As they say, “Plans are useless, but planning is essential”. Facing the beautiful prospect of inviting the natural consequence of our loving union, it goes without saying that a flurry of plans is only the natural thing to do. On the verge of finishing the 2nd trimester in this bandwagon of feel-good fantasies as would-be parents, we did come up with our list of essentials to buy before the much anticipated final day sometime around March 2019. In this post, we share with you some pearls of wisdom on what we have put in our lists, the reasons and some ramblings around these.
Our list of essential items to buy for the big occasion looks something like this below-
Cot bed (mattress, sheets and blankets)
Push chair
Car seat
Seepsuits/ long sleeved suits
Short sleeved suits
Cardigans/ Jackets
Snow suit
Hat, mittens and boots
Baby cloth cleaning liquid wash/ antiseptic liquid wash
Changing matt
Nappies
Nappies disposal bin
Nappy rash cream
Nursing bra and breast pads
Bottles & bottle brush
Loads of bibs
Plenty of towels & muslin squares (for bathing and dribbles!)
Loads of kitchen roll and cotton wool pads
Hair brush
Pregnancy journal
Photo Album & Scrapbook
Moses basket
Baby blankets & pram blankets
Baby clothes box
Breastfeeding chair also known as rocking chair
Baby monitor
Changing (diaper) bag
Breast pump
Nose cleaning pump
Steam sterliser
Pacifier/soother
Baby lotion, oil and shampoo
Baby wipes
Bath tub & thermometer
Baby carriers/Suspenders
Nail scissors
Nappy wrapper
Nipple cream
Baby Room temperature control thermometer
Travel/ on-the-go/ Public toilet changing matt
As evident from the list, we realize that the family finances will increase not only as a run up to the birth of our baby, but also during and right after the birth too. It is best to prepare for those phases ahead of time to avoid any last moment surprises.
One can argue that, having such lists are quite a western phenomenon because parents especially in the rural areas in developing nations may not have stressed out over any list of things to buy before producing children. Even some can argue that we are advocating on behalf of consumerism. However, we think it’s the context that decides the best course of action.
We always had a strong penchant towards planning – as evident especially before and during our numerous travels that we have done over the years. We also live in an urban setting where we have to rely on the two of us only to take care of ourselves along with the extension of our life and love coming soon. Simply put, there is no alternative but not to have a list to be better prepared between ourselves.
We have found out that having a list is only as good as the budget behind it. In other words, its imperative to have a budget defined to go along with the list of things to buy in preparation for the birth of the baby. As exuberant would-be parents, surely sky feels like the limit to get the best of everything even before a baby is born. However, reality is such that a balance needs to be struck between what makes sense and what can be practically affordable. Keep in mind that babies themselves don’t need too many items and perhaps the only thing that will keep them warm as they grow would be the deep love and affection from its parents – no budget needed for that.
It is worth noting that bigger and heavier items such as baby cots and strollers are often offered on long term credit by the retailers. Sometimes there are also seasonal offers around Christmas, Boxing Day or New Year. So it is always a good idea to explore options to spread out the cost of purchase over a period of time.
So there you go, a quick glimpse of the list of lovely items we intend to get hold of in preparation to welcome the new arrival. In the same breathe, we have also shared with you our rationales and reasons behind this list. Hope you have found it thoughtful to read, why not share it with your friends now? Or if you also know of any expectant couples, or even yourself? Leave your comments below so that we can make sure we are not leaving out anything essential from our list as shown above.
What Was I Wearing?
Marks & Spencer Coat/ H&M Hat ( this one sold out, alternative here)/Zara Jumper/Topshop Shoes/Marks & Spencer Tights
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