What does baby need?
Clothing, Diapering, Nursing, Bed & Bath and Travel
Here are our recommendations for what to buy for baby, based on what we like for Michael.  
(The numbers are based on having a washer/ dryer in our condo.)  


Clothing

Gerber onesies: 6-12 in each size.  They're inexpensive but good quality, and keep diapers together.  Get more in the newborn size - it takes a while to get the hang of diapering, and you'll go through a lot very quickly (not to mention having no time to do laundry that first week or two).  

Gerber Sleep & Plays: 3 in each size (one package).  Also inexpensive, but good for sleep or when other clothes are in the wash.  Also good for summer babies whose parents have air conditioning.  

Carter's clothing: 6-9 whole outfits in each size. One piece outfits with feet are great for the first month or two.  100% cotton clothing is breathable and comfortable.  They make lots of cute clothing, and it wears well even when washed a lot.  Carter's outlet is cheap, as are Babies R' Us and Sears.
 

Carter's Gowns: 2.  They're great for nighttime changes, comfy, and easy to put on.  
 


Bibs: 10-12.  I didn't think we'd need them so early, but Michael always wears one - it means we don't have to change his clothing as often (he spits a lot, and it's much easier to change bibs).

Socks: 6-12. I like Carter's (surprise) - they have great cuffs and stay on no matter what.  The others we've gotten are cute but fall off easily.  
Diapering

We use cloth diapers and love them.  They're all natural, good for baby's skin (no chemicals or gels), good for the environment (one baby uses one ton of disposables in a year), breathable, and not too hard to care for.  Much cheaper than disposables, too (diaperpin.com has a calculator to calculate savings).
We bought everything from Kelly's Closet and Kokopelli's market and used the other sites for research and such.

Here's what we would recommend:

     3 dozen chinese prefold diapers (each size)
    2-3 dozen Kushies flannel doublers/inserts
    6 diaper covers (each size)
    20 washcloths (wipes not necessary at home - just use water)

Bi-O-Kleen detergent  (the earthbaby web site has a combo package with laundry powder, Bac-Out Stain & Odor Eliminator and oxygen bleach). We got this package and love it but bought each piece individually at the Kokopelli's market site because it was $20 cheaper.

Diaper covers - We've tried (in order of price, lowest to highest) Gerber(the ones from babies r us), Pro-wraps, Bummis, and Bumpy (day and night).  We liked the Bummis best.  The Bumpys were good too but a big price jump for cute prints no one will see.  The Pro-wraps weren't as good as the Bummis and not that much cheaper.  The Gerber were a stopgap purchase. 

Disposable diapers and wipes - we use these when we're travelling and don't have access to a washer, or when we're out of clean covers...So far Pampers are the favored for both wipes and diapers (the BabyDry diapers have a funny smell, but there are other types).

Diaper Service: There's only one in the Chicago area.  We used them for the first 9 weeks and it was a great way to do cloth without the hassle of washing while we were settling in.  They use chinese prefolds; they also rent covers, but we ended up buying our own because theirs were worn out.  Pretty inexpensive and definitely worth it.  

            Bottoms Up Dy-Dee Wash Diaper Service
            201 North Green Bay Road  Waukegan, IL 60085
            847-336-0040
           

Nursing

If you plan on nursing, you'll need the following:


Nursing bras: 5-6 (more if you don't have a washer in home).  I got mine at JCPenney's - they're all cotton, no underwire (can cause plugged ducts/infection). Motherwear has advice on selecting a bra (their bras are expensive).  

Nursing pads: I leak a lot, and use my 40  washable ones (Avent are good, as are Gerber) in a few days.  You can also get disposable ones - Medela makes good nursing pads.  

Nursing clothes:  I recommend 2-3 nice t-shirts, and maybe a dressy sweater or dress.  I get my clothing from Motherwear, and like it a lot.  Loose shirts also work well.  

Pump:  I have one for work, a Medela Pump in Style.  It's great, but not needed if you're not working.  Medela has a chart to figure out what (if any) you need.  


Bed & Bath

Receiving blankets: 3-4.  

Fleece blanket: 1.  Great for outdoors, covering carseat, etc.  

Crib stuff:  We don't have one, so I can't make recommendations.  Babies R' Us has a good site for recommendations for new parents.

Burp cloths: 12.  Great for all baby's (and mama's) messes.

Washcloths: 6-12.

   Hooded towels:  2.  Carter's makes good thick ones.

   Bathtub: We have a small one which we use sometimes - more often, though, he bathes with mama.
Travel

Carseat:  We have a Graco SnugRide with a 5-point harness and we love it.  There are lots of other good ones out there, too.      Carseat safety    Consumer reports ratings

Carseat cover: Don't have one, but friends swear by them.  We just use blankets.

Stroller:  We have a MacLaren Volo umbrella stroller which we'll use once Michael's 4-5 months.  Don't have a big one that goes with carseat, so we don't have one for now (but we don't really need one).

Baby carrier:  Wearing babies is a time-honored way of carrying babies, calming them, and bonding.  Great for mamas, dads, and anyone else caring for baby.  We use a Guatemalan baby carry scarf.  A Snugli/ Baby Bjorn works well too, as can a Sling.  Try them all and see what you like.  

Diaper bag: We use a backpack, and it's great for when one person is out alone - baby on the front, bag on the back.  

Snowsuit:  We have a Polartec fleece suit from Lands' End - it doesn't fit in the carseat well, but is great when we go for walks and Michael is carried in the scarf.  




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