Bringing home your new baby

Every new parent wants to ensure their home is equipped with all the essentials to welcome their baby.

There’s a lot to consider from baby clothes, a crib, pushchair to a baby seat for the car, and a whole lot more.

It makes sense to borrow from your friends who’ve been through this phase already. For example, a Moses basket or rocking crib for your baby will be useful for the first few months. After that, you can store it away for future expectant mothers, or for yourself if you’re likely to be expecting again.

We all want the best start for our newborn so we’ve outlined three things below to consider buying at the early stages of your pregnancy.

Pushchair

A pushchair will be one of the most expensive items you’ll buy and it’s definitely worth trying before buying. After all, you’ll be using it across multiple types of terrain for the next few years so it’s important that it’s practical and your baby finds it comfortable.

There are a number of intricate details to consider when buying a pushchair so it’s best to address these as soon as possible, as they could become frustrating when using it on a daily basis, for example:

• Uninterrupted stride – make sure your shin doesn’t hit the bottom of the pushchair when pushing it
• Ease of folding – you’ll be folding the pushchair on a regular basis so one that is easy-to-use will make your life a lot easier
• Size and shape – bigger pushchairs can store more baby essentials but smaller pushchairs might be more practical for public transport
• Adjustable handles – at the correct height it will be more comfortable for you to push and reduce the chances of repetitive strain injury

Changing tables

If you have a dedicated nursery, then a changing table would be very useful. If not, then a soft changing pad that can sit on a table or dresser would also work. When you’re both a bit more comfortable and active, a portable travel changing pad would be a sensible purchase making it easier to change nappies whilst on the go.

Fitting a baby seat in a car

Buying a baby seat for the car is a legal requirement and it’s essential to buy one well in advance of your due date. While the EU safety standard, known as i-Size¹, makes buying and fitting a seat a bit easier, it’s best to get some advice as to which types of baby seats suit your car as it will depend on how often you’ll be moving it around.

For newborn babies, the Child Accident Prevention Trust recommends placing the baby seat in a rear-facing position².
This is to give babies better protection during a potential impact. This can be either in the front or back seat of the car. However, if it’s the front seat then you must ensure the front airbags are disabled. Some modern cars also have side airbags in the back so it’s worth seeking advice with your car manufacturer when fitting a baby seat.

These are just a few things to consider when bringing home your newborn child. But as always, it’s best to plan in advance so you don’t rush into buying these essentials.

Clothing

There are many baby clothing essentials you need, such as; baby bibs, bodysuits (babygrow), sleepsuits, baby hat, blankets, towels, muslins for spit ups etc.  

Browse our newborn baby bibs here 

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