Baby essentials...

Every baby shop, parenting website, book or person has a list of things that they find essential(please find a few linked below for future reference). But after already having one, and seeing what seems like the endless list I thought I would write my own. Please note that some items I class as unnecessary may indeed be necessary to you.

My must haves:
The big ticket items:

• Cot/crib
• Carseat(either convertible that is suitable from birth or a capsule)
• Pushchair/buggy/pram
• Baby Monitor

Clothing:

• Onesies/bodysuits and lots of them
• pants(no jeans or big bulky ones though)
• SOCKS as in at least ten pairs them little suckers go missing in no time
• All-in-ones/sleepers what ever those footed one piece garments are called.
• a few shirts, long and short sleeved.
• A couple of woolen cardies/jumpers and some nice cotton jerseys too. 
• A nice outfit or two just in case you want to dress your baby up super nice. But nothing impractical, 

I am a firm believer in dressing my babies in only natural fibers so we had no polar fleece or polyester clothes until my son was about one and a half. 

Other stuff:

• A baby carrier/front pack if you think you would be into babywearing. 
• Waterproof playmat and changemat
• generic cloths that can be used as burp cloths. I just used muslin baby wraps and old fashioned flat nappies.
• Bibs and lots of them in different styles/shapes etc. 
• a nappy/diaper bag or a bag that can function as one(no need to buy one specifically designed to be one when a simple backpack will work just as well). 
• Nappies/diapers its your choice whether you go cloth or disposable(I personally am doing disposable for approximately the first week then starting bubs in cloth). 
• a play mat with the toys hanging from above, those are brilliant.
• wipes
• face cloths
• bedding
• a few select toys as in 4-5 max.
• baby manicure set
• bum cream and as natural as you are willing to go.
• baby wash(in case they get really dirty, but just water and a wash cloth works fine for the first few months). 

For mum(please note most of this list is catered to breastfeeding simply because that is what we did, if you plan on formula feeding then ignore most of it).

• 3-4 comfortable nursing bras
• nursing pads either reusable or disposable.
• a pump, I have a manual one but it is personal preference.
• A few bottles(like 2-3 in different styles)
• Nursing singlets(these are prefect for sleeping in)

I have probably missed stuff off the list and it may seem like a lot which it is but in reality baby just needs somewhere warm and safe to sleep, someone to look after them, clean clothes and nappies and food. Everything else is non essential so only buy what you need. Oh and don't do a big shop until after your baby shower if you are having one.

Here's some links to some lists put out by shops/websites here in new Zealand:

The Warehouse

Baby On the Move

Baby Factory

Baby City

Oh Baby

Huggies

Kidspot

KiwiFamilies

LittleTreasures Magazine

Bump date weeks 17-24

Hello there again. Yep I'm still pregnant. I kinda promised myself that I would post a new bump date every two weeks and somehow I missed a few, but oh well better late than never.

My belly has definitely popped out and I am starting to feel fat something which didn't happen this early when I was pregnant with my son. I think this time round the reason why I feel that I am larger is more to do with what I do everyday. When I was pregnant with my first I worked in a call centre answering telephones, now I run around after a two year old all day and spend far less time on my bum. Another first with this pregnancy is that I actually own pregnancy jeans, I just used track pants with my first. While they may be comfortable I do find that the style of waist band I got and the way my stomach is(still have a flabby bit at the bottom, bloomin genetics and baby weight) pushes my pants down a bit and I repeatedly have to pull them up when walking. I have also started wearing more to show off my belly which has meant that I am getting more comments about it.

I do find that if I do too much I ache some at night and sometimes into the next day, but other than that nothing much is wrong. The night cramps in the legs have returned, something which I got with son but much later in the pregnancy. I hate night cramps.

Cravings I don't really have many as such but I am loving Snickers bars at the moment and will eat maybe about 3-4 a week. Oh only other craving is anything that involves pastry so our menu plans rather than be a lot of dishes that require rice(a previous craving) they now include pies and the such 2-3 times a week..... MMMMMMM apple pie. This week we will be having steak pie and fish pie. I am still loving fish at the moment so have been trying to eat it at least once a week.

In terms of baby buys I have only purchased one item of clothing and a new nursing singlet. Though to be honest we are sorted for everything else except a baby carrier than can be used from newborn(trying to avoid buying a double pram) and a new bouncer as the one we do have I don't like as it is too upright for a newborn. But then again that is a non essential item and I will wait until something comes up for sale or is cheap secondhand.

Only thing I don't feel overly ready for is the birth itself, but that is another kettle of fish.

Thats it for now, I think I have covered everything....