Buying the things you need for your newborn is one of the most enjoyable parts of being a father, which you can do during the 9 months of waiting. We advise you to take care of it in advance because after the birth of the baby you will not have enough free time and opportunities to slowly buy everything you require. Purchases can be divided into two categories:
1) The essentials to the birthplace for mom and baby;
2) Things you can’t do without at home in the first few days.
However, contrary to prejudice, it makes sense to decide in advance what you need to buy for the birth of a mother and baby and to prepare, otherwise, you will have to run around with a baby in your arms, or on the eve of delivery and look for everything chaotically.
There is no exhaustive list of necessary things. And in the first days and months of life, you and your baby will need clothes, care products, bathing, things to sleep, feeding, and walking.
So take with you a detailed list of what you need to buy before your baby is born, and enjoy every minute of preparing to meet your baby. Fill every purchase with love and fond memories. Soon, your world will change for the better. These will be minutes, days, and months that you want to spend quietly, without rushing. Shopping ahead of time even before the birth will help to unload the new period of your family’s life from routine tasks and concentrate on the great joy that is coming to you.
The first weeks after having a baby make you radically reconsider your life. In addition to the altered schedule of life of the parents, you will have to organize the new member of the family’s first own space. Therefore, tops the list of what to buy before the birth of the child is the furniture for the newborn, and continue its necessities.
Things for the home that you need to buy when expecting a baby
- The very first attribute of furniture for a newborn usually should be a crib. The main requirement when choosing a crib – is safety. Safety – the sum of two criteria: the design of the model and the materials used in the manufacture. The most popular design is hinged. If desired, the hinges can then be removed and the bed can be used for up to 5 years.
It is important that the bottom of the bed is adjustable. After 6 months of age, it is advisable to lower the base – this is when the child starts to sit up and actively tries to get on his/her feet. Extra support in the form of a crib rail is ideal for this.
Acceptable materials for cribs: pure wood, MDF, more affordable options are made of LDPB. It is significant that the raw material itself is certified and properly processed. The consumer can learn about this by obtaining the appropriate certificates from the manufacturer – asking about it.
- It is necessary to take an orthopedic mattress right along with the crib. It is better – two-sided. In the life of an infant, anything happens, and not always diapers save the day.
- The most useless purchase is a changing table. The experience of many parents shows that changing diapers and various hygiene procedures are more comfortable on a bed or couch. It is better to buy for the same money a comfortable chair for mom, where she can rock the baby, sit during feeding and just relax – it will come in handy in the future.
- As for the stroller, many manufacturers offer universal options for hot and cold. It’s economical, profitable, but not convenient for everyone. Usually, it’s quite massive models – reliable and all-terrain, as an SUV, but with which it is difficult to fit in a normal elevator. They can replace the crib at first if you do not have time to buy it. It is much more comfortable to buy a comfortable base, and then supplement it with the necessary “tops”, changing the tube for a newborn to a lightweight summer version or insulated winter version, when the child is a little older.
A comfortable tub facilitates the process of bathing the baby, and an obligatory attribute to it is a thermometer for water. The optimum temperature for bathing – is 37 degrees. You can measure the temperature of the bathwater with your elbow, but it is ineffective and dangerous.
- A baby car seat is a purchase that should be made even before the baby is born. According to road safety rules, children are only allowed to be transported in the car if they have the proper equipment, particularly a car seat.
Things to take to the maternity hospital for the baby:
- Baby soap.
- Towel. Must be soft so as not to hurt the baby’s delicate skin.
- Nail clippers. Useful if the baby was born with fingernails – they need to be trimmed so that the baby doesn’t scratch himself. An alternative solution is to put special gloves on the hands.
- Sterile absorbent cotton. You will use it to clean your baby’s ears, nose and wipe his eyes. One pack is enough.
- Baby cream. The best choice is a compact package. If one product causes an allergic reaction, it can easily be replaced with another.
- Wet wipes.
- Diaper cream + powder. For the latter to be easier to apply to the skin, you can buy a special powder with fluff.
- Diapers: suit the smallest and preferably “breathable”, which will protect baby skin from diaper rash and irritation.
- Swaddling-bands. You can get them in the maternity hospital, or use your own. If you choose the latter, make sure that the swaddling-bands set is regularly updated, since you cannot wash them at the hospital.
- Clothes: a pair of cotton and one flannel blouses, onesies and thin overalls, a pair of hats (light and soft flannel).
All expectant parents know that breastfeeding is best for the baby. Responsible mothers stimulate lactation in the most possible ways. But there are times when breastfeeding is not available for one reason or another. There are cases where lactation occurs on the third day after birth, and the newborn baby vitally needs to get food every 3-4 hours. For such cases, it is necessary to buy dry milk formula for newborns. Of course, you should not buy the first formula that you come across. This issue should be taken responsibly because food – is the main source of growth and development of the child and his immune system. Many parents recommend choosing highly adapted organic milk formulas. They are as close as possible to the composition of breast milk and are made on the basis of high-quality organic products. You can find a list of baby formulas, their composition, age, and quality indicators at organicsbestshop.com.
What should I buy until go home from the hospital?
When the birth is over and the baby and mother are feeling well, it’s time to go home. To do this, you should have a preconceived package with outfits according to the season. To simplify this task, you can buy a ready-made set “for discharge”, which may include the following items: a baby comforter-blanket for discharge, a diaper corner, and a cap, they will be executed in a single festive style.
If you did not have time to buy something for your long-awaited baby, do not worry. There is a dad and grandparents for that. And the main task of a young mother – to enjoy his new status and as often as possible to embrace his little treasure. And then all will be well!