*Diaper bag (typically $100 for a nice one): A very personal decision. It must have a long strap to hang on stroller handle; it must not too heavy or wide (so it won't tip the stroller, and so you can tote it around easily). Ideally, it feels like a handbag and not like luggage when you carry it. A messenger bag from Target can be ideal; there is no reason at all that you need a bag designed especially for diapers. Among the latter, popular brands include Loom, Fleurville, and Oi Oi. Skip Hop makes a nice canvas one that attaches to the stroller handles ($55). Land's End has high-quality, non-foofy diaper bags for a great price, but the one I ordered had short straps and a really wide bottom and therefore ended up in the closet, so check it out first. Keep in mind what you will need to put in it: 4 diapers, a diaper changing pad, a plastic wipes container about the size of a trade paperback ($1.99 at drug store), ziplock baggies for dirty diapers, a small blanket, an extra outfit for baby in case he has a blowout, a baby hat, nail clippers, water bottle and energy bar for mom, plus your wallet, keys, cell phone and makeup (or whatever). And a book or magazine, so you have something to do if the baby falls asleep. When the baby is older, you'll also want to bring small toys and books to keep them from getting bored.

*The Miracle Blanket. This is the only swaddling blanket that babies cannot wriggle out of. It is truly a miracle in that it will garner you hours of extra sleep every night, and it is worth every penny of the $40 it might cost. Get two if you can, and forget about other brands of blanket. If you think of swaddling as old-fashioned or eccentric, keep in mind that the baby is born with a moro reflex that makes him flail his limbs which will cause him to wake himself up with a start every 10 minutes. The swaddle prevents unnecessary wakings, and it recreates womb-like security. Most pediatricians these days will recommend swaddling for the first 3 months or so.

*Cloth diapers. Buy a dozen or so to use as burp cloths and changing pads (birdseye weave is gauzy and thin, while pre-folded ones are thick and soft. Get both.)

*Sleep Sack ($20): a "wearable blanket" for nighttime. Any brand is probably okay (Halo, Gerber, etc.); make sure it's sleeveless, breathable, and easy to get on. Much safer than loose blankets and can't get kicked off. Buy two if you can.

*PJ's: anything with 2 pieces will leave the tummy exposed, and anything without feet may require socks, which are easily kicked off. So get cotton (or breathable fleece) footed sleepers, preferably with no collar and a zipper running down one leg. Sometimes hard to find! Next preference is snaps, but avoid anything that closes in the back. You want to get baby dressed/changed with a minimum of jostling at night.

*In general, buy clothing that is soft and stretchy, especially onesies and waistbands. Don't buy stiff jeans; soft overalls (no ride-up!) and fleecy sweatpants will be much easier to deal with. Get lots of white onesies to layer with, because it's easier to bleach the poop stains out. Try to stick to a consistent color palette, because otherwise coordinating pieces won't be clean at the same time. Before 6 months, white is a good color because the baby never touches the ground and his stain medium is spit-up. After 6 months, he may be crawling and eating carrots; start transitioning to darker colors.

*Socks: Certain brands of sock won't stay on for more than 30 seconds, and you spend all day retrieving them and pulling them up. I have heard anecdotally that Gap brand roll-cuff socks (usually 4 pair for $10, medium-weight, nice plain colors) and Trumpette brand socks (about 6 pair for $24, light weight, really cute colors) do not kick off, but my personal experience is that they do slide down or off a lot. Still, they're better than most, and you can use shoes to help keep them on (see below). There is a brand called "Balloons Baby Bootees" that says "will not kick off baby's foot" on the package, and so far by gum I think it's true! Get these. Available on-line at Baby Universe, 6 pair for $10.

*Robeez or Shooo Shoos ($25): baby doesn't need shoes yet, but these will keep his socks on in cold weather. The only kind that doesn't kick off. And, they are good for learning to walk because the soles are squishy and have good traction.

*Diapers & wipes: In my experience, fancy diapers are worth it, and fancy wipes are not. Get diapers with lots of elastic that fit snugly at the gaps (I like Huggies). For wipes, use cotton pads with water for the first few weeks; then you can use almost any cheap brand of wipes, as long as they are unscented & hypoallergenic. The only exception is, some cheap wipes (like the Long' Drugs imitation of Huggies wipes) are made of pressed-together fibers that come off on your baby's butt. So, look for the word "cloth" somewhere on the package; this usually means that the wipes are woven rather than pressed. Toys R Us ("Especially for Baby") and Costco (Kirkland) are good bargain brands. Buy in bulk!

Cloth or disposables? You have probably heard by now, cloth diapers are not as earthy as we once thought they were, because the additional energy and detergents used to launder them have a negative impact on the environment. So, do you care more about landfill or pollution? It's a toss-up. Disposables are so great these days it's hard to pass on them: they stay so dry that your baby will be less likely to get diaper rash, and you won't need to change them as often. On the other hand, new cloth-diaper innovations have made them easier to use: no more pins and rubber pants. Choose whatever you like best, and don't feel guilty OR superior about it!

Clothes for new moms:
This probably goes without saying, but you will want to wear loose, comfortable, machine-washable clothing for a year or so after your baby is born. You will get milk and spit-up and baby food and drool on your shirt and pants every single day. You will not have time to take clothes to the dry cleaner's every week. Also, you will want to take frequent impromptu naps with all your clothes on. Try to find some soft cotton t-shirts and yoga pants or something that won't make you feel too dowdy.