19. Swaddles. I would suggest buying several pieces (for example, muslin or flannel ones, 35 pieces of each). Later you will decide for yourself if you need some more. These things are not expensive and will not affect your budget, even if you end up not using them. There are swaddle blankets with velcro fasteners, but I learned about them late and we did not have a chance to use them. However, I am sure that it is a genius invention because our Matvey could easily unswathe himself just like Houdini, no matter how tight we swaddled him.
20. Baby tissue paper or simply soft napkins. Number of pieces limitless. We cut a couple of flannel cloths to smaller pieces in order to clean the babys face when he was posseting, as well as wipe everywhere else that would get in his way. We kept a couple of such napkins in every room not to run around searching for them every time we needed them. It is washed with the rest of baby clothes. As an alternative, you can use disposable tissue paper (extra soft one, made especially for babies).
21. Clothes. I do not recommend buying a lot of clothes of the smallest size for a newborn. When during your pregnancy you get a shopping rush and want to buy all those cute little shirts and pants (and I understand you!), it is better to take only a couple of things for 03 months, and the rest (especially warm clothes) already for 36 months. There are some things which I bought that my son Matvey did not even wear because they were too tiny for him from birth. And I took time choosing them carefully! Also, for the first months the process of dressing a baby (in comparison with buying clothes for him) is far from being a pleasant activity. I would say, too far from it. Sometimes during this process your baby will scream so much that you could lose your hearing for a while. This is why it is better to make do with the good old swaddling than have a nervous breakdown trying to fit a tiny baby hand in a sleeve of that cutest polka-dotted shirt which you so lovingly chose to buy.
A list of first clothes for a baby who cannot crawl yet
Summer:
cotton bodysuits with short sleeves 34 pcs.;
cotton footed pants 34 pcs. (but you could go directly to sleepsuits if you want);
cotton sleepsuits (same as bodysuits but with long sleeves and closed feet) 34 pcs.;
cotton caps 2 pcs.;
cotton blanket (throw) for walks;
newborn mittens
There is no need to buy any warm sweaters or other types of warm clothes for walks in the summer. If necessary, it is easier to cover a baby with a cotton blanket or a swaddling blanket.
Summer lasts three months (sometimes one and a half in Siberia), and by autumn you would already need to buy clothes of a bigger size. Well, if you really want to buy that cute little sweater Who would stop you? But I suggest buying it in a bigger size (36 months).
Autumn/spring:
All the same things as for the summer, plus:
knitted cap;
warm hat;
warm knit sleepsuit or a light fleece one without lining;
fleece sleepsuit with a lining;
light bunting suit (6080 gram fill insulation);
warm fleece throw blanket.
You can buy all winter clothes in autumn as well. However, if your baby is born at the end of April, for example, there is no need to spend money for a winter bunting suit which will already become small for him/her in the upcoming autumn. It is better to take a non-expensive warm envelope blanket and a fleece throw.
Winter:
All the same things as for the autumn/spring, plus:
warm woolen socks;
winter bunting suit (250300 gram fill insulation) instead of a light version mentioned in the previous list (you can buy that closer to spring)
I would recommend buying a bunting suit made in your home country or the one with similar climate. For example, our Siberian son Matvey felt very warm in his Finnish bunting suit by Kerry (Finnish brand). It easily resists cold up to 25 °С, and is very convenient to put on and zip up.
It is better to buy a bunting suit a little bit bigger than your babys size so that you will not end up buying a second one in the same season (because children grow fast, and in the first few months very fast).
This is just a suggested list of clothes. Quite possibly, moms with experience will point out some important things, in their opinion, that are absent from this list. Lets put it this way, I wrote about the basic sets which you will definitely need, and the rest you can decide for yourself and buy what you consider to be important.
Lets continue.
22. Sterilizer: for bottles, pacifiers, baby rattles and breast pump. It is not an essential thing but quite a useful device to have in your household. Just pour some water, push the button and all your things are clean in 6 minutes.
23. Breast pump. Manual one is the most popular. Even if you manage to avoid breast engorgement, it is a useful device, in case you need to express some milk to feed the baby when you are away.
24. Bottles (for water, expressed breast milk or an infant formula) must fit to your chosen breast pump. It is better to choose bottle teats with the smallest flow.
25. Pacifier. Every mother decides for herself whether she gets her baby used to pacifiers or not. In the beginning, having my head full of natural parenting during the pregnancy, I decided that I will never give Matvey any pacifiers. Then I realized that, as in the case with any extreme theories, it is better not to be so opinionated. Most importantly is that the baby, as well as his parents, feel comfortable about it. Matvey did not suck on his pacifier 24/7, but sometimes I would give it to help him go to sleep. If I needed to calm my baby down, I would always hold him or give the breast. The pacifier was not a replacement for his mother, and he did not develop any addiction to it. People who think that pacifiers are universally evil tend to dramatize too much. In any case, it is up to you to decide. If you end up buying a pacifier, buy two (as a rule, one always gets lost when you need it or falls on the floor). A special clip with a chain will prevent a pacifier from falling.
26. Baby bouncer. This is not essential but a very useful thing. Baby put in a bouncer can always stay next to mommy and watch her when she is busy.
27. Baby bathtub. Newborn child can be bathed in a normal big bathtub but a special baby bathtub will save you water and time for pre-washing. When a baby learns to sit, such a bathtub is also convenient. We used a special bath support in the beginning, but only for the first week. You could easily do without it. A bath stand, on the contrary, is very useful as it will save mommys back.
28. Baby care products:
baby soap;
soft hair brush;
baby scissors or nail clippers;
nasal aspirator for that tiny nose;
cotton pads;
moisturizing cream;
nappy cream (if your baby develops a rash, but you do not need to buy it beforehand);
baby laundry detergent (it is better to use it for all the things which come in contact with your babys skin: baby clothes, bed sheets);
baby shampoo.
baby laundry detergent (it is better to use it for all the things which come in contact with your babys skin: baby clothes, bed sheets);
baby shampoo.
29. Baby medicine cabinet. A minimum of things which you will need:
bath herbs (you can buy special kits for babies or separate packs of chamomile and beggarticks);
bepanthen;
hydrogen peroxide;
paracetamol suppositories (for infants);
baby oil;
saline solution for nose (nasal drops for babies, not spray);
thermometer (electronic one is better, ideally the one which can immediately tell the temperature).
As for the special medicines which must be present in your home, please consult your pediatrician.
30. Baby rattles and other toys. In beginning one or two rattles is enough. They help to distract your baby from crying, but mainly are a source of entertainment for mommy and daddy, not the baby.
31. Baby crib mobile. Another non-essential but useful thing. Babies are fascinated by the way the toys are moving. However, they will not be interested in a mobile right away. It will happen when your baby learns to focus on something and starts to understand that it is not that boring to lay in bed.
ІІ. Things to buy for a new mother
While making a list of baby essentials, do not forget to make a list for yourself as well.
1. Comfortable maternity bras 23 pcs. They support swollen breasts and expose the right amount of breast for breastfeeding when you need it, in one swoop. You will also need nursing pads. In the very beginning when your lactation is still not settled and out of control, milk comes in big quantities and wets your lingerie.
2. After birth belly wrap. I cannot estimate the efficiency of this thing as my after birth period happened to be in scorching heat in the summer, and it was a torture wearing it. But people say it helps to get back in shape after youve had your baby.
3. Postpartum pads. You will need them for about a month month and a half (here all men close the book). To maintain a high level of hygiene it is important to change them very frequently.
4. Lansinoh (lanolin) for breasts, to soften your bitten nipples (now really all men close the book). Bepanthen mentioned in the previous list is also good for curing war wounds of a woman who started her journey on a long road of motherhood.
5. Breastfeeding pillow. Some do without it, but personally for me this pillow was irreplaceable when I was breastfeeding when seated. You could sit in a big armchair, put on this life saver, surround yourself with books, films and cookies with tea and sit like this for hours with the baby on your breast, enjoying the slow beginning of motherhood. It is better to have two pillowcases for this pillow so that you could easily change them when they get dirty.
6. Nursing clothes. When I decided to buy nursing clothes, I realized that many manufacturers think that new mothers must look beautiful only to their baby, and forget about the rest. In beginning I did buy a couple of those ugly dresses and tops, but then among my old clothes I found some items that could work as nursing clothes as well. For example, tops with straps, shirts with buttons anything where you can easily reveal the breast. In any case, it is important to remember that any nursing clothes will inevitably get dirty with baby posseting. This is why it is reasonable not to use any Dior dresses for that purpose unless you are sure that white stains will give it some extra charm.
7. Fitball (fitness ball). Usually people buy it for the exercises while pregnant but this thing can be used after birth as well. It is such an amazing device for rocking your baby to sleep. Your back and hands will not be as tired as they would get if you are rocking the baby while standing. But do not get too carried away, your baby might not intend to become an astronaut. Moreover, you will need that ball for baby gymnastics as well. If you do not mind its big size, fitball is a great thing to have at home.
8. Sling. My Matvey was not fast to approve this idea. My first attempts to put him in a sling failed, and he would run away from me (and he could not even crawl yet!) It was only when he was about three months old that we finally managed the sling thing, and I learned how to wear it and walk with it.
The sling is a great thing, even if you are not a fan of natural parenting and constantly keeping the baby on yourself. The sling allows you to do many things with both hands. If you are going for a walk with a sling, there is no need to carry that heavy pram around. The sling saves you time (you can read about this in the chapter about time management).
9. Wide all-purpose multifunctional shawl. Light cotton shawl is the simplest thing which will be useful in many situations:
to cover up when breastfeeding in public (at a friends house, on the plane, etc.);
to cover the pram when your baby is sleeping (to make it more comfortable);
to hide your child from the sun when you are traveling in the car;
to act as a wonderful accessory for your stylish look and cover the posseting stains on your clothes.
ІІІ. Things you will need later (you do not need to buy it before birth):
1. Playpen is something you might need when your baby learns to sit and crawl. Some modern theories criticize playpens saying that it is not good to restrict the babys desire to learn more about the world. But nobody is saying that the baby will sit there 24/7. It is more a question of security. When the mother desperately needs to go to toilet, it is better to put the baby in a playpen than leave him/her on the floor exploring, as it would mean to put your childs health and life at danger. As a child, I had a whole room as a playpen. There was nothing but the carpet, toys and two sisters. Couch pillows played the role of a fence. Unfortunately, not everyone has a spare room for that purpose.
There are many playpens on the market and they all look kind of the same, but for the second time I would buy a small playpen/baby bed, two in one, with a standard mattress size. I think such a bed is a great idea when you travel somewhere with a child.
2. Potty. Potty designers have amazing imagination, but the most important feature is that the potty should be stable.
3. High chair. We inherited ours from Matveys cousins. It was beautiful, soft, comfortable but absolutely impractical in terms of cleaning. Every time when Matvey had his meals, his chair would be covered in food which would get in impossible places and far corners. The stitches on the chair were made of artificial leather, so they would easily soak in something like carrot juice. In short, it was an everyday challenge.
We did not buy another chair, but I would advise my dear readers to buy a washable, completely wooden or plastic high chair that is easily cleaned. I would say a babys bottom in a diaper does not feel uncomfortable on a hard chair, but you could easily buy an extra pillow if you feel like the baby needs one.
4. Bib. Get a plastic one that has a pocket, which is essential. The pocket will collect the things that fall. It is convenient to have a second bib as well (while the first one dries after washing).