July 2003. I found out I was pregnant with my son. After the ecstatic celebration over this happy news died down, what followed was extreme panic and fear. I had lost my dear mother two years prior to this, my in-laws reside in Calgary, and in my close group of girlfriends, I was the first to start my family. So, as you can imagine, I was freaked out. Aside from some teenage babysitting experience and playing with my younger cousins, I had no tangible experience caring for babies.
I approached this responsibility like I approached others; I went to Chapters and bought a bunch of books on mothering and childcare. Settling in with my new resources, I quickly discovered that this was not the way to ease my fears. In fact, those books, which shall remain nameless, served to exponentially increase my anxiety and stress. So, into a drawer they went for the next several months.
Soon after, I met up with a friend who had recently had her first child. She kindly invited me to her home and gave me a tour of her nursery and its contents. My friend is a natural mother, and spoke calmly about her experience with so much confidence and empathy. Finally, seeing things in their place and in use in her home, the whole picture started to come together. I’ll never forget sitting on her nursery floor, eight months pregnant, and vigorously taking notes on her every utterance. I went home and compiled a list based on our conversation that afternoon. That afternoon was a gift, and marked the first moment when I thought, "okay, maybe I can do this."
Subsequently, I’ve now used that same list for my two kids and given it freely to my friends and family whenever I heard of someone’s pregnancy. It’s grown and changed over time, but its fundamentals are the same. I’m sharing it with you today and would love to hear your comments and suggestions!
The List
Clothes
- Sleepers 12 (6 in size 0-3 months, and 6 in size 3-6 months)
- Undershirts 12 – Both sleepers and undershirts should be cotton and should open in the front. Sleepers should have feet – brands I like are Osh Kosh and Baby’s Own, both available at Walmart and the Bay.
- Receiving Blankets 12
- Socks 4 pairs
- Sweaters 2 (cardigans)
- Robeez slippers 1 pair newborn size
Furniture and Miscellaneous
- Stroller – I used the Peg Perego Pliko and loved it. Since then, the Bugaboo has come out and is absolutely amazing. It’s expensive, but so light, easy and good for your back. If it’s within your budget, it’s definitely worth the money.
- Infant Car Seat – I like the Graco Snug Ride, it’s compatible with a number of stroller systems, including the Bugaboo.
- Pack ‘n Play Playpen/Bassinet (Graco) – easy to assemble, great for travel or just to have another spot in the house (like kitchen or living room) where your baby can doze and lie down
- Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier
- Glider Chair with Rocking Footstool – I used mine alot, it’s great for breastfeeding and for rocking baby to sleep
- Crib
- Change Table with Pad
- Garbage Pail with lid (Diaper Genie or President’s Choic lidded pai)
- Baby Monitor – I like the First Years 900 mh
- Bouncy Chair (Fisher Price vibrating ) – my kids loved being able to sit up almost immediately in this chair, which allows them to participate more actively and see everything.
- Indoor Gym – I like Lamaze.
- High chair – you won’t need this until 8 mos. I like the Peg Perego because it’s easy to clean, the tray comes off easily, adjustable recline and height adjustment
- Mobile – I like the Tiny Love with Classical Music
- Diaper Bag – there are tons out there, I like the Peg Perego (it’s definitely more functional than stylish) because of its compartments for everything
- Hooded Towels (2) – Pottery Barn towels are great. They felt like an indulgence at first but after 4 years, they still look brand new.
- Baby washcloths – 12
- Bathtub – Bath Daphne, can’t explain this ergonomic wonder but it’s the best.
- Feeding Pillow – I love My Breast Friend
- LInens for crib – fitted sheet, bunting bag, bed skirt
- Night light
- CD player with classical music (optional) – helps baby relax to sleep
Feeding
- Avent Newborn bottles
- Avent Bottle Brush
- Breast Pump (Avent Isis or Medella Pump in style – I’d buy these after birth, you’ll have a better idea of what you need)
Pharmacy
- Alcohol Swabs (to clean around the umbilical cord)
- Diapers ( I like Pampers Swaddlers for newborn, Costco diapers are the best value after approximately 6 weeks, it’s the Kirkland brand)
- Wipes – I like Pampers the best, Sensitive Skin is good for newborns, I love the Lavender scent for later
- Pentax cream for diaper rash
- Vaseline – multipurpose
- Gripe Water
- Ovol
- Tempra
- Johnson’s Head to Toe Soap/Shampoo
- Aveeno products for Sensitive skin
- Johnson’s baby oil – great for baby massage
- Johnson’s baby lotion
- Vitamin D drops – required for breast fed infants
- Ivory Snow Laundry Detergent – for baby’s sensitive skin
wow amreen thats a great list.you know i have 4 and i’ve never actually sat down and planned out a list like that of what you do and don’t need.one thing i know works great is aveeno diaper cream.that stuff is awesome.and i agree with mom who said they wouldn’t buy bottles until later.
Wow! What a great list. I agree with Laura. I wouldn’t invest in bottles until you know for sure your baby will take one. I breastfed both my babies and my son didn’t take a bottle until I weaned him at 9mths. I nursed my daughter until 19mths and she never needed one. Brand new bottles went to waste! Same with the pacifiers we had stored away.
I had one giant baby and one tiny one. Neither of them ever wore all of the clothes they had!
It is good to be prepared because if you have all of the “stuff” you can focus on the “OMG! I have a freakin’ BABY!” 😉
Wow – that’s quite the list! There are definitely some that I would consider luxury items, rather than basics. My biggest suggestion would be to not buy too much in the clothing department. None of my (giant) kids ever wore the 0-3 month size. Also, a summer baby might need fewer sleepers and sweaters and more light t-shirts.
A newborn needs very little – somewhere to sleep, somewhere to sit, something to wear, a car seat, diapers, a stroller. My OB gave me free samples everytime I visited, so I had lots of wipes, diaper creams, etc. I don’t actually use wipes, just baby oil with washable cloths. As the baby grows, you’ll figure out what else they need or figure out that you can make-do with what you already have (e.g. a hooded towel is nice, but a regular towel also does the job).
One thing I loved (at about 3 months) was my Bumbo chair (www.bumbo.ca). And, I found that I used the Baby Bjorn with my second and third more than the first (more need for free hands, I guess!)
Great list!
I have only one suggestion though – under feeding, I would ditch the Avent Bottle and replace it with a good nursing bra (Bravado is a comfy brand) and some absorbant breast pads. Kooshies makes a nice brand of washable ones.