[Rathji]

Call the manufacturer of your crib, they will send you out a free kit to change the crib to a non-drop side crib.

Car Seat: As long as you are 100% sure it has never been in an accident, go for it.

Cloth diapers stink, and are not better for the enviroment or cheaper. They also cause diaper rash. I would never consider them. Diapers will be your biggest cost though, so make sure you try the cheapest brands first. Some kids rash up on some types of diapers, and it isnt limited to just the cheap ones. Like my kids couldn't use Huggies, but could use the Baby Dry pampers (their cheap line)

Bottles: Plastic for sure. We use Avent bottles, and find them good, but it really depends on the baby.

The classes for expecting parents are excellent, they dont really do Lamaze anymore though. As a first time dad I would have been clueless had I not gone to those classes. 100% required in my opinion.

Unless the baby room is large, don't get a change table. Just use the top of your dresser/shelves and get a good change pad that anchors to the wall. We only ever really used it after bath time anyway, or for morning changes.

Baby monitors: Go with something that is battery operated with at least 1 receiver per floor. I always hated moving our from main floor to basement if I was working in my office. There are the life signs monitor ones, that send out alarms if heart rate drops or breathing stops for too long. I can see how they would be very useful.

We use a Pack and Play for a bassinet for our current baby, as she sleeps in the room with us, and it is really good for travel as well even as the kids get bigger (like < 2). Ours was a baby shower gift, but I would buy it in a heart beat just the same.