Congrats, you’re about to be a parent!
Now, what to do you need to prepare early on?
Well, you need a newborn baby checklist and make no mistake about it.
Expecting a bundle of joy is both a happy and chaotic time for parents.
You’ll want to prepare for meeting the needs of the newborn and any possible emergencies.
The best way to get ahead of all you need to do is to get a checklist. A checklist would ensure you get a clear picture of what is needed and you can systematically start working on the tasks.
Here is a list of essential things to help with starting your checklist so you can get everything ready in time for the glorious due date.
Clothes
Suitable clothes for newborns are extremely important. The baby will need to use suitable clothes just after the delivery and you want your newborn to be comfortable.
This would not be provided in the hospital and you wouldn’t want your newborn to be in hospital swaddles unless it is required.
It is important to remember that newborns grow out of clothes fairly quickly.
Hence, it’s advisable to buy some clothes in larger sizes (you can opt for clothes labelled as ‘small’ instead of ‘newborn’).
If the newborn will be in a cool environment with air-conditioning, then it’s also wise to invest in a comfy blanket or a thick swaddle.
Outfits like bodysuits or rompers are great for daytime wear.
On the other hand, sleepsuits are ideal for night usage and less for day. This is as it will usually be warmer for your baby.
One-piece styled outfits are good to have since they make changing diapers easier. Since a newborn can scratch themselves, hand mittens and booties are a must to protect their eyes and face.
If you are planning to practice safe sleeping with your newborn, then having a sleepsack is good.
Sleepsacks are designed in a way that the sack will not choke are suffocate the baby when sleeping alone.
Diapers
Diapers are used almost immediately after birth so you will need to do some market research and buy diapers from a brand you trust.
And this means that keeping tabs on your baby’s diaper is a must-have in your newborn baby checklist.
A newborn will go through a lot of diapers so it’s best to buy in bulk. You can also consider adding one pack of larger-sized diapers to be on standby.
Like clothes, newborns can also grow out of their first diaper size pretty quickly.
You will need to consider the type of material the diaper is made of, the absorbency rate, the style of diaper and your budget.
There are many diapers made of organic materials available in the market. You can be more selective if you think your newborn has sensitive skin.
While shopping for diapers, you also will need a diaper rash cream. Newborns and babies will use diapers for a long period so developing diaper rash is inevitable.
Choose a diaper rash cream that is functional and safe for use. This will help your newborn to be more comfortable and less irritable.
Having a diaper changing mat will be very helpful too as you can change the newborn’s diaper in a comfortable area.
Alternatively, you may consider a diaper changing table. You can also store diapers, wet wipes and diaper rash cream at the table.
Breast Pump
If the mother is choosing to breastfeed the newborn, then a breast pump should be bought before the baby is due.
Purchasing a breast pump that fits the needs of the mother is important.
Parents can choose from many choices of breast pumps nowadays. There are manual pumps, battery-operated pumps and electrical pumps.
Using a pump that is comfortable for the mother is crucial as this will impact the pumping session and the health of the mother.
Milk that is not pumped correctly might lead to engorgement and infections.
There are also silicone milk collectors that may be used when not using a breast pump.
Feeding Your Newborn
I’m sure you are aware of the importance of keeping your newborn baby well-fed—another addition to your newborn baby checklist.
There are a few accessories needed for feeding a baby.
Sometimes, this part of the checklist may vary if the parent decides to use formula milk.
If the baby is to be breastfed, then having milk storing bags is super important.
This helps the parent to store milk hygienically in freezers. It also helps to save precious breast milk for future feedings.
Having proper milk storage (for breastmilk) is important as breastmilk will spoil when not kept in a clean container and in hot temperatures.
Purchasing extra milk bottles with the right nipple size is important too as you can easily rotate the bottles for feedings.
Keeping all the feeding utensils (bottles, plastic nipples) clean is extremely important and you should not use normal soap to clean these items.
It is best to buy baby-friendly soap to clean all feeding items.
Use a bottle brush to clean the milk bottles thoroughly. A bottle drying rack will be very helpful for the drying process. You should air dry bottles instead of wiping them as wiping cloths might have bacteria.
Sterilising the bottles and nipples need to be done frequently. A newborn can get sick if dirty bottles are used for feeding.
A nursing pillow can be a great help to breastfeeding mums and you can place the newborn in a comfortable position during feeding time.
Nursing covers are useful if you are outdoors and need to do feeding outside.
Burping cloths and bibs are useful to have for feeding a newborn.
Feeding time can get messy and using cloths to clean the nose and mouth of the newborn will be helpful.
Bath Items
Bathing a newborn for the first month requires some practice and a few helpful items to make it easy for the parent.
A baby bathtub with a seat or some sort of support to lay the newborn will help.
A newborn should not be submerged in water so there needs to be some sort of support. Using a bathtub with seating support will help to keep the newborn safe.
Choosing baby-safe soap and shampoo is recommended as you don’t want harsh soaps to harm the baby’s delicate skin or get into the eyes.
Mild soaps are usually best for bath time.
You can also use a cup or container to pour water over the newborn’s head to wash the hair.
This helps to keep the water away from the baby’s nose and mouth.
Soft washcloths are great for gentle cleaning for a newborn. You can also use a lotion or moisturiser to keep the baby’s skin from drying out after bath time.
Sleep
Putting a newborn to sleep isn’t always easy and it’s especially hard for tired new parents.
Newborns are used to hearing white noise in the womb. Using a white noise machine is an effective way to soothe a newborn to sleep.
Newborns tend to prefer sleeping in dark rooms as they aren’t used to lights at such a young age.
Opt for blackout curtains if your room is too bright for the baby.
Sleep disruption for a newborn will happen as they get older. This is part of their brain’s development so it’s important to keep a calm and soothing sleep environment for the baby.
Dress the newborn in comfortable sleep clothes and ensure the temperature is comfortable. This will help the baby and parent to sleep comfortably.
General Health and Safety
Another important newborn baby checklist is to keep your newborn safe at home.
It is advisable to build a DIY first-aid kit as this will be incredibly useful when your newborn returns home.
Things like a baby thermometer, band-aids, baby-sized fingernail cutter, tweezers, antibiotic ointment and syringes are some of the items you should have.
It would be best if you also started baby-proofing your home early to avoid any accidents.
Take note of sharp corners, breakable glass areas and other potentially dangerous places to baby-proof.
Travelling
You will be travelling with your baby in the first few months of life for vaccinations.
Having a suitable diaper bag that can hold all the essentials conveniently will be a huge help during such outings.
You need to have a diaper bag that can hold clothes, milk bottles and diaper-changing items with ease.
Ensure that your car is equipped with a car seat as you cannot travel in the car with a newborn without one.
Emergencies
Last but not least, an important thing in your newborn baby checklist is keeping an emergency bag.
Packing an emergency bag should be done before the due date and it also needs to be updated after the baby is born.
If your newborn is sick and you need to rush to a hospital, you can easily travel with all essentials if you have a prepacked emergency bag.
If you want help on how to pack a hospital bag before the baby is born, here’s a helpful checklist you can use.
Need More Help? Join Our Parentcraft Class!
First-time parents need all the help they can get as this special time can be daunting as well as exciting.
If you are expecting your first bundle of joy and have so many questions, our Parentcraft Class is perfect for you!
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You can learn about the delivery process, what kind of changes you expect to happen to your body while pregnant, practical demonstration of how to bathe a newborn, baby CPR, tips on how to care for the newborn in the first 30 days and so much more!
The unlimited live classes and workout sessions are a great source of learning materials and you also will get a Parentcraft kit worth RM50 when you sign up.
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