Parentpedia

What Experts Say

"Babies are easygoing little people, and don't pay much attention to the commercials and magazine ads that tell you, the parents, that they need a bunch of gadgets to be happy," says Meagan Francis, author of "The Everything Health Guide to Postpartum Care." "A baby's basic needs are to be warm, dry, and fed."

With that philosophy in mind, here's a bare-bones list of what you'll definitely want to have on hand before your baby arrives.

For Your Baby

Clothes

• Six-to-12 baby bodysuits (summer babies live in these while winter babies use them layered under their clothes)
• Three gowns (the kind with elastic around the bottom to keep baby warm but still make diaper changes quick and easy)
• Six-to-12 sleepers with feet (summer babies can stick to the bodysuits)
• Quick tips:
• Don't go overboard on the newborn sizes since babies grow fast. They don't mind wearing things baggy, so go ahead and give them room to grow.
• Also, baby socks? Forget about them. They have a way of worming off and leaving little feet bare. Stick to footie sleepers or gowns that keep their toes covered.

Diapering

• If you're going to use cloth and you're planning on doing laundry every other day, you'll need two to three dozen.
• Baby wipes
• Quick tip: Don't overstock on newborn diapers. If you have a larger baby, he may grow out of them before you've used them all.

Blankets

Four-to-six receiving blankets

Car Seat

Most hospitals won't release a baby unless a representative sees that there's a car seat for her ready for transport.

Crib

• Three or four sets of fitted sheets for the inevitable diaper blow-outs
• Waterproof mattress liner
• Crib bumpers, because babies sometimes scoot until they're wedged against the side of the crib
• Quick tip: Baby bedding is adorable but unnecessary. Babies don't need dust ruffles, comforters, or coordinated curtains. In fact comforters should be kept out of cribs altogether since they increase the risk of suffocation.

Pacifiers

• At least two, so you always have a clean one handy
• Quick tip: If you're breastfeeding, your lactation specialist may recommend holding off on introducing a pacifier until your milk supply is well established.

Feeding Supplies

If you're not going to be breastfeeding:

• Bottles
• Nipples
• Formula

For You

"Also, don't forget about your own comfort!" adds Francis. She suggests that you have a "mom and baby station" in your house stocked with:

• nursing pads and nipple cream
• plenty of receiving blankets or towels for mopping up spit-up
• a nursing pillow (if you're breastfeeding)
• heating pad
• a water bottle
• some reading material
• the painkiller of your choice for any after-birth soreness