How to prepare for a baby – the first-year essential guide

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Whether it’s your first or your fifth, every baby comes with baggage and a whole heap of preparation. I had my third baby four months ago and my lounge looks like a baby has thrown up all over it. Yet, I still didn’t buy half as much stuff as I did nine years ago when I had my first. But, there seems to be a rite of passage that everyone goes through – buy all the unnecessary stuff until you realise what really is necessary.

You don’t have to go through that rite of passage anymore as I’m here to help. So, I present to you my first-year essential guide on how to prepare for a baby. If I miss anything out please comment below as I plan to regularly update this guide.

Check out the full video below!

Start preparing in your third trimester

Preparing for your new baby starts when you’re pregnant (and even before conception) because once labour begins time is of the essence until your little miracle joins you. And, ideally, you want to be ready for when that time comes, whenever that will be. Preparing for labour and birth can be a mammoth task on its own and there are a number of things you should have in your hospital bag before you meet your baby. Here are some of the essentials:

Prepare your hospital bag

Contrary to what you think (and what I end up doing) is you need not pack the kitchen sink. I would suggest investing in a good changing bag and using that as your hospital bag, so you can transition from packing for birth to packing for baby once he/she arrives.

The changing bag

Essentially you can use any bag you want, as long as it’s big enough to carry all the items you need. Personally, I like using a bag that’s big enough to carry my laptop, as well as having lots of compartments to organise all the bits and bobs I would need for a typical day. During my search, I found the perfect changing bag – one that doesn’t look like carry-on luggage or a soulless black suitcase. I present to you, the Mia Tui Berry Jennie Travel Changing Bag!*

It looks like a stylish tote bag, but with tons of cute compartments perfect for me. Mia Tui was created by Charlotte Jamme, a mother of two, who searched for the perfect bag that would suit her lifestyle but would also be useful enough to have a place for everything she needed. The Jennie bag in Berry contains a changing bag accessory kit and is perfect for busy mums who have many feathers in their hats and who need to carry their lives in a bag. Plus it’s totally vegan! The Mia Tui Berry Jennie Changing Bag includes:

1. Gem Organiser Bag
2. Travel Changing Mat
3. Clutch Bag with X-Body Strap
4. Clips for Keys
5. Clear Bag for Baby Bits
6. Two Insulated Bottle Holders
7. Buggy Clips
8. Waterproof Inside and Out
9. Large Mobile Phone Pocket

The bag also comes in a tote bag of its own which doubles up as a great bag for carrying other bits like groceries etc.

So, what do you need in your hospital bag/future changing bag?

For mum

You will be in the hospital for up to three days (more if you require special attention but that’s not common), so think less is more. In fact, the less you pack, the less overwhelmed and stressed you’ll feel when the baby comes. So here is a list of things you will need to pack for yourself:

Your maternity notes

Don’t forget your maternity notes as these notes contain your medical history and pregnancy journey. Midwives and doctors who will be on hand during the birth will consult your maternity notes for special medication or equipment required during labour and birth. Your maternity notes should also contain your birth plan which you created during your pregnancy. Births rarely go to plan, but it would be a great idea to at least write a skeleton birth plan so you know what you’d like to happen. Do you want pain medication? Would you like to be upright during birth? Is there anything you won’t do, like push or get an epidural? Write all these down in your birth plan. If you need some help or something readymade that you can work from then I have a printable for you in my Resource Library which you can subscribe to here. 

2 x nighties and a dressing gown

Pack two light nighties (one for birth and one for after) and a dressing gown to walk around in (if you can walk, that is!) as it will be very hot in the hospital. Newborns cannot regulate their body temperature, so hospitals crank the heat up very high, which means you won’t be wearing much else than the thinnest nightie you can find.

I didn’t even wear my nightie on the first day, I ended up covering myself in a thin blanket provided by the hospital because I was so hot most of the time, and only because I didn’t want to scare people with my wobbly post-baby body! The sweat from the heat coupled with the excessive itching from the epidural and anaesthesia meant I had never felt so uncomfortable in my whole life. I was at the hospital for two days and towards the end, I ended up wearing a very loose-fitting dress. That’s it.

Slippers

The hospital gives you compression socks to help circulate the blood as you’ll be stuck in bed. But, once the wires are disconnected the midwives will prompt you to try walking. I had a vaginal birth but I was prepared for theatre as I had two previous caesareans. During this birth, I had an epidural at 7cm, which meant I wasn’t able to push and the last stage of labour was prolonged. I ended up pushing my baby girl out but not without a second-degree tear and an episiotomy (they snipped me to allow for baby to come through). So, walking was difficult. However, I wasn’t allowed to head to the postnatal ward unless I was on my feet, so I was glad I bought very soft, but breathable slippers to help me take my first few steps. I would suggest getting slippers that are airy, thin and comfortable. Don’t forget it’s hot, so fir lined ugg-style slippers won’t work here.

Maternity Pads

Whether you have a c section or vaginal birth, the outcome is the same – you will bleed a lot. And, if you’ve had a vaginal birth, even if it was a straightforward birth, then your front bottom will be sore. So when investing in maternity pads, think about comfort and size. I went with super-sized Abena Premium Maternity Pads which felt very protective, even though they looked and felt like miniature planes. I hardly leaked for the first 4 weeks, but once the bleeding died down a bit, I transferred to the Always Ultra Thin Pads which worked just as well. I wasn’t a fan of Boots’ own maternity pads for the first few weeks as they didn’t have wings and I leaked when using them. I think it’s worth investing more money to protect yourself from leakage, which brings me to my next point.   

I would invest in around three packs, maybe more. So, it may be worth buying in bulk, i.e. 12 packs of 14 which costs much less per pad:

Disposable knickers

Whichever pad you choose, I would suggest wearing only disposable knickers for the first couple of weeks at least. I have used the same brand for all of my three kids (spanning nine years) which is the Emma Jane disposable briefs. You get seven different coloured and patterned disposable knickers, and I found them very comfortable to use, especially after my c section scars, as they went above the scar rather on top of it which is what I found with other disposable briefs. I would also recommend getting a size up to what you think you’ll need. I was around a size 12 when I gave birth to my third so I went for 14/16 and they fit perfectly. Don’t forget you still have a bump after birth and you won’t want to wear anything tight around your bottom area.

Toiletries

I barely used my toiletries as I had to keep my front bottom free from chemicals and external bacteria to prevent infection. So I could only wash with water. But I would still suggest bringing your bare essentials, i.e. shampoo, conditioner and body wash. I also brought my moisturiser, coconut oil and a hairband for my thick curly hair which I wore scrunched up at the top or in a dutch braid. When you can wash with a body wash, I would recommend the Sanex body wash, as it’s kinder to the skin and free of harsh chemicals. I even wash with baby soap because I know that it will be the most gentle on my skin. Also, don’t forget your toothbrush and toothpaste so you can feel fresh in the mouth when you don’t feel fresh elsewhere. I have added face wipes, massage oil, water spray and razors in my infographic above, but I didn’t use any of those, except for my Olay facial wipes to wash my face. They’re brilliant! It’s up to you if you want to bring these. Also, don’t forget your glasses and/or contact lenses if you’re a wearer like me.

Breast pads and nursing bras

You may or may not want to breastfeed, but either way, you may experience some leakage. Breast pads are great to help with leaking, even if you are formula feeding. I didn’t use them this time around, though, because my milk didn’t come in until day three. But with my previous pregnancies, I experienced some leaking and wished I had brought some breast pads with me.

Nipple cream

Depending on how you get on, you might invest in some nipple cream too. I experienced very cracked raw nipples during my first because I had a traumatic c section, which I think delayed my milk coming in. Breastfeeding my first felt like my nipples were being cut by razor blades on fire. With my second I experienced a little discomfort (most likely because I had breastfed my first up to the day before I gave birth and I had probably lost all feeling in my nipples). But, with my third, I didn’t experience any pain at all. So I haven’t touched my nipple cream. But, you never know. Bring it just in case.

A cold compress for downstairs

This birth experience was the first time I had a vaginal birth and I had no idea how sore my downstairs would be. I wished I had bought a cold compress for downstairs. My friend had kindly given me a Multi-Gyn Compress which I had forgotten all about until the second week at home. and, boy, was it soothing! This particular compress has 2QR-complex gel which helps to treat the swelling and it sits comfortably on the pad. I loved the cooling effect and I think it helped me to heal. So I urge you, bring one of these packets with you – you’ll be thankful you did if you need it.

Snacks and water

Most hospitals offer breakfast and lunch. But, I would suggest you bring some snacks in between until dinner. You might want to snack on something if you have long labour too and bring a bottle of water or two to keep you going as you don’t want to keep disturbing the midwives to refill your jug of water when you’re not able to move from the bed.

Something to do

There’s a lot of downtime and babies sleep a lot so you may find yourself unable to sleep, and not having anything to do. I brought my laptop and thought I’d blog and write notes, but I was too tired to stare into a screen and type. The problem was, I had brought nothing else with me. So I asked hubby to get me some magazines, puzzle books and regular books to keep me occupied when I was too wired to sleep. I would recommend trying to sleep first, but if you can’t then at least you’ll have something to do. I didn’t listen to music or watch anything as I was too concerned I wouldn’t be able to hear my baby. But, you can pass the time with screen time if you think it’d help you get through the first few days.

Comfortable going-home clothes

You will be sore, you will have a wobbly belly and you will feel pretty rubbish after you come down from the high of giving birth. So you may not want to dress up in anything too fancy or wear tight clothing when you go home. Leggings are great for all-day wear and baggy jumpers cover up the belly and fat pad sticking out of your bottom. Long flowy dresses, depending on the weather work well as they loosely fit over c-section scars and leaves the bottom part free to breathe.

For baby

Newborn nappies

Depending on your baby’s size, you may require Size 0 nappies (from 1.5-2.5kg / 3.6lbs) or Size 1 nappies (2-5kg / 4-11lbs). You may even require Size 2 nappies (3-6kg / 7-14lbs), but your safe bet is to only buy a small pack first as you can’t predict what size your baby will be when he/she graces you with their presence! I had big babies – my first was 8lbs 9oz / 3.89kg and my second was even bigger, at 9lbs 8oz / 4.5kg). My third baby was smaller at 7lbs 7oz / 3.5kg) so I needed Size 1 and 2 nappies, to begin with!

First, decide whether you want to go disposable or reusable (i.e. you can wash and re-use your nappies). I have always gone with Pampers, which are disposable because I have enough laundry to do, but it’s worth considering going reusable for the sake of the environment. I like Asda’s Little Angels disposable brand as they feel softer on the skin. But, so far, I’ve found Pampers soak up wet nappies quicker and keep my baby’s bottom drier, so we have less nappy rash incidents. The choice is up to you though, I’d try them all and find one that works for you.

Cotton wool

To begin with, you will want to use cooled boiled water and cotton wool to clean your baby’s bottom, for at least the first four weeks. This gives your baby’s skin time to get used to external toxins and the environment around them. Then you can transition to baby wipes. We waited until around four weeks, but in the meantime we found cotton wool balls to be the best for cleaning baby’s bottom. The first poo is like black tar, meconium, and that’s difficult to clean off. But, after a few days, you’ll find that your baby’s poo will turn yellow and they’ll get easier to clean after that. More on your baby’s poo later!

Baby wipes

I wouldn’t recommend using baby wipes on your baby just yet, but baby wipes are fantastic inventions, which you can use for so much more during the last trimester/labour/birth/new baby phase. Baby wipes are great for taking off makeup, for refreshing your face, for cleaning marks/stains, giving things a general wipe and refreshing yourself if you can’t get to a shower. We have tried many baby wipes, but I found Water Wipes to be the best as they are made from 99.9% water and a drop of fruit extract. So they’re the kindest on the skin and perfect for baby when s/he’s ready to have his/her bum wiped.

Changing mat

You’ll need a good changing mat to place over surfaces when you change your baby’s bottom. Most changing mats come with the changing bag, but if you don’t have any to hand, a simple towel will work as they’re large enough and they’re soft on baby’s skin. Just remember to put them in the wash and not use them anywhere else on your baby! At home, we have a great sturdy changing mat that came with the MoKee cot, which I’ll talk about later below.

Hats, scratch mittens, booties, socks

It is essential to pack hats, as mentioned above, babies cannot regulate their own body temperature, and a lot of body heat escapes from their heads, so make sure you pack a couple. The hospital gave us one too, which was this pretty pink and blue hat (below), which I thought was a very sweet gesture. We still have that hat and have kept it for sentimental value. It reminds us of our positive time in the hospital.

Scratch mitts are important too because they stop the baby scratching themselves (you’d be surprised at how quickly their nails grow!). Booties are not essential but very cute. And if it’s super cold outside, then booties can add extra heat protection to their feet. Generally, feet should be free for the first year until they walk assisted. Then you can look at baby’s first shoes, which are soft and malleable, so baby feels protected but they can still use their own weight to walk. I have these very cute pink booties from Bobux*, but Ayla has only worn them from three months old. Socks can work from birth onwards.

Nappy sacks

Nappy sacks will probably become obsolete as they’re not great for the environment. But, they’re very handy when you’re out and about and your baby does a number two in an inopportune moment. You can get fragranced nappy sacks which help to keep the smell contained. They’re very cheap and you get hundreds in a pack. I still haven’t bought another pack and it has been almost four months!

Snowsuit if cold

Snowsuits are great. They cover baby from head to toe and some even come with gloves too. Ayla was born in September so she didn’t need a snowsuit until she hit around two months old. She now has four snowsuits, two pink ones (see images below), a grey snowsuit passed down from the boys and a white snowsuit that makes her look like a yeti. They are so useful because they are fleece-lined, which means you only need a baby vest and a Babygro underneath the snowsuit when you’re going out. 

Cellular blankets

Cellular blankets are fab because you can use them both during winter and summer and they are light enough to carry around everywhere. We have sooo many cellular blankets that some have still never been used, but our favourites are the cream and pink cellular blankets from Bloomsbury Mill because they’re super soft, 100% cotton and machine washable at 40 degrees. So, keep around four or five in your cupboard and one in your changing bag, then you can bring them out when needed. Cellular blankets are designed with a clever ‘cell’ construction, so they trap the air to keep baby cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Also, they’re safer to use during sleep than regular blankets because the holes can allow the baby to still breathe if they accidentally come over baby’s face. It’s safer to use Sleepsacks though, which I will talk more about below.

Baby vests/bodysuits/sleepsuits/baby grows

You only need a couple in your hospital bag and they can be short-sleeved or long-sleeved, depending on the weather. The baby vests or bodysuits go underneath the sleepsuits or baby grows, which can also be long-sleeved or short-sleeved. As this was our first baby girl and we knew the gender before birth, we packed some very cute pink baby vests and baby grows, but you can always go for white, yellow, pink or even leopard print – whatever floats your boat! Just make sure they’re 100% cotton and washed in suitable detergent. We use Fairy Non-Bio as that seems the gentlest on baby’s skin.

Muslin squares, swaddles and blankets

Muslin squares* are small cloths which are used when you breastfeed or bottle-feed a baby. They’re great for cleaning up spit-ups (when the baby throws up a bit of milk), excess milk and other bodily functions when you’re out and about. You also place these cloths over your shoulder or your hand when you’re burping your baby during winding, as that’s when babies spit-up. So pack a few muslin squares in case your baby is one of those who like to ‘share their food’. 

Muslin swaddles* and blankets are used for swaddling babies, i.e. wrapping babies in blankets which are believed to help them sleep. They are usually made from thin, breathable muslin fabric to help moderate temperature. They can also be used as extra protection for wiping sick and even as a nappy changing mat if you don’t have another to spare. They’re quite multi-purposeful and come in various sizes and patterns. I have some very cute muslins from Bloomsbury Mill, which you’ll be able to see in action in my video below:

You should take care of your muslins, so they continue to be fresh and soft for your baby. Place in the wash before you use and wash with similar colours to prevent fading. Also, avoid washing with anything that could snag your muslin, like zips and Velcro and use a soft detergent like the Fairy Non-Bio I’ve talked about above. If you have stains that can’t be removed from washing alone (make way for the bright yellow staining breastfeeding poo!) then fill a basin/sink with hot water and bleach-free detergent. Then soak your muslin for at least one hour – rinse then repeat if needed. Also, keep your muslins away from fire and other sources of direct heat. You should have full care instructions on your muslin’s label, but it’s worth keeping them pretty and soft. You’ll take them everywhere and they’ll be the items you’ll most likely use.

A cute outfit to go home in (not essential, but cute nonetheless!)

Of course, it’s not an essential part of going home, but a cute going home outfit will perk you up once the highs of birth and having a new baby drop and you witness that postnatal crash. I didn’t actually have a cute baby outfit because the one we bought was too small ? But below is a picture of my firstborn’s going home outfit nine years ago. It was freezing and we were snowed in, but I still think he looked cute in his winter hat and blanket ??

All items need to be packed and ready by 37 weeks to account for the early onset of labour.

You can also bring lots of really cute stuff that you may not need but would love to have as keepsakes because it’s a monumental time – you’re taking baby home! I love this Ultimate Luxury Hamper for Girls* which was the perfect hamper to bring with me to my birth as it contained all the lovely items you’ll need for a new baby. It comes in such a lovely box too so it makes for a perfect gift for a friend or family who is due to welcome a baby.

The Ultimate Luxury Hamper for Girls includes:

Prepare the nursery

Where is the baby going to sleep when s/he arrives? Are they sleeping in your room for the first year or are they going to have their own room straight away? Even if you transition them from your room to their room within the first year, you will need to figure it out and ideally before the baby gets here. But, if you’re like us and move when you’re seven months pregnant then you may have to prepare a lot more than just the nursery!

To read the full guide, head over to: