Essentials
What not to buy
Baby kit items that are often bought for nothing, and products that professional bodies do not recommend, such as cot bumpers, nests and inclined sleep products.
2 min read
The complete baby kit
The baby kit is not a competition to see who has the fullest nursery. A newborn needs a safe place to sleep, a few clothes, nappies, food and you. Everything else is comfort you can buy later, once you find out what you actually use.
How to read the list
We have divided the items into three groups:
- Needed before the birth – you can’t manage the first days at home without these.
- Useful – makes life easier, but you don’t need it straight away.
- Can wait – buy it once you find you need it.
Quantities are our editorial estimate. Safety items have their source next to them.
Sleep
| Item | Group | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Cot, crib or travel cot with a firm, flat mattress | needed | sleep on a firm, flat, non-inclined surface1 |
| Fitted sheets for the mattress (2–3) | needed | exactly the size of the mattress |
| Sleeping bag or light blanket | needed | no duvets or pillows until the age of one3 |
| Room thermometer | useful | recommended temperature 16–20 °C3 |
| Cot bumpers, nests, positioners | don’t buy | the AAP does not recommend them1,2 |
The AAP recommends that your baby sleep in the parents’ room, but on their own surface, ideally for at least the first six months.1 So you don’t need a nursery straight away. More in the article Safe sleep.
Clothes
| Item | Group | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Bodysuits (sizes 56 and 62) | needed | 4–6 of each |
| Sleepsuits or rompers | needed | 4–6 of each |
| Socks, a hat for outdoors | needed | a few |
| A warmer layer | needed | 1–2 |
| Snowsuit or warm all-in-one | depending on the season | 1 |
| An outfit for the journey home from the maternity hospital | needed | 1 set4 |
You will find sizes and a size finder in the article Newborn clothes.
Changing and hygiene
| Item | Group | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Newborn nappies | needed | the first pack; adjust the size to your baby |
| Cotton wool or unscented wet wipes | needed | |
| Muslin squares, 5–10 | needed | for sick, as a mat, for wiping |
| Changing mat | useful | you can also change nappies on the bed on a towel |
| Baby bath | useful | at first a sink or a bath with support will do |
| Bath thermometer | can wait |
Feeding
| Item | Group | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing bras, breast pads | needed if you plan to breastfeed | how to choose |
| Breastfeeding pillow | useful | ordinary cushions will do instead |
| Breast pump | can wait | buy one when you need it; hand expressing needs nothing |
| Milk storage containers or bags | can wait | according to the CDC, clean food-grade containers with a tight seal5 |
| Bottles and formula | if you are not breastfeeding, or on your paediatrician’s advice |
Travel and outings
| Item | Group | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Infant car seat | needed if you travel by car | the NHS lists one for the journey home from the maternity hospital4; try fitting it beforehand |
| Pram or carrycot | useful | depending on the terrain and whether you will be babywearing |
| Wrap or carrier | useful | wrap or carrier? |
| Footmuff for the pram | depending on the season |
When to buy what
| Period | What to sort out |
|---|---|
| 2nd trimester | think about where your baby will sleep and how you will get about (pram, sling or carrier, car); find out what you can inherit or borrow |
| start of the 3rd trimester | a cot or crib with a mattress, the car seat, the first clothes in sizes 56 and 62 |
| weeks 35–37 | wash clothes and bedding, the first nappies, the hospital bag |
| after the birth | things you discover you really need: a breast pump, more clothes, toys |
How to set priorities when money is tight
- Safety: a place to sleep with a firm flat mattress, and a car seat if you travel by car.
- Daily necessities: nappies, a few clothes, something warm for outdoors.
- Comfort: a sling or carrier, a pram, a baby bath, a changing unit.
- Extras: everything else that can be bought or borrowed later.
We give no prices or specific brands. You will find the criteria for choosing in the individual guides.
For you
The kit for the mother is often forgotten: maternity pads, comfortable knickers, nursing bras and clothes, a front-opening nightdress. You will find the hospital list in the article What to pack for the maternity hospital, and clothes in the guide Clothes for breastfeeding.
Second-hand
Second-hand clothes, prams, baby baths or carriers are a sensible choice. Be more careful with car seats and mattresses: with a car seat you don’t know its history (for example whether it has been in an accident), and a mattress should be firm and fit the cot exactly.
Next
Frequently asked questions
When should I start buying the baby kit?
Many families start in the second trimester and are done a few weeks before the due date. According to the NHS, the hospital bag should be packed at least three weeks ahead, so the things that go in it need to be ready before then.
What is the most important part of the baby kit?
A safe place to sleep (a firm flat surface without pillows or covers), a car seat if you will be travelling by car, and a few clothes and nappies. Everything else can be bought later.
Where this comes from
The numbers in the text refer to these sources. The links go to the publishers’ own pages; we simply cite them.
- American Academy of Pediatrics:Sleep-Related Infant Deaths – Updated 2022 Recommendations
- AAP News:New safe sleep recommendations can help pediatricians guide families (2022)Inclined sleepers, nests and similar products that do not meet the standards for cots are not recommended for sleep.
- The Lullaby Trust:Temperature (factsheet)A room at 16–20 °C, a room thermometer, no duvets or pillows until the age of one.
- NHS (United Kingdom):Hospital bag checklist
- CDC (USA):Breast Milk Storage and Preparation
We last checked these sources on 13 October 2026.
Further along the path
Baby
Newborn clothes – sizes and quantities
How baby clothing sizes work (50, 56, 62…), how many items to buy, and which fabrics and cuts work well. With a size finder based on length or the WHO growth standards.
In-depth guide 3 min read
Birth
What to pack for the maternity hospital
A complete list of what to take to the maternity hospital, based on Slovak maternity hospitals and the NHS. Documents, things for the birth, for you afterwards, for the baby and for the journey home. With an interactive tick-off list.
In-depth guide 3 min read