Preparing for the arrival of a new baby is a very exciting time, whether this is your first child or your fifth! Chances are you'll be bombarded with choices for baby products, clothes and toiletries, and can be left wondering what exactly you really need to be prepared for when your little one is born.

As many mothers will attest, it is way too easy to buy more than you need, and if you're working to a tight budget you'll probably want to stick with the essentials rather than spend on niceties you may never get around to using.

Here then is a list of the most essential items you will need to be prepared for the arrival of a new baby, with a few suggestions for additional items you might want. I've also created a printable PDF version of this list as a handy reference guide.

We've long known the beneficial properties of music for babies. Lullabies or classical music have been used by parents the world over to soothe their babies and help them drift off to sleep, not to mention the benefits of bonding with your infant while singing your favourite songs!

Recent studies have also shown that music can be used as therapy for premature babies to help soothe them and increase the sucking reflex which helped them gain weight. Live music and the sound of a parent singing to the beat of a lullaby was proven to have the biggest impact.

But can music help babies become smarter?