With baby #1 we went way overboard. It didn't help, or maybe it did, that he was the first grandchild on both sides so we had a lot of help from our parents wanting to spoil him. Some things that I thought were kind of duplicates were the swing, bouncer, bassinet, and portable bassinet. All of them have vibrating seats, sound maker and essentially do the same thing. If you have multiple levels it is nice to have somewhere to set baby down that is safe on each level of your home.
For mom:
-Buy some cheap comfortable underwear for the first few weeks. You can bleed for up to 6 weeks and you don't want to ruin all your stuff. Or if you can take some extra mesh underwear from the hospital.
-pads, different absorbencies for as you heal
-nursing bras & robe
-Boppy Pillow
-lanolin cream
First 2 months For Baby:
-Pack n' play--both our boys slept in our room in the pack n' play for the first 6 months. Get one that comes with a click in bassinet.
-diapers, wipes, butt paste
-burp clothes
-onesies that zip, those buttons can be so difficult in the middle of the night. If you can find some that fold over their hands so they don't scratch their face, it's helpful.
-Carseat & stroller. I recommend a travel system, and a jogging stroller travel system at that. smoother ride.
Those are the main things I can think of. There is more later on but these are the big starters. Then after the first couple months you will know your child and what he/she needs.
Lanolin is a must. Do it after every feeding. I did it once or twice a day for the first week and bfing was SOOO painful. Then my friend said to it more often, and it made a world of difference.
Pacifiers were also essential for me. I know a lot of things say don't do it in the beginning, but it really helped me a lot...because I did not want to be the pacifier!
The swing was also a lifesaver, DS slept in it until he was 7 months old!
Other things I couldn't do without - a sound machine, Velcro swaddlers, an activity mat, boppy, GAS DROPS, diaper genie, pumping bra, some kind of carrier (lifesaver when making dinner or doing chores)...the only thing we had that was totally useless was the rock n play, which I know a lot of people love.
If you're having a boy, get some vaseline and gauze pads for the circumcision. We had to stop on the way home from the hospital for that.
I'm a FTM but I've nannied for 12+ years. Wipe warmers sound nice but they are actually really bad. The humidity and the temperature is an ideal setting for bacteria to grow and multiply and (especially if the baby is a girl) that can turn into UTIs or yeast infections.
This is what I tell all new moms who ask me: diapers, clothes, car seat, blankets, somewhere for baby to sleep and love. That's it. I feel that today we really over complicate things.
Additionally, I'd recommend a wrap (I always suggest Solly Baby) and depending on how you plan on feeding you might need bottles.
Are all the other things nice to have? Sure. But it isn't very necessary.
ETA: And for a new mom a nursing bra, nursing pads, and comfortable underwear for post partum.
I'm siding with the minimalist mommas we live in a small 2 bedroom house didn't have a ton of room for a lot of the "gear". we did get a rock n play and a pack n play. That got us through for a good while. Baby slept in the pack n play in our room the first two weeks then she was in her crib from there on out. Video monitor was great for checking on baby. Rock n play was used as a place to rest during the day down stairs and a safe place to put her while I eat/shower/need both hands. Once she could sit up we used the pack n play as her "safe holder" downstairs. It's was great for containment, but once she crawled she was over that. Velcro swaddles were the best, we never used bottles of pacis (she just never liked them) the Muslin swaddle blankets are great for everything other than swaddling! Lots of zipper sleepers and soft cotton onsies! Everyone wanted to send us cute dress up fancy outfits, but she just seemed so much more comfy in carters cotton onsies!
Try not to over think it. You don't need everything to get thru the first year when you bring baby home from the hospital. You just need to get thru that first 4-6 weeks at home, then you can re evaluate what other things might work best for your family! We didn't have a jumper or a play mat or walker all picked out before she came home.. We just got things as she was ready for them. Good luck!!
Re: What Are THE Essential Goods for a New Mom
With baby #1 we went way overboard. It didn't help, or maybe it did, that he was the first grandchild on both sides so we had a lot of help from our parents wanting to spoil him. Some things that I thought were kind of duplicates were the swing, bouncer, bassinet, and portable bassinet. All of them have vibrating seats, sound maker and essentially do the same thing. If you have multiple levels it is nice to have somewhere to set baby down that is safe on each level of your home.
For mom:
-Buy some cheap comfortable underwear for the first few weeks. You can bleed for up to 6 weeks and you don't want to ruin all your stuff. Or if you can take some extra mesh underwear from the hospital.
-pads, different absorbencies for as you heal
-nursing bras & robe
-Boppy Pillow
-lanolin cream
First 2 months For Baby:
-Pack n' play--both our boys slept in our room in the pack n' play for the first 6 months. Get one that comes with a click in bassinet.
-diapers, wipes, butt paste
-burp clothes
-onesies that zip, those buttons can be so difficult in the middle of the night. If you can find some that fold over their hands so they don't scratch their face, it's helpful.
-Carseat & stroller. I recommend a travel system, and a jogging stroller travel system at that. smoother ride.
Those are the main things I can think of. There is more later on but these are the big starters. Then after the first couple months you will know your child and what he/she needs.
Pacifiers were also essential for me. I know a lot of things say don't do it in the beginning, but it really helped me a lot...because I did not want to be the pacifier!
The swing was also a lifesaver, DS slept in it until he was 7 months old!
Other things I couldn't do without - a sound machine, Velcro swaddlers, an activity mat, boppy, GAS DROPS, diaper genie, pumping bra, some kind of carrier (lifesaver when making dinner or doing chores)...the only thing we had that was totally useless was the rock n play, which I know a lot of people love.
If you're having a boy, get some vaseline and gauze pads for the circumcision. We had to stop on the way home from the hospital for that.
BFP - 01/04/2016; EDD - 09/15/2016 DS #1 - 07/2014
Additionally, I'd recommend a wrap (I always suggest Solly Baby) and depending on how you plan on feeding you might need bottles.
Are all the other things nice to have? Sure. But it isn't very necessary.
ETA: And for a new mom a nursing bra, nursing pads, and comfortable underwear for post partum.
Try not to over think it. You don't need everything to get thru the first year when you bring baby home from the hospital. You just need to get thru that first 4-6 weeks at home, then you can re evaluate what other things might work best for your family! We didn't have a jumper or a play mat or walker all picked out before she came home.. We just got things as she was ready for them. Good luck!!