crib

When you first have a baby, it's hard not to get swept up in the joy and excitement, and going overboard on purchases is usually a given. Granted, there are many items your baby doesn't really need, but there are a handful of products that are best to buy new. Here's what you should refrain from borrowing, or from buying used or secondhand to keep your baby happy, healthy, and most of all, safe!

1. Car Seats: I know a car seat may be the last thing you want to buy new for your baby, but here's why you should: car-seat designs are constantly changing and evolving. Older car seats may have been recalled (many are), or maybe it was in a crash or has missing parts. Even if a secondhand car seat looks perfectly fine, you don't want to take the chance and put the safety of your baby in jeopardy.

Here's what else you should always buy new.

Sleep is for the green. People want to be eco-friendly, but at what price? The Nook Pebble Mattress ($610) is ergonomically-designed to provide a comfortable, non-toxic sleep environment for baby's first few years. The 100 percent natural latex core eliminates the need for the usual metal springs and plastics, and a wool fabric weave is said to help facilitate the flow of oxygen in and around a sleeping tot – helping them sleep longer and deeper.

The sleep system's unique, washable Pebble Wrap serves as both a mattress pad and crib sheet with a eucalyptus-infused cotton that eliminates odors and repels fluids, dust mites, and other nursery pathogens. Modern nursery items like these are incredible and on lots of mama's wish lists, but how many parents can actually afford them?