Super Baby Gear List!

So a friend asked me to remember everything after I had my baby, so that I could pass all the info along one day when she gets pregnant. Knowing that I would forget, I started to make a list. These are the things that we found really useful or just really liked, for whatever reason. So if it helps someone, great!

NURSERY BASICS
  • A changing table (preferably one with rails!)
  • Several covers for the changing table pad. You definitely need more than one.
  • A really good, comfy rocking chair for the baby's room. Better yet, a lounger/recliner. You will spend a lot of time there!
  • A sturdy crib- we have the Nursery Smart Amelia convertible crib , and love it!
  • Video monitor! I wish we had gotten one the first time around-- LOVE it!
  • Diaper Champ (uses regular trash bags, unlike the Diaper Genie! Bonus!)
  • Cool mist humidifier (get it now, before baby gets sick for the first time)
  • Two sheets (the Ultimate Crib Sheet is awesome for quick, middle-of-the-night bed changes)
  • Mesh/breathable crib bumper
  • Table top diaper depot (great for organizing diapers and wipes)
  • Lots of burp cloths (good old-fashioned plain cloth diapers are the best!)
  • 1 or 2 good "floor" blankets to spread out
  • Soothie Pacifiers
  • A good thermometer and thermometer covers (we have this one and like it-- a LOT, actually!)
  • Diapers (Pampers Swaddlers were our favorite for newborns, then we switched over to Pampers Baby Dry)
  • Wipes-- generic ones were fine for us.
ON THE GO
  • A good infant carseat that doubles as a carrier (like this one)
  • A good stroller that really meets your needs--test drive them!! It is also handy to get one that is compatible with the SnugRide carseat and has a big basket below. We have gone through tons of different strollers.
  • Britax Roundabout/Marathon convertible carseat (won't need until much later-- the Roundabout is slightly smaller than the Marathon, and fits better in our car)
  • Pack N Play (great item for Grandma and Grandpa to buy and keep at their houses!)
  • Ergo carrier (do NOT waste $$ on a Baby Bjorn--get this instead!)
  • A good diaper bag--one with lots of room, comfy straps, and a non-embarrassing design
  • Plastic bag dispenser for wrapping up dirty diapers/wipes (like this one)
BATH TIME
  • Simple bath tub (we also like the inflatable duck tub from Target for traveling or playing in outside)
  • Baby towels
  • LOTS of baby washcloths! We use them for clean-up after meals now-- not just at bathtime
FEEDING
  • Mesh feeder
  • Chicco Polly highchair - LOVE it!
  • Bottle brushes (the longer, the better. Dr. Brown's ones are awful. I like the super cheap ones. I swear they are higher quality!)
  • Dish rack for drying bottles (a regular dish rack is fine-- I got the kind that hangs over the sink, and I love it)
  • BPA-free Bottles (don-t buy too many--baby may be picky! We received the Dr. Brown's gift set at a shower, and it's been all we've needed)
  • Small plastic bowls with lids (like these)
  • Plastic long-handled spoons
  • Food processor/food mill if you plan to make your own baby food. The
  • Cuisinart Mini Prep works well!
TOYS/ACTIVITY
  • Doorway jumper (like this one-- I used to put Nikos in it while I would take a shower!)
  • Fisher-Price Baby's First Blocks
  • TinyLove Gymini Play Mat
  • TinyLove Symphony in Motion Mobile (this was a LIFESAVER in the early days)
  • Fisher-Price Rainforest Swing
  • Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumperoo
  • Fisher-Price Rainforest Bouncer
  • Pop links
  • Lots of board books (Good Night Moon, Guess How Much I Love You?, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, any Sandra Boynton books, etc.)
  • Fisher-Price ring stacker
  • Baby Einstein blocks
  • Baby Bach or Baby Mozart CD (helpful on car rides the first few months)
  • Tuffo water-resistant outdoor blanket (still use this a lot-- great for picnics!)
  • Bumbo chair (no tray) - this is incredibly useful to leave in the bathroom, so you have a place to set baby down when nature calls!
  • Stacking cups
  • Crib toys (both kids especially liked the stuffed animals that play lullabies when you stretch them out)
  • Mirrors!
  • Photo album for baby
BREASTFEEDING SUPPLIES TOILETRIES/MEDICAL CLOTHING
  • SwaddleMe's (if baby likes to be swaddled- in small size)
  • Sleep Sacks (at least two- in medium size)
  • White onesies (short and long-sleeved!) in all sizes for layering
  • Lots of Carter's one-piece outfits (sleepers, rompers, etc.)
  • Don't bother with shoes until they can walk! Socks are also annoying (in cold weather, I just had Nikos wear outfits with feet. He kicked socks off, anyway! Maya just tries to eat hers.)
  • Basic coordinates: khakis, jeans, shorts, overalls, sweatpants, sweatshirts, etc.
  • Lots of terry-cloth bibs for the drooly phase (I wish I had more in colors that matched his outfits!)
BOOKS
  • Baby 411, by Denise Fields and Ari Brown. Great quick reference for just about anything!
  • Baby Bargains, by Denise Fields. Great to read before registering-- make sure to get the most recent edition, as it is updated frequently.
  • The Baby Book, by Dr. William Sears. Great sections on breastfeeding and infant development. HUGE book with just about everything you might ever need to know.
  • Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems, by Dr. Richard Ferber. This book changed our life! The book is easy to read, really well organized, and the man is a genius!
  • The Happiest Baby on the Block, by Harvey Karp. Great advice for soothing newborns.
  • Super Baby Food, by Ruth Yaron. Great resource if you plan to make your own food.
  • Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense, by Ellyn Satter. Great tips on starting solids.
AT GRANDMA & GRANDPA'S HOUSE We thought it was really handy for our parents to have these things at their houses... which they generously went out and purchased!
  • A portable crib of some sort (a Pack N Play works great and doubles as a changing table)
  • A portable crib sheet
  • A high chair
  • Miscellaneous toys, blankets, diapers, wipes, etc.
DON'T WASTE MONEY ON:
  • Wipes warmer
  • Bottle warmer
  • A quilted crib bumper (cute but totally unnecessary! Made me paranoid!)
  • Any sort of "sanitizing appliance" (bottle sanitizer, etc.). Unless you have a preemie, there is no need to do this. Boiling bottles in hot water works just fine. And really, do you have room for yet another appliance?

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