What you need (and can skip) on the first day with baby

During those first few days, you and your baby don't need all that much. Although newborns have a bad rep, the little bundles of joy are, for the most part, quite easy to care for. As long as you meet her immediate needs (fed? dry? comfy?) and keep her close to you, she'll be happy most of the time and sleep, well, like a baby.

Lots and lots of diapers. Diapers everywhere. Diapers on your sink, your counter, in your purse, under the couch, on your bed. If you plan on having your baby within five feet of any specific place, stash some diapers there. You should have two packs of newborn diapers (unless your baby was particularly portly at birth) and two packages of size 1 diapers. You may go through up to 15 diapers a day for the first few days.

For the first few weeks of life, the quality of the diapers is really quite important. I preferred Pampers Swaddlers with cord care (the little notch on the belly) until the cord fell off and healed. Wipes should also be some variant of "sensitive." There are several brands of cotton, dye- and fragrance-free wipes available that fit-the-baby-tush-bill.

Once his bottom is accustomed to wearing diapers, and his cord is healed, you can use just about any product that agrees with his skin. When trying a new diaper, always buy the smallest pack possible, just in case they don't agree with his skin and you need to try a different brand.

Newborns go through an obscene number of wardrobe changes each day. Between spit-up and drooling and diaper malfunctions, your baby will need a new outfit as often as you flip the channel.

Keep a good stock of plain white onesies and t-shirts. These are great for stand-alone outfits in warm weather and undergarments in cold weather. If it's particularly cold out, keep several pairs of socks or invest in "footy" pants. You can never have too many sleepers.

Make sure anything you buy is all cotton. The cute, fleecy or flocked sleepers and onesies sold by big-brands are adorable, but one wrong move and his spit-up will matte the cute design forever.

Before baby arrives, invest in at least three light flannel receiving blankets and two heavier blankets. Use these for everything from swaddling baby (an indispensable skill that soothes most random crying fits) to adding an extra layer on chilly days.

Receiving blankets make wonderful impromptu burb clothes and clean-up devices. Because they are easily folded or rolled to fit in a purse or bag, you can carry one with you all the time. Throw it over your shoulder while burping him or wrap it around his tush as a make-shift cloth diaper (I'm not kidding, I have done this).

A quick note on swaddling: have your labor and delivery nurse teach you the fine art before you head home. Practice it often during your stay in the hospital. You can avoid using receiving blankets by purchasing a special "swaddling blanket." These blankets are designed to hold baby securely, without the risk of him wiggling out of his swaddle. Because they hold so secure, they also help keep baby in a deeper sleep by controlling his movements.

During the first few days of life, your baby's skin is going to be extremely sensitive and fairly traumatized from birth. While most doctors suggest avoiding anything but water during the week, we all know that sometimes the "new baby smell" turns into the "funky baby smell" and soap must be applied.

Several baby goods manufacturers, like Huggies and Pampers, sell pre-soaped baby wash clothes. These are, in my book, absolutely necessary during your first few weeks together. You can wet, lather, wash and rinse with one hand, while holding her securely in the other.

For after the bath, a fluffy hooded towel is more than just cute. Super-absorbent terry cloth can stand up to any leaks that may occur from the warm water, and the soft fabric won't irritate her skin.

Keep a good, dye- and fragrance-free baby lotion at the ready to slather her up after each washing. As she gets older, and her skin becomes less sensitive, you can become more relaxed about bath time. Until then, though, keep products that will protect her skin handy.

If you're breastfeeding, you won't need much in the first few days. Keep a tube of lanolin handy, for yourself, as the beginning stages of breastfeeding may cause dry, cracked or irritated nipples. For baby, you won't need much of anything.

If you're formula feeding, keep enough bottles on hand that you can go an entire day without washing them (because you will probably go an entire day without looking at your dishes). Stock up on formula, preferably the same brand he was given in the hospital, to prevent the need for a mad dash to the store.

Don't be shy about asking for samples or extras before you leave the hospital with baby. Many maternity wards are more than willing to give you a few extra premixed bottles of formula, an extra package of diapers or even a spare pacifier. The worst that will happen if you ask is the nurses will say "No."

There are a lot of things that commercials, magazines, baby books and the lady down the street will tell you that you need. These are things you can skip for your baby's first 4 weeks of life.

1. Furniture and accessories

Yes, yes...all us pregnant women stare longingly at images of well decorated, well stocked, organized and adorable nurseries, with designer furnite and cute little bedding sets. However, if your newborn is like most, they won't want anything to do with their crib. You'll need to take off the blankets to prevent smothering them. Mobiles will be invisible to their developing site.

If you have the money and space, go for it. Baby will appreciate every adorable little detail by the time their 8 weeks old. However, if you're scraping for cash, let baby sleep in your bed (or their car seat) for a while.

2. Toys

Not much needs to be said on this. A newborn can't even control their own hands or see anything farther than 12 inches from their face. They don't have much use (or desire) for toys.

3. Specially formulated "something" for baby

With exception to the few items listed above, anything touted as 'made specially for baby' or 'formulated specially for baby's sensitive "something"' can be passed over as hype. Most of these products have things added to them - the last thing a newborn's skin needs. Fragrance and dye free, all natural products (meaning you can pronounce, or at least recognize, most ingrediants on the label) are the way to go.

4. Outfits and Shoes

You'll have a hard enough time keeping socks on your baby, so shoes will disappear faster than you can sign the receipt. Considering how often you'll be changing your newborn's clothes, you shouldn't invest money in cute (and expensive) baby outfits. They'll end up stained and unusable within the week.

Of course, exceptions should be made for special, one time events, such as christenings or baptisms. But, trust me, grandma won't be insulted if your newborn comes to Christmas dinner in blue cotton sleepers instead of a fancy frilly dress.