Questions & Answers

My friend that just had a baby girl a few months ago swears by the sleepers that button or zip down one leg, so you only have to undress one leg to change their diapers, instead of taking the whole thing off them to get to them. Also, she prefers the button up ones, as the zip up ones leave this weird "zipper boner" type thing. If you know what I'm saying? Lol

The things I couldn't live without (that aren't the standard diapers, bottles, carseat kinda stuff) are:

1) Cloth Diapers - like the other posters, I didn't use them as diapers, they are the BEST burp cloths around
2) Footed onesies - I call them sleepers - so you don't have to fool around with socks at night
3) A swing
4) A boppy lounger

If you are in the US - don't buy a cheap breast pump if you are going back to work - under the Afforadable Care Act - your insurance has to fully - 100% cover - with no deductible - a breast pump. You have to get it from a healthcare supply place, and you need a prescription from your doctor - but its worth it. I got the 300 top-of-the-line medela one for free.

I got several packs of the Gerber brand cloth diapers, the ones target carries. They are so great for burp rags, cleaning up messes, you name it. I'm pregnant with number 3 right now and I'm still using them for my almost three year old's messes. Lol I use them for lots of other non baby related things too. Probably the only other thing I used daily for him when he was newborn, besides the basic necessities, was the swing. It was a life saver when I just couldn't do another lap around the living room at 3am! Sometimes he slept whole nights in it when he was really fussy.

Car seat
stroller
a bouncer or swing
sleepers
onesies
sound machine
receiving/swaddle blankets
bottles if formula feeding
nursing pillow (helpful in the beginning)
towel/washcloth
change pad

I loooove sleep sacks and footed onsies. I never have to worry or deal with socks or shoes :) cheap walmart throw blankets have been great because they're a great size, soft, and only $3! Baby blankets are crazy expensive in my opinion. Also we bought a TON of baby towels that were on clearance because they work great as burp rags since they cover all of one side of your body, really light blankets, and as mats if you wanna put baby on the floor for a bit. They also soak of pee very well if you plan on giving baby naked time :) Also, if you plan to use pacifiers, get a couple different kinds, don't stock up one one he/she may not like. Our boy is super picky :/

After you shower see what you have, assess what you need right away to be ready to bring baby home, and then if there is anything you really wanted to have but didn't get. Then see what can wait and let those things wait-you may find you don't need them or want them as you learn about your parenting style and your baby's personality. I wouldn't buy too many clothes until closer to your due date, either, because people may give you tons of clothes either as hand me downs or because it's fun buying other people baby clothes! We only buy 6 months or larger if we do buy clothes because we figure that's when we'll be like "Crap, we don't have any clothes that fit!"

One thing you must have is a car seat. Other than that...what you need for a newborn like diapers, wipes, some burp rags, a stroller (not totally necessary but very helpful) or a wrap/carrier, diaper cream, some newborn and 0-3 size clothes (some babies don't fit newborn size so if you skip that whole size you want to be prepared), a place to sleep baby (a bassinet, nest, co-sleeper or crib) and some breastfeeding supplies to get you started as well as some bottles in case you need them (I wouldn't go crazy because your preferences might change and you don't want 10000 breast pads you hate), swaddling blankets or sleepers, hats and mitts and a few pairs of socks
Nice to have : a play mat, a play yard, some cute outfits for photos, a bath
Things you don't really need: baby towels (regular towels are just fine and they grow out of these fast), a highchair (at least not yet, if you have to put it off you can get it later), a baby food maker, baby shoes for newborns (they never stay)

Sleep sacks and Jammie's...

I loved the pre made swaddles. They just have a pocket you stick the baby in & you Velcro the rest around the baby. Also, I was a Halo sleep sack fan. My all time favorite baby product. Those things are awesome!!! I have a massive fear of SIDS, so a wearable blanket was right up my alley. That, and I never had to worry about her coming out from under the covers & getting cold!

The one thing I make sure to get for all my friends when they have babies is cloth diapers. We don't use them as diapers, but as burp cloths. They cover a wider area of your shoulder, are more absorbent than most of the fancy burp cloths with designs, and hold up after a ton of washes. They also make great dust cloths when you no longer need them for the baby.
The one thing I would splurge on is a breast pump if you are going to use one. I have heard horror stories of people using cheap ones and having to buy a different one. You can check with your insurance company and see if they will cover all or part of a pump for you. All insurance companies cover them because of the Affordable Care Act. However, not all policies within those companies cover the pumps so you will have to ask. If you have any questions about anything or want an opinion, message me and I will try to help you out!