This free printable newborn baby checklist is just the ticket for getting ready for baby.
The countdown to your baby’s due date is an exciting time. Soon you’ll get to meet your little one and your adventure as a family begins.
During both of my pregnancies that excitement was combined with an urge to nest and prepare so that I was totally ready once my baby arrived!
Having had two babies I know all about the newborn essentials you actually need, and what you definitely do not.
I’ve made the mistakes of buying added extras – noise machines and nighttime soothers that didn’t work when it came to lengthening sleep, a Moses basket that we used for a matter of weeks, and more.
We’re sticking to the absolute essentials in this baby needs checklist. That’s not to say you should avoid anything that’s not on the list, and we will touch on the extras that you might decide to add to your shopping basket or wishlist.
You can download my free printable newborn baby checklist PDF at the end of this post.
This post contains affiliate links.
Newborn essentials checklist
Sleep
- Side sleeper crib/Moses basket and mattress – this is for your baby’s first few months while they share your room. You can get a co sleeper bed that fits to the side of your bed or a small portable crib or Moses basket.
- Moses basket fitted sheets x3
- Crib/cot/cotbed – this bed is in the nursery and is for when they outgrow the smaller side sleeper
- Crib mattress
- Fitted sheets x3
- Waterproof mattress cover x2
- Blankets x4
- Baby sleeping bags/sacks x3
- Nightlight
- Comforter/snuggly toy
- Baby monitor
Clothing
- Bodysuits – a vest that fits over the nappy, usually with poppers, and has long or short sleeves.
- Sleepsuits – a onesie that covers the arms and legs and generally has closed feet too. Some have built-in scratch mits.
- Cardigans/sweaters x3
- Pramsuit/coat
- Cotton hats x3
- Sun or winter hat
- Scratch mits x3
Feeding
- Bottles x5
- Bottle brush
- Steriliser
- Breast pump
- Breast pads
- Milk storage bags
- Bibs x5
- Nursing bras x3
Care
- Baby bath and hair wash
- Moisturiser
- Washcloth
- Hooded bath towel
- Wipes
- Nappies
- Barrier cream
- Nappy sacks
- Nail clippers
- Muslins x7
- Changing mat
- Thermometer
- Baby sunscreen
- Hairbrush and hair ties
Play
- Play mat
- Bouncy chair
- Books
- Toys
- Stairgate
On the go
- Pushchair
- Rain cover for pushchair
- Changing bag
- Car seat
- Infant carrier
- Insulated bottle bag
What newborn baby essentials do you actually need?
This ultimate newborn checklist features the bare minimum items you need.
You may well find that there are items, gadgets (white noise machines for example) and extras such as a Moses basket that you do decide to purchase.
Some parents swear by certain extras – such as a baby nest for sleep, side sleeper that attaches to your bed so baby is easily accessible for night feeds, and a huge wardrobe of clothes.
But if you stick to the essentials of what you actually need on this newborn checklist it will get you off to a great start for when baby is born.
There are actually only 8 key things you need:
- Clothing
- A safe bed
- Bedding including blankets and sheets
- Diapers and wipes
- Bubble bath and lotion
- Car seat
- Stroller
- Feeding essentials – these change depending on whether you are nursing your baby or not. If you are nursing there are very little things you need to get started.
When it comes to your newborn shopping checklist there are a few key areas to focus on, with essentials under each category.
Clothing
Your baby won’t be on the move in their first few weeks of life and so won’t be rolling around in mud or getting sweaty playing outside.
However they may well spit-up and have leaking nappies in those early weeks, which can lead to multiple outfit changes in the day.
For this reason you will need a few spare outfits for your newborn and it’s best to stick with clothes that are machine washable and easy to whip on and off.
When shopping for newborn clothes you should get a mixture of newborn sizes and 0-3 months. You’ll find your baby will grow out of the newborn size fairly quickly, so you’ll need more 0-3 month outfits than newborn outfits.
I go through exactly how many newborn baby clothes you need in each size in this article.
For my babies I largely stuck with simple outfits – featuring a bodysuit (or onesie) underneath and a babygro (or sleepsuit) on top.
The sleepsuit is an all-in-one outfit that covers the feet, and you can also get ones with built-in scratch mits too. This means you don’t need socks, which newborns tend to kick and pull of anyway.
You may also like: Guide to the different types of baby clothes
Sleep
Your baby will need somewhere safe to sleep as well as sheets – including spares for just in case they have a nappy explosion.
I highly recommend getting a waterproof mattress cover for your baby’s crib mattress to make nighttime bed changes far less stressful.
Your baby will use blankets or swaddle blankets for the first few weeks of their life. They can then start using baby sleeping bags, which are amazing because your baby cannot kick them off when they are wriggling around at night.
Read up on how many swaddles you need here.
Baby sleeping bags come in different tog ratings to make them suitable for winter or hot summer nights.
Feeding
Whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding there are some essentials that you will need.
Formula fed babies will need bottles – at least five – and a bottle brush for cleaning, as well as a steriliser. You can get a variety of sterilisers, including an electric one, microwave steriliser or cold water steriliser. The latter two are the cheapest options.
Even if you are exclusively breast feeding you may like to buy some bottles if you decide to pump milk so that someone else can feed your baby.
A breast pump is also really useful along with milk storage bags, which you can use to build up a breast milk freezer stash.
Nursing bras are definitely an essential if you are nursing, as are breast pads, which you insert into your bra to soak up milk as you may find you leak milk from time to time.
You will notice that weaning essentials are not included on the list below, as you won’t need these until baby is six months. For weaning you will need cutlery, a bowl, a plate and sippy cup. It can also be useful to get a mixer or blender to make your own baby food.
You can read all about getting starting with weaning and making your own baby food here.
Care
This includes bathing and nappy changing for your baby.
A hooded bath towel makes drying your little one much easier. Always look for baby specific bath products and lotions so that they are gentle on your baby’s delicate skin.
You may also want to put together a first aid kit, including a thermometer and baby painkiller just in case they are poorly.
Play
Your newborn baby does not need a ton of toys, however a few items will help keep them happy when they are awake and alert.
A play mat is a handy place to pop your baby down so they can have a kick about on the floor.
Bouncy chairs are great as they are often quite soothing for a baby, especially if they have a vibrate setting on them.
When it comes to books look for board books and soft pram books which your baby can grab onto.
Babies don’t become mobile until around four to six months, however you may want to get a stair gate before they are born so you’re prepared.
Top tip for preparing for a baby: Set up a Baby Wishlist with Amazon and share it with your friends and family so they can gift you with things you need!
What baby items are nice to have?
There are a few baby gadgets and items that are nice extras, and that some parents really swear by.
But what works for one parent doesn’t necessarily work for all, so do your research before you make any extra purchases.
And if you do end up purchasing something that you don’t use much, do not worry. There is a huge secondhand market for baby stuff, so you will be able to sell unwanted items on to regain some of your money.
When it comes to clothing this list has stuck to the absolute essentials of what you need to purchase, however you may well find it hard to resist some dressy outfits and your friends and family will no doubt purchase you some additional clothes too.
Some other baby items that aren’t essentials but could be nice to have include:
- Formula making machine. If you are bottle feeding then a formula making machine can cut the time it takes to make up a bottle and make the process much easier.
- White noise machine. These play white noise at nap and bedtime to help your baby fall asleep. Some come in the shape of cuddly toys. It’s worth noting you can get free white noise videos on YouTube which you could just play to your baby via a computer or smartphone.
- Baby nest. A baby nest is a large cushioned that acts as a day bed for your baby. Many parents swear by them as being cosy for baby and so encouraging them to sleep more. Your little one will grow out of it within months so it’s worth considering whether you need it.
- Shoes. Your baby won’t be walking for some time so baby shoes are not necessary. As your baby grows very rapidly in the first year you will also find they grow out of shoes extra quickly.
- Baby bath. As the name suggests this is a miniature bathtub. However you can adapt your own bath to wash baby by getting baby bath seat, or use the sink to bathe them. I have a whole article with tips for bathing your baby in the shower too.
- Crib bumpers. Some parents worry that their baby wriggles around at night and bangs their head against the sides of the crib. However cot bumpers can actually be dangerous and the NHS recommends you avoid them.
Baby checklist for newborn
Although shops are absolutely full to the ceiling of baby stuff that doesn’t mean you will need to buy a mountain of stuff to prepare for your baby.
When getting organised for your newborn you could create a baby registry on Amazon, which you can also shared with loved ones so they can buy you stuff you actually need if they want to get you a gift.
Here’s a complete checklist of what you really need for your newborn.
Sleep
- Crib, cot or cotbed
- Mattress to fit bed or crib
- Fitted sheets
- Waterproof mattress cover
- Blankets
- Baby sleeping bags
- Nightlight
- Comforter/snuggly toy
- Baby monitor
Clothing
- Bodysuits x10
- Sleepsuits x10
- Cardigans/sweaters x3
- Pramsuit/coat
- Cotton hats x3
- Sun hat / winter hat (depending on the season when they are born)
- Scratch mits
Feeding
- Bottles
- Bottle brush
- Steriliser
- Breast pump
- Breast pads
- Milk storage bags
- Bibs
- Nursing bras x3
Care
- Baby bath and hair wash
- Baby moisturiser
- Washcloths
- Baby hooded bath towel
- Changing mat
- Wipes
- Nappies
- Barrier cream
- Nappy sacks
- Nail clippers
- Thermometer
- Muslins x7
- Baby sunscreen
- Hairbrush and hair ties
On the go
- Pushchair
- Changing bag
- Car seat
- Infant carrier
- Insulated bottle bag
Play
- Play mat
- Bouncy chair
- Books – including board books and soft books
- Toys
- Stair gate
Printable baby checklist PDF
Want that baby checklist in a handy downloadable and printable PDF format?
Simply click the link below to get your hands on it. There’s also a blank version so you can write your very own checklist, personalising it for your own needs!
Final thoughts on your newborn checklist
Getting ready for baby does not need to be stressful, as you can see from my list all of the essentials are there to see on just one sheet of paper.
If you need more help getting ready for baby then check out this article on important things to do before baby arrives.
