I have had two children now and I must admit I did things a lot differently with my second child than I did with my first.
When I was pregnant with my daughter I literally brought everything that the books told me I would need and guess what? I only used some things a handful of times if not at all and I thought I had just wasted money.
Baby Cot Mattress
The second time round with my son, we only got what we knew we would use and saved a fortune!
So what do you need?
Everyone is different so I am not going to say that you should avoid certain things because they may actually be useful to you, I can only go by personal experience.
1) Instead of a changing mat, and baby bath, I recommend a changing station.
I have one by Mama's & Papa's and it is great. It has a changing mat to the top which is at a great height to stand up to change baby rather than bending over & hurting your back. You lift that up and it has a built in bath with draining tube - again the height is a real bonus... I found that the baby bath was too heavy once filled for me to pick up and tip away the water, and leaning over to bath my daughter just hurt my back so I ended up just putting her in our bath. A baby bath got used 2-3 times only.
The changing station also has shelves underneath for all your nappies, wipes, towels etc. Well worth the money.
2) Moses basket.
There are many different kinds but ones that are easy to move around are best. They are great for baby to sleep anywhere in the house and are a perfect size when they are newborn. I recommend one with a rocking stand, both my children loved the gentle rocking as it helped them get off to sleep.
3) Baby monitor
Now with this, I would only recommend them if you have quite a large house or you are really concerend about your baby while they sleep. We had some for our daughter and never used them because we were in a small house where I could hear every noise she made anyway, even if I was downstairs. However we moved into a bigger house before our son was born and we did use them this time, especially if we were out in the garden - so I would say that are an item that is beneficial.
4) Car Seat
Please make sure you have a new car seat - PLEASE try not to buy second hand. Most baby items are fine buying second hand to save money but not car seats. If a car seat has actually been involved in a car accident, the slightest knock or bump to it can actually make it unsafe. It is always best to buy new. Make sure you get the correct car seat for your babies age & weight. Most good shops will advise you on this and even help you fit them.
5) Cot
Once your baby is big enough, they can be moved from a moses basket into a cot. There are many different kinds. Thinking ahead, if money is an issue, a good buy is a cot/bed. That way you dont need to buy a bed as well once baby has outgrown the cot.
6) Mattress
Again, this is better to buy new rather than second hand to help reduce the risk of cot death. Just make sure you know the size of cot you have as mattress sizes do vary.
7) Bottles
If you are not breastfeeding then you need to have a supply of bottles and a steriliser. Bottles should be sterilized until at least 6 months of age. We used an electric steam steriliser (many kinds) but it heated up and had finished within 6 minutes!
8) Toys
Soft toys for newborns are best, as they get older there is a huge choice of toys, ones for the cot or car seat are handy. Please make sure you choose an appropriate toy for their age to avoid any dangers.
9) Travel
Changing bag & travel cot are also useful if you go away.
There are so many different things out there that claim to be essential for babies, and some cost a fortune but you can get by without them - however I know what it's like to want everything for you child, especially your first, so I say, if you have the money and you want the latest fad item or gadget then go for it!! they are only little for a short time and if you will find it useful then just get it!