Thankfully there is hope as the internet brings the whole world to our doorsteps and there are some great products out there as well. Here are 11 items I'm loving but I'm such a newbie, I'd love to hear what products YOU love - please leave your favorites in the comments. (Can you tell I'm in full shopping mode now?)
Source List:
1. Bugaboo Bee
2. 3 Sprouts Walrus Bin
3. Sleep Sheep
4. Jonathan Adler Pronto Changing Station
5. Restoration Hardware Baby Faux Fur Bunting
6. Uncle Goose Foreign Language Blocks
7. Peace, Love & Quilts Custom Blanket
8. Bye Bye Birdie Knit Booties
9. Lou Lou Ghost Chair
10. Amy Tangerine Assistant Onesie
11. Wire Storage Baskets
I'm not a mum, but I looove the stuff in this etsy shop http://www, w.etsy.com/shop/iviebaby (the owner blogs at www.e-tells-tales.com)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely start a kid's stuff Pinterest board. It's the only way I found too-cool-for-school things for my kiddo :)
ReplyDeleteExpecting our first in April so I am all ears for good suggestions!
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how many people love the color! I think my breakdown was when I was trying to find a simple playpen. I got my bedding from Dwell, our stroller was Quinny, car seats maxi cosi & Svan high chair. Now you have Giggle, Buy Buy Baby and Albee with are life savers. Also Sereny & Lily, RH Baby and Land of Nod. Even Petunia came out with all new BLACK bags. Oh the envy!
ReplyDeleteThose are adorable!
ReplyDeleteI loved my Orbit, sleep sacks, bjorn, pijamas with zippers, activity floor gym, mobile with music and tub. We still use the tub when we go visit family and it can be used from newborn to whenever. Ha! I almost forgot the swaddle blankets by Aden + Anais and the Boppy pillow. Of all of the above, I had only purchased the Orbit and Bjorn before her arrival. Everything else as needed.
Honestly, don't go over board. I used the minimalist approach and after my daughter was born, I realized I needed more than I thought. It saves you money just buying the things you know for sure you will use.
Thanks Jenny. I never even heard of Albee or Petunia. Off to check them out now.
ReplyDeleteI would skip the Bee and either get a full-size stroller (my favorite is the UppaBaby Vista) or get the City Mini. Bugaboo tried to hit it too in the middle with the Bee and ended up missing out on the good parts of the Frog/Chameleon and a smaller foldable stroller.
ReplyDeleteYou may want to see the Walrus bin in person--I found them too small for changing table basket purposes. Instead, I went with a bigger one I found on etsy and it's awesome.
The sleep sheep is cute, but if you end up needing white noise for your baby, you will buy a white noise machine since the sheep turns off after 20 minutes. I would hold off on that purchase, though, because you never know what your baby will like.
Last thing: the bunting is adorable, but you really want something that will attach to your stroller and work well with it. I would stick with the JJ Cole Bundle Me or something similar.
Thanks. I'm definitely not going to go too crazy but since we will be having her in the middle of winter, I want to have a few items at home. I have registered for a boppy and the A+A blankets. I'll check out the rest.
ReplyDeleteI love Skip Hop! In fact, a couple years ago, I was looking for stylish school bag. I teach at a uni and had to walk a lot between classes with all my books and dry-erase markers, etc. I couldn't find a good teacher bag, so I went with a diaper bag (that looked like a messenger bag) from Skip Hop. I adore it!
ReplyDeleteI love everything you've chosen here. That quilt is GORGEOUS. But I don't have any bebes myself, so I might not be too much help.
Even if you plan on having the baby in your room at first, look into getting a Snuza. We put one on our daughter the first night she was home and it helped us to sleepso much better. Newborn's breathing can be so erratic and ours was a perfectly healthy, late even, baby, but it was so nice to know it was there to monitor her. She sleeps with the more expensive Halo version at home and wears the Snuza Go at daycare.
ReplyDeleteWe have a Bugaboo Bee and we LOVED it. You know how you hear how people end up buying, like, 3 strollers? We never had to - this one did it all for us. It was perfect for travel and for everyday life. A definite winner.
ReplyDelete5, 7, and 9 are so so sweet- that coat makes my heart flutter!!!
ReplyDeleteHighly recommend babyli.st for a baby registry! I own a small children's boutique, and worked with Natalie of babyli.st when she was new. They've grown like crazy (proud of her!). This registry allows you to add items from any online source, including etsy, big stores, independents (like me :).
ReplyDeleteI definitely hear ya. We were in Park Slope when we had our first and had to be selective due to space constraints. We went with the City Mini (black) for our stroller. The big sell for me was that it was light and can be collapsed using one hand. The wheels would go over anything and nearly 2 years later we are still super pleased. Large under carriage storage basket too. Much less expensive and super functional. We got ours at Lulu's, which if you haven't checked out yet is totally worth looking in.
ReplyDeleteThe picks you shared are adorable :-)
I can't imagine keeping two strollers in my house which is why I went with the Bee. I have two friend that have and it really like it so I got to test it out and it seems like a good choice for me. I looked at the Chameleon but its too heavy. The Uppababy and City Mini get a lot of good reviews too but Im not as crazy about how it handles. (You would think i was buying a car!)
ReplyDeleteI never have seen the walrus bin so good tip. I probably wont buy it for me I just think its cool.
I did register for the Bundle Me for strolling purposes. I think the faux fur one is totally impractical - just adorable :)
Thanks Ill check it out. Never heard of it.
ReplyDeleteAnything 3 Sprouts is amazing! Great quality and super cute!! I haven't used our portable changing station pack once (everything is in my diaper bag which we always have (hubs has his own messenger style bag)). The Amy Tangerine Onesie is awesome - we have it in the 2T tee shirt!
ReplyDeleteThanks Rachel. Thats what sold me on it - so many people have told me the same thing.
ReplyDeleteI hear you about the big box stores. With my first pregnancy, hubby and I where in there for 2 hours looking at the the baby gear. I was so overwhelmed I was practically in tears. I left without buying anything just so I could calm down, relax, and re-evaluate what was really important. MY favorite gift for the baby was a Miracle Blanket. We laughed at it at first, it looks like a baby straight jacket, but my daughter slept so well swaddled in it, it was a miracle. I also second a stroller you can open one handed (we started with a Chicco carseat/stroller combo, but ended up with a Combi and highly recommend it, we still use it with our now 3 and 5 year old) Love the quilt you've chosen!
ReplyDeleteWe love our skip-hop pronto changing station (in fact, we never bothered with a real changing pad-- we've always used this at home and when out and about. At home we just lay it on the bed or the floor or wherever).
ReplyDeleteI agree with the commenter who warned you about the sleep sheep. For some stupid reason, the thing only works for 20 minutes at a time. If your baby ends up being a finicky sleeper (like ours), this thing will be the death of you. I would wait on purchasing it.
Speaking of sleep: Dr. Harvey Karp and the five "S's"-- Read the book, watch the youtube videos NOW! (Can you tell we had a child who wasn't the best sleeper? I am practically crazy when it comes to babies and sleep...:)
A&A swaddle blankets all the way (we ended up cutting up our flannel receiving blankets and using them as cloth wipes). They are baby's "blankey," my nursing cover, great sun shades... and we're still finding new uses for them.
Beco Gemini is our carrier of choice (though I wish at times that we had a sling. We have a moby, but we just didn't use it as much as I thought that we would). We almost purchased an Ergo, but ended up with the Gemini because it is more streamlined but still distributes the weight of the baby as well as the ergo. One minus about it is that it doesn't have a little zippered pocket like th Ergo, so there's no where for you to slip your keys or your wallet. Oh, well. We still love it.
We also love our LifeFactory glass bottles. We have three, but pretty much only use one (the smaller size). Oh, and stupid Sophie. I guess there's a reason she's so popular-- at play dates kids crawl over to my bag and search for her! I'm not kidding.
Alright, sorry about this long comment (I had a baby almost a year ago, so I'm still kind of high on baby gear... even though we prefer to keep it minimal). I guess my recommendation is to hold off on buying a lot of things. Because like you said, even if you're going to be housebound with an infant at first, you can always order things online. And you don't know what you will need and what you won't. It's a big learning process, and since every baby and family is different, what works for us might not work for you.
Congrats Mrs. Limestone-- we can't wait to "meet" her!
We have several of the things you listed and love them all, except maybe sleep sheep, he never worked too well for us! :( I've been keeping track of our favorite baby things, you can check out my posts here: http://www.millermusingsblog.com/search/label/Monthly%20Baby%20Posts
ReplyDeleteI love the Stokke Tripp Trapp highchair. (and I love your crib, but we didn't go with that type).
ReplyDeleteErgo Carrier. I had a beautiful woven wrap and a Serena and Lily sling for when I wanted to be more unique, but the Ergo was my go to. I used it up to 2.5 years old for airport travel.
I also like things that are solid colors - Svan baby bouncer, skip hop pronto changing case (plain black to make my husband more likely to use it), Kate Spade diaper bag (helped me feel stylish when I knew I looked like a hot mess in the immediate weeks after delivery - ick, sleep deprivation and post baby belly/bloat isn't pretty).
As for stores - albee baby, land of nod, and a any local maternity/kids boutiques are my go-to.I struggled to keep the gifts from other people in check, love the thoughtfullness, don't love the overabundance of STUFF.
that sleep sheep is the best thing, ever!
ReplyDeleteI used to make fun of people being so crazy about monitoring their baby sleep until I spent nights worried sick she wasn't breathing. I got the Angel Care myself with two pads and I finally got some rest. It's funny how your feeling change.
ReplyDeleteI agree! I love mine. So easy to handle.
ReplyDeleteLove the pink ghost chair. Definitely something that would stay in style even perhaps after the baby transitions to a big girl room.
ReplyDeletehaven't read through all the comments word for word, so there may be some repeats. consider it an extra endorsement :) best advice: buy as little as possible. and for the things you do buy, buy quality.
ReplyDelete- i second aiden and anais wraps - used those bad boys for everything. and now my little guy uses them as blankies.
- angel care monitor. monitors sound AND breathing rates. brought much peace of mind
- moby wrap for itty bitty babe, and ergo baby carrier for a little later through todllerhood
- portable diaper changing pad - super handy for on the go
- as a space saver, we never got a high chair. just a booster chair + food tray that sits on a chair. ours was fisher price
- the baby bjorn travel crib rivals allllll other pack n plays. super easy set-up and incredibly light and easy to store. worth its weight in gold and then some.
- white noise machine. ours is actually an ihome with white noise loaded onto an old ipod.
- not sure if you're tackling the cloth diaper world, but fuzzi bunz and bum genius rose to the top of our list. have been using fuzzi bunz exclusively since he was 5 weeks old and they're awesome
We also had a Bee and I could RAVE for hours about it. Whenever I push someone else's buggy, I'm reminded why the Bee was the best splurge we made. It really handles like a dream and like you and others said, it multitasks very well. The only downside is that it can be quite awkward when folded and you need to carry it so we did borrow a friend's Mclaren umbrella stroller a couple of times when daughter got bigger and we had plane/train/subway/bus trips to make at Disney and in Paris.
ReplyDeleteSkip Hop and JJ Cole are some of my favorite brands!
ReplyDeleteTry Beccabeedesignes. I think you will love it. I always find the BEST baby bibs, mats, blankets, super hero fabric dolls..... I swear if I was not wayyy past baby making stage I'd be her best customer. She hand makes everything under the sun! there is also another website called babywit... OMG along with my Beccabee booty I also toss a very COOL baby tee shirt in the gift bag for all my preger friends! my gifts are always a show stopper because of how utilitarian AND Unique each piece is for the baby!
ReplyDeletePETUNIA RULES....only just say'n!
ReplyDeleteOK, my babies are six and nearly ten so I have nothing to add, other than congratulations and what fun!!
ReplyDeleteTook us forever to find a stroller as well, but we went with the Cybex Callisto. Only one where us 2 engineers could figure out how to fold it in under 30 seconds! Can also get adapter straps which allow you to strap the infant car seat on it. (Not sure how helpful that is for urban parents though!) It doesn't have the reversible seat, but does go up to 55 lbs, and is also about half the price of the Bee. Have used it a TON from day 4 through 10 months so far!
ReplyDeleteYes those little shirts with the option of tucking their hands into the mitts... ours buttoned across the stomach/chest, kind of like a wrap dress, but with snaps. We LOVED them :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I second the old-fashioned flat diapers as burp cloths!
I never leave comments but I think it would be useful to share my experience with Bugaboo bee. I love it, it is light, mobile, it closes quite small and my daughther is happy in it. I started with first size fleece bag/cover and now we are using the big size. I have a winter and summer canoply. The summer on is very useful as it has some nets for air and a mosquito net to completelly close it as well as being reflective. I have also the umbrella and the cup holder. The cup holder is not great as it always makes my coffee to spill out. But overall I'm very satisfied with it. I strongly recommended it!
ReplyDeleteWash cloths?
ReplyDeleteNever owned a stroller. Make sure you have some kind of baby-wearing carrier (like a Baby Bjorn) because sometimes you just need two hands around the house and baby WANTS to be held. Also comes in useful when eating dinner, just drape your napkin over baby's head. As soon as baby could sit up we graduated to the lightest weight Tough Traveler backpack.
ReplyDeleteI had an upstairs and a downstairs Boppy. You can custom cover them to match your decor and pretend they are just more decorative pillows. Kiddos used them to help sit upright for play at about 6 months (supervised, of course).
The Tiny Love mobile kind of falls into the "a bit too colorful" category, but it really engaged baby before she could really do anything. It's not soothing, but almost interactive. It kept her attention for 20 minutes while we tidied up in the nursery, or just sat in the rocker. We had the one with the sheep, cow, and horse, which is less garish than some.
Depending on your needs you can join a mothers club at Amazon. They will deliver lots of stuff with free shipping (diapers, it you're not going the washable route), and save you the task of running out to get supplies.
your taste is impeccable, and your little lady is sure to be stylish. :) but- i will say that though the sleep sheep is super cute and cozy, it is no match for a white noise machine that will lull your little one to sleep all night, rather than for just 45 minutes at a time. lesson learned the hard way by this first time mama.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the cozy quilt on your pin board, how about turquoise for baby dresser? A nice punch of unexpected color in coral and navy nursery!
ReplyDeleteHave fun!
We LOVE our Bugaboo Bee. Worth the money. Make sure you get the attachment to make it a snap and go stroller. Also, get Aiden and Anais muslin blankets.
ReplyDeleteBuy the book "Baby Bargains"
ReplyDeleteMy Mom bought my first baby the Sleep Sheep and it was a life saver. It lulled her right to sleep every time. Now her little brother uses it at night AND during naps. One of the best things I own. And one of the only things I could hand-me-down since I did the whole PINK thing. Oops.
ReplyDeleteI love my Bugaboo Bee. I wrote a review on my bebe essentials. http://lovesrobots.blogspot.com/2012/02/lizzies-guide-to-rad-new-bebe.html
ReplyDeleteI live in Europe and have the Bugaboo Bee stroller. LOVE IT! It makes traveling very easy, and is great on cobblestone streets.
ReplyDeleteEverything you have in your post looks great. Just know, that in general, you don't need 90% of the stuff you see in the stores. But, you seem to have all the necessities covered. I love the little assistant onesie-very cute!
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite things was the 'diapees and wipees' holder. It's a little fabric envelope that fits the travel container for wipes and holds 2 diapers. It's great for throwing in your purse, or keeping in the car. I used it for years-until my child was potty trained. It's really something you could probably make yourself since you're so crafty, but I bought mine. Here is the link for it:
https://diapeesandwipees.com
When the baby gets a bit older the door jumpers come in handy...I bought one for my sister in-law and she was shocked how much she used it.
ReplyDeleteDiapers.com is a great site to find stuff...this site also has sister site that are great.
Hi Stephanie!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the upcoming arrival. I am on baby number two, so while I am no expert I have been around the baby product block. My number one recommendation for all new moms is buy at least one Miracle Blanket. There is no swaddling blanket out there that can match it. Very rarely does a product live up to its billing, but this definitely does! Also, I echo what another commenter said about the sleep sheep. Don't waste your time on it. Go ahead and invest in a real sound machine. Also, check out the land of nod for changing table baskets. I have a million of them in different sizes for all different kinds of storage.
Good luck!
I have the sleep sheep and LOVE it! And I have the Bugaboo Bee stroller too. It's great for city strolling, but I did have to get a Bob stroller for more "off road" park adventures. :)
ReplyDeleteOh I felt the same way about all of the stuff being so awful looking. A few things I've come to love and aren't terrible looking are 1. the a&a swaddle blankets- before we had our baby I thought that they were just "trendy" but they truly are great 2. the bloom coco go lounger is a non offensive looking rocker/bouncer that my daughter loves (folds up for easy storage too) 3. disney baby makes onesies that are available in different solid colors aside from blue, pink or yellow (I love pink, but I got sick really quick of dressing the baby in pink outfits every day, and you'll be given A LOT of pink outfits). 4. the serena and lily moses basket has been great, used with the jolly jumper rocking stand (available on amazon) 5. burts bees came out with an organic cotton clothing line that is in neutral colors and super soft
ReplyDeleteI'm the same way - I could rave on and on about it. I'm kind of like an obsessed fan! I was really kinda sad when J outgrew it.
ReplyDeleteAs a working mom, bottles will become part of your future whether you are pumping or giving formula. I REALLY love the Green to Grow bottles. They are so sturdy and come out so clean from the dishwasher.
ReplyDeleteMy niece has the Dr Browns and all the kids at daycare have Tommy Tippee and they just look dirty and full of gunk after a few uses.
I cannot say enough good things about the Green to Grow bottles. PS- we thought the regular neck held up better than the wide neck. The nipples on the wide necks just were too flimsy.
The baby bjorn seat is amazing. It moves with your babe's movements. Plus it comes in great solid colors instead of the "jungle print"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.babybjorn.com/us/products/bouncers/babysitter-balance/balance/
I live in Alaska so I'm definitely not up on city living with a baby, but the one product I can't live without for traveling is the KidCo PeaPod. We have traveled all over the world with both of our kids in their first year of life, and the PeaPod is SO much easier to bring with us than a huge pack-and-play. It's also nice for the kids to have a familiar place to sleep in the midst of time changes/hotel rooms/etc. Plus, it doesn't take up a huge amount of storage space at home.
ReplyDeleteGood luck! :)
I personally could not have lived with out my ergo baby carrier. http://store.ergobaby.com/ I had previously had some of the big box carriers and found them flimsy and not comfortable for Momma or baby. My ergo is wonderful and we still use it even though the baby is 3 now. Good investment.
ReplyDeleteYour #4 item, the skip hop pronto changing pad is AWE-some. I have one and I think it is the best of changing pads!
ReplyDeleteIt amazes me..AMAZES me how much things have changed for babies...and my oldest is only 16! I kid you not...there was nothing 16 years ago. The best place was Laura Ashley which had classic children's things...but now, WOW so much to choose from, and yes, still loads of tacky, but so many wonderful choices. My favorite stroller was my McClaren...and my double Peg Perego. Don't even know if those are still big.
ReplyDeleteIt is so fun following you during your pregnancy!!!
Lesson from my sisterinlaw... don't get a diaper bag. For Mr. L, an extra backpack does the trick. And for you, pick a roomy tote with lots of pockets that you would actually use normally and use it as a combo purse/diaper bag so you're only lugging one bag and looking fashionable.
ReplyDelete1.Yes!
ReplyDelete2. No..too small
3. No.. use an ipod, choose songs for sleepytime and playtime.
4. No.
5. Cute, but only as a splurge.
6. Yes, you will use blocks for a long time, the more the merrier.
7. Lovely
8. Cute, yes.
9. Not now, unless you can sit in it.
10. Cute, you can never have too many onesies.
11. Yes, too bad all the hang on the wall baskets are on backorder.
I agree with the comment about wash cloths..a few dozen of the cheap ones. Cloth diapers even if you go with disposable...great for burp cloth or "blankie". I am surprised no one has mentioned the Bumbo. They had a recall for the older model, it now has to have a strap. But, this is the greatest...as soon as they are able to hold their head up and be sure to get the little tray that attaches. Zulily is a fun sale site, their shipping time is horrible, but some items are worth the wait. Little girls are so much fun to shop for.
There are some fantastic shops on etsy for onesies. I've been gifted some keepers (well, keepers that last about 6 weeks until he grew out of them)...http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheWishingElephant and http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheCoinLaundry are a couple.
ReplyDeleteAlso, just a comment regarding all the comments about swaddle blankets...I too stocked on them(all types), and then promptly gave birth to a baby who HATED being swaddled. So my advice is NOT to wash everything ahead of time, as much as you probably want to get everything all prepped and ready to go. You may end up not needing things you thought you absolutely had to have.
ReplyDelete~carrying baby in arms, then frog style (legs bent up, snuggled into chest) in a front carrier (Ergo), then back carrier (MEC) & a jogging stroller (Bobs).
ReplyDelete~Blankets - all kinds soft, flannel,.
~one Halo Swaddle thing
~Chinese prefolds (for laying on changing pad, just wash the prefolds rather then the changing pad cover)
~Moses basket & rocker,
~Rocker - I like the gray flannel rocker at west elm, (small and stylish)
~lots of long sleeve onsies and tights, knitted or cotton or fleece.
~one piece fleece bunty bag for outings
~lots of cute hats and knitted booties
~Padraig knitted boots (for a bit older)
THOSE BOOTIES! So, so cute!!!
ReplyDeleteright?! EVERY time a friend has a baby i think "have they STILL not figured this out??!"
ReplyDeleteAlso, LOVE H&M baby & toddler clothes. Most of my kids clothes (onsies, bunty, day clothes) are from H&M, which I found to have the hippest patterns and just as many boy clothes as girl clothes and some organic cotton too. (now a days they seem to have a lot of Kitty on the girl stuff, but other then that the patterns and colours are simple; letting the baby be front and centre.
ReplyDeletei love my city mini stroller. great price point, light weight, & so easy to fold up. I've travelled alone with my toddler, & can carry her, hold my diaper bag, & fold up & put the stroller on the security belt without struggling!
ReplyDeleteGreat items.
ReplyDelete-we love our baby jogger city mini stroller
-aden & anais blankets
-bumbo (great when can't quite sit independently but want to join you at the table/tired of lying on the floor
-baby gym-ikea has a really simple wood one
- prince lionhart flexible folding bathtub-you can get an insert sling for when the baby is small but we used until our son was over two...saves water, keeps kids from falling on a hard bathtub (especially essential if you have a cast iron tub), stylish with plain colors
-nose frida snot sucker-this sounds nasty but is essential (along with saline spray to loosen the boogies) if your babe has a stuffed nose or a cold...this saved us
-cloth diapers-we loved the flip system from cotton babies but the new freetimes look awesome as well....snaps stayed on better/lasted longer for us than velcro
Mustella cleansing products:
ReplyDeleteNo rinse cleansing fluid - this stuff is great for diaper changes and between bathing - for when you need a little more than a wipe or wet wash cloth...
http://www.mustelausa.com/mustela/content/physiob%C3%A9b%C3%A9-no-rinse-cleansing-fluid-0
Shampoo (& body wash) - great, delicate http://www.mustelausa.com/mustela/content/bebe-shampoo
Amen! I had no idea how horrible the selection for baby stuff is. I had a really difficult time finding solid bedding for Max's nursery. Everything looked like attack of Disney or some kind of under water theme. Prints and kaleidoscopic colors are fine in moderation, but who wants their baby's room to be over stimulating?! I went with creamy whites and driftwood natural accents with a few pops of metallics and navy. It's still a room in my house, why can't a nursery be done tastefully lol?!
ReplyDeleteGreat finds! If we had a girl, I was getting the LuLu pink ghost chair! Love!
We absolutely love our Svan highchair! Started using it at 5 months and we're still using it 3 years later. It comes with a tray but you can also pull it right up to the table so your baby can eat with the family (important for us). Plus it turns into a computer chair as your kids grow older!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, congratulations on the baby! I have a 9 month old and went through the same shock/gross reaction that you did when registering. Just because we have a baby does not mean we need color and cheesy patterns vomited all over the house! One suggestion - I love my Bebe Su Lait nursing cover. They use pretty cloth patterns -I found one with a black and white Japanese flower print. I use my cover for so many things - impromptu blanket,sun shade, park play area... Best wishes! Last few weeks are tough, but they go by so quickly when you look back on them. Make sure you take time to rest and recharge! :)
ReplyDeleteI have searched other blogs for months since February looking at various 'must have' lists. Now that I have a 4 month old, I have a few of my own. I'll try and be brief since you asked for suggestions, not a story. :)
ReplyDeleteA&A blankets - don't bother with the others, they're way too small to do anything.
Miracle blanket - When the A&A's don't work (depending on if you've got a wiggler on your hands). We use these for sure at night, and the A&A's during the day to keep him light (I've got a little furnace).
I personally got three after being caught without one once. Never again.
Flannel Waterproof Mats - These are great. We've just put them down where he is. Containment is key. :) http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4086303 - these are great and are cheap in a pack of two. We got 3 packs and have used them all.
Prefold Cloth diapers - AWESOME. They're super cheap and you use them all the time. Burp rag? Check. Spill needs wiped? Check. Drool needs mopping? Check. (When I received these as a gift, I was all, WTH, but they're so much better than the colored, polyester theme stuff you find)
Dr. Karp's Happiest Baby on the Block - Check either the book or DVD out of the library (I'm sure there's stuff on youtube too). I liked his overall method of handling kids in general too (with the sleep thing too, he has another book on that as well).
Kimono/Side snap onsies - My baby has a big head. I can still get the regular ones on, but I just prefer these best. I also want to say that my babe was just swaddled for about the first....4 weeks of his life. We put him in a snap up to go out to the Ped's or if we went on walks, but he was such a little oven (and I was skiddish about too much stuff rubbing against the bellybutton), I just swaddled him with just a diaper. Total mom judgement call. When he did wear onsies, we only used about 6 in a rotation. No need for tons and tons. (but we have a washing machine, so not sure if it'd work for NYC)
Boppy, Pacifiers (Avent, they come with snap on covers and don't leave an outline on their mouth), Gas relief drops (equate infant). SkipHop is good. We actually use an old projector bag as our diaper bag. Use what you got. Don't know if you'll have to pump at some point, but I just got the Evenflo glass bottles, and bought separate Dr. Brown's nipples for them since they have better flow. I work part time and only need 4. Ameda Purely Yours, and a Grass dryer.
I got a travel sleep sheep since it's the same thing, but smaller and cheaper. White noise isn't magic for my boy, but it helps a bit.
Try out as many carrier as you can and try and use them early on. I like the idea of Ergobaby w/ the infant insert (great for the spine/hips, unlike the bjorn) and you can use it for a long time, but my guy has to be walked around a bit so that he get used to it. I've used it successfully on a trip. I also have a Moby with limited success, but other peeps love it.
A great water bottle, KIND bars, nursing tops, nursing bras, nursing pads, lanolin... wait, you didn't ask about that list. But all of those things are great too.
So much for the story. :) All the best and enjoy!