To the first time mama {and a reminder to myself}... Here are what I would consider the essentials for the first 6-12 months of a baby's life. I left off many things that you will need - such as diapers, wipes, clothes, bedding, shampoo, changing pad, bath tub, etc. because styles and brands don't really matter for those things and you will receive lots of those items as gifts. Also I wouldn't buy too many pacifiers until you find out whether or not the baby likes them. Z has at least 10 pacis and she never took any of them. Below are some of the bigger items with links to what I think are the best brands/styles to buy. Of course, it's just my opinion! Do what you want! And always remember that babies are technically little people who have opinions and preferences of their own, so you will probably find that you have to buy/return things after your little one arrives. I definitely would leave stuff in packages until you use it... because you never know what you might want to return a few weeks or months down the road. I would even say don't wash a lot of clothes before the baby arrives, because he or she might outgrow things really quickly and it's nice to return stuff and get bigger sizes. Okay, here it goes... Carrier - I would recommend the Ergo, a ring sling, and/or a Solly Baby Wrap. Crib mattress - Our Safety 1st mattress is the best I've seen. It's firm and safe. Oh, and you'll want a mattress cover {or two} also. Infant carrier car seat - I didn't really like ours, so I would go with the Chicco Keyfit 30 instead. That's what most of my friends have and love. Hands free pump bra - Best thing in the world, especially if you will be pumping at work! But I used mine at home all the time too. I don't know how to pump without it anymore! Burp cloths - I like these extra soft ones or just regular cloth diapers. You will probably want 8-12 burp cloths at least. Baby seat - Prince Lionheart all the way! This chair is safer than the Bumbo and is more forgiving of chunky baby thighs. Pack N Play - This is what Z slept in for the first two months in our room (on the raised bassinet level) and now it's our crib on the go if we are traveling. If you want something smaller for the first few months, a lot of my friends love the co-sleeper bassinet. Swaddles - These are the best way to put a baby to sleep for the night. Don't mess with the kinds you have to manually wrap yourself. These ones attach easily with Velcro. The Miracle Blanket is also a great swaddle. And we moved to these sleep sacks when Z was about 4 months old. Stroller - We love ours soooo much! It's lightweight, so easy to fold up, and you can jog with it. We recommend it a thousand times over. You will also need the car seat attachment for the infant carrier and I highly recommend the parent console to hold drinks and keys. We just upgraded to the double version of the City Mini GT, and I'm so excited. Bibs - These are the ONLY bibs you need once your baby starts solids. Get 4 of these and you will be set. Some mamas have suggested that cloth bibs or bandanas are helpful for spit up and drool in the early months. Bottles - We had great success with Tommee Tippee, but babies can be really picky about their bottles so be willing to experiment.  Boppy pillow - I personally think it's worth it to splurge on a plush Boppy cover from Pottery Barn Kids. It's so soft and washes well, which is nice since you and baby will be practically living on the thing. Also, the Brest Friend pillow is super helpful for the first few weeks of nursing when you are trying to get things figured out. Breast pads, milk storage bags, nipple cream - But don't open your nipple cream before the baby arrives, because you might have a really smooth experience and not need it. Plus, the hospital should give you a sample size! Sound machine - You will probably want some kind of sound machine, not to lull the bay to sleep, but to drown out house noises so the baby can stay asleep. Then you won't have to freak out over doorbells, people slamming the microwave, etc. while the baby is napping. We have this one, but this one is really highly rated too, and some people just use a white noise app on a phone or iPod. Liners for changing pad - These are great for protecting your changing pad, and I always flip it to the back, plastic side if I'm dealing with a blow out. :) These foam changing mats are also awesome, because they don't require a cover.  Bouncer chair - Your baby will sit in this for the first 3-6 months of life. Z sat in hers to watch Baby Einstein until she was 15 months old. She was way too big for it, but we called it her baby couch.  Nosefrida - Just trust me... Nursing cover - Z hated to be covered, but I used mine when I pumped at the gym. Aden and Anais swaddle blankets - Again, don't swaddle with these. Use the fancy velcro ones for that. But these are great for everything else. Keep the baby warm, keep the sun out of baby's eyes, lay baby down, back up nursing cover, back up burp cloth, everything! You might also want a play mat, jumper, or exersaucer, but I would highly recommend borrowing these or buying them secondhand. They will take over your house for a few months and then as soon as the baby outgrows them, you will want them gone. No sense paying a zillion dollars for brand new ones. *See also: a blog post about toys Zianne actually uses // breastfeeding post one and breastfeeding post two // surviving the first two weeks with a newborn ... Read more