Baby Gear Review - Bathtime, Toys, Clothes, & the Misc Things

Bathtime:

Baby Tub: We use this every other day (and more on pukey weeks). We have a basic plastic model with one end contoured to recline the baby and the other end is a little deeper so he can sit up in it. It also has a sling that we used in the beginning. I guess you could do it in the sink, but I would have felt the need to wash the sink before and after each bath, and that would have been a pain. We put the baby tub in the big tub. I’d put this in a must buy category, HOWEVER, I would never pay store price for this. Some places want $20 or more for the basic model! We even saw one that I joked about being like something out of an American Girl catalog with jets and sprayers. (Confession – a friend was handed down that fancy one and I can’t wait to see if it works as advertised) (Status: I paid $2 at a yard sale. Probably would have paid $5.)

2^nd Baby Tub: He’s getting close to growing out of the baby tub, but when slippery with soap, he could easily fall down so we don’t want him in the big hard tub yet. I bought an inflatable duck tub (basically like a baby pool) to use next. I'm also planning on packing the duck if we vacation in a hotel before he's older. (Status: bought new because it wasn’t much money and inflatable things that get wet are usually a little gross used. They tend to look like they were put away wet and have yucky spots.)

Baby Towels: I wish I had known that the cute ones are a waste of money. They don’t absorb water past a few drops and it can take 2 towels to dry the baby even when it’s new. I’d recommend either using an adult towel or buying one better, thicker, baby one. We happen to have a Cookie Monster one with a hood. The hood doesn’t fit his head, but the towel is good and absorbent. I feel bad that I registered for and received some of the standard cute baby ones and don’t use them often.  (Status: received many as gifts. Feel bad. Only use Cookie.)

Baby Bathrobe – I didn’t get one. They are SO CUTE hanging there in the bath section with their little matching baby slippers. But we get him out of the tub, put him in the towel, dry him off, and diaper/dress him. There’s not time for a robe and another outfit change. (Status: Don’t own. Glad I don’t because it wouldn’t get used even though THEY ARE SO ADORABLE.)

Baby washcloth sets – We have two types – a thinner set made by Carters that match the cute towels, and a set that is thicker that is BRU brand. The BRU brand has different fabric as the actual cloth and the border because the first time we washed and dried them everything changed size. We went through 10+ of these things at the beginning. We used them as bibs when we only used bibs for feeding, we used them for spit up, drool, face wipes, diaper changing shields, bathtime, etc. Now we only use them during bath time and for that we could use a regular adult washcloth. (Status: received as gift. Useful. Would probably have purchased one pack new and used ones we had. When we were using 10+ a day for awhile there, I thought we could never have too many. Now we have too many.) I’m not into buying these and towels used because I find that towels get a little funky after years of use and washes.)

Misc/Etc.

Diaper Bag – We got a Fisher Price brand one from BRU. It has a ton of pockets including most importantly (to us) an insulated one that holds ice packs and bottles. I know many people make this their splurge, but I just wanted a zipper on top and lots of pockets. Beyond that, the label or look didn’t matter to me. (Status: purchased ourselves, new, for the features we wanted. Would not have bought used unless I decided I wanted a fancy brand and found a deal.)

Cover for seat under car seat – This has done a great job of keeping my back seats from getting messed up from the carseat being strapped tightly to them. They have a rubbery grip to keep the carseats from sliding, too. If you don’t care what happens to your seats then it’s not a necessary item. I have leather seats in my car, and want to keep them as nice as I can to resell or trade in the future. (Status: Received as gift. Would have purchased one for my car but not for his car. In fact I don’t think his car has one. Would have considered used.)

Medicine kit – Eye dropper, nail clippers, baby toothbrush, medicine spoon and dropper, etc. – We’ve used many things in here and it does seem to be pretty complete. We haven’t gotten anything more than an extra thermometer so it must have everything we need. (Status: received as gift. Would have purchased it or something similar.)

Diaper rash cream – Burts Bees is expensive, but it works the best out of the 3 we got as gifts. Well, it worked the best on the 1 rash he’s had. I can say that at least. J (status: received as gift. Bought more when I ran out.)

Thermometer - Two different doctors recommended the Braun ear one when I asked whether they thought we should get an ear one or a scan the forehead one. So that's what we got. (Status: purchased ourselves. New.)

Toys - We got lots of cute little things new as gifts, and people bought him Christmas presents, but I think we've only purchased him a couple new toys and that was during Black Friday and surrounding sales. This is where we save the most money buying used. But again, I have found that yard sales have been more fruitful. I went to a local consignment sale and people were asking more for their jumperoo than Amazon wants on a regular day. We got the Little Tykes activity garden in great condition for just $10 at a yard sale, and a train table for $20. I do follow a couple local consignment shops deals once in awhile because there are some things that are really hard to find (A cozy coupe in good condition, for one!) at yard sales. In October I almost jumped on a Push Behind Buggy for $30 because I wanted one so badly, but BFAds told me that 2 stores would have it for $25 on Black Friday. So they're not off my radar completely!

Clothes - I think this is where a consignment store could definitely come in handy. If labels are something that makes you happy, then you will find fantastic deals at consignment stores as well as places like TJ Maxx and Marshalls. There's a reason that clothes from baby stores like Gymboree are more money - they definitely hold up better. Rather than pay crazy prices, you could dress in last season's collections for super cheap. I am lucky and have had to buy very few clothes thanks to being at the end of a generous hand me down chain at school but I keep my eye on prices and I always look for fun!

Clothes Sizing From What I've Experienced: Carters runs long and skinny. Their standard cotton fits more true to size than their 'kakhi's' and other material pants. (They're even longer.) Oshgosh tends to be shorter legs. Circo (Target) is bigger. Gerber is tiny. (SUPER tiny.) Gymboree runs smallish and has odd sizes. Old Navy has big sizes (6-12 months is a big difference) in babies. Children's Place is wider in onesies and shirts but thinner in zip up PJs. 

Baby Gear Reviews - All Things Related to Eating

We knew that even if nursed for a year, we'd be using bottles and all their doo-dads because of going back to work. However, we wound up having to switch to the medical formula so most of my breastfeeding "gear" was only used for 2+ months. I decided to review it anyway since I did have an opinion on most of it!

Space Saver High chair - Our kitchen is pretty small floor space wise and has a step down into the family room. Due to that step down, we didn't want extra furniture crammed in there that could fall. Even an adult sitting at the kitchen table doesn't feel like thinking about a step being right behind their chair. Every "real" high chair we looked at just had such a big footprint that we couldn't imagine it fitting easily in the kitchen without getting a smaller kitchen table. It seemed more logical to get a high chair that just went right on one of our extra chairs. Extra pro: Ours reclines, so he was able to sit in it with us at the table from a pretty early age. It was amazing how many more meals we were both able to eat hot once we moved him into the high chair! It also had removable shoulder straps. We don't use them anymore, but they were great for when he could only kind of sit up. (Status: Received as gift. Would have purchased. Would have considered new if I could find a clean one. A lot of food related items don't look clean no matter how many times you wash them due to the extreme beating they take!)

Portable high chair – We haven’t used this yet, but that’s because he hasn’t been sitting for super long and the places we’ve been have had high chairs. We had it packed to take to a friends house that doesn’t have a baby and can see how it will be useful eventually. (Status: received as gift. Would have waited until we needed it to buy it for ourselves.)

Pump – I started hearing rumor of these being covered under the new healthcare laws and made some phone calls. With my insurance plan, I was able to walk into a semi local pharmacy and walk out with a double electric one for free. At the time I was thinking I’d need it for school, which is why I wanted double and electric. In the long run, I wound up not needing it very long but it did buy me the extra 10 days where I tried to clean my milk of dairy and soy enough for the baby to not react. (Status: received with insurance. Would have purchased one. Probably would have even splurged on the one insurance bought me. Although the milk does not go into the machine and from everything I can get a visual on it doesn’t appear that you’d need anything other than tubes with someone else’s, I wouldn’t do used.)

Pump bra – A friend who was in the midst of a couple weeks of marathon pumping gifted me with this because she could see the benefit. It was GREAT for the 10 days that I pumped around the clock. To have hands free was life saving that week, since I often had to be feeding the baby or entertaining the baby while I was pumping. If you are planning on pumping, I highly recommend something like this. I’ve seen DIY versions where you can cut holes in a sports bra or something, but I will say the real deal was nice. (Status: received as gift. Would have been my first purchase during my pumping marathon week. Would have bought new since it’s technically underwear.)

Bottles – We chose to use Playtex Vent Aires in the standard width. I wanted the thinner bottles to fit in the diaper bag, but I understand why many want the wider bottles and nipples since they supposedly are similar to the real thing. I thought the vents were a gimmick at first, but in comparison to the bottles that came with the pump, he definitely got less air into him and burped less. (Sometimes he didn’t need to burp at all – we can hear the air coming out of the vents while he eats.) The down side of these is the amount of parts. Cap, nipple, ring, bottle, vent disc, and bottom. That’s a lot of washing. I would use these again if we have another kid. Suggested amount: The number of bottles you use in a day x2 +1. We use 5 a day and have 11 and that works well. That way the bedtime-not-yet-eaten bottle is in the fridge waiting and I can prep tomorrow’s bottles which have been drying since last night’s washing. (Status: purchased ourselves. Bought new.)

Sterilizing bags – I honestly don’t use these at all. I bought them because I was looking for a way to save time with bottle washing. But you have to wash them first before using the bag! We run them through the dishwasher once in awhile instead. (I also wanted the sterilizing kit that went in the microwave, but decided against it since I don’t use the bags which were the cheapy option.) (Status: purchased ourselves. Purchased new, however I’ve seen boxes of them sealed at yard sales and I’d probably buy them.)

Milk freezer bags – These were quite useful, and would have continued to be if I could have kept nursing after going back to work. I highly recommend Target brand rather than Medela brand. They’re thicker plastic and cheaper. I did notice that I couldn't really trust the ounce markings on the bag because it changed depending on how wide you opened the bottom. I just marked it with sharpie since I was freezing them flat anyway. (Status: purchased ourselves.)

Nursing pads – Must have. I know some people buy the washable ones for comfort or to be more green, but everyone at work recommended the disposable ones for longer term (work day amounts of time without having to remember them) use so that’s what I bought. I never had one fail and I just used BRU brand. I did have a sample pack of a nicer brand and they were shaped a little nicer to fit in a more rounded way, but the BRU did the trick for me. (Status: purchased. New.)

Bottle drying rack – Must have, especially if you’re bottle feeding. We have the most basic model and it does the trick. (Status: purchased new. Did not consider used, but ours was so cheap I didn’t think twice about buying it new.)

Dishwasher basket for bottle parts – Useful. We don’t use our dishwasher every day, usually only about 2x a week. On those days we try to get bottle parts in there. (Status: received as gift. Would have purchased. Probably would have purchased a 2 pack of a cheaper brand but rarely do we even fill the one basket and this one has held up nicely. Maybe it was worth the extra couple bucks. I find that very few 'Munchkin' brand products hold up, even though they're cheaper and tempting.)

Bibs – Ones that have plastic on the back or have a waterproof inner layer. We didn’t use them much at first and just used a washcloth as a bib during feedings. Then the teeth started. For each tooth, there’s 10-14 days of constant drool. The waterproof bibs keep us from having to change him multiple times a day. (Status: purchased ourselves, with a couple as gifts here and there. Would buy new because they’re wearing out already with constant use. Will buy new if we have another kid. Tired of every picture having a bib sometimes!)

Bottle brush – We have a couple. The Dr. Brown’s one is worth the extra money. The sponge part is softer than the cheaper ones and it foams better so I use a lot less soap. (The Munchkin ones are blech. Very scratchy. I may not have noticed that if I hadn't had the Dr. Brown's one first.) (Received as a gift.)

Formula pitcher – We use our Dr. Brown’s formula pitcher every day. If it broke, I’d buy another the same day. Formula can only be made in specified amounts because it’s 1 scoop to 2 ounces of water. When your baby is eating amounts in between 2 ounce increments, it’s no fun to waste formula. This allows us to make his daily amount all at once and pour it into bottles. (Status: purchased ourselves to solve a problem. Would buy it again if it broke. Bought new.)

Formula canister – There are different versions. The new Munchkin one is more pumpkin shaped and the different sections of the canister aren’t sealed as well. The formula moves from one to the other. What’s the point, then? The old Munchkin flat top one isgreat. We used to use this a lot, once he changed amounts that he eats in a sitting and we got the pitcher, we stopped using this. If you’re a formula person, I’d recommend having one. On the go, it’s easier to have this and some water than a pre-made bottle since you don’t have to keep it refrigerated or with an ice pack.  (One of the few Munchkin things we got that I like!) (Status: received 1 as gift, bought another for vacation. Bought new.)

Baby Gear Reviews - Bedding and Things

On every baby registry list out there it suggests purchasing a themed bedding set. Many people do this because it starts to create the theme for their room (and they are all ADORABLE.) Even before we knew our theme, we decided that we were not going to purchase a set. The set usually comes with a comforter that you can’t put in the bed with them, a sheet that is usually scratchier than the single sheets you can buy, a crib skirt, sometimes a bumper (although they’re illegal to sell in Maryland now) and a curtain for one window. We thought if we saw a theme we loved, we could get the accent pieces but would not pay all that money to have things we couldn’t/wouldn’t use. Once we picked Mario as a theme and found that didn’t really exist in baby land, we went with red and blue things and DIY accents.

Receiving blankets – We registered for a couple packs, and we got those and more. We also received several nicer-than-flannel-rectangle handmade ones from friends and relatives. We tend to use the handmade ones as actual blankets and the flannel ones as puke covers, eating shields, cleaners, floor protectors, etc. If I had it to do over again I’d probably not even register for them because lots of people make them or grab a random pack and add them to a gift. They’re useful for a variety of purposes though. Our baby did not like to be swaddled, so I could wrap it around him for warmth when he was new but the standard sized ones wouldn’t be very useful for long term swaddling if the baby got long quickly like ours did. (Status: received as gifts. If I had gotten zero blankets, I would have purchased some. Would have considered used because they’re easily washable.)

Sleepsack – We use this almost every night. At first we used the pj's that are sacks at the bottom but his legs got too long pretty quickly for the one size fits all. We did not use the swaddle one because he hated not having access to his hands and arms. They seem so big at first, and then the baby grows, and all of a sudden you realize the poor baby can’t straighten their legs so you go and buy bigger ones which seem huge. We personally love them. On warm nights, he just wears a long sleeve onesie and the sleepsack. On the coldest of cold nights (his room is a mess temperature wise) he wears a short sleeve onesie, zip up pj’s and then the sleepsack. He also wears one at daycare. (Status: received as gift and hand me downs in small size, purchased our own larger sizes when it was time. Received swaddle version as gift and handed it down to a swaddle happy baby. Would have considered used but I didn’t see any at yard sales and the shop didn’t have one to price check the day I was there. Will continue to shop at yard sales for bigger future sizes since they’re easily washable.)

Miracle blanket – We were really looking forward to the magic of this, but he hated it. If he had hated it and been a bad sleeper, we would have tried again. But when we unswaddled him, he would relax and fall asleep so we figured he was ok. (Status: received as gift. Would have purchased and considered used. Handed down the one we had to a swaddle happy baby.)

Crib sheets – We haven’t gone through these as much as I thought we would, however, all it takes is one illness and that will change. We have 4, but we could have done with 2 or even 1 at this point. We keep the bed made with a waterproof mattress cover, a sheet, another mattress cover, and another sheet. That way if he spits up in bed we don’t have to dig around in the closet in the middle of the night. He’s been ok (knock on wood) leaky diaper wise, but I can imagine that will be increasingly difficult as he and his bladder grow as well. (Status: purchased ourselves on sale. It’s hard to find crib sheets for cheap, even my mom had difficulty finding them not in big baby stores.)

Pack n play sheets – We thought we needed more than we really did. He has 1 spare at daycare in addition to the one on his crib, but we just wash and send the same daily one back each week. He sleeps in the pack n play so infrequently that we didn’t need as many spares as we thought. That’s ok, because we’ve used them for other things. Oh, and we did get one quilted one that I really like the thickness of, but the first time it went through the wash it got all pilly. I'm thinking it'd be fine if I put a regular sheet over it just for extra padding, but I haven't had the chance to try that yet. (Status: Some gifts, some purchased ourselves. Bought new, would be ok used.)

Waterproof mattress pad/cover – I personally view it as a necessity even though the mattress has a cover. They claim it’s waterproof but another layer makes me feel better. (Status: purchased ourselves. Purchased new. Bedding type things with plastic tend to wear down through washings.)

Small pads that are the same as waterproof mattress pads (I think they might be waterproof changing table pads) – We used these a ton for him to sit on during his spit up times. They’re easier to clean than the carpet! On weeks when he’s spitting up several times a day, they’re vital. Also in the beginning when he would pee on everything every day, the 3 changing pad covers weren't enough and we'd use these. This week, I don’t know where they are. (Status: purchased ourselves to solve a problem we were having. Purchased new.)

Changing Pad Covers - We have 3, and could probably make do with 2. It's nice to have more than 1. Only one is red and matches the room theme, but that's ok because that's life! (Status: Received as gifts. Would have purchased. Would have considered used as long as they were in decent shape.)

Baby Gear Reviews - Durable Gear

Links go to the one I could find that was as close to what we purchased as possible. In many cases, the model/color/style has changed in the last year and so the prices are not indicative of what they were back then. 

Monitor – We registered for a VTech audio only monitor with 2 parent units. The sound is great and I can even hear him breathing sometimes. Occasionally I wish we had a video monitor, but I think I would have spent a lot of time looking at it instead of sleeping when he was little. This one had some issues after we had used it constantly for about 7 months. The base and parent units wouldn’t connect and kept beeping. (Well, it happened one other time too, but that was because we had the base plugged into the socket that the light switch turned off. Oops.) But when it happened for real, I called VTech and they sent a replacement right away.  (Status: Received as gift. Would have purchased this or something similar if we hadn’t. In retrospect would have considered used. If I come across a used video monitor at a good price I may get it.)

Swing – This was the last thing we bought, with the glider. Those were the two things we really just couldn’t decide on. I didn’t want to lose the space that a plug in swing uses, but I didn’t want to go broke on batteries for a portable swing. This one’s reviews claimed only one set of batteries during its useful life. We did have to switch the batteries about a month before we stopped using it, but that isn’t bad. I’m glad we went portable because we really didn’t have the room to lose with the big one. He took naps in this one until he was 8 months old. He has always slept great in the crib at night, but naps were always short. He would take marathon naps in this swing. We probably could have lived without it but it was a nice perk for not too much money. (Status: purchased ourselves at Amazon prices. Would have looked at yard sales (and been successful) if it had been the right season.)

Jumperoo – He still loves this. We don’t use it every day, but we use it frequently. He thinks it’s hilarious and it’s been interesting to see how he’s changed in it over the months. He is not in it for very long all the time, but he’ll jump for awhile while we read or play a game. It may move to the bedroom so he can jump while I shower now that he’s mobile. (Status: received as gift. Would have searched yard sales (and been successful) if we had not.)

Infant to Toddler rocker – I don’t know what made me want this so much, but early on I decided we would register for this instead of a bouncy chair. (Baby fact: bouncy chairs are not the same as jumperoos. I did not know that.) My main thought was it would grow with him and serve different purposes and so far it has. When it was little, we used the kickstand to make it flatter and could lay him in it wrapped in a blanket. We’ve occasionally let him sleep in it over the months when he has a bad cold to keep his head elevated. He takes naps in it still too because right now it lives in the office. (Status: received as gift. Would have purchased. Would have considered used.)

Rainforest Gym – LIFESAVER. I’m not saying this exact model is particularly extra wonderful, but a ‘gym’ that has dangly things and plays music was wonderful in this house. When he was brand new and a little jaundiced, we put it in the sun spot in the family room and laid him down in his diaper for tummy time/UV time. Then we would put him on his back and let him look at the lights and listen to the music. After a couple months he started hitting the toys. His whole laying-down life, he got enjoyment out of this thing. Extended times too. Enough for me to wash bottles or put in laundry. (Status: received as gift. Would have considered used, but definitely would have bought one.)

High Chair – We opted for the one that sits on a kitchen chair rather than a stand alone. We have a small kitchen with a step down into the sunken family room and didn’t want to have another piece of furniture in there. Our version reclines which was great. At one point he couldn’t sit, but if he was in the high chair he would be happy as part of the family and we could eat dinner while it was still hot. (Status: received as gift. Would have bought one of the same style. Probably would have purchased new since it’s something that will get daily use for a long time.)

Boppy – I know that a lot of people find these to be a waste of money and find they don’t use it, but while I was nursing this was wonderful. I actually had 2 because someone lent me one and I forgot to take it off the registry so I received another as a gift. That was even more wonderful because I didn’t have to bring it up and down the stairs. We also used it to prop him up on when he was little and then to do tummy time on when he was a little bigger.  I know there are different brands but I liked the shape of this one. I had a couple covers which was nice because they did need to be washed. I also had a protective cover to go under the cute cover which did a great job of keeping the pillow from getting yucky. (Status: borrowed one, received one as gift. Would not have bought the 2^nd one at full price after borrowing one. Looked at a consignment shop and they wanted more than I wanted to spend on 2^nd one, but may have spent that much for a first one.)

Bumbo: I wanted one of these. I originally put one on the registry, but then a friend offered to loan me hers for the time period it was useful so I took it off. I made it a mission to find one at a yard sale and I did, eventually. It was hard to find because a lot of people hand them down to friends.(Of course once I had one I saw 3 at yard sales) ;) Like much baby gear, it was very useful for a short period of time. He had good head control but couldn’t sit for what seemed to be forever. The bumbo served him well at that time. (Status: purchased at yard sale. After a couple weeks and tons of sales where I didn’t find one, I checked at a consignment shop. They had a ton but couldn’t sell them until the recall solution straps came. They told me they were going to be $25 without tray, $30 with tray with the straps. They were $40 in the store without tray, so that was too rich for my blood. I paid $10 with tray.)

Shopping Cart/High chair Cover – We used this with high chairs in the beginning of the sitting era when he wasn’t great at sitting for long periods of time. I like that it has its own belt. I wanted to use it at Costco because the belt was lousy in the cart, but their carts are wider so it doesn’t work. I haven’t used it lately but mostly because it got pushed behind the couch when I took it out of the diaper bag one day and disappeared. I would label this as optional but only because I have to remember to bring it and then clean it if it gets dirty. Update: When I saw the picture in the Amazon listing to make the link, I re-remembered that it has a strap for sippy cups/toys. That could come in handy in the near future. Maybe it'll be more useful in the future. I reserve the right to revisit this thought when he's older. (Status: Received as gift. Would have considered used to buy one.)

Baby carrier – We knew from the beginning that we didn’t need one for every day use so we did not buy a fancy one. We got a simple one but hubby’s request was that it convert from front to back use. He doesn’t mind it, but we don’t use it often. He wore it more when the baby was lighter. Baby prefers the front facing strollers now, and when he was little we never took him out of his seat and moved him to the carrier if he was sleeping. He slept so well in the car seat/stroller that we didn’t want to mess with it.(Status: received as gift. Would have purchased. May have considered used if I could find one. Most used ones I saw were the fancier brands and more than I wanted to spend.)

Cow humidifier – We could have registered for or purchased a less cute model, but I like the cow. We use it every night now that it’s winter because the air is so dry. In the summer we only used it when he was sick. (Status: received as gift. Would have purchased, but probably would have forgotten to purchase until child was sick and it was 9pm the night we needed it. Would have done new because they’re hard to keep mildew free.)

Diaper Pail – We did not get the Genie because it has special expensive bags. Our Arm & Hammer one takes generic bags and uses baking soda. It works well enough. The older he gets and the more real food he eats, the harder it is. We flush anything that is going to stink too much and then bag the stinkier diapers with grocery bags before putting them in there. I will say it’s better than just putting them in a trash can because we tried that. (Status: Received one as gift, decided to buy a 2^nd for downstairs changing area. Bought both new. Saw used ones out and about but decided that was gross.)