Baby gear is where most of the money goes, and where most of the second-guessing happens. A pram costs more than a month of rent in some suburbs, and the reviews you find are usually American, measured in pounds and inches, and written about products you cannot buy here.
This guide is the Australian version. It points to the detailed reviews for each category, and it flags the local rules that actually govern what you can buy, because those are the parts overseas guides get wrong.
Start with the rules, not the reviews
Two things decide whether a product is safe to use in Australia, and neither appears in a US buying guide.
Mandatory standards. The ACCC sets mandatory safety standards for nursery products. Portable folding cots, for example, must meet an updated standard that suppliers have to comply with from 19 January 2026 (ACCC Product Safety). If you are buying second-hand, or shipping something in from overseas, this is the rule to check first.
Safe sleep guidance. Red Nose Australia is the national authority on safe sleeping. Their guidance on a firm, flat sleep surface free of soft items is the one to follow, not advice written for another country's products.
Anything that contradicts either of those is wrong, however confident it sounds.
The categories, in the order they matter
Getting home: car seats
The one piece of gear you cannot leave hospital without, and the one with the least room for compromise. Australian car seats are governed by AS/NZS 1754 and the rules differ from the US and UK, so imported seats are generally not legal to use here. Our best baby car seat in Australia guide covers the local options and fitting.
Sleep: cots, portacots and monitors
A portacot doubles as travel sleep and a downstairs nap spot. Our portacot guide covers the stage limits and why the thin mattress is deliberate rather than a cost-saving.
For monitors, the choice is mostly audio versus video versus the app-connected ones. Our best baby monitor in Australia guide compares them.
If the nursery runs dry in winter, our best humidifier for infants guide is the most-read gear guide we have, which tells you how common that problem is.
Feeding
Bottles are the category with the most noise and the least difference between brands. Our best bottles for breastfed babies guide covers teat flow and the anti-colic claims worth believing. If you are warming feeds, the best bottle warmer guide compares the ones that heat evenly.
Bathing and changing
A baby bath that fits your actual bathroom beats one with more features. Our best baby bath tub guide is sized for Australian bathrooms, and the changing table with bath combo is worth considering when floor space is tight.
Getting around
Prams are the biggest single spend for most families. Our best double pram guide covers the two-child case, which is where the compromises get real.
What to skip
Most of it. The categories above are the ones worth researching properly. Wipe warmers, nappy bins, shoes for babies who cannot walk, and anything described as a "system" that replaces something cheaper are all safe to leave off.
The honest test: if it only solves a problem for a few weeks, borrow it or buy it second-hand.
Putting it on a registry instead
Gear is the natural thing to put on a registry, because it is expensive, specific, and the sort of thing several people can chip in on together. A pram or a car seat is a realistic group gift in a way that a single guest buying it outright is not.
If you are setting one up, our baby registry guide compares the Australian platforms, and the baby essentials checklist covers the smaller items that fill the gaps. EasyRegistry's own baby registry checklist is the short version, and you can start a registry free.