5 Baby Products: Must Haves and Ones to Avoid
With so many different baby products available on the market, it can be tricky to know which ones to invest in versus which ones to avoid. From breast pumps to bathtub seats, there seems to be a product for just about everything—bathtime, bedtime, you name it. Whether you’re planning on having a baby or you’re looking for a great gift for your friend’s baby shower, it’s important to know all about what to buy and what to leave on the shelf. Keep reading to learn more about 5 baby product must haves and 5 baby products to avoid:
Must-Have Products
1. Wearable breast pump
Breast pumps can be incredibly useful for new parents. Even more useful, though, are wearable breast pumps: no need to bind yourself to a machine or even take off your top. Just insert the pump into your bra and start collecting milk in no time. One great wearable breast pump is the Elvie Stride. Thanks to its hospital-grade status and exterior motor, the Elvie Stride provides powerful suction without damaging or weighing down your bra. You can even control it from your phone!
2. Snotsucker
Baby nasal aspirators go by many names—one of them being the Frida Baby Snotsucker. If your baby is congested, this little thing will do the trick: just hold the tip of the blue tube up to your child’s nostril as you suck air through the red mouthpiece on the other end of the device. While this might sound gross, the filter located at the blue tube’s base ensures that no boogers will get in your mouth. While the Snotsucker will need frequent cleaning, it’ll make clearing up your child’s sinuses that much easier. You’ll have a happy baby in no time!
3. Corner protectors
Some parents may forget just how dangerous corners can be until it comes to an accidental bump of their baby’s head, which is exactly why corner protectors make it onto this list. Great for coffee tables, changing tables, dressers, kitchen tables, fireplaces, and anything else with a dangerous corner, protectors can help keep your baby safe. CalMyotis is a recommended brand that will stick without ruining your furniture—plus they’re clear, so they won’t ruin the aesthetic of your home!
4. Memory books
Baby memory books are a perfect, adorable way to document your baby’s early life. Typically, these encompass your baby’s first year, including space for photos, notes, and even prints of your baby’s hands and feet. In books like these, you can document all of your child’s important milestones—ultrasounds, birthdays, and more—therefore making it an extra special keepsake.
5. SNOO Smart Sleeper Bassinet
Bassinets are great, and SNOO is no exception. This handy product—created by trusted pediatrician Harvey Karp—mimics the calming sensations of the womb and offers a range of amazing features. From a built-in swaddle that keeps your baby safely on their back to the rocking motion that kicks in when your baby begins to cry, SNOO can help both you and your baby get some much deserved rest.
Products to Avoid
1. Crib tents
Although crib tents may seem handy, they can actually be quite dangerous. Designed to keep toddlers from escaping their cribs during naptime or bedtime, it’s possible that your child might become tangled or trapped in the mesh. Additionally, these can become unstable really fast with all the poking and prodding from your child’s tiny fingers. Overall, crib tents are definitely best to avoid.
2. Crib bumpers
While crib bumpers are a product that may seem useful in theory—aiming to keep your baby’s legs from wedging between the rails—these are actually major suffocation and strangulation hazards. Moreover, crib bumpers are linked to an increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and have caused 113 fatalities as of 1990 to 2019. Additionally, crib bumpers can be used by older children to climb out of bed, and could further act as a hazard for a stuck head. With all of the dangers surrounding crib bumpers, we recommend steering completely clear of this product.
3. Walkers
More than 21300 times a year, babies end up in the emergency room after rolling down flights of stairs while using walkers. Additionally, walkers have been said to have a detrimental effect on the achievement of developmental milestones. Thus, while these products may seem convenient, they can be quite the opposite.
4. Bathtub seats
As with most of the products to avoid on this list, bathtub seats appear to be harmless. However, they have been linked to the death of 175 babies in the last 16 years due to the likelihood of these seats tipping over from poor suction cup strength. We recommend sticking with the good ol’ plastic baby bathtub.
5. Car seat toys
For many parents, attaching tiny stuffed animals and mirrors to their baby’s car seat seems pretty mundane. However, car seat experts claim that these toys are unsafe and unstable. Thus, it’s recommended that a baby play with a teether toy in the car, so as to avoid car seat toys swinging and hitting them in the face.