Parents begin anticipating their child’s needs as soon as they learn the pregnancy test is positive. With so many convenient infant products available, determining the essentials for your child’s nursery can be a challenging task. Here are some helpful buying guidelines: Safety and practicality, rather than style, should guide your baby furniture choices. Delay buying items you won’t need until later – such as a high chair or a baby bathtub seat. Review baby gifts and then calculate what other essential or additional items you’ll need before shopping. Consider convenience for both you and baby when selecting baby’s clothing. Look for soft, easy-care clothing that will be comfortable next to baby’s skin. Launder new items in a baby detergent such as Ivory or Dreft before your baby wears them. Good clothing choices for newborns are side-snap undershirts, body suits, nightgowns, sleepers and booties. You’ll also need several receiving blankets, crib sheets, hooded towels, infant washcloths, bibs and burp cloths. Buy one or two heavier blankets, such as an infant quilt, for colder weather and outings. Stock up on baby wipes and diapers. If you’re using disposable diapers, purchase several dozen. Add diapers to your weekly grocery list a few weeks prior to baby’s due date to help build your reserve. If you plan to use cloth diapers, you’ll need two to five dozen. Adults and other children should use milder laundry detergents and body soaps. Heavily perfumed soaps and detergents can irritate your baby’s skin.