What one baby item....

...could you have not lived without?

Ok, yesterday my doctor gave me a bag full of magazines and brochures for all kinds of baby paraphernalia...cribs, cosleepers, bassinets, car seats, strollers, car seats that turn into strollers, pack n plays, swings that sway back and forth and swings that sway side to side and swings that do both, high chairs that recline for naptime, changing tables, changing tables that are actually dressers, etc, etc, etc..... my head is already spinning! I haven't got a clue what I really need to buy and what is "fluff" that will just add clutter to my home.

So, my question for all of you parents...if you had to pick one baby item that you could not have lived without, what would it be?

Erica

And on the flip side...what one baby item did you buy, but could have lived without?

[SuzySunshine]

I'm probably the last person that should be posting here as we don't have kids. But when a girlfriend of mine had her first baby last year she surveyed everyone she could think of and these were her results.

Good luck!

Mentioned five times
Baby Monitor- Fisher Price w/ Rechargeable Battery/Not a two way monitor
Bouncer Seat (Fisher Price acquarium was noted twice)
Swing- Battery operated
Mentioned Four times
Excersaucer
Mentioned Three times
Advent Bottle System (more than one set of pumping bottles)
Boppy Pillow
Diaper Gennie
Glider/Rocking Chair - a good one (spend the extra money), get one with a locking mechnism
Travel System (stroller/carrier)
Mentioned Twice
Diaper champ
Electric Breast Pump - Advent
Jonny Jump
Playpen/Portable Crib w/ changing table on top
Snuggly Pouch/Sling baby carrier
Mentioned once
Avent Pacifiers
Baby Bath Sponge- helps w/ slippery baby
Baby Blanket from Gymboree
Baby Gap Socks for new borns- tend to stay on better
Baby Gates that won't leave permanent damage to house
Baby Mozart Video tape
Child Safety Latches
Cloth diapers - for spit up etc (very absorbent)
Co-Sleeper
Ear Thermometer
Fisher Price ocean Wonders for the Crib
Good Bottles- Dr. Brown
Good, lite-weight stroller, big wheels
High Chair that grows with your child
Hooded Towels
Infant Carrier Car Seat
Johnson's disposable Wash Cloths
Lilly Padz nursing Pads (made from silicone and reusable, http://www.lilypadz.com)
Pacifier Attacher
Plastic Bibs
Shirts that attch on the sides (for the first few weeks when it's hard to put something on the head)
Smoke Alarm for Nursery
Snap and Go wire stroller
Symphony Animal Mobile by Tiny Love
Toddler/Booster Combo Car Seat
Umbrella Stroller
White, all Cotton Wash Cloths
Wind up swing

Don't Need
Diaper Gennie
Bath Tub- can use sink
Baby Walker- dangerous
Diaper Whipe Warmer
Bottle Warmer
Boppy Pillow

Good Baby Products
Original Desitin
Huggies Wipes

[Cumberland]

In the beginning-
the swing was essential, she practically lived in the baby bjorn, and we hardly used the bouncy seat ever. we never used the boppy and i ended up selling it on ebay.

for four months til about 11 months, the exersaucer was our best friend. she woud entertain herself for hours!!

i am not a fan of the travel systems as they are like moving cities. I would recommend the infant carrier and a snap n go base or a stroller that is compatible with a carrier ( i got the inglesina zippy based off of recs on this board).

[SueC]

The infant carrier with a snap in base was mighty handy. I can't imagine getting a sleeping newborn in and out of a regular carseat.
I used the heck out of any type of sling.
Cheri mentioned Gap socks--I like those, too, but had good luck with any kind of socks that are longer and fold over as opposed to the cute little ones that don't fold over since those darn things never stay on.
My first two could have cared less about any of the contraptions you could put them in (swing, bouncy seat, exersaucer) so I wish I would have waited before going out and buying all of them before the baby even arrived.

[mommax3]

Well, you have to have a carseat, and it is nice if it can snap into a stroller. I also always liked having a stroller that had a seat that would recline all the way in case my little one was sleepy.

Our changing table for all three was a regular dresser that we already had with a contoured changing pad on top.....worked really well. I never used the reclining or height adjustment features on my highchairs. Having a highchair with wheels (that locked!) was nice. Having a cloth-covered high chair seat vs. a plastic covered one (I had both) meant that I ended up feeling guilty a lot more when the cloth stuff got dirty and I couldn't just wipe it off like I could on the plastic covered one.

Probably my favorite thing for little babies was the bouncy seat......some of them vibrate, some rock, some play music, some have a toy bar across the front. That thing could get my babies to sleep when I was desperate for sleep myself. I definitely recommend it!

I never had a co-sleeper but I think I would have loved one, especially during the first weeks. A friend of mine who has four kids (the oldest is five) swears by hers.

The swing is nice to have. I don't think that it matters which direction it swings. The second one I had played music and that was a big hit. I had an exersaucer with my third and he really loved it, but it isn't a must-have, especially if you are short on space. I also had a Johnny-jump-up (for older babies) and all three of my boys loved it. A toy that they can lay under and look up at is nice to have. We used the heck out of our pack and play (still have the one we got for my oldest) but we travelled a lot.

I had one of those Boppy pillows (crescent shaped) and my boys never really interacted with it much. I wouldn't get one again.

Keep in mind that my oldest was a VERY active baby, as was my youngest, who was additionally extremely fussy. When they were little, it was basically like circuit training. I moved them from station to station to keep them happy and prevent boredom. A lot of my friends had much calmer and more content babies who didn't need so many bells and whistles. Buy the minimum and if you feel the need for something after you have the baby, buy it then.

Sally

What I loved:
For the first few months, it was the bouncy chair. DD could play, sleep, eat, and have 'alone time' in it. It could fold up to take on trips. It vibrated, played music and rocked. We both loved it.

Currently, I don't know what I would do without an umbrella stroller. We have one in each of the cars. They fit neatly in the back of the trunk, I can open them with one hand, and they are only $10 if you have to replace them.

What I WISHED (and still do) I had:
A pack'n'play type thing. Both my parents and DH's have one so we don't have to worry about it when we go to see them, but DH and I do a fair amount of traveling on our own and always have to borrow one.

What I had and returned:
A wipes warmer. I read horrible reviews about them being a fire hazard, turning wipes yellow etc. I thought it was a silly thing we didn't need.

high chairs that recline for naptime

Do people really let their kids take a nap in a high chair? I could never really understand the logic behind the reclining high chair.

Circuit training -- that's funny. With the exception of the Exersaucer, that describes my first.

In terms of big $$ purchase, I think the Medela Pump and Go (high end breast pump) was my best purchase and the one that felt most extravagent. It was a necessity to continue bf while working.

We also did the changing pad on the dresser and it works great.

No regrets on any "transportation" items like the Baby Bjorn (or a sling), a jogger, and a backpack. You can wait a little while on a jogger or backpack because the baby needs to be a little older (about 3m for the jogger and 6+ for the backpack).

I have mixed feelings about the Exersaucer and swings because my first liked the exersaucer but not the swing and vice versa for my second. For each child, though, the favored was necessary for my sanity. If you can borrow a friends or try one out first, you might want to do that. Bouncy seats are nice too.

We did not have a playpen/Pack and Play with my first and did just fine though it would have been nice to use as a bassinet (rather than the co-sleeper -- try to combine functions of products). Seems like there is always someone we can borrow one from if needed. We did have the 3/4 size Pack and Play for #2 so that she could sleep in our room at night.

I loved my Boppy! But the kids never really used it; I just used it for nursing. A good pillow set-up will work for you.

A plastic highchair is my preference.

If you're going to get a glider rocker, spend a little extra because they hold up better.

I used a foldable tub (Safety 1st?) that fits in the sink and doesn't take up much space.

Spare cloth diapers are nice for spit up, nursing, an extra layer on a changing area, etc.

Keep in mind that a lot of this stuff you won't need for months after the baby is born.

Do people really let their kids take a nap in a high chair? I could never really understand the logic behind the reclining high chair.

Who knows! I couldn't believe the picture when I saw it in a catalog. I think the companies are just trying to come up with new ideas so people will keep buying new stuff with each child. I especially love the strollers that can only hold babies up to 15 lbs...do they really expect parents to spend a few hundred on a stroller they'll only use for 4-5 months? Gosh, I remember when my brother was a baby, there was only one type of stroller, one type of high chair, no cosleepers....

A co-worker once told me about a website that sells last year's models of strollers, high chairs, etc. for pretty cheap. Have any of you heard of this website or know of a similar one? I've tried a few google searches and haven't come up with anything.

Thank you all for the suggestions! It has really been helpful in making up my baby wish list!!

[SueC]

Do people really let their kids take a nap in a high chair? I could never really understand the logic behind the reclining high chair.

Very timely question! The other day I went to run a few errands and came home to find Mitchell reclined back, napping in his high chair. DH was watching him, and I'm not sure what the story was, but he did in fact fall asleep in his high chair. I didn't even know the darn thing reclined!

Ours reclines too. I figured the purpose was to make it easier to get the kid in and out (that's how I used it).

A few weeks ago, DH came home while we were in the kitchen getting dinner ready. He immediately started laughing. Why? The baby was sound asleep with her face on the high chair tray. She was fussing a little then quiet, so I took advantage and kept cooking. Without even realizing she was asleep. I've got to look over at her more frequently because I found her standing up in her highchair a few days ago. She is a baby houdini and I don't know how she does it (strollers, grocery carts, highchairs,.....).

[SueC]

Ours reclines too. I figured the purpose was to make it easier to get the kid in and out (that's how I used it).

A few weeks ago, DH came home while we were in the kitchen getting dinner ready. He immediately started laughing. Why? The baby was sound asleep with her face on the high chair tray. She was fussing a little then quiet, so I took advantage and kept cooking. Without even realizing she was asleep. I've got to look over at her more frequently because I found her standing up in her highchair a few days ago. She is a baby houdini and I don't know how she does it (strollers, grocery carts, highchairs,.....).

Please tell me you got a picture of that!

Yes, we actually had film in the camera and everything! It was really cute. If it turns out, I'll post the photo.

[mommax3]

I've got to look over at her more frequently because I found her standing up in her highchair a few days ago.

I meant to post that when I bought our second high chair, (the first one made it through two kids and then was pretty much done for) I specifically looked for one that had shoulder straps as well as a lap belt, for that very reason. Worked like a charm!

It is so funny when kids fall asleep while they are eating. All three of mine did that (face plant on high chair tray) right around the time they were giving up their morning naps and going down right after lunch. So cute.

Sally

[HeartRN]

Swore by the sling from about 4 months to 10 months (NoJo, although I think there are better) . I WISH we would have used it sooner.

Absolutely love the "Floppy Seat"...the bright decorative soft thing that has elastic edging and goes on public highchairs, shopping carts, etc. so your child doesn't mouth the metal or sit on the yuck. Keelin went shopping with me when she was sick with roseola and took a nap lying in the cart on her floppy seat. A little pricey but WELL worth it. And then it folds into itself when not in use. We just leave it in the car so it's there when we need it. Highly recommend putting it on your registry list!