Parenting & Family

List of things to get for a newborn

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Newbie
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Jul 28, 2009
54 posts
50 upvotes
Vancouver

List of things to get for a newborn

Hi all. Expecting my first child in the next 2 months and want to know from other experienced parents out there what I need to get for my newborn. Clothing, nursing items, diaper items, toys, etc.

Already have the crib, carrier, stroller, and car seat. What else do you suggest, and where to buy? New or used?

Thanks!
59 replies
Deal Addict
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Dec 11, 2003
4050 posts
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GTA North
Baby monitor, baby bathtub, bath toys, exersaucer.

Oh, and welcome to no-sleepland. Congrats.
Newbie
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Jul 28, 2009
54 posts
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Vancouver
Thanks tkl. Glad you brought up the baby monitor. My wife and I were discussing and we didn't feel that it was necessary in a small apartment. Seems that the monitor is more useful for a home where the baby room was upstairs and you were downstairs. Any thoughts on that?
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Aug 15, 2006
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Kingston
abundantc wrote: Thanks tkl. Glad you brought up the baby monitor. My wife and I were discussing and we didn't feel that it was necessary in a small apartment. Seems that the monitor is more useful for a home where the baby room was upstairs and you were downstairs. Any thoughts on that?
Are you going to hear the baby when you're asleep? Put the monitor on your night table and when the baby starts crying, it'll go off like an alarm clock. After a few weeks, you'll want to toss that thing across the room lol
Newbie
May 14, 2010
8 posts
Aurora
Hi there,

The baby items we found useful were:

- vibrating chair for baby (a lifesaver when you want to put the baby down) -- can usually get these used
- playmat to practice tummy time -- can usually get these used
- spit-up cloths -- we raided a dollar store for cheap facecloths
- diaper bag -- may want to buy this new as you'll use it quite a bit
- basic personal care items for the baby (diaper rash cream, thermometre, soaps and moisturizers, pacifier, etc.)
- feeding pillow if your wife is nursing the baby or a bottle warmer if you're going the bottle route

As for the baby monitor, that's more your personal preference. They're handy to have if you want to tend to the baby when they first start fussing, they may not be too loud at this point. I was paranoid about everything so we had the monitor with the motion sensor, just to ease my mind.

You'll always think of more things when the baby's here, as every baby behaves differently and has different preferences.

Good luck with everything.
Deal Addict
Jun 10, 2008
1206 posts
392 upvotes
Baby monitor might still be useful in the apartment if your baby is sleeping in the bedroom and you are in the kitchen or watching TV in the living room where there might be enough noise to drown out the baby's cry in the other room.

Diaper Genie is particularly useful for apartment living... seals the soiled diapers with no smell coming out and you probably have to dispose them off only once a week (depends on the size of the diaper pail and diapers themselves).

Choosing the right bath tub is also sometimes tricky... there is a product called the Puj Tub... its just a piece of foam/soft material that takes the shape of your sink. You can rest the baby in it. It is pricey at about $40-$50. We got it as a gift but returned it without trying since we already had a system going and did not want deviate :) . We use Fisher-Price's whale-of-a-tub... we took out the partition inside for infants and placed a sling (http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.js ... d=12647496) in it.

Congrats and all the best :)
Sr. Member
May 14, 2010
581 posts
102 upvotes
Mississauga
We loved the swing... it was a saving grace for us.
Deal Addict
Apr 30, 2010
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I agree that the whale of a tub by fisher price is a great tub. You can purchase it cheap at walmart instead of buying it at babies r us.
Diaper genie isn't really necessary. Spoken to a number of parents and most say to save your money. Buy the $1.99 50 bags at babies r us (scented version), and you won't smell the babies excrement. And since you live in the apartment, you can easily dump that down the chute, so it won't smell in your unit.
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Jun 14, 2003
23140 posts
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abundantc wrote: Hi all. Expecting my first child in the next 2 months and want to know from other experienced parents out there what I need to get for my newborn. Clothing, nursing items, diaper items, toys, etc.

Already have the crib, carrier, stroller, and car seat. What else do you suggest, and where to buy? New or used?

Thanks!
Used under clothes. Used baby towels.
Cut the label inside the clothes.
Detergent for baby. Ivy?
Bottles (you probably have it already but it is not in your list)
small bath tub.
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Member
Apr 4, 2010
390 posts
177 upvotes
Congrats!

Our son is almost 6 months and these are the things I couldn't miss anymore (besides the obvious clothes, diapers etc)

- swing (we got a battery operated one second hand from a friend - you can turn any battery operated swing into an electric one by attaching like a cellphone charger - google it!) We discovered our sons love of sleeping in the swing after weeks and weeks of no sleep. It was a life saver and no, we never had issues with making him sleep in his crib after months of sleeping in the swing.
- excersaucer (our son started liking it at about 4 and a half months and he sits in there daily, so easy to get some stuff done and he is safe and occupied)
- wipes, lots of wipes (if you have a costco membership - their kirkland brand are good and not too expensive)
- bumbo seat (I feed him in there and he loves to sit and have his toys all around)
- those rubber number/letter mats (protects your floor and creates a nice "corner" where your baby items can be)
- insert for your car seat to keep the baby warm (so you don't have to dress him/her really warm when going out, cause those "sleeping bag" typ of things are so snug and warm)


Things I never used but bought/received;
baby laundry detergent since I don't use baby laundry detergent for my clothes and the baby comes in contact with my clothes a lot I did not see the point.
Diaper genie, never used it (live in a condo - it is easier to just throw the diaper down the chute)
Bouncy seat - our son hated the bouncy seat, he did not want to have anything to do with it.
Tummy time mat - he just loved having tummy time either on our bed or on the rubber letter/number mats, no fancy mat needed
Diaper bag - it is still sitting in the closet, I just use a bigger purse

PS some things I was very happy to have on hand; gripe water and baby tylenol
Newbie
Apr 16, 2007
10 posts
1 upvote
+1 for the swing. Baby oval for gas, a freida snotsucker, and micro steambags by medela(sterlizes pacifiers, bottles, nipples etc).
Deal Addict
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Oct 2, 2010
3566 posts
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Brampton
all of the above +1
also, dont go crazy on clothes, you'll most likely get lots of those for baby shower or just gifts in general
especially 0-3 months, your baby will probably use it twice and then when you try it on for the third, its too small already, heh
Member
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Nov 3, 2005
427 posts
44 upvotes
Toronto
A ton of onesies! I have 12 month old twins and I went through a ton a day.. Babies projectile poop and barf so much! Definately a vibrating bouncer.. My guys lived in them for four months and was the only place they'd nap... plus, you can set the baby wherever you are and keep them in sight at all times. also, a playmat is a just have to help with tummy time... all those play options keep a baby occupied for ages!

You don't really need a baby monitor. You will definitely hear him or her in a small apt. If you do get one, an audio one is ok since you're so close by.

Exersaucers and other "circles of neglect" are good at around 4 months.. So take your time and find a good used one... I wish I had bout more used items.. Things have such a short life span, there's no sense in spending a lot on brand new things...
Member
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Mar 21, 2006
477 posts
55 upvotes
Thornhill
A glider....always helps for bed time to feed our little munchkin and rock her to sleep.
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Member
Jun 23, 2006
386 posts
148 upvotes
My newborn dressed exclusively in one piece front-button-up sleepers in the first few months since her head and neck were so floppy, trying to pull a onesie over was a herculean feat! Costco sells them year round for $8 a piece, great quality, no need for pants and socks that never stay on. It was so much easier to change her after leaky poo accidents, no poopy onesie to pull over her head.
- Second the Bumbo seat (tons on Craigslist, bought mine there), don't waste money on the tray - great alternative to tummy time
- The PUJ tub was perfect for us for about 6 months until she started turning/twisting out of tub (first in the bathroom sink, then in the kitchen sink, yes we bathed our kid in the kitchen sink ;-). It flattens out when not in use, perfect for storage in small spaces. Now we're using the Flexi bath, also foldable for storage.
- Lansinoh lanolin if breastfeeding.

Congrats!

P.S. Since you're in Vancouver area, TJ's Kiddies Store on Marine Dr. has a great selection of general utilitarian and fancy niche market stuff. The store decor isn't cutesy-wutesy but whatever
Deal Fanatic
Dec 6, 2006
5805 posts
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Toronto
CanadaSweetheart wrote: Exersaucers and other "circles of neglect" .....
lol circles of neglect.... good one :)


Thanks OP for the question and everyone for the replies... useful for me to read too.
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Apr 8, 2007
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Mississauga
Just wanted to thank everyone for the useful advice. Due in less that a month over here...for those who breastfed, how many bottles and nipples did you buy before the baby was born? I'm hoping to breastfeed exclusively but feel like I should have something on hand just in case...I have no idea though. I have some bottles with my pump but no nipples yet.
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Feb 29, 2008
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We had five 4oz bottles to start with. That should cover more than a day of feeds. If your breastfeeding goes well you may not need more. We had to buy additional bottles after he was born.
Member
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Nov 3, 2005
427 posts
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Toronto
I breastfed my boys but also bottle fed expressed breast milk with the Medela bottles as well as the Calma feeding system you can get at Toys R Us. The danger with bottle feeding is that the baby can figure out that they get "more" milk from bottles and will refuse the breast. The Calma nipples work like nursing and helps preserve the baby's latch reflex. It's good to keep bottles in hand but if you really want to breastfeed, just keep at it.. It is really easy to give up when you're sleep deprived and just want to go back to sleep :)

On another note - I want to say you don't need to buy baby detergent but at least buy unscented regular detergent. Babies' skin is incredibly sensitive and susceptible to rashes and other discomforts (and many develop eczema) and the perfumes in soap can be awful on their skin.
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May 2, 2007
3013 posts
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Kingston
I would use a baby monitor with the breathing sensor pad. Basically it detects the breathing and if baby stops then an alarm goes off (and your heart races). Being a guy I would get the video one. :P

Also Either a good coffee machine with a good bean, maybe K-cups?, or a good assortment of tea.

Be prepared for the first 3-4 months of little to no sleep (this can wreck your mental health). Hopefully you have family members that you can trust/able to watch the wee one while you get a couple hrs nap in.

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