When I had my first child, I put everything under the sun on my registry.  Now I realize that so many of the things I put on there were useless (or didn’t get used very much) and there were other things that I wish I would have known about earlier!  So here is my new mom essentials list:

(1) An infant car seat.  I liked the Chicco Key Fit 30 (in Sedona – also available in Graphica Gray). it had great safety ratings and is easy to install.  It carries infants up to 30 lbs (although my son who was somewhat freakishly tall at 98th percentile in height outgrew it quicker than its weight limit — but he’s in the minority).  Don’t be fooled by people telling you that you can get away with a convertible car seat for a newborn. The convenience factor alone is worth the price!   You will not want to have to wake your infant from sleeping just to get them out of a car seat (especially if you’ve been up with them all night the prior evening)!  With an infant car seat, you just take the entire car seat with you, and if you’re really smart, you snap it into a Snap and Go stroller.

Other options that my mommy friends liked were: 

Graco Snugride Click Connect 30 Infant Car Seat

(2) A Snap and Go Stroller.  Sure, we will get to investing in a great stroller later in this list, but if you don’t have a lot of money (or even if you do, the sheer convenience of this thing is so worth it).  It’s not sturdy by any means, but you just take your sleeping infant right in its car seat and snap the car seat into this frame and voila you go!  For the Chicco Key Fit 30, there is the Chicco Keyfit Caddy Stroller Frame and for the Graco there is the Graco Snugride Elite Stroller. 

If you have a little more money, you could get a more sturdy snap and go stroller like the Chicco Bravo Trio Travel System and forego a luxury stroller altogether (at least until they outgrow their car seat).

(3) A Changing Pad.  I got this cheap Summer Infant Contoured Changing Pad for less than $20 and it’s still serving me well.  

(4) A Real Stroller.  If you’re going to have a nanny or yourself drag the baby all over a concrete jungle like New York or expect to be strolling a lot, then I’d definitely invest in a high grade stroller.  The two strollers that I or other moms have loved are: The UppaBaby Vista (it is so sturdy, relatively easy to fold and if it breaks, they will replace the parts or stroller no questions asked) and the Bugaboo Bee3 Stroller.

If you’re like me and don’t expect to be taking your stroller everywhere, but just to and from your car to short distances or for leisurely walks, the BabyJogger City Mini GT did just fine for us (and was half the price of the luxury strollers).  It has the most convenient easy fold that is hard to beat and it’s pretty light.

(5) A Swing that Swings from Side to Side.  In those early months, there will be a million times the baby cries for no reason at all and you can’t get them to stop (even after checking his diaper and feeding him) or you can’t get the baby to sleep at 4 am!   That is why it is absolutely essential to get the right kind of swing.  Forget those wimpy swings that are portable and swing front to back (they don’t calm crazy upset babies well, if at all).  Yes, I know they look ginormous and you’re going to be wondering “Where in God’s great created earth will I have space to put that thing?!?”  But believe me, you will not regret it.  Get the kind that plugs into the wall also because they will drain your batteries like nobody’s business.  We liked the My Little Snugapuppy Cradle N Swing from Fisher Price.  Any other Fisher Price cradle n swing will do just fine too like the Deluxe Cradle N Swing with Rainforest Friends.

(6) A Bunch of Cotton Side Snapping Shirts.  A nurse told me this in a baby class and she was right.  You don’t want to be putting things over a baby’s head the first few weeks.  You want changing to be easy.  As much as you think you will put the baby in cute Tutus and overalls the first few weeks, it ain’t going to happen.  So get these side snappers and make your life easier!   Try the Gerber Unisex Sidesnap Tees or the Carters Unisex Baby 5 pack Sidesnap Tee.

(7) If it’s Fall/Winter, a bunch of footies (preferably gloved).  We liked the Gerber Footies because they were cheap (they’ll be outgrowing them quick) and comfortable.  We also liked the Carters Fleece Footies.  Ralph Lauren Polo also makes some great gloved cotton footies!