Although this toy frigtened our baby the first time she heard the sounds, now she really loves it. It keeps her busy, and you can take off the hanging toys and put your own up if baby gets bored.

Playskool Newborn Kick Start Gym available from Amazon.com

I had one of these for each of my children. Once your baby starts crawling it's important to have a safe place to het him/her down when you can't be right there. The Pack 'n' Play is also great for picnics (no worries that baby may start putting grass or bugs in her mouth) and doubles as a travel crib.

Play Yards available from BabiesRUs.com.

Of all the pacifiers I've tried, I'm convinced that Nuk is the best. The shape of the pacifier helps it stay in the baby's mouth without popping out. The latex version is shown here, but I actually prefer the silicone version as it is odorless, tasteless, and hypo-allergenic.

 Gerber The Original NUK Orthodintic Pacifier from Drugstore.com

This chair has been indispensable for us due to our colicky baby. It takes one D battery and will vibrate like a moving automobile. Our baby slept through the night for the first time in this thing. We use it for feeding, sleeping, and everything else. You can take it apart and throw the fabric cover in the washer. My older kids like to sit in it too. Some assembly is required.

Infant Rocker available from BabiesRUs.com.

I like this cradle because it is classy-looking, made of hard wood, and rolls easily from room to room. On the downside, assembly is required.

Similar Bassinettes and Cradles at BabiesRUs.com
The cradle shown can be found under Nursery Furniture at BabyCenter.com.

In the olden days you had to put the baby in the carrier, then take her out of the carrier and put her in the car seat, then once you arrived at your destination you had to take her out of the car seat and put her in the stroller--usually with a considerable number of tears in between. Those days are gone. This "travel system" is a carrier, car seat, and stroller all in one. Just snap the carrier into the car seat base, then snap it into the stoller when you're ready to go without ever disturbing baby. Whoever invented this is a genius.

Strollers available from BabiesRUS.com.

A baby swing is an essential item for all new parents. It has literally been a lifesaver for me and my husband as we struggle with a colicy baby. The six speed model is shown here, but I have the three speed model which works perfectly fine and is a little less expensive. It's battery powered, so no winding is needed. Considerable thought has been put into the design of this swing, so don't settle for anything else! Warning: extensive assembly is required.

Swings available from BabiesRUs.com.

Paperback and hardcover versions available at Amazon.com.

Nursing a baby can result in a lot of embarassing dripping and leaking. Don't leave home without some good nursing pads. These are disposable -- change them often and don't get the reusable kind as these can facilitate breast infection.

Nursing Pads at Drugstore.com.
Breastfeeding Stuff available from BabiesRUs.com.

Medela makes some of the very best pumps I've tried (and I've tried quite a few!). The Mini Electric version works well for me and is affordable. If you plan on doing more heavy duty pumping, you might try their hosptial grade version.

Medela Breast Pumps available from BabiesRUs.com.
Avent makes a good manual pump available at Drugstore.com

Dirty diapers stink and Diaper Genie is the solution. 'Nuff said!

Diaper Genie available from DrugStore.com.