Random Observation/Comment #601: Yes, we’ll probably buy that thing we’ll only use for 3 months.
It’s very easy to spend money on babies and baby goods. I no longer buy things or own things for myself — it’s all just baby stuff. While we’ve been fooled by some products with cool ideas and no practicality (e.g. squeezy spoons), we’ve also found a few gadgets that we couldn’t live without. I can’t come up with 30, but here are some of the main baby gadgets we’re happy with as a purchase.
Note: We have not been asked to sponsor any of these products.
Travel
Uppababy Cruz – Overview link
Why? – Excellent size basket for storage and great control/suspension for traveling in the city. It’s smaller than the Uppababy Vista and folds up nicely.
Manito Stroller Cover – Amazon link
Why? – Perfect for winter to weather high winds and block with the UV cover. This is definitely needed for NYC random gusts of wind.
Stroller Mittens – Amazon link
Why? – You can go as fancy or as simple as you want for this, but we found stroller mittens to be convenient. It’s annoying taking off gloves, stuffing it somewhere, and making adjustments inside the stroller. It’s easier to have the mittens velcro-ed onto the handle.
Zutano booties – Amazon link
Why? – These booties are great and I would want a version of this for adults. The full fleece is perfect when shoes are just for warmth and fashion. They’re also super simple to put on and stay on.
Food
Boon Lawn Drying Rack – Amazon link
Why? – I can’t believe how much time I spend washing bottles and baby stuff. This is by far the best thing for drying them. I upgraded to the biggest size because we basically have more baby bottles than adult cups.
Beaba Baby food maker – Amazon link
Why? – This was a bit extravagant, but it works really well and saves us some time by doing the steaming and blending together in one machine. I really love their community (e.g. moms with a lot of time to make a complex baby palette) of gourmet baby food mixes.
Baby Food Freezer Trays – Amazon link
Why? – After you make the food, you’ll likely pour out a few into tupperware, but freeze the rest. We found that 3 cubes of these (2.5 ozs) works best for a single meal.
Mixie Formula bottle – Amazon link
Why? – Even though this has a lot of parts, this has been very useful for the late night feedings. We can keep room temperature water and dry formula inside until it’s time to mix it on the spot. This is also important for daycare as some places don’t have permission to mix the formula and this is a bit of a loophole to pre-portioned food.
Sleep
Baby Sound Machine (Sharper Image) – Amazon link
Why? – Any sound machine will do, but we like the Ocean sounds this one makes. I think it’s better to have a dedicated sound machine than to just use an Echo and play it (there’s some looping and sound errors).
Echo Dot – Amazon link
Why? – I use this to control the lights, but it’s also pretty convenient to have for lullabies and music throughout the day. Music and dancing is great exercise for both parents and baby.
Baby Sense Baby Monitor – Amazon Link
Why? – This particular monitor has full functionality and a decent battery life, but the viewing angle could be better. We previously had one that worked with a mobile app on wifi, but it was freaky to be able to login and watch from anywhere and anytime.
Toys
Baby Moose Toy Lamaze – Amazon Link
Why? – Not all stuffed animals are safe or easy to wash. My brother got this moose for Evie and she loves it. She chews on the antlers and the legs have squeaks. In general, it’s good to have a few different sensory and colors.
Play Pen – Amazon link
Why? – This is super portable and great for quarantining a crawling baby while you start baby-proofing everything.
Luvie Blankets – Amazon link
Why? – I think this is a really healthy sleep trigger. We only keep the luvie in the crib and she falls asleep very quickly by cuddling with it.
~See Lemons Buy Everything
