Baby Gear

I edited this to include a few new thoughts at the bottom that I had forgotten about in the hustle & bustle of the holidays.  :)

I have alot of friends who are currently pregnant with their first children and they have asked for a few recommendations on things they "must-have" and things they can most likely return.  Let me first say all of this is my humble opinion and to take it with a grain of salt.  Everyone has their own opinions on this stuff, but this is what I'd recommend.  :)

With nearly everything we bought we looked for hand me downs and shopped consignment and got some great deals on things we weren't given in showers.  A few things to avoid from strangers though, car seats and cribs.  You don't know how they've been treated and/or if they've been recalled.  Though if your older sister or cousin has a car seat or crib to hand down, take it!  Especially the infant car seats, they only use them for such a short time and you can wash the inserts to look like new.  If they are Graco, you can even buy a new cover on their site to more match your style for half of what the car seat would cost to buy new.  And clothes, definitely borrow, buy a year ahead on clearance or shop consignment.  You'll be amazed how few times your baby will wear something before they outgrow it.  And skip "outfits" in newborn size all together.  You will be changing them so much you'll want them in a sleeper or sleep and play pretty much exclusively.

So anyway, in my humble opinion here's the top 11 things I wouldn't have a baby without...

1. Boppy - I used my Boppy to feed and prop Grace, and when she got older I used it to help her learn how to sit.  The velor covers are great as they wipe off easier than the cotton and don't need to be washed as often.
2. Cradle & Swing - There are multiple designs of this swing, but the concept is what I'm looking at here. Grace slept in this pretty exclusively for the first 2-3 months.  It's the same shape as the car seat so the pediatrician was fine with it. Also, if you go with this make sure you get one that plugs into the wall (the model on the link does). They take 4 D batteries and you'll need to buy stock in Duracell if you use exclusively batteries. They didn't have a plug in model when we had Grace, so when this one came out we shelled out the dough and bought it. Worth every penny.
3. Space Saver High Chair - This chair has 3 reclining positions and can then be used as a booster.  They come in some great gender neutral patterns for use with multiple kids too - I love ours!
4. Backpack Diaper Bag - I love this Columbia bag and know at least 6 other mommies who have the same one in different colors.  It's great b/c it's gender neutral so Dad won't mind carrying it around, you need a backpack when you are carting around a baby in their car seat and it's got separate compartments for everything you need.  Much more practical than the "traditional" diaper bag.
5. Medela Breast Pump - any style.  They are expensive, but fantastic!  If you plan on pumping with any regularity, you'll need a good pump and this is the series to buy from.
6. Prop n' shopper - This is fantastic!  It has pillows on each end so that you can put a baby who can't sit up on their own in the cart without the car seat.  This is good for 2 reasons: (1) Grace loved to be out of her car seat and (2) you can save space in the cart by not having the car seat in it.
7. Snuzzler - infant car seat insert - loved this, Grace's head was never flopping all over the place while she was learning head control over her first few months.
8. Ergo Baby Backpack - I loved the Ergo baby and it was a necessity for us since the Baby Bjorn wasn't tall enough for David.  That said the BB is also great and as long as you have one of these you'll do just fine. *Update - They now sell the Ergo at Target.  
9. Crib Rail Cover - This, or one similar, will save your crib when your little ones start teething
10. Angel Care Monitor - This is a SIDS monitor that gave me much needed peace of mind.  My baby would NOT sleep on her back.  So, the first time I put her on her tummy to sleep I watched the movements of her breathing until my prayers were answered and I fell asleep.  I slept soundly knowing that a blaring alarm would go off if my precious girl stopped breathing.  They use this until they can roll around in their bed or about 6 months. Then you can turn the SIDS feature off and still have the best monitor on the market (I have used every brand...none compare to angelcare. They also have a video monitor if you prefer.

A few other thoughts:

Skip the Bumbo - Your kid will learn how to sit up on their own, promise.  And you can use the boppy for support when they are learning and save yourself the dough.   Don't stock up on one kind of bottle or passy - every kid is different.  See if you can borrow or just buy one of several kinds of bottles and passys until you find one your baby will like.

Pack & Play - Get the simple one.  We splurged (read: wasted) money on the top of the line p&p a few years ago when we needed one for our nephew in a pinch.  I thought bigger is better, right?  Wrong.  A pack in play is something that gets lugged around and I can honestly say I've NEVER used the mobile, organizer, or changing pad that came with out p&p.  Get the cheap Costco one.  They work perfectly and are a fraction of the price.  If you choose to use your p&p as your cradle/bassinet then go ahead and get one a little pricier, but save yourself the dough and get a low end version of this product.

If you're planning to breastfeed, there are 2 must have items you must buy.  The first is Lansinoh - they have this everywhere for around $10 a tube and you should be able to use a tube for more than one kid, lol.  Then go to CVS or Rite Aid and get some Soothies and put them in your hospital bag.   The first 2 weeks of breastfeeding are really HARD and the soothies in conjunction with the Lansinoh will be your life savers.  Soothies are $13 for just one pair, but they are worth EVERY PENNY!

Pampers are by far my favorite diapers, but Huggies have great coupons and when paired with sales, they are up to $.15 cheaper per diaper!  When I can get the good deal, I buy pampers, but I am no longer married to a brand.  Also, Huggies Little Snugglers Newborn & Pampers Sensitive Newborn diapers both have a blue indicator line which tells you when your little one is wet or dirty.  This is an awesome feature, so make sure when you buy diapers you look for that little blue line on the diaper.

If you're an experienced Mommy and you have something to add or delete from this list - leave a comment.  There are lots of new babies coming in 2011 and I'm sure any advise (as it was when we were expecting Grace) will be greatly appreciated!