Jamlad, you took the words right out of my fingers. Receiving blankets are like friggin’ tissues. You’ll probably go through three or four a day. They are the best thing ever for spitting up, burping, emergency changing pad, wrapping slippery babies in after the bath, quick cat naps, etc. And those are just YOUR uses! the BABY will like them too! 
I’ve read that ipecac isn’t the panacea for poison it was made out to be. The number for 911 and poison control are better.
Simethocone drops are a life saver for when baby has gas.
Also in the cold care aisle you can get menthol sticky patches that are great when baby has a cold. You don’t have to force the medication into them and it does help them breathe easier.
I’ll heartily endorse the boppy pillow and the bouncing chair. We have one that vibrates too and is wonderful!
They have some great swings out there… I like the portable one - small and great even at home where baby seems to take more space than anyone else.
I thought I wouldn’t need a changing table… buying one was a godsend! And I got it at a yard sale for $10!
Don’t skimp on a quality car seat. We used an infant one that had a carry seat and then switched to the eddie bauer convertible one…
I also find consignment shops a great place to get baby clothes and stuff…
Thank you all for the great suggestions!!
Yep, I’ve made a list of them all and we’ll be going over what we need to register for tonight. She’s going to end up with at least 2 showers with lots of people, so I’m sure the bases will be covered.
We already got a stroller though since my wife wanted to buy something. It’s a nice very light-weight one. We’ve seend plenty of the big strollers and wanted one that would be easier to handle.
I have to endorse the recommendation of a rocking chair. I’m sure it saved both our lives.
I had a cot that turned into a single bed when you took the sides off: my daughter slept in it until she was four and a half, and then I put one of the sides back on and used it as a couch for her room until I passed it on to someone else.
Cloth diapers are great for throwing over your shoulder before you pick the baby up (shortly before the baby burps up on your shoulder).
You will get given lots of baby clothes, but everybody will give you things “the baby can grow into”. Stock up on newborn sizes. Babies need changed A LOT!
You won’t need the syrup of ipacec for the first year -18 months ( and beyond) if ever.
We received one for a baby shower gift in an RX box, and frankly, it has never been used and was expired by the time our kids started walking or being a hazard to themselves.
Just put the cleaners and poisons up on a high shelf that they can’t get at. ( ours are in our laundry room, which was then locked during those wandering lunatic years 18mons - 3 years) Those baby cabinet locks, at least the three different ones we tried were complete crap. Ask other parents as the technology has changed and I know loads of parents who installed these things on every cupboard up and down and it was really ridiculous. We (meaning me) just * redirected *our kids to the cupboard they are allowed to go into -pots and pans and the 9000 plastic lids with no matching bottoms for playing in. Our lower cupboards really have nothing breakable or poison-able.
We also baby proofed our living room ( no knicknacks essentially and we were mindful of the Head Injury Waiting To Happen™ that is our fire place mantle and coffee table) and barricaded our two exits with one permemently attached to the wall gate and could literally leave the kids in there with little worry of major catasorphe. And we put lockable gates up on our deck, and were able to contain our carbon-based life form progeny when we were outside doing yard work. (It’s loads of fun driving the tractor mowing, and seeing little heads peaking between the slats of the railing and then watch them launch their sippy cups and stuffed animals in a friendly fire at me as I ride by.)
A portable playpen is the one baby thingie I have kept as it has been used as a crib and containment device for quite some time. And they are so compactible now, that saving it is worth it for anyone who comes over with infants, we can stuff the baby safely aside in a veiwing container far from the poking hands of my children. ooooo, woook, a baaaaaby!
When baby is about 5 months, one of those springie seats that clips to a door frame is *the best form of entertainment, containment and excerize you can get for your money *. They are always available at resale shops for about $10 or less. It is even funnier when you have a dog and the dog stays just out of the reach of said child. Much like a squirrel taunting dog situation. VASTLY entertaining. Two thumbs up.
Highly recommend Not getting a changing table. We used either the crib they were on, the spare bed in the room, the dryer down stairs or the floor.
**Car Seats ** This is usually a big ticket item given at a shower. Let someone else buy you the baby car seat and the next one or levels up. ( one with restraint bar over them which is good for the 10mons/1 year - 2.5 age group and the five point harness that when they grow out of can be belted in with a regular seat belt. ) One thing I will tell you that you must get with the bigger seat is *cup holder (s) *. When we bought #1 his seat, cup holders were not around. He is nearly 6 now, so that shows you how far the trends change. These cup holders are a godsend.
When your little bundle of joy is old enough to hold a bottle on their own ( without using a prop, like a stuffed animal/pillow/blankie) I strongly recommend putting an old beach towel or blanket on the seat to protect your seat from the dribbles and crumbs. It also comes in handy if there are any barfing episodes or suddenly wet clothes.
High Chairs I wish to hell when mine were little that I had the balls to say, " You know, I just don’t think I need a $200 pnuematic high chair with an oscillation overthruster."
They are great space takers in a kitchen, no matter how big your kitchen is. After the kidlets were able sit up by themselves, I used a sassy seat on the end of our kitchen table with a place mat under the holding bar things for entertainment/cleanup purposes.
It was so much easier. Sassy seats are almost always available at a resale shop for under $15.
And last, but not least, one of the best tools you will need for when the baby starts to eat is a dog. Dear God in heaven, How I would have managed with all the toddler food that was strewn about without Murphy the Lab, I have no idea. Not only will they eat just about everything, they become a target for the kids to hurl their food at, helping develop aiming skills that are crucial later in life for the SAT’s. 
We use our baby proofing as early warning devices…
Our 2 1/2 year old can circumvent things but she’s loud about it so if she slips away and gets into something then we hear it before it becomes a tragedy. She slips away usually when I’m changing or feeding her brother. (2 kids - twice the joy five times the work)
I love cupholders too. When our daughter was about one she made her own. She loves baskets and I had given her a few to play with that I had gotten gifts in. She took the smallest one and discovered all on her own that it was perfect for one sippy cup and one cup of cheerios. That basket went everywhere with us until it disintegrated and I so wish I had another.
Oh and Shirley, I hate my high chair too! We fed her in the exersaucer and then used a booster. I have a great one that reclines and sits on the table for when they are really small and sits straight and straps to a chair when they get older. Our high chair is in the basement.
And the dog is amazing although she doesn’t like kix or mini wheats 
Personally, I’ve never used a baby diaper pail. I just don’t see the sense in collecting a vast treasure trove of possibly the smelliest item known to man and then allowing it to ferment for a week or more inside a tightly sealed pail. When I change the kiddos, the diapers go right into the trash which is normally emptied every couple days anyway.
You’ve gotten a ton of good suggestions here, and as you wander around the baby store you will be simply amazed at the variety of products you never even imagined existing. My one recommendation is a sling. Get the NoJo brand, the rest are crap. I use mine almost every day, and it was especially helpful in the first few months when baby was colicky and couldn’t stand to be put down.
Finally–beware of baby oil!!! It can be FATAL if ingested and should be kept safely out of reach. It’s only real use is for cradle cap anyway, so you could probably even just skip it altogether.
I love her high chair. KellyM bought the nearly cheapest model at target. It is white, reclineable, and cleans up easily. Not the most stylish, but we like it. I did not like the seats that hook on to the table because i had a devil of a time as a babysitter with one, and our little lightweight dining room table has tapering edges and would likely either not work or the wight of the whole thing would cause the table to flip.
She like the highchair for sitting up and playing some during the day. The tray gives her a place to bang things against and it puts her right at eye level to play peek a boo and other turn based games.
Do plan a bathroom strategy. Where will you put the baby down when you suddenly have to go to the bathroom?
Don’t automatically cut the tags off of soft toys or other things for the baby. If the tag is sturdy and sewn into the seam, leave it. There are toys that all Loren cares about is the tag.
We’ve already got the dog part covered. Our German Shepherd is 1.5 years old with a ton of energy. She loves kids, but of course I’m worried about how she’ll adjust to sharing time with a baby.
We’re planning on reducing the amount of attention she gets for a couple months before the baby and then try to bring it back to normal when the baby arrives. Easier said than done, but I think it would be a way to make the baby coming a good thing to her.
Pretty much everything you need to know gearwise and advice-wise at BabyCenter
Hey Bobby Roberts: you haven’t told us what you’re naming the little squirt! Is it a boy or a girl?
There’s another thing you oughta get, if you can find it. It’s like a little nightgown, and the bottom has a drawstring. You put the kid in it, pull the string and voila: Baby in a Bag.
Okay, you don’t need it, but a baby in a bag is just too cute!
Mrs Roberts and I talked long and hard about finding out if we’re having a boy or girl and decided not to know. I know that both of us will be so happy either way, so it doesn’t really matter. We’ve already painted the baby’s room anyway.
As for naming it… for now I’ve nicknamed it trouble. It makes my wife laugh. We’ve only got the middle names figured out yet:
Thomas for boy (both grandpas are named Thomas)
Mayanna for a girl (combination of grandmas’ names)
First names are still up in the air. I like Emmanuel, Nathaniel, Emily thusfar. We’ve got a lot more work to do on the names though.
Blanket sleepers.
Little ones just can’t keep covered by a blanket. Blanket sleepers are usually thick fleece that stays on the kid as the kid squirms around. Not a big issue with the 0-3 month olds who can’t roam much but a real necessity for the 3-24 month-olds who can’t figure out how to cover-up on their own.
It’s amazing how many clothes in the second-hand baby shops (we’ve got one called Once upon a Baby) still have store tags on them. Much cheaper.
Seconds on the simethicone. Great stuff. Also baby tylenol, baby motrin, & whiskey (the last is for you). If you’re going to use formula (my wife doesn’t lactate) then there’s a little spinner that holds 3 or 4 formula “doses” in separate chambers with a spinning top. Invaluable. Just carry bottles of water & that when traveling with no fear that anything will go bad.
We found the elaborate bottle/wipey warmers to be useless.
I loved the changing table but it becomes a collection point. The shelves below are nice for holding the piles of baby stuff that accumulate. You’ll need Desitin, too. The tube stuff stinks less than the tub stuff for some reason.
HTH - Belrix (father of three under the age of six)
RE: bottle warmers.
If you’re really interested in having a bottle warmer, save your money and just use a crockpot turned to low. Fill with water, insert bottle, and there you go.
Shirley Ujest, you are soooo right! I just got one of these for my 5 1/2 month old and he loves it. We live in an apartment and have the thing hanging so he can basically spin around and see the entire apartment. They’re actually not recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, but I think if you’re vigilant about watching the baby while he jumps and make sure it’s installed properly, they’re ok.
RE: blanket sleepers - great not only because babies kick blankets off, but because blankets can be a SIDS hazard. The baby shouldn’t have anything in his crib with him while he sleeps (fluffy blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, etc.). This is a good thing to keep in mind when people want to buy you fancy bed sets. All you need are sheets and bumpers (and these come off as soon as your baby can pull up, because he could step on them and launch himself out of the crib).
I’ve appreciated my “sheet savers”. It’s a piece of plastic backed terry cloth that ties to the crib slats. You put the babies head on it when he goes to bed and it catches drool & spit-up. That way, you can just change the sheet saver (get two) instead of changing the sheets every day. I find it’s a pain to get the sheets off because I have to take the bumpers off too.
I would also suggest LOTS of onesies and, if your baby is ever going to take a bottle, bibs (he/she will need these anyway when the solid feedings begin!).
Finally, if you do want to spend a little more money, we really like our diaper genie.
Or…we just stick the bottle in a mug, stabilize it with a butter knife, and run hot water into the mug. Let it sit for a minute and it’s nice and toasty!
Don’t have much to contribute, except to say that I love your potential names. Mayanna is especially beautiful. (Thank God my folks didn’t name me for my grandmothers. I would have been Eunice Maxine. [shudder])
bibs… ugh… when bottle feeding we use a cloth diaper to wipe up drool…
When solid feedings commenced there wasn’t a bib on the planet that could contain the mess… I gave up on that really quickly!
We’re two months into our third kid, and both of the first two survived (one for almost seven years now) so we must not have screwed up too badly.
I’d also recommend giving the changing table a miss, unless you find that you really need one after the fact. We’ve had good luck with a couple of the vinyl-covered foam changing pads with one flat side and one concave side and a safety belt. You can put 'em on whatever sufficiently large flat surface you have available and go at it (once they’re bigger, you’re as likely as not to change them on the floor, the bed, etc. anyway).
Simethicone is a godsend. However, if your young’un cries all the time (and I do mean nearly all the time, and inconsolably), especially when laying down, don’t assume it’s just gas – our second had severe gastroesophageal reflux, and all the simethicone in the world won’t do anything for that. Most outgrow it by 18 months or so (ours did before she was a year old) without any sort of medical intervention, but it’s a good idea to determine that that’s what’s up and that more elaborate measures aren’t indicated.
Yard sales are great, but neither my wife or I is motivated to get up that early on the weekend. Consignment shops are good, but the savings aren’t as substantial as you might think. In most cities of any size, there’ll generally be a number of kids’ consignment sales in the spring and fall. Basically, someone organizes the sale and provides a location for it, collects clothing, furniture, and other baby and child gear from others, and puts it all out. Often, those who’re providing the items may also work at the sale. When an item is sold, most of the money goes to the seller and the sale organizer takes a cut. Usually, these sales run for several days, with the first day reserved for those who’re providing items or working the sale or both, the next couple of days open to the public, and then a final day or half day where most items are offered at half the price of the previous days. You can score an amazing amount of quality kids clothing in nearly new condition this way for pennies on the dollar of what it would cost new, particularly if you’re patient enough to wait it out until the last day – sure, a lot of the best stuff will be gone, but there’ll generally still be a surprising amount left. And, once your little one has outgrown some stuff, you can start selling off the old (if you aren’t planning to have more). The advantage to selling at the seasonal sales, as opposed to the permanent stores, is that more stuff tends to move – the transitory nature of the event means that if people are interested in something, they’re more likely to buy it then rather than waiting a while, since it won’t be around in a week.
I’ll also second the recommendation for having a bunch of cloth diapers around. We use disposables on the kids, but have several dozen cloth diapers that my mother-in-law saved from when my wife and her brothers were babies. I prefer them to receiving blankets for general purpose burp/barf/poop/pee cloths, since they’re a lot more absorbent. But you’ll be amazed at how many different ways they’ll come in handy.
Perhaps the best thing you can buy is a great book that’ll tell you what things to buy and not to buy, and how to get the best deal on the ones you do need: Baby Bargains: Secrets to Saving 20% to 50% on Baby Furniture, Equipment, Clothes, Toys, Maternity Wear and Much, Much More! is a fabulous guide, not only because it tells you how to save on the stuff you do need to buy, but because they’re very candid about what stuff everyone buys that’s a complete waste of money. I know we found it extremely useful our first time around.