What to get?

Best advice I can give is don't buy a travel system. Borrow one and just buy a buggy at 6 months.

I had offers left right and center and they were all immaculate. If you drive you'll want the smallest buggy possible for the car. One they lies back flat is the only real essential thing.

I'd just buy a cot and borrow a moses basket, you'll only use it for a little while. But buy your own mattress for anything the baby will sleep in.

Someone will give you a baby bath, everybody seems to have a redundant one. Its only for 6 months.

Pick a car seat and save up and buy one look at the Britax First Class as it is suitable from birth to 4 years!

I bought €20 of white suits and vests in Dunnes, mits hats etc and that was it everything else was presents and bags of clothes from family I haven't seen in years!


All we bought was buggy, car seat and clothes for hospital. €220 total!

The main things I had to get were in Boots so if anyone offers vouchers make sure they are for a chemist, we were buying calpol, galvascon, Vit d drops, nasal asperators, olbis oil, bonjella.... all adds up.

A baby carrier, one that changes into the different styles as the baby gets bigger. This is a godsend when you want to potter around without wanting to lug a big buggy around! and kids do like to hand off the parent alot so they can see what your seeing. taking them to the beach,walks,park nip to the shop etc.

Baby bouncer, you can get all types that vibrate - swing - play your ipod but they often have special deals on them so you can pick up a bargain in smyths or mothercare.

If breastfeeding is a success or fails then a steriliser is a must, also the breastpump and bottles, milk bags if you want to express and store for when and if your away from baby at any stage or if hubby wants to take baby out and you won't be there. A bottle warmer and if you have to go onto formula milk then a thermal flask which you can put hot water in to make bottles on the go and also storage containers for keeping the formula in.

Buy as much or little regarding clothing, I have so many babygrows and vests as they spend alot of their first weeks in them. I bought two all in one's for when we leave hospital, they are cosy and warm and easy to get out of and back in if needed to change baby. Then there's the outfits and shoes.. if you don't want to buy that much then buy a few outfits then you can always go shopping for more when you need them.

Baby monitor, we bought the angelcare with movement and sound as it is piece of mind knowing that all is well with the baby at night.

A playmat for brain stimulation and parent-baby play.

A nappy disposer, all them dirty nappies in hot july weather is gona honk your house out if put into a normal bin!

FOR BABY:
The most important thing to buy is the carseat...it's recommended that you get a new one (as you can't be sure of the treatment of a secondhand one, accidents/improper use etc).

After that, vests, onesies, nappies, cotton wool (the cotton wool wipes are the handiest - can be bought in Boots for €3.49, or cheaper in Dunnes). You will probably get given a new momma package in hospital, OR you can find these online - new mum sites (EU mom, huggies, pampers etc) will send you samples of their stuff.

Get a cot and borrow (or search on Adverts.ie) a moses basket, as mentioned above new mattresses for your little one are recommended for comfort and piece of mind. And blankets, we only bought two small aerated ones (we were given three others) until our little guy moved to the cot, then we bought a bigger aerated one.

A baby rocker seat is great as little one will be able to watch you as you're going about your business at home.

After that, a suitable mat (non-shed) for floor play.

It's also true that you'll probably be given a baby bath, after a time I just bathed our little man with me and this gave dad plenty of bonding time with the little man.

If space is limited in your home you won't need a baby monitor, you'll hear the little one.


FOR YOU:
Maternity pads, breast pads (you will leak for the first few days whether you're breastfeeding or not), tea tree oil (for baths postpartum - I needed this, hopefully you won't), bigger PJS, something to give birth in (a large t-shirt is fine - you may prefer to give birth in a hospital gown...or naked...personal choice I guess).

Regarding feeding, as you plan to breastfeed: two decent breastfeeding bras (it's best to wait til after the birth to buy these because you CANNOT predict how big your b**bs will get), n*pple cream, button up tops if you don't already have some and some stretchy vests for underneath. Breastfed babies dribble less than formula fed ones so again, don't go mad buying cute little bibs (you'll get some given anyway) but perhaps you could buy some muslin squares (my mum used to drape these over her shoulder as she was feeding us for extra privacy and mopping up the little spills that may occur - I think I got some in M*thercare, 5 in a pack for under €10).
For the fallback plan: most baby bottle companies (Avent, Tommee Tippee etc.) do 'starter' packs which have everything you need (for anywhere between €30 and €60), bottles, steriliser, teats...most of these are suitable for both hot (microwave) and cold (Milton) sterilisation.

You WILL get given SO MUCH stuff after the birth, stuff you may never use so don't go mad buying stuff, perhaps it'd be best to get a money box and top it up every time you fancy buying something, or buy yourself a M*thercare/Boots voucher every time you feel the urge to spend.

That's all I can think of off hand, I'll add more should I think of it.

Good luck

IMO this is all you really NEED, sure there are lots of extras if you want but it's really a personal choice as to what you want/can afford! Be sure to shop around and look online at second hand things, there are some great bargains to be had and you can work all of this around to suit your own budget!!

I have an almost 6month old so still fairly fresh in my mind!


Cot/Cot Bed - we didn't bother buying a crib or moses basket, baby is fine in a cot bed from birth up to 3 or 4! If you do get an offer of a moses basket they can be handy for the sitting room when they're tiny and sleep alot!

Car Seat (if you have a car) - you can get these from stage 0-4 rather than 0+ and having to buy another at 9months.

BabyCarrier/Sling/Travel System/Pushchair - Any combination or one of those would do, as said above most people get a regular stroller/pushchair around 7/8 months anyway.

Bouncer/swing chair - not essential but I really found our bouncer great when I wanted to get a rest/grab some lunch/do housework or whatever.

Bedding & Towelling - 2 Cot Sheets, 2 Flat Sheets, 4 Cellular Blankets, One Fleece Blanket, 2 Soft Baby Towels, 2 Soft Face Cloths, LOTS of muslin squares - these are so so so handy!

Clothes - vests x10, babygro x 10, bibs x 10, scratch mittens x 2, cardi x 2, hats x 2, snowsuit x 1 (I got these in 0-3 months and just 3 vests and 3 babygros in newborn for the hospital, but some babies are too big for newborn!)

Feeding- Steraliser, bottles x6, formula (if bottle feeding) and if Breast feeding (optional) are breast pump, milk storage bags/pots, bottles and steriliser if you want to express.

Bathing & Other - natural sponge x2, nail clippers, thermometer, nasal bulb, cotton wool pads/balls, nappies, baby bath/shampoo for after the first few weeks. (If you have a bath I wouldn't bother buying a separate baby bath, even the sink would do!)

Edit to add: Playmat - these are great to encourage baby to reach out, looking at various colours etc. and for starting to roll around when that bit older!