New Parent’s Must Read: What to prepare for your newborn baby?

Baby cot. This is the #1 in my “What to prepare for your newborn baby” list. It’s extremely important that you prepare a safe sleeping environment prior to your baby’s arrival.

Requirement : Distance of top of cot and top of mattress is at least 50 cm. Mattress is firm. No drop side design. Open view and all sides visible. No paint.

Recommendation: I’m using Ikea Sniglar baby cot (USD 79.99) paired with Krummelur mattress (USD 60).I bought the Ikea LEN crib fitted sheets in white (USD9.99 for two) and Ikea LENAST mattress protector (USD69.90). For a completely safe baby sleep haven I spent only a total of USD 219.70. This is definitely your top priority in your what to prepare for your newborn baby list.

This is optional, but I also used an Airwrap mesh bumper. Bumpers are not recommended generally because of suffocation risk, so buy at your own risk. I highly recommend the use of an Airwrap mesh bumper as it’s breathable yet helps to protect my baby. It’s lightly padded and it helps my baby’s little hand and feet from getting caught between the cot bars. Click here to get an Airwrap mesh bumper for your child.

If you do plan on co-sleeping for the first few months, you can try using Cocoonababy. You can find my review about the Cocoonababy here. It helps to lessen the Moro Reflex, and also lessen the acid reflux issue. Prepare this at least two weeks before the baby’s arrival date. You’ll never know what will happen when you’re nearing full term pregnancy. You can get the Cocoonababy here.

Baby carrier. Babies will very much prefer to be with you on a carrier rather than stroller. 

Requirement: Safe, supportive for both parent and baby, versatile, and lightweight.

Recommendation: What to prepare for your newborn baby next should be the mode of transporting your baby. I’m using a Konny baby carrier for the newborn stage up till approximately 6 months. These are great, it’s easy to put on, comfortable and looks good too. They have the summer mesh option and also full cotton option that is more suitable for winter. My suggestion is to buy the summer mesh one, you can always dress your baby in layers for winter. I paid in total 70 USD for the Konny Baby Carrier. USD 59 for the carrier itself + USD 11 for shipping.

After 6 months old, I got the Sinbii 2.0 baby carrier for about 220USD. These are meant to be used from 6 months old up till 3 years old. They are supportive for both you and your baby, practical and comfortable too.

Stroller. If you live in a country where most roads are flat and you don’t need to take public transport very frequently, invest in a stroller

Requirement: Comfortable, lightweight, folds small for storage easily.

Recommendation: . I’m using a Babyzen Yoyo. At just 6kg, it’s lightweight and you can easily manoeuvre this stroller in a small narrow space. It folds up so small and you can bring them as a carry on when you are boarding the aircraft. Most major airlines allow Babyzen Yoyo strollers onboard. You can find my full honest review about the Babyzen Yoyo here. They recently released a new version of Babyzen Yoyo2 stroller and it currently retails at about USD 599.99. When your baby gets too heavy and big, it’s difficult for both of you to be in the carrier anyways, so there will have to be a transition period from carrier to stroller.  Click below to see more details and review of the new Babyzen Yoyo stroller.

Cloth diapers. I highly recommend using a cloth diaper because it’s more comfortable for babies and it’s better for their skin. And, it’s also good for your wallet.

Requirement : Natural cotton for maximum comfort, absorbent, withstands many washes.

Recommendation: If you are new to cloth diapering, you should first read my full guide to cloth diapering here. You need to understand how cloth diapering works as it involves a lot of chores and it’s not for everyone. I bought 50 Anakku baby napkins and approximately 20 China cheapies Alva Baby diaper pockets. I still need to do laundry daily for the first 3 months with this stash. Newborn urinates and poops a lot. Like a lot. One day they can use up to 20 diapers. Stock up on cotton balls and wet wipes too. Baby’s skin is very sensitive and you need to change the diaper immediately when it’s soiled to avoid rashes. I’m using Burt Bees diaper rash cream and it works pretty well. A safe changing table/ pad is necessary as well. I’m using a Minimoto changing pad. Prepare a corner where you can find everything you need for a diaper change within an arm’s reach.

Breast pump. This is more for you mommy than for your baby.

Requirement : One side is enough, reliable brand.

Recommendation: I am doing direct latching with my baby, so the breast pump is mostly for the early days when my boobs don’t know how much to produce so they keep producing and finally get so engorged. I’m using a Philips Avent breast pump. If you’re over supplied like me, pumping before you feed your baby to avoid hosing your poor baby who’s just trying to drink his milk. It is also useful when you attend baby medical check up and routine vaccinations, you can pump some milk and feed via bottle when you’re outside. It just gives you more options on feeding your baby so you will be less stressed when you’re out with a baby. 

Baby clothing. You don’t need a lot. In the beginning, that is.

Requirement: Onesies with snap buttons. At this stage, newborn babies change diapers a lot, so you need a onesie with a snap button for easy access when you need to change the diaper. Avoid clothes that need to pull over the baby’s head, at this stage the baby’s neck and bones are not so strong yet. A lot of muslin cloth / bibs. Mittens and hats too.

Recommendation: Instead of buying newborn clothes, buy 0-3 months. It is not recommended to cut a baby’s fingernail for the first 3 months, so have some mittens ready as the baby tends to scratch themselves a lot. You will also need a baby hat at the very beginning first few days especially at the hospital where the temperature can be very cold and out of your control. Don’t buy too much, every baby is growing at a different stage but one thing for sure is he is not going to be in one stage for long.

Baby gym / playmat. This is essential from the early beginning for babies to build their core muscle.

Requirement : Safe, durable to withstand baby abuse and attractive.

Recommendation: For this we are using a baby gym with a kick piano which my son’s loved so much. He was absolutely devastated when the piano died on him after his numerous abuse to the piano. I think this is one of the best buys we bought for him. We also prepared a water mat for him, which he likes too but a bit less compared to the piano gym. Find more details when you click below about the baby gym I was talking about!

Car seats. Car seat is essential for the baby’s safety during road travel.

Requirement : Comfortable padding, sturdy built, proper safety belts.

Recommendation: A car seat with Isofix is the safest option, but you may need to check if your car has the Isofix point. Otherwise, a normal one will do, just ensure that the car seat is installed properly. Please do not buy a second hand car seat, as we can’t know for sure the history of the car seat. You need to be absolutely sure that the car seat is completely safe and up to date with the latest safety standards and no loose parts inside. Best to buy the convertible stage type that grows with your child. In the long run it will save you more money. As we are based in Hong Kong and we get around efficiently via public transportation, I’m unable to provide any recommendation on a specific baby car seat.

Baby personal care items. When I say baby personal care items, it means a wide range of things.

Requirement : A good, accurate and easy to use thermometer, safe baby nail trimmer, a basic nasal aspirator, a safe baby bath tub and toiletries.

Recommendation : We are using a Braun thermometer and we find them pretty good as it is customized to the age of the baby and it beeps in green / yellow / red light for us as an easy reference whether it is a cause of worry. I think that a good thermometer is really necessary for a baby. We are using the Combi nail trimmer to trim the baby’s nail. Before 3 months, do not use a nail cutter yet as their nail is too soft and you may end up hurting them. You should always have a nasal aspiration and saline spray ready. You’re guaranteed to use it when your baby is having a runny nose or cold. We are using the Ikea baby bath tub, it’s reliable and affordable. As for toiletries, we are using the Mustela brand. So far our baby loves it. I highly recommend the thermometer below for the ease of use for my baby!

Baby swing / Bouncer. This is important for your sanity.

Requirement : Safe, easy to transport and easy to store for storage.

Recommendation: We are using the BabyBjorn Balance Soft Bouncer. We also bought the Aprica Coco Chino Auto High Chair with the Auto swing mode with nice lullaby music, but my baby rarely falls asleep in it. But I do believe that it’s because we let him get used to sleeping on us. So don’t make the same mistake as us, get them used to bouncer / swing early.