I was chatting recently with one of my close friends, who is expecting her first child, all about what I’d recommend or avoid getting in my experience. We’re both due around the same time, and rather excitingly (and great for the purse strings) I’m having another boy!
Looking at my long original “Newborn baby” spreadsheet I used first time around, there were definitely items which I’d just not bother with, and others which I simply wasn’t aware of which didn’t even make the list.
When you’re pregnant, you are bombarded with adverts for everything you can imagine. As soon as there’s a whiff of expecting a child about you, the algorithm picks it up and starts chucking all the baby products at you. It’s such a minefield, and there’s quite a lot of unnecessary newborn “stuff” which are positioned as “‘must-haves” or “life-savers”.
A good thing to remember as well is that all babies are different. Some LOVE to sleep in a Moses basket – others can’t stand them. Some use a dummy, others don’t. Some parents want to bottle feed, others breastfeed. As such the products required greatly differ – which means you don’t need to splash out on EVERYthing beforehand, on the off-chance you need them later down the line.
Hopefully if you’re expecting and aren’t sure where to start, this post will help you decipher the helpful from the space cluttering, and save you some cash in the meantime.
Please note this list is not exhaustive of everything you need, but simply the top things we used the most, and those which I just wish I hadn’t bothered with!
My top recommended items for a newborn
✅ Piano play gym
My goodness was this a great find. Bought secondhand for us by another mum friend, the Fisher-Price piano play gym was probably one of the most used items for our first born. From month one to all the way to rolling around five months in, this was used daily. They love kicking their legs against the piano, looking at the overhead mobile. Perfect for keeping them entertained so you can have a rest, we’ll definitely be getting this one out of the attic when our second baby comes along!
✅ A comfortable nursing armchair
We didn’t buy a dedicated nursing chair, as my Grandma lent us one of her Lloyd Loom nursing chairs. Unfortunately, I found pretty quickly that using this was unsustainable, as with no arms and little comfort, it wasn’t somewhere I could sit for a while without getting a numb bum and arm ache. A little too late, we ended up buying a comfortable armchair with a high back to use, and this was a game changer. Soo much more comfortable and I could rest my arms on the sides to hold baby’s head, this is something I would have prioritised if I’d realised how much time I’d spend in that chair!
✅ A clear nappy changing space and changing mat, at standing height, plus the Mabel and Fox wedge mat.
We didn’t originally buy a nappy changing table, as we started using the top of his nursery chest of drawers. However pretty quickly we found having a changing table in our bedroom was a must. This saved running from room to room at night which was brilliant when you’re already sleep deprived. We used the Mabel & Fox wedge mat, which is great with the curved sides and still use at 18 months.
✅ Shnuggle Dreami Moses basket
Some babies love a Moses basket, and others don’t. Luckily ours which was gifted from a friend came into good use! We placed in our living room, so baby could be placed safely somewhere downstairs, and sleep soundly whilst we were near. It’s a nicely sized, breathable Moses basket, and our baby felt very comfortable in it.
✅ Baby Carrier – we got an Ergobaby one
A quality baby carrier is a great option for naps, and going out and about generally, without the pram. There are many cheaper ones but I’d always recommend getting a quality brand which has the correct safety requirements. It’s important as baby will face your chest for a long time, so making sure they’re safe and comfortable, as well as suitable for their hip alignment, is paramount.
✅ Size 0 nappies for the hospital bag
My midwife friend let me into the best secret to the hospital bag nappy – get Size 0. No matter the size of the baby, size 1 nappies will be too big for a fresh-out-the-womb newborn. Pampers do size 0 and I love gifting this to friends who are expecting. We used the size 0 and were perfect, even for out 8lb 1oz newborn!
✅ Etta Loves Sensory mat
Gifted to me by a work colleague, the Etta Loves Sensory Mat is no cheap purchase, but was so well used it was definitely worth having. Made for newborns to four months on one side, and five months+ on the other, the black and white pattern is scientifically designed to be stimulating for newborn vision and tummy time practise. It’s also super easy to fold up and take with you so you can safely lay your baby on the floor at other people’s houses.
✅ Tummy time book
The New York Times best board book for babies 2025, and gifted to us second hand by a friend, my baby LOVED this board book and I genuinely think it contributed to him enjoying tummy time and lifting his head. With black and white images, reversible sides and a mirror, this book is perfect for keeping their brains busy whilst exercising their new muscles!
✅ Shnuggle bath
Once our newborn’s umbilical cord had fallen off and dried up, we used a separate Shnuggle baby bath to wash him which he loved. For us, this was much easier to use than leaning over the big bath tub which had a glass screen in the way. The bottom of the Shnuggle bath has a bump so the baby can’t slide down under the water. We used this for a long time until he’d grown out of it! You can get a bath stand for them so you can stand up and bathe your baby, but we just sat on the floor of the bedroom in cosy lighting which worked well.
✅ Baby nail clippers
We started with a gifted baby electric nail file, which worked really well when the babies fingers are teeny tiny, but soon clippers were quicker for hands which wouldn’t stay still. It goes without saying that you need to be mindful not to cut below the white of the nail, but if used correctly it is great to get them used to having their nails cut. Their nails can be like razors!
✅ Car mirror
Something that’s easily forgotten at first is a car mirror for the baby-seat headrest so you can see your little one in the rearview mirror. Without it, it’s a bit nervewracking to drive and not be able to see if your baby is okay.
✅ Mug warming coaster heater
Something that I never bought with my first, and wish I had done, was a mug warmer for my tea/coffee. Recently gifted to us for Christmas, I will definitely be using when I’m nap trapped or breastfeeding my baby. Never start a feed without a drink and snacks to hand – especially with a firstborn as you have no idea how long you maybe stuck there! Hot drinks will go cold, so definitely worth having a mug warmer to hand.
✅ Lansinoh breast therapy hot / cold packs
These were a life saver for me. Regardless of if you bottle or breastfeed, when your milk comes in, it’s going to feel like your boobs are filled with hard rocks and it can be pretty uncomfortable. The Lansinoh breast therapy packs are brilliant at relieving the discomfort, both at this point and if you breastfeed and have engorged breasts or mastitis. I keep mine in the freezer and used to whack them out on the regular.
✅ Sweet dreamers sleeping bags
UK brand Sweet Dreamers create the comfiest, safe sleep swaddle bags for babies, made from soft bamboo or organic pure cotton. The two-way zip makes night changing really easy as well. The brand works closely with The Lullaby Trust, a charity supporting safe sleeping for babies. All their bags are rigorously tested & conform to the latest British Safety Standard, BS EN 16781:2018 / EN 16781:2018(E) which allows for more peace of mind when it comes to newborn sleep. Our baby loved them as a newborn (and still does as a toddler!), feeling all cosy and wrapped up for his sleep, and I trust them as a mum that they’re safe to use.
✅ Tommee Tippee Gro egg 2
Another item we used daily for safe sleeping was the Tommee Tippee Gro Egg 2, which was gifted to us by a friend. The light is really useful for quick checks on baby, as well as making sure the room is the right temperature for safe sleep.
✅ A dedicated softly lit light for nighttime nappy changes and feeds
Rather than blinding everyone as you wake the multiple times in the night with a newborn, it’s definitely worth getting a soft, warm and dim light to use which allows you to change a nappy or feed your baby, without waking everyone up. We used this portable silicone owl nightlight which was gifted to us, it provided enough light to clearly see our baby whilst changing. It was also great to take away with us when visiting family or friends.
My top items I wouldn’t necessarily buy
❌ A breast pump
A breast pump is really great if you know you’re going to exclusively breast pump your milk or are consistent enough with it to combi feed. However they are so expensive and if you don’t end up using it, can be a real waste of money. It’s a product that I would recommend to wait to buy once you know where you’re at with newborn feeding. It’s also a product I would strongly suggest waiting at least 6 weeks to use if you’re breastfeeding well exclusively to make sure your milk supply has come in and has regulated.
Personally, I used one at 5 weeks postpartum, as I was desperate for my husband to do a feed via a bottle, but the pump was really inconsistent with how much milk it drained, and in the end accidentally increased my milk supply too much so my baby struggled to drink via breastfeeding, this messing up of my milk supply ultimately led to me getting mastitis due to lack of proper emptying of milk ducts.
❌ A cot which was too small
We started with a Snuzpod, which our baby slept in next to us for the first 6 months, as recommended for safe sleep. This worked really well and I’d recommend them. However we bought a regular size 60x120cm cot for our baby to go into once in their own nursery. Whilst it looks ginormous for a newborn, it actually pretty quickly became way too small and our baby would roll over and hit his head and wake himself up multiple times a night. If you’re going to get a dedicated nursery cot, I’d recommend getting a 70x140cm cotbed size which gives just a bit more room for them to grow into as they surpass 8 or 9 months old.
❌ Dummies
Our baby never needed them! Some babies do like them, and would recommend orthodontic ones if you do choose to use, but they’re another product that you can save the cash or simply buy them once baby is here.
❌ A nappy bin
We had a dedicated nappy bin which came with bags, however I don’t think we actually ever used it. We ended up just using the normal kitchen bin for nappies. Not every nappy needs to be wrapped in an individual plastic bag if you’re in your own home – a poo, yes absolutely, but wees can just be tossed in the bin! Marginally better for the environment an all!
❌ A fancy steriliser
We didn’t bottle feed so this may differ for every family, but our Tommee Tippee Microwave steriliser (£14.99 at the time) did the job nicely of sterilising within a few minutes when we did need to. Some newer sterilisers like special UV machines look great but are super expensive can take an hour to sterilise and dry the bottles which is crazy when you just need to grab and go.
❌ A million newborn sized clothes
Yes, they are SUPER cute and yes, you will need plenty of clothes for your baby, especially with sick, nappy leaks, and goodness knows what else to contend with, but you absolutely do not need a giant mountain of exclusively newborn sized clothes. Make sure to mix it up and get 0-3 months size and some 3-6 months as well as your baby will be in them before you know it!
❌ An expensive nappy bag
You absolutely do not need a fancy, expensive nappy bag. There are so many sold which can cost upwards of £50, which is a huge amount of money when you can just use a rucksack. Often the actual nappy changing bag is so big they don’t fit under normal prams in the basket (another factor to consider). Ultimately you’ll only need to pack a few changes of clothes, a handful of nappies, wipes, nappy bags, nappy cream, bibs, muslins, hand sanitiser, socks, maybe formula and a flask/bottle if you bottle feed and a nappy changing mat. You can fold all of these in any bag you probably already have!
❌ Silver nipple shields
They seem like a great soother for breastfeeding mums, but they harbour SO much bacteria if not cleaned super regularly. I attribute getting a breast abscess from infected milk ducts to my silver nipple shields – as a new mum, it’s so hard to remember to do the basics, let alone constantly clean nipple shields!
❌ Cheap breast pads
It’s the one product which can’t be replaced for cheap alternatives – believe me, I’ve tried! When your breasts are leaking milk constantly (and they will to begin with), you need proper padding and absorption. The cheap breast pads fail to stick properly to your bra, and also the milk just kind of rolls off them, soaking whatever you’re wearing. Lansinoh breast pads were my go-to and I’d highly recommend!
❌ Baby shoes
Baby shoes look super cute, especially on their diddy feet, but ultimately they likely won’t get worn – or if they have hard soles they can inhibit proper foot growth. They’re also not cheap so save your pennies and stick with socks whilst they can’t walk!
Well, there you have it! I hope this post was helpful and I’d be intrigued to see what you think, or if you agree! Let me know in the comments your thoughts and if there’s anything you’d add!
