Having a baby is stressful enough without having to worry about what to buy in preparation for his or her arrival. How does a first-time parent tell the difference between a newborn care necessity and a convenience item?
The best way is to ask another parent’s opinion. He or she will be able to indicate which items are necessities and which ones aren’t helpful in caring for a newborn. The checklist below is just that – it’s a compilation of several veteran parents’ opinions on what to buy before the newborn baby arrives. It consists of infant care items that, if they are not purchased before the baby arrives, new parents might have to run out at a very inconvenient time to purchase when they finally realize they need or want them. Some items parents will want to purchase themselves; others are perfect baby registry items.
A newborn’s material needs are few – this list includes the basics needed to help a newborn baby sleep and stay warm, fed, and clothed.
New parents are inundated with advertisements for every "must-have" newborn baby item. The new baby checklist above can help them distinguish necessities from conveniences.