I didn’t have a nursery, not even a Moses basket for the baby to sleep in, until I started my maternity leave. Three weeks before my little one was born, I started to panic and read multiple baby lists online. Thankfully, I got most items second hand or borrowed them from friends or family (thank you Ceri, Eleanor and Anne). It’s also worth remembering that some of the items in the list below, such as a pram or buggy, won’t be used until the baby is a few weeks old, so don’t feel that you have to go out and buy everything in one go. If you have most of the nursery items already read the Top 10 Items For Baby’s Arrival to make sure you don’t have to make an emergency dash to the supermarket for baby basics when you first get home.
Borrowing equipment or buying second hand is very sensible as your baby will grow out of things very quickly and it doesn’t take long to run out of storage space. JP is 11 weeks old now and is already too big for his baby bath.
Basic Nursery Items
| Moses Basket | Makes visiting my Mum so much easier because its easy to transfer baby from room to room and doesn’t take up much space. Every morning I take JP through to his room and put the Moses basket into the cot so he can get used to waking up in his nursery and big cot. |
| Cot | If you use a Moses basket or crib you probably won’t need the cot until your baby is four months old. I am going to wait until JP is between four and six months before moving him out of our room and into his nursery. |
| Changing Mat | I am borrowing an excellent changing mat from a friend. It sits over the cot and means you don’t have to bend down all the time. I use the muslins or a small towel to keep JP warm while changing nappies. |
| Changing Bag with Mat | I am using the Mothercare messenger bag which is excellent as it has a lot of compartments, a thermaflect bottle chamber and a good sized mat. |
| Fitted or Flat Sheets | I needed to change them every day in the first few days so recommend getting at least three. I found the fitted sheets easier to use but you can also use the flat sheets as a top sheet to keep the blankets clean. |
| Nail Clippers | Despite using scratch mittens JP had a tendency to scratch his face. I tried to use adult nail clippers but they really are too big. |
| Black out blinds | Helps your baby to sleep longer during the day time naps and is excellent for taking on overnight trips. We use the Baa Baa Blackout blind which is available at most online stores. |
| Sling or Carrier | Critical for giving you free hands to wash up, grab a bite to eat or open the door. The Baby Bjorn carrier is a good strong sling and it is suits both men and women. I have ended up using the carrier more than my sling, but friends vary in their preference. |
| Baby Chair Bouncer | Useful for putting your baby somewhere safe and allowing you to do things such as; use the bathroom, hang out washing or prepare dinner. I spent the first week constantly holding the baby and was exhausted before I realised the benefits of the chair. I am currently borrowing the Fisher Price Kick & Play which you can get from most online stores such as Amazon. |
| Pram / Buggy | I didn’t get the buggy until JP was at least 4 weeks old, he was born in winter and it was just too cold and dark to venture out. Now the days are getting longer and warmer in Scotland we are going out in the buggy every day. I love the Bugaboo Bee for city living as it light, has great steering control and a decent sized basket. Click here for a Bugaboo Bee demo video from YouTube. |
For a list of baby necessities read the Top 10 Items For Baby’s Arrival post.
