Newborn Baby Shopping Essential List To Help You Survive the 1st Month

Having a baby can be expensive, but you can waste so much money buying things you don’t need. Or buying them too soon. I’m hoping this newborn baby essential list will point you in the right direction with regards to what you need for the first month.

This will allow you to not buy into all of the baby bits that are wasteful or make you feel like you need to use your credit card or use pay-monthly or finance offers.

With so many baby products out there, it’s hard to know what you actually need on your baby items list. This may also be handy if you know someone having a baby and may give you some ideas of what to buy as a gift, or what not to buy – hopefully, what’s in this newborn baby shopping list will give you some ideas of what you need to take care of your newborn. Always consider just asking what they need, especially if you know they don’t have a lot of money!

At the bottom of this blog post, you will find a free printable PDF newborn baby shopping list so you can create your own list!

Baby Essential List

I’ve split this baby essential list into 4 categories:

Must-Haves for your Newborn Baby Shopping List

• What I think you actually need from birth.

Must-have baby essentials for after one month. 

• Things you don’t need immediately.

Nice to have on your newborn baby shopping list

• Not essential but handy if you can afford them.

Waste of money!

• These are baby items I thought were a waste of money. Things I did not use. This is just from my personal experience, you might feel different, they could be an essential newborn item for you!

Must-Haves for your Newborn Baby Shopping List

Muslin Cloths

We didn’t have enough muslin clothes to start with. We had about 6, which was fine for about two weeks. Then out of nowhere, Leo started being sick all the time! I was constantly running out of them and trying to wash them. If I had another baby, I’d probably buy 15-20 because there are days when you can go through 10, easily!

Vests/Bodysuits

I call them vests, but some people call them bodysuits. The thing your baby wears under their babygrow or sleepsuit.

I had loads of these (given to us), but if I was going to have another baby, I’d probably start off with buying 10 vests in 0-1 month (or up to 9.9lbs) size. The newborn size was too small for Leo and I found they had plenty of stretch in them so they did last a fair while!

10 is more than enough. We changed his vest in the morning then again before bed, there was the odd poo explosion but 10 would be fine.

I love the packs from Asda.

Sleep Suits

Sleepsuits or baby grows or onesies (why do baby things have so many different names?). These were my favourite thing! Get ones with scratch mitts in and feet! Babys kick socks off and mittens fall off. Even if you’re baby isn’t scratching themselves, their little hands get cold in the night!

Again, just get about 10 or so!

You can get suits with zips instead of poppers, but they do tend to be more expensive. If you want to get some for the night to make middle-of-the-night changes a bit easier, Next do some lovely ones.

Hats

A couple of little hats will do for when you’re at the hospital, coming home and going for walks. Your baby doesn’t need to wear a hat when they’re at home as they can overheat, so two is more than enough for your new baby shopping list!

You may even get a few more gifted. And the hospital will usually put one on your baby’s head straight away.

Nappies

Boots do bamboo nappies that are better for the environment. You may even want to invest in some reusable nappies at some point.

If you’re wanting something a bit cheaper then you can get the normal nappies for much less.

I changed Leos’s nappy between 8-12 times a day when he was a newborn! I bought way too many in first size and ended up giving them away as he moved up to size 2 after a month, so don’t go buying loads!

I would recommend getting a packet in size 2 so you are ready when they need them! It’s hard to tell, they just start leaking loads when you need to size up.

Baby Wipes

I buy a bulk box of wipes. I like the Tesco’s own ones, they are the ones that seem to come out of the packet easiest. Some wipes pull out of the packet in clumps which is not ideal when you only have one hand.

Nappy Bags

You don’t need anything fancy, just a basic packet of nappy bags s fine!

Sudocrem

You only need a small pot, the stuff lasts for ages. I use this when Leo looks a bit red. He often gets red marks in his rolls too so we put a bit on there, and under his chin because he blows loads of raspberries and dribbles a lot.

In the first month, I didn’t put a lot on but I put a tiny little bit of Sudocrem on when his skin needed some TLC.

Car Seat

Any newborn baby shopping list will have a car seat on it, in the UK you need a car seat to take the baby home! A good car seat is so important. I got one with our travel system, but I’m considering getting one which is good from birth until 4 years for when he’s too big for the carrier he has now. I want to rear-face for as long as possible, also.

Make sure you look into the safety features before buying, you can go into a Mamas and Papas store and speak to someone about one, they were so helpful with ours.

Co-Sleeper

Your baby needs to sleep in your room for the first 6 months at least. I’ve got a Chicco Next2Me for Leo. It has one side down so I can easily get to him at night. He’s still in it now.

Changing Mat

A changing mat is a must-have! We use it multiple times a day, We actually have two, one that we keep upstairs on his changing table and one for downstairs.

Towels

Just by some normal white hand towels. About 5 or 6 of them. You can use them to bathe your baby and also to lay on the changing mat so they don’t get cold. The hooded ones are cute but they outgrow them quickly and are more expensive than hand towels.

The reason for 5 or 6 – you’ll always have some in the wash as they wee and poo all over them on the changing mat loads at the start!

Baby Bath

A baby bath is important! They are so handy as you can bathe your baby anywhere, we used to bathe him in the living room when he was firstborn. Now we use his baby bath upstairs.

Changing Bag

You can spend a lot of money on a changing bag, but you don’t have to! I’ve just got a holdall. It’s perfect and fits in everything I need.

Nursing Bra

Get some that are comfy and simple. I couldn’t deal with the nursing bras that you had to clip open!

I have 4 and have to wash them all the time, I really could do with more! It’s cute how I thought I would only need two, ugh. I didn’t realise how much milk leaks everywhere, you can’t get away with wearing a nursing bra for longer than a day as they get soaked!

Breast pads

You can get reusable breast pads or disposable ones.

When your milk comes in, it’s a bit insane how much milk your body makes so be prepared to change them a few times a day for the first few weeks!

Coconut Oil

I didn’t put anything on Leos’s skin for the first two weeks, then I started using 100% pure coconut oil after the bath, I still use it now. It lasts ages as well, Leo is 6 months and we’re on our second pot.

Car Window Shade

A sunshade for the car is so important! The sun shines directly in their eyes sometimes and there’s no way of them moving their head out away from the sun.

Blankets

You don’t need to go mad with blankets, we only use two!

We have one that we use for taking in the pram or car seat and one that I use at night.

Cellular blankets are an ideal choice as they have lots of little holes to help your baby maintain their temperature. The holes also allow them to breathe if the blanket gets covered over their heads.

When using blankets in a baby’s bed, you should always keep your baby’s head uncovered and the blanket should be tucked in no higher than their shoulders. To prevent your baby from wriggling down under the covers, place them in the “feet to foot” position. This means their feet are at the end of the cot or cot bed. Always place your baby on their back to sleep

Bottles

If you are formula feeding, then you’ll need bottles of course! I bought some of the Mam anti-colic bottles. I liked how they could be sterilised in the microwave with just water.

I haven’t used my bottles at all though and don’t think I will. I regret getting them now! So only buy if you know you’ll use them (you plan to formula feed). I thought I’d pump eventually so my partner could feed but it was just easier not to.

• See more about my breastfeeding journey here.

Thermometer

There is nothing worse than having a poor baby! It’s important to check their temperate if you think they are unwell so you can seek advice. You can’t manage a temperature with baby Calpol until they are 8 weeks (unless advised by a doctor), so if you are unable to bring your baby’s temperate down by taking one layer off at a time, you’ll need to seek medical advice.

An ear thermometer is a great choice for a baby! I have a forehead thermometer that is easy to use but it’s not accurate.

Nipple Cream

If you are planning on breastfeeding, this is the cream you need! It’s really hard to use nipple cream at the start as it feels like the baby is always on your boob, but just put this on when they’re asleep. It’s fine for them to feed without wiping it off.

Maternity pads

The Boots maternity pads are brilliant! I’ve heard so many good things about them. I bled for 4 weeks after having Leo so make sure you have a few packs ready.

Some women bleed really heavily, but thankfully it wasn’t too bad for me.

Must-have baby essentials for after one month. 

Baby Monitor

This is not essential RIGHT NOW but you will need one eventually. You won’t be leaving the baby alone to sleep for a few months!

I’ve got the BT video baby monitor.

Cot

You will need a cot eventually, but not immediately. My baby has not slept in his yet. I’ve tried to get him to nap in it lot but failed! You can always wait to get a cot after the baby is born if you don’t have much space or need to save money first.

My cot bed matches our drawers and wardrobe. You need to buy a mattress and sheets for it, too. We went for a cot bed so it can turn into a toddler bed when Leo is old enough!

Bouncer

You can get all sorts of bouncers for babies. Some bounce, vibrate, play music, rock. I just got a normal one.

He didn’t use it much to start with, I think I used it once or twice in the first month, but it became really handy in later months. Currently, I keep it upstairs and put him in it when I’m showering and getting ready (I have the door open to the en-suite so he can see me and I can see him). I give him a toy and that works for us. This isn’t essential for the first month but good for later down the line.

You can’t leave them to sleep in them because they can struggle to breathe as they slump their necks.

Calpol

You can’t give Calpol before two months, but you will need some eventually as you will have to give some for the 8-week jabs to prevent a fever.

Playmat

Leo was not bothered about his play gym for the first few months, but now he LOVES it. He is getting a bit too big for it now and rolls around and gets stuck, but it has been one of the best things we got for him. It kept him entertained for so long.

Toys

We bought Leo toys for Christmas when he was 4 weeks old.

Here are some of his favourite toys he used from about 2 months on:

• oball – from about 8 weeks onwards, this helped him learn how to hold things
• cow toy – I hung this on his play gym and he loved it!
• crinkly fox book – so much crinkle, hours of fun! He LOVES this
• soft rattles – he loves these and plays with them for a while. They’re brilliant for learning to shake rattles as they are soft so it’s fine if they hit him in the face!
• optic torch – probably one the first things we ‘played’ with – he would track this with his eyes from a few weeks old.

Breast Pump

Only relevant if you plan to pump. You shouldn’t pump for 6 weeks to allow your milk to regulate naturally, but if you want to catch your letdown from your opposite book (when you feed on leftie, rightie leaks!) then you can use a silicone breast pump or Hakka breast pump to collect this!

I wouldn’t recommend buying a more expensive one until you know you’ll need it.

 

Nice to have

Water Wipes

Waterwipes are 99.9% water and gentle on your newborn baby’s skin. They are quite expensive though which is why they’re in the ‘nice to have’ section. I got a couple of packets to use when Leo was firstborn.

You can get supermarkets’ own versions of these – Aldi do one! It’s 99% water so not much difference! I paid a bit extra for a few packs of Waterwipes for when he was first born, I now use Huggies version of the Water wipes!

Baby Carrier/Sling

Babies love being close to their caregivers! A sling is a great option to keep the baby close to you so you can move about at the same time.

Leo used to fall asleep in his, but he isn’t much of a fan now and just headbutts my chest.

Changing Table

I got the changing table to match our cot and wardrobe. A lot of people told me not to bother with one, but I actually use it loads! Especially as my back hurts a lot. As soon as we get up, I change his nappy on it. We change him after the bath and before bed on it too. Sometimes during the day as well if he needs his clothes changed!

I love our changing table as the wooden edge comes off making it into a normal chest of drawers when we stop using it as a changing table.

Nappy Caddy

A good old basket or caddy for nappy things downstairs is great to keep them all tucked away! Any basket-type thing will do. Thanks to Mrs Hinch, you can find them everywhere!

Moses Basket

We didn’t bother with a Moses basket as it felt like we had soooo many things for him to sleep in already.

We used the carrycot part of his pram for when he slept downstairs! Which wasn’t often as he usually woke when we put him down, so he sleeps on me.

Baby Hair Brush

We hardly use our hairbrush, we have two and a comb! Plus many babies are balled. And we got one gifted! It might be useful at some point but not essential. You can get little grooming kits for babies that have lots in but I didn’t use much!

Nursing Chair

I’ve only just got a nursing chair as we are trying to get Leo into his cot. It would have been pointless to use when he was firstborn as I fed him on the sofa or on the bed. I know many people who have bought one but then don’t use it. I’d recommend waiting to see if you actually want one to use and buy at a later date!

You can find cheaper options from Kub Direct or even consider a second-hand one from Facebook marketplace.

Bath Thermometer

I was super anal about doing things by the book. The bath temperature had to be JUST RIGHT so we used a bath thermometer to start with. But now we don’t use it at all!

White noise machine

White noise machines can help some babies sleep. I found it helped to drown out other noise, so I often put ours by Leo while he’s sleeping.

We have Ollie the Owl for by his bed and I also have a white noise track on my phone that’s an hour long and I put that on when he’s napping outside (if he falls to sleep in his pram on a nice day, I’ll sit in the garden with him until he wakes – our neighbours have kids that are loud so it drowns them out.)

Room Thermometer

The Groegg thermometer is quite handy as it glows different colours depending on the temperature. It’s handy if you are nervous about what to dress your baby in at night.

I just got a cheap one from Amazon that I put by his Next2me.

Insight mirror

This was actually an essential item for me as I need to see Leo when I’m driving! Though we didn’t use our insight mirror for a few weeks as I was always sat in the back seat when my partner drove. If you plan to drive alone with the baby in the car, this can really help your stress levels because I always get scared that he’s going to stop breathing!

Waste of money!

Nail Clippers

Little tiny nail clippers, I have not used them because I know people who have clipped the top of their babies finger with it. Just use nail files! It’s so much easier and safer.

Bibs

I think Leo has worn a bib about 3 times. We had SO many! You don’t need to buy any as you can guarantee someone will buy you an outfit that includes a bib. I just felt like he looked so uncomfortable with them on. I only ever used them if we had just changed him and were going somewhere.

Please note this is just my preference – I know some mums that use bibs all the time so I wouldn’t bother buying them right away, and if you need them, buy them. But for me, those aren’t high up on my list of baby things for a first-time mum.

Now we use weaning bibs for when he’s eating which are different to the normal type of bibs, like the coverall ones.

Scratch mitts.

Like I said earlier, just buy a sleepsuit with mitts built-in. You cannot keep a mitten on a baby for more than 10 minutes so don’t bother with them on your list for a newborn baby.

Shoes

These feel like one of the must-have baby items, but they’re a waste. Shoes and booties look cute but also come off. Your baby doesn’t need shoes until they are a confident walker.

Socks

Same as scratch mitts and shoes.

Outfits

Little baby outfits are so cute! But it’s so much easier to have a new baby in a vest and sleepsuit. And comfier

I understand, as a new parent that you want to buy cute outfits, but don’t go buying loads like they’ll be wearing them every day. I didn’t even bring Leo home in his coming-home outfit, just a onesie!

If you do want to buy some, either just buy a couple that you REALLY love, or buy in a bigger size. Also make sure there’s easy access to change nappies, such as poppers to open. Buttons to access the nappies are a pain!

Swaddle blankets

I swaddled Leo once and he looked at me as if to say ‘what on earth are you doing to me?’. So I never did it again! I know some people who swear by it and do recommend you buy a swaddle blanket rather than trying to figure out how to swaddle with a normal blanket when your baby is wiggling like a worm!

FAQ:

Here are some frequently asked questions about what you need for a newborn baby:

How many diapers a day for a newborn?

My son used between 8 and 10 nappies a day for the first few weeks. This does reduce as they get older and poo less!

When should I start shopping for my baby?

This is a personal choice. I did most of my shopping towards the end of the second trimester. I wanted to get everything sorted out so I could rest as much as possible during the third trimester.

What do babies need the most?

The most important things are:

• a car seat
• a safe place to sleep
• baby vests
• baby grows
• baby body wash and shampoo
• nappies and wipes
• formula, bottles and sterilising equipment if not breastfeeding

The rest, you could probably do without and just buy as and when.

What do newborn mothers want?

This depends on the mother. Most will want food that they can eat with one hand, a tidy home and the to be able to shower or bath without interruption!

When should you pack your hospital bag?

I did mine around 34 weeks. It really is up to you but I would have it done by 37 weeks at least!

How many baby bottles do I need?

You don’t need any if you are breastfeeding. I made the mistake of buying bottles even though I was breastfeeding and didn’t even use them! If you are breastfeeding and you’re worried you might need bottles, just get the, if you end up needing them.

If you are using formula, get a bottle set with around 8 in.

What is the closest formula to breast milk?

The most formula is made from cow’s milk, so you can’t get anything close to breast milk. Vitamins and nutrients can be added so it resembles breastmilk but it will not compare to the benefits of it.

What do I need to breastfeed?

Read my breastfeeding essentials post for this answer!

What should a baby wear to sleep?

Your baby’s room should be around 20 degrees Celsius, and a baby should wear a vest and a babygrow to sleep. During the summer when it’s hot, strip them down to just a vest.

If your room drops below 20, then consider a baby sleep sack or a cellular blanket. A cellular blanket is important as it has holes in it that allow your baby to breathe should they kick the blanket over their face.

Hope this newborn baby essential list helps you! Let me know if I’ve missed anything!

Here’s your free downloadable PDF newborn baby shopping list: