The first-time mum baby list
Stop overbuying: what to buy now and what to skip
Your baby needs far less than the internet tells you. This guide sorts everything into three groups, so you know exactly what to buy, what to put on your registry as a treat, and what to leave for later.
Create your free registryEvery item with a price is live on mygiftingnest.com. Prices shown are from October 2026. Tap any item to see today's price.
How to read this guide
Every item with a price is live on mygiftingnest.com. Not on the website yet? Request it on WhatsApp and we list it on the website.
Baby or you need it in the first weeks. Put it on your registry and request delivery before your due date. If your due date is close, buy it yourself.
Makes life easier. Perfect for your registry, because loved ones love gifting these.
Baby does not need it for a while, and most of these are for after 6 months. Add them to your registry now if you like, and buy them when baby is ready.
The test is simple. If baby cannot go without it in week one, it is a must.
Your plan in 5 steps
- 1Create your free registry on mygiftingnest.com.
- 2Add every must-have first. These are your priority items.
- 3Add the nice-to-haves to the same registry.
- 4Share your registry link with family and friends (ways to share are at the end).
- 5Request delivery for your must-haves by week 34. Pack your hospital bag by week 36.
Due date close, or registry not fully gifted yet? Open your registry and use Complete My Registry to buy the rest yourself. You are in control.
Must-haves
Buy or request delivery for all of these before baby arrives.
Hospital bag
The fastest way to be ready is a pre-packed bundle.
Built for first-time mums. The most complete option.
A lighter bundle if you already own some things.
Prefer to pack it yourself? Read our hospital bag checklist.
Sleep
Your baby needs a safe, flat place to sleep. Choose the bed that suits your space and budget.
The budget-friendly pick.
Rocks to settle baby without picking up every time. Comes with a canopy and a toy mobile. Light enough to move from room to room, and the bassinet part lifts out to carry baby. Made for the early months.
The cradle moves side to side, back and forth, or rotates 360°. The cradle is removable.
Sits next to your bed for easy night feeds. Adjusts as baby grows, from newborn to toddler. Great as a group gift.
Get 2 sets so one is always clean.
For swaddling, naps and the stroller. White, blue, pink or green.
For everyday wiping, burping and clean-up. Buy several packs. Start with a 4 in 1 or 5 in 1.
To move a sleeping baby around the house, use the Mastela 5-in-1 Rocker, whose bassinet lifts out, or the Kidilo carry cot under Going home and going out.
Going home and going out
A carry cot, a car seat and a rocker in one. Carry baby from room to room, and use it as the car seat when you leave the hospital. A car seat is not optional if you go home by car. Message us on WhatsApp to confirm the right size for a newborn before you order.
A car seat is not optional if you go home by car. Message us on WhatsApp to confirm the right size for a newborn before you order.
Feeding
Breastfeeding, formula, or both, you need clean bottles and cloths for all three.
Bottles and brush together.
Baby bottles need their own soap.
Sterilize bottles without a machine. Confirm size at checkout.
You will use these daily.
Five is the right number.
Saves your back and arms.
A simple start if you plan to breastfeed.
Diapering
A newborn goes through 8 to 12 diapers a day. Stock up.
Count varies by size. Start with newborn size, not more.
A carton lasts weeks.
Another carton option.
A clean surface anywhere.
Protects against nappy rash.
A budget rash barrier.
Bath and grooming
A baby tub for safe bath time.
Keeps baby warm after bath.
Gentle on new skin.
Nail care and grooming tools, all in one.
Skincare (read the next section before you buy)
Choose one routine, not five brands. If baby reacts to something, you will know why.
Buying single pieces? Sebamed Wash (₦19,000), Body Lotion (₦19,000), Oil (₦16,500), Bar Soap (₦9,500), Johnson's Hair & Body Oil (₦17,500), Boots Hair Shampoo (₦14,000)
Why we only sell skincare from verified stores
This is the one category where saving money costs you the most.
Fake baby skincare is common in Nigeria. It sits in open markets, on social media pages and in random online stores, in bottles that look exactly like the real thing.
A fake bottle can hold the wrong ingredients, harsh chemicals, or a formula that has gone off. Nobody tested it. Nobody tracks the batch.
Your baby's skin is thinner than yours. It absorbs more and reacts faster. A fake lotion or wash can cause rashes, redness, eczema flare-ups, allergic reactions and infection. Your baby cannot tell you something stings.
How to protect your baby
- Be suspicious of any price far below the usual price. Real products have a floor price.
- Check the seal. A broken or loose seal is a red flag.
- Look at the print. Blurry text, spelling errors and faded labels point to a copy.
- Check the batch number and expiry date. Missing or mismatched details mean walk away.
- Ask the seller where the stock comes from. A real seller answers clearly.
- If baby breaks out after a new product, stop using it, rinse the skin with plain water and see your paediatrician.
What GiftingNest does about it.
We sell skincare only from verified stores. Our imported skincare products are shipped in directly, so they do not pass through random hands before they reach you.
On your registry, your loved ones gift the real thing too. That peace of mind is built in.
Clothes
Baby outgrows 0 to 3M within weeks. Buy 1 to 2 packs in newborn size, no more. Put most of your money into 3 to 6M. Buy 6 to 9M ahead too if you have space. Bodysuits, sleepsuits and joggers all come in 0 to 12M on the website, so you build the whole first year here.
| Item | 0-3M | 3-6M | 6-9M |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bodysuits (5 pcs) ₦19,000 | 1 pack | 2 packs | 1 pack |
| Sleepsuits (3 pcs) ₦22,500 | 1 pack | 2 packs | 1 pack |
| Joggers (3pcs) ₦13,000 | 1 pack | 2 packs | 1 pack |
Newborn extras
One pack of each is enough.
Laundry
Wash baby clothes before the first wear. Use a non-bio detergent, which is gentler on newborn skin.
Your own recovery
You need things too. Do not skip this list.
Gentle cleaning after birth.
Easy feeding access.
Comfort for night feeds.
Keeps leaks from showing.
Soothes sore nipples in the early weeks.
That is every must-have. Add them all to your registry first. Next up, the treats.
Nice to have
These make life easier. None are needed in week one. They are perfect for your registry, because loved ones enjoy gifting them and you do not have to pay for them.
Feeding and pumping
Out and about
Baby carriers
A carrier frees your hands and settles a fussy baby in the first weeks. Baby gets home without one, so it sits here and not under must-haves. If you want one early, it is the first nice-to-have to add. Match the carrier to baby's weight. Many newborns weigh under 3.6 kg, which is the minimum for the Infantino.
Swings
A swing soothes a fussy baby while you eat, shower or rest. It is a treat, never a need, because baby sleeps in a bassinet. Use a swing only while baby is awake and watched. If baby falls asleep in it, move baby to a flat bed.
Around the house
Gum care
Gum cleaning starts before the first tooth. Dentists advise wiping baby's gums after feeds. Add this now if you like. It is not urgent.
Keepsakes and special outfits
Can come later
These come later. Baby will not use them for a while, and sizes change fast. Add them to your registry now if you like, and buy them when baby gets there.
For when baby reaches 5.4 kg, usually around 3 months.
9 to 12M bodysuits, sleepsuits and joggers
They are on the website. Buy them closer to the time.
Solid food gear
High chair, weaning bowls and spoons, sippy cups. Not on the website yet. Request them and we list them.
Play gear
Play mat, toys, walker, baby gate. Not on the website yet. Request them and we list them.
Baby is close to one of these stages? Request what you need on WhatsApp and we list it on the website.
How to get everything
Option 1: Build your registry here.
Add items, set how many you need and put your priorities first. Loved ones buy the full item or give a part of it. Big items like the bassinet or car seat become a group gift.
Option 2: Shop directly.
Browse the shop and buy anything yourself, any time.
Option 3: Complete My Registry.
Gifts did not cover everything? Buy the remaining items yourself in one go.
Every item with a price is on mygiftingnest.com. Missing something? Request it on WhatsApp and we list it on the website.
Request an item on WhatsAppHow to share your registry
Copy your registry link from your dashboard. Then share it where your people already are.
- WhatsApp: Send it to family and friends, personally or in group chats with them.
- Family and church groups: Drop it in close-knit groups that care about you and would love to send gifts.
- In conversation: Bring it up when loved ones ask about your baby shopping.
- Work: Share it with your colleagues.
- Status and social media: Post it with your baby announcement or naming ceremony invite.
A message you copy and send
Hi! We are expecting our baby and I set up a registry on GiftingNest. In case you would like to gift us anything, you can pick straight from our list, so gifts are not duplicated. You can buy a full item or contribute toward a bigger one. Here is my link: [your link]
Loved ones can still gift after baby arrives, so there is no deadline.
Your checklist
GiftingNest
Ready to start?
Create your free registry and add your must-haves today.
Create your free registryPrefer to buy something yourself?
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