What to Buy Before Your Baby Arrives: Our Newborn Essentials Checklist

If you're expecting your first baby, working out what you actually need to buy before your newborn arrives can feel overwhelming. There are endless baby shopping lists online, and it's very easy to spend a small fortune on things you may barely use.

After welcoming our first baby, Arlo, we've quickly realised that some things are absolutely worth having ready, while others can wait.

One of the biggest pieces of advice we'd give to first-time parents is: don't assume you need to buy everything brand new.

Anticipate Receiving Many Hand-Me-Downs

If you have friends or family who already have children, there's a good chance you'll be offered plenty of baby hand-me-downs.

We've been incredibly lucky in this respect. We've received everything from baby clothes and play equipment to bottles and sterilising equipment. Babies grow incredibly quickly, so some items are barely used before they're outgrown.

However, one thing we'd recommend buying yourself is a selection of premature baby clothes.

Even if you're expecting a full-term baby, it's worth having a few smaller outfits available just in case. Newborn sizing can sometimes be surprisingly big, and having a few premature-sized sleepsuits and vests ready means you're not scrambling around trying to find smaller clothes when you need them.

Selecting a Pram

A pram is one of the biggest purchases you'll make, so it's worth taking your time and trying different models before committing.

For us, the Silver Cross Breeze has been a great choice. We wanted something that could handle everyday walks on pavements but was also capable of dealing with gravel roads and less-than-perfect surfaces.

It's a hybrid-style pram that we've found practical for everyday use. One feature we particularly like is that the bassinet can fold with the pram, making it easier to store and transport. It's also relatively lightweight at around 10kg.

It's a solid-feeling pram and comes with a changing bag, which is another useful bonus when you're trying to avoid buying lots of additional accessories.

We bought ours from Baby Nest in Mitcham, where we also got 10% off by paying upfront.

You can also buy a compatible car seat with the pram, which can be convenient if you want everything to work together. However, we'd strongly recommend trying the car seat in your actual car before buying it. What looks like a perfect fit in the shop isn't necessarily the same once you're dealing with your own vehicle.

Prepare Your Bottles and Steriliser

Another thing you'll want sorted before your baby arrives is bottle feeding equipment and sterilising.

We recommend getting a microwave steriliser and having at least six bottles available. We went with MAM bottles, which have worked well for us.

Having several bottles means you're not constantly washing and sterilising the same bottle every time your baby feeds. With a newborn feeding regularly throughout the day and night, having a few spare bottles can make life considerably easier.

It's also worth having some extra bottles and sterilising supplies available. You'd rather have too many than suddenly discover at 3 am that you've run out of clean bottles!

Dummies for Newborns

Dummies can also be useful to have ready, particularly if you're expecting a smaller or premature baby.

There are dummies specifically designed for premature and smaller babies, so it's worth having a couple available rather than assuming a standard newborn dummy will be suitable.

As with everything for a newborn, check the recommended age and size before using them.

Books Aren't Just for Bedtime

Something we hadn't really thought about before having Arlo was baby books.

You might think a newborn is far too young to care about books, but having books around is a great way to start introducing visual stimulation and interaction.

Newborn vision is still developing, so high-contrast books and black-and-white patterns can be particularly interesting for young babies.

You don't need a huge collection straight away. A few simple books with bold shapes, contrasting colours and clear pictures are a great starting point. Reading to your baby also allows you to talk, interact and spend some quiet time together.

Our Shopping List for a Newborn

If you're preparing for your first baby, we'd recommend having these basics ready:

• A selection of newborn and premature-sized clothes

• A suitable pram and bassinet

• A properly fitted car seat

• At least six baby bottles

• A microwave bottle steriliser

• Newborn/premature dummies

• High-contrast baby books

• Plenty of muslin cloths

• Nappies and changing essentials

• A changing bag

But don't feel like you need to buy everything immediately.

Friends and family can be an incredible source of baby essentials, and accepting hand-me-downs can save you a surprising amount of money. The key is making sure you have the genuinely important things ready for when your baby arrives.

We're still learning ourselves, but after the first few weeks with Arlo, these are the things we've found most useful so far.

And we're sure that list will change as he grows!