# What to Buy Before the Baby: A Shopping List

> The shopping list: what to have before the birth, what can wait, and what to skip.

Stage: pregnancy - Topic: Getting ready - Page: https://www.askcladle.com/guides/pregnancy/what-to-buy-before-baby

Grounded in: AAP safe sleep and car seat guidance, CPSC nursery product safety guidance, and the gear lists most U.S. hospitals and pediatricians give expecting parents. Quantities are typical starting amounts, not rules. Brands don't matter; safety standards do.

Reviewed: 2026-11

## TLDR

- Real must-haves: an infant car seat (installed by 34-36 weeks), a flat, firm sleep space with fitted sheets, and feeding and diaper basics.
- Buy less than you think. Stroller, carrier and monitor can wait, and most US insurance plans cover a breast pump.
- Skip bumpers, pillows, positioners, inclined sleepers and weighted sleep products: they're unsafe for sleep.

## Before you shop

- Start a registry around 20 weeks, and aim to have the essentials by about 34-36 weeks.
- Buy less than you think. Newborns outgrow the smallest sizes fast, and many items are easy to
  get after the birth once you know what your baby likes.
- Check insurance first: most U.S. plans cover a breast pump for free.
- Hand-me-downs are fine for clothes and many toys. Be careful with a used car seat (only if you
  know its full history, it has never been in a crash and it isn't expired) and with used cribs
  (no drop sides, no missing parts, no recalls).

- One thing the store can't sell you: practice. We recommend an in-person class before the
  birth, such as newborn care, childbirth prep, breastfeeding or infant CPR. Reading a list
  (even this one) won't make you comfortable with a car seat buckle or a newborn bath the way
  hands-on practice does. Hospitals and birth centers often offer them for free or low cost.

## Must-haves before the birth

- **Infant car seat.** You need it to leave the hospital. Install it by about week 34-36 and get
  it checked (free checks are often available at fire stations or through certified technicians).
- **Safe sleep space.** A crib, bassinet or play yard that meets current safety standards, with a
  firm, flat mattress that fits snugly, and 2-3 fitted sheets.
- **Swaddles and sleep sacks** (2-3 of each). Stop swaddling once the baby shows signs of rolling.
- **Diapers and wipes.** A pack or two of newborn size and a box of size 1 (some babies skip
  newborn size), plus wipes and a diaper cream.
- **Feeding basics.** Bottles with newborn (slow-flow) nipples, a bottle brush and drying rack,
  6-10 burp cloths, and a small backup of formula even if you plan to breastfeed. If
  breastfeeding: nursing bras and pads.
- **Clothes.** Newborn and 0-3 month bodysuits and sleepers (zippers are easier than snaps at
  3am), hats, socks and mittens. Wash everything first with a fragrance-free detergent.
- **Health and care kit.** A digital infant thermometer (rectal is most accurate for young
  babies), baby nail clippers or a file, a nasal aspirator and saline drops.
- **Bath.** An infant tub (a sling insert is fine) and 2-3 hooded towels. Skip bath seats for the adult tub — they can tip over and they do not prevent drowning.
- **Changing setup.** A changing pad with 2 washable covers. A dresser top works if the pad is
  secured and the dresser is anchored to the wall.

## For the birthing parent

- Postpartum pads, a peri bottle and mesh or disposable underwear.
- A stool softener and pain relief (ask your doctor what's right for you).
- Comfortable clothes, a robe and slippers for the hospital bag.

## Helpful, but can wait

- Stroller (or a car-seat stroller frame to start).
- Baby carrier or wrap (see the babywearing safety guidance).
- Baby monitor.
- Blackout curtains and a white noise or sound machine, placed away from the crib and kept at a
  low volume.
- Nursing pillow.
- Breast pump, if your plan includes one (order through insurance).

## Skip or wait on

- Crib bumpers, pillows, quilts, positioners, wedges and loose blankets: unsafe for sleep.
- Inclined sleepers and products sold for sleep that aren't flat: the AAP advises against them.
- Weighted swaddles or sleep sacks: not recommended.
- Baby walkers: an injury risk with no developmental benefit.
- A large stock of any one diaper size, bottle type or formula before you know what works.