Ellie asked me if I’d write a list of what she’ll need in terms of kit for the new baby. June might seem a long way off now, but in terms of pay days, budgeting, and the sheer volume of products a new mum will have to invest in, and those she’ll actually want to buy, now she’s in the second trimester, it’s a good time to start planning. Having had two children, and learning from over-buying clothes for the first, and getting it pretty much right for my second, I thought I’d put my advice into a column. I’ve included my suggestions of certain products – although there’s lots of choice out there brand wise, this is just a guide for you of my favourite go-to items. Whether you go for disposable or reusable stocking up on lots of nappies is a must. With Maisie I used 8 in the first 12 hours! She was a little pooper! G Pants from G Nappies There are lots of wipes available on the market but for a delicate newborn baby the ones below are designed to be as pure as possible to get your baby clean without using any harsh chemicals on their skin.

0% Baby Wipes from Neutral Some say to use nappy cream to protect against rashes and some say to only use cream when there is a rash present. Whichever way you decide to go these are both fab creams, either is a great choice. Sudocrem Care and Protect from Boots Nappy Cream by Organic Babies Grooming Kit – it’s so important to trim those teeny tiny little nails and the aspirator is great for clearing a baby’s nose if they have a cold. Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Healthcare and Grooming Kit from Mothercare Whether you decide to go with breast or bottle, it’s a good idea to invest in a few bottles regardless. I know with my first baby I experienced a lot of trouble breastfeeding and in the end, I found a combination of expressing and bottle feeding in addition to breastfeeding worked for me. I found expressing gave my breasts the chance to heal which allowed me to then persevere with breastfeeding. 360 Anti-Reflux and Colic Bottles from Nuby

It’s important to sterilise all babies feeding equipment before using them until the baby is at least 12 months old. Philips Avent Natural Microwave Steriliser from John Lewis HPA Lanolin from Lansinoh – for some women (me definitely included!) it can be tricky to get going with breastfeeding and it’s always good to have some cream handy if you have a little trouble or a biter on your hands! Disposable Nursing Pads from Lansinoh – Whether you are breast feeding or not, these disposable pads are great for before and after the birth, what with all that involuntary leakage! Medela Swing Pump and Feed Set from Boots – if you’re going to breast feed it’s great to have a way to be able to share feeds by expressing occasionally. Bravado Body Silk Seamless Yoga Nursing Bra from Envie4u All babies are different. Some will be sickly and some not, so it’s best to be prepared. You can even use muslins to protect a crib/ moses in the early days to save on changing sheets.

Pre-washed Classic Muslins from Moritwin sleeper chair crate and barrel Weather your baby is sickly or teething, bibs are a great way to save on changing complete outfits.cello chair online india 5 Pack Pure Cotton Assorted Bibs from Marks and Spencerused recliner chairs in singapore Always make sure blankets are tucked in tightly and make sure when leaving the house in the winter you wrap your baby up warm.bloom high chair northern ireland Fitted Cot Bed Sheet from Panda and Pingoffice chairs for prostate problems

Wild Cotton Organic Bedding Set from The Little Green Sheepbaby rocking chair tesco Classic Dream Blanket from aden + anais Knitted Patchwork Baby Blanket from The White Company It’s advisable to invest in a mixture of sizes as you can never tell how big your baby is going to be until s/he arrives. It’s also a great idea to pack a few different sizes in your hospital bag too! My little girl was 7lb 12 and didn’t fit into the newborn baby grows at all. Undergrows are great for all year round, the rule is to dress baby in an extra layer than what you are wearing on any given day, so if you are dressed in one layer your baby has to have two. aden + anais White & Pink Butterflies Cotton Muslin Babygrow from Childrensalon 3 Pack Pure Cotton Peter Rabbit Bodysuits from Marks and Spencer These can be really handy in the early weeks as babies like to explore feeling their faces and even with the shortest of nails can give themselves nasty scratches.

Baby Scratch Mittens from Mothercare Hats are great for the first few days as it’s a big adjustment coning from a cosy womb to the big wide world. But as soon as your are in a warm house or if your baby is sleeping, hats should be removed to reduce the risk of SIDS. Knotted Baby Hat from Mini La Mode It can be very comforting to hear what your baby is up to when you’re not in the same room and even better if you can see them too! (Tip: It is generally advised that baby sleeps in the same room as you until 6 months.) Avent Digital Video Baby Monitor from Philips Baby Camera 0% Emissions from Babymoov Round in Circles Go Everywhere Mat from Avery Row John Lewis Wedge Changing Mat, White from John Lewis It can be very daunting giving your newborn her first bath, so making it as safe and as comfortable as possible for both you and baby is a really good way of making it pleasurable. The foam bath support is a great way to steady the baby in the bath as they can be very slippery when wet, you will still need to support the baby with your hands and make sure you fully support the head.

Foam Bath Support from Mothercare Skip Hop Moby 3 Stage Baby Bath Tub from John Lewis Winnie the Pooh Bath from Mothercare Organic Baby Bath products from Green People Sensitive Baby Range from Childs Farm Handsfree Baby Bath Towel from Cuddledry Getting the right car seat to fit your child and your car can be a bit confusing, for a newborn 0-13kg you need to look for a lie-flat or ‘lateral’ baby carrier, rear-facing baby carrier, or rear-facing baby seat using a harness. Simplicity Seat from Silver Cross Whether you go for a pram or a travel system with a carrycot making sure your little one is safe when travelling is a must and research now says you should not keep your baby in a car seat for long periods of time. Stokke Xplory with Carry Cot Skip Hop Chelsea Backpack from JoJo Maman Bebe Yummy Mummy Black Cabs Changing Bag from Pink Lining You never know when your baby might catch their first cold or illness so having a thermometer to hand is a must.

The best for babies and young children are the non-contact thermometers; you only need to point and press, which you can even do whilst they’re sleeping without disruption. Non-Contact Thermometer from Boots Brother Max Projector 6 in 1 Thermometer from Tesco Direct Moses/ Cots and Cribs Whether you start off in a moses basket, crib or straight into a cot, here are some of our favourites. White Wicker Classic Waffle Moses Basket from Izziwotnot Classic Royale Cot Bed from Boori Cot/ Cot Bed Mattress from John Lewis The Stokke Sleepi Bed Extras to make life easier The Little Green Sheep Snuzpod with Natural Coir Mattress is a crib that can be used from birth up to 6 months and it can attach on to the side of your bed which can be very handy if you are breastfeeding. This was my favourite baby product I had with my second baby. Chicco Balloon Bouncer from John Lewis Tommee Tippee Sangenic Nappy Disposal System from John Lewis