What are the essential items needed for a baby?

Question

We only have a 1 bedroom apartment, and out lease isn't up until next March. We prefer to keep the baby in our room. We rearranged our room to have more space: we moved the bed lognways against the wall, and we have our laundry baskets behind the bed; we also moved the dresser into the closet. We can put the crib in our room fine, with some space left over, but what else would we need? I know we need a dresser, but we can put that in the hall closet. Is there anything else? Furniture wise.

Answer 1

rocking chair and changing table (unless you prefer to use your bed).

Answer 2

We do exactly the same thing as you are about to do.

She slept in the top bassinett of a playpen set until she was 6 months old. Then we bought a crib and put the playpen in the living room. We never bought a babychanging table.

You might want a chair in there, if you breastfeed, or if you take a long time to recover from the birth, or if you and your daughter are both sick. All of the above applied to me at one time or another last year.

You will need space to put a humidifier (on top of a dresser).
You will need a diaper genie, or other type diaper pail.
For the living room, I would recommend a bouncer seat that keeps the baby sitting up at an angle, where she can sleep during the day.

As far as furniture goes, we have never purchased anything else. All the other baby stuff is such a racket, unless you have thousands of $$ and live in a big house and want to make a statement about your wealth.

Congratulations!

Answer 3

Babies really "NEED" very few things. Sounds like you've taken care of a place to sleep and a place for a dresser. You'll also need a carseat (if you don't have room for the carrier in the house just go with a convertible seat right from the start). A baby bathtub can be replaced with just a towel in the bottom of the sink to keep baby from slipping. Tummy time on just a blanket that can be folded away when not in use. They do make travel swings that take up a lot less room than a full size swing, but there's no law that you have to have a swing at all. Rather than a full size highchair, you can get one that straps directly onto a regular chair.

Answer 4

The essentials that I have are crib, dresser, diaper genies just take up space and so do changing tables, I change the baby wherever I am using the little pad that came with my diaper bag. The only other large item I would suggest is a swing, if you don't have lots of room get a travel swing, they work just as well. If you want to look through a list of things you may need go to www.babiesrus.com they have a list of things you will need for new baby. Congrats

Answer 5

You can get a changing table pad that goes on top of a dresser, this eliminates a seperate changing table. I would make sure to get something that holds diapers, creams, wipes, etc. They make some great ones now, got ours at Walmart, it attaches to a dresser (shown this way on box) or on the wall (this is how we did it). Get a monitor anyways, for when you are in the living room and baby is asleep. I would also get a few closable totes to put misc. items in, we keep one with the next size cloths in it under the babies crib.

Most of the other stuff (swing, bouney seat) can go in the living room. Just get a mobile and a mirror toy to put on the crib and everything will be fine. They really try to over sell many of the baby "essentials" (like a diaper wipe warmer, who has the room for that). Good luck

Answer 6

As far as bedroom furniture goes that should be good, you don't need a changing table just use your bed, or a dresser without the hutch. Just add a mat that straps to the dresser so it won't move and you'll be good to go. But a swing and rocking chair would be smart they will really come in handy. Plus you will need a car seat, and a baby tub. Later a highchair will be needed so you can feed him or her. I wouldn't even fool with a playpen babies always seem to hate them. When he or she is a little older and sitting up an exasaucer or hanging jumper would be smart babies seem to love those. Congratulations and good luck.

Answer 7

Get some under the bed containers to store things that you don't need every second. A changing table is not necessary...I had one and ended up changing my son on the bed or floor most of the time. Use baskets with liners to organize changing materials. You could look for a small shelving unit to set them on, or just use under the bed. Instead of a dresser, use hangers in your closet. Also, look for a canvas shelf thing that can be hung on your closet bar. They sell them for kids a lot to organize outfits for the week. It will hang down vertically so it won't take up much space. You can use it for onesies, bibs, sleepers, whatever you want. Good luck!

Answer 8

you dont need a changing table, just use your bed or the floor with a nice comfy blanket. I had a changing table and I barely used it. Also instead of getting a dresser try those plastic drawers, the wide ones work wonderful. my children have small rooms so I got them and put them in their closets, I bought two and stacked them. Theres still room on each side to hang clothes. a crib is mostly all you need, a swing would be good and bouncy seat

Answer 9

of you want your sanity i would say that you need a baby swing and in a few months a pack & paly playpen. the pack & Play can be folded up every night if you need the room . I too did the 1 bedroom thing for a while and it was tight we had about 500sq foot of apartment. But Crib, SWING and the pack and play worked for me. I did give up one of my drawers for his clothes and for changing time I used the small pink "tub" that I got at the hospital to hold some diapers the wipes and creams, so that no matter what room I was changing him in, on the bed, the couch or the floor it was easy to brign along. Good luck and look at it as being close not being cramped.

Enjoy your baby!

Answer 10

The only other thing you may really 'need' as your baby gets bigger is a place to store his/her toys. A crib and a dresser are the essentials as far as furniture is concerned.

I also suggest to seek out the portable or compact baby items like a portable swing and a booster that comes with a tray instead of a high chair for when the baby is big enough.

Sounds like you are set! Congrats!

Answer 11

You do NOT need a changing table. You can just change your baby on the couch or on the bed. You'll end up doing that anyway, TRUST ME! Furniture wise I don't think you need anything else. You're fine for right now. Maybe you'll want to get a bassinet that way you can take the baby to the living room while he's sleeping.