Be sure to check out this article as well: Cloth Diapers vs. Disposable Diapers.

I would deffiantly have money for a crib. Both of my kids hated the bassinet and playpen, but slept great in their own bed. Buy one that holds a toddler mattress to make it last longer.

Skip the hand mittens and use socks. They stay on better and serve two purposes.

Electric Pump – I started with the manual, but it takes so much time that’s it’s just not worth the effort. Especially if the child wakes up in the middle of pumping. Your nerves just won’t last long enough to finish pumping.

Thermometer- I use the one that scans across the forehead. I have had it for 5 years and love it. Most of your hospitals are changing to it. My son has only had his temp taken with this type.

Borrow, borrow, borrow…..babies are picky…it’s so much better to test and find out before you spend lots of money. Yard sales, second hand stores, consignment stores, and internet are great resources…kids grow so quick that used clothes are just like new because most kids don’t stay in them that long.

Butt cream-it’s the zinc that counts….but feel it what made me choose A&D (unless they have sensitive skin) it’s much creamier.

Mendela nursing pads-they are the thickest ones I have found and they are machine washable. Saves a lot of money. My friend said she used wash clothes in her day and age, but I just couldn’t see myself doing that.

REGISTER with everyone who does a baby registry or makes a baby product -most of them you can do online. All of them send free stuff, even if it’s just coupons. Including the formula sites because they partner with other baby products. (You can always donate the formula.) Huggies and Pampers both send free samples as well as coupons. The hospital should send you home with around a pack, so if you register for diapers start with Ones (not newborns). Freebies are great to see if you like a product, but they also work really well for trips. Just the right size.

Best of luck.

Also borrow borrow borrow! I am so glad we borrowed a swing instead of buying because my daughter hated it.

I also agree on checking with the hospitals on freebies. Our hospital gave us a small diaper bag filled with information pages and such, it was the perfect size diaper bag for trips that would only be a few hours.

We registered for blankets and ended up returning them to the store because we literally recieved 20 handmade from all of those well meaning grandmas!

Best of luck to you!

My wife also had a Boppy on her list, but I guess it slipped her mind when she wrote this article. I have since added it because it has been mentioned by several commenters!

We are thinking about using cloth diapers, but we know we will use plenty of disposables as well – basically any time we are away from home and possibly at night. We’re trying to keep an open mind with this topic.

Neither of my boys would sleep in their pack n play as an infant…so you might want to have some money saved in case you need to buy something else if that doesn’t work. My older son would sleep in a Snuggle Nest, but the younger one only wanted to sleep next to me in the bed (co-sleeping). I have friends though that their kids would only sleep in their crib, so it just depends.

I would not survive without my Boppy, especially at night when I just too tired to hold my baby for eating. It’s a lifesaver. You can always find these at consignment sales.

I also second (or third) Britax carseats and the Marclaren Triumph. I LOVE this stroller. I’ve had mine for over 2 1/2 years and it’s still going strong. And when people add as a feature, “can steer with one hand”, this really is a feature that you will become acutely happy to have.

Neither of my boys liked the swing…so I would advice going used to borrow one to test out first, if you can.

Thermometer – get a good rectal one. They are the most accurate and the doctor always ask for the rectal temp anyway. We got a highly recommended ear one with this last baby and it’s a pain to get an accurate reading (and I’m still never sure).

And yes, even if you use cloth (I have been for 3 1/2 yrs) you will still used disposables some of the time.

So, those are just a few of my recommendations. Of course you will get a TON of advice from all directions and really you just need to try things out. Some things will work for you and some won’t. Everyone is different. Good luck!

Sleeping – I’m not sure a pack and play will go the distance. If you don’t want to buy a crib and you don’t want the baby to sleep with you, you could try one of those co-sleeper things that attaches to the bed, or a bassinet or cradle. Then, you could use the pack and play for downstairs, travel, etc.

Car Seat & Stroller – I can’t say enough that car seats and strollers are not where you want to save money. I think you’ll be fine with the infant seat/stroller frame for a few months. When your baby outgrows the infant seat, consider the Britax car seats. They are expensive, but worth the money, in my opinion. Car seats are all about safety. As far as strollers go, my lightweight umbrella stroller is a Maclaren Triumph, and I love it. It cost around $120, I think, but I’ve had it for 4 years and it is still in great condition (including multiple airplane and taxi rides).

Food – Breastfeeding is great. I’m happy that I was able to do it with both my girls, but it isn’t always easy to get started. I recommend that you get a book and take a class, if one is available to you. The Dr. Sears Baby and Breastfeeding books are good; check out http://www.kellymom.com for great info about breastfeeding. I strongly recommend that you get a boppy. They’re super useful. When you start solid foods (we started at 6 months), you can make some of your own baby food if you want to, but don’t beat yourself up if you don’t. Easy foods to prepare for babies include bananas, squash, peaches, plums, etc. Other things are way easier to buy!
Bathing – if you have a large enough kitchen sink, I actually find that much easier than the baby bathtubs, at least at first. Newborns only get sponge baths anyway, and I hate those plastic bathtubs. We do have a blow up duck bathtub that was useful; I think I got it at Target for $10. A few hooded towels and washclothes are a necessity, as is a comb, if your baby has hair.

Diapering/hygiene – Diapers and wipes for sure. A changing pad is optional – I tended to use the bed, sofa, floor, etc. more than the pad. I use Balmex diaper cream regularly and Triple Paste for diaper rash. My kids have sensitive skin, so the cream is a must. If you’re breastfeeding exclusively, you don’t need a diaper pail at first (I have the Diaper Dekor and like it much better than the Diaper Genie, which is what I had with my older daughter), but they are convenient. I use disposable diapers, so I can’t comment on the cloth option.

Clothing – for infants, depending on when your baby is due, I think onesies and sleepers are ideal for the first few months – I just don’t really see the point of dressing babies up on a daily basis when they are so much more comfortable in a onesie and sleeper. I generally think onesies are an absolute necessity until you start potty training (I hate it when kids try to remove their own diapers!). For the first couple weeks, you need a few of those wrap undershirts, because onesies don’t work until after the umbilical cord falls off. Consignment shops and Ebay are great resources for baby clothes. Receiving blankets are good to have, and I think you should definitely get a couple packages of prefolded cloth diapers – they are incredibly useful.

Good luck.