For a new parent, the first time your baby is sick can be very scary. Here's a list of items to have on hand so that you're prepared to handle any illness or emergency. Remember, though, to call your pediatrician if your baby seems sick, and never give any medication to your baby (especially newborns) without first speaking with your doctor.

cotton balls (to clean ears)

cotton-tipped swabs (to clean umbilical-cord area, not ears)

bandages, in assorted shapes and sizes

sterile gauze pads and bandage rolls (1-inch and 2-inch varieties)

hydrogen peroxide

adhesive tape

sharp scissors with rounded ends

nasal aspirator

saline nose drops

rubbing alcohol (to clean thermometers)

petroleum jelly

bacitracin ointment

thermometer--rectal (with short round bulb)

thermometer--digital rectal (faster and easier to use on squirming bottoms)

thermometer--tympanic (for use in the ear; faster but more expensive)

thermometer--axillary (for use in the underarm; faster but more expensive)

acetaminophen

ibuprofen (for use in infants 6 months and older)

decongestant drops

syrup of ipecac

tweezers and a small packet of needles (for removing splinters)

diarrhea medicine

diaper-rash ointment

glycerin suppositories

ice pack

hot-water bottle

cool-mist vaporizer or humidifier (to help clear stuffy noses)

facial tissues

a list of phone numbers, including your pediatrician and local ambulance, police, and poison-control center