A little help choosing
Do we really need all this?
A long shopping list can make a small baby feel like an enormous project. Let’s make a little room to think.
About 2 minutes
Start with the jobs
A place to sleep. A way to feed. Diapers and somewhere to change them. Clothes for the weather. A suitable car seat if your baby travels by car. Work through those needs before the extras. Our buy, borrow or wait guide gives you a place to begin.
For sleep, choose a product intended for infant sleep that meets the relevant safety standard, and follow its instructions. A lounger, cushion or feeding pillow is not a substitute. source
Choose for the day you actually have
Imagine carrying the item upstairs, washing it after a difficult feed, or folding it beside your car. A feature that helps one family may be another family’s extra job. Size, weight, cleaning and storage deserve as much attention as the feature list.
Take the choice that is on your mind:
- A bassinet, crib or play yard?
- A car seat that fits our life
- A manageable feeding setup
- Do we need a smart monitor?
- Getting out with a stroller or carrier
Before accepting a hand-me-down
Ask for the exact model, instructions, parts and history, then check recalls. A car seat needs an especially careful history check, including crashes, age and missing parts. If you cannot establish that information, choose another option. source source
And you can leave a space on the list. Waiting until you know which problem you need to solve is a reasonable choice.
Based on current guidance and product information. Personal gear reviews will be added as we use the items.
Where this advice comes from
Links checked 17 October 2026. These are the sources behind this page.