Any advice on the top 5 things you actually need for a newborn?
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If you would like a decent night’s sleep, then a baby sleeping bag is a good idea - keeps the baby warm and snug.
Or there is this new idea - The Swaddelini, which looks good: https://swaddelini.com/
Lots of babygrows with integral feet.
Lots of bibs and muslin cloths for your shoulders!
A large tub of Sudocrem for nappy rash.
A Taggi comforter - babies like to suck the ribbons! Easy to wash. Perhaps buy two.
A really soft plush toy such as a Jellycat animal. Choose well, as this will go everywhere with you for the next ten years.
Aside from the obvious like nappies, cream and milk/bottles if you’re not breastfeeding, I’d say my top 5 essentials were:
- More babygrows thank you think you need
- Muslins to catch the milk/baby sick
- At this time of year, a little pramsuit to keep baby warm when out and about
- A baby carrier for short walks when you can’t be bothered with the buggy (the babybjorn ones are great!), and/or a baby sling for keeping baby in when you’re around the house (I had a very clingy baby and this meant I could have my hands free)
- Rockit Rocker to attach to the buggy to soothe baby when out and about
Good luck! x
A little baby bouncer - so handy to bring with you around the house while you do things (like shower!) and the baby can sit and see you.
A video baby monitor, really helps with feeling confident that the baby is ok when in their own room or you are downstairs. You can speak into them too and soothe from afar.
I would say don’t get a changing table, before you know it they are rolling and it becomes defunct.
Cup holder on the buggy - I used mine all the time for much needed coffee and water bottle.
If breastfeeding and you want to pump get an electric one. More costly but so worth it. Medela are a good brand but I suspect there are lots of good options on the market now.
xx
Support/ company - mum/ dad, husband, friends… On rotation.
Lots of inexpensive baby grows with mittens and feet. Mittens top them scratching their faces, and they do/can have very tiny, sharp nails.
Cup holder on the pram is great idea.
Muslins.
For feeding - Lansinoh. I used it as lip balm too.
Sudocrem fixes all sorts, too.
mine all lived in these h&m leggings
the wedge changing mat from John Lewis
https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-wedge-baby-changing-mat-off-white/p5919798
a good breast pump
- A baby bouncer is so important, I’m not sure I managed to shower without the baby in the bouncer for the first 3 months.
- A bath support like this John Lewis one, it feels much safer than using the crook of your arm, especially helpful when granny wants to bath the new arrival and you don’t want to hover.
https://www.johnlewis.com/angelcare-soft-touch-bath-support-white-grey/p5057097?s_ppc=2dx92700070985443024_mixed_fashion_BAU&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclid=CjwKCAjwzY2bBhB6EiwAPpUpZmOV1NWbknBWFJuxK1S2ybWkmTFvTgYnwub68cBxA_atUO0Dldx7vhoCw7oQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds - Pampers new born nappies which have the yellow line which turns blue so you don’t have to undress the baby ( which is quite hard to get the hang of in the beginning) to check if they have a wet nappy, you can see the line through light coloured baby gros.
- Nursing vests, you can wear under a shirt and then just pull it down, makes breastfeeding in public perfectly doable. These ones from H&M are fab.
https://www2.hm.com/en_gb/productpage.0534164001.html - A cocoon baby, I loved this for my third baby, perfect for lunchtime sleeps when they move out of the bassinet.
https://www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/red-castle-cocoonababy-nest-b1090.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwzY2bBhB6EiwAPpUpZiKSoWf0db4O5dj_2sieitLlmyWo1pu_67GLKnFMpwsR0cg6wYikcxoC6jAQAvD_BwE
These are all amazing, thank you so much !
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For you, silverettes! I’ve used them with both my babies and they remained permanently attached to me for the first 4-6 weeks. I found them much more effective than nipple cream.
I bought these - Amazon.co.uk
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These organic muslins are the best and come in lovely prints. They are large enough you can use them to swaddle, they mop up all sorts and can cover over the pram / baby bjorn when the baby is sleeping too.
https://www.adenandanais.co.uk/shop-all/shop-by-gender/baby-girl-luxury-products-and-gifts
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If you’re bottle feeding the Tommee Tippee perfect prep machine is a real time saver https://www.johnlewis.com/tommee-tippee-perfect-prep-machine/p459906.
For a winter baby a pram suit like this will keep the baby really warm https://www.thewhitecompany.com/uk/Grey-Quilted-Pramsuit/p/GRTRE?swatch=Grey
Top 5 things:
- Definitely the Tommee yippee machine! I don’t know how we coped without it.
- muslins and spare blankets and bedding
- camera - got the owlet with the sock but never used it. Just get a decent camera
- Bath seat (don’t bother with the baby bathtub as they grow out of it super fast)
- bodysuit with zips or the baby nightie (looks like a long sack with elastic at the bottom). Will provide sanity when you need to do overnight nappy changes.
And for yourself, batch cook, get a massage and be kind to yourself. The first few months are hard work but at least you have a cute little one to remind you it’s worth it!
My fave thing I discovered was to keep a facial spray next to the bed for night feeds (something like caudalie beauty elixir) to wake you up a bit and I also found a himalayan salt lamp really good lighting for night feeds as it didn’t disturb my husband 
I’ve had December and January babies so have been through the winter nights 
🫶🏼 such a wonderful time of year to be due, no rushing or need to get anywhere. Enjoy every second!