I actually liked the bathtubs that can accommodate different ages (sling, laying, sitting). Wet babies are incredibly slippery and hard to hold on to. It’s much easier and in my opinion safer to be able to lay your baby down reclining and rinse them. If the seat back seems too hard, you can always put a washcloth or small hand towel in to line the tub underneath them.
You’re going to want to look at the safety record of car seats before buying. There are websites that list these records for popular brands for the last few years.
Don’t go by recommendations of others. Safety records can change year to year. When we checked (a few years ago) Graco had a fantastic safety record for years and years and was very economical. Still, you need to check the last few years.
A pump (I liked medella; they use similar ones in the hospital) is extremely useful.
Using a pump helps the milk flow and is one of the ways you’ll be able to get more rest. This will allow others to take over a shift or two to give you a break.
We used a bassinet in our room for the first few months. They have ones with wheels that can be moved anywhere in the house. This is a real lifesaver when you want your baby nearby. They can sleep in swings too, but it requires picking them up and moving them mid-nap.
Choose your furniture carefully.
We opted for white nursery furniture which, unfortunately, really isn’t suitable for older children (and won’t fetch much second hand if we were to sell it).
Try to get things that are “timeless” and can be used for all ages (newborns through early adulthood).