What did we need for MM?

When I was making registries and purchasing items I thought we would need for MM, I was clueless.  What do you really need for a baby?   It seems like I ended up with more gadgets than I really need so I wanted to share what I think is useful...and what is fluff!

But first...Happy Valentine's Day from all of us!!!

 

MM is 6.5 weeks old! Where did all that time go?

 And yes.... I made Chase wear a matching red shirt for this family photo.  I originally had a different shirt on too, but a las...it got covered in spit-up before the photo!

Useful baby tools....

 So here it is: what we use more than anything else.  For the majority of the day, we are in the family room.  We have a pack-n-play with changer/napper that we use most of the time.  The little thing she's resting in flips over to become a changer.   Since she's not really mobile yet, we use the rest for diaper and clothes storage.  I keep her mostly commonly used clothing (a couple of onsies, 2-3 pajamas, pants, and blankets) in the pack-n-play for easy access.  Since we use this as a changing table, her diapers are stored here as well.   So if we didn't have help from family on purchasing this stuff or were limited on space?  All we really needed would have been...

• diapers and wipes
• a few changes of clothes
• pack-n-play
• car seat
• carrier (we have an Ergo)
• rocking chair - we could make do without it, but it's so nice to have a comfy chair.
• Burp rags - put them in every room! 

Stuff we might use, but really didn't need at this point.

• crib  - probably useful later
• bassinet - we use it a little each night.   I use it mostly as a safe place to put her while I'm getting ready in the morning.  We have one with lights, music, and mobile...and it vibrates.  All those little bells and whistles usually keep her distracted for the 10 minutes it takes me to get ready in the morning.  We always put her in it with a wearable blanket, on her back when we try to go to sleep...but then she ends up bed-sharing with us by morning.  
• Swing - we get her to chill in the swing about once per day for about an hour.  Is it worth an hour break?  Sure is!
• bottles - I suppose I should introduce her to the bottle at some point before I go back to work... So far I haven't used them.
• Pacifiers - she won't really take a pacifier. 
• Changing table - we don't own one, and I don't think we need one.   
• A bazillion onesies - we have way too many baby clothes! 
• Receiving blankets - why do they make these so small?  They are pretty much useless once your baby grows a little.  The cotton swaddling blankets are much more useful.
• Nursery - maybe useful when she's older.  For now, she sleeps in our room and spends the rest of the time in the family room or wherever we are.
• Dreft - We started out using dreft, but MM doesn't really have sensitive skin.  I use Tide Original Powder for her diapers and that works really well.  I might continue to use dreft for her clothes...but that's because I just love the smell.
• Burp cloths - Not really needed for a breastfed newborn
• Diaper pail - We have a fancy-smancy diaper pail in the nursery, but it's not really necessary for newborn diapers.   Breastfed baby poop isn't that stinky...so just take the trash out regularly and nothing fancy is needed.  For the cloth diapers, we use a wet bag that hangs next to the pack-n-play.
• high chair -Not needed for a newborn.
• baby shoes - cute, but she doesn't walk yet

Peace and Love, y'all!  I hope someone finds this helpful :)