Newborn Essentials List: What You Really Need, What Can Wait, and What to Skip

Once you are 6 or 7 months pregnant, your hands start opening shopping apps on their own. Then you find a “50 must-have items” list and your heart sinks: the budget, the space in your condo, and you cannot even tell which items are truly necessary and which are just cute (and they are all cute).

Honestly, what a newborn really uses is much less than you think. We have split everything into 3 piles: must have, can wait, and skip, with hot, humid Thai weather in mind. The tick-off checklist is near the end.

If you are looking for what to pack for the hospital on delivery day, that is on another page: head to the hospital bag checklist. This page covers things for home, for the day your little one comes back to live with you.

What do you really need before your baby comes home?

Quick Answer: A firm, flat sleep surface for your baby, a car seat, diapers, thin clothes, swaddles and basic bath items. That is enough to start life with your baby.

Item	Why you need it from day one
A crib or bed with a firm, flat surface	Your baby sleeps many hours a day and needs their own safe sleep space
Rear-facing car seat	Used from the ride home from the hospital, and it is the law
Disposable diapers + cloth diapers	Changed many times a day from day one
6 to 8 sets of thin cotton clothes	Enough to keep up if you wash daily
2 to 3 swaddles	Help some babies sleep more comfortably
Tub, towels, gentle bath products	A bath once a day, whenever suits you
Nail clippers, thermometer	Baby nails grow fast, and with fever in a young baby you need the real number

On diapers, do not stock up on whole cases of newborn size yet, because some babies grow so fast they fit for only a few weeks, and some babies’ skin does not get along with certain brands. 1 to 2 packs is enough. If you want to compare in detail before deciding, see our tape diaper rankings.

As for baby wash, the word “gentle” on the front of the bottle is something anyone can print. Checking the label on the back is the safer bet. A quick way to read it is in How to choose a baby wash that is truly gentle

What kind of sleep surface does your baby need?

Quick Answer: Firm, flat, not inclined, with only a fitted sheet. No pillows, soft blankets, bumpers or stuffed toys.

The AAP recommends always putting babies to sleep on their backs on a firm, flat sleep surface, and room-sharing with parents but on a separate sleep surface for at least the first 6 months. Soft things in the bed can cover your baby’s nose and mouth, so they should all be removed.

It may look worryingly bare, but a bare sleep space is the safest one. If your family plans to sleep close to your baby in the same bed, read more precautions in our safe bed-sharing checklist.

Choosing clothes and gear for hot Thai weather

Quick Answer: Choose thin, breathable cotton, dress your baby in no more than one layer more than an adult, and put more focus on not letting your baby overheat than on worrying they will be cold.

If there is a Thai grandma in your home, you may be used to seeing the baby wrapped thickly, in a knitted hat and socks all day while it is 35 degrees outside. Grandparents truly love their grandchildren. But the AAP warns clearly that babies should not get too hot. A simple check: feel your baby’s neck and back. If there is sweat, a damp back or a flushed body, they are wearing too much.

What works in a hot, humid home like ours:

• 100% cotton or muslin clothes: thin, breathable, quick to dry
• Short-sleeved bodysuits for daytime, thin long-sleeved outfits for air-conditioned rooms
• Thin swaddles instead of thick swaddles or thick terry cloth
• A fan or air conditioning in the bedroom: it does not need to be very cold, just not stuffy, and do not blow it directly at your baby
• A wide-brimmed hat and a breathable stroller cover for going out, because the AAP recommends keeping babies under 6 months out of direct sun, relying mainly on shade and clothing

Another thing we see a lot is covering the stroller with a thick cloth to block the sun. Please do not do this. It gets hot and stuffy inside much faster than you would think.

Do you really need a car seat from day one?

Quick Answer: Yes, if your family has a car or you are riding home from the hospital in a private car, because since 5 September 2022, Thai law has required children aged 6 and under to sit in a child safety seat.

Choose a rear-facing infant seat and have it installed in the car before month 9, because installing it for the first time often takes longer than you expect. To see selection criteria and options sold in Thailand, see our newborn car seat rankings.

A secondhand car seat is fine if you clearly know its history: never been in a crash, all parts present, and not past the manufacturer’s expiry date. If you are unsure about any of these, buying new is safer.

What can wait until later?

Quick Answer: Stroller, carrier, breast pump, swing, toys and bigger-size clothes. Wait to see what your baby likes and how your family actually lives.

These items are expensive and very easy to buy wrong, because they depend on each family’s real life.

• Stroller: a home in a narrow soi (side street), or a condo where you ride the elevator every day, may use a carrier much more than a stroller. If you are buying one, see our lightweight stroller rankings.
• Carrier: some babies love it, some cry every time. Borrowing from a friend first is ideal. Compare types in our baby carrier rankings.
• Breast pump: if you plan to go back to work, buying during maternity leave is still in time, and by then you will know how your milk supply works.
• Bottles: if you plan to breastfeed, buy just 2 to 3 bottles as backup at first. Some babies are very picky about nipples. See options in our baby bottle rankings.

What do you not need to buy at all?

Quick Answer: Soft sleep items like head-shaping pillows, positioners, crib bumpers and inclined sleepers, because they are not safe for babies, plus things that are not really usable in hot weather.

• Head-shaping pillows and sleep positioners: the AAP recommends avoiding sleep positioning devices, because there is no evidence they reduce risk, and they increase breathing risk.
• Crib bumpers, thick blankets, stuffed toys in the crib: all soft items should be removed from the sleep space.
• Inclined sleepers or sinking mattresses: babies should sleep only on a flat surface.
• Thick outfits and several jackets: you will hardly use them in Thailand, unless you are traveling somewhere cold.
• Newborn shoes: very cute, but babies are not walking yet. Socks are enough.
• Wipe warmers: it is already warm here.

As for baby powder, many Thai homes keep it around out of habit. Read what to know first in Is it OK to use baby powder after a bath?

When to buy, and how to budget without overspending

Quick Answer: Buy gradually from the second trimester, have the must-haves ready by around 36 weeks, and keep part of your budget for after the birth, when you will know what your baby truly needs.

Small tips moms pass on to each other:

1. Share a list with relatives. Baby welcome gifts (ของขวัญรับขวัญ) often double up. If you say in advance what you are missing, you will get things you actually use.
2. Accept good-condition hand-me-downs. Clothes, tubs and carriers from friends or relatives save a lot.
3. Do not stock up on sized items. Diapers and newborn clothes: babies grow faster than you think.
4. Keep receipts and boxes for the first while, in case you need to swap sizes or models.
5. Wash clothes and cloth diapers before use, and dry them fully in the sun.

Once your things are ready, do not forget the paperwork after the birth. The first item with a deadline is registering the birth within 15 days.

You do not need everything from day one. What your baby needs most is your arms around them. The rest you can add bit by bit, at your family’s own pace.