As a mother of three, I get asked by expectant moms, "What will I need the most?" So... I decided to write this little guide. I wish I knew about all five of these items right off the bat nine years ago! Mark my words- you will find that at least one of these items is something you didn't know about before, and something you couldn't have lived without! The first couple of months all your baby will do is eat, sleep, bathe, and observe the world around him or her. One of the best things you can do for your baby (if not THE best thing) is to nurse if possible, so the first thing I recommend getting is a VERY good breast pump. Why, you say? Imagine yourself going back to work with guilt and anxiety because your baby will have to go to formula when you have a perfectly good milk supply and the desire to continue nursing... pump ahead (once during the night, during the day somewhere at work, private, with a locking door, or even in your car!) OR just think, when Daddy comes home from work, he can feed baby a bottle and you could go take a nice relaxing bubble bath! OR, when you are out and about and can't find a comfortable convenient spot to nurse your baby, you could be prepared with a bottle you pumped ahead of time. I prefer the Medela pump, but there are several really good ones. The problem with good pumps, is that they can cost a pretty penny. Ah ha! But of course- I have some possible solutions... where there's a will, there's a way: pick out a pump and list it in your gift registry (try Target.com) and maybe several people would go in on it together to buy it for you as a shower gift, OR ask your hospital if they have a program to help moms obtain a pump, OR in Texas WIC (Women Infant Children) will loan you one (with new implements for safety) for free (contact your state's department of health and human services), OR sell something on Ebay! I always fall back on this when I need some extra money for something. Along the same lines, the second item you will love is a Boppy pillow. This is a C-shaped pillow that fits around your waist and gives baby support and comfort while you nurse. This will save your back and help you to relax while feeding. As baby grows this pillow can help support his back when learning to sit up, and makes a good cushion to prop up on for Saturday morning cartoons when baby becomes 'kid'. You can find Boppy pillows or similar products on Ebay, at Target.com, or you can even make your own (I've seen patterns for them, but I'm not quite this adventurous). On the subject of sleep- I want to recommend using an envelope-type bed sheet for your baby-bed. These can be purchased online.. my mom made the ones I used, but there is a mom who started her own company making these after losing her baby to suffocation from becoming tangled up in a regular bed sheet. I saw her story on 20/20 and will only use this type of sheet while babies are little bitty. The fourth product you will enjoy having is a baby bathtub with a 'hammock' attachment. WHAT? I know it sounds weird, but I got mine at Baby'sRUS and I don't know how I ever bathed a baby before! This is a plastic tub that fits in your regular tub and has a mesh sling that snaps in it to suspend baby in the warm bath while keeping her face out of the water and leaves your hands free for good washing. When baby outgrows the hammock, detach it and use the foam lined mini tub for bigger baby and toddler baths, saving water, as you still aren't filling your entire tub. Plus, when baby splashes, he is still within the bigger tub, so there is less mess on the bathroom floor. I LOVE THIS PRODUCT! My final recommendation is a book that saved our lives! Babywise by Gary Ezzo and Dr. Robert Bucknam is an excellent resource on helping your baby sleep through the night. All three of my children slept through the entire night on a regular basis starting at about 9 weeks! AND they took two good naps a day! You'll love getting more sleep, yourself, when you follow the simple steps found in this book. To sum up- these are five OUTSTANDING items you will love and will make your new life with baby a little easier, but I will say- nothing is a true need but the LOVE you have to offer your precious new little one!