List of Baby Items

kalyrra

All right ladies! Time to make a list of things to get ready for that baby! If you already have kids, let us know what things you just couldn't live without and what didn't really get used!

Necessary: a car seat to bring baby home in. You'd be surprised at how many couples forget about this until the week of delivery! lol

Household: make sure you have smoke alarms with fresh batteries! C02 alarms are nice, too.



For the first month or so, all I used for my son was basically:

- diapers and wipes
- burp cloths and receiving blankets
- clothing
- bassinet (he slept in my room for the first few months, as I was nursing him)
- bottles (when I wasn't available to nurse)
- blanket and sheets (extras in case of diaper explosions/leaks)
- infant bath tub, towels and washcloths, infant soap, etc...
- vitamin d drops
- gas drops (Like Lil' Tummies)
- petroleum jelly/gauze (for his circumcision)
- diaper bag
- rock 'n' play (life saver! My son would not sleep flat on his back, so this worked great for naps and when I needed to set him down to use the bathroom, etc...)
- baby carrier
- Boppy pillow (LOVE this!)

After the first few months, other stuff started getting used... but that was mostly my newborn staples.


- toys
- pacifier (not recommended in the first few weeks if breastfeeding. my son never took one anyway)
- bouncy seat (major life saver again!)
- stroller (could probably use right away with summer babies... I had a winter one... lol)
- baby sun screen and hat
- teething toys / items
- diaper rash cream
- saline nasal drops and nasal aspirator for colds
- white noise machine or a fan
(I LOVED the white noise machine we had for our son. When we had to go places, and put him down for a nap somewhere, it was a major help. He was a light sleeper, so anything to help drown out the noise!)


Okay, I'm going to stop there and let the rest of you add to this list!

tiggerhammon

Never heard of Vitamin D drops. I have the rest of it.

Just to add:
For Mom:
Nursing Bras
Milk Freezer Bags
Extra Long Maxi Pads
Nipple Shields/Nursing Shells
Nipple Cream
BreastPump
Bottle Warmer (Not neccesary if only adults will be warming the bottles but it is oh so nice if you have young child helping you. So easy for them and you don't have to worry about them getting it right.)

For Baby: (some needed right away, some not for several months, some not neccesary at all - just convenient)
Bibs (not only for feeding, good for protecting clothing from breast milk and drool)
Socks
Beanies
Mittens and Booties
Wipes Holder
Changing Pad
Soft Baby Wash Cloths
Baby Toothbrush
Bath Toys
HighChair
Baby Spoons
Baby Food Maker (Puree Machine)
Pacifiers
Safety Swabs
Baby Brush
Humidifier/Vaporizer
Baby Tylenol
Baby Safe Insect Repellent
Saline Nasal Spray
Gripe Water
Electrolyte Solution
Rattle
Lullaby/Baby Songs CD
Baby Books
Bouncer
Playmat with Overhead Toys
Soft ball and other soft toys
Mobile for Bassinet
Outlet Covers and other baby safety equipment
Baby Sling
Baby Monitor
Baby Hangers (Do not forget these. Surprisingly, baby clothes don't fit on our hangers.)

Eta: oh, and if you dont have a digital camera - you are going to want one!

lisapr123

We LOVE the JJCole Bundle Me products. We have 4 (3 are hand-me-downs). 2 "winter style" and 2 "lite". If it's above freezing, we're outside. We have them in her car seat and in her stroller--we just switch them out based on the weather. Also a rain cover for her stroller--again, we're always outside, rain or shine! Good nail clippers are a must too! And the bibs with the plastic liner on the inside, the ones that are just fabric are a joke!

usernameMAMA

I love my rear facing car seat mirror and my car seat bumper.

futurestarz

This is such a nice thread for us first time moms. I'm going to register for the shower within the next few weeks, and I'm clueless as to what I'll need. So thank you!

tiggerhammon

Really want to add - BELLY BAND!
I have seen this conversation circling around several friends and boards now. It surprises me how many women have never heard of them.
For women on this site, I really would expect they would all see the appeal in one. Why not help your body back in shape faster?
I highly suggest one of these to every woman who gives birth - naturally or Csection! These need to be on the must-have list right next to panty liners!

dydn11402

somebody mentioned this already but a breast pump!
after my first was born and my milk came in (and boy, did it!!), i was engorged and in so much pain and the baby had a hard time latching on because i was so full. the only thing that helped was pumping a bit to relieve the pressure. my husband had to run out to the drugstore to get one of those handpumps but it really saved me.
with my subsequent babies, i have always had to use the pump at least once.
as far as everything else goes (clothing, etc), dont forget, the stores dont close once the baby is born

lina011

I got a belly bandit ... I'm hopeing it'll do what it supposedly states hahaha we will see. Hope I got the right size too

lisapr123

Well, our daughter is now closing in on six months so I've been packing up a lot of the "newborn" stuff.... Here are some of the least & most used items.

Least Used (or things we had too much of!)
--gloves/socks/hats. 1 or 2 of each would've sufficed.
--Bottles. 5 or 6 would've been plenty. We accepted hand-me-downs so have about 30 Avent 4 ounce and 9 ounce bottles.
--video monitor. small house makes it unnecessary.
--baby soap/bath stuff (I'd suggest getting some sample/travel size to see what brand works. Johnson & Johnson did awful things to our girl, and we must have 10 bottles of the stuff. And that's after I've been using it on me for 3 months now. Aveeno is the big winner in our house.)
--baby Tylenol/Advil/Gripe Water (though I'm sure we'll use it eventually, just haven't touched it yet)
--footed outfits. She's too tall for them, at less than 6 months she's too tall for 9 month ones!
--one piece outfits. again, it's a height thing.
--crib sheets. 2 sets is plenty. We only use one at a time. Flannel for the winter, cotton for not winter. Wash, dry, back on crib.
--pack and play. it's basically a toy box for us. She never liked it. I wish I'd borrowed one to see if she would've taken to it.
--bassinette--she slept in her crib from our 1st night home.
--bottle sterilizer. hot soapy water does the job just fine.

Most used (or things I wish we had more of)
--burp rags. We use them for everything!
--pacifier leash. If your baby uses a paci, these things can save a lot of stress.
--wipes warmer. I was resistant to even take this (hand me down) but it was awesome this cold Chicago winter!
--bibs. The ones with plastic liners. I have about 15 and wish I had 15 more!
--nail clippers
--Bundle Me inserts for stroller/car seat/bike trailer
--Car seat & the stroller it snaps into
--Ergo Performance baby carrier / City Select stroller / Cougar Chariot bike trailer. We use at least 2 of these most days.
--rain shield for stroller
--blanket with waterproof backing (used at parks for tummy time, feeding, etc...)
--Multiple sized bags (We have a large tote bag for full day trips. And a small one for short trips.)
--wet bags for diaper bags. Perfect for cloth diapering, wet clothes, wet burp rags, etc....
--zip lock bags. Seriously, buy them in bulk. They're what keep our bags organized and easy to restock!
--sleep sacks. She slept in one every night for the first couple months.
--Summer brand swaddlers.