Essential items
Bassinet, sheets for the bassinet, bath, swaddles, onesies with snaps, diapers and wipes, burp cloths, bottles (at least 3), a bottle cleaner brush, and nail trimmers (the electric kind safe for babies)... those are the main things I can think of.
In addition to a breathable crib mattress and mattress pad, here's what you'll need to outfit your little one's nursery:
Things To Buy Before Giving Birth
The first three months with your baby often seem the hardest. Sleep-deprived parents can feel overwhelmed, but that is normal and you will quickly learn how to read your baby's cues and personality. Don't worry about “spoiling” your baby at this stage.
Hold your baby until they're in a deeper sleep. Babies start in 'active sleep' (with faster, uneven breathing) and move into a deeper sleep after about 20 minutes. That's a good time to transfer them into their sleeping place. Many babies don't like being put down into a cot.
Ice cream might be the top pregnancy craving of all time.
During the first trimester, avoid alcohol, smoking, and drugs, limit caffeine, and steer clear of foods like high-mercury fish (shark, swordfish, marlin), raw/undercooked meats, eggs, seafood (sushi, smoked salmon), unpasteurized dairy, and soft cheeses, plus activities like cleaning litter boxes (toxoplasmosis risk) or using saunas/hot tubs (overheating), to protect the vulnerable developing baby from infections, toxins, and overheating.
There's no set timescale for when you should start buying baby stuff during pregnancy. Many people don't feel comfortable buying until the second trimester – or after the 12th week of pregnancy – as that's when you're likely to start telling people and relaxing into the pregnancy.
15 Essential Newborn Baby Must-Haves
During this exciting (but often emotional!) time, help Mom relax, hydrate, document her journey, and feel more comfortable in her changing body. Gifts like a beautiful “Just For You Mama” water bottle, nausea relief sweets and teas, and pregnancy journals are always met with gratitude.
As a guideline, having enough saved to cover at least six months of living expenses and additional funds for initial baby-related costs such as nursery setup and medical expenses is wise. This approach helps ensure you are financially prepared for new parenthood's expected and unexpected costs.
The newborn 5-5-5 rule is a postpartum guideline for new mothers to focus on healing and bonding in the first 15 days home, dividing rest into 5 days in bed, followed by 5 days on the bed, and then 5 days near the bed, encouraging minimal chores, visitors, and activity to prioritize recovery from childbirth and establishing the new family unit, drawing on traditional postpartum rest practices.
The best time to buy baby clothes is during your second and third trimesters, once you have a better idea of your baby's size, gender, and the season they'll be born. Focus on newborn essentials like onesies, sleepers, and socks, but don't go overboard—babies grow fast!
10 Steps of Essential Newborn Care:
The "3-2-1 Rule" in pregnancy is a guideline for first-time mothers to know when to call their midwife or doctor for active labor: consistent contractions every 3 minutes, lasting 2 minutes each (or 1 minute long for some variations), for over 1 hour. It helps differentiate true labor from false labor (Braxton Hicks), signaling it's time to head to the birthing center, while subsequent pregnancies often follow the faster 5-1-1 rule.
DANGER SIGNS DURING PREGNANCY
There's no perfect time to share your pregnancy—do what feels right for you. Many wait until after the first trimester. Miscarriage risk drops after 13 weeks, but it's also OK to tell trusted loved ones earlier for support.
During pregnancy, avoid high-risk foods like deli meats/pâté, soft cheeses, raw or undercooked eggs/meat/seafood, unpasteurized dairy/juices, and large predatory fish (shark, swordfish) due to Listeria, Salmonella, Toxoplasmosis, and mercury risks, plus alcohol, excess caffeine, and unwashed produce/sprouts to protect your baby from serious infections and developmental issues.
Here are some snack foods that will help you get the nutrients you need while avoiding less-healthy cravings:
Many cultures have long believed that the types of foods you crave during pregnancy can reveal whether you're carrying a boy or a girl. While sweet vs. salty cravings are entered deep in folklore, modern research has not found a reliable link.
The hardest week with a newborn is often considered the first six weeks, especially weeks 2-3, due to extreme sleep deprivation, constant feeding demands, learning baby's cues, postpartum recovery, and a peak in inconsolable crying (the "witching hour"), making parents feel overwhelmed as they adjust to a new, exhausting routine. While the first week is tough, the challenges often intensify as the baby becomes more alert but still fussy, with major developmental hurdles like cluster feeding and increased fussiness peaking around 6-8 weeks.
The "5-3-3" baby sleep method is a sleep training strategy where a baby sleeps for 5 hours, stays awake for 3 hours, then sleeps for another 3 hours, often used around 4-6 months to encourage independent sleep by reducing nighttime feeds and establishing routine, but it requires strict adherence and consulting a pediatrician, as it might be too rigid for some babies or caregivers.
On the legitimacy of the 8-minute nap, he says “sleeping with your legs elevated can help improve sleep onset and quality as it allows blood to flow more easily throughout the body. This is the sleep science behind the 8-minute Navy Seal nap, but that's not the only thing that makes this nap potentially effective.”