Shopping for Baby: Buying Guide for Newborn baby

Welcome to Indian Baby Center!

Here is a list of items you might need for first few months of the baby.

Click the categories below to jump to that section.

Bedding	Essentials	Helpful items	Bath	Personal care
Clothes	Bottle Feeding	Diapering	Baby books	Safety

Bath

Bath Tub	This tub has a mesh that helpful while bathing your newborn. Once the baby can hold its head, you can remove the mesh.
Bath Soap	Really great soap for the sensitive and delicate skin of your little one. Can be used for preemies also.
Baby Shampoo
Soft Towel	You can use towels without hoods also, as long as they are soft.

Health and Baby care

Grooming kit	- This kit includes a nail cutter with magnifying lens and some amber sticks. If you are worried about using nail cutters, start with amber sticks. You will be filing or cutting those nails quite frequently intially.
Ear Thermometer	This a easy and accurate way take the temperature of your little one. Babies dont like thermometers sticking under there arms so this one comes handy.
Nasal Aspirator	Safe aparatus to clear those stuffy nostrils and help them breathe better.

Bottle Feeding

Bottles	There are a lot of brands like Playtex, Avent, Dr Brown etc. However you might have to try few types because you never know what baby will like. They come into the world with some pretty strong opinions
Bottle Warmer	It is not advisable to use microwave to heat the milk and food for infants as it creates hotspots. Use the warmers for a uniform heating.
Microwave Sterilizer	Required from premies. Advisable to sterlize the bottle, nipples, breast pump equipment atleast once a week for the first few months.
Dishwasher Basket	Handy basket to wash the bottle and accessories in dishwasher
Breast Pump	This is the most popular automatic breast pump. You can also rent if from your hospital.
Breast pump accessory wipes	You can also wash them. But if you dont have access to water, this is a good alternative
Storage Bags	Its easier, lighter and takes less space than bottles for expressed milk.
Drying Rack	Good, hygenic and space efficient way to dry the bottles, nipples etc.
Disposable Nursing Pads
Formula Dispenser	Keep 3 measured servings of formula in this dispenser.
Bottle Brush

Diapering

Diaper disposal	Convenient "odor free" way to dispose of diapers.
Wipes Warmer	Most babies prefer the warm wipes over the cold ones !! Will stop the fuss over those frequent diaper changes.
Diapers	You could use disposal diapers or cloth ones.
Wipes	It is advisable to use unscented wipes especially for the first couple of months. Since the baby's skin is too sensitive, it would avoid any possible reactions or rashes.
Changing Table	Safe and convinient to change diapers. You could put a belt around the baby to avoid your wiggly little one from moving or falling while changing. Also good for you back as you dont have to bend to change the diapers( which will quite a lot initially!).
Changing Pad	You could just buy this pad and put on top of a dresser or bed if you don't feel like buying a changing table

Clothes

Shirts	You will need about 10 of them. These are side snap shirts and good because you dont have to pull them over their wobbly and delicate heads. They have long sleeve one too, which will be good for your winter baby.
Jammies	They are good and fit well for your newborn. You will need about 5-6 of them, may be more if you have a winter baby.
Washcloth	Can't have too many of these. You will need them first for milk mess and later for solids. You could also use them as sponge when giving them a bath.
Receiving Blankets	Again very useful. You could use them swaddling, burp clothes, light covering and cleaning baby mess.
Scratch Mittens	They have a surprising growth of nails. These will not only act as a covering for hands in winter but also protect them and you from the nail scratches.
Socks	Look for socks that are thin. Babies will kick a lot and kick both feet together, causing the socks to fall off. Thick socks fall off easily.

Bedding

Crib	Crib is a good and long term solution to sleep your baby. It is safe, comfortable and good way to avoid SIDS. Also most cribs convert to toddler bed with a conversion rails. So you could use them for a while.
Crib mattress	Buy a mattress that fits well into the crib with space on edges. The mattress should not be very soft, Safety experts suggest it should be "firm".
Crib Bedding Set	Includes everything for the crib like bumper, crib sheet, dust ruffle and comfortor.
Crib Sheet	It is important for a crib sheet fits tautly on the mattress. Taut crib sheet significantly reduces the possibility of the baby breathing into the gathered material formed by loose bedding.
Water proof mattress pad	Increase the life of your crib mattress with this water proof pad. Sometimes leaks and accidents happen even with diapers on !
Musical Mobile	Babies love mobiles, the music also helps them to soothe and fall asleep. Babies also find the moving animals and colors very amusing.
Pack 'n Play	You could use this to put the baby during the day. They also have a changing station you can use as well. The pack-n-play can also travel with you if you need it to.

Other Essentials

Car seat and stroller	One of the most important item you need to keep your child safe when riding in a vehicle. Lot of countries require you to have a carseat for an infant or child in a car. Its helpful to have a carseat that fits into the stroller, so that you dont have wake up your sleeping baby to move him/her into the stroller.
Infant Tylenol	Always carry a bottle of infant tylenol with you.
Diaper Bag	To keep and take all the essentials when you step out of the house. If you want to know about what all items you should be carrying in the diaper bag, click here

Other Helpful items

Baby Monitor	Monitor your child from another room or floor with these monitors. Some monitors have a video display also.
Bouncer	This is a item of personal preference, but it is very useful in soothing newborn. You could use them as early as the first or second week. These come in "active" designs with lots of colors and "peaceful" designs with are less bright but very cushy.
Baby Swing	These also come in "active" and "peaceful" designs. If you choose to buy both bouncer and swing, you may get one in the active and other in peaceful design.
BabyBjörn	This one is the most popular baby carrier. They also come in sling models, again depends on your baby's and your preference. With this, you can carry the baby back facing giving support to their heads initially and turn them around when they hold there heads. Very handy for grocery shopping or any other outing.
Sleep positioner
Boppy or Nursing pillow	Would definitely recommend one of these for nursing mothers.
Bumbo seat	You will not need this till they are able to hold their head. Can also be used to feed them.
Gripe Water	A natural remedy that may help with gas and colic.
Baby toys or rattle
Baby book	to record to your baby's firsts.
Humidifier	Supports easier breathing and congestion relief for your little one. Dryness in the air can cause congestion for your baby, making it difficult for them to breathe and feed.
Bundle Me	Really helpful for those winter babies

Books

Your Baby's First Year Week By Week	This book talks about what to expect with your baby - physically, socially and mentally. Due to the week by week approach, chapters are short with very distinct paragraphs. You just have to read one or two chapters at a time which takes few minutes.
What to Expect the First Year	Informative book and gives good insight into various child care issues.
The Happiest Baby on the Block	This books talks about techniques to calm and soothe crying newborn. It brings research and tips to make life easier for parents of new babies. Must read if your baby is colicky.

Safety

• Coming soon