Question for all you moms and dads out there?

Question

OK- I was wondering if there is any special things that you think are a must have when shopping for a baby? I know the crib, car seat, stroller, etc. But what other products did you find really helpful?

Where there things you bought or were given that were a complete waste of money? Like a baby robe?

Answer 1

One gadget that was used all the time was a vaporizer. This gadget sits on a table top, plugs into the wall, gets filled with water and emits a super fine mist of moisture into the air. I found that by adding a cup or so of Listerine to the water, I could kill germs and add moisture to the air at one time. Babies are miserable when they get colds, runny noses etc. This seemed to provide almost instant relief and let the baby sleep better. Any baby that is sleeping better lets the parents sleep better too!

http://www.toysrus.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2256211&cp=2255984.2256207&cid=

Another good thing to get is a baby monitor... these are walkie talkie type gizmos that let's you put a small transmitter in the babies room and a receiver in the parents room or wherever. You get to hear everything that's going on in that room without havng to make constant checks in person. This gave us all kinds of confidence and the baby didn't have to start crying loudly to get somebody in there.

http://www.toysrus.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=monitor&origkw=monitor&f=Taxonomy/TRUS/2255957

Still another item is a baby backpack... Strap this thing on, put the baby in it and you can do just about everything you used to be able to do. Babies seem to love being back there, doing things with you, and seeing things from your perspective with the security of seeing you right there with them.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2301479&cp=&pg=2&f=Taxonomy%2FTRUS%2F2255957&origkw=backpack&kw=backpack&parentPage=search

If you really want to see them having fun... get a Johnny Jumper. This thing is a seat connected to a spring that attaches to the top of a door jamb. It's adjusted so the babies/toddler's feet barely touch the floor. When he/she pushes off with their feet the spring assists them up and their weight bounces them back down to their feet which just touch the floor. Hand/eye coordination (in this case, feet/eye coordination) is developed and they will sit there and bounce seemingly forever!

http://www.toysrus.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=jumper&origkw=jumper&f=Taxonomy/TRUS/2255957

A baby gate is a must if you have areas of the house you just don't want the baby to enter. This thing slides open to squeeze into doorjambs or walkways. It is especially convenient to block off things like stairwells to keep a crawling baby from tumbling down the stairs.

http://www.toysrus.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=gate&origkw=gate&f=Taxonomy/TRUS/2255957

A baby walker is a good things too. This is a baby seat mounted iinto a wheeled carriage that has a shelf of sorts in front of the baby. The babies feet stick out below and allow him/her to propel themselves all over the place. The shelf in front let's them have things to play with or their juice cup.

http://www.toysrus.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=walker&origkw=walker&f=Taxonomy/TRUS/2255957

A subscription to Disney Rhyming Readers seemed to provide near endless reading material that both my kids absolutely loved. I must have reread stories from these hundreds of times. Enough so, that I started to make up my own story lines and substitute other rhyming words in place of the story's words. I don't know how we got a subscription to these... I don't even know if they are out of print but the kids loved them and so did we.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lot-of-11-Disney-Rhyming-Reader-Childrens-Books_W0QQitemZ200019596281QQcmdZViewItem

These things stick out in my mind after raising two very capable kids to adulthood. One owns and runs his own karate studio since he was sixteen and the other is an Olympic gold medalist swimmer that graduated high school a year early and is attending UC Berkeley on a full scholarship. You are reading words from a very proud dad!

Answer 2

Our belief is in attachment parenting. So, a crib just isn't necessary for us. Our babies slept with us or in a bassinet next to the bed. A stroller may be helpful but we prefer the baby sling. The strollers are nice for when they are bigger though. I do not think a changing table is necessary. Why? Just buy a mat and change the baby on that. I know very few moms who actually use the changing table for anything other than storage. A baby bath is, of course, helpful.

With my first two we had so many clothes it was ridiculous. I didn't even have room for all of them. They never had to wear an outfit twice and some they never even wore. I won't make that mistake with this one. I'm going to have no more than 14 outfits. I do laundry twice a week anyway.

Answer 3

One thing that I think was a complete waste of money were hooded baby towels. There may be some out there that are nice and thick and warm and functional, but the ones that we have are too thin to keep the baby warm and not absorbant at all. She uses our nice, thick, warm, huge bath towels... the same ones we use.

Necessities? Diapers, wipes (natural non-perfumed wipes), a mild baby wash (we use Grins & Giggles, it smells wonderful), a baby tub (you can use the sink, but this is so much easier and safer), a dipaer bag that everything you will need will fit in comfortably, receiving blankets (waffle knit and flannel), plastic backed bibs, a swing, a bouncy seat, mobile, nightlight (our daughter seems to hate the dark), baby monitor, changing table, changing pad (we have one that opens up and has pockets to hold diapers, wipes and creams), desitin, onsies, sleepers, hats (get a mix of clothing sizes, 0-3 mo., 3-6 mo., even a few 6-9 mo., that way you're ready for anything).

We keep our medicine cabinet stocked with a few things that we might need in a hurry. I think it's a good idea to be prepared for some things, so here's some of what we keep on hand: infant tylenol, fleet child suppositories (our ped recommended them when our daughter was seriously and painfully constipated), little noses saline spray (this came in very handy when our daughter had RSV), mylanta (another ped recommended purchase, it has come in handy a few times), orajel, little noses cough remedy, thermometer, vaseline, mylicon, pedialyte.

Keep in mind, as ready as you think you are when the baby gets here, there is always going to be something that you're going to need. Don't get frazzled, and don't run out and but everything right away. Wait until you're close to your due date. You may find that you are given much of what you need. Besides, waiting until those last few months will give you something to go out and do when you're going crazy waiting for the baby to arrive!

Answer 4

A themometer, bassinet, swing, monitors, you can never have to many diapers, wipes, burp rags or onsies. If you dont have a bassinet I would recommend you get one- its so much easier putting it on your side of the bed than to get out of bed for a diaper change or late night feeding. When they get older an exercauser saved our lives sometimes. The thing was great. Rocking chair, changing pad. An infant carrier- one that goes on your chest, its wonderful for evening walks or vaccuming the floor. You can get a lot done and still hold you baby at the same time. Also, deffinetly invest in a digital camera and camcorder if you dont have them, they will save your life and get a baby book as well. You must get a boppy, this saved my LIFE!!


Things that were a waste: a wipe warmer, shoes when they are little (my son never kept them on), baby hats- most kids wont keep them on once they get a little older, I cant think of anymore.

Answer 5

baby robe is only for looks, I got some cute pics of my son in them , but that's about it. Wasted money was on the cart protector, when you are out alone, it's usually just too hard to put that thing on - I use lysol wipes before I put him in now. YOU NEED a walker and my favorite buy was his jumper(the ones that go in the doorway), he has gotten so strong hanging out in that thing. ALSO if you take walks or your child doesnt sit too well in carts or strollers for long periods of shopping, you should definately get an infant carrier, not sure what it's called exactly, but the ones that hold him/her on your chest. DONT be stingy with this buy though, I have a cheaper one and it took me a month of daily walking to get used to how to put it on. My friend has one and takes her 5 secs and it's much more comfortable, you get what you pay for with these. Oh, ear thermometer is a must, infant bath to put into kitchen sink makes life so much easier, im sure there are more but hope this helped. ANYWAY GOOD LUCK CONGRATS

Answer 6

I didn't find the baby robe a waste. It was so nice to have to wrap the baby up in when taking him out of his bath. I had it close at hand so that I could snuggle him in it right away so he wouldn't get a chill.

So many other things are great to have. One I really think is important. . . . . a camera. Always have it close at hand to capture those special "happen only once" occasions. That special smile he/she gives you. That funny situation he/she gets into. You know what I mean. If you have a camera then you can preserve that moment.

Good luck.

Answer 7

i would definitely get a boppie pillow (its one of those curved pillows for feeding) you wrap it around you while you are feeding the baby, you rest the baby on it so your arms don't get tired. You can also use it when the baby is learning to sit. Wrap it around them when they are sitting on the floor and that way if they fall over, they won't bump their little head on the floor! This is the greatest invention ever! You can get them at pretty much any baby store. They are usually between 20 and 30 dollars!

Answer 8

the baby slings that carry your baby on your front, i never thought i'd use one, but when i go shopping with my small baby, they're the best. specially in small stores where a pram is hard to wheel around, and big grocery shopping cos obviously u cant push a pram and a trolley. also wondersuits, or jumpsuits,.... there all i put my kids in until their like 5 months. i found tops and pants would slide up and reveal baby's back. and yes, baby monitor, and ear thermomiter are gold. another one, is a baby rocker, or or something like that... my 3 month old spends alot of his time there when he's awake he sits and play with a toy i give him, listens to music, and i'm fee to do housework, or relax a little. mines electronic so you can set it to swing or not to swing... mine is usually off, but its a safe place to put your baby, when your busy.

Answer 9

I would have to agree with the baby robe for sure! I always say diapers, wipesand onesies... You can never have too many. Everything else you need for that baby is in your heart.

Answer 10

If you go to a baby department store and register they give you a list of items. YOu walk around the store and decide if it is something that you want for your baby. If so register it.

That is how I made my list of essentiles. I went with things that I would only need, not what I wanted. For the wants I have another list.

Answer 11

Vibrating bouncy chair... Absolute life saver.... Also the baby swing. Once the baby can hold their head up on their own an exersaucer. I also find that my daughter love to play on her play mat- one that has the two arches that have rattles and crinkly toys on them.