10 Luxury Baby Items That Really Will Make Your Life (and Your Baby's Life) Easier
After the baby registry, the baby shower, Babies-R-Us shopping sprees, and hand-me-downs from friends and family, you will often find yourself with more baby stuff than you know what to do with, and a lot of it, you won't use hardly as much as you thought you might.
These are tried-and-true baby products that are not quite "essentials", but if you have them, they will make your life easier.
1. Graco Swing
When I am not around, this is the only way for my hubby to get Jade to take naps! This is truly indispensable.
I selected this from the hoards of swings out there because it goes from newborn all the way up to 30 pounds, whereas some of them your baby will outgrow quickly.
It also has both plug in and batter options. If you are traveling, the battery compartment will be a lifesaver, at the same time, batteries would go dead quickly if used all the time.
I also like this design because, unlike some others, there are no bumps on the back of the seat where the baby's head goes. We thought of this because we noticed a bald spot on the back of Jades head where it was rubbing constantly and had to replace the swing we had with one that does not have it. This one has mounts on the side so this does not seem to have this problem.
Lastly, I really like the fact that it not only rocks and vibrates, but it also has a really nice lullaby soundtrack. One of the better ones I've come across! Nice variety and pleasant to listen to…I find myself humming along with it as it plays!
Unfortunately, the stars hanging above the seat don't rotate, but thats a small inconvenience considering everything else they got right with this swing.
...Oh, and it also has a year warranty!
2. Diaper Genie
When you have to change poopie diapers on a regular basis, you will quickly learn to appreciate being able to contain the smell! There are other diaper containers out there but they don't seem to trap odors quite as effectively as this! You may try to get a cheaper knock-off, but know that this one traps odors a lot better than other designs. All things considered, its not a bad price for the peace of mind that comes with knowing that your whole house doesn't smell like a porta-potty!
One thing to consider is that it takes a special bagging you will have to keep a supply of. The refills are actually one continuous tube. You tie a knot in the end when you empty it, and remove what we fondly have named "diaper sausages" because, when you think about it, thats essentially what they are!
I would recommend signing up for a subscription so you will automatically be sent refills on a regular basis...Kind of takes the crisis out of the situation when you run out! (And believe me, once your used to this convenience, you will never want to be without it!)
If you ever tried to wipe your baby's bottom with a cold wipe, you know how much they can squirm, scream and protest as a result. This makes the whole diaper changing experience so much more pleasant.
I thought just having baby wipes was a luxury…this thing makes you wonder what generations passed did before these new technologies!
When my friend got one of these, I thought she was being overindulgent…Now I consider her practical!
It also doubles as a pleasant nightlight, which often comes in handy. I picked this particular one because it also comes with an additional travel size container, perfect for the diaper bag!
While its always a small victory to see the empowerment of mothers breastfeeding in public, sometimes you just want to be a little more discreet. This makes things a little more bearable. I picked this particular one because the hoop on the top that makes it easy for you to peer down at your hungry little beastie. You may think this an unnecessary feature, but I have found that Jade really needs to see me there otherwise she starts to panic. She also doesn't like material touching her face - a good thing as far as her actively avoiding suffocation, but this design has the added benefit of keeping a little "breathing room" in there for her, which makes her hate the contraption less, which means less fussing about. The strap also ensures that she can't pull it off, like she could with a regular blanket.
Gone are the days of rectal thermometers that you have to wait minutes for an accurate temperature reading. This thing conveniently measures your child's temperature via ear or forehead within a matter of seconds. This is crucial when a child is squirming or fussing. The convenience of this thing will relieve minutes of aggravation, and accumulatively, hours, over the life of this product. (Which, by the way can also be used for adults!)
Believe me, when your baby is crying with a temperature and you are panicked, you will be so glad you have this on hand - it could even mean a quicker response to severe temperatures and, ultimately, may even save your child's life as you rush him or her to the ER!
6. Baby Monitor
This is the one I use. I like the fact that, once again, its usable both with batteries or plugged in. I like plugged in because I know its working. The problem with batteries is that you might not realize they have run down, and not working properly. However, again, if you travel, batteries are convenient.
Let me place an important security message here:
Video baby monitors are very easy to hack into, turning your tool of safety and security into a spy cam used by kidnappers, child molesters, and otherwise creepy peeping toms! Here is just one example of the stories coursing the internet:
My suggestion, don't set yourself up for that type of vulnerability! Unless your room is at the opposite end of a 10,000 square foot house, it is simple: If you hear your baby crying, go in and check! Audio is perfectly sufficient. This is one of those examples of technology being not only overkill, but a security risk that you simply don't need in your life!
7. Baby Carrier
I have tried various baby slings and found them to be too inconvenient, cumbersome, or not secure enough. With a sling, you still have to steady them with one hand at all times, it seems.
I like this baby carrier because it is rather versatile. All the straps are adjustable, the fasteners secure, and you can wear you baby in several different positions; Facing you, facing out, carried in the front, and carried on your back! It is great because the "head positioned" used when your infant is younger, folds over so they can look out when they are older. This one works for going for walks, and you can securely carry your baby around with your hands free to do chores around the house or while out and about in town running your errands.
This baby carrier by Tula is really good support if you are doing something more rigorous, like hiking or dancing with baby. The design allows full contact between you and baby, so you are like one unit. The weight distribution is like it was when you were pregnant, so there is less back strain, and makes it more comfortable for both mother and baby over a long period of time. The drawback is this one is not as versatile. For infants, you need to purchase an additional insert for extra support. For toddlers, you would actually go up from the "standard" size to the "toddler" size. You also can't have them facing forward. I don't believe you can wear your baby on your back either. Another upside to this one is it is easy to put on and adjust, with a very simple but sturdy design.
You can even wear them to a dance class. I hope you have something like this near you (I get misty eyed when I watch this!):
8. Pack & Play
This works well not only at home but on trips, going camping, picnics, or any time you are away from home. Great and multi-functional crib/playpen/napper/diaper changing station all in one. This is also another one of those versatile pieces of equipment that changes as your baby grows. It has an additional "tray" that can be assembled for newborns, and removed for toddlers. It breaks down and sets up easy for traveling convenience and space-saving when not in use. This has already come in handy for me on multiple visits with relatives and camping trips!
Sleepy babies respond remarkably well to "white noise"…but since each baby is different, different sounds can vary in effectiveness. Here is one of the most versatile "white noise" generators that I have come across. Others in the same category will feature maybe 10 different white noise sounds. This one is also a lot more natural sounding…cheaper ones sound more mechanical and are on 10 second loops. While this one has very natural sound bytes of things like rain, thunderstorms, babbling brook, etc. Its a little more expensive as a result, but the beauty of this system is that you can also introduce new sounds with additional sound cards. As my little one gets older, she seems to be more susceptible to music instead of just noise, and there are sound cards for that too! The selection is quite impressive. It also can be set to 30, 60, and 90 minutes of play, ideal for getting them to sleep. Here is the system with multiple sound cards with nature sounds, white noise, and music! It even includes tracks like "mother's womb"! (If you want additional sound cards for even more selections, go here for additional sound cards and to hear sound card samples.)
10. Boppy
I find that the Boppy brand of nursing pillow offers more support than some the generic knock-offs. It is great to relieve pressure on your back while you are nursing in the cradle, cross-cradle, and football breastfeeding positions. (To see breastfeeding positions, go here: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/multimedia/breast-feeding/sls-20076017?s=2
The Boppy supports the weight of your baby without you having to slouch over to reach his or her mouth. I found this is a lot more convenient and ergonomically beneficial than a pile of pillows- what I used until I got one for myself. In addition to this, it also makes a great back support for your baby when he or she is getting into the "supported sitter" phase. It also keeps them from hurting themselves as they transition over to the unsupported sitting phase.
This one is a bonus…While this is not actually a baby item, I added it here because if you are a working mother, you probably miss your offspring terribly when they're not around. This is an excellent way to brighten your day at the office. Jade is smiling at me all day long! I store all my (hundreds) of baby photos in my living photo album frame. It will slowly (or quickly; theres a timer setting!) transition from slide to slide of cheery, adorable baby photos. In my opinion, its better than having just one photo framed on your desk…I get to relive all her cute, quirky expressions over and over again during the day. It makes her feel a little closer. This also supports videos, but I haven't yet utilized that function…I just love the 8 gigs of storage, and it was easy to transfer over my photos off of my smart phone.
As you can see, versatility and functionality play a huge part for most of these. So even though they may be "unnecessary" or "luxury" items, they are actually quite practical and will bring convenience and ease to your life - You will need it! Motherhood can be quite hectic at times, and your sanity is worth it!
