Battle of the Baby Store – What to Look For When Buying For Your New Bub

The anticipation of bringing a brand new baby into the world is enough to send everyone a little bit crazy. We want everything to be perfect. There is so much stuff out there these days it’s so easy to become overwhelmed when shopping for your new bub, or to end up spending a fortune on things you will barely use. Read below to find out the essentials that you really need, and what to look out for.

1. Cater for Gifts

You will have the tendency to want to make sure everything is perfect before your little one arrives, but it’s worth holding off on a few things because you are going to get a whole lot of gifts for your first born baby. Everyone you know – family, friends, acquaintances, co-workers, neighbours – everyone, will buy your baby gifts. Which means if you’re already fully stocked you’ll have a lot of double-ups and extra stuff to try and find room for in your house. So hold back on a few essential baby items and talk to family especially about what they can help out with – things like prams, cots, and clothes.   

2. Bassinet

Start with a bassinet, don’t worry about buying a cot straight away, there will be plenty of time to go back to your local baby store to search for cots as baby grows and you don’t want to overcrowd your house. Find a cozy bassinet with a firm mattress that complies with Australian safety standards. It’s generally a good idea to buy a new mattress for your baby for two reasons; one is that you want to ensure the mattress complies with safety standards and is firm enough to be completely safe for your little one. Sometimes bassinet mattresses can lose their shape with a lot of use. Secondly, most baby mattresses you buy second-hand have been covered in vomit and other excrements a few times so it’s nice for your baby to have their own fresh mattress they can urinate on themselves.

3. Bedding

For the same reason it’s a good idea to buy a new mattress, you should also get 3 or 4 sets of bedding for the bassinet. Keep it simple, but having a few back-ups is always a good idea to ensure you can strip the mattress and have fresh sheets ready to go.

4. Nightlight

On the subject of sleeping, buying a special night light for your baby is a nice item to shop for, or to ask for as a gift from family members. A nightlight is often overlooked as an essential item but you are going to need it from the first night you bring baby home so that you can  easily check on them, see their little tummy breathing, and make sure they are tucked in without waking them up. Nightlights come in all shapes and sizes and there are some beautiful ones out there so shop around and find a special one your child can use for years.

5. Nappies and Creams

Make sure you have a pile of nappies ready to go for when your baby arrives home. If you are using cloth nappies and washing them, also have the bucket in place and everything you need. Babies go through a lot of nappies. And with the nappies you will also need some barrier cream like Sudocrem or pawpaw ointment to try and keep your baby nappy rash free.

With so many products on the market it’s easy to max out your credit card in an attempt to ensure your baby has everything it needs, but the real truth is that all your baby needs is you and your love. The rest will be easy to shop for and figure out.