Shopping for Baby

There is SO much baby stuff out there. It's really hard for me to know, as a first time mom, what I really need and what is more just unnecessary but nice. Do I need a bouncer saucer, crib "bumper," pacifier clip, special diaper pail? The list goes on and on! 

I'm really grateful that I'm the oldest of five kids, so I was around babies a lot and saw what is used and what's not quite so necessary. I also babysat extensively in high school and learned to use lots of different strollers, carseats, etc. I may not know a ton, but I know enough that, when I'm reading reviews of products online, I can tell relatively easily when someone's complaint could easily be solved by them reading the instructions for the product. (If your jogger stroller is "shaking" when you run, all you need to do is lock the front wheel so it doesn't swivel when you're trying to go straight.) 

I'm trying to compile a list of things that I really want for when baby arrives, and then other things I can just add to for when he grows into needing them. It's pretty long, but the main things, besides clothes and blankets, are a carseat and a crib mattress. Once we get those things we'll feel a lot more prepared for baby to come. If he were to be early but we had those, we'd be ok. (Not to mention we'd be able to take him home! Hospitals won't let you bring your baby home without a proper carseat.)

Do you have any recommendations about what a newborn/ new mom need? Any sage advice you wish that someone had given you?