Bringing home a new baby is one of the most exciting things that can happen in your lifetime. If this is your first child, you’re probably terrified, over the moon with excitement, and nervous.
Bringing home a new addition can be daunting, so to help you get prepared we have created a newborn baby shopping list that you will need to help make parenting that little bit easier. It might seem a little strange, and still unrealistic that very soon you will have a new human being in your life, so purchasing new baby items makes that feeling more realistic.
It’s true, there are plenty of must-haves for new parents, however, there are other items that you don’t need. Parents, especially new parents, buy unnecessary items for their newborn that they might never use. We will also discuss this to help you avoid wasting money.
Clothing
Plan for the first 30 days of your baby’s life. Remember, you’ll just have given birth so you’ll be recovering, plus, you will be getting used to being a mommy for the first time. Shopping trips to clothing stores won’t be on your agenda!
Here is a list of what you will need:
- 3 infant gowns:
- 6 onesies
- 6 vests
- 6 pajamas (preferably one-piece pajamas)
- 2 blankets
- 1 seater
- 1 jacket: This depends on what time of year it is. If you live in a warm climate and it is summertime, you can skip on the jacket as he or she might never get a chance to wear it.
- 2 romper jumpers
- 7 socks
- 6 hats
- 4 pairs of mittens
Some new parents skip on the mittens as they are unaware of how important they are for a newborn. Babies often have sharp fingernails that scratch the baby’s sensitive skin. Mittens will help stop this from happening.
The big mistake many new parents do is buy too many clothes sized 0-3 months. Everybody says, “they grow up so fast”. When you become a parent, you’ll see for yourself how true this statement is. There is a good chance you will be given presents of clothes for your newborn too. Not only will you be spending all day washing clothes, before you know it, but your baby also won’t be able to fit in them.
If any of your family or friends ask you what type of clothes do you want, ask for sizes above 0-3 months old.
Reasons for Getting a Baby Monitor
Where would we be without a baby monitor? Let’s be honest, new parents tend to be a bit anxious. It’s only natural, you have just brought new life into this world and the main priority in your life is to take care of him or her. Unlike a new smart television, the baby didn’t come with an instruction manual the size of an encyclopedia.
So, to help us relax, baby monitors are here to save the day. Here are the advantages to purchasing a baby monitor:
- With a press of a button, you can check on your baby: Most baby monitors available these days connect with your phone so you can look in on your little one from anywhere. For parents who work long hours away from their children, this is an ideal feature.
- See if your baby is sleeping without the light turned on: Some babies try their best to stay up as long as possible. It seems that all baby monitors on the market nowadays have an infrared function that allows you to see your baby in the dark. This is great because you don’t have to wake your baby up if you want to check on them.
- A baby monitor can give you some time for yourself: After having your first baby you will realize that you have taken things like going for a shower for granted! Even a trip to the toilet can prove difficult. A romantic hour with your partner might seem a thing of the past. A baby monitor can change all that!
Baby monitors nowadays seem to be a lot more advanced compared to those available in the past. They have a long list of new features in comparison to basic monitors. Devices like these baby monitors allow you to check the temperature of the room by using its built-in sensors, which then notifies you if your baby is too hot or too cold.
Reasons Not to Get a Baby Monitor
Some parents can’t understand how other parents do without it, but baby monitors are not for everybody as there are a few downsides. Here are some of the reasons why people don’t bother purchasing a baby monitor for their home.
- Watching the baby monitor can make parents feel more anxious: It is natural to worry about your baby, but when your baby is sleeping and you can’t stop staring at the screen because you are worried something bad is going to happen, this is not healthy. A good solution for parents who have found themselves in this situation is to purchase a monitor that doesn’t use a camera. This way, they can hear when their baby wakes. This is especially important during the early days. You’ll have just delivered a baby so your body needs to recover. Sleep when you can and turn off any screens.
- The monitor could be hacked: If your monitor is connected up to your WiFi to allow it to send a stream to your smart device, there is a possibility that it can be hacked. This, unfortunately, is more common than you think. Parents should use a VPN and other anti-malware software in their home to help reduce than chances of a cyberattack. You have a higher chance of having one of your smart devices or computers hacked than being involved in a road accident or having your vehicle stolen. Parents of children that have access to the internet should be well aware of the dangers cyberattacks can have on a household.
If you do purchase a monitor and realize you don’t want it, you can use it as a security camera for your home.
Breast Feeding
Some new mothers can’t produce breast milk. If this is your first child, you might as well prepare for both situations.
What you need if you are breastfeeding:
- Breast Pump: Investing in a high-quality breast pump will help.
- Bibs
- Burp Cloth
- Milk storage bags
- Nursing Pillow
- Breast pads
- Lotion
For mothers who use formula
- Formula suited for newborns: Ask around to gather feedback from other mothers on what formula they food their newborns with and check the expiry date.
- Bibs
- Burp cloth
- Brush for bottle and nipple
- Thermal bottle
One of the most important things you can purchase is a bottle sanitizer and dryer to make sure your bottles are germ-free.
Summary
For many new parents, all this might be a bit overwhelming. You have probably noticed that every parent you come in contact with seems to be a professional. Don’t worry, everybody starts from somewhere. You’ll probably look back at this stage of your life and think “what was all the fuss about?”.
If you are on a tight budget, there is no need to buy all new clothes for your child. Don’t be shy to ask family members or friends to see if they have clothes from their babies lying around the house. There are charity shops full of second-hand clothes for babies.
