1. Best Baby wash?
all we've used are fine, store own brand, whatever is on offer etc.

2. Best baby wipes? (no desire to make my own, need brand recs)
again whatever is on offer, we've not found any we don't like, nor any
that stand out as being better, we like the ones that have a plastic lid,
so when they are half empty they can be used in the changing bag, which
saves buying travel size packets.

3. best disposable diapers?
we mainly use reusables, but we've had equal problems with all brands (ds
doesn't seem to like the chemicals and gets a rash)

4. Good formula brand and type?
no comment, when we did need to use some we just grabbed one of the shelf,
now we have a stock of cartons which we send as spares to daycare to avoid
ebm wastage, but we haven't actually used one, I'll have to give them away
before they go out of date

5. Best diaper rash cream?
sudocream, don't know if it's available in the states, but all the us
mothers I know who live here use it.

6. Best bottles, brand and type?
Avent, particularly the 4oz ones, we did use the 9oz ones when ds was
taking 6-8oz at a feed, but now he's having some solids and has a direct
from source preference the 4oz ones are great, he can just about hold them
himself now, plus you can buy soft and slightly harder spouts for them so
he uses them for water, you can also use the handles from the magic cup,
but currently ds isn't a big fan of those.

7. Best baby lotion?
Johnsons

8. Is there anything you MUST have, or NEVER use (baby powder, baby oil,
etc?
very rarely used cotton wool, but it is useful to have on occasoion, baby
powder we didn't use routinely, but now have discovered certain areas
which are prone to sore skin its helpful (for us it's behind the ears!)
Never used baby oil, if oil is necessary I use olive oil, but the powder
is currently preventing that.

9. Other good babycare products to have?
hmm, I wouldn't want to be without my sling, also in the early stages a
few muslins are very useful for clearing up dribbles etc, you might be
able to put them away after a couple of months, but then again you might
not!

10. WHat should I have on hand for when I bring the baby home, and what do I
need to have in a diaper bag before leaving the house?
the things we dashed out to buy were extra sheets for the moses basket
(pram size) as he would mess them up so frequently, a muslin covering the
head end slowed down the rate they went in the washing machine.

I go for the capsule approach to a diaper bag, very minmalist. I have 2
nappies (increase to 4 for a newborn or a long day), wipes (set aside the
1/3 full ones from the main changing station), nappy sacks (essential if
there is nowhere you can chuck the dirty nappy), small packet of tissues
(I've gone through 2 packs of 10 in 6 months, but the times I have used
them I've been very glad to have them), changing mat of some sort, sleep
suit and cardigan (currently this gets used about once a month, but you
need it there for those occasions). Add a muslin if you baby is a
posseter.