Sometimes you just need to scratch that middle-of-the-night online shopping itch. So here are some ideas based on your baby's very basic feeding needs.

For breastfeeding (hopefully nothing is needed except your breasts BUT here's some things that you may want to know exist) - I also do recommend setting up a feeding station (or more than 1 for various preferred feeding locations e.g. sofa and bed) to keep things you may need, especially during clusterfeeds: your water bottle and/or a flask of tea, muslins, some snacks, the remote control, some wipes, a book etc.

There's an argument that if you plan for every struggle and get all the feeding aids, creams etc., you'll be ready for anything…but the hope is…as long as you can access your breasts when you need to, you're sorted!

• 1ml syringes from your midwife for collecting colostrum before baby comes (and maybe buying some bigger ones for back up if needing to express (for comfort or otherwise) once baby is here but not wanting to give a bottle

• 4-6 Nursing bras (for that easy boob access!)

• Nursing friendly clothes

• Breast pads - disposable are great for the early weeks when supply is getting established and then get some reusable ones! These can be handy during a feed to protect your clothes from your non-latched breasts desire to join in the fun!

• Muslins - always a great item to ask for as gifts as you can never have enough. Beyond protecting your clothes from any spit-up, they remain handy tools for cleaning up after baby, as a light layer over baby etc

• Bibs - bandana style or otherwise to minimise the loads of washing babies already inspire

• Doidy Cup can be an option cup-feeding if baby is struggling at the breast and you don't want to introduce a bottle

Bottle Feeding:

• 6-8 bottles (preferably NOT ones that imply they are breast-like as most are not! A gradually/wide slope to the nipple is better than a long teat!) Only 0-1 teats are needed, you don't need huge bottles (160ml is fine) and you don't need bottles with extra parts. Glass ones are becoming more popular due to the lack of breakdown and leaching chemicals but many use plastic ones for ease of transporting and not worrying about them being dropped and breaking

• Bottle brush and fragrance free washing up liquid e.g. Milton or Ecover

• Formula if you want - any brand (supermarket or otherwise) will be fine! They all legally have to have anything that is proven beneficial to baby! If you suspect a problem, speak to a specialist (feeding or doctor) before trying any specialist types e.g. anti-reflux, plant-based etc.

• A pump if expressing - preferably a hospital grade wall pump to most effectively remove milk but portable pumps can be handy for when sitting down to pump is not possible. 

• Breast milk bags for storing breastmilk - it is not recommended to intentionally pump to fill your fridge or freezer but some people like to be 1 feed ahead of the baby, for example or have a natural oversupply and safely storing your milk is better than letting it go to waste

• Method of steralising - you don't necessarily need to buy anything for this necessary process as boiling parts in a saucepan is the original mode of steralising but if you want to use other methods, you can add Milton steralising tablets to cold water and then rinse or purchase a UV or Steam steraliser.