The Ultimate Newborn Essentials Checklist (according to new parents)

Are you a pro at pregnancy by now and close to giving birth? Or does shopping for baby make your early pregnancy feel more real? Wherever you are on your journey towards parenthood - you are not alone. We asked 1000s of new parents like you about their most prized baby buys. We then combined their answers to list out everything you will need for your new arrival.

We’re here to get rid of the noise and help you enjoy the most memorable shopping list of all! So that you can focus on what’s most important: celebrating this incredible milestone.

Changing & Cleaning

“Having the nappies ready to go was amazing. I’d bought two packs and we went through them so fast.” Sapphire M.

“We bought a nappy caddy and travel change mat which was great for us as we live in a three story house. Saved our legs a lot in the early days!” Debbie R.

“Probably our nappy subscription. It was great not having to worry that we would run out of nappies.” Catherine C.

The one essential newborn change time item? You’ve guessed it. Nappies. On average, newborns need 8-10 nappy changes a day! If you’re unsure about whether to go for disposable or reusable, you can learn more about both options in our Ultimate Guide to Reusable vs Eco Nappies. Considering using a combination of both? You are in good company! Many parents use reusables while at home and disposables at night and when out and about. Whatever you choose to do, here’s what you will need:

4 packs of newborn nappies
Size 1 offers the best fit for most newborns. Our subscription bundle contains 160 nappies which will last you between 2 and 4 weeks - learn more about nappy fit and sizing

Or
15-20 reusable nappies
Watch a quick video on how to use reusable nappies

Or
2 packs of newborn nappies and 8-10 reusables
If you are planning to combine both
10 packs of natural, plant-based wipes
Kit & Kin biodegradable wipes are also 99% water
2 rolls of nappy sacks
If you choose our nappy subscription, your baby essentials will be delivered to your door regularly so you won’t have to worry about a thing.

Nappy cream
Our Magic Salve works wonderfully as a barrier cream on baby’s bum, but also treats dry spots all over the body.
Changing mat
Changing bag

Bath or bath support (to use in your big bath)
Thermometer
Nail kit

Optional:

Gentle baby toiletries
In the early days water alone is just fine. You can start using natural baby care products at 4 to 6 weeks.

Towels & washcloths
Bath thermometer
Hair brush

The Ultimate Newborn Essentials Checklist

Clothing

“Onesies with integrated scratch mittens!” Sharon S.

“Baby sleeping bags. He refused to be swaddled so sleeping bags meant no worry about loose blankets.” Hattie P.

“Heaps and heaps of muslins! A friend advised us to get twice as many as we thought, and we still ended up buying more…” Leo G.

In the early days of dressing a newborn, it’s practicality above all else. With babies spending so much time sleeping, we recommend you stock up on super comfortable onesies. Treat yourself to 1-2 teeny tiny outfits for fancy days out - because we know it’s impossible to resist them altogether. Pro tip: The stretchy envelope neckline on baby vests is designed so you can take them off by pulling them down your baby, rather than over their head. You might not appreciate the gravity of this insight right now, but you will quietly thank us later 🤓

10 vests
For layering. Long or short sleeved, depending on season.
10 onesies/sleepsuits with integrated scratch mittens
Ours are made from 100% organic cotton and come in stylish unisex prints with fold over feet. They also feature an easy zip-up front for extra easy night time changes.
2 summer/winter hats
Our organic cotton knit hats are perfect for Autumn to Spring and they come with adorable bear or bunny ears
2 blankets

2 sleeping bags
1 tog: For nurseries over 20℃
2 tog: For nurseries between 16-20℃
3 tog: For nurseries under 16℃
2 cardigans, jackets or snow suits
Did we hear you ask for bear or bunny ears?
10-20 muslins
Warm socks for winter babies

Optional:

2 cute outfits
For special occasions.
2 dummies
Advice from the NHS: “If you do use a dummy, do not start until breastfeeding is well established. This is usually when your baby is around 1 month old.”¹

Travel

“Baby carriers! Our little one loved being held and carried around.” Lisa D.

“Sling - amazing for a baby who didn’t want to be put down.” Kelsey H.

“A wrap sling, great for skin to skin and moving around hands free!” Leanne K.

“Sling to help baby sleep in those first few weeks but have hands free for other things!” Emily L.

Many parents in our community consider their sling or baby carrier completely indispensable.

When it comes to prams, most parents recommended a model that allows for your car seat to be clicked into the pram’s frame. When purchased together as a set, this is known as a travel system. Some pram brands allow you to buy adaptors to fit a number of car seats by different manufacturers. If your baby falls asleep while on the go, this means that you can run quick errands without lifting them out of their seat and waking them unnecessarily.

For longer outings however, the NHS recommend lying your little one down in their carry cot: “Your baby should not be in a car seat for longer than two hours at a time.”²

Pram & pram blanket
Sling or baby carrier
Rear facing car seat
Sun shade

Feeding

“Freezer meals!” Charlotte B.

“Some ready meals and snacks that required no effort.” Vicky S.

“Good quality frozen ready meals.” Naomi S.

Once baby has arrived, we seemingly spend entire days feeding them. So much so that we sometimes forget to feed ourselves.

Pro tip from our community: Stock up on high-quality frozen meals to keep exhausted parents happy and healthy. We recommend our friends at COOK for putting sustainability and animal welfare first. And because their meals are just delicious!

Your feeding requirements will differ greatly depending on whether you are planning to breastfeed or bottle feed. So we’ve made two separate lists for you.

Breast feeding

Breast balm
2-4 nursing bras
Breast pads
Loose tops or breastfeeding tops
Breastmilk freezer bags

Optional:

Feeding pillow
Breast pump
If you are not planning to express milk you won’t need a breast pump. Sometimes you might feel engorged and while you are learning to hand express it will be good to have a simple pump at hand. Silicone suction cups are inexpensive and easy to store. Haakaa is the most well-known brand with a focus on broadening their range of eco options.

Bottle feeding

5 bottles
Steriliser
Bottle brush
Formula

Optional:

Prep machine
Steam steriliser

Furniture

“Next To Me crib!” Vicky P. & Carly D.

All that you will REALLY need is a safe place for your baby to sleep. Many parents in our community were relieved to have chosen a bedside cot rather than a traditional cot. Bedside cots can be attached to your own bed so that your baby is always next to you at night while still having their own, safe sleeping space.

Cot beds are also worth looking into. They are bigger and come with a detachable side, so your little one can sleep in them until well into toddlerhood.

A changing unit is optional. Many parents simply use an existing dresser, others prefer the floor to make things easier with a wiggly baby.

Somewhere safe for baby to sleep
cot, cot bed, moses basket or bedside cot
New mattress
Bedding
Dresser
Night light
Baby monitor
Nappy bin

Optional:

Feeding chair
Changing unit

Play

“Our velour playmat, somewhere soft to safely put our little one down and so easy for us to attach age appropriate things to.” Laura P.

Any toys are completely optional at this point. Baby’s eyesight will begin developing after a few days and they will become more inquisitive. Babycentre.co.uk say that “High-contrast toys in black, white or red help your baby pick out the differences in shapes and patterns, stimulating her visual development.”³

After a few weeks, many babies enjoy me-time on their play mat. Attach their favourite sensory toys like rattles, baby mirrors or high contrast animals and watch them play while enjoying your well deserved cup of coffee!

Optional:

Play mat
Rocker / baby swing
Comforter toy
Mobile

Keeping it simple in the early days means you won’t feel overwhelmed with lots of items your baby might never need. Get the basics. And as you get to know your little one it will become obvious to you what else might be useful. We wish you all the very best for those next amazing few months!

Thank you so much to those of you who helped create this list by sharing your wisdom in the Kit & Kin Family. If you have found reading this helpful, we would love for you to join us and become part of our amazingly supportive community of new parents. We will continue to listen to you and update this article over time.

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