"Most Wanted Items" for Baby

My friend, Serena, has been asking me for some time now to create a list of "must have" baby items from my experience for her daughter "Emma's" big arrival this April.  Basically, I thought about a sample day with Jackson, and made a list of everything I use. I thought other expectant mothers might find this list helpful as well!

This is a long list, and, of course, some of these items are simply our preferences. Therefore, I placed an asterik* before those items that I deem the "most wanted items" for baby.

1. video baby monitor

2. contour changing pad--if you get more than one, keep them--we enjoy having one upstairs and another downstairs (especially in the first few week when baby poops every 2 hours and you are utterly exhausted)

3. jumparoo or exersaucer (starting at about 5 months)

*4. spacesaver highchair--the type that fastens to your kitchen chairs; a must over the stand alone variety--we like ours because it has a removable activity tray that baby can play with

*5. baby swing that reclines

*6. Gerber tri-fold plain white burpcloths (the type that look like cloth diapers)--they are not pretty, but all other kinds are a joke if you have a spitter

7. bibs--lots of bibs

8. a large, well-organized diaper bag--I like Carter's, Vera Bradley, and Kalencom brands

*9. the Amy Coe brand pacifier holder that clips onto the diaper bag straps

*10. Arm & Hammer brand "poo-poo" bag dispenser and refills that clips onto the diaper bag straps

*11. Diaper Genie II and refills

*12. Munchkin brand "Cool Wrap" bottle carrier--this is an absolute must if you are leaving the house for an entire day--I would recommend the one that holds 3 bottles (found at Target)

13. Dr. Brown's bottles

14. dishwasher baskets--I would suggest having 3-4, especially if you go with Dr. Brown's bottles which have tons of little parts

15. Ready-To-Feed infant formula--if you aren't breastfeeding, this is the way to go--no mess, no time wasted pouring and shaking, no clumping or clogging bottles, can be made the night before, and only pennies more expensive than powder if you purchase at WalMart (about $2/can cheaper than everywhere else)

16. a formula dispenser--I use this for dispensing puffs and cruchies now that Jax eat's table food

*17. Aiden and Anais brand muslin swaddling blankets (found at Target)--have these on hand as soon as baby is discharged from the hospital--they are huge, thin, and exceptional for swaddling a fussy newborn

18. bouncy seat--we preferred the variety that are very reclined rather than more upright

19. Pack-N-Play--this is great for sleeping, changing, and playing later on

*20. contour bath sponge--this "old-timey" looking, cheap, yellow sponge is all you need for bathtime--durable and inexpensive to replace--we only used our baby bathtub for about 2 weeks

21. Safety 1st brand kneeling stool--save your knees and elbows during baby's bathtime, Mom

22. pacifiers--I would suggest buying one pack of several different brands--perhaps Nuk, Mam, and First Years "soothie"--every baby likes a different paci; we learned this the hard way

23. A&D Ointment for diaper area during newborn stage

24. Desitin Maximum Strength for diaper area during infant stage

25. Aquaphor for dry skin patches

*26. 100% pure lanolin for chapped faces--you can use the Lansinoh nipple lanolin, but I perfer 100% pure from an organic grocery--this is 100% safe if baby licks it off face/lips