What baby gear do you REALLY need?
I was browsing through the baby section at a local store the other day, and many of the things I saw seemed excessive. For those of you with parenting experience, what do you think you really need, and what do you feel was unnecessary?
baby bathtub
car seat
crib
bassinet if the baby is going to sleep in the same room with you
bottles
paci are up to you
stroller
clothes
blankets
bibs
that is just off of the top of my head. you learn as you go
well, u can go to babies r us website and they have a list for ppl who are going to register..of course it has a lot of things on there that you don’t need, but if you weed through you can get what you need out of it…the things i liked;found most useful, etc……
.i would def recommend:
a diaper genie 2; idk why ppl don’t like them, there is NO smell in my dd ‘s room
changing table..will save your back, good for diap changes, clothes changes, sponge baths, etc and you have shelves to store your new baby must haves….i have canvas bins on the shelves to store things that are good to have in reach or easily available…
monitor–i like the graco imonitor, recently bought a second one for another room in the house bc i liked the other one so much, it has been working well for over 8 mos now, and it has good range, battery life, and i can hear EVERYTHING; never any interference….it works great..
boppy pillow with cotton covers, soft ones don’t fit as well for some reason
lots of baby hangers, and baby hangers with clips to keep outfits together
primo euro bathtub
prince lionheart diaper depot and wipewarmer; ours works well and the wipes are still very warm when we get them to out dd’s bottom; and she doesn’t freak out when we are out and they aren’t warmed, but seems to appreciate it when they are..
health kit: brush, comb, thermometer (not an ear one, not as accurate), nail clippers, etc.
baby meds, generic is just as good and a lot cheaper…desitin(or plain zinc oxide if you can find it)..not creamy, has less zinc ox in it….infant mylicon and tylenol
lots of diapers , make sure wherever you buy them will let you exchange them for a diff size if you need to even after the return period…brus let me do that, and buy a small pack of a couple brands to see which you prefer before you open the big boxes…wipes, lots of them, without alcohol or fragrance! we use swaddlers diapers and pampers sensitive wipes; no rashes, no reactions to their ingredients, diapers hold a lot when they have too and the netting tends to keep the wet off her bottom…
lots of baby washclothes, you may have to use them on baby’s bum if it is really sensitive and gets a rash….and baby towels, but you could use your reg towels if money is an issue
swing, pref swings two ways and plugs in instead of batteries
bouncy seat
infant travel system! easy, easy, easy–we got the graco tour deluxe; it is great, folds with one hand, several seating positions, lays flat for sleep; has a big basket underneath and cup holders for mom and dad, one for baby , place for snacks for baby, and a ‘pocket’ up top for keys, cell phone, whatever you wanna put there…
play yard, get one with bassinet feature if you want to, easier to keep baby in your room for a while before putting them in crib in their room=we have chicco discovery and it is awesome, has more padding than most, easy to wash..machine wash, most are wipe down…very sturdy, has nightlight, vibration, etc and a flip up change table, has wooden slats that slide in under mattress for support…not that much more exp than the others and much better in my opinion
passys–she loves soothies and that is all she will take..
baby wash, again frag free, dye free
frag free , dye free laundry detergent
clothes hamper or basket
lingerie bag for socks, mittens, anything little so they don’t get lost in the wash…
something to put baby toys in
extra toy links
lullaby cd and small cd player; my dd has come to love white noise, she naps with a fan and a womb bear; sleeps at night with a fan….
oh, mosquito cover for your infant carrier..it’s where you can see in , baby can see out, but strangers cant just walk up and touch your baby, and they will!!!!!
all i can come up with now…LOL
diaper bags; big one for everything you may need, leave in car unless you will be somewhere a long time, and a small one to stick what you will need for a short run in so you don’t have to haul the bigger one
if ffing:
avent formula dispenser; has better review than the ones made by sassy, and convert to a snack cup later…i loved it so much i bought a second one!
bottles–really liked playtex ventaire advanced when she was young, more pieces but it’s easy to get them clean when the top and bottom comes off…and they vent through the bottom instead of the nip so no bubbles or foam going back up into baby’s milk; they will leak if you don’t put them together correctly, but we have had no probs with them and have never had to replace any parts on them..if u decide on them and have leaks, email me and i will explain how to keep them from leaking…:O)
bottle and nip brushes–i really like the ones by munchking that don’t have a sponge on the end of the brush, they come in diff colors mixed with white and have a great nip brush in the handles….
drying racks–again, i really like munchkins…
formula mixer: i like dr brown’s formula pitcher bc you don’t shake it it is only abo
My favorites:
Age 0-6 months
Bouncy seat
Play mat
Bumbo chair
Boppy pillow
Carseat/stroller (of course)
Full size high chair (one that reclines is a must, as you start using it before they sit up 90 degress well)
6-12 months
Lots of toys that encourage crawling, pull-to-stand, walking, etc.
Think about it…Did they have all those things a hundred years ago…wait even 50 years is far enough back to go they didnt have even close to the crap out there that is “needed” to take care of your baby…..
Buy what you think you will need if it seems excessive then dont get it cause it probably is excessive if it seems so…
Good Luck.
**We got cribs and a dresser
a playmat
bouncy chairs
car seats
a playpen
and some toys….. And a stroller at a month old when we needed it.
baby clothes, feeding bottles, stroller, crib and some mobile…
for me, this is all i ever needed when my child was still a baby
As far as gear goes (I am assuming you are talking stuff aside from diapers, wipes, bath stuff and the like) you NEED: a place for the baby to sleep (really just a crib, you don’t necessarily need a bassinett or cradle or pack and play), a place for them to eat when they get old enough to sit (small high chair), a carseat, a stroller, a diaper bag (or something to carry their loads of stuff with), and maybe a baby bath (unless you plan to get in the tub to bathe them with you). I find that I wanted a swing, a jumper, a bassinett, and pack and play. It all depends on what budget you are on, what you think you will really use and what you want to spend your money on. I found the swing and pack and play to be solid investments. The jumper was good too. I didn’t buy all expensive stuff…just nice and safe. It has made it through two children and has one more coming in Nov.
Convertible carseat
Diapers and wipes (cloth or disposable)
Clothes
Sling/other carrier
Nice to have but not necessary: a bouncy seat, a few receiving blankets/burp cloths
At our house, baby co-sleeps, breastfeeds, and is carried in a sling instead of a stroller. Babies really don’t require a lot of stuff, and spending thousands of dollars on plastic junk is a huge waste.
Stuff like the car seat and crib those are needs. Of course clothes and diapers. I wouldn’t have made it though the first couple of months without my daughters swing!!! It was a life saver. As far as baby carriers, diaper bags ( I just used my handbag), things that are just extra like pacifier holders they aren’t really needed. I guess I bought everything last time so I know I don’t need EVERYTHING this time plus I like things just simple.
I was just having this conversation with my friend last night.
My son had 2 bouncer chairs, an excersaucer, a glider, a swing we can go on and on lol that he never really even used. and now that im prego again im going to stick to what i only need..One bouncer chair and a swing and excersaucer a play pen a crib a stroller bathtub you know the basics lol. all the extra crap really just takes up space and is not really used very much.
Lots of things are cute and “useful in theory”…but when it comes down to it, newborns actually don’t need that much. My son is 3 1/2 months old, and these are the things we found useful:
Diapers & wipes
Diaper rash cream
Bottles
Bottle brush
Activity Mat
Swing
Car Seat
Stroller
Crib (we don’t do the co-sleeping bit)
Bibs
Washcloths/burp clothes
Diaper Bag
Pacifier (we use this very seldom, but is useful when he is fussy)
Gas Drops
Baby Tylenol (for when he gets his shots)
Baby tub & baby wash
Things we thought were not useful:
Diaper Genie (a trash can with a lid worked just as well)
Bottle warmer
Wipe warmer
Go with second hand stuff!! There are tons of stores that carry gently used baby stuff for like a third of the price of new. The only things you really need to get new are usually your car seat, bottles, and diapers and things like that. As for things I really use? Baby carrier, I’d wait to buy one till you have the baby though so you can decide what one will work best for you, excersaucer (got it second hand for 30 bucks and my son loves it), tons of little toys, the ones wal mart carries for like 2 bucks in the baby section, and my boppy pillow.
there are lot of babies items that are not needed, but you will find various mothers loving some of these extra’s. You definetly do not need every baby item on the market, but some extras of some sorts may be a nice extra for you.
Must haves are
A carseat
Clothing (clothing needs will vary about weather and season of birth)
Diapers
Wipes
a thermometer
if breastfeeding, no feeding items will be needed for several months, but if you are not breastfeeding, bottles.
If breastfeeding and also working, you will need a breast pump.
gentle bath soap and lotion
If co-sleeping, no crib would be necessary, otherwise a crib
a few blankets
Extras that I personally found nice (you may not, I just like these, include)
a baby sling
a swing
a boppy pillow
baby bath tub, although many people don’t use them, they just use the big tub
a pack n play was nice for travel
a few simple toys
a shade for the car window
burp clothes
You will find that different things work for different babies.
I hated the travel system. It was really huge and we didn’t really need to take the carrier everywhere. If I could do it over I would have bought a lightweight stroller that can be used from birth and a convertible car seat.
You will need a crib, but a changing table is not really needed. Especially if you plan to have a playpen too, they come with the changing table attachment.
My son loved the mobile in his crib. It gave me a break every now and then. He also loved the exersaucer when he got older. I was able to actually clean. He could stay in there entertained for a while! He liked the swing but only for like a month.
Many people don’t need a wipe warmer, but it was a necessity for us! My son hated cold wipes and he screamed bloody murder during changes… until we ran out to get the warmer!
Don’t bother with a bottle warmer. They take forever to warm. I found that making the bottle fresh from room temperature water was much faster than waiting over 10 min sometimes to warm cold milk.
Those were just a few tips, my son is 2 now and i’m afraid I don’t remember everything lol. Good luck =)
Well, you will definitely want the following:
Stroller/Car seat Combo
Bottle Warmer- these are the best. They keep them cold until you need them, and warm them in less than 5 minutes. It’s not good to warm a bottle in the mirco because it zaps the nutrients out of it.
Bath Basket- you will gets tons of soaps and lotions for your baby shower, and in order to store them all in an orderly fashion…these are great!
Storage bins- We bought one for our daughter’s nursery. It has 4 or 5 drawers. We use one drawer for socks/shoes, one for bibs, one for extra diapers/wipes…you will find use for them! Trust me!
Bassinet with detachable mobile- we have one that plays music, has nature sounds, the mobile rotates, and has a night light on it. Then when baby is ready for a crib, it detaches from bassinet and attaches onto crib.
Batteries- every single baby toy requires batteries. Stock up. Walmart has them for 97 cents a pack.
Bouncy Seat- My daughter loves her. It makes spoon feeding easy, and entertains them!
Pack n’ play- These are great when your going someplace for awhile. This way the baby can take naps without being held ALL day, making him/her sore.
The things I’ve found unnecessary have been:
Swing- So far my daughter has not taken to her swing. It’s a very nice one too. She is only 3 months old…so maybe when she’s older.
Diaper Genie- Some people swear by these, and I too wanted one! However when I checked prices of the refills, I was shocked. It’s makes much more sense to simply take your “dirty” diapers out at the end of everyday. It’s much more cost effective as well.
Tons of different binkies (pacifiers)- my daughter has only had one binky since she’s been born. She will not take any different one. She make a bigger one when she’s older, but I have a whole container full of them, and I don’t use them at all.
If I can make one suggestion on bottles if you plan to use them…I rec commend Playtex Vent Aire bottles. They make them in 6 and 9 oz. These are great. I used the slow flow nipples from Parent’s Choice with them for my daughter during her first and second month, and have recently started to use medium flow.
Honestly, you will find a use for pretty much everything! If not…keep the receipt. Exchange them or get a refund! Better to have too much then not enough!
unnecessary-Changing table (your just going to end up changing the baby on the couch or your bed anyway, it just collects baby crap lol), baby bath (just get one of those big sponge bears from walmart, there like 2 or 3 bucks, baby baths are a pain in the butt, the baby just keeps sliding down), bassinet
necessary-crib for babies room, pack and play for your room (first couple of months, no point in having the bassinet for your room, you’ll only use it for the first couple of months and the pack and play can be used as the bassinet and you can take it w/ you easily), swing, carseat and stroller