When you’re having a new baby, it’s very easy to get tied up in buying all the stuff. You think you need everything but the truth is, you really need very little. One thing that might help you buy less is to think about the fact that your child isn’t going to really remember much about the things that they have and don’t have.
What they’re going to remember, after they are about ten years old, is the time you spent with them. But, the temptation is probably there – after all, most people want the best for their babies and you’re no different.
When you’re thinking about what you really need for your baby, think about why you need it. Talk to other parents and ask them what they bought that they never used or that they know they could live without, and what they bought that they can’t live without. But for the most part, here is a list of needs that you should try to get.
* Crib – Your baby needs a safe crib with a new, safe mattress. If you’re going to co-sleep with your baby, you will need a co-sleeper to keep your baby safe. That’s a device that attaches to your bed so that you cannot roll over on the baby.
* Sheets – Your baby needs at least two sets of sheets for their mattress. That way one can be washed while the other is being used.
* Receiving Blankets – These are great for swaddling your baby. You need about seven of these so that you can have some dirty and some clean. You’re going to use these for swaddling, burping, and keeping baby warm.
* Babyproofing – At first your baby will not be running around the house, but this happens so fast. It’s highly recommended that you get the entire house baby proofed – either alone or hire someone to come do it for you. You’ll need gates at the top of stairs and latches for your toilet, cabinets, and drawers. You’ll need to protect the fireplace, anchor down furniture such as dressers, and more.
* Feeding Supplies – Depending on how you plan to feed your baby, you’ll need plenty of bottles that are easy to clean and sterilize. Normally they say at least a day’s worth of bottles, the things to clean the bottles with, and of course enough formula for several weeks so that you don’t run out. If you’re nursing, you’ll need a nursing pillow, nursing bras and nursing pads. And for either, you’ll need burping cloths which can be receiving blankets or cloth diapers.
* Diapering Supplies – You’ll need to figure out whether you’re going to go with cloth or disposables, and you have no choice but to have enough. Be careful about stocking up too much, though, as babies grow fast and you don’t want to have unopened supplies because they grew out of them before you could use them. Think 12 to 20 diapers a day depending on the baby, wipes or cloths for cleaning, changing pad, diaper pail or trash can.
* Older Child Feeding – You’ll need a high chair, bibs to protect clothing, spoons, bowls, and other supplies like that. You may have some small bowls already that you can use. But you do need covered spoons that prevent your baby from hurting their mouth.
* Cleaning Baby – You’ll need two baby towels with hoods, four baby washcloths or soft cloths, an infant tub, baby bath wash, baby shampoo, a comb and brush set, small scissors, cotton swabs, cotton balls, and a nasal aspirator.
* Clothing – The best thing to do for clothing is to buy at least seven days’ worth of clothing based on the time of year your infant needs them. So, seven onesies or footsies, snap shirts, rompers, PJs or gowns for sleeping, sun hat, and if it’s cold you may need winter gear and socks. Remember it’s fine for a small baby to wear footie onesies in public and that they grow very fast.
* Traveling – When you leave the house, you’re going to need something to carry everything. You’ll need a backpack or diaper bag, a front carrier, a stroller, and a car seat. Everything else is just extra.
As you can see, you don’t need as much as you think. These are must-haves; everything else is extra. While a changing table is nice, for example, you can just as easily change your baby on your bed, couch, the floor or on top of a dresser.
