What you need before the birth
The Lullaby Trust names six essentials for safer sleep and travel, and the NHS suggests 6 vests and 6 stretch suits for the first weeks. Most of the rest can wait.
3 November 2026
Guides
What to weigh up before you buy, by age and by budget.
What the first year really costs
No source we could read gives one first-year figure. Built from the Minimum Income Standard, Environment Agency data and our catalog, our working comes to about £1,945 before childcare, as a floor.
3 November 2026
What's fine to buy second-hand
The Lullaby Trust calls second-hand baby products a great way to save money. Most gear qualifies after a few checks. Car seats don't, and mattresses come with a checklist.
3 November 2026
Safer sleep basics
On the back, on a firm flat mattress, in a clear cot, in your room for at least the first 6 months. That is the NHS and Lullaby Trust advice for every sleep.
3 November 2026
Potty training: what it takes and costs
The NHS says almost all children can be potty trained between 18 months and 2 and a half. The kit on the Minimum Income Standard list comes to £20.
3 November 2026
Nursery, childminder or nanny?
Coram's 2026 survey puts 25 hours of nursery for an under-2 at £188.75 a week in England without funded hours, and £155.28 with a childminder.
3 November 2026
The next seat after an infant carrier
Change seats when your child passes the seat's height or weight limit, or their head tops the shell. Dangling feet don't count, says RoSPA.
3 November 2026
Basket, crib or straight to a cot?
A first bed like the IKEA ÄLSKVÄRD lasts about 6 months, and the Lullaby Trust names both a cot and a Moses basket as sleep spaces. So going straight to a cot is a full option.
3 November 2026
Do you need a baby monitor?
A monitor isn't on the Lullaby Trust's list of essentials, and it says there is no research evidence that monitors prevent sudden infant death syndrome. Here's when one still helps.
3 November 2026
When to move from cot to bed
Most toddlers move from cot to bed between 18 months and 3 years, says one NHS children's service, and climbing out is a common trigger. Here's how to plan it.
3 November 2026
Choosing a first car seat
A first seat has to fit your car, your newborn and your routine. Check for an R129 label, try it in your car, and compare height range, weight and whether a base costs extra.
3 November 2026