If you’re ready for your new arrival, it doesn’t hurt to double-check you’ve got everything. From baby grows to bibs, we run down some of those last minute essentials it helps to have before your baby is born.
So, D-Day is nearly here. Or should that be B-Day? Either way, the birth of your little one is nearly upon you. Do you have those last minute essentials?
No doubt your hospital bag is packed and sitting by the door, ready for a surprise arrival? And baby’s cot is all set up in your freshly painted nursery? It sounds like you’ve got everything you could possibly need?
But, let’s face it: you’ve got a lot going on right now. It’s understandable if certain things slip through the net.
Last Minute Essentials
We’ve compiled a checklist of essential items baby needs, as a gentle reminder in case you need it. It’s never too late to make those last minute purchases.
Babygrows
It sounds silly but have you got enough babygrows, rompers, sleep suits and all-in-ones? No doubt when baby arrives you’ll be inundated with new outfits, but it always helps to have a couple of spares standing by. Babies are notoriously messy, and even still, you’ll need a going home outfit (check out our handy guide).
Vests
Again, baby vests are another wardrobe staple. Between the dirty nappies and overenthusiastic feeding times, you’ll go through these pretty quickly.
It used to be that friends and family would always buy newborn outfits, so that, come a couple of months into baby’s life, you’d find you have no outfits left. Nowadays people pre-empt this by thoughtfully buying outfits from 3 months up – so unless you grab a few newborn essentials yourself, you’ll have nothing for baby to wear.
Muslin Squares
Any non-parent might not be fully acquainted with muslin squares, but it’s amazing how quickly ‘have you seen the muslins?’ becomes a part of your daily vocabulary once baby arrives.
Great for keeping your little one clean during feeding and burping, or a perfect impromptu swaddle, they’re a parenting lifesaver. Best make sure you have enough.
Bibs
Whether you’ve got muslin squares or not, it helps to have a few bibs close to hand too. You’ll never know when baby will spill during a feed – and all that dribbling!
Blankets
Above everything parenting is largely an exercise in keeping something at just the right temperature. It just so happens that the something is a human baby. You’ll soon learn the difference between too cold and too hot – and hopefully find a happy medium. And if not, there’s always a blanket.
Whether you need to keep baby toasty while they nap on you, or want to keep their toes warm in the pushchair or Moses basket, a light, knitted blanket can be just what you need.
Hat and Scratch Mitts
As part of your mission to keep your child warm enough, a hat can be an essential ally. Especially in those early days and during the colder months, a hat can help regulate baby’s temperate, so it’s always useful to have a few around.
As well as temperature regulation, parenting is also about protecting your baby. More often than not you’re mainly protecting them from themselves. Baby's tiny little fingernails can cause a surprising amount of scratches if they’re not careful, which they usually aren’t. Therefore a pair of scratch mitts will help them keep their hands to themselves.
Socks
Think of them as hats for your feet. Socks stop little toes getting too cold. Most of the time babygrows and all-in-ones have integrated feet, so it isn’t an issue, but if you want to try your little one in pants set, a pair of socks will keep the warmth in.
Towels
For tiny humans that don’t do a lot, they can get surprisingly messy. So bathtimes will become a frequent feature in your household (not that they’re not already, keep clean guys). Making sure baby is warm and comfortable when they’re out of the water is key, and that’s where towels come in. Whether you go for a standard towel or a hooded one, they’re really useful to have around.
Now that should be more than enough to keep you going for the first few weeks of baby’s life. And of course, don’t forget those other key staples like nappies, cream, wipes and cotton wool – but we can’t do everything for you.
We hope this helps you stock up on all those last minute essentials, but try not to sweat it. You’ve got this and even if you do forget something, it’s nothing you can’t get at a later date.
