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I'm a new mom to a 9 month old baby girl, Payton. If the following story sounds familiar, you'll be glad you ran into this guide.

My mind was focused on my baby registry as if I was somehow possessed by a power I had never felt before. There were books, and guides, and magazines, and advice from friends, and on and on and on. Overwhelmed was a serious understatement. My head was in a constant tail spin. After literally hundreds of hours logged on Consumer Reports and Babies R US, I had selected my items. All 18 pages.

But I would check, and double check, and delete and add, and delete again, and then add more. It was an obsession I took a great deal of pride in. I mean, this was my first baby, she would be under my care. I was responsible for picking products that were safe for her.

And then she was born. And the world stood still. All chaos over picking everything, and matching everything, and organizing everything....stopped. She was perfect. She was healthy. And life was good.

Within 2 months, I knew exactly what we weren't going to use, and loaded them all in our SUV and headed right back to Babies R Us. We got a lot back, to the tune of $1000.00!!! If I can save you the trouble, that's my intention with this guide.

Hope you like what I offer - it's advice from a new mom with lots of experience.

Top things you will NOT need, guaranteed:

1. Diaper Container - You will throw them on the floor temporarily or right in the trash. Diaper containers stink, no matter what brand, or what you put in them to make them smell fresher. We had Payton's all set up next to her changing table. We never changed her on her changing table. Not once. Why go all the way up stairs to change her when we were all in the living room? Didn't make sense to us.

2. Changing Table - you will change your baby everywhere except the changing table. In their crib, on the couch, on the carpet, in the car...you get the point. I cried and complained because I had to have the $400 changing table. Now, it's just one more thing I have to dust. It does keep her clothes and blankets organized, but any dresser will do this, save your money and buy a plain ole dresser.

3. Snap Sleepers - These are a joke in the middle of the night. Whoever invented these had a sense of humor. My husband with his big fingers trying to find a tiny snap at 2 a.m. with my baby squirming always sent me into laughter. You will buy these, and then you find the zip-up ones and kick yourself for not being told who marvelous the difference is. Trust me-there's a gigantic difference...1,2,3 zip-up done magic.

4. Nursing Pillow - you will not use this because any bedroom or couch pillow works exactly the same way - if not better. The nursing pillows aren't squishy like other pillows. You want squishy so baby's head can conform to their position. We had a nursing pillow and once I saw how stiff it made her body, I tossed it on the floor, and started using the couch pillows - voila.

5. Expensive Toys - This is a lure to draw parents in, thinking their kids will develop at a faster pace if they spend loads of money on toys. Basics are good. For example: I paid $15.00 for 4 educational cloth blocks by Baby Einstein- WAY overpriced. Your child will not be into playing with toys for a few months, and she won't know the difference between  a $5.00 toy or a $50.00 toy.

6. Stiff Pants-Jeans/Ruffle Tops-Comfort will (or should) win over design, like baby jeans, which, in my opinion, shouldn't even be an option. But, to each is own, although remember this: When Baby is happy, everyone's happy. Equate that to if Baby is comfy, everyone's comfy.

7. Bottle Steamer/Bottle Warmer - You only have to steam the nipples ONCE - then they can go in the dishwasher. The bottles are perfectly safe in the dishwasher. You will not want to clutter your countertops with unnecessary items. Bottle warmers are ridiculous to use, overflow, and do not work well. Good ole fashioned way is still the best: run the bottle under mildly hot water and test every few minutes until milk is lukewarm.

8. Wipe Warmer - this product (whatever the brand) claims to keep wipes nice and warm - and that's just not the case. If you fill your container with wipes, the bottom section turns brown and gets dry - and you waste more wipes this way. You would have to only keep 10 or so wipes in the warmer if you want them warm each time - but try remembering to fill it every day. Using moist wipes works just fine - leaving a few out makes them lukewarm if you're concerned about using wipes during the night to wake up baby. But honestly, if you're baby is asleep and only went #1 - skipping a wipe altogether won't cause any harm.

9. Crib Bedding- yes, it will make the nursery look fabulous, but here's the truth: We paid $250.00 for a complete nursery crib bedding set, which included: crib sheet, bumper, and comforter. She will never use the comforter because it was way too big for her, and we preferred using a receiving blanket - if we used a blanket at all. The crib sheet needs to be washed, and when it does, we use a $5.00 crib sheet, in the same color, cream. So, we could've saved a lot of money had we spent $15 on a few crib sheets and $15 on a matching plain color bumper. Lesson definitely learned. When she was 8 months - we removed the bumper altogether, as recommended. So, if you must get bedding, find it here on eBay - other mothers will be selling their L New sets, and trust me on that - they are L New, lol - once the baby can touch the bumpers it's time to remove them anyway :)

10. Newborn Tub w/Mesh Liner - You think this will be great for your newborn. Mesh liner keeps baby out of water. Well, aren't you cold when you're soaking wet? Your baby will FREEZE if you use this mesh liner. Once it's wet, it's like laying on a wet peice of clothing. Within the first minute of using this, I took it off, and just held her tight in the main container of the tub - which is just as good.

11. Car Seat Cover (used in winter months)- PLEASE DON'T USE THIS - it reduces the safety of your car seat! We bought one (JJ Cole Collection) and when we went to our local police department to have the seat installed - the officer refused to install our car seat with this cover attached, and she explained why in wonderful detail. Call your local department for more information. In a nutshell, the car seats are designed and warranted based on their current design, with no interfering components. This car seat cover (while seemingly useful) actually can leave your child severely hurt if you are involved in an accident. Leave this cover for your stroller, and use a blanket to cover baby in and out of the car - it's safer and less expensive!!!

12. Hardcover Paper Books- When baby is in the stage of putting everything in their mouth - you do NOT want paper books. The color peels easily and the ends of the pages fray quickly, which can leave baby will a mouthful of color chips or a chunk of paper in their mouth! I bought Payton a beautiful ABC hard paper book when she was about 5 months old - and threw it out after 30 minutes. I watched her - she was more interested in putting it in her mouth than turning the pages. At first, it was cute. Until she smiled and I noticed little red bits of color had come off the book and were in her mouth! We stick to cloth or plastic books and have a much safer play time.

13. MAMS Pacifiers- This is a TRUE story - it happened to me with Payton was 4 months old. We were sitting peacefully on the couch and I was watching her play with her pink MAM pacifier. She would turn it sideways and backwards, and just gum it. Then, her eyes got really wide and she started screaming. The pacifier had gotten STUCK IN HER MOUTH SIDEWAYS!!!! My heart was racing and I had to pry it out, all while my innocent baby girl was terrified. ALL OF THEM went into the garbage and I even called the company to complain. The pacifiers were made for infants 3-6 months, and this incident should NOT have happened. I was hysterical, and want to warn everyone I can about how dangerous this pacifiers are. If you use a paci - pick the big green Soothie brand ones. They are flexible and large enough so that there's no way baby can manipulate them to get stuck in their mouth. You know, I'm convinced my baby isn't the only baby this has happened to, and it's irresponsible for the company not to warn parents of this possibility. I'm also convinced the situation could've been a lot worse if, say, I was driving and couldn't see her, and she all of a sudden started crying...what if I didn't know what had happened? I don't even like to think about that. Please, take my advice on this. It's not worth the risk when there are other products which are so much safer.

Now onto the things you DEFINITELY should have:

1. Baby Einstein Play Gym - Fantastic for learning, and encouraging rolling over. The toys which hang from the gym are interchangeable and Payton LOVED the singing star. It was wonderful for helping her hand eye coordination. Simply cannot say enough - worth every penny. Payton's first experience in this gym was about 3 1/2 months. We put a blanket behind her back for support, and had it on it's lowest setting. She loved reaching for the toys, and having her first taste of independence. For those of you with a 2nd floor, I highly recommend a 2nd exersaucer for the bathroom/bedroom. Once your baby's out of the bouncy seat, you need something to use while you shower/get ready in the morning - the extra exersaucer will be key to a content baby. We resisted buying the 2nd exersaucer for awhile, but after carrying 1 up and down the stairs for a few weeks - yeah, we went out and got another one. Saved me a big headache.

2. Gerber & Children's Place Zip-up Sleepers - These were like heaven. They are amazing at night - you can change your baby's diaper with your eyes closed! No fiddling around for snaps. The ones from Children's Place have grippers on the soles of the feet so when you're baby begins standing, these help her with her grip! No looking for socks either - these have feet! The Gerber ones are the most economically priced. The Children's Place ones have sizes that go up to 5 years old!!

3. Munchkins Mesh Bag- When your baby is teething - nothing soothes faster than an ice cube! These mesh bags we seriously couldn't survive without. They are the perfect size to pop an ice cube in for her to suck and gum, providing relief faster than anything we've tried. Plus, when she was old enough for solid foods (6 months is the recommendation now from APA) - we put chunks of banana, avocado, apples, watermelon, mango, and more in this bag - she could taste the food without us having to worry about choking. There's no way any large particles of food can escape through the mesh. They are especially great for mom's on the go - give your child this filled with a snack and stop worrying about your baby choking while you're driving. LOVE THESE!!!

4. Living Room Basket- This is GREAT. Have a basket filled with all baby's changing needs: diapers, Q-tips, ointment, wipes, etc. This will make life much easier for you. But don't limit yourself to just the living room. I also highly recommend this exact set-up by your bedside, if baby sleeps with you (GREATLY encouraged & reduces SIDS plus makes sleeping easier for everyone - did you know that by sleeping next to your baby, you help regulate their breathing? I'm serious. Do a Google search. That benefit alone was the reason we decided to try co-sleeping. Plus, she slept so much better next to mommy...makes sense. She was snuggled in my womb for 10 cozy months. Check out books by Dr. Sears - he will change your whole concept of parenting - OK off my soap box!)

5. Extra Diaper Bag- My husband wanted to get a daddy diaper bag - I was pregnant when Angie Jolie was, and he saw somewhere Brad Pitt got a fancy expensive Dragon Sling Diaper Bag (good grief!) - well it turned out to be a great thing he bought one. I found out I was extremely absent-minded after Payton was born. Forgetting the diaper bag made the list a few times. But then, I realized, why not stock 2 bags and keep one in the car? Now there's always a diaper bag in my car, and we never have to worry about forgetting diapers or wipes, which we've done before. Highly recommend the 2nd diaper bag-even if you're a single mom - having a 2nd stocked diaper bag is key on busy days, or in my case, forgetful days. So what if you have 2 bags in the car? At least you'll be prepared!!

6. Mirrors- Pick toys that have mirrors on them. Your baby will love to look at themselves, and this will encourage them to babble and make all those adorable sounds we love to hear. We bought Payton a large crib accessory (which we never put in her crib). It's by Sassy, and it's got a mirror on one side - toys on the other. It's great for floor play - baby can be on their tummy and push up to see their cute face!

7. The Baby Book by Dr. Sears- Actually the entire series of books by Dr. Sears is fantastic and SO recommended. He will tenderly show you how important it is for your baby to be near you, to nurse, and to avoid at ALL COSTS the cry it out method. This method doesn't foster nurturing at all! How can a little baby learn to console themselves when mom and dad do not teach him in a loving way? Crying it out is the most insensitive method of parenting. Please - before you try this method, do a little research on Dr. Sears. He advocates a loving approach to parenting - not one based on control, like the cry it out method. Find a local La Leche group - and ask them questions. And this is the most important sentence of all - if your baby is a high needs baby (Payton is) you NEED to buy The Fussy Baby book also by Dr. Sears - it will change your life, seriously. This book will tell you proven methods to help calm your baby WITHOUT letting them cry it out. If you need any more information, please email me. I'm proof of a changed parent - I fully intended on letting Payton cry it out to get a sleep pattern established, but it broke my heart. Crying is the only way our babies can communicate their needs. When your baby is crying - they NEED you. They don't know how to console themselves. When a parent tells you this: "My baby cried for 3 nights, by the 4th night she slept through the night." That's not because the baby "learned" to sleep - it's because the baby stopped communicating his needs - this is so important to realize. Babies do not understand consequences yet. All they know is they are afraid, hurt, hungry, confused or in pain and they need you. Please, please, get these books. You will thank me after you read them, I promise.

8. Little Steps: Fun For Babies 6 DVD Box Set: I cannot say enough positives about this set. There's 6 DVD's. Some are for when your baby's 0-3 months - eyesight and colors are still limited - for the first little bit, babies can only see black, white, and red. This DVD will mesmerize your baby as black, white, and red balls, balloons, and other objects float around on the swing. I used to put Payton in her bouncy seat on the floor (strapped in, of course!) in front of the TV to watch these DVD's. It enabled me to make a much needed pot of coffee in the morning. She would watch with her little mouth open in amazement. The other DVD's don't offer such a neat variety - geared towards the growing baby. I recommend this set 100%! She LOVES the Fun Baby DVD - she dances to the music, and this will literally give me 30 minutes to prepare dinner or anything else I can't do while holding her. Plus - this set is a fraction of the cost of the Baby Einstein set.

9. Purell with Aloe Instant Hand Sanitizer- Aloe is the key here. When your baby arrives, you'll most likely have a few visitors. But, even if you don't, this product is absolutely essential to making sure whoever handles baby, has clean hands. Even you! We bought one for the living room, kitchen, baby's room, and our bedroom. It's great too if you buy a few travel size bottles - keep one in each car, and one in the diaper bag. You'll be surprised at how often you'll be searching for this product. After your hands touch the shopping cart, this will be great to give your hands a cleansing. This is easier than going to the bathroom each time you're out. This product will significantly help you at keeping germs away from baby's new immune system!! She's 9 months old (today actually) and we STILL use this product every day, though not as much as when she was first born.

10. Baby Bjorn- If you start this early, you'll be able to do a lot more with your time. While baby sleeps, wear baby in this - you'll help you and your baby bond. Baby can feel you and hear your heartbeat which she did for 10 months while you were pregnant, and baby will sleep longer while in this than in the crib by herself. Plus, you'll feel closer to baby. My heart breaks when I see a mom carrying baby at knee level around in their car seat, only to place baby in the shopping cart. Your baby prefers your touch, your arms, you! This is especially important for working mom's. You're not with your baby for most of the week. When you are with them, feeling close to them is essential - they miss you- they need to feel close to you. This device is brilliant for fostering a positive attachment.

11. Comfy Clothes (onesies with matching cotton pants/cotton dresses) - Your baby will thank you. 100% cotton clothing feels different than polyester and other materials. Remember, your baby's skin is extremely sensitive. Spend your money on 100% cotton onesies, sleepers, pants, dresses and socks. There is a difference. Keep the clothing loose. You know how it feels to wear tight clothing, it's uncomfortable. You should skip jeans on newborns, it just makes them stiff. Wait until they can crawl, it's better for you both!

12. Baby Q-tips- These really are a must. I didn't realize how much so until I had to use them. Babies twitch and jerk and are faster than you think. Using an adult Q-tip poses a risk of sending the Q-tip much too far up baby's nose or in baby's ear. This is really pretty dangerous, you could rupture their eardrum or worse! The baby Q-tips are designed not to enter baby's nose or ear too far - but do enter just enough to be efficient. We always have an extra box handy so we never run out!

13. Bouncy Seat- Wonderful. Baby can be near you and this device frees your arms for a few minutes to get things done (use the washroom, take a shower, fix something for you or baby to eat, do housework, and more!) Putting Payton in her bouncy seat was the absolute only way to take a shower in peace. We also used this when she started eating solid foods but wasn't quite ready for her highchair.

14. Economy Sized Jar/Tube of Diaper Cream- You will save A LOT by doing this. We bought a big 1 lb. jar of A&D for $14.00 and a 1 lb. jar of Desitin for about the same price. After 9 months, we still have 60% left in both jars! We think we'll be good on diaper cream the entire time she's in diapers!!

15. Sensitive Baby Wipes- Baby's bottom is so sensitive - spend the few pennies extra and buy the wipes for sensitive skin. There's even a natural wipe option by Huggies. We use them and it's GREAT - no harmful chemicals or strong scents to upset baby's skin. Another tip - buy the biggest box of wipes you can find - saves a lot of $$$!!

16. Buggy Bag- That's the name of the bag we use, but there are other, less expensive brands too. This bag is wonderful for placing baby in shopping carts or high chairs when you're out and about! This bag conveniently zips up and has shoulder straps for easy traveling! Just unzip and place around the device you plan to use. The nice thing about this bag, is it comes in a calm black and cream toile pattern - for mom's who don't want loud colors or crazy designs. This is simple, elegant, and definitely does the trick! This is an item you can get later on though, you won't be able to use it until baby can sit unassisted (otherwise even if he's strapped in, he'll tip over sideways because his back cannot support him yet)

Well, there you have it. I hope you have found something to take with you from this guide. It's been my absolute pleasure to provide you with information. I'm always available if you have any questions, or just need to talk! Moms know moms! Final Tip: I wish I would have listened when I was told to join my local La Leche group. My thoughts on this group have totally changed - and this group has also changed my life. It doesn't hurt to at least look into it as an option. We all need support.

Everything is my opinion only - so - take what works for you and leave the rest. I give you these helpful suggestions to make your life easier, and sincerely appreciate your time.