Turns out you need a lot of stuff for a baby, but everyone has a slightly different opinion of what you need. I started researching the basic baby registry items necessary for a newborn. We have a small house and I wasn’t about to store tricycles and high chairs for months or years to come. I went through my pregnancy books, searched the web and came up with what I thought was a pretty good list of baby items. Note: Babies R Us will give you a “list” of needed items, but it is more like a catalog of what’s in the store and is complete overkill.

You will get clothes from everyone, so don’t register for them. My list doesn’t include decorations or toys as I am a “necessities-only” kinda chick. :

• Boppy – Don’t get “My Brest Friend” other moms have said it’s lame. Might want to get a cover too.
• Swing – Not a “must-have” unless your baby is fussy.
• Pack & Play/Sheets – This is what my baby sleeps in until he is ready for a crib. No need for a bassinett. I also recommend getting one with the changing apparatus.
• Diaper Genie – Or other diaper pail for when they start solids or formula. Exclusive breastfeeders don’t make smelly diapers, yay!
• Butt Paste – Works great, but my baby did have one rash it didn’t work for so we bought the Aveeno one and that did it. Trial and error.
• Pacifiers – We bought Nuk, but he hates them. Loves the Mam brand. Again, trial and error.
• Receiving Blankets
• Baby Towels – I haven’t found a need for more than 2.
• Cloth Diapers (for spit-up, etc.) – Need about 20 of these 🙂 Also, some have a thick strip down the middle, those
  are not as useful.
• Swaddling Blankets – A must for when they get larger. We have 3, that’s plenty.
• Car Seat – The law 🙂
• Onsies – I didn’t need nearly as many of these as I thought. I would say just register for 1 pack, you can get more if needed before D-day.
• Kimono Shirts – The idea here is not to have to pull shirts over baby’s new little head and until the umbilical cord falls off, you might want shirts instead of onsies.
• Caps – Babies need hats. They sleep in them at first cause they lose heat fast.
• Mittens – Pretty much useless. Just make sure you have some onsies with the mitts at the end of long sleeves.
• Socks – It’s hard to find tiny ones.
• Dreft – Or other baby- friendly detergent.
• Stroller – I love the stroller frame that you put the car seat on. Simple, light, cheap and he can graduate to something else when he is larger. The travel systems with car seat that snaps onto the stroller are heavy and expensive.
• Rearview mirror – Love this, even if you are the passenger, it just helps to see what’s going on back there.
• Bottle Warmer – Tried it once, haven’t used it since. I would recommend getting one that you can control the time. Ours thinks it knows what’s best and I hate that. Plus it beeps loud.
• Front Carrier – So far the Baby Bjorn is a hit.
• Changing Pad – Need one for on the go and maybe one for the house.
• Diaper Bag – We love ours, but it is overkill for a quick trip, so we have a MUCH smaller one that just has essentials.
• Breast Pump – I’m still using a manual on rare occasions. Haven’t ponied up for an electric.
• Bath Tub – This one is tough because everyone had a different opinion, here are the 3 recommendations we got: small and manageable, maybe try the “Comfort Bather” it folds up; OR one of those sponge inserts in the kitchen sink; OR the Euro bath, a large molded tub that holds the baby in place when young and later when he can sit up.
• Crib/Mattress/Sheets – Not an immediate necessity. Baby should sleep in a bassinet or the Pack N Play in your room until he is about 4 months. For the mattress, get organic, since the baby will spend a large amount of time with their face pressed against it.
• Glider/Rocker
• Bottles – If you are doing formula, just go with whatever pacifier brand he likes. For breastfeeding, I just use the Medela ones that go with the pump.
• Pacifier Clips – Good to have.
• Bottle Brush
• Wipes – COSTCO brand unscented. Love.
• Diapers – My favorite so far have been the Target brand, no joke. They are rad and cheap.
• Washcloths – Again, don’t need more than 3
• Baby Tylenol – Good to have on hand in case you get a middle of the night fever.
• Nail Clippers – A must. Nails grow like crazy.
• Baby Shampoo/Wash
• Baby Lotion
• Bouncer
• Milk Storage Bags/Bottles (Breastfeeding)
• Shopping Cart Cover – Not using it yet, but I had to have this. Don’t like cooties.
• Nursing Pads – I am using the disposables, but have some (3 pair) cloth ones in case I run out. These are a total necessity. Leaking is not sexy 🙂
• Nursing Bra – You will need to wear a bra 24/7 if you are nursing. I have 2 stretchy sports-type bras to sleep in and I started with a stretchy daytime one until you get a feel for what size you will be. You need at least one before you come home from the hospital.
• Nursing Cover – Rad for nursing in public. Unless you are the exhibitionist type 🙂
• Night Light – You will need to see at night, but not want to turn on huge lights and wake baby. We also made great use of a clip-on book light here.
• Neck Donut – The thing that goes around his head in the car seat, I just bought the “Boppy Noggin Nest” which has a hole in the back to prevent flat spots.
• Bulb Syringe – You should get a rad one from the hospital.
• Drawstring Nightgowns – I couldn’t find these, but I think they would be good for night time changing.
• Monitor – We got the Avent one that doesn’t broadcast, so the neighbors don’t hear you in their monitor (an earlier problem we had with a cheapie model). Also, knowing how I am now, I might get a video one. They are not cheap, but sometimes I think it would be so nice to just look at the monitor and not have to get out of bed to see if he’s ok.
• Baby thermometer – Get an ear one or forehead scanner, so you don’t have to put anything in his tush.