As your baby's birth approaches, you may find yourself so caught up in the homecoming event that you may overlook items you need to help make your baby's arrival home as smooth as possible. To avoid this hiccup, it is a great idea to slowly purchase required products before your due date so you can make sure you have everything you need and you have time to procure any missed items. There are some essential items which will assure you and your baby have an easy hospital-to-home transition.

Above all else, you must have a rear-facing car seat. The hospital will not allow you to depart with the baby without such a seat. It is not necessary to immediately have a stroller to bring your baby home though you may want to consider looking into baby travel systems which provide the required infant car seat and also a stroller which you'll later need.

Not often realized by many parents are the benefits to the close-contact bonding of wearing your infant. Research has shown that the use of baby wrap and sling-style carriers that keep baby close to mom or dad offer many benefits to the baby's development. Although sling-style carriers are not crucial to baby's arrival day, many parents find it helpful to begin right away.

You'll need a place for your baby to sleep when he or she arrives home. A crib or bassinet and a couple of sets of sheets and blankets will be needed. Some parents opt to purchase both a bassinet and a crib, as the bassinet offers a more confined space which tends to make newborns feel the most comfortable when first outside of mom's womb. In several weeks to a few months, after your infant has become more acquainted with the outside world, he or she can more comfortably sleep in the crib.

Receiving blankets are excellent for swaddling your baby, as newborns have a difficult time regulating their body temperature. They also come in handy when there's spit-up after a burping. Receiving blankets will often be used for wrapping your infant during nap and nighttime sleeping.

Every newborn seems to have an endless appetite and pre-planning for proper feeding is very important. Many of the feeding accessories you need will depend on your choice of breast or formula feeding. There are some basic items that you'll need whether you choose formula or breastfeeding such as soft burp cloths, several bibs, and baby bottles - many breastfeeding moms often store a couple feedings of bottled breastmilk in case of milking difficulty or for dad to participate.If you'll be formula feeding, you will need to have a couple weeks of formula before your baby's arrival home. For breastfeeding, you should consider the convenience of a breast pump and nursing pads to comfort sensitive nipples.

For your baby's arrival, you'll also need to have plenty of diapers at home. You may find yourself going through as many as 10-12 diaper changes each day. You will have to decide whether to use disposable or cloth diapers. Disposables are the easiest to use but can cost you quite a bit of money over the years you will spend changing diapers. One-size cloth diapers are also easy to purchase and use, but you'll also need diaper inserts with them. With either option, you'll need to also have plenty of baby wipes on-hand, changing pad, diaper rash cream, and baby powder.

Having initial health care items specific to your baby will also be very important. One such item is a newborn first aid kit which should include a thermometer, aspirator for nasil passages, nail clippers, and other basic infant care items. For baby's first bath, make sure you have an infant tub, hooded bath towels, tearless shampoo, and baby lotion.

Though purchasing baby's first toys is a fun part of every soon-to-be parent's experience, there are only a few that are important during the first weeks, as your baby won't yet be ready for a lot of individual play. Invaluable to your baby's enjoyment are toys which can stimulate his or her senses. It's always good to start stimulating baby's development as early as possible. Baby's stresses of his or her new living environment can be comforted with the calming sounds of a plush toy or mobile that plays soft music.

If you've addressed all of the essential items, you and your baby will both enjoy the first days in his or her new home. Keeping a proper perspective as to what's really important within the first several week's will help you plan well and keep the stresses that come with being a new parent to a minimum. Most importantly, don't forget that this should be a special event for everyone in the family so don't let any little oversights from disrupting this memorable time.