Shortly after I found out I was pregnant, once the excitement, and burst of emotions calmed down, I started to think how to prepare. Other then setting up and cleaning up the nursery there are quite a few items you need to welcome your baby home. After all, you want to be prepared for the occasion vs running around getting everything last minute. So here’s the list I’ve complied. It's not a comprehensive list and does not include all the necessities but this is a good start to those major purchases you'll have to make.
Roomba
Firstly Id like to mention how much I’ve learned to love my Roomba. Yes I know this is not an item on anyones list of items to buy before your baby arrives BUT I strongly recommend getting one if you don’t already have it. With all the new responsibilities you’ll be taking on, you want to simplify your life as much as possible! Roomba definitely does that. You can set it to roam the house every 2 or 3 days and just let it do its thing. To be honest the reason I got a Roomba was because of my mom. When I got pregnant she told me to make a list and she’ll get me everything on the list. (Theres a superstition in my culture that says the new parents can't purchase anything for their soon-to-be baby. Instead all the soon-to-be grandparents must do all the buying. So my mother called me and said, lets get you a Roomba, At first I was a bit reluctant but then I caved and oh boy am I glad! Trust me this is one gift that keeps on giving.
Formula
Whether you’re planning on bottle or breast, you should still have some formula on backup just incase. If your milk comes in late or you have a hard time breastfeeding you want to make sure your basis are covered. When I packed my hospital bag I made sure to take a box of Holle Pre with me. Just incase my milk wouldn’t come in I knew I had a great organic formula to back me up.
Bassinet
This one requires some thought. Do you want a bassinet or is it extra and how do you go about choosing? Well I've decided to purchase a bassinet because SNOO! I’ll explain the SNOO is a responsive bassinet which allows your newborn to sleep, in turn allowing parents to sleep as well. The idea behind it is to react to your babies cries and movements and lull them back to sleep the result is - you begin to sleep-train right away, your baby sleeps and SO DO YOU! I know this sounds to good to be true but read the reviews on this bad boy. Every parent says the same thing, they slept, which is basically a miracle for parents of newborns!
Car Seat
This is a must. The hospital won’t let you leave unless you have a car seat properly installed, so be prepared. I really like the Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat. If you have a premie this car seat is perfect it adjust to a smaller baby without compromising a snug fit and is recommended by NICU nurses and other safety experts. Installation is easy breezy and this car seat will fit any Chicco stroller. The one big disadvantage is the fabric, though easy to clean, it does not breathe. I had a December baby so this wasn’t something that concerned me much but if your due date is in the summer, make sure your air conditioning in the car is nice and strong.
Stroller
This is another item worth thinking about. Do want one child or two or more? Will you be traveling a lot? I consider myself pretty lucky because by the time I got pregnant a lot of my friends already had a baby or were on their second so I was able to get a lot of advice. For me the Uppababy Vista Stroller was a no brainer. It does have a hearty price tag its quality and ease of use speak for itself. Its easy to use, parents literally say it glides along with you. Vista also has an expandable system that can accommodate more than two riders with ease. There is a solution for pretty much every age from bassinet to infant car seat, and reversible toddler seat to riding scooter and the system can change on the fly. Plus I love the extra large basket on the bottom makes my shopping trips a breeze.
Diapers, Wipes, Diaper rash ointment, Bibs
Definitely stock up on these items. I promise you’ll need ‘em all and you definitely don’t want to go running around for these when your baby is already in your arms. We bought boxes of diapers, my husband said he doesn’t want to go to the store every 5 minutes so he bought a whole stash of diapers and wipes! I was a little (or a lot) unsure of where to store everything but VERY QUICKLY that problem took care of itself.