Bringing Your Newborn Home- What Do You Really Need?

When I found out I was pregnant, one of the first things I did was start to look at baby products. I started off on line, and then moved on to stores and magazines. Each salesperson or article suggested a new, and usually more expensive, product that we just "had to have." As a first time Mom on a budget, this was a little frustrating. I ended up buying many things, and I was very lucky to receive many gifts from loved ones. In this article, I will tell you what I wish I knew before my baby was born: What do you really need?

1. Car seat: This is the first order of business, as you wont be able to take your baby home without one. I had an infant seat, which doubled as a carrier for the first several months. Another option is to get a convertible car seat. Many of these have lower weight limits of 5 pounds, the same as infant seats. The downside to these is the lack of portability. On the other hand, you wont need to buy another seat when your baby outgrows the infant seat. Both are viable options.

2. Diapers!: You may wonder why I included this so far up in the list. Well, you need them! I had received several packages of newborn sized diapers as gifts in many different brands. This was perfect, as I could try the various brands and decide which I liked best (Pampers Swaddlers). Newborn sized diapers are for babies up to 10 pounds. These were great for my 6lb 13oz baby, but many people would be better off buying maybe one package of newborn, and then some size 1 diapers, depending on the size of the baby (often estimated through ultrasound before birth).

3. Clothes: Another obvious one. My baby went through a few outfits a day. She lived in sleepers and "sleep 'n plays" for the majority of the first few months. A summer baby may be better suited in lighter attire. Gowns, which everyone recommended, were not that great. They just bunched up, twisted, and didn't keep her as warm. I was not impressed by baby gowns.