Baby gear: what you need, what to skip, what never to buy used

The short list

One pediatrician writing about registries says to cover three things first: eating, sleeping and hygiene. Everything else can wait until you know you need it.

• A rear-facing car seat, installed and checked before the birth.
• A safe sleep space with a firm, flat mattress and a fitted sheet.
• Diapers in newborn and size 1, and wipes or cotton wool.
• A rectal thermometer (the most accurate for infants).
• Simple cotton onesies, sleepers and a few swaddles or wearable blankets.
• Burp cloths or muslins, a nasal aspirator, nail files, and a gentle fragrance-free wash.
• Feeding supplies that match your plan: bottles and a brush, or nipple cream and a pump if you want one.
• A safe carrier or stroller. Books too: it is never too early to read to your baby.

Skip it, or wait

• Crib bumpers, loose bedding, inclined sleepers and pillow-style loungers for sleep (the AAP says to avoid them).
• Wipe warmers, bottle warmers, diaper pails and fancy formula mixers until you know you need them.
• Walkers, bath seats and sleep positioners. Kids In Danger lists these as unsafe.
• Bluetooth breathing or heart monitors. A pediatrician quoted in the digest says they cause more anxiety than safety because of false alarms, and no monitor has been shown to prevent SIDS.
• Lots of toys. Newborns prefer faces, voices and household sounds.
• Clothes with drawstrings or ties.

Second-hand rules

• Do not buy or sell used cribs or car seats of unknown history. Hidden damage, missing parts and old standards are the risks. Kids In Danger says 20% of cribs involved in incidents were recalled models.
• Check CPSC recall listings before using any hand-me-down, and keep the instructions.
• Clothes, books, carriers in good condition, strollers and bouncers are the usual savings. Sleep items should come from smoke-free homes.

Registry tips

• Ask for big-ticket items as group gifts.
• Sign up for recall alerts for everything you register.
• Hold back the second and third round of shopping until the baby is here.

Education, not medical advice. Every baby and every parent is different. Ask your own doctor, midwife or pediatrician about anything specific to you, and call them or emergency services if you are worried. Sources for this guide: NorthShore: a pediatrician's baby registry tips; Kids In Danger: secondhand products; AAP HealthyChildren: safe sleep; Cameron Health: registry must-haves; The Bump: what to splurge and skip (one source among several; it disagrees with the AAP on monitors). All sources.