How to be Prepared for Your New Arrival

You think you've bought all you've needed to buy then suddenly you realize you've forgotten the cot.... This might sound funny but I actually know of someone this has happened to and she had to go shopping for a cot on the day of her and her baby's release from the hospital! Here is a list of things you need for your baby so as not to be caught unaware.

The hospital:

Labour bag:

• Soothing music
• Birth plan
• Comfortable T-shirt
• Massage oil
• Camera or video camera
• Something to read
• Lip-balm
• Snacks and drinks

Your bag:

• 2 or 3 pairs of pajamas. The night-shirt should button up at the top to make breastfeeding easier.
• Slippers
• Night-gown
• Socks
• Underwear
• 2 Feeding-bra's
• Breast-pads
• Nipple-cream (Lansinoh is the best)
• Hair brush
• Soap and shampoo
• Toothpaste and toothbrush
• Nail clippers (to make sure your nails are short so as not to scratch your baby)
• 2 Packs maternity sanitary pads
• Camera and video-recorder
• Change of clothes for when you leave the hospital.

Babies Bag:

• 3 changes of clothes, vests, socks, mittens and beanies
• A small pack of newborn size diapers
• Bum cream
• Wet-wipes
• Shampoo, body-wash, moisturizer and cotton-wool
• Hair-brush
• 2 Receiving blankets
• 2 Fleece blankets
• Gripe-water
• Soother/dummy/pacifier
• Surgical spirits to clean the umbilical cord
• Bottles and formula if you are going to bottle-feed.

Remind the person who is fetching you to bring the car-seat and Baby-on-Board sign along.

The nursery:

• Change table
• Cot and cot mattress
• Set of drawers or cupboard to store your baby's clothes. Drawers work best.
• Chair to feed in. Rocking chair is ideal.
• Heater
• Night-light
• Baby monitor
• Nappy holder on a hanger, such as this one, is very useful.

Sleep time:

• Cot bumper
• 3 Fitted sheets
• 4 Receiving blankets
• 4 Fleece blankets
• 2 Duvets (for really cold weather or going out, make sure you keep a close eye on them when using a duvet as they can be quite dangerous.)
• A wedge if they are to sleep on their side but a rolled up blanket works best.
• A pillow is not necessary until they are much older but if you want get to "breath-easy" baby pillows.
• Soothing music or white-sound incase your baby won't settle

Bathing and grooming:

• Baby bath and stand
• 4 Hooded Towels
• Baby shampoo. Elizabeth Anne's is the best because it does not cause cradle cap.
• Body wash. Using a lavender scented one will have calming effects.
• Moisturizing lotion. Using a lavender scented one will have calming effects.
• "Johnson and Johnson's" lavender moisturizing oil gel I found to be wonderful as it is great for massage and keeping baby warm after a bath. It heats up and really helped to put my baby to sleep.
• Baby-powder
• Cotton wool
• Safety ear-buds (these prevent you from going into the ear canal)
• Baby safety nail-clippers or nail-scissors
• Soft bristled hair-brush as brushing the scalp prevents cradle-cap.

Toiletries:

• 2 Big Packs of newborn sized diapers. (Pampers are the best and have the best fit)
• Wet-wipes (they use plenty). The best are the one's that are not in the canisters but rather in the refillable packs.
• Wet-wipes container that can be refilled
• Bum-cream (they use plenty of this too)
• A small sized garbage bin with a lid to dispose nappies in.
• Nappy sacks. Scented ones are great.

Clothing (for size newborn and 1-3 months):

• 8 vests (the reason you need so many is because of "accidents")
• 6 baby-grows
• 6 outfits
• 6 beanies
• 3 jerseys or jackets
• 2 super-warm fleece baby grows
• 3 pairs of mittens (socks also work great as mittens!)
• 3 pairs of socks
• 2 pairs of booties
• 6 bibs

Going places:

• Car seat
• Pram/Pushchair
• Nappy bag with portable change mat
• Baby carrier, "kanga-carriers" are lovely because they keep your hands free and give your back support.
• Camp-cot
• Insect net
• Rain-proof breathable pram cover.
• First-Aid kit specially for babies.
• Baby-on-Board sign for your car

Fun, stimulation and soothing:

• Cot musical mobile
• Pram/Car-seat mobile
• Baby bouncer that vibrates
• Musical night-light
• Toys
• Play mat

Feeding and soothers:

Breastfeeding:

• Breast-pads
• 4 Feeding bra's
• Breast-pump
• Nipple-cream
• 2 Bottles
• 2 Nipple-like teats
• Sterilizer
• Bottle-brush

Bottle-feeding:

• 6 Bottles
• 6 Teats (the orthodontic type are best)
• Sterilizing equipment
• Bottle-brush
• Bottle-warmer
• And of course the formula of your choice

Soothers: the orthodontic type are the best. You need about 3.

Medicines (these are good to have from day 1):

• Gripe-water (non-alcoholic) for winds, acid-reflux, heartburn and colic.
• Ponado or Calpol syrup for fevers or pain (it's especially handy to give before and after they go for their immunizations)
• Arnica oil - this is also very helpful for the swelling and bruising when they get their immunizations.
• Saline drops and aspirator incase they get a stuffy nose as this interferes with their feeding.
• Syringes - this is the easiest way to feed medicine to a baby.
• Bactroban or a similar anti-bacterial cream
• Thermometer

Remember: Do NOT administer medicines without consulting a doctor or healthcare professional first!