Seeking a Newborn Checklist - Please Share Lists You Found Helpful to Follow

The one thing I couldn't have lived without -- with #1 and upcoming #2 -- are cloth diapers as burp cloths. My friend gave me two 12-packs. Supplement with those cotton receiving blankets. We would go through the whole lot in 2 days, especially since our son had reflux. You'll use them for *everything* -- wiping spills, blankets, positioners, napkins (for you! :))...

**The waterproof lap pads are helpful.
**Any piece of clothing you get for a newborn should have snaps down the front. I personally hated onesies and preferred snap-front t-shirts and pants. You will be changing their clothes a lot!
**Rectal thermometer, thermometer covers, and vaseline
**Wipes, diapers (we liked Pampers swaddlers)
**Pacifiers
**Baby shampoo, but we used Dove bar soap for the body. Our pediatrician recommended the lotion (starts w/ "C", drawing a blank) because somewhat neutral for skin.
**Car seat
**Stroller
**Sling is helpful
**Vibrating bouncy seat! (Yes, they can sleep in it!)

Don't stock up on too many newborn/baby clothes. You will be amazed at how quickly they grow out of things in the first year. We have two whole grocery bags of 0-3month clothes from #1. It's also what other people like to buy for the baby.

As for the bottles, we used Dr. Brown's standard (non-wide), which was the only nipple that worked for my preemie at the time. Pain to wash all the parts, and since they have BPA in them we ditched them after a few months. Now using the Gerber standard bottles. The feedback I got was "yeah, nice that these reduce air, but you're going to burp them anyway."

D.,

I'd skip the list and ask other moms...especially if you have friends that recently have had babies - products change quickly. My friends had kids a lot earlier than me and constantly say "why didn't they have that when I had a baby?" Personally, I'd recommend buying a lot of onesies/sleep and plays and skip the outfits/clothes. Don't buy too much of any one product - for example pacifiers or bottles - the baby might or might not like one style or might not like them at all...sample stuff until you figure out what works. Let the baby guide you along...they're good at letting you know what works once you figure out their signals!

What to Expect When You're Expecting is a great resource and will have checklists for clothing, bedding, first aid, etc.

As for the bottles, I never used BornFree but I did use Dr. Brown's. I started with Avent and HATED them. I switched to Dr. Brown's, which seemed to help somewhat with my son's colic. Sure, they have a few extra pieces to wash, but when they sit in hot soapy water it's not that big of a chore.

A list is fine, especially if you have no idea what to get. As a first time mom, I had no clue!

One list to avoid is the Babies R Us registry checklist. Duh - they're a store and they want you to buy anything and everything!

I agree with the What To Expect book - it's awesome!

As far as clothes, don't get caught up in the 'cuteness' of baby clothes. We had so much newborn and 0-3 things that were worn once or not at all.

Nearly all the books such as "what to expect when you are expecting" have a checklist. One of my friends recently adopted and got only 12 hrs notice that a baby for her had arrived, so here is what I gave her as a checklist of essentials:

Car seat - check out consumer reports at www.consumerreports.org
Snap and Go frame to make car seat into stroller
Bassinet (many newborns don't like the crib yet)
Bassinet sheets
9-12 onsies
6 sleepers
6 outfits
diapers
diaper wipes
diaper rash cream
burb clothes (6-12)
BPA free bottles and nipples eg. Born Free
3-4 pacifers
Sterilizer
Bottle warmer
A few blankets for wrapping baby in or 2-3 swaddlers.
Diaper genie (not essential for newborn, more necessary after solids are started when the poop really stinks)
Baby bath
Baby wash and baby shampoo(non scented for newborn)
If breastfeeding: lanolin for nipples and some breast pad shields, nursing tops (great ones at target).
changing table or changing foam top
diaper bag (though you'll get one at the hospital)
Little pad or something to put baby on for tummy time (important to start this early now that we put babies to sleep on their backs)
baby glider (not essential but often useful)
some toys eg mirror, mobile with music, things that play music when kicked

I agree with all the other moms who said you need a lot less than you think. And you can always go out and get more of something that seems to work well. For us that was the thin cotton sleep sacks from baby gap. We found them to be really comfortable for our daughter when she was a newborn -- she wore them day and night -- we rarely bothered with actual outfits -- and they made diaper changes really easy. Also, since they are long with elastic at the bottom she can still wear them to bed even at 8 months!

I also found that we needed a big blanket for swaddling. Some of my receiving blankets were too small for swaddling so we basically never used them. We got the Swaddle Designs blanket from the Right Start and used it all the time but I don't think you need a blanket made specifically for swaddling. Any large thin blanket will do.

Good luck!

Honestly, you need much much less than most lists will tell you. The best "minimalist" list I've found (hey, I live in the city too and want to avoid accumulating lots of unnecessary "stuff") is at:
http://www.ratbag.demon.co.uk/anna/babystuff/article1_ap....

Note that some items on this list are season-dependent. Also, the list assumes cloth diapers, so sub in disposables if you're using them instead. You'll still want the birdseye flat diapers to use as burp cloths.

I would also consider picking up a copy of "The Girlfriend's Guide to Baby Gear" - they say you need more stuff than you actually do, but they have good advice about lots of things.

I agree with the person who said you need much less than any list you will find. And DON'T get a lot of stuff in the newborn size. You can always roll up sleeves and feet. I had, I think, 5 long-sleeved, full-leg onesies for one of my kids. Most you need is 7 because you can wash every week (and I did not wash more than once a week). Don't get the kind with the feet in them; the ones with open legs last longer because when they get short you can pull socks or bootees over them, and anyway it will be getting warm soon. You need 3-4 pairs of socks or bootees, a few blankets, cotton diapers for burp cloths, one or two hats. We were very short of money at times when my kids were little and I swear that was enough. You also do not need to wrap a baby up like a mummy past the first two months. Before then, cover the head and put on one more layer than you would want for yourself; after that, put on the weight of clothes you would want. I got this advice years ago and have found it to be true. Most people put way too many clothes on babies and then wonder why the kids are sweating and crying in the heat.

I agree with some of these moms, lists tell you to get more then you need/use. It has been a while since I had a newborn, but with my first baby I wanted to get everything they say to have. I rarely used half of it. The things I made sure I kept/or got again for the next babies were:

Layette gowns (I used the gowns the most in the first 2 months. The best for many diaper changes)
sleepers
pacifier (we tried different ones)
bottles
burp rags
terry BIBS BIBS BIBS (I had droolers! ;) )
Desitine or A&D ointment
Wipes for sensitive skin
diapers for sensitive skin
bassinet
sheets
receiving blankets (you can never have too many)
Nature cds/soothing lullabye music

Good luck and enjoy being a mom!