Ideal Baby Shopping List. A list of all things you need to buy to ensure you and your baby are living happily and stress-free. The list includes items for Breastfeeding, Travelling, Diapering and more.
| CATEGORIES | ITEM | USAGE |
| [ Ideal Baby Shopping List ]
Feeding the baby (Breastfeeding) |
Breast pump | You will need this if you intend to breastfeed for long. They are manual pumps as well as an electric pump. Choose a pump that is easy to use and clean. Ask the shop attendant to demonstrate usage |
| Nursing Tops or blouse | Make breastfeeding in the public easier. | |
| Baby Banda Nursing Cover | Privacy during breastfeeding & as a feeding apron during weaning | |
| Nursing bras | The trick to buying nursing bras is not to buy too early and too many at one go. The reason: breast size fluctuates. Cup size is the largest during the early days of breastfeeding and will shrink after a few months of breastfeeding. It is important not to wear an underwired bra during pregnancy and while you are breastfeeding. Wearing underwired bras during pregnancy will affect the development of milk glands resulting in clogged ducts during breastfeeding. 100% Cotton is best as it allows air to circulate and prevents yeast infection. | |
| Nursing pads | An important item when breastfeeding; breast pads help prevent embarrassment and staining from leaking breasts. You can either get disposable or washable breast pads. Wearing soaked pads for any length of time is not recommended as this makes nipple conditions such as yeast more common. When washing reusable pads, be sure to avoid liquid fabric softener as it can impede the pad’s absorbency. | |
| Baby Banda’s Breastfeeding pillow | A nursing pillow allows you to breastfeed comfortably by supporting the weight of the baby. The Baby Banda Nursing pillow has multiple uses like supporting the back of the baby when he learns to sit and propping the baby when he is having nose congestion or for exercise. | |
| Nipple cream | To soothe sore and cracked nipples during the early days of nursing though the best natural remedy is to express some of your breast milk especially hindmilk, rub it on the nipple and air dry your breasts. | |
| Feeding the Baby (Bottle feeding)
[ Ideal Baby Shopping List ] |
Sterilizer | To sterilize the bottles you can use a sterilizer which allows 6 bottles to be sterilized at one go. This sterilizer also keeps the bottles sterilized for 6 hours if you don’t open the lid. However, if the cost is an issue one can purchase baby sterilizing liquids eg Milton’s, Sterol, etc. Boiling and use of boiling hot water is also an effective way of sterilizing |
| Bottles | There is a wide variety of bottles to choose from in the Kenyan market. However, one should choose a bottle that is durable, easy to clean, and with a soft enough teat for ease of suckling by the baby | |
| Formula container | To be able to carry formula when traveling. | |
| Bottle scrub brush | Comes in different shapes and materials. Sponge brush cleaners clean better. They should also be sterilized and replaced frequently. | |
| Bottle detergent | Any nontoxic cleaning detergent can be used | |
| Teats | Choose teats that are better for teeth development. Choose the appropriate size for your baby. Buy two initially as you need to change the teats when your baby grows. Please note that most teats are not interchangeable and might not fit a different brand of bottle. Most teats must be discarded after two months of use. Check the usage instructions for your brand of teats. | |
| Nursery
[ Ideal Baby Shopping List ] |
The Baby Cot or Bed | The bed or cot should be firm and made of safe material. To save money, one can purchase a bed that is adjustable and versatile such that it can be used for a longer period of time, eg the sleeping height can change as the baby learns how to stand to avoid falls, etc |
| Baby Banda’s Fitted Cot Sheet | Sheet with side elastic to hold onto the mattress Comes in 2 sizes (24×48 & 28×52). Available in the following fabrics: 100% cotton white, 100% flannel, 100% cotton printed |
|
| Baby Banda Baby Set | Square Pillow and Tube Rest i.e Lumber roll to support when sleeping | |
| Baby Banda Multi-purpose mat | Flannel sheet mat (1.2m x 0.75m) With waterproof base can be used as a changing mat or crawling mat is for babies to exercise and play. Tummy time for the baby is extremely important for the physical development of the baby. | |
| Baby Banda’s Cot Bumper | For padding bed. Comes in 2 options: 7 piece set (2 lumber rolls, baby pillow, and 2 cot bumpers) and 8 piece set (all the above + a fitted cot sheet 24×48) | |
| Moses Basket | You can use this to lay your baby down for a nap when in different rooms or when visiting family and friends | |
| Chest of drawers | To place all your babies clothing gets a good quality nontoxic chest drawers. | |
| Layette (basic collection of clothes and accessories babies will need through his first few weeks)
[ Ideal Baby Shopping List ] |
Tops Pants Rompers/Bodysuit Sleep Suits |
It is better to get front-button shirts instead of pullovers. It is sensible to get several sizes larger as kids grow at an amazing rate. |
| Receiving blankets | To wrap the baby up. Some experts advocate for swaddling the babies and others don’t, follow your baby’s cues, if they like it then you can go ahead and swaddle them. | |
| Booties and scratch mittens | Babies should wear mittens up to two months of age as babies at that age is trying to learn the world around them through their sense of touch. Try to get mittens and booties as small as possible for newborns. | |
| Towels and face cloth | Terry hooded cotton cloth towels that help easily wipe off the water after washing your newborn’s hair. You can also buy 2 big towels to use as the baby grows | |
| Bathing and changing accessories
[ Ideal Baby Shopping List ] |
Bath Tub/container for a sponge bath | You can bath the baby even before the stump of the umbilical cord falls off which usually occurs in the second week after birth. You could also squeeze drops alcohol from alcohol swaps onto the cord to clean and dry it. Always use cooled boiled water to wipe the areas around the baby’s eye and face starting from the cleanliest part of the face, which is the eye. Buy a good size of tub taking into consideration the growing baby so that you might not need to change it too soon. |
| Bath Seat | You may want to use a bath seat when the baby is about 4 months old so that you may use the showerhead to bathe the baby. It saves water and time. | |
| Heater | It is good to get a heater to heat the room as babies tend to lose their body heat very fast. Heat the room for a few minutes before starting the bath | |
| Changing table | It is actually not necessary but if you need to buy one, make sure that it comes with a safety belt to prevent the baby from falling off especially when the baby starts to turn. You can also use a changing mat placed on the bed or any stable | |
| Small dish container | 10-12 inches diameter. To wipe the baby’s eye and face. Remember to use only boiled water during the first month as newborns have very sensitive skin. This is also used for diaper changes as it is recommended that you use water and cotton wool during this time | |
| Bath sponge | You can use a sponge bath is gentle on the skin but cleanse efficiently. Some people prefer to use cotton cloth hankies. | |
| Cotton wool | It is actually more economical to get big rolls of cotton wool than balls of cotton and they work equally well if you soak them in water. | |
| Bathing gel and moisturizer | It is important not to use soaps directly on the baby’s skin. Remember to place the bathing gel on bath sponge first. | |
| Cotton Buds | They are not really recommended as sometimes the cotton can get stuck on any the baby’s small nose or ear, use a piece of folded cotton hanky instead | |
| Sterile cotton swabs & Cord spirit | To use on the umbilical cord. Some hospitals provide this, so check with your hospital. | |
| Baby Wipes | Baby wipes are convenient to use and most companies produce wipes with moisturizing properties. With such a wide variety in the market, you can experiment and find one that does not react with your babies sensitive skin | |
| Safety pins | For use with cloth diaper but if you are using pilchers (pants worn over the diaper) then this is not necessary. | |
| Diapering necessities
[ Ideal Baby Shopping List ] |
Disposable Diaper/Cloth Diaper | Some people swear by cloth diapers as it is more economical and they claim is able to “breath” better than disposable diapers. For cloth diapers, 24 pieces are good enough for a start. If you use disposable, then get a brand that remains dry and is comfortable for your pocket |
| Barrier cream | Popular brand is Drapolene, Zinc and Castor Barrier Cream, H & M Petroleum Jelly etc. The barrier cream you apply allows for the baby’s bottom to remain dry. | |
| Cotton wool | Using wet cotton wool to clean baby’s bottom is actually better than using baby wipes as wipes contain fragrances and some babies are allergic to them. | |
| Nappy liners | If you are using cloth diapers, you should get nappy liners as they are easier on the baby’s skin. | |
| Traveling necessities
[ Ideal Baby Shopping List ] |
Baby sling carrier | Buy a sling that is comfortable for both you and the baby. It should provide enough support for carrying the baby. However, in Kenya, the age old ‘leso’ works just as well as long as you have the right technique tie it |
| Pram | Not as neccesary but it does make moving around easier | |
| Car seat | It is very impoortant a baby to be well protected when they are in a car. Choose an age appropriate one for the baby. Less than six months should have a recliner car seat as they not yet able to sit up | |
| Hand wipes | Use this to wipe hands before feeding the baby. | |
| Baby Banda Diaper Bags | Made from cotton material. There are two types of bags – Cotton Diaper Bags & Khaki Diaper Bags | |
| Diapering pack | Disposable diapers, cream, wipes and Baby Banda changing mat | |
| Bottle cum warming bag | Can use it to carry your expressed breast milk. | |
| Thermo flask/milk bottles/powder container | For Formula fed babies. | |
| Others | Baby monitor | Good if you are staying in a 2 story house but there is no need if you stay in a one level flat, as you can hear the cries of most babies. |
| Thermometer | This is very important. There are several ways to measure the temperature of a baby. You can use ear thermometer or digital thermometer. Ear thermometer: Measures the infrared heat of the eardrum, which is very close to the temperature control center of the brain. Expensive but convenient. Digital thermometer: It is cheap and can be used to measure oral, rectal, auxiliary. However, oral temperature taking is not advisable for young children. Rectal measurements are slightly higher than oral measurements. An underarm measurement is impacted by room temperature, so accuracy is more difficult to achieve. Underarm measurements are lower than oral measurements. |
|
| Nail clipper | Do not use it on new born babies as the nail bed is still fused to the tip of the nail. Use a scratch mitten instead if you are worried that babies will scratch their faces. However, babies also need to learn to feel so at some point those mittens need to come off. Perhaps when you notice baby is more aware so that he/she will not unknowingly scratch their face. | |
| Electric bottle warmer | A bottle warmer is fantastic especially useful in heating up expressed breast milk. It will not overheat the breast milk. Overheating kills the antibodies in the milk. NEVER microwave the bottle to heat up the milk as the milk might be heated up unevenly and this can scald the baby. | |
| Rattle Mirror Baby gym | Toys for babies. Most babies won’t appreciate it until about a month old. | |
| Electric flask | Quick access to hot water especially during the confinement period. | |
| Baby Banda Maternity Briefs | Disposable Maternity Pants for women convenient before and especially after childbirth | |
| Laundry washing | 2 –3 Pails | Good to have a separate pail for washing babies clothes and the adults. Have a few pails to allow soaping and rinsing of clothes. |
| Basket for baby laundry | A plastic pail is usually sufficient. | |
| Clothes hanger for drying | Hanger with clips or pegs for hanging the clothes | |
| Books | Parenting and Babycare books | The best you can do for your baby now is to read. Many pregnant mothers tend to spend too much time on pregnancy guide books and forgot about baby care books. When the baby arrives, it will be too late as you will not have the time to read. So start your parenthood in the right way by reading early. |
Download the Ideal Shopping list
[ Ideal Baby Shopping List ]
See Also [ Ideal Baby Shopping List ]
