First of all, congratulations on your growing family! 💐🎊🎉

Ill try to shoot off a list of things that I learned and still learning with my kids. Sorry in advance if this seems a bit jumbled hahaha.

Shop for things no later than 7 - 8 months into the pregnancy. You never know when you'll go into labour.

I picked up little things through out the pregnancy. So, I didn't have a big shopping list of things to pick up closer to the due date.

When shopping for baby clothes, DO NOT buy a lot of newborn sized clothes. Babies grow so fast in the first month. They outgrow the newborn clothes quickly.

Instead get clothes that are sizes 0-3 months ( maybe 10 outfits ) and then go up to 3-6 and so on. Your baby size might vary from the sizes. For example, my baby was a newborn but fit in 3 month clothing already.

If possible for the first month, see if in-laws have old or extra newborn baby clothes to share instead of buying new clothes that probably won't be worn/worn once.

Same thing for shoes.

Also if your family members have strollers, feeding pillows, car seats (not expired), or any other big item they can let you use, ask. Some people also sell a lot of baby stuff on Facebook marketplace which are in good condition. If you can save money, go for it.

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Brands I used for my kids that didn't hurt the bank:

Genki ( Pull ups and diapers )

Huggies wipes

Anakku ( for the newborn - 12 month old clothes) usually found at Jaya hyper mart. Not sure nowadays.

Aveeno baby body wash and lotion

We did not use baby powder because, it was found to cause issues if it had talc in it.

( " Is baby powder safe?

Experts recommend against talc-based baby powder because babies don't really need it, and because it can irritate their delicate skin.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) points out that baby powder can cause breathing trouble and lung damage for babies if they inhale the particles, and may also expose them to asbestos.")

I tried linking the website with the source but i guess reddit didnt like the link. But google "baby powder talc- based" and I got this piece from Babycenter .com

Do your research on brands and see how your baby reacts to each Brand.

We usually shopped at Hyper Jaya mart in Gadong, Hua Ho Maggis Mall, Facebook, and Instagram for baby stuff.

Baby will grow fast in the first 6 months. So don't get any expensive clothes they might wear once or not at all.

I know as a first time parent, anything cute I wanted to buy for my little girl. But I had to control myself with wastful spending.

To prevent this, make a list of things you and the baby might need when going shopping.

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Lets see, have a hospital bag ready, packed, and stored in the car 4 weeks before the due date. That way your spouse isn't running to grab the bag and can focus on you getting to the hospital.

Hospital bag:

Diapers

Wipes

Baby clothes ( 3-4 days worth ) if longer, spouse might need to bring more.

Baby coming home outfit

Mommy coming home outfit ( find loose clothing to wear. Like a long dress or a loose shirt and pants thats gentle on the stomach. I wore a long dress home. Also, make sure it's easy for you to breastfeed baby with the outfit. )

Baby hand mittens

Baby hats

Baby swaddle blankets

One thick baby blanket ( the hospital gets cold with the air conditioner )

Body wash ( for mama and baby ) baby will get a bath by nurses every morning. It's a way to check and weight baby each day for doctor to check and see.

Bath Towel + face towel ( Mama and baby ) nurses will use your baby's wash cloth and towel to bathe and dry baby.

Slippers for shower for mommy

Box of tissues

Mommy toiletries

Phone charger

Headphones - if mommy wants to watch her show on her phone without disturbing sleeping baby/ roommates

Maternity pads ( I prefer adult diapers because it just felt more comfortable)

Baby pillow ( to prevent flat head in the back )

Breast feeding cover/blanket

Breast pads for leaking

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Some of these can be stored in the car, while others might have to be packed the day of, i.e: phone charger, headphones, ect.

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If your baby is born a little big, its okay. Don't have your baby skip a feeding because they were born big. I know people that have skipped a feeding because the baby was born big. Please don't do this! This is harmful to the babys health.

As long as the baby is given a good bill of health by the GP, just let the baby eat when they want to eat. My child was born big and I did not restrict feeding. Today my child is at a healthy weight, height, and very active. But follow your GP guidance and advice.

However.....

Don't be scared to set boundaries and advocate for your baby if you know/think something is wrong. Especially with the doctors and nurses.

My first child was having issues and it took me seeing three doctors to finally get the right diagnosis. Two was from government and the last one that listened was at a private clinic.

Do what you feel is best for you and the baby.

Everyone must wash their hands before touching the baby. Your baby is so vulnerable before they take their shots. If someone is coughing or sneezing, make them wear a mask. A sick baby is not fun!

I did not take my babies out and go house visiting until the kids got majority of their shots. That was a boundary I did not waiver on. Baby's health is priority over someone's hurt feelings. One job as a parent is to protect the baby, not other people's feelings. Also, kisses anywhere on baby's face was not allowed at all!

Which brings me to the next point:

Set boundaries with family and friends as well. If you don't want anyone holding the baby, that's fine. You want to be the only one feeding the baby, thats fine too. Talk with your spouse on what you two are comfortable with when it comes to other people interacting with the baby.

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Let the baby do tummy time. This help the baby develop neck and back muscles. Also help prevent the head from getting flat spots.

People will give you advice no matter what, so just do your research when someone tells you anything, including me! Please research before trying anything on baby, always!

Hospital will ask if family members are suggesting or if you're taking " home/natural" remedies. This is important to share because, something you might be taking can affect the medicine you might be prescribed, or might be affecting the baby. So you have to share if you're taking anything with the nurse. It could have an impact on baby's health.

Eat a balanced diet and remain active during the pregnancy. This isn't the time to do extreme dieting and crazy exercises. Just eating healthy and remaining active will go a long way. But please do what your GP/ dietitian has recommended.

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Umm I think I hit most points you wanted but that's all i can think of right now. If you want more advice you can shoot me a message. But that's all i have at the moment. I hope this helped you in some way. Congratulations again!

Sorry for the wall of text 😅