Researching what to buy for your new baby can be overwhelming. There are tonnes of baby items and gadgets out there and being a first-time mum it’s hard to know what you’ll actually need.

As a second time mum I have discovered some items for baby and me that I either didn’t know about or didn’t exist when I had my daughter a few years ago which have been a game changer.

So, if you’re expecting and wondering what you really need to buy for yourself and baby, put these baby items at the top of your list:

1. Milk saver pump

Top of my list goes to this brilliant milk catcher, also a manual breast pump. When I was breastfeeding my first baby I remember how much milk leaked from the opposite breast with letdown. This time around, instead of letting it go to waste and soaking up my nursing pad, I suctioned the milk saver to my opposite breast while feeding to catch that precious liquid gold. You would be surprised how much you get with all the feeding you do early on. I could get about 50ml from ‘catching’ my letdown and doing this a few times a day would be enough for a bottle to freeze so I had some backup for when I needed to go out for any appointments. Bonus is it only cost $15!

2. Onesies/growsuits- WITH ZIPS!

Yes, these were around with my first baby but I also had a lot of onesies with the press studs which always made dressing baby and nappy time more complicated than it needed to be. This time I made sure that all the onesies I bought had zips (double zips are even better). Check out our baby boy and baby girl gift boxes that include a comfy Purebaby two-way zip making dressing and changing a breeze.

3. Backpack nappy bag

I found this style of nappy bag so much more comfortable than the one strap shoulder type. I’m so glad I upgraded to a backpack style nappy bag with my second baby. It’s got plenty of compartments and I could also carry this while using the baby carrier or while holding baby without the nappy bag constantly slip-sliding off my shoulder.

4. Velcro swaddles

No matter how tight I tried to burrito wrap my babies they would always Houdini their way out of swaddles. That’s why I loved these velcro swaddles. So much quicker and simpler to use and they kept baby nice and snug. I used these for the first couple of months then transitioned baby to the Love to Dream swaddles which are fantastic with their double zip making changing nappies at night much easier as you don’t have to take the whole thing off.

5. Baby carrier

If you don’t have a baby carrier, do yourself a favour and get one! I used the carrier (Ergobaby) more than the pram for the first few months and still use it now (my baby is almost 1 year old). I found it so much easier to wear baby when popping into the shops rather than having to navigate the pram and lift it in and out of the boot. It was also easy to have baby in the carrier and big sister on her scooter or walking when going to the park. I found that baby loved napping in the carrier too so I made sure I always had it with me when we were out and about, that way he could still get a little nap in.

6. Thermometer

This is definitely an item you want to have on hand because you never know when your child will get sick (always at the worst times by the way). Buying a good thermometer (like an ear thermometer) is worth the investment as it gives you an accurate reading. Plus, they are easy to use. Don’t bother with a cheap under-the-arm thermometer which is impossible to use when your child squirms and wriggles. I would also recommend having baby Panadol on hand, particularly after their first lot of immunisations (at 6 weeks) as a fever is a common side effect.

7. Vaporiser

Like the thermometer, this is another item that I suggest buying early on because you’ll never know when you might need it. When my kids come down with something it always seems to start up at night. A vaporiser is useful when your baby is congested and has a stuffy nose as the steam helps to loosen the mucus. I’ve found it helps them sleep better, which means better sleep for you too!

I hope my motherly wisdom has helped you work out what you really need for you and your baby. I definitely couldn’t live without these baby items. Good luck preparing for the arrival of your baby!

Share this post with a mum-to-be to make sure they’re super prepared.

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