A New Mom's Question - What do we need?

Question:

My husband and I took our first a trip to Babies R Us as an expecting couple and were astonished at how much stuff you need for a baby! My husband said that he half expected the high chairs to all of a sudden get up and start walking to go take over the world. Since then, we have been asking friends and family what are the most essential things we should get to be able to take care of a baby. We have limited room in our apartment and want to only get those things that we will need. My husband is more interested in what we need as far as big items go, and I am more interested in what we need as far as how many bottles, etc. - Joanna from Brookline, MA

From Adrienne:
Joanna: Congratulations on you pending bundle of joy! I have created a bare bones list of absolute essentials to get you started. Just remember, getting started will occupy about 3 months of your new little one's life. After that, it's all bets off the table as baby grows and grows and grows.... her needs will start to change as she will no longer be brand new. But first things first.

I am tailoring this list to accomodate living in a small apartment in the city.

Things you will want to buy for yourself

• A Car Seat and Stroller:
  Consumer Reports rates Chicco very well. It is my opinion that you will want good quality (ie, spend a little bit for this). You can combine the purchase into a "travel system".
  For a description of my favorite, see The Chicco Cortina Travel System.
  The store that I found in your area is The Right Start and has a location in Natick.
  
  For a walking city with a need for some car rides, this looks like a really good buy at $319.
  
  
• A Baby Bouncer:
  This will provide a safe place for your baby to sit and watch your activities during the day. Consumer Reports rates the Fisher Price Rainforest (at $43.00) very well. This is also available from The Right Start. An additional feature of this bouncer is a vibrator that will help calm a fussy baby when you are trying to fix dinner.






• A Crib:
  Baby needs a bed! Consumer Reports rates the Ikea Leksvik as a sturdy and safe bed made from renewable materials that will convert to a toddler bed later. It is a deal at $159. There are two types of cribs made these days - those with adjustable sides and those with stationary sides. After having two kids of my own and having seen some of the safety issues that can occur with adjustable sides, I recommend the stationary sides - which what Leksvik is.
  
• A Baby Bath:
  Little one needs a bath! The Baby Cacoon Bath from The Right Start will not be a space hog, and yet will hold your baby until he is several months old. At $24.99, this is my favorite.




• Bottles:
  Consumer Reports recommends glass bottles. However, I found a safe alternative at The Right Start - The Adiri Natural Nurser Ultimate Bottle is 100% polycarbonate-free and bisphenol-A free. The Right Start also has glass bottles.


Things you will want to wait until after your baby shower


• blankets
• clothing


Things you don't want to buy at all! Your baby will outgrow by week one

• newborn sized clothes

I will work on recommendations for your clothing and baby toy needs. A good gift to ask for would be a subscription to Consumer Reports online. This is an invaluable tool to pre-shopping, and has safety ratings, as well as the latest recall information.

For now! Adrienne