Preparing for your baby’s arrival: what do you really need? 👶

As your baby’s arrival gets closer, it can quickly start to feel as though you need a whole house full of baby gear before they’re even born. Pushchair, cot, baby bouncer, bottle warmer, baby bath, night light, sensory toys… Newborn essentials lists seem to get longer and longer, and it can be difficult to tell what you’ll actually use and what might end up sitting untouched at the back of a cupboard.

Yet in the end, a newborn doesn’t need that much: to be fed, to sleep safely, to be changed and dressed, to get around – and above all, to be surrounded by love and care. Everything else largely depends on each family’s day-to-day life and needs.

So what do you really need to have ready before the birth? Which purchases can wait? And how can you get everything you need without blowing your budget? In short, at Tajinebanane, we’ve sorted through the genuine newborn essentials and the things you might be perfectly fine without – and we’re telling you everything!

A simple and safe place to sleep 💤

Your baby’s sleeping space is one of the things worth thinking about before the birth. A crib, cot or bedside crib attached to the parents’ bed: there are several options. The best choice will depend on the space you have and what works for your family, but also on whether you’d like to keep your baby close to you, particularly to make night feeds easier.

Whichever option you choose, your baby should sleep flat on their back, on a firm mattress that fits the cot perfectly. A correctly sized sleeping bag and a well-fitting fitted sheet are all you need. Official recommendations also advise keeping your baby’s cot in the parents’ bedroom for at least the first six months.

Pillows, duvets, blankets, cot bumpers, sleep positioners, cot reducers and soft toys, on the other hand, have no place in a newborn’s sleeping space. As lovely as these accessories may look, they’re not only unnecessary – they can also interfere with breathing and make the sleeping environment less safe. When it comes to sleep, keeping things simple is therefore not only more affordable, but can also be safer.

Pushchair, car seat and baby carrier: choose what suits your lifestyle 🚼

A pushchair is often one of the biggest expenses when preparing for your baby’s arrival. So it’s worth taking the time to compare different models rather than choosing one based purely on looks or popularity. Remember: the best pushchair is, above all, the one that genuinely suits your lifestyle and how you’ll actually use it.

Changing, clothes and feeding: back to the essentials 🧴

When it comes to changing your baby, there’s no need to immediately turn your bathroom into a fully equipped nursery: nappies, a few simple baby-care products, reusable wipes or cotton pads, and a stable, safe place to change them will cover the essentials. A changing table can be convenient, but it isn’t a must-have: depending on your home, a changing mat placed on a suitable surface can work perfectly well.

When it comes to clothes, a few bodysuits, sleepsuits, cardigans and season-appropriate outfits are plenty to get you started. Newborns grow quickly, and some sizes may only be worn for a few weeks – or sometimes not at all. It’s better to start with a small amount, see what size fits your baby and what you actually need, then add more as you go. Shoes, lots of smart outfits and a mountain of newborn-size clothes can all wait.

For feeding, what you’ll need will naturally depend on how you plan to feed your baby. If you’re breastfeeding, comfortable clothes and a few muslins may be all you need to begin with. You can always add a nursing pillow or breast pump later if you find you need one. If you’re bottle-feeding, a few bottles will be enough to get started. Bottle warmers, sterilisers and automatic formula preparation machines can make life easier for some families, but they aren’t universal essentials.

When it comes to discovering the world, your baby mainly needs you 🧸

Faced with shelves full of sensory toys, it can be tempting to buy everything to stimulate your baby from their very first weeks. Yet during those first few months, your face, voice, arms and movements are still the most fascinating things for your baby to discover. Talking to them, singing songs, carrying them or simply lying down beside them already offers plenty of stimulation.

So a few simple things are enough to begin with: a first comforter, a high-contrast book, a lightweight rattle or a baby-safe mirror. There’s no need to fill your home with soft toys, play gyms, musical toys and so-called educational accessories. You’ll gradually discover what genuinely captures your child’s attention. As long as you’re there, there’s no need to rush.

If you do want to invest in something, a comfortable play mat that’s large enough and designed to last can be a worthwhile choice. It gives your baby a space on the floor where they can observe, move freely, learn to roll over and eventually explore their surroundings. Mézamé’s modular play mats, for example, are designed to support babies as they discover the world and develop their motor skills – and later become a space for playing together as a family.

What can wait – and why second-hand is worth considering ♻️

Some accessories can be incredibly useful for one family and completely unnecessary for another. Think baby bouncers, swings, baby monitors, baby baths, changing bags or even nappy bins. Rather than seeing all of these as essentials from day one, don’t be afraid to wait and see whether they would actually meet a real need in your everyday life.

There are also things you simply won’t need during the first few months: a high chair, baby tableware, lots of toys or even shoes. All of these can easily be bought later. And when a new piece of baby gear catches your eye, why not borrow or rent it for a few days before deciding whether it really deserves a place in your home?

Welcoming a baby inevitably comes with plenty of expenses, but thankfully, not everything needs to be bought new. Clothes, books, washable toys, pushchairs and even certain pieces of furniture can easily be passed from one family to another.

So don’t hesitate to ask friends and family whether they have any baby equipment they could lend or pass on. Many will probably be delighted to give their things a second life. In other words, buying less doesn’t mean compromising on safety – it means focusing your budget on the things that really matter.

What to take away from all of this 🫶

Preparing for your baby’s arrival can make you feel as though you need to anticipate every possible situation and have a solution for everything from day one. But no one can know in advance exactly what their baby will like or what those first few weeks at home will really look like.

The most important thing is to start with a few safe, durable essentials that suit your lifestyle, then add to them as you go. In short: fewer things, but more thoughtful choices. Taking the time to compare pushchairs, carefully choosing a safe sleeping space, investing in a good baby carrier or borrowing everything else may ultimately be far more useful than working your way through a long newborn checklist.

And if some purchases turn out to be unnecessary after all, there’s no need to feel guilty. Becoming a parent also means adjusting, trying things out and changing your mind. And something you didn’t end up using might be exactly what another family is looking for second-hand.

After all, what your baby will need most when they arrive can’t be found in any baby shop: your presence, your attention and all the love you have to give them. 💛

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@tajinebanane

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