Newborn shopping checklist
You need less than you think. The essentials are a safe place to sleep, a rear-facing car seat, nappies, a few clothes, muslins and feeding supplies. Tick off items as you buy them; your progress is saved on this device.
Sleeping
Feeding
Nappies and changing
Clothes (0 to 3 months)
Bathing and health
Out and about
Hot climate (Gulf and Pakistani summers)
For mum
Safety first
- Safe sleep: always put your baby on their back, in their own cot or crib with a firm, flat mattress, and nothing else in it: no pillows, bumpers, toys or nests.
- Car seat: buy a new rear-facing seat that fits your car, and practise fitting it before the birth.
- Heat: babies can't control their temperature well. Keep the room at about 16 to 20 °C, dress your baby in light layers, and keep babies under 6 months out of direct sun.
Newborn shopping questions
What do I really need for a newborn?
The true essentials are a safe place to sleep with a firm, flat mattress, a rear-facing car seat, nappies and wipes, 6 to 8 bodysuits and sleepsuits, muslins, feeding supplies (nursing bras and pads, or bottles, a steriliser and first infant formula), a thermometer and a few blankets or sleeping bags.
How many clothes does a newborn need?
About 6 to 8 bodysuits and 6 to 8 sleepsuits in newborn and 0 to 3 month sizes, plus a couple of cardigans. Babies grow quickly, so don't overbuy small sizes.
When should I buy baby things?
Most parents shop from around 28 to 32 weeks, so everything is ready and the car seat is fitted by 36 weeks.
What should I avoid buying?
Cot bumpers, pillows, duvets, sleep positioners and baby nests or pods in the cot, which aren't safe for sleep. Avoid second-hand car seats unless you know their full history.
Sources and references (2)
We check our health pages against these and other national guidelines. Where countries differ, we say so.