Friday, February 18, 2011

Baby Essentials

I seriously believe that the baby retail industry is out of control.  There are gadgets and stuff for everything baby because marketers are great at making you feel guilty for not buying the best for your baby.  But you know, the truth is that most of the products, you can totally live without.  Well, the other day, while browsing through Amazon.com, I came across a list a mom compiled, of all the baby items she actually used and liked.  Okay, I'm not dumb to know that the list was sponsored by Amazon.com, so of course, it was bias! Well,  here is MY list of items I actually used & find helpful.  (Of course, as they say, every baby is different!)  Also by the way, I'm skipping diapers, formula/breastfeeding needs, and car seat essentials.

1. Diaper Champ.  Skip the refills, you can use the plastic bags you get from Target, grocery store, etc.

2. Only 2-3 receiving blankets. The ones the hospital give you are bigger & better.  The ones you buy are usually small so your baby is going to outgrow it very soon.

3. Snap N Go stroller frame.  This is to be used with the car seat.  It's great.  It's small and compact and folds up nicely.  Skip the travel system.  It's heavy and bulky.  By the time your baby outgrows the infant car seat, you can get a simple lightweight umbrella stroller instead.    

4. Changing pad

5. Onesies - haha, this is funny. For a whole week or so, Sarah didn't wear any clothes. She just got wrapped up in blankets.  Eventually, you'll need them - skip newborn sizes!

6.  Infant bath tub

7. Baby nail clipper - baby's nails grow so fast! It's nail-clipping time every 3 days! 

8. Play gym - not a 100% necessity. Baby can lie on a bed or a carpeted floor.  The Play gym offered some sort of stimulation, but I question its claim.


Things I didn't (or rarely) use -

1.  Baby wipes.  I wash the baby's bottom with water & pat dry with a towel instead.
2.  Diaper Rash cream
3.  Humidifier
4.  Baby bouncer
5.  Baby bottle stertilizer
6. Pacifier (Sarah never liked it or learned how to suck it)
7. Baby hooded towels (you can totally use regular towels)

1 comment:

My Urban Child said...

Baby Hooded Towels is very useful right.. after bathing, drying baby and keeping him warm.. just chooseAlways buy 100% cotton terry. The hood or outer shell can be a jersey or cotton fabric, but the interior of the towel must be terry -- soft enough to be next to baby's tender skin and absorbent enough to dry him or her quickly.