in my opinion

I decided to start a new “set” of posts here called “In My Opinion” where I tell what I think about certain things. Not that I expect many people to put a whole lot of stock into my opinion, but, hey, this is a blog and it’s mine, so I get to be opinionated here, right? 😉

Today’s topic is baby items. In our famiy, we are almost two and a half years removed from the newborn phase, but we still remember fondly collecting all those precious baby items for our two girls. These days most of those items have either been stored, loaned or consigned. There were some that we used a LOT and some almost never at all. So, here are my thoughts on baby products…

I’ll start with unnecessary items because that way I can end on a happy note.

Baby Items That Aren’t Necessary...

Changing Tables. Now to me, these are just another piece of furniture to clutter a nursery. I wanted one when I was pregnant with Macey. I had the crib, dresser and changing table all picked out and they matched just so, of course. My mom talked me out of it and said that we wouldn’t use it very much and it would just take up space and collect dust. Believe it or not, I listened to my mom and didn’t get one. Guess what? We never missed it. We just put a changing pad on top of the dresser (secured on, of course) and had her changing supplies in the top drawer. Perfect and easy!! We used that with Macey quite a bit when she was a young infant. Once she got wiggly, we prefered to change her on the floor or on the bed. And, Mariana was basically the same way. So, we didn’t waste money on a changing table and therefore didn’t have a useless piece of furniture to get rid of later. I say skip the changing table and just use a nice changing pad (get several covers for it) to put on the dresser securely.

Specialty Diaper Cans. I won’t go so far as to name any brands here because I don’t want to get in trouble. I’m assuming that it’s a given which ones I am referring to here. This was another item that I was SURE we wanted when I was pregnant with Macey. Mickey’s cousin graciously gave us one and she said they never used it. Well, we didn’t either. We tried a few times, but it was such a pain to use. And, really, what was the point? Diapers can just as easily be thrown in the trash can if you are using disposables. So, what we did was get a small trashcan for diapers and kept it changed regularly. Easy peasy. I have honestly never heard of anyone that likes these speciality diaper cans. I know many people that have them and practically every single one of those people says they don’t care for them. I think it’s one of those products that SEEMS like it would be a great idea, but really isn’t at all. A basic trashcan with a lid is a better investment, without a doubt.

Baby Shoes. Okay, sure, baby shoes are adorable and who can resist buying them sometimes, right? But, let’s just be honest – they aren’t at all necessary. And, many times they are just a nuisance to try to keep on those tiny little feet. I will admit to putting my girls in little bitty mary-janes and white canvas sneakers from time to time. Yes, I’m guilty as charged. But mostly we just kept our two in socks or bare feet (weather permitting) until they were up and walking well. That’s the best way to go as pediatricians actually recommend not wearing shoes until kids are walking anyway.

Crib Bedding Sets. Again, this is something we just HAD to have. Both times. There is something just so sweet about seeing that crib all set up with the bumper and coordinating sheet, quilt and mobile. However, none of that is really necessary at all except the sheet. Babies aren’t supposed to sleep with blankets when they are young and they aren’t supposed to have bumpers up in the crib either. Both are suffocation risks. The mobile can be nice, but many can be bought less expensively apart from crib bedding sets. I know, I know – it’s one of those things that is routinely done and a baby’s nursery seems more complete with it. But all that stuff is really just for show and can’t really be quantified as a necessity for baby.

One item that I feel isn’t necessary, but is nice to have is a wipes warmer. Both of our girls thought that diaper changes were pure torture in their first few weeks of life. When we used warm wipes on them instead of those iceburgs that come out of the package (in an air conditioned house), they were much more content. And, when they would have to be changed in the middle of the night after a feeding session, the warm wipe didn’t jolt them awake like a cold one did. When Mariana was an infant, we had a wipes warmer that had a light on it and that light was on a 10 minute (I think) timer. I loved that thing. I could use the light to help me get her started with a feeding in the night and then she’d have those warm wipes for her diaper change after nursing. It was great!! So, I know it’s not really a necessity, but I’m glad we had ours both times.

Baby Items that are Useful and Necessary…

A Nursing Pillow – I didn’t want to use any brand names, but I think most parents would know the most common type of nursing pillow anyway. Honestly, whether you are breast are bottle feeding, these pillows are GREAT! They are made to go around the waist and position the baby properly and also help to support mommy’s back.  I recommend having one of these at the hospital when the baby is born and using it as much as needed. With both girls, I used mine as long as they were nursing because it helped relieve my back. Every mom needs one of these. And, daddies can use them too!!

Swaddling Blankets – Even if it’s just for a short time after birth, most babies like being swaddled. I mean, they come from a nice cozy place of confinement within their mom, so it makes sense that their transition into the world would be make smoother with a nice tight swaddle, right? Some babies don’t need to be swaddled long, but some need that security for sleeping for awhile.  I think we stopped swaddling Macey at less than a month. Mariana, on the other hand, did really well with sleeping in a swaddle and we did that for her for maybe three months or so. You can use regular receiving blankets if you know how to create a nice tight swaddle yourself. I never mastered that very well even though I had the basic concept down pat. I found a specialized swaddling blanket to be the key for Mariana. We would wrap her up like a baby burrito and she’d sleep as content as could be. Some of the nicer swaddling blankets run about $30, but to me they are SO worth that because sleep is priceless!

A Baby Swing – Baby swings can be SO nice to have. Sometimes baby doesn’t want to be held, but doesn’t just want to lay still either. Hello, swing! Swings these days have all sorts of features like being able to swing two different directions and play music while lighting up, etc. We absolutely loved having a swing with both of our girls. And, yes, occasionally they took naps in them too.  Whatever works, right?

Hooded towels and nice baby wash cloths – We still have many of our hooded towels from when our girls were infants and Mariana will still use them even at age two. It’s so nice to be able to take baby from the bath and wrap her/him up while having their little head covered. We have always loved our hooded towels. Also, be sure to get nice thick baby wash cloths that have a good hem around the seam. If their isn’t a hem, the first time you wash the cloth, it’s going to come unraveled. A good wash cloth is great for bath time.

Onesies and Socks – The onesie is the basic staple of any baby’s wardrobe. Besides a diaper, a onesie is probably the most common piece of baby clothing. They are great! When weather is warm, baby can wear a onesie as an outfit. When it’s cooler you can add socks and pants. When it’s cold you can use onesies for layering under clothing or pajamas.  Baby socks are also GREAT to have. I always made sure to buy the kind that folded down because they were easier to keep on the baby. You just cannot go wrong with having a nice supply of onesies and socks.

Now, this is obviously not a comprehensive list. It’s pretty short and rather basic. If anyone should happen to have any questions about other baby products, I am more than happy to answer. In my opinion, of course!