Checklist
Newborn essentials: what you really need
A practical list for the first weeks with a newborn: safe sleep, feeding, changing, clothes and getting out. Quantities are a guide. Tick off what you have; your list is saved in this browser.
Updated November 2026
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What you can skip
Some baby products are best left out of the crib. For the first year, safe-sleep advice is clear: no pillows, duvets, crib bumpers, sleep positioners or soft toys in your baby's sleep space. A firm, flat mattress with a fitted sheet and a sleep sack is all they need.
Many other things, like changing tables, wipe warmers and newborn shoes, are nice but optional. Wait and see what you actually miss.
Buying second-hand
Clothes, strollers and cribs can be great second-hand. Buy the mattress new where you can, and be careful with second-hand car seats: only use one if you know its full history and it has never been in a crash.
Questions parents ask
How many diapers does a newborn use?
Often 8 to 12 a day in the first weeks. Start with one or two packs of newborn size, as babies outgrow them quickly.
Which size clothes should I buy?
Get a few items in newborn size and more in 0 to 3 months. Many babies skip newborn size quickly, and bigger babies may never fit it.
Do I need a baby monitor?
It isn't essential. Safe-sleep guidance recommends your baby sleeps in the same room as you for the first 6 months, day and night.
Sources
- NHS: Reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome
- AAP: Sleep-related infant deaths, 2022 recommendations
Written from the guidance above. It's general information: your midwife, doctor or pediatrician knows your situation.
Amelia gives general information, not medical advice. Always follow your own midwife, doctor or care team, and call them whenever you're unsure.