Nowadays we are bombarded by information, dilemmas, tests and choices before we even conceive! It’s not surprising that so many of us feel daunted by the vast range of baby stuff and services on offer and don’t know where to begin.

Keep it simple. Women have been having babies for a very long time without a whole load of kit and indeed most women the world over don’t have piles of “baby stuff”. There is plenty to spend money on as your children grow up so start with the basics.

Remember Babies need food, warmth and love and can survive quite well with those three elements. Also, you are by nature a mother and so you need to trust your natural instincts.

The simplest list of basic baby kit would include the following:

• Somewhere to sleep: a moses basket, a crib or a cot - your choice depending on the space you have. A basket is light and portable so you can take your baby from room to room to be near you. A crib makes a cosy cocoon and is conveniently sized to sit beside your bed for easy night time feeds. Your baby will need a cot from about 5 months anyway so you could simply start off with this although a tiny baby can look a bit lost in a big cot.

  Top Tip

Cot-beds are a great choice - Cots that can be converted into junior beds as the child gets older- this will save you some money in the long-run.


• Some Bedding: new babies like to be swaddled so blankets are infinitely useful for both warmth and comfort. Ensure that they are soft and don’t have loose fibres. Summer babies can be wrapped in cotton sheets. Urchin's baby blankets, sleeping bags and bedding range gives you some choices. Baby sleeping bags have saved many a parent from insanity by ensuring that babies don’t wake up when the covers have been kicked off.



• Getting around: Babies love to be carried! Some studies claim that small babies carried for 1-2 hours a day will cry less and sleep longer. It is no wonder that baby carriers are a popular choice. 15 years ago my husband thought we could just carry our first baby around…fine for a few days but it’s useful to be able to use your hands for opening the door, handing over money etc!) Make sure that the baby carrier you buy is suitable from birth as this is when you are most likely to use it. We have selected different styles of baby carriers that have different benefits.
  
  

• A bag: it doesn’t have to be a special bag but you are unlikely to fit what you need into that itsy bitsy handbag you spent too much money on pre-baby. This bag will be used often and for quite a long time so buy something you like, that is robust and has various compartments so you don’t have to rummage all the time.
  
  

  Top Tip:Choose a bag that will last the test of time and that can be used as your child grows up. A roomy changebag will be invaluable for years to come as your child grows and takes trips away the bag can be used as a travel bag.
  
  

• Baby Bathing:
  Don't succumb to anything too cumbersome – where will it live? The bath needs to be small, portable and light – think about how you will fill it and how you will empty it.
  
  

• a few bits and pieces that will make your live a bit easier in the early stages Check this selection out in our Baby Stuff range.
  
  

  Remember – the baby is the most important and the best bit; your most treasured possession – the rest of the stuff is incidental!