Is there anything posted here, or can someone link me to, a list of everything I'm going to need ?! I am losing my mind trying to brainstorm lol.

If you pick up a copy of the Mothercare catalogue, there is a list of essentials checklist that you can pull out.

if you google baby essentials there's a few good lists that come up.

I have made my own list from several others - it's about 4 pages long split into bathing/changing, clothing, feeding, sleeping, travel, play etc
yes, I like lists

This is a list I downloaded from a website :-

Clothes
• Hat
• 6 cotton vests
• 2 cardigans or jumpers
• 2 pairs of cotton socks
• Slip on bootees or pram shoes
• 2 Shawls
• 6 cotton stretch suits
• Scratch mittens
Sleeping
• Moses basket or carrycot & stand
• Cot or cot bed
• Cot bumpers
• Mattress
• 4 fitted sheets
• 3 cellular blankets
• Baby monitor
• Room thermometer
• Night light
Bathing
• Baby bath
• Top & tail bowl
• 2 soft sponges
• Baby liquid soap/shampoo
• 2 soft new towels
• Bath thermometer
• Cotton wool
• Baby lotion
• Baby talc
• Non-slip bath mat
• Brush & comb
• Baby nail scissors
Breastfeeding
• 3 nursing bras
• Breast pads
• Breast pump
• Nipple shields
• Storage kits
• Nursing cushion/chair
Bottle Feeding
• 6 bottles, teats & caps
• Sterilising kit
• Bottle brush
• Dried baby formula milk
• Bottle warmer

Changing
• Changing bag with mat
• Nappy rash/barrier cream
• Baby wipes
• Changing unit
Reusable Nappies
• 24 reusable nappies
• Nappy bucket with lid
• 1 pack of baby-safe nappy pins
• 6 pairs plastic pants/nappy liners
• Sterilising fluid
Disposables
• 1 box newborn nappies
• Nappy Sacks
• Nappy bin or disposal unit
• Bibs
Miscellaneous Equipment
• Car seat
• Blinds or sunshade for the car
• Baby view mirror
• Pram or newborn buggy
• Rain covers/sunshade parasol
• Baby sling
Useful Extras
• Non-biological washing powder
• Musical cot mobile
• 2 or 3 bright squeaky toys or rattles
• Dummy/soother
• Smoke alarm
• Fire guard

http://checklistforbaby.com/list-essentials-baby/

I printed it off and keep it in my bag and just mark off whenever i buy something so i can keep track! It's mind blowing how much stuff we need for such a small person!

Oh just saw the checklist link you posted Kirst264 its great, I will def be printing it off to keep with me on my baby shopping trips

x

My sister sent me this list. I've posted it on here once before, but it's been really helpful for me...

Ok, so here is a list of stuff that you will need. Of course other people might add things to this list but this is what I found most important. Do NOT freak out about the volume of items. You have lots of time to accumulate them and will get a lot of stuff at baby showers.

1. Infant carrier/car seat - NEW ONLY. Do not buy used unless you know the person you are buying it from and know that it is newer in age. Safety standards change. If the seat was in an accident at any time, do NOT buy it. I personally liked the stroller-baby carrier combo.

You will need to purchase a BASE for the carrier to hook into the car. Install it, then schedule an appt with your local police dept to do the car seat safety check. They will make sure it is installed properly, usually free of charge.

My favorite was the Graco Travel System. About $200 but worth it. When collapsed, the fabric does not hit the ground (important in snowy and wet climates.)

Also, take 15 lbs. of dumbells with you to the store and put them in the baby carriers
and walk around the store with them for awhile. You'll quickly see which handle styles suit you best. You will have to carry that thing around until the baby hits 20 lbs. so make sure you like how it fits to your arm.

Finally, collapse the stroller, MEASURE IT, and measure your trunk opening to make sure it will fit. Our stroller would not fit into the trunk of my Stratus. Kinda tough to go anywhere without a stroller.......


2. Stoller - the regular one with the infant seat attachment is nice. Get a cheapy umbrella one for use when baby gets 9 mos. old or so.... used is fine.

3. Baby Bjorn. These are ridiculously expensive - like $100-$125. If you can find one at a garage sale for under $20, grab it and run. Nice for walks or times when baby wants to be held but you need a free hand.

4. Walkers/Exersaucers - these are not critical but honestly, babies get bored laying in one place all the time, even when very very young. Even before the kids where old enough (starting around 4 mos) I would put them in there, jamb some blankets in front of their tummies to hold them upright, and let them sit. They like to look around and be upright. Used is fine. Make sure all the attachments stay firmly in place and do not fall out easily. They are also nice for teething as baby may grab the attachments and gnaw on them.

5. Baby Swing - Some rock from side to side, others from front to back. We could not get thru a single meal without a swing. Most babies get tired and cranky around 5pm. The swing was a lifesaver. Like the walker, it gives baby a new place to hang out. Used is fine. Music and varying speeds are a +.

6. Bassinet - not worth the money. Nice for if you are taking a shower - roll the bassinet in the bathroom and baby hangs out with you while you shower. YOu'll find the first few months you and the baby will be together in every room nonstop. A boucy seat will fill this purpose equally well. And you won't use a bassinet for more than 3 mos.

7. Crib - I had two kinds. One that you can drop the front bar by using your foot, and another where you dropped the front bar by using both hands and squeezing two levers. Dumb. You'll be holding a baby. Buy the kind with the foot release.

8. Rocking chair - NECESSARY. Rocking ottoman is nice too. Make sure it is a chair that is super duper comfortable. You will be spending many many many hours there. If you can find one that reclines slightly so you can snooze, get it. Used is fine. Some of these chairs are in excess of $600. That's ridiclous. Shop Craigs List.

9. Changing table. Hmm. I guess you could get by with a flat-top low dresser just fine. Make sure the drawers open easily in case you have one set of hands holding baby's ankles together. I might have a closet organizer I'll see if I can find. You can hang it on your clothes bar nearby and use it to store baby blankets, diapers, etc.

10. Wash basket or hamper. You need one of these next to the changing table for blowouts when you are covered in poop and need a quick drop-spot for clothes. Trust me on this. Shout stain remover. Poop stains your whites.

11. Changing pad for dresser top/changing table top. Need it. Used in good condition is fine. YOu can buy covers for them. A towel always sounded like an inexpensive alternative but really became a pain because it does not stay down. Get two changing pad covers. You don't need more than 2.

12. A little table (or TV tray...) next to your rocker is critical. You will spend many hours in the chair and if you are nursing you will be thristy. A table is nice for your glass of water, a few burp cloths, breast pads, and a pen and paper, so you can access these items without distrubing a feeding. (pen and paper...for when you get up 6x a night, you will not be able to remember which side you fed on last. So the notepad helps keep it even, and ultimately will keep you more physically comfortable.)

13. Breast Pump. Do not, I repeat, do NOT, wait until after the baby is home to buy this. Have it waiting for you at home at the time you go to the hospital. When you need it, you need it NOW. I called Kelly begging her to bring hers over.

A used pump is fine. Sounds gross but the pump does not come in contact with the milk. (They are $300-400 new), however, make sure you find out for how many babies it was used for. If it was used for one baby for a couple months and you can pick it up for $75-$100, super. Do not buy a pump that was used for 4 kids for 6-mos at a crack. The pump loses it's power of suction over time. Madela Pump-in-Style in a good brand!!

Make sure the pump has about 4 collection bottles. You may want to go online and buy an extra valve ahead of time. If you lose one, you cannot pump, and waiting for one to come in the mail is simply not an option. I know..I melted one on the stove during boiling and the wait was terribly inconvenient.

14. Milk Storage Bags. I bought a variety of kinds and all were fine. One brand stood up on end...I think they were my favorite. My #1 mistake.... filling the breast milk bags with 1 oz of milk under the presumption that as a newborn, the baby only eats 1 oz. at a time. By the time the baby actually begins tapping into the bags of frozen milk, the baby will be eating much more than 1 oz...and I ended up wasting all these bags because I did not have them full to capacity. i.e. I had to thaw out 5-6 bags of frozen milk for one feeding.

Finally, just when you think you have enough milk stocked up in your freezer, take a look at what you have, and then work to double or triple your supply. Your roomate may not like it. Sorry..... Sounds ridiculous...but they will go thru that frozen milk in a matter of days. And at formula being $30/can, you'll want the real deal.

15. Bottles. Do not stock up on bottles right away, but do have a few on hand. Babies are picky about bottle style (like we are about our coffee cup) and you don't know which style your baby will want. Used is fine. But buy new nipples, as used ones get sticky-gooey over time. Ick.

Playtex makes a Ventaire bottle that Ava really liked, but the bottom comes apart in 3 pcs and the damn things leaked all over the place. Nothing will make you cry like watching your hard earned breast milk get wasted thru the bottom of a leaky bottle. One piece bottles are easiest for cleanup too.

16. Nipples. Buy Stage 1. You can always slit the nipple to open it up once the baby is ready to take more food. No need to buy Stage 2, at least not right away.

17. Bottle brush. Get a new one. Drying caddy - not needed, but might be nice.

18. Diapers and wipes....stock up on wipes. Diapers...have some newborn ones on hand for starters but don't buy a boatload. Baby grows very quickly in first three months. Wipe Warmers....you don't need it. When you go out in public and need to change a diaper and use cold wipes...well, then you have a public fit on your hands. 1 tube of Desitin/Butt Balm will last you the entire babyhood.

19. Pacifiers. After seeing four year olds with them, I don't believe in them and refused to use them. Your call. I could not even begin to recommend a brand..... If you like them, use them. Ava and Nick both learned to self-soothe.

20. Monitor - I'm giving you....

21. Breast pads. Stock up. Unless you want wet spots on your top. Put them in your purse, the diaper bag, your car....

22. Burp cloths. Get the big, felty-feeling, dishtowel size kind. If they're not big enought to catch a projectile, don't buy them. Used is fine.

23. Receiving blankets. Get about 10.

24. Nursing bras. I think I got by with 3. One more would have been nice. I had cotton and I had silky and the cotton I preferred. I don't remember how to size them...talk to the lady in the store. You don't want to F this up, because they are non-returnable. You will need to sleep in these for months if you are nursing, so make sure they are comfy.

25. Maternity underwear. I did not believe in why anyone would need this. Until one day, when....dang, I need maternity underwear (thongs)! And sadly, I still wear them. They are just plain comfy. Don't tell anyone. Chad doesn't even know. LOL

26. Crib pad. Hotly debated. I used one with Ava. I did not with Nicholas. The doctor will tell you not to buy one. You make the call. They can be dangerous.

27. Mobile. Nice. Make sure you buy one with a timer or an ON/OFF switch. Mine was a wind-up. Mmm, not the best.

Also, get ONE crib toy that mounts on the rail. There is this really popular aquarium thing that I wanted but never bought. I had a duck that quacked. That was nice because when they wake up at 3am, they will play with the toy then go back to sleep, rather than waking you for entertainment.

28. CD player. Babies like lullabies plus it helps drown out the noise of you washing dishes after they go to bed. Plus a Nite lite.

29. There is this little pad thing that ties across the crib where you can lay babies butt over in case of leaking, that way you just untie and pull the pad off the bed, without having to change the sheets. Don't know what it was called. Nice. But you don't need it.

30. Crib sheets. 2 sets. Don't spend $100 on all those coordinated bedding sets. Baby does not know the difference and you'll just get bummed when they poop on it.

31. Infant toys. Sassy makes some little "bugs" that crinkle and are soft. Baby loves them!! 2 or 3 is plenty.

32. Baby gym. At about 3-4 mos, baby will love. Used is fine. Make sure it's machine washable.

33. Bouncy seats. A must. Get ones that they "melt" into. Nothing with a firm back. Both my kids liked the Cradle N' Soothe and the Fisher Price Kick N Play. Check them out. Used is perfectly fine, and actually, much more cost effective.

34. Batteries. You'll need a zillion of them in every size under the sun.

35. Rattles. Yep, they love em.

36. Baby bath. Hmmm, you probably can get buy without one. Frankly I found showering with baby to be 10x easier than bathing them in the infant tub. But they do come in handy for cases when you don't plan on showering. (Look for cheap, and with a grippy bottom). You will not use this more than a few months, so I would not spend more than $10 on a used one. New......no way.

37. Baby towels and washcloths. Novelty stuff. The hoodie towel is kinda nice but you only need one. If that.

38. Water thermometer. Get one to prevent scalding. (We have one that looks like a rubber ducky.)

39. Baby caps. Some people think you need 10 of them. If you use more than 2, then I don't know what I did wrong.

40. Padded spoons. Used is fine if you can get some without a lot of tooth marks.

41. Bibs. Get a zillion of them. I prefered the snap close to the velcro. Velcro always wears down over time and snags your silky tops in the wash.

42. Diaper Genie + liners. Waste of money. You can still smell the poop. Take out the poopy diaper and be done with it.

43. Thermometer. Talk to your doc about what kind. I got different advice all the time.

4. Sling. I heard there was just a huge product recall on these. I liked the Bjorn just fine.

45. Onesies. Stock up. Long sleeve and short sleeve. You'll need them up to age 3 so if you can find some for cheap that are in good shape, start collecting.

16. Layette.... I probably had way more than I needed. I would have on hand, about 5 footie sleepers, 3 sleepsacks - the jammie kind, 5 onsies, a couple pant/top sets for out-and-about, a light outdoor "suit" (like a fleece snowsuit with a hood for chilly days),
and maybe a couple one-pc outfits.

I never used shoes on my infants. Some people like them...but babies don't walk!! I just made sure they had warm feet.

Chenille socks always looked so comfy. Trust me. They do NOT stay on and you will end up with a bare foot every damn time you put them on. Stick with cotton socks!!

37. Teething thingy.... I had this thing that looked like a rubber thimble that slipped over the tip of my index finger. It had soft rubber bristles on it and I used it for rubbing gums during teething. ?? I don't know what it was called or where I even got it. But the kids loved it.

38. Pillows. You will need a lot of pillows during your 3rd trimester. I found a body pillow on clearance for $6 at Target. They are $50 at Babies R Us. Don't spend the $50, but do make sure you have plenty of pillows. You will need them for behind your back and between your legs and under your belly while sleeping.

39. Tearless shampoo. One big bottle.

40. What else what else.... geez. I did not buy a maternity coat (due same time as you with both) because by the time I would need to wear it, I was so damn hot I didn't need one. Baby is an internal heating system..... THat was the nice thing about a late fall due date.....

41. Finally, as temping and fun as it is to buy a ton of maternity clothes, don't do it.

42. High chair...you won't need until baby is a bit older. 6 mos? I can't even remember. Get one with the tray that has a second, top-tray on it. i.e. mine has the big tray that detaches from the armpiece, and THAT piece has a thin tray that can be
easily taken off and washed in the sink or dishwasher. You'll love it and it makes life much easier!!!

43. Pack N Play. Most people's kids loved to play in these. My kids hated to play it in it. But it makes a great portable crib. Some come with changing stations you can use during baby's first few months home. That was nice....

I should mention...focus on the big stuff. Let your showers bring in the clothes and supplies. If you can find a spendy item for cheap at a garage sale, buy it and take it off your registry. Instead of having 3 friends split the cost of a $75 bouncy that you can find for $10 used, have them buy some of your other stuff. IF that makes sense.....