Must-Have Baby List

[Comtessa]

So, I'm working on a "must-have list" for baby's first year, because I have a lot of friends who are having babies and I think the amount of junk that *some* baby-stores-which-shall-remain-nameless recommend for new parents is absolutely absurd. So I want to give them a list of things that you really should have for a new baby -- minus all the extraneous crap.

So, here's my bare-bones list. I've left off a lot of things, obviously. Like, for example, "hooded baby towel." Sure, they're cute, but you can wrap a kid in any kind of towel and it will work exactly as well. That's my logic for most of these things-- so I've only included things that make a Really Big Difference for new parents & babies that I think you should really have.

Anyone want to add or subtract anything?

DIAPERING & SKIN CARE
- 24-30 pocket diapers OR prefolds
- 8-10 covers, if using prefolds
- 30-40 cloth wipes
- a little bottle of olive oil for nb meconium poops
- some kind of diaper cream
- a few cloths to lay between diaper cream and pocket diaper
- some kind of free & clear laundry detergent that's good for diapers
- a few waterproof pads to lay under baby during diaper changes

BATHTIME
- tear-free baby shampoo

BREASTFEEDING
- breast pump and a few bottles IF you're going back to work or IF you plan to leave the baby with a caregiver regularly before s/he is eating solids. Otherwise, don't bother with a pump, they're expensive. If you get one, buy it used - they're outrageously priced new and they last forever.
- a couple of pairs of washable cloth breast pads
- a few little Lansinoh sample packets (enough to get you through the first few rough days... time enough to buy some later if you really find yourself needing it for a while)
- a handful of rags or diapers or cloths to catch spit-up

FEEDING (6-12 months)
- a good blender for making baby food purees (unless you're using BLW)
- a few ice cube trays for freezing baby food made in batches (ditto)
- a sippie cup or two
- maybe a couple of little baby spoons, but you don't REALLY need those
- someplace for baby to sit and eat (we have a clip-on chair that attaches to our dining room table)
- something to protect the table from baby's food (like the Kiddopotamus toddler placemat)
- a couple of bibs, if you're worried about getting clothes messy

SLEEPING
- a handful of larger-sized flannel receiving blankets for swaddling
- a square of muslin for swaddling, if you have a summer baby
- a safe place to sleep (parents' bed, a cosleeper, a bassinet, a crib, a Moses basket, whatever works)
- if your house is too big to hear the baby (or if you like to go outside during naps), a good baby monitor.

ENTERTAINMENT/TOYS
- pots and pans, kitchen utensils, the family dog, older siblings or cousins, colorful bits of paper, etc.
- okay, a FEW good-quality toys and books are probably a good idea. But don't overdo it!!! This is a major danger zone for new parents!!! And for heaven's sake, check for used/hand-me-down stuff before buying anything new!

BABY-HOLDERS
- carseat, if you have a car and will be driving baby around (get a convertible carseat, they last a lot longer than the infant seats, and then you aren't tempted to haul the baby around in the giant knee-banging baby-bucket)
- somewhere safe to put a mobile baby when you have to do something moderately dangerous (like deep-fry something) and the baby can't be in your arms: a little jumperoo, an exersaucer, a bouncy seat, a Bumbo, a playpen, a swing, whatever. But you probably only need ONE of these (depending on your baby's age). Try garage sales/Craigslist first!
- some kind of carrier: a ring sling or structured carrier (i.e., Ergo or Beco) will last the longest. A stretchy wrap is great when they're tiny, but they grow out of them fast. A woven wrap is fabulous as they get older, if you can master the learning curve.
- a stroller? Maybe? I don't know, we didn't really use one at all unless it was way too hot for babywearing. Mostly we didn't feel the need for one until DD was over 12 months and wanted the independence of sitting in the stroller.

HEALTH and SAFETY
- a babyproofing gagdet or two wouldn't go amiss, depending on your house, especially outlet covers, baby gates, and cabinet locks. Some people think the babyproofing toilet-lock is way too much effort and expense, but ours has saved our cell phones/watches/etc. from destruction WAY too many times to count. And it's easy to use. Worth it, IMO!
- a booger-sucking ball for baby colds
- a good digital thermometer (an old-fashioned rectal thermometer is the most reliable AND cheapest)
- baby nail clippers
- some medicines are helpful along the way, with any luck you won't need them anytime soon, but it's nice to have infant Tylenol, homeopathic teething drops, and saline drops. Some people swear by gripe water and gas drops; we've never needed them.

ETA: CLOTHES (duh)
Winter:
a bunch of footie sleepers &/or sleep sacks
several pairs of socks
maybe a pair of booties to hold the socks on
bunting
hats
Summer:
onesies or t-shirts
a few pairs of cotton pants
sun hat (& baby sunblock too)
Don't buy new clothes unless you absolutely must. Secondhand kids' clothes are nearly always lightly-used, especially tiny baby clothes. Borrow whatever you can, too!


Okay, everyone. That's all I can think of. What am I missing? Anything? Fill in the blanks! Thank you!!!

[AFWife]

Maybe a place for baby to sit in the bath...a small tub or chair or something. It was a few months before DS could sit in the tub with me or DH properly.

[Addie]

Under breastfeeding, I'd add a good breastfeeding book - I've heard the LLL one is good, and Ina May Gaskin has one too - as well as the phone number for a local lactation consultant (preferably an IBCLC). Both were things I absolutley needed.

[AFWife]

Originally Posted by Addie

Under breastfeeding, I'd add a good breastfeeding book - I've heard the LLL one is good, and Ina May Gaskin has one too - as well as the phone number for a local lactation consultant (preferably an IBCLC). Both were things I absolutley needed.

Ohh add The Dr. Sears Baby Book! It's much better than What to Expect.

[DisplacedYooper]

While a baby bucket seat isn't absolutely needed, I sure wouldn't have been happy plunking my January-born baby in an icy convertible in the middle of a Maine winter - he hated the car seat enough as it was!

OTOH, we have literally never used our stroller. My mom has pushed DH in it only a handful of times. Waste of money for us, but probably a godsend for folks with more than one, or a bad back, or grandparents who are around a lot more.

I also noticed you didn't include any clothes... you don't need a lot of clothes, but you do need some (at least in a 4 seasons climate).

[Knitting Mama]

Books: "Your Pregnancy Week by Week" for pregnancy, and my must-haves afterward is "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and "Unconditional Parenting."

Blankets: Blankets for swaddling are great, but I think I'd be useless without my SwaddleMe's! They are just so easy and convenient for swaddling, and when you're still not sure you know what you're doing, the Velcro is fabulous to have!

Holders: Slings are great, but not if you have a bad back like I do. I used a cotton gauze wrap from Wombfruits Wraps for the first 3 months, and then we bought a soft structured carrier called the Pikkolo, because my dear sweet Cecilia pitches an unholy fit if she's inward facing, and the Pikkolo has a forward facing option that still holds the baby correctly in a sitting position (no crotch dangle like the Bjorn).

Also, our swing is priceless for us. It is the only place Cecilia will nap that is not on me. I love her napping on me, and she still does it at least once a day and sleeps in my arms at night, but having a nap or two in the swing is so wonderful for getting stuff done. However, she didn't like the swing until about 2.5 months.

ETA: We never use a stroller either. And our carseat is a bucket, but I treat it like a convertible, because I hate lugging that stupid heavy thing along. My husband occasionally carries it, but mostly I just wear Cecilia.

[is it puppies?]

I second the swing- I got one from my co-workers who only had to put in about (less than) $5 each for my work shower to get it. It is a great place to stash DD when I need to grab laundry or get the door or something and she will sometimes have extended naps in it or stay happy long enough for me to have a mini-soak in the tub -when she was very NB she could probably have slept in it for hours but now at 9 weeks it's the only place besides on me/DH that she will have any nap longer than 5 minutes. We actually upgraded the swing when the first one conked out (warranty) and bought an extended warranty and even though I expect it will probably die again it's SO worth it...

I also find at this point (even though they are probably an expensive waste of money) she loves her play mat with dangly things on it. She can spend 45 minutes batting at things on it (with some visits from us)which is longer than she'll currently nap in her swing. I guess if somebody is really frugal they can make something similar or buy it used. A friend with a 4 month old says her daughter also loves the mat a lot and will easily still spend 30+ minutes with it and minimal interaction.

So some of the junk isn't just junk... even though I thought it was all gimmiky

oh ya, I agree that far more nursing pads are needed I use a couple pairs a day.

[elus0814]

my opinions-

diapers:
-8 to 10 covers is way over, we had 5 and it was just fine with a newborn; covers wash and dry really fast and are expensive compared to prefolds
-waterproof pads aren't really needed, just put a blanket or larger prefold down
-many 'free and clear' detergents are not very good to use with cloth diapers, a cloth diaper safe natural detergent is a better choice if you are able to get it (it will usually need to be purchased online, allen's naturally, biokleen, and bios are all ones that have worked for us)
-as for olive oil and diaper cream plus cloths to protect the diaper, we've never used olive oil (even on day one) and never had a problem, we did have cloth diaper safe rash cream on hand but have never needed it until the baby started solids (it can be used on any cloth diaper without a liner, remember: you will have to really scrub a liner)
-I've always kept a pack of disposables on hand, it's nice to be able to grab one quickly (especially if you are using prefolds and pins), we've used nature babycare

breastfeeding:
-be very careful of used pumps, keep contamination in mind. breastmilk is a bodily fluid and can carry diseases, the new prices aren't that bad and they don't last forever, I used a manual pump when one of my kids was in the nicu and had no problem with it, it was only $40 or so brand new for an isis one
-you will likely want more than a couple pairs of cloth nursing pads or be sure to have some disposable ones as backup ready. I have at least a dozen pairs of cloth ones and still need the disposable ones when I run out.

feeding:
-a good blender is really nice (we have a vitamix) but with my first two kids I just mashed up their food by hand then put it through a sieve and it worked just fine, the food can be frozen in ice cube trays but little 4oz. glass jelly jars work much better, can be frozen, and avoid all the plastic
-a special place for the baby to sit and eat is not totally needed (we didn't have one with our first two kids) but baby spoons really are, it's difficult to feed a baby off an adult sized spoon
-something to protect the table from the baby's food is again not needed at all, we had one of those mats and almost never used it, just serve food on a plate or out of a bowl
-more than just a couple bibs would be really helpful, we must have 20 and even those get used before the laundry is done

sleeping:
-don't worry about having lots of receiving blankets on hand, some kids like to be swaddled and some don't; it's easy to buy a few more if they are needed
-a baby monitor is nice but we've done without one in a large house, we just kept the baby near (our newborns have never wanted to sleep by themselves in a far flung room anyway)

toys:
-bits of paper aren't really safe for infants
-very few toys are needed but a handful of quality wooden rattles or a few small stuffed toys are nice, our stacking rings saw lots of use as well

baby holders:
-every baby should have a car seat no matter if the family plans on driving much or not. if you're having a homebirth your midwife may be required to report that you do not own a car seat and a hospital will generally not allow you to leave without one, even if you plan on walking home
-convertable car seats are great but a carrier is really nice to have for a newborn, we've tried putting a newborn in a britax convertable and the seat just seemed way to big for them before 15lbs. or so, it's also wonderful to be able to carry a sleeping baby in somewhere without waking them, especially if you have more than two or three kids to keep track of like me
-a jumper, saucer, swing, or something similar is nice but not really needed, we never had one, it's just another big piece of plastic taking up space; simply put the baby in your bed, their bed, the floor, or wait until someone is home to hold them before you start deep frying anything
-stretchy wraps are great, are fairly inexpensive, and (imo) are totally worth it even though they are only used for a few months (4-5 for me); after that another carrier is nice; I've always liked having a stroller right from the beginning, if for nothing else than to hold things while shopping so I don't feel so weighed down by a baby, a purse, a diaper bag, and shopping bags

safety:
-if you have a hospital birth they will almost certainly send you home with a bulb syringe, don't worry about buying one unless you want an extra
-we've never had a toilet lock and have never had anything other than too much toilet paper put in the toilet, no child latch will replace proper supervision and a closed bathroom door
-nail clippers can be tricky with tiny fingers, we've always liked nail scissors much better

I would add to the list:
-clothing and hats
-a book on breastfeeding (but skip the 'parenting' books, they'll just make you second guess your instincts)
-some sort of lotion that can be put on a newborn, our babies have always ended up with chapped cheeks in the winter months
-a soft hairbrush or comb to keep cradle cap away
-a dishpan for baths if you don't wish to bathe with the baby (we always did right from the start), baby tubs and seats are bulky (we tossed ours pretty soon after being given them because they took up so much room)

This 'barebones' list is way beyond barebones, my minimum list would be:
-basic clothes for baby and a hat
-a carseat
-a few blankets
-a few dozen cloth diapers plus a few covers and/or a couple packs of disposables
-a nursing bra
-a bulb syringe, a hairbrush, and a bottle of tylenol

Everything else can wait until later. The store will always be there and will always be happy to sell you whatever you need.

[Knitting Mama]

My hospital didn't send us home with any baby supplies, just FYI, so I would check into that and shop accordingly.

As for diaper detergent, I make my own and it's REALLY cheap. I use equal parts bar castile soap (Kirk's; you can also use Fels-Naptha but my husband didn't like the scent) that has been grated, laundry soda and Borax. I only need a tablespoon at a time and so it lasts forever.

Oh and Cecilia only bathes with me either in the tub or shower. She hated that little baby tub from the start, so for us it's useless.

[ErinYay]

Holy cow! If I had seen that "barebones" list when I was pregnant, I would have thrown myself off a bridge!

You don't need anything the first month except:

a place for the baby to sleep
something for him/her to wear
something for her/him to eat

and a carseat

But then again, I think tooooo many first-timers, myself included, buy stuff waaaaay before you have to. Even barebones lists like the ones in this thread are soooo overwhelming. Here's new-mom-to-be, trying to figure out which diapers to use, how much leave she can get from work, wondering what that twinge in her side is, and now we want her to pick out the best blender for pureeing veggies!

(Overall, awesome lists everyone!)

[texmati]

Originally Posted by ErinYay

Holy cow! If I had seen that "barebones" list when I was pregnant, I would have thrown myself off a bridge!

You don't need anything the first month except:

a place for the baby to sleep
something for him/her to wear
something for her/him to eat

and a carseat

But then again, I think tooooo many first-timers, myself included, buy stuff waaaaay before you have to. Even barebones lists like the ones in this thread are soooo overwhelming. Here's new-mom-to-be, trying to figure out which diapers to use, how much leave she can get from work, wondering what that twinge in her side is, and now we want her to pick out the best blender for pureeing veggies!

(Overall, awesome lists everyone!)

yup! for us it was prefolds and flats, receiving blanket, and a few clothes. In the first few weeks, I stayed with my mom. DH brought all of the necessary baby stuff in a laundry basket. I was awful at baby shopping.

[MommaLura]

It sure seems like there were a lot of opinions in these list, which could be tough on a mom-to-be. I don't like pocket diapers, but some do, same is true of prefolds. I'm assuming you already know they want to cloth diaper, so I would just say cloth diapers. I think infant seats are important as well and a convertible for later. I carried my first all the time in a sling or wrap, but there were a few times it was nice for my dad or dh to carry the sleeping baby into somewhere rather than waking the sleeping baby. (again, an opinion).

its tough to shop as a new mom because you never know what you will use or need (swings, bouncy seats, ect.) and learn for the second, but then the needs change again.

[Tway]

Originally Posted by ErinYay

But then again, I think tooooo many first-timers, myself included, buy stuff waaaaay before you have to.

I totally agree! I just bought a new stroller for DD, who's 10 months, because the one I got for my shower (which I'd requested) SUCKED! It's only after I pushed DD around in the thing for a few months that I realized exactly what I needed--and invested in it.

And under CLOTHES:
- One of those sleeping-bag things. DD was born in October, and I was scared of using blankets with her, so the weird little sleeper-thing someone bought me turned out to be perfect!

I'd also add a subscription to Mothering for any like-minded moms-to-be. Because I felt like a freak when my instincts told me to do crazy things like hold DD all day, feed her when she cried, have her nap on me, sleep her on my chest for weeks, bring her into bed, and generally ensure she was never sitting alone and staring at a wall. I should have found this site MONTHS ago!

[laughingfox]

Here's what I would remove, just based on my experience:
- some kind of diaper cream (I find olive oil usually does the trick)
- a few cloths to lay between diaper cream and pocket diaper
- a few waterproof pads to lay under baby during diaper changes
- tear-free baby shampoo (baby hair doesn't need anything special, or maybe that's just because my babies have so little of it)
- Lansinoh. Yuck. Sheep are coated with so many harmful compounds, and lanolin is full of them.
- a good blender for making baby food purees (we do BLW)
- a few ice cube trays for freezing baby food made in batches
- someplace for baby to sit and eat (I prefer my lap)
- something to protect the table from baby's food (I find it easier to just wipe off the table)
- a handful of larger-sized flannel receiving blankets for swaddling
- a square of muslin for swaddling, if you have a summer baby (I never did swaddle)
- baby nail clippers (I use nail scissors and/or my teeth instead)
- some medicines (I choose not to keep these on hand so I won't accidentally hold onto something that may have been recalled or use something I don't need just because it's there. I will buy as needed.)

Here's what I'd add:
- cloth wipes (squares of flannel or baby washcloths)
- a larger bottle of olive oil (Dr. Bronners + Olive Oil + water = excellent wipe solution)
- a tupperware-like container for wipes
- Klean Kanteen(s) in the 12 oz size with "sippy" adapters. These fit Avent sippy spouts and Avent bottle nipples (they also fit MAM and probably some other brands, too). They can be used for baby bottles, sippy cups, and big-kid water bottles, or even as water bottles for mom, just by changing the lids. I love love love them.
- Motherlove nipple cream (can double as skin cream or diaper ointment if you wind up not needing it for your nips)
- jogging stroller (I very much prefer to babywear, and never use a stroller for errands or walks, but it's just not practical to wear the baby when I am jogging.)

[Comtessa]

New And Improved List...

Thanks, everyone, for your input and suggestions! I took most of your advice and worked it into a New And Improved "must-have" baby list. I also separated it by ages for it to look less overwhelming.

How does it look? Please advise once more! Thanks!!!


Birth-1 month

DIAPERING & SKIN CARE
- 24-30 pocket diapers OR prefolds
- 5-8 covers, if using prefolds
- 30-40 cloth wipes and a container to keep them in
- a little bottle of olive oil for nb meconium poops or diaper rash (mix with a bit of baby soap and water for an easy wipe solution)
- a cloth-diaper-safe diaper cream
- a good cloth diaper laundry detergent
- something to lay under baby during diaper changes (a blanket or prefold will do)

BATHTIME
- tear-free baby shampoo

BREASTFEEDING
- breast pump and a few bottles and containers to freeze milk in IF you're going back to work or IF you plan to leave the baby with a caregiver regularly before s/he is eating solids. Otherwise, don't bother with a pump, they're expensive. If you get one, buy it used and sterilize the parts - they're outrageously priced new and they last a long time with gentle use (mine is on baby #5 at least)
- a few pairs of washable cloth breast pads (and a box of disposables as a backup - you won't know how many you'll need, but it's good to have them ahead of time)
- Motherlove nipple cream (can double as diaper cream) - better than Lansinoh
- a handful of rags or diapers or cloths to catch spit-up
- a phone number for a good lactation consultant

SLEEPING
- a handful of larger-sized flannel receiving blankets for swaddling (don't overdo it, though, everyone gets too many receiving blankets)
- a square of muslin for swaddling, if you have a summer baby who likes to be swaddled
- a safe place to sleep (parents' bed, a cosleeper, a bassinet, a crib, a Moses basket, whatever works). For the first few months, the baby should sleep in the same room as her/his parents for safety, so plan accordingly.
- if your house is too big to hear the baby (or if you like to go outside during naps), a good baby monitor.

CLOTHES:
Winter:
a bunch of footie sleepers
sleep sacks
several pairs of socks
maybe a pair of booties to hold the socks on
bunting
hats
Summer:
onesies or t-shirts
a few pairs of cotton pants
sun hat (& baby sunblock too)
Don't buy new clothes unless you absolutely must. Secondhand kids' clothes are nearly always lightly-used, especially tiny baby clothes. Borrow whatever you can, too!

BABY-HOLDERS
- Carseat. Convertible carseats last a lot longer than the infant seats, and then you aren't tempted to haul the baby around in the giant knee-banging baby-bucket. But some people prefer using the little infant seats for the first 6 months or so, then moving to a convertible carseat. It depends on your baby's preference, and yours.)
- Some kind of carrier: a ring sling or structured carrier (i.e., Ergo or Pikkolo) will last the longest. A woven wrap is fabulous, if you can master the learning curve. A stretchy wrap is ideal for a small baby - a Moby wrap or Sleepy wrap - and if you're anything like me, you'll use it All. The. Time. I recommend one of each!
- a stroller? Maybe? I don't know, we didn't really use one at all unless it was way too hot for babywearing, or if we had a LOT of stuff to carry (i.e., if we were walking to the grocery store or something), and then we would usually wear the baby and pile the stuff in the stroller. Mostly we didn't feel the need for one until DD was over 12 months and wanted the independence of sitting in the stroller. A jog stroller is a must if you're going to be jogging, though.
- lots of people swear by their baby swings. This is an OPTIONAL, not exactly a bare-bones item, but for us, a baby swing was a marvelous thing to have for the first 6 months. DD loved it from day 1.

HEALTH & SKIN CARE
- a booger-sucking ball for baby colds (you might get one of these at the hospital if you birth there)
- a good digital thermometer (an old-fashioned rectal thermometer is the most reliable AND cheapest)
- baby nail clippers or nail scissors
- a little baby comb or hairbrush is good for dealing with cradle cap (we got one of these at the hospital too)
- a bottle of infant Tylenol and a dosage chart based on your baby's weight. Any other kind of medicine, you can get as needed, but I think it's nice to have some Tylenol on hand just in case.

1-6 months:

ENTERTAINMENT/TOYS
- pots and pans, kitchen utensils, the family dog, older siblings or cousins, etc. Anything can be a toy!
- one of those mats for a baby to lay on with toys that dangle over her/his face can buy you a lot of happy-baby time. Get a used one and wash it well.
- a FEW good-quality toys and books are probably a good idea. But don't overdo it!!! This is a major danger zone for new parents!!! (And for heaven's sake, check for used/hand-me-down stuff before buying anything new!)

6-12 months:

FEEDING:
- a good blender for making baby food purees (unless you're doing baby-led weaning)
- a sippie cup or two
- a few baby spoons
- several bibs, if you're worried about getting clothes messy
- OPTIONAL: a high chair, clip-on chair or other place for baby to sit & eat

SAFETY:
- baby-proofing gadgets for when baby starts to crawl: outlet covers, cabinet locks, baby gates, depending on your house. Our toilet lock has been a marvelous help with a toilet-obsessed toddler, but we didn't need that until after 12 months.
- OPTIONAL: somewhere safe to put a mobile baby when you have to do something moderately dangerous (like deep-fry something) and the baby can't be in your arms: a little jumperoo, an exersaucer, a playpen, whatever. But they take up a monstrous amount of space, so keep that in mind. Always try garage sales/Craigslist first! We just used the crib as a safe-containment area when we needed one, but if you don't have a crib, you should have somewhere safe to leave the baby for a few minutes if necessary.

SLEEPING:
- If you aren't cosleeping, once the baby outgrows the bassinet/cosleeper/whatever, you should have a plan for a safe sleeping space as the baby becomes more mobile.


and

RECOMMENDED BOOKS:
Pregnancy: Your Pregnancy Week by Week (but AVOID What to Expect)
Parenting: The Baby Bookby Dr. Sears, The Happiest Baby on the Block and Unconditional Parenting
(but AVOID Dr. Spock!)
Breastfeeding: The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
In general: a subscription to Mothering magazine


Anything else missing???

[octobermom]

My personal list... I live in SOuthern AZ so much of my list reflects this)


NB stage
clothing/diapers
30 cloth diapers of choice of using ones requiring covers I'd suggest 6-8 For NB I personally like preemie prefolds and bummi orginal or super brite covers
6-8 light weight cotton sleepers
10 romper type outfits
3 cotton swaddling blankets

Breastfeeding
good nursing pillow
water bottle for you to keep hydrated
gripe water in cause baby needs a little help with gas
1 light weight nursing cover for when you feel the need to have one
nursing pads


Bathtime
head to toe wash in prefered brand
(we use sink or I held when I took shower at first)
3-6 flannel swaddling blankets we used these to cradle baby and keep her from screaming and sure in those early baths

gear
1 carseat that fits your childs needs I give birth to tiny ones and needed one with a very low bottom slot.
safe place to lay baby down I'll put in a HUGe plug for the fisher price Newborn rocker http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-N.../dp/B002M77N22
a swing soo far this has turning into a keep mommy sane item with both my babies at some time and I'll now label it as needed gear
good sling or wrap I prefer ring slings for there breastfeeding ease
stroller in our heat I find it often too hot to always have baby stapped to me..

safety
nail clipper those little nails get SHARP!!
nose sucker thing
digital thermometer

adding at some point past 3-4 months...
18-24 Onesize diapers of choice

a baby bath tub around 4 months or so my LO discovered kicking and splashing and bathtme became the greatest a tub that put her at the right height angle and gave my arms the ability to handle her better was great.

2-3 light weight cotton quilts" to give baby a safe clean place to kick and explore on the floor

teething necklace (if anything its awfully cute )

1-3 special toys keep them simple we have a sophie some "keys"and a soft "stakable" toy from HABA ohh and we do have an activity mat that she loves


Deanna

[akind1]

I think for the most part list is great, I didn't see nursing bra on the revised list, though another mom mentioned it. I know some moms can nurse in their regular bras, I am not one of them though!

A stroller is good to have, even if you normally babywear. (makes a great place for purse and shopping bags) though I will say a travel system is not a must have. I have a Maclaren which is basically a glorified umbrella stroller, and we love it! I also loved both my moby wrap and our Ergo.

LOVE sleep sacs for both winter and summer babies, you can find light weight ones for summer.

It is easier for me to list the stuff I found a must-not or at least not a must have
baby bathtub - though we did use this mesh sling seat thing, folds up small and works well in the tub and when I brought DS in the shower with me when he wasn't sitting up on his own well.
swing - takes up too much space
crib
crib bedding set - even if you have a crib, all you really need are crib sheets. the bumper eventually you remove anyway, or never use. the quilt is purely decorative, as is the diaper stacker.

I think the shorter you can make your list, the better!

[St. Margaret]

I think the key is to point out that so much stuff, you don't need it right away. I liked getting things as I needed them-- like a stroller I got at 2yos, by then I didn't mind it only faced out, whereas before that would have been a deal breaker, and that way I got a great used BOB, sooo easy and smooth.

I would say an amber teething necklace was a must-have, but not until 6mo.

It's true that so much stuff is not really necessary-- and some parents will figure that out and do CLW (we never did a blender or little ice cube trays or what have you) and DD didn't eat solids much at all until 1yo...

anyway, I do like the idea of letting parents know it's OKAY to hold off and simplify-- because as kids get older and bigger they CONSUME space and you'll want all you can get then

[JudiAU]

DIAPERING & SKIN CARE
- 24-30 pocket diapers OR prefolds
- 8-10 covers, if using prefolds
- 30-40 cloth wipes
- a little bottle of olive oil for nb meconium poops – I have no idea what this is for?
- some kind of diaper cream – not necessary if you don’t have a rash – certainly don’t buy in advance
- a few cloths to lay between diaper cream and pocket diaper
- some kind of free & clear laundry detergent that's good for diapers
- a few waterproof pads to lay under baby during diaper changes

BATHTIME
- natural baby shampoo – unscented – such as California Baby (most “tear free” has the nasties)

BREASTFEEDING
- breast pump and a few bottles IF you're going back to work or IF you plan to leave the baby with a caregiver regularly before s/he is eating solids. Otherwise, don't bother with a pump, they're expensive. If you get one, buy it used - they're outrageously priced new and they last forever. –( breast pumps are designed for a single child with heavy use, some last multiple children but you should have the pressure checked, if you need to pump get the best model possible, it makes a difference)
- a couple of pairs of washable cloth breast pads
- a few little Lansinoh sample packets (enough to get you through the first few rough days... time enough to buy some later if you really find yourself needing it for a while)
- a handful of rags or diapers or cloths to catch spit-up

FEEDING (7-12 months)
- a good blender for making baby food purees (unless you're using BLW) (stick blender much much easier)
- a few ice cube trays for freezing baby food made in batches (ditto)
- a sippie cup or two
- maybe a couple of little baby spoons, but you don't REALLY need those
- someplace for baby to sit and eat (we have a clip-on chair that attaches to our dining room table)
- something to protect the table from baby's food (like the Kiddopotamus toddler placemat- these are genius)
- a couple of bibs, if you're worried about getting clothes messy (12 pack of cheap cotton from somewhere like target)

SLEEPING
- a handful of larger-sized flannel receiving blankets for swaddling- (miracle blanket is genius, so are the Velcro ones)
- a square of muslin for swaddling, if you have a summer baby
- a safe place to sleep (parents' bed, a cosleeper, a bassinet, a crib, a Moses basket, whatever works)
- if your house is too big to hear the baby (or if you like to go outside during naps), a good baby monitor.

ENTERTAINMENT/TOYS
- pots and pans, kitchen utensils, the family dog, older siblings or cousins, colorful bits of paper, etc.
- okay, a FEW good-quality toys and books are probably a good idea. But don't overdo it!!! This is a major danger zone for new parents!!! And for heaven's sake, check for used/hand-me-down stuff before buying anything new!

BABY-HOLDERS
- carseat, if you have a car and will be driving baby around (get a convertible carseat, they last a lot longer than the infant seats, and then you aren't tempted to haul the baby around in the giant knee-banging baby-bucket)
- somewhere safe to put a mobile baby when you have to do something moderately dangerous (like deep-fry something) and the baby can't be in your arms: a little jumperoo, an exersaucer, a bouncy seat, a Bumbo, a playpen, a swing, whatever. But you probably only need ONE of these (depending on your baby's age). Try garage sales/Craigslist first! (babies like different things and you DON’T KNOW WHICH also different things work at different ages, bouncy seats + jumperoo are different stages of life)
- some kind of carrier: a ring sling or structured carrier (i.e., Ergo or Beco) will last the longest. A stretchy wrap is great when they're tiny, but they grow out of them fast. A woven wrap is fabulous as they get older, if you can master the learning curve.
- a stroller? Maybe? I don't know, we didn't really use one at all unless it was way too hot for babywearing. Mostly we didn't feel the need for one until DD was over 12 months and wanted the independence of sitting in the stroller.

HEALTH and SAFETY
- a babyproofing gagdet or two wouldn't go amiss, depending on your house, especially outlet covers, baby gates, and cabinet locks. Some people think the babyproofing toilet-lock is way too much effort and expense, but ours has saved our cell phones/watches/etc. from destruction WAY too many times to count. And it's easy to use. Worth it, IMO!
- a booger-sucking ball for baby colds (nosefrida is genius)
- a good digital thermometer (an old-fashioned rectal thermometer is the most reliable AND cheapest)
- baby nail clippers (buy good quality clippers- worth it)
- some medicines are helpful along the way, with any luck you won't need them anytime soon, but it's nice to have infant Tylenol, homeopathic teething drops, and saline drops. Some people swear by gripe water and gas drops; we've never needed them.

ETA: CLOTHES (duh)
Winter:
a bunch of footie sleepers &/or sleep sacks
several pairs of socks
maybe a pair of booties to hold the socks on
bunting
hats
Summer:
onesies or t-shirts
a few pairs of cotton pants
sun hat (& baby sunblock too)
Don't buy new clothes unless you absolutely must. Secondhand kids' clothes are nearly always lightly-used, especially tiny baby clothes. Borrow whatever you can, too!

[rhiOrion]

Everyone always talks about how first time moms buy way too much stuff. But I think I've used almost everything I've bought/borrowed. The only things I haven't used are: infant bath tub (but I did use the sponge part of the set, and I could see using the bath tub once she can sit up, so that might end up being used, too), one of our playmats (we got one as a shower gift and one is borrowed- we only needed one), and that's about it. Oh yeah, and I never used the snuggle nest thing. But that was because L won't stand to be off of me at night, not because I didn't WANT to use it.

Yeah, there is stuff I could live without, for sure, and I'm not sure I would *buy* all of these items (I borrowed most)- but I do use most of this stuff!