What You REALLY Need For You New Baby Part II

Clothing


A contentious subject.  If you're short of money just put them in a sleep suit and be done with it.  Affordable, easy to get your baby in and out of, don't take up much space in the changing bag, are some of the numerous advantages.  That just isn't going to happen though is it - you'll want to but some nice clothes.  Bear in mind though that they grow awfully quickly in the first few months - blink and some of the stuff you've bought will never be worn.

There's also the decision of whether to buy cheaply, as they'll have outgrown them soon anyway, or better quality, which means that the clothes actually still look halfway decent after 2 washes.  We found that shopping for better quality in some of the discount shopping villages did help, but much of the stuff they sell is out of season and you're never quite sure how big your baby will be 3 months down the line!

We found that relatives and friends gave us a lot of clothes.  It was very nice of them but beware - their taste is not necessarily yours, and may not suit your child!

Wipes

In the early months we found cotton wool and water to be perfectly adequate.  Only later did we start to consider re-usable cotton wipes, but plumped for disposables as they are very convenient and easy to use.  I preferred Huggies as they are thicker and tend to keep their moister for longer in the packet.  My wife preferred the Pampers variety as they smelt nicer!  Look out for BOGOF or even 3 for the price of 1 offers and stock up then.

The Nursery

Don't rush out and get a cot - we found that for the first few months we did not use it, though again your mileage may vary.  We co-slept using a Snuggle Nest which we found worked well - our baby hated the Moses Basket, even when placed alongside the bed!  The cot purchase can wait until they come up to 6 months old, the point at which WHO suggest they can start sleeping separately,

A changing table is nice to have and makes life easier when a baby is very young, but when they become more active are considered a danger (according to the UK NHS) as its a long way for them to fall.  A blanket and changing mat (the one you can get free with the Boots bag in the UK) on a bed does just as well.

Its nice to have matching wardrobes and cabinets, all coordinated with the cot, but trust me, the baby really does not notice or care!  Somewhere to organise and store clothes, nappies etc is vital though, as the last thing you want to do when you have a screaming baby at 2 in the morning is ton have to hunt for a clean sleep suit.

Next time we'll take a look at Breast Pumps, Toys and Car Seats