Newborn Essentials 2023: Your Ultimate Baby Checklist

Preparing for the arrival of your baby can be daunting, especially when you start drafting that all-important 'to buy' list. Between Google searches, friends' well-meaning recommendations and targeted social media posts - how did Instagram even know you were pregnant?! - the rundown of clothing, bathroom cabinet staples and tech you simply have to buy before your baby arrives seems endless, never mind expensive. And you thought sleepless nights would be the tough part.

Whether you're an essentials-only shopper or a sucker for the latest 'it' buy, most of us need a bit of a steer when it comes to deciding what baby must-haves to invest in as that due date draws closer.

Most agree that a pram is a non-negotiable, a carrier too, a decent supply of nappies (unless you go down the reusable route), a baby bath, a crib, you get the picture. But what about the Owlet Monitor that everyone raves about on TikTok? A nursing chair - won't your failsafe sofa do? And to swaddle or not to swaddle? Shopping for your first baby poses quite the conundrum.

To that end Grazia has come up with the ultimate newborn baby checklist, a guide to help you navigate that baby prep period with a little more know-how. From breast pumps to prams, cribs to car seats (what is the new R129 car seat safety standard?), consider this your ultimate buying guide.

Main image credit: Instagram @emrata

Your Newborn Baby Shopping Guide At A Glance

Clothing: Sleep suits with a full zip or poppers, vests (long sleeved for winter, short sleeved for summer with poppers that fasten over the nappy), cardigans (wool or cotton), a couple of hats (a sun hat for summer and a warm hat for winter), a snow suit for pram rides in the winter.

Changing Essentials: Multiple packs of newborn sized disposable nappies, or cloth nappies if you prefer. Cotton wool or gentle fragrance-free, alcohol-free wipes (ideally 99% water wipes) and a barrier cream.

Sleeping Essentials: A crib (portable and able to be placed next to your bed), a firm mattress that fits flush to your crib, a waterproof mattress cover, fitted sheets (four), sleeping bags (two) or sheets (to be tucked in at the end and sides of the crib with baby's arms over the top) and breathable cellular blankets.

Bathing Essentials: A baby bath and towels.

On-The-Go Essentials: A baby carrier, a changing bag, a portable changing mat, a pram that allows for your newborn to lie down flat, a car seat.

Baby Feeding Buys: If you intend to breastfeed, a few nursing bras, breast pads, nipple cream, a breast pump. A set of small bottles with stage 1 teats, muslins, formula.

What clothes do I need to buy for a newborn baby?

According to The Baby Academy, your newborn baby's favourite outfit is a vest (long-sleeved in winter, short-sleeved in summer), a babygrow (also known as a sleep suit or a onesie) and a cardigan depending on the weather. As a rule of thumb, they say that your baby should be wearing one more layer than you would be comfortable wearing. The Baby Academy recommends bringing eight-to-ten newborn sized sleep suits with you if you are planning to give birth in a hospital or birthing suite, as well as eight-to-ten vests. Opt for sleep suits with poppers or zips that run all the way down the body to the leg to make those first few changes as easy as possible. As for sizing, most newborns will be fine with a standard 'Newborn' size, but if you're due to give birth to a relatively large baby bring a few '0-3 months' sizes just in case. The Baby Academy also recommends placing a vest, a sleep suit and a nappy in a separate pouch when packing your hospital bag, to take the guess work out of that first clothing change.

The likelihood is that your baby will wear sleep suits, vests (with poppers that close over the nappy) and cardigans for the first six weeks, it's a matter of comfort. The Baby Academy recommend avoiding tights, dresses or jeans for the most part until your baby is older than six weeks old.

The Baby Academy also recommends washing all baby clothes in non-bio washing liquid or powder before letting your baby wear them.

As for hats some hospitals insist on you putting a little hat on your newborn baby before you leave, so it's worth having one or two to hand, especially for outdoor walks in the winter, or sun hats to shield your baby in the summer. The Baby Academy, though, recommend avoiding the wearing of hats inside to stave off overheating.

If your due date falls in winter, consider investing in a snow suit to keep your baby warm during pram rides.

Shop: The best sleep suits, vests and cardigans to buy for your newborn baby

What do I need to buy for nappy changes before my baby arrives?

Let's start with the changing essentials. According to the NHS you'll need a few packs of newborn disposable or reusable cloth nappies. The Baby Academy recommends bringing a pack of 20 with you if you are planning on giving birth in a birthing unit or hospital. You'll need cotton wool (to be used with water) or gentle (ideally 99% water) and alcohol-free wipes, a changing mat and a barrier cream to prevent nappy rash.

What cots, cribs and bedding do I need to buy before my baby arrives?

As for sleeping, your baby will spend the first few months sleeping in your room, in a crib beside your bed. Invest in a portable crib - whether a Moses basket that you can move around the house during the day, a carrycot or a crib made especially to be placed beside your bed. When you move your baby to the nursery you might want to switch to a cot. Both cribs and cots come should come with a flat, firm mattress that, as the NHS states, 'fits snugly, leaving no gaps'.

According to the NHS you'll also need a waterproof mattress cover, at least four fitted sheets, two sleeping bags or sheets (according to The Baby Academy these should be tucked in over your baby at the sides and end of your crib, with your baby's arms placed over the top), and a cellular blanket. Cellular blankets are lightweight, usually made from naturally breathable materials like cotton or bamboo and made with lots of holes through them to enable air flow and avoid overheating.

What bath time essentials do I need to buy before my baby arrives?

Bathing wise, according to The Baby Academy you should avoid bathing your newborn baby until their umbilical cord has fallen off, which usually takes anywhere between five days and two weeks. After that point The Baby Academy advise bathing your baby once a week until they are 12 weeks old to avoid stripping their skin of beneficial natural oils and sensitising it. To that end, don't feel pressured to stock up on baby bath time products until a couple of months later. Use water only and a gentle, natural emollient like coconut oil at the most. You will need a baby bath, though and a few towels to wrap your baby up in and dry them. Invest in three or four (you'll have a couple in the wash at a time unless you're unfathomably speedy when it comes to putting on a nappy after their bath). Towels with little hoods work well and stop heat escaping from their heads when they're fresh out of the water.

Shop: Changing, sleeping and bathing buys for your newborn baby

What prams, carriers and on-the-go essentials do I need to buy before my baby arrives?

One of the first items you should be thinking about buying is a car seat. If you are giving birth in a hospital and you intend on driving there or getting a taxi, you will need a car seat ready for your newborn and the drive home. While hospitals have no legal rights to prevent you from leaving without a car seat, the law in the UK states that infants and children are legally required to travel in a car seat until they are 12-years-old or 135cm tall.

You'll also want a baby carrier, something to strap your newborn to you when you are out and about, or even just walking around the house. Many people prefer to use a carrier over a pram during the first month or so back home, while their baby is on the lighter, more compact side. Speaking of prams, there's no denying the freedom a set of wheels can give you and hitting on the perfect one involves interrogating your lifestyle. First of all, as a newborn, your baby will need a pram that allows for them to lie flat on their back, as they would in their crib. Babies usually only begin to sit up in a pram at round the six or eight month mark.

If you live in a town or city, or plan to take your baby and pram into a town or city frequently, it might be wise to make a play for a lightweight, compact pram. You'll likely be navigating crowded pavements, doorways and public transport frequently, meaning a smaller, more lightweight model will likely make life easier. If you live in the countryside and plan on walking across uneven ground - say a country path - on a day-to-day basis, a sturdier model may be a must, and then there are the 'off-road' options

Wherever you travel with your newborn, you're going to need a decent changing bag to hand - a bag that can house everything from nappies to a portable changing mat and a fresh set of clothes.

Shop: On-the-go essentials to inspire you before your baby arrives

What do I need to buy to breastfeed or bottle feed my newborn baby?

Newborns require small bottles with a stage 1 teat. Stage 1 bottles deliver a slow flow of milk, which is best for newborns. If you intend to breastfeed, take into account your own health and wellbeing when pulling together your shopping list, for example some parents swear by nursing pillows, designs that help raise your baby to your breast or to the bottle and relieve your arms of strain.

Most who intend to breastfeed consider a breast pump an essential too, to help you express milk when you are away from your baby. Make sure to stock up on nipple balm and breast pads too - comfort is key.

If intending to breastfeed, invest in a few nursing bras. The NHS recommends getting measured when you are around 36-38 weeks pregnant.

Shop: Baby feeding buys

The Newborn Baby Extras: The Non-Essentials Everyone Is Raving About

If you're an 'all the gear' shopper, it's likely you have a few newborn baby buys on your radar already, pieces of kit that your friends have waxed lyrical about, that you've saved on your Instagram feed, that have garnered their fair share of hype. Whether pieces of tech designed to take the guesswork out of that newborn stage or nursery additions that perform and look Instagram-able too, these are all the newborn baby extras you may wish to snap up as well.

Shop: All the newborn baby extras to scroll through before you wrap up your shopping list