I'll preface this with saying that I know how emotional baby raising can be. So please understand that this is what has worked well for us, with this baby. It is not intended to be recommendation for you and your circumstances, as everyone's in unique.
1. Crib
This may seem like a big necessity. I did look for a bassinet or something smaller for when we brought him home. One of the ladies I volunteered with on base said she used a dresser drawer with her first. I guess whatever works. They do look so tiny in that big expanse of mattress at first...Since we nurse through the night and co-sleep, the crib was used for a changing station in the bedroom until I decided changing him right in bed was easier. I didn't have to move him from his warm spot and wake him up any more than need be.
I know: GASP! CO-SLEEP?!?! Aren't I afraid of smothering him? Him falling off the bed? Okay, let's be real and think about this rationally instead of resulting to scare tactics. Neither myself nor my husband are obese or have sleep issues. Co-sleeping is a bit of a covert-op, it seems. The more I talk to other women about it, the more I realize there's a silent majority content with the same decision...but no one is opening up to talk about it for fear of being judged. Judge away. We're happy, healthy, thriving and all are sleeping well. Even Dad.
Thankfully we got a convertible crib. I've started integrating the toddler bed into naps during the day. Because we're wanting to wait a biiit longer before baby #2, we're still nursing through the night (not nothing like when he first came home, because the boy could chow-down!). I'll wrap this up with saying that a good monitor and being near-by when he awakens avoids any attempts to wander about, since he's more mobile and crawling now.
2. Diaper Genie
We cloth diaper and wipe. You'd need quite a few of those to fill up the genie. I got a small flip-top canister from target that has a removal inner pail. It's just big enough to hold his night time diapers. All the others go straight into the washing machine when their soiled. Diapers are washed at least once a day. The pail is washed at least once a week, but doesn't even really need it.
3. Diaper Bag
I had three diaper bags before the baby came. One was used for my hospital bag. It. was. huge. The second was a bit smaller but could hold blankets, diapers, clothes, etc, etc. The more I carried it around, the more I realized I never used anything in it other than a diaper or two, a few wipes and a blanket- maybe. So I down sized even further to a small messenger style north face bag. It's just big enough to hold my sunglasses (if necessary), wallet, keys, a few diapers and a slim wipe container. (It's as long as a diaper and as thick as maybe four diapers stacked.) It has a few handy little compartments and a nice long flip-front that's magnetized. It gets the job done and it's not a huge bulking thing to lug around. But, just in case it's not enough, we always keep spare diapers, wipes, chews, a blanket, socks and hand sanitizer in the car (we are in Montana now). We never had blow-outs or a need for extra clothes. So we lost the chaff.
4. A slew of Baby Bottles
With the exception of adding breast milk to newly introduced foods, I don't have a need for bottles. Plus, he won't take one. If I didn't have bottles, I could easily use a cup or other container. Screwing the bottle onto the pump is MUCH more convenient though. I have a rotation of about 4 or 5 bottles I use for pumping and freezing or mixing.
5. Bottle brush
I don't store milk for more than a couple days, so washing isn't a chore. With one bottle to wash at a time, soap, water and a sponge work just fine.
6. Bed rail
I got a bed rail when we decided to stick with co-sleeping. It was more of a hassle to maneuver over and around, especially in the middle of the night. Babies don't even have the ability to roll around. Once we got on the move from NC to MT and didn't have the rail for hotel and billeting rooms, I realized it was more for my peace of mind than a necessity. It may come in handy if he turns out to be a little thrasher in bed.
7. Changing table
Luckily I never bought an actual changing table. I didn't see a need for one from the get-go. Instead, I bought a farm house drop-leaf table from an antique shop in case I didn't like the idea. It's now in our living room as a piece of furniture. We use the ottoman for a changing station now. When we're done diapering, it'll return to its usual function.
8. Pacifiers
He never took a bottle nor a pacifier. We got one juuust in case. He chews on it when hes sleepy now, but doesn't suck. He never started sucking his thumb or fingers either. None of those bad habits to break.
9.Onesies
Maybe onesies are less of a hassle with disposable diapers. But with changing a diaper sometimes three times in one hour, they turned out to be an incredible headache. We ended up going and sticking with tops and leggings. Some days he looks a bit ridiculous. But really, he's a baby and we're at home. So long as he's warm and dry, we're both happy. I especially like his peacock speesees top. It really brings out his grey-blue eyes :)
10. Sleep positioner
This goes back to the fact that babies don't roll around. Lie them on their back to sleep and they'll wake up the same way. We were gifted a wedge positioner after I had already purchased a regular positioner. I exchanged it for a wedge to use with my Boppy. A much better use of materials for a new baby and feeding times. One of my best girl friends used hers and said her babe slid down it. I don't think they kept using it after that...I used the regular positioner in the stroller to keep his head from bumping into the side rails. You can get head postioners that do the same.
...Something I left off of my previous Blog about things that make being a new mom easier, a breast pump. We went with the Medela Pump in Style. I also got a hand pump, but once I saw how easy and great the in Style did, I never used the hand pump again. I actually got the In Style from ebay for about $65 with shipping. Reviews will tell you it's not safe to use someone else's pump, for cross-contamination reasons. But....hospitals use and re-use their pumps on different women all the time. Some hospitals rent out pumps. So long as nothing that touched the last woman touches you, it's perfectly fine. I was cautiously optimistic but haven't had one bit of trouble. I bought my own tubes and...oh what's the name of the cone/martini glass-looking thing??? Anyway, easy and cheap new replacements that can be found anywhere on line or at Babies R Us.
Something else I've forgotten that was a big save many a time: a mattress pad protector. It's like a huge water-proof pillow case for your mattress.
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