Your First Ever Shopping List for your Newborn

When i was still pregnant with Anika, I was so clueless with what I need to buy for her. Being a first time mom, I wished there was a list of what to buy, how many and what brand. I searched the internet but can't find one site where they have a comprehensive list of all the things your future newborn needs. Good thing, I have Rain Parumog, one of my bestfriends to ask. She already has a toddler and was pregnant also with their second baby girl. I text her day and night for questions about baby clothes and which brands are ok. If not for her, I would have bought all the expensive things na lang to make sure na okay yung nabili ko.

So now, Im presenting to you, all mothers to be, a comprehensive list of the things you need to buy for your baby. All comments here are based on my experience ha? Im not saying that if this particular brand is good, yun na talaga ang the best. Opinion ko yun and since blog ko 'to, walang makikialam! But seriously, it pays to ask your other friends din to see what's best for you and your baby.

So here goes the list!

1.) Newborn Things

-BONNET (3pcs)--> Dont buy that much because you'll not use it that often. I bought Anika's bonnets at Baby Rustans for less than 350pesos for 3 pcs. Just be careful if you will use it when your baby sleeps because one time Anika was sleeping with a bonnet on her head and i fell asleep. My mother in law came to the room to check on us and saw that the bonnet was already covering Anika's eyes! Good thing hindi bumaba until sa nose niya kundi na-suffocate siya! After that, I didnt use it na when she sleeps.

-MITTENS (10pcs)--> they said to buy only 6 pairs but we change Anika's mittens often because she often put her hands to her face and so nalalagyan ng milk yung mittens.

-SOCKS (6pairs)--> just buy additional socks after one month because the baby socks that are available in the stores like SM are big pa for the newborn feet. I only found newborn socks that fit Anika in Baby Rustans. Medyo expensive pero it will save you the hassle of putting it on all the time (socks keep on falling off their feet!)

-SLEEVELESS SHIRTS WITH RIBBON (10pcs) --> a lot because Anika uses this everyday kasi it's hot. Also, she drooles and spits milk all over it so we change it often
-SHORT SLEEVES SHIRTS WITH RIBBON (8pcs) --> Anika uses this when she sleeps kasi naka-aircon
-LONG SLEEVES SHIRTS WITH RIBBON (4pcs) --> She uses this sometimes for sleeping or when we go to her doctor's checkup

**NOTE: Basing on experience, I should have followed Rain's advice to buy not the shirts with ribbons but the ones with buttons. Its hard to dress up Anika especially when she is crying and I had to tie up pa all the ribbons. They have this ata din at SM Department Stores

-BIB (10pcs) --> for me, its ok to hoard bibs because they get soiled a lot due to feedings and baby spit ups. I first bought Anika's bibs at Baby Rustans however, kasi nga laging nilalabahan and ina-iron, parang naluluma agad. Wala na akong bib na maganda na dadalhin when we go out. What i did was to buy big and cheap bibs at SM then cute and more expensive bibs at Rustans. At home, I tell girlie to use muna the ones from SM until maubos then saka gamitin yung galing rustans pagwala na. So ayun, may nagagamit si anika na nice bibs when she's out.

-BURP PADS (5-10pcs) --> this is gamit na gamit din not only for burping your baby but also pamunas for spit ups.

-CLOTH DIAPERS a.k.a LAMPIN (4 dozens) --> you can buy in Baclaran because they say its cheap, 150pesos per dozen. But for non-Baclaranista like me, I bought ours at SM for 180pesos per dozen. It's advisable to use lampin during the day so that your baby's bottom can breathe from diapers and prevent them from having rashes. Caution, only use this if you have labandera at home otherwise, good luck in washing so many of them a day!!

-NEWBORN DIAPERS (a lot!) --> buy plenty of these because your newborn poops a lot! Actual just count three seconds after you have changed them, and they will release their follow up poop! That is why it is also advisable to use lampin to save money. I like using Pro-kids or Huggies diapers for Anika. I didnt like using Pampers because naghihimulmol yung material which i hated.

2.) Sleeping Things

-CRIB SHEETS (parang maliit na comforter) 3 sets
-BLANKETS (5pcs)
-PILLOW (eto yung may lubog sa gitna, perfect pillow for your newborn) 2pcs
-BOLSTER PILLOW (eto yung mga hotdogs) 2 pairs

**NOTE: They have this usually in sets (with crib sheets, pillows and bolster pillow). I suggest you to buy one expensive set (hypoallergenic, 100% cotton plus other eklavu) which costs around 1500 to 2000 pesos then buy 2 sets na cheap lang at SM. It will cost around 500 pesos. Use this na lang as pamalit when the other one is in the laundry.

3.) Bath Things

-BABY TOWEL (3 pcs)

-BATH MAT (1pc) --> you will put baby on this when you are drying them after taking a bath

-BABY TUB (1pc) --> around 300pesos only. No need to buy expensive ones

-TABO (ano nga ulit english ng tabo?!) 1pc --> use one exclusively for bathing baby

-BASIN (1pc) --> small lang, this is where you will mix the hot water with the cold water for bathing. Again, use one exlusively for bathing the baby.

-SHAMPOO / SOAP --> Anika uses Cetaphil (as per her pedia's advice) but it costs like 600+ pesos for the biggest one. Wowa buys it for her. If you want to use a cheaper one, you can use Johnson and Johnsons Top to Toe wash. Anika uses this as her shampoo because walang amoy yung Cetaphil.

-CONTAINER WITH CAP --> you will use this for the soaked cotton balls that you will use in cleaning your baby's bottom. I learned this from my brother in law. You put water in it, then soak the cotton balls, seal it and it will be ready to use for cleaning baby. Just remember, separate the soaked cotton balls that you will use for cleaning baby's poop from the cotton balls that you will use for their other body parts. We use this to lessen the expense in buying the baby wipes (which are a lot more expensive than cotton)

4.) Feeding, Furniture and Other Items

-FEEDING BOTTLES (4-4oz and 2-9oz bottles) --> Siyempre para sosyal din ako, at first, I bought the starter kit of Avent online. It consists of 2-4oz and 2-9oz, a milk storage and a bottle brush. I felt happy with my purchase but after Anika was born, mainis inis ako sa Avent bottle! Milk spill out of the bottle when i shake it (there's a right way of closing it). I want to throw the bottle especially during the wee hours of making Anika's milk. Good thing, I discovered Nuby bottles. Aside from the super kyoot bottle, the nipples are made to look like the mother's so the transition from breastfeeding to bottle is a lot easier.

-CRIB --> Im sure most of the parents to be would choose Graco as their baby's crib. Well, that is great because one should not compromise the safety of the baby. You can choose the wooden type cribs (just put cushion guards around it) or the play pen ones. We bought ours at Rustan's and the brand is Jolly. It cost around 4000pesos and we are very happy that we didnt buy and expensive one because Anika rarely sleeps in it.

-BOTTLE STERILIZER --> I bought Chicco sterilizer because it is a lot cheaper than the Avent one. So far, no regrets and okay naman ang performance level niya.

-LIQUID SOAP FOR BOTTLE WASHING --> You can buy that in Chicco. It cost 300pesos only for the big bottle na. Bawal gamitin ang normal dishwashing liquid sa bottles ng baby ha?

-BOTTLE BRUSH

-BOTTLE DRYER --> Thanks to my good friend Peachy Ramos, I would not have realized the importance of this until she gave one to me. From the sterilizer, you should let the bottles dry out first before storing it.

-BOTTLE STORAGE --> It should be a container with lid where you can store the clean bottles. It prevents contamination of unused bottles for feeding.

-BREAST PUMP & BREAST PADS --> you can buy this when you go home from the hospital because usually breast milk comes 3 days after delivery. It will save you money if ever you will not produce breast milk pala.

-NAIL CLIPPERS

-DIAPER BAG --> Sorry, the only diaper bags i know are Baby Couture and Dwell Studio. Dwell Studio kasi is very expensive kaya I bought two Baby Couture bags na lang. One big bag for overnights and one normal sized one for malling.

-THERMOMETER --> Get the digital one if the hospital doesn't provide you with the thermometer. Perfect for very praning moms like me.

-LAUNDRY SOAP --> I've been told before that we cannot use the ordinary laundry soap for Anika's clothes. I tried Perwoll and Perla. Perwoll is expensive. Okay na naman pala ang Perla Laundry Soap so that's the one we use. We save money pa for that.

-BABY STROLLER --> I suggest you buy this just before your baby's christening. There's this old wives' tale that you cannot bring your baby out of the house until after her baptism. And based on experience, i don't think you will want to take you baby to malls anyway because not only that she will not enjoy it yet, it's super hassle pa this early. (you can see related blog entry for baby strollers)

-CAR SEAT --> This will be very helpful especially when travelling with your baby (you will take her to her doctor sooner or later). Nakakangalay bitbitin ang baby in car trips especially during traffic hours.

-BABY CARRIER

-BABY'S CABINET --> Storage for all her clothes =)


**I may have forgotten to include other items but more or less these are the things that you need to shop for your newborn baby =)