Essentials

Organic cotton or muslin soft cloths for washing baby.

Typicaly this product has a baby unit which is pluged into sockets near the baby and a parent unit that can either run off battires or mains and allows the parent to easierly hear when the baby starts to cry.

To keep little feet warm. If you can get them to stay on. Personally, we found traditional booties better, with a tie or fastening round the ankle!

To keep little feet warm. Available in cotton, Merino wool, Merino fleece, and countless man-made fibres. Babies' feet do sweat though, so we recommend breathable natural fibres.

A small cloth chair with a sprung metal frame that a baby can lie in and can gently be bounced to sleep

A warm outer layer for your little one.

Attaches to the side of the cot, extends over the cot and generally goes round and round while playing music. I guess the idea is to entertain your baby while it goes to sleep.

Bras with easy release of the cups to make feeding easier

Eliminates the guess work, getting the temperature just right for baby's bath.

These are the first layer next to the skin, come in long and short sleeves, have no legs and have poppers at the crotch.

Handy if you've forgotten them all or decide to sing your little one to sleep in the evenings. If you've still got your own from Auntie Carol, complete with original toddler scribble, all the better for the nostalgia trips.

A low chair which brings the knees up making breast feeding easier.

These are the first layer next to the skin -the things with long or short sleeves, no legs and with poppers at the crotch. Available in cotton and cotton mixes, organic, fair trade, long-sleeved or no sleeved, with cute animals on or bold stripes... you name it!

Used for the baby to sleep in for the first few months

Shells that can be put over the nipple inside a bra that catches leaking milk for storage (or donation to local baby units)

A semi-donut shaped cussion that suports the baby at the correct hight during breast feeding

For sterilising feeding and storage equipment using steam

Brushes to specifically clean baby bottles.

These come with varying features such as drop sides, adjustable base height and draws underneath

Many cloth nappies come with poppers or velcro, but if they don't, the Nappi Nippa is a good alternative to the nappy pin. It's a plastic gadget which grips the nappy and keeps the folds in place without running the danger of skewering your baby's skin.

Great for shaking and exploring and for chewing on,these types of toys seem to be perenially popular.

A mat to use in the bath to stop your baby slipping over in the bath

A stand for a moses basket

You can get bibs with velcro, bibs with poppers, bibs with plastic pockets, bibs with plastic trays, plastic bibs and cotton bibs and plasticised cotton bibs, bibs with sleeves and bibs without. Or you can fold a muslin diagonally and tie around the neck. The choice is yours, but your baby will still get food everywhere. including on you!

Warm breatherable and temprature regulating blankets for when your baby is in a pushchair, pram or cot

A wide range is available, from eco-friendlyish wool-pulp nappies to chemical gel nappies. Single use. Different brands may fit your baby differently - try to find one where the poo doesn't always leak up the back...

For storing expressed milk in

Generally start of rear-facing for little ones, though you can get some that lie flat across the back of the car which is good for sleeping newborns. Many double as a baby-carrier as part of a pushchair/carseat combo.

The cloth nappy will absorb the wee and poo, but most people use a nappy outer as a barrier between the nappy and the clothes. Previously known as "plastic pants", the plastic ones are now breathable and nicely fitted, with a range of cool colours, and there are woollen ones as well which are natural and breathable.

Good for getting from A to B, though if you have a light car seat, or are using a sling, or have a moses basket, or have a pushchair suitable from birth, you may not need one.

Some say you need a new one with every baby but you must get one the correct size for the cot.

A bowl with different sections for cleaning the two ends of your baby with

Elasticated sheets that stay where they are supposed to.

A small bath for washing your baby in

Generally make you feel like you're trying to entertain your baby, though your baby would rather pull your hair.

A wide range is available, from fitted nappies to foldable terry squares, from organic cotton nappies to bamboo, from the brightest of colours to the all-natural look... Well, there are websites and websites full of them but when you try them, you WILL get a kick out of it, promise.

Some people use this with cloth nappies.

A tray that fits over the bars of the cot for changing a baby on

Like us, babies lose most of their bodyheat through their heads and keeping your little one's head warm is important in cold weather. Wool is ideal, as it is insulating but breathable, and stays insulating even when it gets a bit wet.

Lightweight, collapsible strollers are a great choice if you use public transport regularly and don't take up much space in the car. "Umbrella strollers" collapse in two dimensions very neatly and tidily. Generally only suitable for babies over 3 months as they don't lie flat.

To bring the bottle to the correct temprature

Attached to the sides of a cot to make you feel better when your baby lies all night with their head against the bars.

Electric pump used to express milk

For sterilising feeding and storage equipment using chemicals

A multi compartment bag to grap on your way out the door

A small changing mat that folds down so that it is easy to take with you where ever you go

A dedicated unit that has convient storage and is higher enough to change a baby on with out leaning over

These are the first layer next to the skin -the things with long or short sleeves, no legs and with poppers at the crotch. Merino wool bodies are great for keeping skin healthy, are breathable and don't get cold when wet.

Many new born babies sleep better when wrapped in a blanket so they can't wave thier arms around.

Preferably, choose a lotion that is phthalate, paraben, ethanol, phenoxyethanol & fragrance free.

For expressing milk

Prams allow your baby to lie flat as they get some fresh air, indulge in a bit of shopping or are gently rocked to sleep. Many convert into strollers for when your little one gets older. Many are part of a "travel system", combining a pushchair with a car seat. Today's prams are oh-so-much-smaller than the ones we grew up in, and not a patch on the sweeping elegance of 1950's style ones - but you don't need a mansion to keep one in.

A large bucket to wash your baby in, saves water & stops your baby's head being submerged.

Used to lay your baby on whilst they are in the bath

All the rage in the US, these are bins that you put your disposable nappy in and are basically smell-confinement systems. As far as I know.

Stick your cloth nappies in here while they wait for the next wash. Make sure it's got a close-fitting lid!

We recommend a talc free baby powder.

There are several manufatures of safely tanned sheepskins that are good for lying small babies on. These have many benifits

Gives an indication of how much night clothing your baby will need

For helping with problem breast feeding

Plastic bags with some kind of anti-smell coating, I think.

Although it's hard to do without them if you're living in Cambridge, the rest of the country seems somehow to survive without Ergos, Mai Tais, ring slings and large pieces of cloth. Great for keeping your little one close to you and great for transport when a pushchair is cumbersome. Experts cleverly breastfeed using them.

Light weight head wear designed to keep the babies head warm particuarly whilst sleeping

Pads inserted into the bra to catch breast leakage

Cutting a babies nails is hard and stressful. Any advice greatfully recieved

Satisfies a baby's urge to suck and can be a life-saver. Can become habit-forming and may lead to dental problems, but very popular.

Cellulose fibre or sea sponges as an alternative to polyurethane foam sponges.

A large changing mat that is kept in the location you normaly change the baby

Some people use this with cloth nappies, putting a few drops in the bottom of the bucket to keep it smelling fresh or adding it to the soak if using one. Can also be added to the washing machine load.

Cotton beanie hats protect your baby's head from the breeze, though look for hats that come down over the ears for snug protection. Sunhats with wide brims are important to protect your little one from the sun's glare.

Typicaly this product has a baby unit which is pluged into sockets near the baby and a parent unit that can either run off battires or mains and allows the parent to easierly hear when the baby starts to cry and also watch the baby while it sleeps