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Layette

As your due date nears, you'll need to acquire a layette, the basic collection of baby clothes and accessories that will get your newborn through his first few weeks. A suggested starting list includes:

• 3 or 4 pajama sets (with feet)
• 6 to 8 T-shirts
• 3 newborn sacques
• 2 sweaters
• 1 sleeping bag or bunting
• 2 bonnets
• 4 pairs of socks or booties
• 4 to 6 receiving blankets
• 1 set of baby washcloths and towels (look for towels with hoods)
• 3 to 4 dozen newborn-size diapers (plus diaper pins and 4 plastic pants if you use cloth diapers)

If you have other children, most of this layette probably will consist of hand-me-downs. If this is your first child, you may receive many of the items from friends and relatives.

Guidelines for Choosing Baby Clothes

Here are some guidelines to help you make your clothing selections.

• Buy big. Unless your baby is born prematurely or is very small, he will probably outgrow "newborn" sizes in a matter of days, if he ever fits into them at all. Even 3-month sizes may be outgrown within the first month. You'll want a couple of garments that your child can wear in the very beginning, but concentrate on larger sizes for the rest of the wardrobe. Your baby won't mind if his clothes are slightly large for a while.

• To avoid injury from burning garments, all children should wear flame-retardant sleepwear and clothing. Make sure the label indicates this. These garments should be washed in laundry detergents, not soap, because soap will wash out the flame retardant. Check the garment labels and product information to determine which detergents to use.

• Make sure the crotch opens easily for diaper changes.

• Avoid any clothing that pulls tightly around the neck, arms or legs. These clothes are not only safety hazards but are uncomfortable.

• Check washing instructions. Clothing for children of all ages should be washable and require little or no ironing.

• Do not put shoes on a newborn's feet. Shoes are not necessary until after he starts to walk. Worn earlier, they can interfere with the growth of his feet. The same is true of socks and footed pajamas if they're too small and worn for a prolonged period of time.

Crib and Accessories

Walk into any baby store and you probably will be overwhelmed by the selection of equipment available. A few items are essential, but most things, while enticing, are not necessary. In fact, some are not even useful. To help you sort through the options, here is a list of the basic necessities you should have on hand when your baby arrives.

• A crib that meets all safety specifications. New cribs must meet these standards, but if you're looking at used cribs, check them carefully to make sure they meet the same standards. Unless you have money to spare, don't bother with a bassinet. Your baby will outgrow it in just a few weeks.

• A firm crib mattress covered with material that can be cleaned easily. If this covering is made of plastic or other nonabsorbent material, place a thick fabric pad on top of it so your baby won't lie in moisture caused by perspiration, drooling or spit-up.

• Crib bumpers to keep your baby from hitting her head on the crib bars. Make sure these bumpers are tied to the crib railings, using all the strings. The bumpers should be removed when your child starts to stand; otherwise she may climb up on them and out of her crib. It is unnecessary and potentially dangerous to use pillows in a newborn's crib.

• Bedding for the crib, including a flannel-backed, waterproof mattress cover (which is cooler and more comfortable for your baby than plain plastic or rubber covers), two fitted sheets, and a quilt or soft full-size blanket. Never use infant cushions that have soft fabric coverings and are loosely filled with plastic foam beads or pellets. These cushions have been banned by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission because they have been involved in 36 infant suffocations.

Changing Table

A changing table that meets all safety specifications should be placed on a carpet or padded mat and against a wall, not a window, so there is no danger of your child falling. Put shelves or tables to hold diapers, pins, and other changing equipment within immediate reach (but away from the baby's reach), so you will not have to step away from the table, even for a second, to get anything.

Diaper Pail

Purchase a 3-gallon diaper pail with deodorizer. If you plan to wash your own diapers, you'll need a second pail so you can separate wet diapers from "soiled" ones. If you use a diaper service, they usually will provide the pail.

Washtub

Buy a large plastic washtub for bathing the baby. As an alternative, you can use the kitchen sink to bathe your newborn, provided the faucet swings out of the way. After the first month, however, it's safer to switch to a separate tub, because the baby will be able to reach and turn on the faucet from the sink. Always make sure the bathing area is very clean prior to bathing your baby.