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Baby Gizmos & Gadgets

It’s hard to believe how much has changed in the land of baby paraphernalia since my first son was born just three years ago.  Walking through BuyBuyBaby shopping for our second baby, I’d literally get heart palpitations.  The people behind this store are brilliant because they make any mom feel like she needs everything they are selling.  Why yes, I need that $900 stroller…who doesn’t?  I would stand and watch demo videos for every product in the store with wide eyes, then gaze at my husband with puppy dog eyes.  This was code for: we need this or our baby will be doomed!  Needless to say we spent a small fortune on top of all the hand-me-downs from our first son.  Some items were definitely worth it while others were not.

I know there are a lot of new moms and moms-to-be who follow the blog so I wanted to share some insight on my favorite things, as well as things you could probably pass on. Each photo has a link to the product for your convenience. 

Items I love:

  • Momaroo – Awesome-a-roo! This thing is LEGIT. Totally worth the money and as a bonus – it’s small.  As a Chicagoan this helps tremendously as our space is limited.  It fits nicely in the corner and my little guy loves it.
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  • Medela Breast Pump– If you are nursing this is hands down the best pump.  It lasted a full year of pumping with my first son and I’m able to use it with this baby.  Spend the extra money, it’s worth it.
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  • Grocery Cart Protector – This turned out to be one of my favorite things!  We used it all the time with my first son.  You can even lay your baby down in it.  Being a germ-a-phone, it also eased my mind knowing my baby wasn’t touching all the germs on the handle. Totally worth the purchase.
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  • Hands Free Pumping Bra – I didn’t know about this with my first son until a friend clued me in. If you are pumping, this is a must.  Who doesn’t need their hands free?  It is great to use at work as well because you can still answer emails and catch up on work uninterrupted while pumping.
Follow Link to Purchase
Follow Link to Purchase
  • Nose Frida – Okay this looks gross, however it is amazing.  It works way better than your typical nasal aspirator. It completely clears your baby’s nose. My baby has a difficult time nursing when he can’t breathe fully from his nose. Nose Frida takes care of that and clears his sinuses. Do yourself a favor and get one stat!
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  • Boppy Lounger – This has been really helpful for both my son’s.  I set it next to me on the couch and lay my napping baby on it.  I can still be close to them and it’s comfortable for them to sleep on.  This is not to be used if unattended.
Follow Link to Purchase
Follow Link to Purchase
  • Pack-N-Play with Changing Area – I’m an idiot and did not get a Pack-n-Play with my first son.  We didn’t have the room in our small condo.  However now that we live in a three-level town home, this works perfectly.  The changing table prevents me from running up and down the stairs all day to change him.  If you live in a multi-level home, I would definitely recommend this.
Follow Link to Purchase
Follow Link to Purchase
  • Wipe Warmer- I’ve seen other Blogs say this is a waste of money, but when you live in Chicago or any cold weather climate – it’s a must.  The cold wipes send my son into shock followed by a screaming tantrum, especially at night.  It’s cold! They are cold! Those wipes are cold! At least try to comfort their booty with a warm wet wipe.
Follow Link to Purchase
Follow Link to Purchase
  • Portable Music Player (MyBaby)– This little piece of magic machinery is a life saver! I put this in the bassinet and his car seat. It instantly calms him down.  It comes with four sounds, has a timer and a clip to easily hang from the car seat.

music

  • Glass Bottles- Bottles are always a hard find.  It depends on what your baby likes. With this baby I decided to try glass bottles because heating anything in plastic makes me nervous.  I’ve come to love (and my baby too!) Life Factory bottles.  He doesn’t get gas from air pockets, they fit in any bottle warmer and they are easy to clean. They also come with a cute little silicon cover.
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Now for some items you can pass on:

  • Fancy Burp Cloths – Guess what? They vomit on them 24/7 so why spend money on cute little (thin) burp cloths?  I use old school cloth diapers.  You can get (6) in a pack for the price of (1) fancy one. Don’t waste your money.
  • Clothes – I guarantee everyone else will buy you clothes.  This is the most common gift for new babies. Plus, you’ll end up just rotating whichever clothes are easiest to change their diapers in. Also, more than half the clothes your baby has will never be worn because he/she grows by the hour.
  • Swaddle Blankets – Good news – the hospital gives you those!  Stock up on a few before you leave, you are paying for ‘supplies’ on your hospital bill anyways – take advantage of the ‘free’ supplies!
  • Crib Sets – Baby bedding is so expensive and they can’t have it in their cribs anyways!  Bumpers, unless breathable ones, are not supposed to be used. The big thick blankets pose a suffocation risk too.  Buy a simple crib sheet and for warmth buy sleep sacks.  Save the bedding money for when they are toddlers.
  • Shoes- In case you didn’t notice, babies can’t walk.  Their feet never touch the ground, so why buy shoes? Plus, they grow so fast they may get to wear them only a few times. I know baby shoes are cute but until they can walk you are better off just buying cute socks.

Helpful savings tips:

  • Sign up on Diapers.com or Amazon Mom for diapers and wipes. In the long run you’ll save money and they send you discounts and coupons frequently. Shipping is free too!
  • If you sign up to receive emails from BuyBuyBaby, you get 20% off coupons frequently by email and regular mail.  You can use BedBath&Beyond coupons there too! Lastly, they take multiple coupons for the same transaction. When you have kids it’s all about saving money!

Hope this information helped.  If you have any additional tips or products you loved, leave them in the comments section for our new moms who need the advice.

 

Rust
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Holly Rust is a native Texan currently living in the great city of Chicago with her husband and two sons. Aside from chasing around two lunatic boys all day, she is a writer, author, and runs a global skin care business. Her blog was featured on The TODAY Show’s List of Funniest Parents on Facebook. You can find her work on HuffPo, Good Housekeeping, Town & Country, Scary Mommy, Dot Complicated, TODAY and many more. You can also find her essays published in several anthologies. Follow her random thoughts on Facebook and Instagram – but no judging.

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