Pregnant mummy: My baby shopping list

As mentioned in my last post, I have a really long shopping list for the baby (and myself). Since I hate to rushed and get stressed at the last minute and am rather picky about the stuff that I use, I’ve also added product or brand names next to those items that I’ve done some research on and/or have bought. Some links are also provided, mostly to Amazon cos I like to read product reviews before I buy my stuff. Still a couple more things to add as I go along, but I’ll try to keep this updated.

If you are a new mummy/daddy reading this, hope the list helps and happy shopping!

Baby’s Nursery 

You’ll see loads of IKEA stuff here cos where else can you find products that have passed safety standards in all the major markets/countries?

• Baby Cot: IKEA TBC (If you are going for another brand, please avoid cots with drop sides – those have already been banned in the USA for causing accidents/deaths. Convertible cots that can be used by toddlers are useful and extends the life of this specialised piece of furniture.)
• Cot mattress: IKEA TBC
• Yao lan/sarong cradle (optional): Am not planning to use one, but if you are do get a small mattress to put underneath the cradle in case of accidental falls and use the modern sarong made with netting material to prevent suffocation.
• Musical mobile (optional): I like Lamaze Freddie The Firefly Musical Mobile
• Blanket/swaddle: TBC or use traditional cloth diapers to swaddle
• Baby (beansprouts) pillow/bolster (optional): TBC
• Bedsheets: IKEA Len fitted sheet for cot
• Mattress protector (optional): IKEA Len mattress protector
• Cot bumper (optional): Not getting due to potential suffocation risks. Read more here.
• Cot canopy (optional): Cot Canopy Original by Content & Calm (more cos the cot will be near the ceiling fan and my place is rather windy rather than to provide a dark environment that’s more conducive to sleep)
• Changing table (optional): IKEA Hensvik
• Changing mat (optional): IKEA Gullunge babycare mat and cover
• Cupboard/Chest of Drawers/Wardrobe/Shelves (optional): IKEA Hensvik wardrobe and Raskog kitchen trolley
• Baby clothes hangers (optional): IKEA Bagis Children’s coat-hanger
• Baby monitor (optional)
• Rocking/gliding chair (optional): For feeding/breastfeeding/soothing baby. Not getting cos I’m not sure I’ll use it and floor space is precious.

Baby Clothes

Depending on how big you expect your baby to be at birth, you may want to buy less of newborn (NB) sizes that may only be for babies up to 3 kg. Most logical advice I’ve read: buy enough initially for a week or so (including doing laundry, say twice a week), and you can get more once you know what to expect/size.

• Rompers (short-sleeves for day)
• Pyjamas (long-sleeves/pants for night)
• Mittens (for hands – 1st 2 months)
• Bootees (for feet – 1st 2 months)
• Blouse/t-shirts – long and short sleeves (front button and kimono style tops may be easier to change than rompers)
• Long pants
• Shorts/short pants
• Jackets (for outings to cold/air-conditioned places)
• Hats/Caps/bands/clips (optional)
• Bibs

Baby Sanitary Wares

• Disposable diapers
• Traditional cloth diapers (can also be use to wrap baby) + Safety pins + Diaper wrap/Pilchers (to prevent leaks) + Nappy liners (for easy disposal of poo poo) (Pigeon or Tollyjoy)
• Modern cloth diapers (Moo Moo Kow seems good) + Nappy liners (for easy disposal of poo poo)
• Baby wet wipes (Pigeon or Nuk)
• Anti-nappy rash cream (Mustela, Desitin, or Drapolene)
• Baby diaper disposal bin (optional)
• Polythene bag (for diaper disposal bin) (optional)
• Potty (when toilet training starts
• Potty seat for toilet bowl (when toilet training starts)
• Diaper stacker/organiser (optional)

Baby Bath & Grooming Wares

• Baby bathtub/tummy tub
• Newborn/infant support for tub (optional)
• Bath thermometer (optional) (or use common sense and your hand)
• Dish/ container (to wash baby’s face/wipe down baby)
• Cotton handkerchiefs (multiple uses)
• Face towels (optional)
• Anti-slip mat (if needed for bathroom/tub)
• Bath towels
• Bath sponge (optional, small cotton handkerchief would suffice) (Pigeon)
• Baby soap/bath lotion
• Baby shampoo/hair wash
• Baby oil/moisturiser 
• Cotton wool roll (tear as needed)
• Cotton balls/pads (optional, for sensitive parts like near the eyes or just use normal cotton wool)
• Cotton buds (baby sized ones) (Pigeon)
• Baby powder with puff
• Baby nail clippers
• Baby comb and brush (especially for babies with cradle cap)
• Tooth wipes/brush (when baby starts teething)

Baby Laundry

• Buckets with lids (for soaking stained items)
• Basket for baby laundry
• Nappy/clothes detergent/softener (optional)
• Clothes hanger for drying mittens/booties/handkerchiefs

Feeding Baby

• Formula milk: Good tip I’ve read is to get samples from baby fairs and hospital to see which one the baby will take to.
• Milk bottles (big+small): Don’t buy a full set until you know for sure that baby will take to the bottle brand. Do use either BPA free plastic bottles or glass bottles.
• Teats: Nuk seems to be good and can be used on other brands of bottles e.g. Pigeon and Chicco. But again, it’s all up to the baby. FYI teats come in different sizes and should be discarded every 2 months or so (read the instructions!)
• Bottle scrub brush (Pigeon/Aprica)
• Teat brush/sponge (Pigeon)
• Tongs (to handle hot bottles)
• Electric Steam Steriliser (Pigeon/Avent) OR large pan/pot (for boiling)
• Bags/milk bottles to store expressed breastmilk
• Milk heater (to warm up stored breast milk) (Pigeon/Avent)
• Highchair (when baby is older): IKEA Antilop highchair with tray

Food Transport

• Warmer cum carrier bag
• Hot water vacuum flask
• Water bottle (for cooled boiled water)
• Milk powder container
• Ice/cooler packs (if needed to transport stored breastmilk)
• Food jar (for later when baby takes solids)
• Baby utensils (for later when baby takes solids)
• Portable wet wipes (for cleaning everything)
• Ziplock bags

Baby Transport

• Stroller/pram: Key considerations – Cost, weight, reversible, age/weight limit, baby comfort (e.g. ventilation, reclinable, padding/support), handle height (especially important for tall parents/dads), suspension, handling
• Baby carrier (for baby wearing)
• Car seat: We got an Aprica Fladea. It’s a bit of a splurge but I am a sucker for business-class type full recline seats.
• Car seat protector (to prevent scratches/marks on car seats): Diono Ultra Mat Full-Size Seat Protector
• Portable changing mat (you never know what has happened on changing stations in public places)
• Car sun shade (for back windows)

Medical Emergencies

• Thermometer (Do note that in-ear thermometers aren’t recommended for babies younger than 6 months because their narrow ear canals make it hard to insert the sensor properly. You may want to use a thermometer with flexible tip until the baby is older.)
• Fever cooling patch (e.g. Pigeon or Koolfever)
• Oil for wind (e.g. Ru Yi or ‘White Tree Oil’)
• Woodward’s Gripe Water (can be used on colicky babies from a month old)
• Nasal aspirator (e.g. Pigeon Nose Cleaner or Nosefrida – if you told me before I was pregnant that I will seriously consider sucking snot/mucous out of a baby’s nose using my mouth suction, I’ll think you are mad but now… hmm. Hubby thinks it’s super disgusting and I don’t disagree. Let’s just say that my maternal instincts are surprisingly strong.)

Care of the Umbilical Cord Stump

• Sterile cotton swabs & swab sticks
• Sterile container for cord spirit

Toys & Play (all optional I think… up to doting parents/relatives/friends)

• Pacifier & Pacifier clip
• Playpen
• Rattle
• Teether (Sophie the Giraffe)
• Teething necklace (to be worn by mummy for kid to chew on)
• Car seat mirror
• Stroller mobile
• Baby gym/crawling mat
• Shape sorter 
• Walker/bouncer
• Rocker/lounger: Bloom Coco Baby Lounger 

Child Proofing/Safety (when baby is mobile)

• Stair/door gates (to prevent babies from wandering into danger zones!)
• Rubber protectors for bedroom doors (from slamming on little fingers/toes)
• Safety locks/latch for kitchen drawers and cabinets
• Window grills
• Bed rail
• Corners and edge cushion (tip: just keep your coffee table to the side until the kid is older)
• Stair strips

Mummy Care

• For 1st trimester: Belly Belt (or rubber band looped over buttons) and bra extensions
• For 2nd-3rd trimester: Maternity tops/bottoms/dresses, or stretchy/loose tops & dresses that can be re-purposed as maternity wear.
• Maternity bras and panties 
• Panty liners (for discharge)
• Anti-stretch mark creams (e.g. Clarins)
• Bird’s nest / soy bean milk
• Coconut juice (once a week in last month)

For Nursing Moms

• Post-birth: Breastfeeding tops and pyjamas (with front opening for breast feeding)
• Nursing bras: No underwire as it can affect milk production and pregnant ladies who intend to breastfeed should start to wear wireless bras from 3rd trimester. Don’t buy too early or too many as breast size will change over time. (Bravado has good reviews online)
• Nursing bibs (optional, for privacy while breastfeeding in public. By the way this blog gives a good overview of malls with nursing rooms: LINK)
• Nursing pillow (optional, but it’s supposed to make nursing much easier) (My Brest Friend, Boppy & Luna Lullaby seems quite decent)
• Breast pump: Get a ‘closed-system’ pump that is more hygienic. Closed systems keeps the machinery from becoming contaminated by air or back-flow (which could result in mold growing INSIDE the machinery parts where you cannot sterilise). FYI, the popular Medela brand is an open system pump (so many mummies that I spoke to didn’t know about this! You can refer to this blog post by a mummy who cracked open her old Medela pump, yucks.). Ameda, Avent and Lansinoh (all sold in Singapore) are among the brands that offer closed system pumps. This is a useful guide to read: LINK.
• Handsfree pumping bra (optional, for multi-tasking during pumping) (Simple Wishes Hands Free Breastpump Bra has good reviews)
• Nipple cream (in case of cracked nipples) (Medela)
• Nursing pads (to prevent embarrassing stains and leaks) (Pigeon or Gerber)
• Disposable panties
• Sanitary pads

Other optional items

• Electrical Flask (auto boil, for quick access to boiling water for formula milk)
• Vacuum flask (without autoboil, for mum’s drinking/red date water)
• Claypot or double boil claypot (for mum’s confinement soup)
• Claypot or earthenware (for cooking pig’s trotters in ginger and black vinegar)
• 2 pails for mum’s bathing in herbal water
• Herbal bath (from TCM)
• Bath stool

Reading/reference materials/books

Can’t say that they are the best, but based on reader reviews these are books that I bought.  I’ve included links to Amazon so that you can check out the reader reviews yourself.

• Pregnancy Day by Day (2013 edition)
• What to Expect the First Year
• Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care
• The Baby Owner’s Manual: Operating Instructions, Trouble-Shooting Tips, and Advice on First-Year Maintenance (I bought this for the new daddy 🙂 )
• Child of Our Time: How to Achieve the Best for Your Child from Birth to 5 Years
• Parenting Without Borders: Surprising Lessons Parents Around the World Can Teach Us

 If you found this list useful, feel free to share this list with your friends/relatives, but please have the courtesy to credit the list to my blog. Thank you!