Preparing for our baby has been a bit of a balancing act between wanting to have everything ready and trying not to buy too much before we know what we'll actually use. There are so many baby products out there, and it's easy to get caught up in buying things that look great but haven't been tested yet, that she might grow out of immediately, or that we aren't sure we need quite yet. I've tried to keep our purchases fairly practical and focus on the things we'll need right away, particularly for the first few weeks, while also leaving some room to figure out what works once she's here.
We've borrowed a few things from friends, accepted some gifts and left a few purchases until later so we can see what we actually need. One of the things that has made this a little easier is knowing that we have easy access to stores and can order things once she's here, so I don't feel like we need to have every possible item ready before she arrives. I'd rather wait until we know what we actually need than end up with a house full of things we don't use. I'm not expecting to have everything figured out before she arrives, but I wanted to have the basics ready so we're not scrambling to get everything together once we're home.
Here's what we've purchased so far, what we've been gifted and what we're still looking at adding.
What We've Purchased for Her Arrival
Diapers and Changing Essentials
One of the first things I wanted to have ready was diapers, so we've picked up 150 newborn diapers and 200 size 1 diapers to give us a good starting point without buying too much of one size before we know how quickly she'll grow. I've also picked up a couple of diaper creams to try, starting with just one jar of Earth Mama Diaper Balm in case it doesn't work out for her. I don't want to buy a bunch of different products before we know what her skin responds well to, and it's easy enough to pick up something else if we need it.
I've also picked up Lucas Papaya Ointment, which is something I already love using myself. I usually pick it up when I'm on that side of the world, but I recently discovered that you can get it on Amazon too, so I thought it was worth having on hand. If it doesn't end up being something we use for her, I'll happily use it myself.
For the diaper bag, we went with this one, which came highly recommended as a practical option with plenty of pockets. I didn't want to spend a huge amount on a diaper bag, particularly when there are so many options available, and this one seemed like a good balance of price and functionality. It also has almost 34,000 positive reviews, which was reassuring when deciding whether it was worth purchasing, particularly since I wanted something that would be useful for everyday outings rather than just something that looked nice.
Bassinet and Bedding
We've borrowed a bassinet from friends, which has already been washed and is ready to go, and this was one of the things I was happy to borrow rather than purchase ourselves since it's something we'll only need for the first few months. For bedding, we've picked up 10 bassinet sheets, including five that were passed down from friends, along with two waterproof bassinet sheets.
I was fairly particular about the materials when looking for sheets because I wanted cotton and something that felt breathable, rather than polyester or anything that felt like it wouldn't breathe well. Cotton muslin was one of my favourites, and I found some really beautiful options. These cotton muslin sheets are particularly pretty, and I also love these ones from Lulumoon, especially the green.
Having a few extra sheets ready should make things easier when we're changing bedding, although I don't think there's any need to go overboard with buying more until we know what we actually use. We also went with two waterproof bassinet sheets, which should be helpful to have on hand for any accidents or spills. Everything we've purchased for her so far has been washed using Tide Free and Gentle before putting it away, since I wanted to have the clothing and bedding ready to go rather than worrying about doing laundry for the first time once we're home.
Car Seat
We went with the Uppababy Aria Car Seat, which was one of the purchases I spent a little more time researching. The main reason we chose the Aria was because it's the lightest option in the Uppababy range, and with my existing nerve and muscle issues, I knew I wanted to make things as easy as possible when it came to lifting and carrying the car seat.
It's one of those things that I think will make a difference in everyday use, particularly when we're going in and out of the car or travelling with her on our own. I also wanted to have the car seat ready before she arrives so we can get everything installed and make sure we're comfortable using it ahead of time, rather than trying to figure it all out once we're bringing her home.
Newborn Clothing
So far, we've been gifted a few newborn sleepers and two newborn onesies, which is a good starting point for the first few days, but we're waiting to see how big she is before going out and buying too much more. My husband's nephews went straight into 3 to 6 month clothing, while I was in 0 to 3 month clothing for a couple of weeks before needing to move up a size, so it really seems to vary from baby to baby. At my baby shower, I got a whole whack of clothing at different sizes, so I feel like I almost have the first 9 months sort of covered (likely famous last words).
There's no use buying a whole wardrobe of newborn clothing if she ends up growing out of it immediately, particularly when we have easy access to stores and can pick up more clothing once she's here. For now, I think having a few sleepers ready to go is enough, especially since we'll likely be spending most of the first few weeks at home.
What We've Purchased for a Little Later
There are a few things we've purchased ahead of time that we won't necessarily need immediately, but I wanted to have them ready for when she starts spending more time in her nursery.
Crib
We went with the Birdie Crib from DaVinci, which was a fairly straightforward decision once we started looking at what we actually wanted from a crib. DaVinci and Babyletto are both part of the same company, and I wanted to look for something that had GreenGuard certification as part of our decision.
I also didn't feel like we needed a crib with nine different convertible options, particularly since we plan on moving her into a twin bed once she's ready. This one gives us the option to convert it into a toddler bed before eventually moving up to a twin, and our plan is to use the crib for the first baby and then pass it along to the next baby when we're ready. I liked having something that could work for a few different stages without having to invest in a completely different piece of furniture later.
Mattress
We also went with the Naturepedic 2 Stage Organic Mattress, which was one of the purchases we spent a little more on because I think what she sleeps on every day for the next few years is important. I did a lot of research into mattresses and wanted to find something that met the safety requirements for infant sleep while also being something we felt comfortable investing in for the long term.
My husband has known people back home who have lost babies to SIDS, so having a safe sleep setup was particularly important to both of us. We wanted to make sure we understood the recommendations for safe sleep and chose a mattress that was appropriate for her crib. It's definitely one of the bigger purchases we've made, but it's something we plan on using for a long time.
For the actual sleep setup, we're keeping things simple and following the recommendations for a firm, flat mattress with a fitted sheet and an otherwise clear sleep space. I think it's important to separate the products we personally choose from the safety recommendations themselves, particularly when there are so many different options marketed to new parents.
Playmat
We were gifted a playmat from my aunt and cousin, which I'm really happy with. I love that it's a little more neutral and has nature inspired toys that can be detached and used separately, rather than having something that's overly colourful or takes up too much space in the room. It's one of those things that we'll likely get more use out of as she gets a little older and starts spending more time playing on the floor.
Maxi Cosi Bouncer and Rocker
We were also gifted both the Maxi Cosi Bouncer and Rocker, which I think will be great to have for a couple of different reasons. The bouncer is a nice option for having somewhere to put baby down while we are nearby, whether we are getting something done around the house or just need our hands free for a few minutes. The rocker will be useful for a different purpose, especially when we want somewhere comfortable to sit with her and help settle her. I like that we have a couple of options without having to purchase both ourselves, and I think having them in different areas of the house will make them even more practical once we figure out our routine. Both were gifted to us, so it will be nice to try them out and see which one ends up getting the most use.
Nursery Carpet
We also purchased a new carpet for her nursery because I wanted something comfortable for the room that would be easy to clean, particularly once she's spending more time playing on the floor. This one from Amazon was very inexpensive and can be washed, which made it a practical option for the nursery. We'll be using it as part of the nursery setup and for playtime once she's a little older, rather than as part of her sleep space.
Air Purifier
We already have a couple of air purifiers around the house, but I purchased a Levoit air purifier specifically for her room because I wanted to have one ready before she arrives rather than trying to figure out what we needed later. It's something we'll use alongside keeping the nursery clean and making sure the room is comfortable for her, although it's not something we consider necessary for safe sleep. I just liked having the option of using one in her room.
What I've Purchased for the Last Trimester and Postpartum
I've also started picking up a few things for myself, particularly clothing that will be comfortable during the last few weeks of pregnancy and once we're in the hospital.
Comfortable Pajamas
I purchased a couple of pairs of XL pajamas that are loose and comfortable for the last trimester, but can also be worn at the hospital before and after delivery. I’ve been forewarned that finding something that can button down (easy access if required), and having the arms free for IVs is important. I love the ones from Target, but since I haven't been to the US in 18 months, I've also been looking at the options from Love & Lore at Indigo.
I wanted something comfortable that I could wear throughout the day without feeling like I needed to change into something else, particularly once we're home, and having a few comfortable options ready seemed like a good place to start.
Button Up Nightgown
I also picked up a long button up nightgown in a comfortable cotton or jersey material, which was recommended to me as a good option for the hospital. The buttons make it easier for nursing staff to come in and change or monitor you without having to completely change your clothing, and it's also something that can be worn during labour and delivery depending on what you're comfortable with and what the hospital recommends.
I haven't actually used it yet, so I'll report back on whether it ends up being as practical as everyone says, but it seemed like a worthwhile purchase to have ready ahead of time.
Things We've Been Gifted and Borrowed
We've been really lucky to have friends and family pass along a few things or purchase items for us ahead of time, and it's been helpful to have people who have already gone through this share what they've used and what they think we'll need. The bassinet has been one of the most helpful things to borrow since it's something we'll only use for a relatively short period of time, and we've also been gifted a few newborn sleepers and onesies, which means we have some clothing ready to go without having to buy a full newborn wardrobe ourselves.
The playmat was another gift that I'm really happy with, and it's nice to have a few things already picked out for her nursery. I'm also trying to keep in mind that we don't need to purchase everything ourselves before she arrives. There are so many things that can be added later once we know what works for us, and I'd rather take advantage of the things we've been gifted before buying more.
What I'm Waiting to Buy
One of the things I've tried to avoid is buying everything just because it's recommended or because it looks like something we might need. There are so many baby products available, and it can be difficult to know what will actually be useful once you're home, particularly when you're preparing for your first baby and don't really know what your routine will look like yet.
For now, I'm waiting to see how she does with newborn clothing before buying too much more. We have a few sleepers ready to go, and it's easy enough to pick up additional sizes once we know what we need. I'm also waiting to see whether we need additional diapering products, what works best for her skin and whether there are any other things that would make our day to day routine easier.
A few of the things I'm holding off on include buying more newborn clothing, additional diaper creams, more toys and nursery accessories that aren't needed immediately. I'd like to see how much we actually use the things we already have and whether we need somewhere else to put her down when we're in the living room or moving around the house.
I think having the basics ready is important, but I don't want to end up with a house full of things that we don't use, particularly when so many products are marketed as essentials.
What We're Prioritizing Before She Arrives
For now, the main things I wanted to have ready were a safe sleep setup, a car seat, enough diapers and a few newborn outfits. Those are the things we'll need immediately, and having them ready means we can focus on getting settled once she's here rather than trying to organize everything at the last minute.
I'm also glad we've been able to borrow a few things and accept gifts from friends and family, particularly when it comes to items that we'll only use for a short period of time. I think it's easy to get caught up in everything that's recommended for a newborn, but not every family needs the same things, and having a few practical essentials ready while being able to pick up additional items later has worked well for us so far.
Preparing for our baby has been a lot of fun, but I've also tried to keep things fairly practical. We've purchased the things we know we'll need right away, borrowed a few items from friends, accepted gifts and left some purchases until later. I think having the basics ready before she arrives will make the first few weeks a little easier, but I'm also trying to remember that we don't need to have everything figured out in advance.
There will be plenty of things we'll learn once she's here, and I'm sure there will be a few purchases we end up making that I haven't even thought about yet. For now, I'm happy with what we've picked up and looking forward to seeing what we actually use once she's home.
If you're also preparing for your first baby, my biggest recommendation would be to start with the things you know you'll need immediately and leave some room to figure out the rest. You don't need to buy everything before they arrive, and having easy access to stores or being able to order things later makes it much easier to wait and see what works for you.
Love, E