Becoming a new parent is an exciting (and expensive) time; you know there are things you’ll need to get to help yourself and help your child, but at the same time you don’t want to succumb to buying (potentially pricey) things that you or your baby won’t actually use. We can help with some of our favorite baby gear.
I told the team that I wanted to put together a list of the things that we’ve found indispensable during our first few years as parents — even some things that we are still using if we don’t have a baby anymore or things that held up so well they could easily be used for a second child or given to another new parent. I told them I didn’t care what the items were — they just needed to have performed better than expected to the point that they couldn’t imagine not having had them. So that’s what you are getting here — a list of things we bought, we used, and we couldn’t imagine not having had.
Perry’s Picks
Levana Willow Dual Camera Video Baby Monitor
Great video quality, great signal strength. Large HD screen with a mode that only turns on when there is noise in the baby’s room. With the dual camera setup, you can keep track of both kids at the same time. My only complaint is the antenna is fragile and we’ve broken it twice by dropping them.
Dohm Sound Machine
Excellent sound masking allows baby to sleep soundly even with a barking dog downstairs. Small enough to keep on baby’s night table. Adjustable sound volume and frequency.
Versatile enough for multiple people to use without tons of reconfiguration. Lightweight and holds baby securely hands-free in multiple positions that are safe for baby.
Wayne’s Picks
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
For when they learn to walk to when they leave the house. They never stop wiping their hands on the walls, and this keeps the walls clean.
Apple’s Find My Friends App
Once they start to walk and leave the house, it’s Apple iOS Find My Friends all the time.
Carly’s Picks
Wyatt napped in it, hung out in it, and it was so portable it went everywhere. I seriously don’t know how we would have survived the first year without it!
Regalo My Tot Portable Toddler Bed
For when your kiddo is old enough for a travel bed. This folds down to a super tiny package, so it is extremely portable. It’s perfect for hotel rooms or when visiting friends, and the whole thing is washable.
Wyatt really liked that part of potty training. Ah, boys…
Tip: A diaper bag is a waste of money! Get whatever backpack or bag you like best; there is no need to get one with a changing pad built in when you can buy a stand-alone one!
Judie’s Picks
This thing has been so handy — both on sick grandkids or on Kev and me. I like that I can sneak a temperature reading without waking up one of the grands, and I love that it doesn’t have to go from one sick person’s mouth to another’s. The battery lasts forever, and it works like a champ.
Huggies Cucumber & Green Tea ‘One and Done’ Baby Wipes
I thought that after my daughter, Sarah, was potty trained, I’d never need to buy wipes again. Wrong. I use this particular wipe in this particular flavor for everything. It gets stains off of clothing, it wipes grubby prints off of white walls and doors, and it leaves a clean fragrance when I wipe my desk down with it. I keep a pack of them in my car, and I use them when I’ve touched gas after filling up or for other cleanups. These things are also great in the bathroom, just saying, but remember to never flush them! And yes, I buy them in bulk.
Sarah inherited one of these from her mother-in-law, and I watched it in action — it kept her two babies occupied for hours on end; it was easy to clean, and the grands liked lying on the mat, entertaining themselves with the hanging toys.
Pack ‘n Plays are perfect if you travel with your baby or even to keep an eye on them while they are napping in your living room. Sarah had one when she was little (there were frequent trips back to Texas when we lived out-of-state), and when she had her first baby it was an early purchase. We kept one at our house for when she visited, and after the babies were older they were still in good enough shape to pass on to friends.
Diaper rash is no fun, and this is the product that kept it from happening for Sarah’s kids. I don’t know how many tubs of this stuff she went through, but it works!
Fussy baby? This will quiet them down. Both of Sarah’s girls loved using the simple sway. I can’t count how many times they fell asleep in this thing, and it should hold up well enough to pass down, too! 🙂
Tip: don’t get suckered into buying a fancy diaper trash can that needs a certain type of bags to work. A rubber 13-gallon trash can (that’s easy to wash out) with a tight-fitting lid will work just fine, and using one will ultimately save you money
Do you have any items to add to this list? Leave a comment!