Clothing

If you decide to breastfeed, you won't necessarily need bottles, a bottle sterilizer, or formula. But you will need a nursing bra. It will be your key piece of equipment to get the job done quickly and easily.

When stocking up on basics before your baby arrives, purchase only a few items in newborn size. It's more practical to buy in the 3-to 6-month or 6-to-9-month sizes. Do most of your shopping post-baby shower to fill in any gaps in your baby's wardrobe.

As with so many other consumer products, with jeans you have your choice of mainstream brands (Gap, Levi's) and superexpensive versions. Our review of jeans was designed to see whether there was any significant difference between low-priced and high-priced jeans. In the end, buy what fits you best and pleases you overall.

Some sports require lots of expensive equipment, but all you need for running or walking is a good pair of shoes. Thanks to modern materials and sophisticated design, most of the running and walking shoes we tested performed well overall. But no matter the model, when selecting a shoe, the bottom line is fit.