If you live in a colder climate, you can add a soft hat, a pair of socks, and a blanket to this list - but you'll get a million of these as gifts, and even your hospital will send you home with them.
Consider absolutely everything else an extra. There is no need to buy any of it before the baby comes or even immediately thereafter. (Believe it or not, stores will continue to be open after the birth of your child.) It's actually prudent to wait to see how things go anyway - otherwise you might find yourself with ten sets of pajamas with feet only to discover that neither you nor the baby are fond of them, or a huge expensive jogging stroller that you wish you could trade in for a smaller, lighter version to maneuver more easily in and out of neighborhood stores. There's no way to know exactly what you will need (or how you'll want to use it) until baby appears and becomes part of your life. So keep it simple. Then order any additional items online, or borrow them, or send your spouse, mother, or friend out to pick up what you need - people want to help, and this gives them a task.
"Wipe warmers are a total scam. Think about it, what happens when you are out and about and need to change the baby - how are you going to warm the wipe? Better just get him used to room temperature." - Paula, mom of two, ages 7 & 4
Now, every expectant mom (and maybe even some dads) has a mental list of everything she has to buy in order to sleep well at night, logic be damned. For one friend of ours, it was a gorgeous set of matching crib bedding; even though she knew her baby wouldn't be sleeping in the crib right away, it put her mind at ease to see everything set up beautifully while she was still pregnant. Another friend was obsessed with having enough socks and hats for her winter baby; meanwhile, her husband wanted to buy every childproofing item imaginable - even though it was only the second trimester. For you, it might be a bigger car, a fully decorated nursery, or drawers full of matching outfits. It's okay to succumb to your personal list. Think about what's weighing on your mind, and just buy it (and start a large envelope for baby-related receipts in case you need to return things). Then move on.
How to Have Your Second Child First: 100 Things That Would Have Been Good to Know…The First Time Around
Excerpt
No.1: You don't need to buy all that stuff
One of the most overwhelming things facing first-time parents comes before baby is even born: sorting through all the information about what you need to buy for your little one.
It's hard enough navigating the books, the doctor appointments, Mom's (and perhaps Dad's!) changing body, your emotions about becoming a parent - yet you're also pressured to decide between a Maclaren or a Bugaboo (or a college fund), a Boppy or a My Brest Friend, a station wagon or a minivan, high-end organic onesies or cheap packs from a discount store...And why does everything have to have such confusing, non-sensical names to boot? (What is a Pack 'n Play anyway, and how does it differ from a Snap-N-Go?)
Take a deep breath and repeat after us: I do not need it. I do not need it. I do not need it.
Here's what you truly need for your child's first month of life:
An infant car seat
A big package of newborn diapers
A big package of unscented baby wipes (or cotton balls)
A big package of onesies
A place for the baby to sleep (might be a bassinet; Co-Sleeper; crib; your bed; or even a clean, dry sock drawer lined with safe padding)
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