The single most important item that you’ll need to stock up on before bringing baby home is diapers. That may seem obvious, but few new parents realize just how many diapers their little bundles of joy will go through in one day. A healthy baby may wet at least six times each day, although many babies wet as many as eight to ten times per day.
Baby wipes are next on the list and unscented or hypoallergenic are the best choices for your new baby’s fresh, sensitive skin. If wipes seem like a luxury now, they won’t once you bring baby home. They are very handy not only for changing diapers but also when baby spits up. They are well worth the cost, especially for tired new parents.
Another important item is hooded towels. By now, you have probably learned how important it is to keep your baby warm, especially his or her head. A lot of heat escapes from the head, so it is important to keep baby’s head covered, especially in the first days and weeks.
Babies can lose body temperature quickly, especially after a bath, so covering baby’s head and drying him or her off quickly is a good way to keep body temperature from dropping too much. Baby towels are also much softer than regular bath towels because the terry cloth they are made from has much smaller loops.
Bibs are also necessary, to protect clothing when baby spits up, even more so with formula fed babies, since formula tends to stain. You certainly don’t want all those adorable little outfits ruined before anyone else gets to see baby wearing them.
