I know I have done this all before...

But I need some help...

When I had my son 4 years ago I had a few nice shopping trips to NY to get all my baby stuff, and now with just over six weeks until I pop with this baby, well, its just completely beyond me to remember what I might possibly need for this kid! Lol!

I have bought a few things at Mothercare and Next, but is wondering if anyone has like some kind of layette list, like how many sleepsuits and vests do I need for the first month or so, and what other kind of stuff do I need to start out with....we have no family coming over until the baby is at least a month old (hooray) and this one is a girl, so of course, I need the pink!!

Any help or lists would be appreciated!!!
Signed, pregnant and suddenly really stupid!!!

Oh wow, a girl!! Congratulations! 

Ummm, well it depends on how often you want to do laundry!

We've got about 6 vests and as many babygros.  A few pairs of scratch mittens - we have loads of socks he hasn't worn yet b/c he lives in babygros so far.  A couple hats.

A coat and/or warm fleece suit-thing for going out, plus a cardigan or 2 for warmer temps.

I think places like BabyCentre have a comprehensive list.

Nappies!!! don't forget nappies!!

I have here the list that they put on the back of the Babies-r-us Catalouge of what you have for you new born so here we go.

There are a lot of things you really don't need but you can get if you want.  A lot of thing repeated as well.

Hope it helps!

FOR BABY:
6x sleep suits
6x bodysuits or vests
3x day wear outfits
3x cardigans
3x socks
3x pram shoes
2x scratch mitts
2x hats
a jacket
a shaw

FOR AT HOME:
moses basket
cot/cot bed
nursery funiture
room thermometer
4x fitted sheets
4x top sheets
2-3x blankets
2-3 baby sleeping bags

SAFETY:
bath thermometer
socket plugs
fire garde
safety gates

FEEDING:

breast:
3x nursing bras
2x sleeping bras
breast pads
breastfeeding pillow
muslin squares
bibs

bottle:
4x feeding bottles
4x teats
infant forumlua
sterilising equipment
bottle and teat brush
muslin squares
bottle warmer
bibs

OUT AND ABOUT:
pushchair/travel system
carry cot
infant car seat
baby carrier
changing bag
sunshade
raincover

ENTERTAINMENT:
bouncy cradle/rocker chair
high/low swing
mobile
baby gym
interactive books
CDs and DVDs
Rattles/teethers
soft toys

BATH TIME
baby bath
baby support
top and tail bowl
nursery box
2x cuddle robes
3x wash cloths
nail clippers
brush and comb
nappy bin and sacks
sponges
baby toiletries
nappies
bath thermometers

Wow! Thanks for that list, thats some big list! I already have about a dozen sleep suits and about 10 vests, and maybe 3-4 daywear type things, and she is sleeping in the mini co sleeper next to my bed for the first six months....but wowzers, I had better get shopping!!  Lol, and I guess maybe we should start thinking about names for this kid also!!! Talk about putting things off until the last minute!

Thanks!!!

Heh glad it helps.

Just keep in mind half of those things your really don't need I think they put so many on there just to get more money out of you.

Have fun shopping!

Whoa, that list is insane!

DVDs? For the baby???  

Can I ask the experienced moms out there -- is it really helpful to get a baby bath? They look useful but I've also been told it's no big deal to just wash your baby in the sink or tub.

Also, this may sound silly but -- how fast do babies grow? If we get a bunch of newborn clothes, for example, how long would it be before we would need to get the next larger batch?

I am also thinking about the fact that my friend is due a month ahead of me, and has said she's happy to hand down clothes and things as her baby outgrows them. I'm just wondering, if she's only a month older, whether they'll probably be so close in size most of the time that this won't come up...

Yeah, that list is huge!!  We are going as minimal as we can with baby stuff.

About the bath, I had thought originally I didn't want it because it just seems like a hassle and another large object you have to deal with and clean. But I am getting a little nervous about handling the slippery little one in the sink...so I think I'm likely going to get one, even though I really don't want to.

For bathing thusfar, I've held Leah in my lap on a towel, and DH has sponged her.  It's kept her from being dangerously slippery, and really, it's all the cleaning she's needed to date!

For future bathing needs, we have a changing table that has a built-in bath:
http://www.mothercare.com/Cosatto-Easi-Peasi-Bath-Changer/dp/B001M6ZONE/ref=sr_11_1/278-8603535-3488960?_encoding=UTF8&mcb=core

There are some that will argue that a changing table is a needless frivolity, but considering that 4 out of 4 adults that are likely to change her have bad backs?  Totally and absolutely worth it, especially with the combined storage space. ^___^

I've used the sink, but also loved the Tummy Tub:

http://www.mothercare.com/Mothercare-Tummy-Tub-baby-bath/dp/B000IVSQZ2/sr=1-25/qid=1263610741/ref=sr_1_25/279-1172744-6179554?_encoding=UTF8&m=A2LBKNDJ2KZUGQ&n=44536031&mcb=core

LOVED IT!

The first couple of months, depending upon how cold it was, mine lived in babygrows and sleepsuits even if they weren't sleeping. Sometimes they wore pants/shirts (I've got boys), but really, the sleep suits and babygrows are the easiest to wash when you have a lot of them.

I probably didn't have over half of what the list above 'suggests'!

I don't think you need a baby bath.  We went through three before I just laid him in a shallow bath which is mega easy and he loves it.  Start in the sink when they're tiny and then you can lay them in the bath and support their head for a while before just laying them in there and letting them splash around.  

I highly recommend Mothercare sleepsuits with the built in scratch mitts.  They are expensive so we only got 1 pack of 3 but the 0-3 month size lasted ages because they don't shrink.  We had them at least until 4 months and he's a pretty average sized baby.  I find Next stuff shrinks and because you are washing so darn much, they are too expensive for that.  We had loads of Tesco and Asda ones too which are handy as you change them so often in the early weeks.

As for clothes, I have a boy so it may be different but he wears the same 2 pairs or jeans and I rotate between about 3 shirts.  I have about 35 shirts and 10 pairs of trousers for him (all sent from my mom in the US) but to be honest, I quite often wear the same stuff, so he does too.  I'm too lazy/not creative enough to worry about putting him in something different every day.  But with a girl, I might buy every single pink dress on offer so...

mrslit's list is great!  But I have edited to show which of those things and how many I actually had for the first few months. You don't need any safety stuff for a while other than a room thermometer.   That list practically covers up to toddlerhood which is handy but my baby is 6.5 months and he's not mobile yet so we don't need gates or any of that just yet. We didn't want to spend the money or use up space to store that kind of stuff until we need it.

FOR BABY:
12x sleep suits
12x bodysuits or vests
2x day wear outfits (My LO lived in sleepsuits in the beginning but it was nice to have a cute pair of jeans and a top for when we went somewhere other than Tesco.)
3x socks
0x scratch mitts (I tried to buy sleepsuits with built in scratch mitts because they just fall off)
2x hats

FOR AT HOME:
cot/cot bed
nursery funiture
room thermometer
4x fitted sheets
4x top sheets
2-3x blankets (I have this many but only needed 1.  You do THAT much laundry.)
2 baby sleeping bags (we got by with 1 but 2 would have been nice)

FEEDING:
bottle:
2x feeding bottles (but everyone I know uses 6-8!)
2x teats
infant formula
sterilising equipment
bottle and teat brush
12 x muslin squares  (I live by muslins)
15 x bibs (the more, the better but I formula fed.  Not sure if you need as many with BF)

OUT AND ABOUT:
pushchair/travel system
carry cot
infant car seat (love my maxi cosi BUT now thinking I should have invested in one of the seats that goes from birth - 4yrs)
baby carrier (slings are great when they are small)
changing bag
sunshade
raincover

ENTERTAINMENT:
bouncy cradle/rocker chair
mobile (someone bought us one so we have had it since day one.  He didn't appreciate it though until 4 months or so)
baby gym (same as above but it was nice to have)
interactive books
Rattles/teethers

BATH TIME
baby bath (See above)
top and tail bowl
2x cuddle robes (I'm assuming these are towels.)
nail clippers
nappy bags
baby toiletries
nappies

Hope that helps.  And congratulations!

My friend who is due in May was just telling us yesterday how she hasn't bought a single thing yet. We started joking about the Excersaucer and how she probably doesn't need that in the first month of the baby's life! 

She said she's reading a book called, 'Baby Bargains' to help her decide what to buy and what not to by. The problem with a list put out by Babies R Us is that they have an agenda to make you buy more than you need. 

My friend who is due in May was just telling us yesterday how she hasn't bought a single thing yet. We started joking about the Excersaucer and how she probably doesn't need that in the first month of the baby's life! 

May is ages away!!  (Or at least that's what I'm telling myself.)  I'm due in June and I'm not buying anything for now.  I had to be forced to even buy maternity clothes.  (I'm just nervous.)

May is ages away!!  (Or at least that's what I'm telling myself.)  I'm due in June and I'm not buying anything for now.  I had to be forced to even buy maternity clothes.  (I'm just nervous.)

I think she is nervous as well. She finally sucked it up that some of the stuff they want they're going to have to order, so they need to do that soon. As for the other stuff, she's not sweating it!