What to buy for a baby in the Netherlands
24 things worth having before the birth, each with what it costs in the Netherlands new and second-hand. Buying everything new comes to roughly €2,513; buying used wherever used is sensible comes to roughly €1,478, about 41% less. 13 of the 24 are fine second-hand and 9 are worth buying new. Checked 20 September 2026.
- Things on the list
- 24
- Everything new
- about €2,513
- Used where sensible
- about €1,478 — 41% less
- Fine second-hand
- 13 of 24
- Last checked
- 20 September 2026
Nobody pays Paperbump for anything on this page. The links are ordinary searches, so you can see what a thing actually costs today. If that ever changes, this line changes with it.
The short version
Buy new: cot mattress, bottles and teats, baby car seat, nappies, thermometer, socket covers and cupboard catches, maternity and nursing bras, post-birth supplies for you, and maternity kit (kraampakket). Most of the rest is fine used, and that is where the €1,035 sits. Each thing below says which, and why.
Sleeping
- Cot — new €90–€300, used €30–€120
- Second-hand is fine
A solid cot frame outlasts several babies, so a used one costs a fraction of new and loses you nothing. The mattress is the part to buy new.
- All bars present and firm, nothing cracked or splintered.
- A new mattress should sit in it with no gap at the sides.
Look at bol.com · Marktplaats
- Cot mattress — new €30–€90
- Buy new
Buy this one new. A mattress that has been slept on holds moisture and loses its firmness, and firmness is exactly the part that matters for safe sleep.
- It must fit the cot with no gap at the edges.
- Firm, not soft: the baby should not sink into it.
- No zips, loose stitching or small parts that can be picked off.
Look at bol.com
- Next-to-bed crib or moses basket — new €60–€250, used €25–€90
- Second-hand is fine
In use for a few months at most before the baby outgrows it. That makes it one to buy used and spend the difference on something that lasts.
- Take the frame used, but put a new mattress in it.
- Check the fixings are all there before you agree a price.
Look at bol.com · Marktplaats
- Baby sleeping bags — new €25–€90, used €10–€35
- Second-hand is fine
Outgrown quickly and washed constantly. Check the zips and that the neck is not stretched.
Look at bol.com · Marktplaats
- Baby monitor — new €40–€150, used €20–€60
- Second-hand is fine
Nothing about a used monitor makes it less safe. Test the range and make sure the charger is included.
Look at bol.com · Marktplaats
Feeding
- Bottles and teats — new €25–€70
- Buy new
Bottles can be reused within a family, but teats perish and scratch, and scratches hold bacteria. Buy teats new whatever you do about bottles.
Look at bol.com
- Breast pump — new €30–€270, used €25–€90
- Either works
Hospital-grade pumps can be hired from a pharmacy for the early weeks, which is often cheaper than buying. If you take a used pump, only a closed-system one, and replace every part that touches milk.
Look at bol.com · Marktplaats
- Steriliser — new €25–€90, used €10–€35
- Second-hand is fine
A box that makes steam. Second-hand is fine; check the element is not furred up with limescale.
Look at bol.com · Marktplaats
- Muslins and bibs — new €15–€40, used €5–€15
- Second-hand is fine
You will want more than you think. Second-hand, and buy in bulk.
Look at bol.com · Marktplaats
- High chair — new €25–€200, used €10–€70
- Second-hand is fine
Not needed until solids start at around six months, so there is no rush. Check the harness is intact and that it still has all its fixings.
Look at bol.com · Marktplaats
Getting around
- Baby car seat — new €80–€400
- Buy new
The one thing to buy new: a used seat's history is something you would have to take on trust. Fit it in your car once before the birth rather than on the day — they are fiddly, and a hospital car park is the wrong place to learn.
- Only consider a used one if you know for certain it has never been in a crash — a seat that has been in one can look untouched and no longer protect.
- Look for the approval mark: ECE R44/04 or R129.
- Check the shell and the foam for cracks, and the straps for wear.
- Walk away if parts or the manual are missing.
Look at bol.com
- Pram or pushchair — new €250–€1,000, used €80–€400
- Second-hand is fine
The best second-hand buy there is: expensive new, outgrown fast, and something you can judge for yourself in ten minutes.
- Push it, fold it, and test the brakes before you hand over money.
- Check the wheels are not worn flat and the frame is not bent.
- Ask whether the rain cover and any adapters are included.
Look at bol.com · Marktplaats
- Sling or baby carrier — new €40–€160, used €20–€80
- Second-hand is fine
Fabric wears slowly and these hold their shape, so a used one is usually as good as new for a fraction of the price.
- Check the buckles and the stitching at the straps.
- Try it on before you commit: they fit bodies differently.
Look at bol.com · Marktplaats
Clothes
- First-size clothes (0 to 3 months) — new €60–€180, used €20–€60
- Second-hand is fine
Worn for a matter of weeks, usually outgrown before they wear out. This is where second-hand saves the most and costs you nothing in quality. Spread what you buy across sizes rather than filling a drawer with newborn size — babies arrive at their own dimensions and grow out of things faster than anyone expects.
Look at bol.com · Marktplaats
- Pramsuit or outdoor layer — new €25–€80, used €10–€30
- Second-hand is fine
Seasonal and quickly outgrown. Buy used, and buy for the season the baby will actually be that size in.
Look at bol.com · Marktplaats
Nappies and care
- Nappies — new €50–€140
- Buy new
Whether disposable or washable, start with a small amount: newborns change size fast and not every brand suits every baby. Washable nappies are worth a look second-hand, and strip-wash them before use.
Look at bol.com
- Baby bath or bath support — new €15–€60, used €5–€25
- Second-hand is fine
Plastic, wipeable, used for months not years. Second-hand without hesitation.
Look at bol.com · Marktplaats
- Changing mat — new €15–€50, used €5–€20
- Either works
Cheap new and easy to clean, so either works. If buying used, check the surface is not split — splits are impossible to clean properly.
Look at bol.com · Marktplaats
- Thermometer — new €10–€40
- Buy new
Buy new. An accurate reading is the whole point of owning one, and you cannot check the calibration of a used one.
Look at bol.com
Home safety
- Stair gates — new €25–€90, used €10–€40
- Second-hand is fine
Not needed until the baby is moving, at around six to nine months. Second-hand is fine as long as all the fittings are there and the catch is firm.
Look at bol.com · Marktplaats
- Socket covers and cupboard catches — new €5–€15
- Buy new
Cheap enough new that used is not worth the trouble. Again, not needed until the baby is mobile.
Look at bol.com
For you
- Maternity and nursing bras — new €35–€120
- Buy new
New, and fitted late in pregnancy rather than early, because your size will change again after the birth.
Look at bol.com
- Post-birth supplies for you — new €25–€60
- Buy new
Maternity pads, comfortable knickers, nipple cream. Unglamorous, all new, and worth having in the house before the birth rather than sending someone out for them afterwards.
Look at bol.com
- Maternity kit (kraampakket) — new €30–€50
- Buy new
The kit of medical bits used during and just after a home birth. Many insurers send you one free if you have extra cover, so check before buying.
Look at bol.com
Where these figures come from
Paperbump's own estimate of what each thing costs in the Netherlands, pitched at a well-reviewed mainstream version rather than the cheapest one on the shelf. These are not quotes and nobody pays to be on this list. Your own figure always wins.
Spread this across your own weeks — free, nothing leaves your device