UK baby kit glossary
By Hannah Cole · Published 13 August 2026 · Last updated 13 August 2026
What is this glossary for?
UK shops and UK search use different words from US sites. A babygrow is a sleepsuit. A onesie is often a vest. TOG is a bag, not a tog rating on a winter coat. This page is a jump list into the guides. It will not name competing publishers. Rank names in the baby name finder.
Babygrow
UK word for a footed all-in-one baby outfit. Brands often print sleepsuit on the label. Same garment.
Sleepsuit
The care-label name for a babygrow: poppers or a zip, legs and usually feet. Not the vest underneath.
Bodysuit / vest
Torso-only layer with poppers under the nappy. US listings sometimes call this a onesie. Buy fewer than sleepsuits.
TOG
Thermal rating on a sleeping bag. Match it to the room, not the season on the hang-tag. Check the chest, not the hands.
GOTS
Global Organic Textile Standard. Look for the logo and the grade. A green leaf a brand drew is not GOTS.
R129 / i-Size
Current UN regulation for child car seats sold new in the UK. Height-based. Stay rear-facing until over 15 months on i-Size.
ISOFIX
Rigid lower anchorages in the car. A seat can still be belt-fitted. ISOFIX-only seats often cannot go on an aircraft lap belt.
Moses basket
A portable first sleep space with a firm mattress. Optional if a cot already fits in your room. Not a second safety product.
Next-to-me / bedside crib
A crib that sits beside the adult bed with a drop side. Still a separate flat surface. Not bed-sharing.
Travel system
A car seat plus a chassis, sometimes with a carrycot. Useful if you drive and want the carrier to click on. Optional if you walk.
Lie-flat
A pushchair or carrycot that lets a newborn lie flat rather than sit slumped. Sit-up buggies wait.
Muslin
A thin cotton square for milk, wiping and shade. A useful gift. Not a cot quilt.
Cellular blanket
A holey cotton blanket. Lightweight layers beat a duvet in a cot. Still keep the sleep space clear.
Sure Start Maternity Grant
A one-off £500 on GOV.UK if you qualify in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. Scotland uses a different payment. Confirm on the official page.
Healthy Start
A UK scheme for specified foods and vitamins if you qualify. Not a pram fund. Scotland: Best Start Foods.
Child Benefit
A GOV.UK claim for a child you are responsible for. Still claim if you do not want the cash — National Insurance credits can matter.
Pram
UK shop word that usually means a lie-flat newborn setup or carrycot. Check the lie-flat, not the title. Sit-up can wait.
Pushchair / buggy
The sit-up seat. Newborns need lie-flat first. Compact versions are for boots and trains, not a first sleep space.
Swaddle
An optional wrap for startle weeks. Stop as soon as they show signs of rolling. Not a cot quilt. Weighted wraps skip.
White noise
Optional sound some families like. Not a safer-sleep device. Test a phone first. Keep it out of the cot.
OPSS
Office for Product Safety and Standards. The live UK recall list lives on GOV.UK. We will not reprint a stale SKU dump.
Funded hours
England childcare hours with rules. Not a free full-time place. GOV.UK owns eligibility. Hours pay care, not décor.
Rear-facing
Infant car-seat direction. On i-Size, stay rear-facing until over 15 months. Longer is allowed. Boredom is not a reason to turn.
Deed poll
A document that records a new name. It does not rewrite a birth certificate. Everyone with parental responsibility must agree for a child, or you need a court order.
Parental responsibility
Legal rights and duties for a child, including agreeing any change of name. Confirm who holds it on GOV.UK. A new partner’s goodwill is not enough.
Guardian (will)
The person you name in a will to look after children under 18. A godparent title is not a legal appointment. Ask them first.
High Income Child Benefit Charge
An HMRC clawback when a higher earner’s income sits over a published threshold. GOV.UK owns the charge. Registering can still protect National Insurance credits.
Tax-Free Childcare
A GOV.UK top-up on money you pay an approved provider. Separate from funded hours. Usually cannot run with Universal Credit childcare. Confirm on the official page.
Life insurance (after a baby)
A policy that can pay a lump sum if you die. Not first kit. Skip over-50s gimmicks sold as baby admin. We are not an insurer.
Junior ISA
Optional tax-free savings for a child. Not first kit. A legal car seat if you drive and a firm sleep space come first.
Where should you go next?
If you are still pregnant, open the buying timeline and the tick-list tool. If a word was about money, use Child Benefit, UK baby admin and then GOV.UK. Official sleep and car-seat pages stay free.