Last-Minute Essentials
We’ve compiled a checklist of essential items baby needs, as a gentle reminder in case you need it. It’s never too late to make those last-minute purchases.
Sleepsuits
It sounds silly but have you got enough rompers, sleep suits and all-in-ones? No doubt when the baby arrives you’ll be inundated with new outfits, but it always helps to have a couple of spares standing by. Babies are notoriously messy, and even still, you’ll need a going home outfit.
Bodysuits
Again, baby vests are another wardrobe staple. Between the dirty nappies and overenthusiastic feeding times, you’ll go through these pretty quickly.
It used to be that friends and family would always buy newborn outfits, so that, come a couple of months into baby’s life, you’d find you have no outfits left. Nowadays people preempt this by thoughtfully buying outfits from 3 months up – so unless you grab a few newborn essentials yourself, you’ll have nothing for the baby to wear.
Muslin Squares
Any non-parent might not be fully acquainted with muslin squares, but it’s amazing how quickly ‘have you seen the muslins?’ becomes a part of your daily vocabulary once a baby arrives.
Great for keeping your little one clean during feeding and burping, or a perfect impromptu swaddle, they’re a parenting lifesaver. Best make sure you have enough.
Bibs
Whether you’ve got muslin squares or not, it helps to have a few bibs close to hand too. You’ll never know when the baby will spill during a feed – and all that dribbling!
Blankets
Above everything parenting is largely an exercise in keeping something at just the right temperature. It just so happens that something is a human baby. You’ll soon learn the difference between too cold and too hot – and hopefully find a happy medium. And if not, there’s always a blanket.
Whether you need to keep the baby toasty while they nap on you or want to keep their toes warm in the pushchair or Moses basket, a light, knitted blanket can be just what you need.
Hat and Scratch Mitts
As part of your mission to keep your child warm enough, a hat can be an essential ally. Especially in those early days and during the colder months, a hat can help regulate a baby's temperature, so it’s always useful to have a few around.
As well as temperature regulation, parenting is also about protecting your baby. More often than not you’re mainly protecting them from themselves. Baby's tiny little fingernails can cause a surprising amount of scratches if they’re not careful, which they usually aren’t. Therefore, a pair of scratch mitts will help them keep their hands to themselves.
Socks
Think of them as hats for your feet. Socks stop little toes from getting too cold. Most of the time sleepsuits and all-in-ones have integrated feet, so it isn’t an issue, but if you want to try your little one in a pants set, a pair of socks will keep the warmth in.
Towels
For tiny humans that don’t do a lot, they can get surprisingly messy. So bathtimes will become a frequent feature in your household. Making sure the baby is warm and comfortable when they’re out of the water is key, and that’s where towels come in. Whether you go for a standard towel or a hooded one, they’re really useful to have around.
Now that should be more than enough to keep you going for the first few weeks of the baby's life. And of course, don’t forget those other key staples like nappies, cream, wipes and cotton wool – but we can’t do everything for you.
We hope this helps you stock up on all those last minute essentials but try not to sweat it. You’ve got this and even if you do forget something, it’s nothing you can’t get at a later date.
