Your must-have baby items list by TellmeBABY mum and blogger Megan Harbrow. Find Megan on Instagram: @fromkayleytoparker
Lists: some people hate them, but me personally, I absolutely love them. They make me feel organised, they give me a sense of direction, they help me feel PREPARED.
As a first time mum-to-be, I of course assumed I could jump onto good ol’ Google and find a ‘list’ that would tell me exactly what I did and did not need to have on hand for our impending arrival. What I found however was a myriad of different lists – long, short, sponsored, basic, flashy, ridiculous… cue the first bout of mumma-panic!
Take it from someone who has been there… you don’t need everything you see on every list.
If you are like I was, new to this whole parenting scene, here is my advice on how to get your own realistic list of must-have’s sorted before baby arrives (in point form of course, because I heart lists).
First, sit down as a couple and try to get an idea of how you want to approach preparing for baby. There is nothing quite like seeing hormonal, expectant mummas racing through baby shops mentally ticking items off their own list while their partner trails behind not knowing exactly why you’re going to need the flashy infrared ‘no touch’ thermometer (hot tip: get one, GREAT investment). Or how they feel about a bright pink chevron nappy bag for them to tote about. I found that my hubby loved shopping for our little guy’s arrival, so try to get everyone involved in the fun.
Ask EVERYONE – a simple Facebook post asking what my family and friends recommended as their one ‘must-have’ newborn item gave me a pretty good starting point. This helped me cross items off my list that I thought were a necessity, but had proven to be useless to those “in the know.” It also gave me some things to consider that I hadn’t before (for example, I learned there are an unlimited amount of alternate uses for cloth nappies).
Once you decide which pram/capsule/carrier you desire, make it your mission to hunt down the best price. You’ll be amazed at how much prices can vary from store to store. We saved $200 alone on our pram just because it was the previous year’s model and we were shopping in January.
Lock in your bigger purchases early on and leave the smaller items until after your baby shower. If you’re registering at a particular store, you can provide guests with the registry details, or have a simple list ready to go when you get asked what you need.
If you have friends or family who have new arrivals of their own, test drive their gear. Take every pram in the baby store for a burn around the shop floor. Read more than one product review. You cannot be too informed when investing in your baby’s care and safety.
Last, but definitely not least, head to tellmebaby.com.au for practical product reviews from real mums and dads like me. Even better, help out a parent in need by leaving your own product reviews once you find your new-parent groove.
Looking back on those fun-filled planning days, I now realise my beloved ‘must have’ list need not have been so complicated. All it really needed to look like was this:
1. Somewhere to sleep
2. Something to wear
3. A whole lot of love!
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