Baby products-for the home and car.
I’ve decided to add some more items to my previous list (Baby products 101) at a suggestion of a good friend, and a mother of two, to help you first-time mothers with your shopping list for your pride and joy.
Having three children under the age of five, being practical and frugal is not a choice but a way of life. So, when I buy any products…they have to serve dual-purpose, if possible.
Some of the baby products in the market place, I think, are very frivalous and impractical. So it’s up to you to decide what works for you and your baby.
If you would like to share your baby product list with us, please send them in. Thank you!
Baby’s Products for the home and car:
- Crib…there are plenty of make and models out there. It’s really personal taste in term of choosing the color you want. For us, we chose a light wood crib that can turn into a daybed (but we never had the chance to transform it since there’s a baby who needs it every other year :-)). My suggestion is not to go crazy and buy the most expensive one, if you have the disposable income for it…sure! But as long as it’s sturdy and has wheels (very useful to move around the room) and make sure the crib has the “rail teething protector” to protect the little teeth from chewing on the wood. I’ve also seen circular cribs, not sure about that. It might take up too much space, I think. Also, stay within neutral and away from gender specific designs if you’re planning to have more children.
- Crib mattress and accessories…our crib mattress has been passed down three times within the last five years and it’s still in good working condition. We bought a firm mattress with the plastic cover instead of cloth, for those many many midnight leaks and stains, for easy clean up. If you opted for a cloth cover mattress, there’s a plastic crib mattress cover that you can put underneath the crib sheet to protect it, this can be purchased at Walmart, Target or Babies ‘r Us. You can also purchase crib sheets at the stores above as well.
- Stroller…this is also personal taste and choice. I’ve seen mothers with the stroller that you can attach the baby car seat to it. That might be very convenient but what happens when the baby’s able to sit up, then you have to get another stroller? He/she can’t stay in the baby car seat forever, so get the one with dual-purpose. From my experience, I should have bought the one where you can turn the handle so that the baby can face forward or facing you. My daughter Sophia wasn’t used to the stroller because she was in the Baby Bjorn until she was seven months. She would cry when she’s in the stroller because she can’t see me. And having multiple cup holders is a must. Also make sure it’s lightweight and easy to move around. We also bought a double stroller. Ours was the tandem one, I didn’t like it too much because it was heavy and hard to maneuver. You really have to test out the products yourself to see what works and what doesn’t for you.
- Baby car seat…if there is one that’s lightweight, that’s the one to get. The baby will only be in there until she/he reaches 20 lbs or one year old (facing backward of course). You will need to carry the baby in the car seat from the car to your destination, and it can get very heavy, so test out the handle to make sure it’s not awkward on your arm or in your hand.
- Toddler car seat…when your baby can face forward, you need another car seat. There’s not much to write about this, except that as long as it’s safe, the seat cover is washable and breathable (kids can get very hot sitting in their seat for long distance trips). As for all those bells and whistles, like a tray or cup holder, etc…waste of money, I think.
- Changing table…we bought a dresser with a space for the changing pad on top. Again, dual purpose instead of just getting the changing table separately. That will take up space and waste of money.
- Changing pad…a plain generic kind will be fine, no need for some fancy designs (it’s just a changing pad), and a washable cover to go with it.
- Sun shades…there are all kinds of different brands out there and we’ve gone through alot of them. I don’t think it’s worth it to get the expensive kind, as long as it does the trick…keeping the sun out of your baby’s face.
- Playpen…very convenient for those sleepovers at grandma’s house or for vacations where there’s no crib avalaible at the hotel. And it’s also good to put your crawling baby in there when you need to take a shower but she needs to see you at the same time. There are ones with lots of accessories attached. Not worth it I think. We never had the need to use it except the playpen itself.
- Baby bassinet…we didn’t need to invest in a bassinet because we used a hand-me-down one. But personally, all of our three children only stayed in there for the first three to five months and then they “moved into” their own rooms. And depends if you are one of those “can’t let go off my baby” moms and the baby is wedge between you and your husband…then why would you need a bassinet in the first place? But I’d recommend just a standard bassinet, nothing too fancy or gender specific if you’re planning to have more children. And as for the rocking mechanism, I wouldn’t get it because the baby will get used to that rocking motion and then you’re stuck with rocking him/her to sleep even in the crib?
I wish you a healthy and happy baby. Happy shopping! 
I’ve decided to add some more items to my previous list (Baby products 101) at a suggestion of a good friend, and a mother of two, to help you first-time mothers with your shopping list for your pride and joy.
Having three children under the age of five, being practical and frugal is not a choice but a way of life. So, when I buy any products…they have to serve dual-purpose, if possible.
Some of the baby products in the market place, I think, are very frivalous and impractical. So it’s up to you to decide what works for you and your baby.
If you would like to share your baby product list with us, please send them in. Thank you!
Baby’s Products for the home and car:
- Crib…there are plenty of make and models out there. It’s really personal taste in term of choosing the color you want. For us, we chose a light wood crib that can turn into a daybed (but we never had the chance to transform it since there’s a baby who needs it every other year :-)). My suggestion is not to go crazy and buy the most expensive one, if you have the disposable income for it…sure! But as long as it’s sturdy and has wheels (very useful to move around the room) and make sure the crib has the “rail teething protector” to protect the little teeth from chewing on the wood. I’ve also seen circular cribs, not sure about that. It might take up too much space, I think. Also, stay within neutral and away from gender specific designs if you’re planning to have more children.
- Crib mattress and accessories…our crib mattress has been passed down three times within the last five years and it’s still in good working condition. We bought a firm mattress with the plastic cover instead of cloth, for those many many midnight leaks and stains, for easy clean up. If you opted for a cloth cover mattress, there’s a plastic crib mattress cover that you can put underneath the crib sheet to protect it, this can be purchased at Walmart, Target or Babies ‘r Us. You can also purchase crib sheets at the stores above as well.
- Stroller…this is also personal taste and choice. I’ve seen mothers with the stroller that you can attach the baby car seat to it. That might be very convenient but what happens when the baby’s able to sit up, then you have to get another stroller? He/she can’t stay in the baby car seat forever, so get the one with dual-purpose. From my experience, I should have bought the one where you can turn the handle so that the baby can face forward or facing you. My daughter Sophia wasn’t used to the stroller because she was in the Baby Bjorn until she was seven months. She would cry when she’s in the stroller because she can’t see me. And having multiple cup holders is a must. Also make sure it’s lightweight and easy to move around. We also bought a double stroller. Ours was the tandem one, I didn’t like it too much because it was heavy and hard to maneuver. You really have to test out the products yourself to see what works and what doesn’t for you.
- Baby car seat…if there is one that’s lightweight, that’s the one to get. The baby will only be in there until she/he reaches 20 lbs or one year old (facing backward of course). You will need to carry the baby in the car seat from the car to your destination, and it can get very heavy, so test out the handle to make sure it’s not awkward on your arm or in your hand.
- Toddler car seat…when your baby can face forward, you need another car seat. There’s not much to write about this, except that as long as it’s safe, the seat cover is washable and breathable (kids can get very hot sitting in their seat for long distance trips). As for all those bells and whistles, like a tray or cup holder, etc…waste of money, I think.
- Changing table…we bought a dresser with a space for the changing pad on top. Again, dual purpose instead of just getting the changing table separately. That will take up space and waste of money.
- Changing pad…a plain generic kind will be fine, no need for some fancy designs (it’s just a changing pad), and a washable cover to go with it.
- Sun shades…there are all kinds of different brands out there and we’ve gone through alot of them. I don’t think it’s worth it to get the expensive kind, as long as it does the trick…keeping the sun out of your baby’s face.
- Playpen…very convenient for those sleepovers at grandma’s house or for vacations where there’s no crib avalaible at the hotel. And it’s also good to put your crawling baby in there when you need to take a shower but she needs to see you at the same time. There are ones with lots of accessories attached. Not worth it I think. We never had the need to use it except the playpen itself.
- Baby bassinet…we didn’t need to invest in a bassinet because we used a hand-me-down one. But personally, all of our three children only stayed in there for the first three to five months and then they “moved into” their own rooms. And depends if you are one of those “can’t let go off my baby” moms and the baby is wedge between you and your husband…then why would you need a bassinet in the first place? But I’d recommend just a standard bassinet, nothing too fancy or gender specific if you’re planning to have more children. And as for the rocking mechanism, I wouldn’t get it because the baby will get used to that rocking motion and then you’re stuck with rocking him/her to sleep even in the crib?
I wish you a healthy and happy baby. Happy shopping!
One more item to add to your shopping list, when your new little sweetie gets old enough to need shoes, buy moccasins!
I am a Board Certified Pedorthist. One thing we do not teach much in our society, is the importance of our feet. The large number of adult foot problems can be traced back to poorly fitting footwear as children.
Also, pregnant moms, it is important you take care of your feet during pregnancy. While you are pregnant, your muscle system loosens up in preparation for your pregnancy. This includes your feet. Your feet usually widen out and often you lose your arch.
You need to remember to take care of yourself, it is easy to focus on the baby, and forget yourself!
If you want to read any more about taking care of your baby’s feet, you can visit: http://www.love-moccasins-more.com/baby-moccasins.html
If you want to read about your feet while you are pregnant, click on the below link:
http://www.love-moccasins-more.com/minnitonka-moccasins.html
I hope you find the information helpful.