subject: A Guide To The Essential Equipment You Will Need For Your Baby [print this page] The birth of your first born is an exciting and overwhelming time, in the months leading up to the imminent arrival it is the concern of all parents to be prepared and ready to care for the little bundle of joy. It can be hard to know what items should be purchased. It is also tempting to buy every piece of baby equipment known to man; this can be a mistake as your home could soon be overrun with unnecessary items.
The pram or pushchair travel system is probably your most expensive item; however it is worth spending a bit of time and money researching makes and models. Your pushchair will be the item you really cannot live without as it will also be used the most. There are many different styles and types to choose from, a good idea is to buy the whole travel combination in one go. Included should be the chassis wheels, a car seat, a pram and a pushchair base all of these items will click together as and when they are needed.
Next are the sleeping arrangements for your little one, if time or money is an issue all you really need for the first six months is a Moses basket. The nursery can eventually be put together with furniture such as wardrobes, drawers and a larger cot/cot-bed; however it is recommended that baby should stay in with its parents until it is six months. It is wise to stock up on Moses basket sheets and blankets which can also be used for the pram.
The only other bulkier item that you will need for baby is a rocking chair or a swing chair for baby to sit or hopefully sleep in downstairs. The swing chairs are wonderful for helping to get baby off to sleep which can be a god-send in the early days.
Smaller essential baby items to purchase include the feeding equipment, it is impossible to be able to guess in advance about how well breastfeeding might or might not go so it is a good idea to have a steriliser and some bottles ready just in case the steriliser will not be a waste of money as babys first bowls, spoons and cups will eventually need to be sterilised. Muslin squares are an item you will require a lot in the early months as newborn babies tend to be sick quite a lot.
A newborn baby play-mat is a great item to have at home, as the weeks go on baby will get a lot of stimulation from a mat with toys hanging from it. It is a clean and safe place for baby to have a kick about as his/her senses begin to develop.
Another useful item to have at the ready is a baby sling; there are many different styles to choose from. Newborn babies can be prone to colic and love to be close to their parents for the first few months the warmth of your skin and sound of your heartbeat can be incredibly soothing for baby. The sling is an item which will make it easy to wear your baby and free your hands for other jobs.
Finally, a brilliant item for complete peace of mind is the BT digital baby monitor. When baby is sleeping peacefully in its basket it can be hard to relax without constantly nipping backwards and forwards to watch for baby breathing it is a perfectly normal reaction for all parents. The baby monitors are a wonderful way of taking away the stresses, you can be in complete contact with your baby while either completing household jobs or when relaxing in another room. It is also possible to install the video monitor and be able to switch from television or computer screen to watch your baby sleeping, saving you on those many trips up and down to check.
