier and to avoid buying or receiving useless gifts, you can create a baby wish list. What I did was to create a wish list on Amazon and send it to the interested persons. Sometimes Amazon offers a free welcome gift when you register and order your first items from the list and some discounts based on the amount of orders (https://amzn.to/2VnbHUi).

Below you have a list of the most useful items I used once after my baby was born: I personally used all of them (in some cases I am still using them), they do their job well, no frills. Take inspiration!

Change time

• Nappies and wipes; Have a look at my post about wipes;

• Nappy change cream – I tried various creams and I cannot say that I prefer one in particular. Some of them are Weleda Nappy change cream, Mustela Nappy change cream and Bepanthen Nappy Care Ointment;

• Nappy Disposal Bin – Tommee Tippee – Sangenic Tec;

• Refills for the nappy disposal – In 16 months I used around 40 refills;

• Changing table – Have a look at the one I purchased from Ikea;

• Changing pad and cover – Those from Ikea are a good choice;

• Changing mats – I use the one by Esselunga, an Italian retailer;

• Washclothes - Those from Ikea are cheap and good;

Bath time

• Blooming Bath Baby – This is a very useful item. I used it until my baby was around 6 months old. Just consider that you need a fairly deep sink or a bathtub and that you have to dry it very well after each use;

• Baby bathtub – I purchased the foldable one from Foppapedretti because I thought I would take it with me when travelling by car, but this was never the case. Very comfortable also at home, I started using it when my baby was around 6 months;

• Baby Cleansing gel – I use the one by Mustela. This is a gentle cleansing gel and I am using it both as a shampoo and body gel;

• Baby Towels – I purchased those from Ikea;

Photo credit: Henley Design Studio

Stroller

• Duo Stroller (carrycot and stroller) or Trio Stroller ( carrycot, stroller and infant car seat) – You have plenty where to choose from. Have a look at my Reviews page about strollers;

• Folding stand (in case you want to use the stroller carrycot in the house) – I purchased the one by Kinder Valley;

Breastfeeding:

• Nipple Cream – I used the one by Lansinoh;

• Disposable Nursing Pads – Those by Lansinoh are very good;

• Breast pump – You may need it or you may not. I did and I purchased the single electric breast pump by Medela;

• Breastmilk storage bags – You need them only if you have enough milk and you want to freeze it or keep some in the fridge. I purchased the one by Medela and the one by Lansinoh, and I found no difference between them;

• Baby bottles – If you want your baby to get used with drinking milk from a bottle, the bottles by Medela (calma) have a special teat that reproduces the natural flow of milk from nipples (i.e. the child has to suckle quite hard). I bought just 2 bottles and it was enough;

• Nursing pillow – I purchased the one by Chicco but I used it more for the tummy time exercises than to breastfeed.

Formula feeding:

• Baby bottles – I used the one by MAM self-sterilising anti-colic bottles. My baby is 19 months and I still use them. I purchased 3 small bottles (150 ml) and 3 big bottles (260 ml). I tried also the ones by Tommee Tippee – Advanced anti-colic bottles but I didn’t like them. This doesn’t mean that you will not like them too. You need to try various types of bottles and see which one is accepted by your baby and which one is not;

• Steriliser – In order to save some space I opted for the microwave steam steriliser bags. I tried the one by Philips and the one by Medela. I prefer those from Philips as I found them more durable;

• Thermos – In order to save time when preparing the milk, I purchased the Philips Avent thermos. And it was a time saver indeed. I always had the thermos with me with hot water and a bottle with cold water so that I could mix the waters with the powder and get the right milk temperature for my baby.

Sleeping

• Baby cot – Our cot is from Foppapedretti. Their cots are very good and I highly recommend them;

• Sleeping bag – Considering that babies, if covered, tend to uncover themselves I found very useful having a sleeping bag for my baby. I purchased one from Marks and Spencer, one from John Lewis and one from Slumbersac. Even though all the bags are 2.5 tog, I found the Slumbersac one being a bit warmer;

• Sheets with angles – I purchased them from Ikea;

• Waterproof mattress protector – I have the one from Ikea too;

• Baby Monitor – I bought the Basic Baby monitor by Philips Avent. From my experience I would say that you don’t need to buy an expensive, fancy video & audio monitor. When your baby cries, you go to check and soothe him anyway, regardless you have the monitor or not; a good audio device is definitely enough;

Well-being

• Digital thermometer – Braun Thermoscan 7 IRT6520 Thermometer and Braun ThermoScan 7 Ear Thermometer with Age Precision are very good thermometers;

• Nebulizer – Laica Aerosol and Beurer Travel aerosol are both very good; when you buy a nebulizer, keep in mind that there are 2 types: atomizer jet and ultrasonic. The latter is quicker and more silent, but cannot work with all medications, in particular with steroids. The atomizer jet is slower and more noisy, but is cheaper and works with all medications.

• Nasal Aspirator – Arianna 2019 Baby Vac Nasal Vacuum Aspirator Nose Cleaner: I highly recommend it. Also, Humana baby nasal aspirator is very useful when travelling;

• Beauty set for a new born (soft hair brush, mini comb, nail scissors with rounded ends) – I purchased the one by Chicco but every brand has its own version, and there is not big difference.

Have a good shopping!

Let me know what products you found useful and also if you found new ones!

#newborn #newbornlist #babywishlist #mamytales