MUST-Have's for newborn when adopting from a different state

[waitingnotready]

New here and need some help.  We are adopting privately, and the baby is due in September.  We are excited but terrified that the potential birth mother will change her mind, so have not prepared the baby's room yet.  Can't bear to look at everything is the match fails. 

Can any of you that have adopted before or are adopting share the absolute MUST-have's for traveling with a new born and when we first get home??  We will probably need to stay in a hotel room for a few days and then are flying back home. 

Thank you!

[theatrepal]

Do you have any friends that still have newborn stuff? Our plan is to borrow a pack and play/bassinet when we bring baby home until we can sort out the sleeping issue. We've got many offers to borrow. Wr have about six bottles with new born nipples. We had a friend give us a few high dollar things but they all fit in our storage space so we don't have to look at them. We plan on grabbing a car seat, can of formula and diapers from Target on the way home from the hospital. With that in hand, we can make it through the first day or so. We do have coming home outfits that we bought. One for each gender. It was important to us to get to have that opportunity so we picked something.

[spooko]

I haven't adopted a newborn but I've had one. The only thing you really need is the car seat. You can buy anything on the fly, really. Honestly, it's probably easier to NOT stock up bc you may get swag from the hospital and often you'll want to keep up with whatever brand of formula/pacifier/bottles/diapers/etc they're already doing there. I do find that gowns are helpful those first few weeks for midnight diaper changes and since babies are so squirmy at first. Also, you'll probably want a good lightweight swaddling blanket like an Aden and Anais or one built for swaddling. Receiving blankets are shitty for swaddling.

[pinkie]

Hello

We were out of town for both adoptions (both requiring flights). Here are my tips:

- use a hotel crib (bring a crib mattress cover and sheets from home and Lysol wipe the crib before using).
- if you haven't bought a car seat yet, buy it at your destination. I strongly suggest also buying a snap and go type stroller at your destination for the trip home. You can gate check coming home.
- need bottles, bottle brush. Highly suggest staying somewhere with a microwave so you can sterilize (buy the sterilizing bags)
- our kids lived in the one piece sleepers. I wouldn't bother with many other types of clothes.
- buy some newborn hats - both of our kids had tiny heads
- some type of swaddle
- take pacifiers from hospital
- baby towels and wash cloths. Only need one or two - babies only take sponge baths until the cord falls off.
- diaper rash cream (I had to make a midnight run we forgot this)
- try to stay somewhere with on site laundry.
- going through airport security with a newborn is tough. They make you take the baby out of the car seat. Just be prepared that it will take forever. Also i strongly advice buying a seat for the baby and using the car seat on the plane. We hit terrible turbulence our last flight and I was so happy our son was safe in the car seat. Plus he slept almost the entire time. To me for a newborn it's worth the cost.

I will respond again if I think of more . I hope all goes well for you!