You’re pregnant – Congratulations!

If you’ve known that you’re expecting for a little while, it’s likely that by this stage you’ve already got a lot of information swirling around in your head.

From keeping up to date with what you can and can’t eat to trying to remember when your next midwife appointment is, there’s a lot of admin involved with pregnancy.

As you move closer to your due date, the to-do list only gets bigger.

To avoid feeling frazzled by everything that’s coming up, here are some tips to help you tick off a major item on the itinerary: what you’ll need for those first few days, weeks, and months, and when to buy it all.

Timing is Everything

When you want to buy items for your baby is a personal choice.

Some moms-to-be like to be prepared and will have the nursery painted and filled with furniture long before the 20-week scan, while others are a little more cautious and wait until the last moment to buy the essentials.

This caution is understandable, given that an estimated one in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage.

Where you fit on this scale will depend on you and the type of pregnancy you’re experiencing.

However, there are some essentials that you’ll definitely need to buy as you’re nearing the end of your third trimester so that you have the basics ready for when your baby arrives.

What to Buy First?

So, what are the must-haves? The list of essentials includes both small items and some of the big-ticket purchases that will see you through the first six months and beyond.

Starting with the big investments, you’ll need to have a car seat ready so that you can safely take your baby home from the hospital, along with a stroller.

It’s possible to buy these both separately and as part of a full travel system, so it’s worth researching what suits your budget.

As well as thinking about how you’ll transport your newborn, you’ll also need to consider where they’ll sleep. For the first six months, they’ll be in a bassinet or crib in your bedroom next to you.

However, you may want to have a cot in their own room as a separate place to put them down for naps during the day. This will get them used to the cot ahead of when they move there at six months.

Research how much these larger items will cost, look out for discounts and factor in how you’ll cover the cost of these essential pieces. Doing this before your little one is here means you’ll be prepared for when you bring them home from the hospital.

There are also smaller things that you’ll need to stock up on. Have blankets ready and, if you’re due to give birth in winter, you’ll need a warm stroller suit to keep them toasty.

You’ll also need muslins to hand and don’t forget to add fitted sheets and mattresses to your cot and bassinet, too.

Baby care essentials are also needed in your stock cupboard. These include nappies, wipes, and gentle baby bath products so you can give them a lovely first bath.

If you’re bottle-feeding, stock up on bottles and nipples – and you’ll need a sterilizer to thoroughly clean bottles and dummies if you’re using them.

While this seems like a large list, it’s possible to break everything down into manageable chunks. Set yourself a goal to have the larger items by the time you reach 30 weeks and get the smaller bits by week 35, for example.

Take your time and work through the list to make sure you have everything you need in time for the birth.