It can be useful to think about what you need to have at home for your baby and to help you as you recover.
The essentials
You don’t need to buy a lot for your baby but some items can be needed and can make a difference to you.
- clothes – a few sleep-suits, body suits and socks
- nappies, cotton wool, cleaning cloths, wipes (depending on how you are planning to do it)
- changing mat
- changing bag
- cellular blankets and sheets
- somewhere safe to sleep – Moses basket, cot, your bed, if it has been adapted to be safe
- sling
- car seat/pram system
- large and small muslin squares
- bottles, formula, breast-pump, silicon breast-pump sterilizing equipment – depending on how you are going to feed your baby
- v-pillow for feeding
- towels, baby sponge/cloth
- baby bath or a bath support (or you can use the sink or pop baby in the bath with you)
You will add to this as you need it and as your baby grows and changes and you can see what they need.
Preparing the house
Life with a new baby can be a bit chaotic, with no routine or much clue what you are doing – that is totally normal. You may also be tired and sore as well so it can be helpful to make your home as comfortable as possible.
Ideas include:
- batch cooking and filling your freezer with easy meals
- have food available to pick up as you need it – healthy snacks as well as the treats that might get you through when you are tired
- it can be useful to have a box of useful items in the bedroom and in the living room as well. This can include changing mat, items for changing nappies, a spare set of clothes, muslin squares, some water and some snacks.
- have water and snacks everywhere – you might be thirsty and ravenous
- make your bedroom a comfortable space to rest and recover in with snacks & water, pain relief and a v-cushion
- have breast-pads, maternity pads/TENA pads handy for when you need them
- some women want to use cooling pads on their perineum or they pop maternity pads in the fridge to cool
- make a list of support – friends and family as well as breastfeeding support and me
It can be worth thinking about these ideas before your baby arrives so you can feel more organised and be doing less running around.
Working with parents since 2002
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