Newborn Baby Checklist: What to Buy Before the Baby Arrives

Most of what a newborn needs fits in two bags. The trick is buying the right quantities: enough soft cotton to survive laundry day, not so much that the baby outgrows it unworn. This is the list our store team gives to parents who come in during the last month of pregnancy.

Clothes (0 to 3 months)

• 6 to 8 front-open jhablas or envelope-neck bodysuits in 100% cotton
• 4 to 6 sleepsuits or two-piece sets with full sleeves for nights and AC rooms
• 3 pairs of mittens and 2 soft caps (mainly for the hospital and AC; skip them in peak summer)
• 4 to 6 pairs of socks or booties
• 2 to 3 wrap sheets or swaddles in muslin
• Buy a few pieces in 0 to 3 months and a few in 3 to 6 months. Babies grow out of newborn sizes in weeks.

Sleep

• A cradle, cot, jhula or bedside co-sleeper (our cradle, cot or jhula guide compares them)
• A firm, flat mattress that fits the frame with no gap at the edges
• 3 fitted cotton sheets and 2 waterproof mattress protectors
• A mosquito net that fits the cot or cradle
• No pillows, bumpers or loose blankets inside the sleep space for the first year

Feeding

• If bottle feeding: 2 to 3 small bottles (120 to 150 ml) with slow-flow newborn teats, a bottle brush and a steriliser
• If breastfeeding: a nursing pillow, 2 to 3 nursing bras, breast pads and a bottle or two for expressed milk
• 6 to 8 burp cloths or small muslins (you will use more than you think)
• Bibs can wait until 3 to 4 months; a feeding chair waits until 6 months

Bath and skin

• A baby bath tub with a newborn support, or a bath seat that fits your bucket
• 2 hooded towels and 4 to 6 soft washcloths
• Baby wash, shampoo and a light lotion (ask your paediatrician before using anything else on newborn skin)
• A grooming kit: nail clipper or file, soft brush, digital thermometer

Diapering

• 1 to 2 packs of newborn-size diapers (do not stock up; many babies move to size S within weeks)
• Wipes, a rash cream and a changing mat
• Cotton nappies and liners if you prefer cloth at home

Health and care

• Digital thermometer, nasal aspirator, medicine feeder or dropper
• A soft baby laundry detergent; wash all new clothes before the first wear

Travel

• A rear-facing infant car seat if you drive (needed for the trip home from the hospital)
• A carrier or wrap for the first months, when a pram feels like too much
• A pram or 2-in-1 stroller with a flat recline. Read stroller vs pram before choosing.

Nice to have, not day one

A rocker or bouncer (useful from 1 to 2 months), a play gym and rattles (from 2 to 3 months), a baby monitor if the nursery is a separate room, and a diaper bag.

What to skip for now

Shoes (newborns do not need them), baby walkers (not before the baby sits unsupported; read our walker guide), large stocks of newborn-size clothes, and anything with small parts or button batteries.

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Questions parents ask us