The baby gear you need (you just don't know it yet) part II

Since I last wrote about baby carriers, I thought the next area of focus for baby necessities should be where you can put the baby down. I am a huge fan of babywearing, but you do have to put the baby down eventually, so you can, ya know, pee. or shower. or have some time where no one is touching you.  'No Touch Time' is something I was not familiar with before becoming a Stay-At-Home-Mom--but it is something I crave regularly.

For newborns:

Some kind of playmat, preferably one with motion activated music and lights display.  There are a zillion different ones, choose one you like.  (or better yet, find one on Craig's list for cheap--or borrow from a friend for free!) If the actual mat has colorful and interesting pictures that is also a great place to do tummy time.  

A portable swing or bouncy seat.  Most people I know had/have both a swing and a bouncy, but I don't think you need both to start with.  Find one you can easily transport around the house.  When you have a newborn, it's great to bring a swing or bouncy into the bathroom with you so you can take a shower.  If you get one of the expensive (and BIG) swings with all the bells and whistles, you can't take it with you.  Most babies prefer either a swing or bouncy, so start with one and if your baby doesn't like it, try the other.

Infant:

A doorway jumper--significantly cheaper than a jumparoo, takes up less space, and you can move it around the house to wherever you are.  I can't wait to get this out for Olivia!  She'll be ready for it in about another month.

An exersaucer-like activity center.  This is another one of those things where there are a million to choose from, but they are all basically the same.  It's great for working on reaching for toys and grasping.  It's also a great place to put your newly mobile baby if you need to leave the room for a minute, so you're sure they don't end up slurping drano while you put the laundry in the dryer. (First time moms probably think I'm kidding.  I'm so not.)

As baby grows, more and more baby things accumulate in your house until you have totally lost your 'cool' status and your living room floor looks like a Babies'R'Us showroom.  These are the few things I did find absolutely essential for the newborn and infant stages.  What did you find useful? What did I miss?