by Jen M. Hernandez

Created on: November 19, 2010

You are nearing the end of your first pregnancy and have finally gotten around to making that baby registry you’ve been dreading. Or you’ve made your way into a baby store and can’t help but feel slightly – scratch that – COMPLETELY overwhelmed. Everything seems so little and cute, but your budget couldn’t possibly afford all of it. What exactly is a necessity? It seems as though everyone is giving you a list of completely different items. HELP!

Here are the 10 things new moms can absolutely NOT go without:

1. Car seat: The fact of the matter is that you won’t even be allowed out of the hospital unless you have one. So, this is definitely something you shouldn’t really wait to get. Most car seats for newborns are sold in combination with strollers. Choose one of those. Though the car seat will only suit your munchkin for a little while, he has plenty of time to outgrow that stroller, and the cost of these two separately can make a real dent.

2. Bottles: Even if you do plan to breast feed, there may come a time when you’ll pump and store. Whatever your decision, you will need bottles. Try to get bottles that will last you a long time (glass is best, especially if you’re using formula). Furthermore, try to find bottles that strive to reduce feeding problems (e.g. colic), like Dr. Browns bottles.

3. Diapers: A newborn’s schedule pretty much consists of sleeping, being fed, and having their diaper changed. In essence, you will be changing MANY diapers. So be sure that you have (at least) a box. But don’t overstock, in the first few months your new bundle of joy will nearly double in size, so you may not want to spend too much money on a certain size diaper only for them to outgrow it before you’ve had the opportunity to go through your stash. Don’t forget to buy wipes as well.

4. Bedding: I’ve made this label relatively broad because different people have different sleep choices for their little one. Some choose to share the bed with their infant because they can’t get enough of them (or because it makes waking up for them in the middle of the night – especially for breast feeding – that much easier). Or perhaps, your little kicker is as active now as s/he was in the womb and you’ll spend most of your time rocking him/her. Perhaps you’ve made the decision to lay them in a crib in their own room or in a basinet near your bed. Whatever your choice,

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