Tuesday, 31 January 2012
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Top 5 Must-Have Baby Items
As a first time parent, I was surprised by the amount of time and money spent on babies, and the amount of products out there for new parents (that they may or may not need). I knew having a baby could be expensive and would change our lives, but the extent of both was surprising. Did we really need all those must-have baby items we read about? Did we really need to spend so much time when using products that were supposed to make parenting easier and more convenient?
My husband and I were on a mission to keep things as simple as possible, to only get what we really needed and spend money on what we really needed to have. It doesn't matter what your stance is on breastfeeding, daycare, or the best time to potty train. It doesn't matter if your baby is fussy or if you have the mildest tot in the world. There are some products that all parents of newborns (especially first time parents) should have to make life easier, and for us, these are it:
1. A transportable infant car seat - it should attach to a base in your car, be removable so you can carry it around, and also be able to attach it to an infant car seat carrier or travel system. Otherwise, every single time you move your newborn baby in and out of a car seat or stroller you risk waking him up or frustrating him, and wearing yourself out in the process. Newborns usually need lots of sleep, but you have things to do and places to go, so an infant car seat that can be transported is on our Must Have list.
2. Sleeping blankets - These are essentially blankets that your baby wears to go to sleep. We love them because they are safe (no getting tangled up in dangerous, loose bed sheets), keep baby warm, and easy to use (put baby in and zip up). They make them for newborn to 2 years old, so you don't have to struggle with getting your baby into pj's, waking them up if you need to change them while they are sleeping, or even spend money on night clothes. There are light cotton blankets for warm weather, and heavier knitted sleeping blankets for cold weather, and we bought a few of each. They grow with your baby and are usually sized 0-6 months, 6-12 months, etc so you get a lot of use out of them. As first time parents, we wanted convenience and easy routines. Sleeping blankets made getting dressed for bed a snap.
3. Zip sheets - These were a surprise find for us, and they are genius (I can't believe they aren't more well-known). Essentially, the top of the bed sheet zips off from the base, so that if your baby has an accident, something spills, or you simply want to launder the bed sheet, you can zip off the top only (where your baby sleeps), toss it in the laundry, and zip on a new one. The only company I'm aware of that currently makes these is Clouds and Stars (QuickZip Sheets), and if you don't want to face nights of waking up baby to pull the mattress out of the crib to change the sheet, struggling with a heavy mattress (near impossible if you are pregnant again or simply tired), or layering on (potentially dangerous) sheets over the spill until you are able to change the sheets, you will love these zip sheets. It's another item I asked for as a baby gift, and it's such a time saver.
4. A temporal thermometer - We use one by Exergen and we love it, because the only other method of taking your baby's temperature that is as accurate is rectal, which not all parents are fans of this. It's also invasive, so lots of children don't like it either. It can be difficult (read: impossible) to get a baby to keep an oral thermometer in its mouth, and pulling on your child's earlobe to use an aural scanner to take her temperature if she has an ear ache can cause her pain, plus it's not accurate unless done perfectly right. A temporal thermometer is accurate, and can even be used while your baby is sleeping (and can be used on older children and adults as well). If you have a baby registry, this is a great item to request for when your baby is sick.
5. No-drip and no-leak bottles, cups and containers - Otherwise, you are going to be spending a lot of your precious time and money cleaning the carpets and upholstery in your home and car, and this is no way for a new mom to spend her time. If their bottles and cups drip and your baby realizes it, it may become a game for them to keep spilling, and unless you plan to only offer them clear liquids (and follow them around with a sponge), it's worth stocking up on cups and containers that don't spill, even when turned upside down or shaken.
I hope you find our must-have baby items useful, and that they save you a lot of time and make your life easier as well. I'd also love to hear what others think- what are your must have new-baby, new-parent items?
Penelope is a New York City mom blogger with one little boy, and another on the way. She writes about family, marriage, homemaking and beauty tutorials at Penelope's Oasis.
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Comments (21)
Definitely agree about the thermometer :) I didn't use any of the other products though so my top 5 would be...
1) Burt's Bees Baby products - Natural and really nice smelling!2) Extra Sheets - We bed-share with my 6 month old son and extra sheets are a must have for spit ups!3) Wrap/Soft Carrier - I have a wrap that's similar to a Moby Wrap that my son lived in for the first 2 months of his life. He still loves to be in it when we're out and about and it evenly distributes the weight so it doesn't hurt my back :)4) Nursing Necklace - Instead of pulling on my hair (or pulling down my shirt) while he's nursing, my son pulls on and plays with this.5) Cloth Diapers - MUCH better than disposable...I love the cute patterns you can get! :)
I agree with the infant seat. BUT you don't need a base all the time. Most seats have a spot on either side that you tuck the seatbelt under and do it up (Graco does for sure, and thats the only brand we use here). It makes it really easy to transport baby.
I also highly suggest Breathable Baby mesh bumper pads (Ive bought them for every new mom i know in the last six months). They are so much safer then the thick padded ones, and do the job just as well. Plus you baby won't suffocate if they land against them.
All of my little ones (2 we are adopting and 9 others ive fostered) have hated the sleep sacks. My little one now gets hot feet and then she won't sleep (and she is 15 months).
I also suggest lots and lots of bibs, receiving blankets, and nice thick baby/toddler (I have 6 toddler ones because my little guys like being wrapped up) towels for after baths.
We didn't have an infant carrier for both kids and we fared just fine. I think they are a waste of money because they are only in them for a few months. Yeah i had to wake up my child sometimes, but it wasn't that big of a deal. You mention no-drop/no-spill containers, but you don't give an actual brand that works. Is there even such a thing? It seems like all my sippy cups/bottles leak at least a little bit.
As a nursing mother, i would have to say that the Boppy was a must-have. I couldn't live without it and even if i wasn't nursing, it's nice for sitting, tummy time and the baby just laying on it. I love the Boppy!!!
It's funny, I didn't have any of these things. To each parent his or her own I guess :)
The only "must haves" from my son's infancy is the boppy- I used that thing all the time, and I swore by my Ergo.
I spent so much money on temporal thermometers. They never worked for me and my children would not even stay still for those.
The only must-have baby items I can think of are the items that are actually essential: car seat, clothing, a mattress to sleep on, bottles and formula (even though I exclusively nurse we keep some on hand in case I am involved in an emergency), and diapers.
Some of the other things do make life a bit more convenient though.
I actually heard rectal thermometers are the most accurate and can mean anything from "oh you just have a fever" to "gotta get you to the hospital now!"
As far as my top 5 (after helping raise kids) Diapers would be my numero uno lol. Next are things you mentioned like car seats, thermometers, sleep accessories, and so on.
infant only seats are not a waste of money. A newborn is too small to be in a rear facing seat. Safety guidelines say that a baby should not be in a regular rear facing seat until at least 6 months of age, or they have reached the maximum weight or height of the infant only seat. A new born cannot take the impact of a crash in a regular rear facing seat, thats why the infant only seats are there. They are specially designed to protect an infant in a crash. Also in a rear facing seat the harness straps need to be either at or below the shoulders, to stop the little one from flying up in the event of a crash.
Im sorry Im going on about this, but Im a car seat safety instructor and Im very passionate about this.
I also highly suggest Breathable Baby mesh bumper pads (Ive bought them for every new mom i know in the last six months).A new born cannot take the impact of a crash in a regular rear facing seat, thats why the infant only seats are there.They are specially designed to protect an infant in a crash.
Jewelry cardsMetal labelsFabric labelsZip PullersBarcode labelsShoes hangersMetal buttonsJewelry tagsSize hangersshoes hooksWith having just welcomed baby 4 my list has changed from wants to absolute needs.
-Gripe Water (far better and can be used earlier then Mylicon)-Miracle Blanket (it is a swaddling blanket the keeps the babies hands down so the startle reflex doesn't wake them up).-Reusable and Disposable Nursing Pads (a major must for a plentiful nurser).-Little plastic bags for diaper disposal...(i keep these on hand for when the baby soils their outfit while we are away).They are my neccesaties besides clothing and diapers.a baby wrap or sling!!!!
Rectal thermometers are the most accurate on the market. My grandson had colic and reflux, and we used Colic Calm gripe water from online. It has wonderful soothing effects. The other thing was, after we were able to calm him, the best thing we found for him to sleep in the early months was a swing. It was soothing to him, and laying flat on his back didn't help the reflux. If an infant is too small for an infant car seat, what do you suggest? Because everything we looked at was much larger and did not support the head the same way. If you are an advocate about this, then you've surely looked at state laws concerning these things, and in my state, I could get written up if I was in an accident with an infant not in a rear facing seat.
A swing kept my chlid off of a Fire Station's doorstep. >.< Sometimes she would only calmn down with that movement.
@LadyGwenivere@xanga - I'm sorry if my response sounds rude, but you are incorrect about the car seat info you shared. Rear facing seats that are not only for infants (also known as convertible seats) are indeed safe for newborns, as long as they are the correct weight for the seat. Many of them start at 5 or 6 lbs. Some newborns fit better than others depending on their length, etc, so occasionally using a rolled towel along side the infants body or head is necessary for a good fit. However, as with any product, parents should READ THE ENTIRE MANUAL carefully before using with their child, and for car seats this is even more important because of the many nuances. Could you tell me where you heard the safety guideline that infants under 6months should not be in convertible car seats? I'm a certified child passenger safety technician and have never heard this.
@draco1531@xanga - They might be the correct weight, but a convertible (or multistage) seat sits up too much. A new born needs to be reclined much more then an older infant otherwise their head falls forward and they cannot breath properly, due to undeveloped neck muscles. Also I have yet to see a newborn fit "properly" in one of those big seats, not to say they don't but I am only speaking of my own experience. The harness straps must be at or below the shoulders.
And the officer from Transport Canada is the one who told me that standard practice is to have a new born in the infant only seat (the one with the carry handle) because its the safest place for a new born. It is also what we teach in all our Car Seat Safety classes. Maybe its just a Canada thing.
So no, its not a necessity, but its definitely a better, safer option to have the baby in an infant only seat.
@LadyGwenivere@xanga - Ah, you're in Canada, that might explain the differences in what we are taught when becoming techs. The instructors here don't share that info about babies under 6m in infant seats only. Fascinating just how many nuances there are! I actually haven't put a newborn into a convertible seat either. But at least all the convertible seats I've used for older babies still recline 30-45 degrees as required for a newborn too. I understand your passion for car seats as I feel the same way!
@Pollypinks@xanga - If a newborn is too small for an infant car seat, you probably need to rent a car bed. But those require a prescription, so a baby too small for an infant car seat would need to get this before being discharged from the hospital after birth.
@Pollypinks@xanga - Forgot to address your other question about being written up if you didn't have the infant rear facing. In a car bed, they are properly restrained, and that is generally what the law states, not rear facing in particular.
I've never seen car beds in stores. Where do people buy these?
@draco1531@xanga - I know a lot of people don't want to spend the extra money on an infant only seat.. but I guess for me its important because Ive seen what can happen if a child is not in the correct seat.
@Pollypinks@xanga - generally a car bed is a special order thing that you get through your doctor or NICU (because its for premature and special needs babies). You can get infant only seats (the ones with a base and carry handle) that are safe for low weight babies, I believe Graco makes one in their Snug Ride series.
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And here its a $240 fine (for each child not in the correct seat) and loss of 2 demerit points when you get caught by the police.
I think the point of the fine was in the back of my mind during this discussion. It's against the law in my state to put an infant in anything BUT a rear facing infant seat, one that is tailored for his weight and proportions. So the idea of thinking up something else on my own just because there are differing theories out there is not a good idea for most of us.
I'd say that a really good diaper bag with lots of storage spots and an easy-to-open wipes container is a big must-have. I've had a fair share of diapers blow out in public to learn that nothing is worse than having to dig around a chaotic diaper bag then trying to open a pain in the ass wipes container when I've got poop or pee on my hands and a screaming baby waiting for me to get that dang diaper off. A small trash bag & ready change of clothes in that diaper bag is pretty important too.
Also, some babies hate them but some babies really love swaddling blankets. My oldest daughter would not go to sleep without hers on for the first couple of months. It also helps baby from rolling over in the middle of the night, if you are concerned about that.