It can be daunting working out what items to purchase for the arrival your baby. The following list may be useful to you as a guide when shopping for the large pieces of equipment for your baby. Most stores will offer advice on purchasing baby products, but they can get very busy on weekends.

Sometimes these large items may not be available for up to 6 weeks, so it is wise to choose and order your items early...you never know when your baby may decide it is time to be born!! Plus as you become larger it can be difficult to shop for long periods - especially in high summer.

• Refer to the Shopping For Baby section for a list of smaller items for your baby, including a suggested list of clothes to have.
• Refer to the Babies Shopping Section main page for a guide to shops dedicated to baby products.

• Cot & mattress
• Bassinette, mattress (optional, but very useful for the first 3-6 months)
• Chest of drawers (some change tables double as drawers)
• Change table (suitable height to avoid back problems)
• Pram - fully reclinable. Consider weight carefully for moving in and out of the car frequently. Facing the parent is preferable for young babies, so a reversible handle is useful, and being able to fully recline, to sit up and convert to a stroller style will increase the lifespan of the pram)
• Stroller (for when the baby can sit up at 6 months+)
• Car seat/capsule - see article for more information
• Portacot (if travelling/visiting friends) & mattress
• Baby sling/carrier
• Baby bath & stand - useful to avoid back problems
• Rocking chair & ottoman - optional, but useful for feeding
• Wardrobe (optional)
• Toy box (optional)

For a list of shops selling dedicated baby products, please refer to the main page of the Babies Shopping section