What will I need for a newborn? Your complete baby essentials list

Your newborn baby will spend a lot of time sleeping in the early days. They don’t need many expensive items, but there are a few infant essentials that are important for safer sleep.

Add these times to your baby essentials list¹:

• A cot or Moses basket: These are the safest places for your baby to sleep.
• A firm, flat, waterproof mattress: A nice firm mattress helps prevent overheating.
• Baby blankets: If you choose to use blankets instead of baby sleeping bags, use cellular cotton to allow airflow, and tuck them in firmly, no higher than their shoulders. Your baby’s feet should also be touching the bottom of the Moses basket or cot. 

The Lullaby Trust has more information and advice on safer sleeping for babies.

As well as those baby must-haves, you might also like to buy:

• A room thermometer: To help monitor the temperature of the room your baby sleeps in.
• Baby sleeping bags: These can help keep your baby warm without the risk of loose bedding. They come in a variety of warmth ratings, or ‘tog’, for different temperatures.
• A dim nightlight: For nighttime feeds and nappy changes.
• A nursing chair: For keeping you comfortable during those morning and nighttime feeds.
• A baby monitor: Your baby should sleep in the same room as you for at least the first 6 months. However, there’s no harm in having a baby monitor ready for when they sleep in their own room¹.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends exclusively breastfeeding for the first 6 months and continuing to breastfeed alongside complementary foods up to 2 years or beyond².

But ultimately, it’s your choice, and whether you’re planning to breastfeed or bottle-feed your baby (or a combination of the two), there are a few things to add to your newborn items list.

Technically, you don’t need any equipment to breastfeed. But we recommend the following items to make feeds even easier:

• Breast pads (disposable or reusable): These can help absorb any breast milk that leaks from your nipples between feeds. Ideal for keeping your clothes clean and dry. 
• Nursing bras: These bras are designed to unfasten and fasten more easily for feeds.
• Nipple cream (lanolin or organic balm): In case you experience sore nipples in the early days as you and your baby get used to breastfeeding.
• Plenty of muslin cloths: Ideal for burping and spit-ups.

While they’re not infant essentials, you might also find the following useful:

• A breast pump: To express your milk if you’re combination feeding, for example.
• Milk storage: If you’re planning to express and store your milk, you’ll need breast milk storage bags, tempered glass bottles (like Pyrex), or other sterilised food-grade storage containers³.
• A nursing pillow: To help you get comfortable in your chosen breastfeeding position.
• A breastfeeding cover: Breastfeeding in public is completely legal, and you should never feel like you have to cover up⁴. But if you think you’d feel more comfortable with a cover, there are a range of options to choose from.
• Water and snacks: breastfeeding is thirsty work and uses a lot of energy. Be sure to keep your cupboards stocked with healthy snacks, and keep a bottle of water within easy reach. 

If you’re planning to bottle-feed or combination feed your baby, add the following to your list of baby must-haves:

• Bottles and teats: There’s no evidence that any one type of bottle is better than another, so choose ones that are simple and easy to clean⁵. You’ll need several in a day, so make sure you have plenty.
• Infant first formula: If you choose to formula-feed, use an infant first formula, which is suitable from birth⁵.
• A bottle brush: To clean bottles before sterilising.
• Sterilising equipment: To sterilise all feeding equipment and protect your baby against infections⁶.
• Muslin cloths: For protecting your clothes from spit-ups while burping.

You might also want to buy:

• An electric bottle warmer: To warm up formula milk that has been stored in the fridge. Bottle warmers are not explicitly recommended or tested by NHS/HSE, so it is up to you to decide whether they are something you find useful. You can also place the bottle in a bowl of warm water instead)⁷.

Next on your baby essentials list should be everything you need to change your baby’s nappy (which you’ll find yourself doing a lot!).

These are the essentials:

• Nappies: You’ll definitely need a lot of these in the early days, but don’t buy too many in newborn sizes because your baby will grow out of them very quickly.
• Cotton wool: Water and cotton wool are the best things for your baby’s newborn skin in those early days and weeks. If you choose disposable wipes, opt for unscented, as they tend to be gentler on delicate newborn skin than scented wipes.
• Nappy cream: Nappy rash is quite common, so a good nappy cream is definitely a baby must-have.
• A changing mat: Choose a wipeable material to make cleaning up after nappy changes easier.

You might also find it useful to have:

• A changing bag: A bag with all of the essentials, including nappies, wipes, and a portable changing mat, will make it easier to change your baby on the go.
• A nappy bin: You might find a nappy bin useful for throwing away dirty nappies without constant trips outside to your wheelie bin.
• Nappy bags: Likewise, these can be useful for keeping dirty nappy smells at bay – particularly if you’re out and about without a nearby bin.
• A changing table: Some parents opt for a dedicated changing table for their baby, which can help to make changing nappies a little easier. If you decide to invest, be sure never to leave your baby alone on it during a nappy change.

Baby shopping lists for first-time mums and dads are often full of newborn baby clothes. But, try not to get carried away buying too many newborn sizes, as your baby will grow out of them very quickly.

Here are the essentials for your newborn items list⁸:

• 5-7 onesies: A mix of short and long-sleeve options for day and night.
• 5-7 vests: For layering or warm days.
• 2 wool or cotton cardigans: Light layers are best for keeping your baby at the right temperature.
• 2-3 pairs of scratch mittens: Helpful for preventing your baby from catching their skin with their sharp nails. 
• 3-4 pairs of socks: Choose a close-knit material rather than loose knit so your baby’s toes don’t get caught.
• A wool or cotton hat: For wearing outside when the weather’s cold.
• A sun hat: For going outside when the weather’s hot.

You might also like to have:

• A leaving hospital outfit: It can be really exciting to prepare the outfit you’ll bring your baby home in. It’s also a good idea to have a couple of options in case your baby is bigger or smaller than expected.
• Trousers: Putting your baby in trousers you can pull up and down can save you time fastening and unfastening poppers when you’re changing nappies.
• Kimono vests: Lots of new parents like these vests as they tie at the side instead of being pulled over your baby’s head.

You don’t need to give your baby a bath every day – 2-3 times per week is plenty for their delicate newborn skin9. But here are some things you’ll need when you do bathe your baby.

These items will need to be on your baby essentials list⁹:

• A baby bath or clean washing-up bowl: Your baby is only tiny, so a small bath helps keep them safe.
• At least 2 soft baby towels: To get them warm and dry after their bath.
• Cotton wool: For quick washes or ‘topping and tailing’.

Your newborn baby won’t be able to move much, so toys are certainly not mandatory. But you can still start to introduce play to help them lay the foundations for the skills they’ll need as they grow.

You could add these items to your infant essentials list:

• Baby books: You can read to your baby from birth (this might be one of the things you do when talking to your baby in pregnancy) and talk about the pictures in their books to help develop their communication skills¹⁰.
• A play mat: Lying your baby on a comfy play mat on their back or tummy helps them start developing strength and skills like reaching¹⁰.

Whether you’re taking a stroll around the park or taking your baby to their first GP appointments, there are a few things you need for a newborn to travel safely.

Add these things to your essential newborn items list:

• A rear-facing car seat: You’ll need a car seat to drive your newborn baby home from the hospital legally and safely, and this is definitely one for your list of baby essentials in the UK. This is one item you should buy brand new rather than secondhand to ensure it’s up to regulation¹¹.
• A pushchair: There’s a wide range of pushchairs to choose from, including models that double as car seats to help you seamlessly transition from walking to driving with your baby.
• Baby blankets: To help keep your baby warm when you’re out and about.

You might also find the following useful:

• A baby carrier or sling: These can help keep your hands free while carrying your baby.
• A travel cot: If you plan to stay away from home overnight with your baby.

Your baby is unlikely to need things we might think of as health and safety essentials, like plasters and bandages. But there are still some things you might find useful to have on hand for peace of mind.

Add the following to your baby essentials list:

• A thermometer: You can get a variety of thermometers, such as digital and strip thermometers, to help you monitor your baby’s temperature if they seem unwell. 
• A nasal aspirator: To gently clear mucus from your baby’s nose (always follow the manufacturer's instructions).
• Baby nail scissors or clippers: To safely trim your baby’s nails in case they become long or sharp and risk scratching their skin.

• Babyproofing accessories: Until your baby can crawl and move around, you’re unlikely to need to babyproof your home. But there’s no harm in being prepared early if you’d like to.
• Baby gates: These can stop little ones newly on the move from climbing the stairs! 

Remember, while it’s tempting to stock up on every gadget and baby item on the market, your newborn baby only needs a few essential items when they first arrive. 

By adding these infant essentials to your baby shopping list for first-time parents, you’ll be set up well for your first weeks with your new baby and can focus on getting excited for your new arrival.

If you want more advice on preparing for your baby, take a look at our hospital bag checklist and guide to planning for birth.