Planning for the arrival of your baby adds to the excitement of expecting. You want to ensure you have all the necessary supplies to care for her. Every mom, whether a seasoned veteran or a first timer, can benefit from reviewing a list of the essential items to have on hand.
Travel Gear
It's time to bring your little bundle of joy home from the hospital. An infant car seat is essential for safely transporting him. In time, you will have some energy and want to visit friends, go for a walk or shopping with him, an indispensable item will be the stroller. You will need to provide head support for him while in the stroller. Just in case his diaper needs changing while you are out, you will want to bring a diaper bag with baby wipes, diapers, diaper rash ointment and a change of clothes. If he needs to sleep while away from home, a portable playpen is a safe place to put him down for a nap.
Clothes
Newborns frequently soil their diapers and clothes throughout the day and need to be changed. Depending on how often you do laundry, you will need undershirts, one piece outfits, commonly known as onesies, booties, socks and sleepers. Clothes with snap closures in the crotch and legs make changing diapers easy. Based upon the season your baby is born, you may need a summer or winter hat, light jacket, sweater and a fleece snow suit with fold-over mittens.
Furniture
The biggest and most expensive piece of furniture will be the crib in which she sleeps. A waterproof crib mattress will need to be purchased separately. In the beginning, many moms like to have the baby close by and opt to place her in a bassinet or cradle in their bedroom. A fundamental piece of furniture that provides a clean and safe place to change her diapers is the changing table. Being waist-high, it provides ease when changing a diaper, and several models have open shelves or bins for storage that make it easy to reach for diapers and clothes. You will need a diaper pail to contain the soiled diapers and odor. A swing chair with head support is a nice place for baby to relax when not sleeping.
Feeding, Bathing and Bedding
Some primary items associated with feeding your baby are bibs, burp cloths, baby bottles and nipples. A special moment for you and your baby is his first bath. Bathing accessories include a baby tub, washcloths, hooded towels, baby soap, shampoo, lotion, powder, ear swabs, fingernail clippers and a hair brush. Bedding supplies involve crib sheets, bumpers for the inside crib walls, a baby monitor, a musical mobile that rotates, blankets, a pacifier and a stuffed animal.
