Having a baby is a big deal. A big, confusing, head-spinning, anxiety-inducing deal. I wanted to be fully prepared for my newborn infant so I spent countless hours Googling, researching on Amazon, and asking friends (both local and international) about what I needed to get. Lists upon lists started to mount up before I realised that I hadn’t really stopped to consider one main detail: I was having my baby in the middle of summer in a tropical country where some international brands are not available.
So here’s my baby’s first year survival kit — all the ‘Bangkok essentials’ I wish I had known about before my little one arrived.
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When I went shopping for baby cribs I was specifically looking for a crib that turns into a toddler bed. I was very surprised to find that there isn’t much of a range in Bangkok in terms of prices and availability, they’re all pretty expensive and there’s a limited number of places where you can actually buy one from. Between the few individual stores, department stores and the malls, I found that most cribs for just the frame started around 20,000 baht (USD 600); the mattresses, bumpers and sheets are an extra cost on top. In the affordable category, the front-runner is IKEA with cots and cribs starting from 8,000 baht; I think they look nice and very functional but my only complaint is that none of the models have wheels to easily move the cot, if needed. If this is not a big deal to you, I think it’s a nice choice. What I ended up doing was waiting for the Baby & Kids Best Buy Fair that happens in Bangkok four times a year (once every three months) and I ordered my crib (pictured below) from the brand Kitso. Including the mattress, two sets of bedsheets with bumpers and pillows, and a mosquito net, my total cost came to around 19,000 baht (USD 575), which I thought was a better deal than what I was seeing at the stores. It’s been a year and I’ve had no issues with my crib — it’s spacious, easy to move and adjusts nicely for my growing child.
Baby MonitorBefore my son was born I ordered the Motorola (MBP36) baby monitor from the US given its great reviews online. It has great features and the camera is very clear and you can move it around to see different parts of the baby’s room but after about 6-8 months it started giving us some trouble. The head of the wire that connects to the monitor unit would bend out of shape and randomly stop working so the monitor wouldn’t charge. We replaced the wire piece a few times but I think that specific part of our monitor unit is faulty (and I know others have experienced this same problem online). I didn’t want to invest in another expensive baby monitor so I searched on Lazada and ordered this generic unbranded baby monitor to try out and so far it’s working great. It has all the same features and functions as any higher end baby monitor — clear camera, sound sensor, night camera, volume control, microphone, monitor off/sound on only, light alerts — except that the camera while adjustable cannot be remote controlled to scan the room. For me this isn’t a deal breaker because I have placed the camera right above my son’s crib and that’s all I really need to see. The price point is very reasonable as compared to other baby monitors and it works just as well. Price = 1500-1700 baht approximately. Note: Since this is a generic, non-branded product (from China I assume) be sure to check that the plugs are compatible for Bangkok. You can do this by swiping the product photos to check the one you’re ordering comes with the right plugs.
Changing Pads / MatI got three different changing mats / pads for different purposes:
1. For Newborn – 4 months: I bought this bigger and thicker padded changing pad from the Baby & Kids Best Buy Fair.
2. 5 months – now: Once my baby was able to roll over, I switched to this flat, thinner pad from the brand Mamas & Papas. I like it a lot because it’s super light, easy to clean and move around and the top section folds over so it’s easy to travel with too. Mamas & Papas is available at Emporium and has a nice selection of patterns and colours to choose from. Price = 1000 baht approximately.
3. For travel: I also invested in a few of these thinner changing mats from Absorba because they are very compact and effective for travel. The material is durable, absorbs excess pee and wipes easily if any poop gets on it. The mat size is pretty large and also reversible so both sides can be used. Basically while traveling, I’ll keep this mat folded and anytime a diaper change is needed I can quickly grab and unfold it with one hand and place it anywhere – floor, bed, sofa, table – and get things done very efficiently. These are available at Emporium or any other department store. Price = 600 baht
SwaddlesI ordered some Halo sleep sacks for my newborn from Amazon because they were highly rated but it turns the material it is made out of is not suitable for Bangkok — my son felt really hot and bothered whenever we put it on him. Instead, try these velcro swaddles from Colorland for babies from 0-3 months.
Muslin clothsI invested in two different kinds of muslin cloths: 1. Newborn – 6 months:Smaller 27 x 27 inch extra soft, bamboo muslin cloths from the brand Nappi. I used them as an extra layer to give my baby a little added protection, especially when he was newborn to about 4 months of age. I used the muslin cloths in two main ways:
One muslin cloth was always placed on his changing pad as an extra soft layer before he was put on it
I also used a muslin cloth to wrap him up at bath time and bathe him with it on so he wouldn’t feel too cold or get shocked by the water.
These are available at Emporium and Central Chitlom department stores. Also look out for the brand at the Baby & Kids Best Buy Fair. Price = 990 baht.
2. 6 months – now:Larger muslin blankets from the brand Aden & Anais. Measuring 47″ x 47″ inches, these cloths ended up being too big to swaddle my son so I used them in other ways:
Lay down an extra layer on play mats
Lighter blanket option if baby is sleeping without the A/C on
Stroller cover when out and about and baby is sleeping
Look out for the brand at the Baby & Kids Best Buy Fair. Price = 1600 baht approximately.
Wipe cloths & small bowl / bucket
Wipe cloths small enough to wipe baby’s face and a small bowl/buckets are great and convenient for giving your baby a refreshing sponge bath every evening before bedtime. I liked to do an evening sponge for both relaxation and hygiene purposes — it is so hot and humid in Bangkok that my son sweats a lot.
For my son’s evening sponge bath, I lay him down on his changing pad, bring over the small bowl with warm water over and gently sponged him down with a soaked wipe cloth.
Bowls, buckets and wipe cloths of all kinds are easily available at Big C and Tesco Lotus.
Sponge
Another item that was missing from my baby’s must-haves was a soft sponge for bath time. These ones from Big C are incredibly soft and gentle on baby’s skin. Price = 35 baht.
Mahahing (Asafetida Tincture)
A thai herbal remedy to help with relief from gas and colic, Mahahing is every local family’s must-have at the diaper changing station. It’s available at most local drugstores in either a bottle or roll-on formula. The way I used it for my baby was to soak a few drops of mahahing onto a cotton pad and then after morning bath and evening sponge I dotted a little bit on my son’s foreheard, palms and soles of the feet and most importantly, do a few circles around his bellybutton. I did this until he was about 7-8 months old as he got more active and squirmy he didn’t have the patience for the mahaing song and dance. Price = 200 – 250 baht
Boiled Cool Water
Wiping an infant with cotton balls soaked in boiled water that has cooled down instead of baby wipes was something I learned from my baby’s confinement nanny. Basically in a small plastic box with a lid, I kept cotton balls that were soaked in boiled cool water and used only that to wipe baby clean for every diaper change. I did this until he was about 4-5 months old and I think it’s what really helped to keep diaper rash away.
To make hot boiled water easy and accessible at all times of the day, I fill up a water kettle / water boiler with water every morning and set it to boil and then leave it plugged in. I prefer the larger sized one so there’s plenty of boiled hot water available.
Vaseline / Diaper Rash CreamI use Vaseline instead of diaper rash cream and it works really well on my son’s skin to keep is soft and moisturized. Available at all supermarkets and drugstores.
Price = 100 baht.
I only use diaper cream if there is any kind of major rash or redness. Recommended by my veteran mom friends, Bepanthen diaper cream is available at all local drugstores. Price = 160 baht approximately
An alternative that I also really like is the Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisturizing Cream, which I will use in place of diaper cream if I feel his skin is looking just a little dry or red but no rash has emerged. It is available at most department stores and the Baby & Kids Best Buy Fair. Price = 400-500 baht approximately.
Coconut Oil
I use virgin cold-pressed coconut oil to give baby a massage before bath and then afterwards to moisturize him too. Coconut oil absorbs really well into the skin and doesn’t stay sticky once is it rubbed in. It works wonders to keep my son’s skin super soft, nourished and supple all day. And I also like that it’s a natural product that is being used all over his body. Virgin cold-pressed coconut oil is available at all local supermarkets. Price = 300 – 400 baht.
Oil can be a bit tricky to use when traveling so in those instances I will switch to the Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion, which is also very moisturizing for the skin. It is available at most department stores and the Baby & Kids Best Buy Fair.
Price = 400 -500 baht approximately.
Bottle Sterilizer
The CAMERA Ion Dry-2 Steam Sterilizer ( C-9047ES) is amazing. It’s very spacious and dries and sterilizes bottles, pump parts and plastic/rubber toys really well. It’s available at Baby & Kids Best Buy Fair, online on Lazada and Shopee and in department stores. Price range is 4000 – 5000 baht depending on where you buy it. Please note: newer models are also available.Nail Clippers
Cutting my son’s nails was one of the scariest things I ever had to do when he was an infant but I figured out a way to do it pretty easily. I sit on a couch with my breastfeeding pillow on my lap and let him fall asleep on it. Once he was in a deep sleep, it was really easy to cut his nails using the nail clipper from CAMERA. I particularly like this one because it it’s easy to handle and cuts nails effectively. Price = 90 baht.
Vicks for BabyBaby Balsam by Vicks is a must-have for whenever you’re dealing with nasal congestion and/or colds. It’s available at all local drugstores. Price = 200 baht approx.
Baby Monitor
Before my son was born I ordered the Motorola (MBP36) baby monitor from the US given its great reviews online. It has great features and the camera is very clear and you can move it around to see different parts of the baby’s room but after about 6-8 months it started giving us some trouble. The head of the wire that connects to the monitor unit would bend out of shape and randomly stop working so the monitor wouldn’t charge. We replaced the wire piece a few times but I think that specific part of our monitor unit is faulty (and I know others have experienced this same problem online). I didn’t want to invest in another expensive baby monitor so I searched on Lazada and ordered this generic unbranded baby monitor to try out and so far it’s working great. It has all the same features and functions as any higher end baby monitor — clear camera, sound sensor, night camera, volume control, microphone, monitor off/sound on only, light alerts — except that the camera while adjustable cannot be remote controlled to scan the room. For me this isn’t a deal breaker because I have placed the camera right above my son’s crib and that’s all I really need to see. The price point is very reasonable as compared to other baby monitors and it works just as well. Price = 1500-1700 baht approximately. Note: Since this is a generic, non-branded product (from China I assume) be sure to check that the plugs are compatible for Bangkok. You can do this by swiping the product photos to check the one you’re ordering comes with the right plugs.
2. 5 months – now: Once my baby was able to roll over, I switched to this flat, thinner pad from the brand Mamas & Papas. I like it a lot because it’s super light, easy to clean and move around and the top section folds over so it’s easy to travel with too. Mamas & Papas is available at Emporium and has a nice selection of patterns and colours to choose from. Price = 1000 baht approximately.
3. For travel: I also invested in a few of these thinner changing mats from Absorba because they are very compact and effective for travel. The material is durable, absorbs excess pee and wipes easily if any poop gets on it. The mat size is pretty large and also reversible so both sides can be used. Basically while traveling, I’ll keep this mat folded and anytime a diaper change is needed I can quickly grab and unfold it with one hand and place it anywhere – floor, bed, sofa, table – and get things done very efficiently. These are available at Emporium or any other department store. Price = 600 baht
Swaddles
I ordered some Halo sleep sacks for my newborn from Amazon because they were highly rated but it turns the material it is made out of is not suitable for Bangkok — my son felt really hot and bothered whenever we put it on him. Instead, try these velcro swaddles from Colorland for babies from 0-3 months.
Look out for the brand at the Baby & Kids Best Buy Fair. Price = 1600 baht approximately.
Wipe cloths & small bowl / bucket
Wipe cloths small enough to wipe baby’s face and a small bowl/buckets are great and convenient for giving your baby a refreshing sponge bath every evening before bedtime. I liked to do an evening sponge for both relaxation and hygiene purposes — it is so hot and humid in Bangkok that my son sweats a lot.
For my son’s evening sponge bath, I lay him down on his changing pad, bring over the small bowl with warm water over and gently sponged him down with a soaked wipe cloth.
Bowls, buckets and wipe cloths of all kinds are easily available at Big C and Tesco Lotus.
Mahahing (Asafetida Tincture)
A thai herbal remedy to help with relief from gas and colic, Mahahing is every local family’s must-have at the diaper changing station. It’s available at most local drugstores in either a bottle or roll-on formula. The way I used it for my baby was to soak a few drops of mahahing onto a cotton pad and then after morning bath and evening sponge I dotted a little bit on my son’s foreheard, palms and soles of the feet and most importantly, do a few circles around his bellybutton. I did this until he was about 7-8 months old as he got more active and squirmy he didn’t have the patience for the mahaing song and dance. Price = 200 – 250 baht
Boiled Cool Water
Wiping an infant with cotton balls soaked in boiled water that has cooled down instead of baby wipes was something I learned from my baby’s confinement nanny. Basically in a small plastic box with a lid, I kept cotton balls that were soaked in boiled cool water and used only that to wipe baby clean for every diaper change. I did this until he was about 4-5 months old and I think it’s what really helped to keep diaper rash away.
To make hot boiled water easy and accessible at all times of the day, I fill up a water kettle / water boiler with water every morning and set it to boil and then leave it plugged in. I prefer the larger sized one so there’s plenty of boiled hot water available.
Vaseline / Diaper Rash Cream
I use Vaseline instead of diaper rash cream and it works really well on my son’s skin to keep is soft and moisturized. Available at all supermarkets and drugstores.
Price = 100 baht.
I only use diaper cream if there is any kind of major rash or redness. Recommended by my veteran mom friends, Bepanthen diaper cream is available at all local drugstores. Price = 160 baht approximately
An alternative that I also really like is the Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisturizing Cream, which I will use in place of diaper cream if I feel his skin is looking just a little dry or red but no rash has emerged. It is available at most department stores and the Baby & Kids Best Buy Fair. Price = 400-500 baht approximately.
Coconut Oil
I use virgin cold-pressed coconut oil to give baby a massage before bath and then afterwards to moisturize him too. Coconut oil absorbs really well into the skin and doesn’t stay sticky once is it rubbed in. It works wonders to keep my son’s skin super soft, nourished and supple all day. And I also like that it’s a natural product that is being used all over his body. Virgin cold-pressed coconut oil is available at all local supermarkets. Price = 300 – 400 baht.
Oil can be a bit tricky to use when traveling so in those instances I will switch to the Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion, which is also very moisturizing for the skin. It is available at most department stores and the Baby & Kids Best Buy Fair.
Price = 400 -500 baht approximately.
Bottle Sterilizer
The CAMERA Ion Dry-2 Steam Sterilizer ( C-9047ES) is amazing. It’s very spacious and dries and sterilizes bottles, pump parts and plastic/rubber toys really well. It’s available at Baby & Kids Best Buy Fair, online on Lazada and Shopee and in department stores. Price range is 4000 – 5000 baht depending on where you buy it. Please note: newer models are also available.
Nail Clippers
Cutting my son’s nails was one of the scariest things I ever had to do when he was an infant but I figured out a way to do it pretty easily. I sit on a couch with my breastfeeding pillow on my lap and let him fall asleep on it. Once he was in a deep sleep, it was really easy to cut his nails using the nail clipper from CAMERA. I particularly like this one because it it’s easy to handle and cuts nails effectively. Price = 90 baht.
Vicks for Baby
Baby Balsam by Vicks is a must-have for whenever you’re dealing with nasal congestion and/or colds. It’s available at all local drugstores. Price = 200 baht approx.
Baby Monitor
Before my son was born I ordered the Motorola (MBP36) baby monitor from the US given its great reviews online. It has great features and the camera is very clear and you can move it around to see different parts of the baby’s room but after about 6-8 months it started giving us some trouble. The head of the wire that connects to the monitor unit would bend out of shape and randomly stop working so the monitor wouldn’t charge. We replaced the wire piece a few times but I think that specific part of our monitor unit is faulty (and I know others have experienced this same problem online). I didn’t want to invest in another expensive baby monitor so I searched on Lazada and ordered this generic unbranded baby monitor to try out and so far it’s working great. It has all the same features and functions as any higher end baby monitor — clear camera, sound sensor, night camera, volume control, microphone, monitor off/sound on only, light alerts — except that the camera while adjustable cannot be remote controlled to scan the room. For me this isn’t a deal breaker because I have placed the camera right above my son’s crib and that’s all I really need to see. The price point is very reasonable as compared to other baby monitors and it works just as well. Price = 1500-1700 baht approximately. Note: Since this is a generic, non-branded product (from China I assume) be sure to check that the plugs are compatible for Bangkok. You can do this by swiping the product photos to check the one you’re ordering comes with the right plugs.
2. 5 months – now: Once my baby was able to roll over, I switched to this flat, thinner pad from the brand Mamas & Papas. I like it a lot because it’s super light, easy to clean and move around and the top section folds over so it’s easy to travel with too. Mamas & Papas is available at Emporium and has a nice selection of patterns and colours to choose from. Price = 1000 baht approximately.
3. For travel: I also invested in a few of these thinner changing mats from Absorba because they are very compact and effective for travel. The material is durable, absorbs excess pee and wipes easily if any poop gets on it. The mat size is pretty large and also reversible so both sides can be used. Basically while traveling, I’ll keep this mat folded and anytime a diaper change is needed I can quickly grab and unfold it with one hand and place it anywhere – floor, bed, sofa, table – and get things done very efficiently. These are available at Emporium or any other department store. Price = 600 baht
Look out for the brand at the Baby & Kids Best Buy Fair. Price = 1600 baht approximately.
Wipe cloths & small bowl / bucket
Wipe cloths small enough to wipe baby’s face and a small bowl/buckets are great and convenient for giving your baby a refreshing sponge bath every evening before bedtime. I liked to do an evening sponge for both relaxation and hygiene purposes — it is so hot and humid in Bangkok that my son sweats a lot.
For my son’s evening sponge bath, I lay him down on his changing pad, bring over the small bowl with warm water over and gently sponged him down with a soaked wipe cloth.
Bowls, buckets and wipe cloths of all kinds are easily available at Big C and Tesco Lotus.
Mahahing (Asafetida Tincture)
A thai herbal remedy to help with relief from gas and colic, Mahahing is every local family’s must-have at the diaper changing station. It’s available at most local drugstores in either a bottle or roll-on formula. The way I used it for my baby was to soak a few drops of mahahing onto a cotton pad and then after morning bath and evening sponge I dotted a little bit on my son’s foreheard, palms and soles of the feet and most importantly, do a few circles around his bellybutton. I did this until he was about 7-8 months old as he got more active and squirmy he didn’t have the patience for the mahaing song and dance. Price = 200 – 250 baht
Boiled Cool Water
Wiping an infant with cotton balls soaked in boiled water that has cooled down instead of baby wipes was something I learned from my baby’s confinement nanny. Basically in a small plastic box with a lid, I kept cotton balls that were soaked in boiled cool water and used only that to wipe baby clean for every diaper change. I did this until he was about 4-5 months old and I think it’s what really helped to keep diaper rash away.
To make hot boiled water easy and accessible at all times of the day, I fill up a water kettle / water boiler with water every morning and set it to boil and then leave it plugged in. I prefer the larger sized one so there’s plenty of boiled hot water available.
Vaseline / Diaper Rash Cream
I use Vaseline instead of diaper rash cream and it works really well on my son’s skin to keep is soft and moisturized. Available at all supermarkets and drugstores.
Price = 100 baht.
I only use diaper cream if there is any kind of major rash or redness. Recommended by my veteran mom friends, Bepanthen diaper cream is available at all local drugstores. Price = 160 baht approximately
An alternative that I also really like is the Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisturizing Cream, which I will use in place of diaper cream if I feel his skin is looking just a little dry or red but no rash has emerged. It is available at most department stores and the Baby & Kids Best Buy Fair. Price = 400-500 baht approximately.
Coconut Oil
I use virgin cold-pressed coconut oil to give baby a massage before bath and then afterwards to moisturize him too. Coconut oil absorbs really well into the skin and doesn’t stay sticky once is it rubbed in. It works wonders to keep my son’s skin super soft, nourished and supple all day. And I also like that it’s a natural product that is being used all over his body. Virgin cold-pressed coconut oil is available at all local supermarkets. Price = 300 – 400 baht.
Oil can be a bit tricky to use when traveling so in those instances I will switch to the Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion, which is also very moisturizing for the skin. It is available at most department stores and the Baby & Kids Best Buy Fair.
Price = 400 -500 baht approximately.
Bottle Sterilizer
The CAMERA Ion Dry-2 Steam Sterilizer ( C-9047ES) is amazing. It’s very spacious and dries and sterilizes bottles, pump parts and plastic/rubber toys really well. It’s available at Baby & Kids Best Buy Fair, online on Lazada and Shopee and in department stores. Price range is 4000 – 5000 baht depending on where you buy it. Please note: newer models are also available.
Nail Clippers
Cutting my son’s nails was one of the scariest things I ever had to do when he was an infant but I figured out a way to do it pretty easily. I sit on a couch with my breastfeeding pillow on my lap and let him fall asleep on it. Once he was in a deep sleep, it was really easy to cut his nails using the nail clipper from CAMERA. I particularly like this one because it it’s easy to handle and cuts nails effectively. Price = 90 baht.
Vicks for Baby
Baby Balsam by Vicks is a must-have for whenever you’re dealing with nasal congestion and/or colds. It’s available at all local drugstores. Price = 200 baht approx.
