Preparing to be a new mom has a lot of mixed emotions.  You feel joy, excitement, stress, worry, physical pain and more.  One of the best parts of the preparation process is buying all the items you need before the new baby arrives.  Most moms go to those big baby stores to register for the items they need and want for their little one.  However many new moms are overwhelmed when they walk into those big baby stores.  There are so many items to choose from most new moms think they need one of everything.  Being a new mom myself, I thought I had to have any gadget and/or gear that would make my life and my baby's life easier.  I bought a baby wipe warmer, portable baby wipe warmer, bottle warmer, a machine to sanitize toys and nuks, and pretty much anything that would keep my child germ free.  Because I was so concerned with all the things I thought I needed, I started to lose sight of the fun part...dressing the baby.  Most of you are probably lucky enough to know someone who is a mom and they will give you many tips on what you "really" need.  Apart from all of the gadgets, most of which you do not need, I can shed some light on the essential clothing pieces that you will want to purchase for your little bundle of joy.
 
Before going out and purchasing these items you will want to keep one thing in mind: purchase the clothing based on the baby’s weight and not their age.  My little darling weighed 8lbs and 9oz when she was born (yes, by c-section) so she wore a newborn size for about a week.  Keep in mind that babies grow extremely fast so I would not buy too many of one size because before you know it, they will be the ones telling you what is cute and not cute!
 
My favorite item of clothing for a newborn or infant is the long gown with the opening at the bottom.  These are very easy to put on and to take off.  These gowns come in many different colors and patterns to fit any gender.  Since babies sleep, eat and poop (not necessarily in that order), changing a dirty diaper is super easy.  You just pull up the little gown and you are well on your way to a clean baby.  Easy access is the key.  These gowns also make a great gift for a baby shower.  To make them more personal, you can have these monogrammed with the baby’s name or initials.  My absolute favorite gifts were those that were personalized.  I remember to this day who gave those items to me.  It seemed very special for someone to have taken the time to have my child’s name or initials put on a gift. 
 
The onesie is another item that you will not want to live without.  Children from newborns to 24 months can wear these wonderful little suits.  I have even seen these in sizes up to 2T.  This versatile piece of clothing is great for everyday wear.  These come in short sleeve or long sleeve and a wide variety of colors as well.  These are also very easy to put on and take off, not to mention convenient for those dirty diapers you will have to change.  Onesies are also great for layering.  If you live in a cold climate you can add long pants and a warm coat to keep your little one warm.  If you are like me and live where it is warm most of the time, you can just put on a short sleeve onesie and send him or her on their merry little way.  I think my daughter lived in onesies for the entire first year of her life!
 
The last must-have is the footed pajama.  I know that the snaps on these can be quite a hassle when dressing a squirmy baby.  Sometimes you may have to snap and re-snap because you did not line the snaps up correctly.  I have been there, but do not get discouraged.  The footed pajama is fantastic because you do not have to worry about keeping your baby’s socks on his or her feet.  Babies love to tug at their feet and the first thing they want to do is pull off those socks and throw them.  You will no longer have to go on a sock hunt!  Footed pajamas also keep your baby warm at night so you do not have to worry about covering him or her with a blanket.  We all know that it is impossible to keep a blanket on a baby.  No more sleepless nights worrying about him or her being too cold.  Too bad those footed pajamas do not cure other reasons for sleepless nights!
 
These items are definitely not a replacement for the adorable outfits that you want your child to wear when you are out in public.  These clothing items are meant to help you in your every day life.  Not only will these items save you time and money, but hopefully they will keep your sanity in tact as well!