Question for all parents

We got our daughter a Bumbo before we got her a high chair. It's kinda like a low chair


But technically you don't NEED a high chair or Bumbo. You can feed your baby while they move & roll around but it'd get messy & probably take longer each time. You don't need tummy time pads, you don't need a baby bath if you have a large enough kitchen sink, don't need a bouncer but they are super convenient. Putting my daughter to sleep & simply taking care of her in the early stages would've been harder without it. You don't need a walker (although that's toddler stage, not baby stage), don't need a bassinet but you will need a crib once they start rolling, don't need sleep sacks (I got my daughter this cute teddy bear swaddler but even that's not necessary lol)

There's a loooong list of things you don't need. So many products these days are just for convenience & they aren't gonna be needed for very long anyway before the baby grows past it. We got plenty of things we don't "need" but it's really just for convenience. Some are worth it, some aren't. It'd be a lot simpler to list the things you DO need

A parent needs every advantage they can get when it comes to babies. It can be very tiring and I'd say a parent needs items to make the journey comfortable, effecient, and as calming for both baby and paremt as possible. Do you Need an all in one stroller that has a car seat that attaches and you just lift the whole seat out and snap it into the base in the car....technically no, but logically yes. If the baby is sleeping or theres bad weather....you need speed and efficiency while keeping the baby warm, comfortable....and sleeping. A vibratong jumper/ sleeper can do wonders for the sanity of the parent when trying to get baby to sleep.

High chairs: very necessary
Tummy time mats: can just use your own blankets
Sleep sacks: I didn't use
Baby bath: I didn't use
Grooming kit: I only used baby nail clippers from it
Playpen: nice to have

Alot of the items are just a sell but it really depends on what's comfortable/easy for every individual parent and how you implement using regular non baby stuff for baby. Back in the older days they didn't have half the stuff they make today and they got by just fine. Still in other non* (auto had changed it to nonsense wtf 🤣) Western cultures, they don't use the stuff they sell here and co sleeping is completely accepted by all

You need:
A crib
Diapers
Diaper cream
Sleepers and onsies (honestly all they wear the first year)
At least 20 burp clothes
Things for them to chew on, preferably things you can freeze.
A couple baby blankets
A stoller
Car seat (bucket and a bigger one or just the bigger one rated from 6 lbs)
I highly recommend a Baby Björn carrier (I used mine a lot)
A few hand eye coordination toys once they’re 4 months +
A baby monitor.
A high chair

Most things you can compromise with things you already have, like the tummy time blanket, a regular one works just the same.

Things like these come from necessity. You don't need to buy them all, but they are there in case you need them.
High chairs are safe places to feed your kid, let them learn to eat on their own. A place they can mess up, but not escape from.
Baby bouncers and play pens are places you can put you kid that is reasonably safe (I never trusted a baby bouncer), so you can go off and do things you need to do. Vacuum, pump milk, do laundry, whatever.

A swing or a sassy seat will be your best friend. We didn’t get a high chair until my babies were eating on their own. A bassinet on wheels is a lifesaver

need:
a baby front carrier
a baby backpack carrier
a swing
a vibrating bouncy chair
a rolling walker
a stroller
a playpen
a crib
receiving blankets
burp cloths
drool bibs
feeding bib
bottles if not breastfeeding
carseat (the kind that detaches from the base)
baby washcloths
nose sucker thing
a high chair
lots of onesies
diapers
diaper cream
powder
wet wipes

of course you dont truly neeed all of these things but they sure make taking care of a baby more tolerable
my oldest loved her swing and my youngest loved her vibrating bouncy chair. if i didnt have that thing i wouldnt have gotten any sleep at all. if i didnt have the swing i wouldnt have had any chance to clean with the oldest one.

Safe baby containment isn’t necessary but really helps with our sanity. Do you have kids? Have you raised a newborn?

Umm not a parent just a witness.
Duct tape and glue.
It's for fixing all the things about to be broken.

Swaddle blankets are amazing especially once you learn everything they can be used for. It's like the duct tape of parenting

Just ask yourself how many people were born and grew up before those things were even invented. That should answer the question as to their necessity .

Sex, generally.