Welcome to the world of buying baby products and congratulations! Believe it or not there are tons of options for things from diapers to strollers. Almost everything has gone digital now, except for the diapers, of course. With so much on the market at the moment it’s easy to get sidetracked and buy baby products you don’t need or else leave something important out. For Pete’s sake, don’t let it be the diapers!

Strollers will always be the baby’s main mode of transportation and will help keep your arms the same length now that they were before your little bundle of joy came into your life. There are two types of strollers: the classic, luxury version and the economical, compact version. If you plan on taking mall trips or park excursions, go for the larger stroller. Many even come the option of converting into a car seat. The smaller and lighter strollers are great too because they are lighter. Also as your child grows up, if they are a girl, baby dolls can be carted around as well.

Diapers are a concern and a huge expense, particularly if you plan on using disposable diapers. Due to concerns over landfills and environmental issues, many parents are choosing to go green with diapers. (I’ll save that joke for the people I know.) No matter which you choose though, remember that fit has a direct effect on function. A diaper that is too loose will not catch everything it needs to and one that is too tight might cut off baby’s circulation. So be mindful of the fact that it’s a diaper, not a tourniquet.

In your quest for the perfect baby products you’re going to encounter many, many play pens. The natural inclination is to think you can just get one later, when baby is older. This is not a good idea. A play pen is your baby’s protection when you are not holding them. It’s a safe environment for them to learn to roll over and to stand up. As infants, it’s a place where you know no one will step on them. Don’t be afraid to get one right off.

While playpens are great and will help keep you sane and baby safe, they are not beds. Oddly enough the industry has come up with some other baby products for this: beds. A bassinet is a nice way to go for infants and is highly recommended up to 4 months. After that, start looking for other options. The best bet would be a bed with high rails. This will keep your little escape artist from climbing over and falling out later in their lives.

Let’s talk bedding now. Blankets are definitely needed. Not only do they say a lot about your status as being a good parent, but they can be used to keep baby warm; just not too warm. Blankets can be used for shade, insulation and often as last ditch clean up rags. You want to make sure that you are using the right blanket for the right temperature. Use lighter weight, lighter colored blankets for summer and heavier ones for the winter time. Make sure whichever blanket you use, it is light enough for baby to move out of its face if needed.

Bottles are the other obvious baby product you will need. Even if you breast feed eventually your child will want some juice, and you’ll want to give it to them. No amount of fruit mommy can eat will help the situation either, so get used to the idea. Remember when looking at bottles to make sure they are dishwasher safe and try not to wash the nipples in hot water, as it can break down some of the components in the rubber and cause the nipple to break down and ruin the hole in or even flake apart and choke baby.

Baby products have been developed enough over the years that there are probably more choices than what is healthy for a new parent’s sanity. The best bet is to look at your own lifestyle and go from there. If you travel a lot with baby, think pockets. If you’re homebodies, then think light. Either way, it’s a learning experience and not one you’ll ever get back when it’s done, so enjoy!

This entry was posted on Monday, November 30th, 2009 at 2:28 pm and is filed under Parenting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.