Love and Hate: two strong emotions that don’t apply to just relationships. They apply to baby gear too! As a new mom, I quickly realized what items I couldn’t live without and others that I wish I never asked for!
Read on to discover baby items I am sure you will love too, and others to think twice about.
Please note, I only recommend products I have personally used. I also receive commissions on qualifying purchases as an Amazon affiliate when readers purchase products by clicking on the links provided in blue!
Diaper changes can be messy, which is why you need this weighted baby wipe holder. You can use this with one hand. Open the lid with a light push of your finger. Inside is a weight to hold the wipes down, so only one wipe comes out at a time. The window in the front allows you to see when it’s time to refill. This container also holds two standard pack of wipes at the same time so you won’t run out as fast.
The alternative: The lid on original baby wipes packaging does not always close causing the wipes to dry out. I have to use two hands and the wipes do not come out as easily. This may seem dramatic, but with a wiggling baby and a poopy diaper, you are not going to want to struggle with grabbing wipes!
Hot Tip: Forget the wipe warmers. Most parents I talk to says it is the one item they hardly or never used. Instead, purchase this wipe holder. If you’re concerned about a cold wipe, it takes a few seconds to warm up by squeezing in your hands.
Hate: Blooming Bath Lotus
The nostalgia of my mom bathing me in the kitchen sink persuaded me to register for this item. I also thought it would be space saving versus an infant tub. Now, it is nice in some ways: it’s plush allowing my baby to be comfortable and it’s cute. However, every bath is a hassle and I wish I would have gone with the basic, plastic infant tub. Here’s why…
First, if you’re using this in a kitchen sink, the sink needs to be clean. As a busy mom, there’s days the dinner dishes from the night before are still there the following dinner. Before I can even think of bathing the baby, I have to tackle the dishes, scrub and wipe down the sink, and move the soap bottle and other items out of the baby’s reach.
The thick, plush petals absorb so much water. They are not easy for me to wring out either (I’m not a weakling!). After minutes of wringing, the flower is still heavy to the point I don’t want to risk placing the weight over my kitchen faucet to dry. In order to dry, I place it in my washing machine on the drain cycle (I do a full wash every other). Not only is this wasting electricity, but I have a trail of water droplets from the kitchen sink to the laundry room.
I would recommend using a basin-style infant tub and using in the bathroom if possible.
A second OXO product that I absolutely adore! Before using bottles, I figured I would either use the dishwasher or my dish drainer and soon realized that wasn’t going to work. This bottle dryer is perfect. The spokes to place bottles and parts on are at the perfect angle to allow optimal drying. The basket section up top is great for nipples, binkies, teethers and other small items.
The bottle dryer is easy to clean too. The top and bottom grey bases come out. This means no yucky, dirty water or residue.
Hate: Dr. Brown’s Bottles
Speaking of bottles, both my husband and I hate the Dr. Brown’s bottles. These were highly recommended to me by family members and the five-star reviews online made me feel like these would be the right choice. I don’t understand the hype and here’s why:
They leak (a lot)! The manufacturers are aware because they post a page on their site about it and blame the consumer for not filling them properly. Listen, I did everything they said. I did not overfill the bottles, I did not shake the formula in the bottles, I tried switching out the rings and nipples, I prayed over the bottles and did the bottle dance…Point is these bottles just suck.
I figured I had a bad batch, so I ordered more, but this time from a well-known store rather than Amazon. Same issue. Berry was already used to them at this point. When she needed the larger size, I purchased the Dr. Brown’s Options bottles (they allow you to feed with or without the air filter). Three out of four were ok, but one leaks. This means it’s not me or my husband making the bottles incorrectly, it’s the bottles themselves.
My workaround is to fold a paper towel and tie around the bottle with a rubber band. I prefer to waste the paper towels than the formula and avoid Berry’s outfit being soaked.
Big shoutout to my in-laws for gifting this to us! As a new mom, I didn’t consider having a chair for my infant. Truth is, babies like to be in different positions throughout the day, just like us! It’s also impossible to hold your baby all day, so this is nice to place them in when you want to have your hands free (don’t leave baby unsupervised though!). Berry has loved this chair since she received it at 2 weeks old and spends a large part of her day in it.
Here’s some of the great features: This is a rocker, which is great to calm a fussy baby. The chair reclines in a few different positions to adjust with your growing baby. The safety strap helps prevent your child from rolling or falling out.
The removable toy arch is great too. When Berry was an infant, she would stare at the toys. We were so excited when she started reaching for them and hitting them. At her four-month appointment the pediatrician said she had the motor coordination of a six-month-old. It maybe unrelated, but I can’t help to think that her early fascination to the hanging toys helped develop those skills.
A few days ago, Berry had a nasty blowout in her chair. It was so nice being able to unsnap the seat and throw it in the wash. Couldn’t be easier!
Trust me, you’re going to love this chair!
Hate: Microfiber baby towels
When I was expecting I stocked up on cutely designed hooded baby towels and cloths at TJ Maxx. They were microfiber, which I didn’t give any thought to at the time. After Berry was born, I came to realize these were garbage, so that’s exactly where I put them.
Problem with microfiber towels is they collect hair and pill up in the wash. No biggy right? Except that even with a lint roller, you can’t remove them! No joke. The material is not as soft as cotton, which is what I recommend.
I decided to buy better towels. Target sells Cloud Island 100% cotton, hooded towels. The hooded towels make cute photo opportunities, the hoods are bigger and the material holds up.
Hot Tip: Skip “baby” washcloths. They’re too tiny and small to handle. Purchase a regular set of washcloths instead to dedicate to your baby’s bath time. They’re larger which is nice to lay across their tummies for warmth while you’re bathing them and are a better bang for your buck!
I’m ok with changing dirty diapers, but the idea of sucking boogies out of my baby’s nose grossed me out. The bulb aspirators they give out at the hospital are ineffective and difficult to clean. For a daily task, you’ll want to invest in one of these nasal aspirators.
I like that there are three levels of suction power. The highest can be too intense for Berry but is good when she’s very congested. There’s a button for music. It plays “Yankee Doodle.” To be honest, it’s annoying to me, but baby loves it! It provides a distraction for them.
I’d love to hear from you! Have you tried any of these products? Is there a baby product you adore or cannot stand? Let’s hear from you!
The clear top allows you to see when it’s time to clean, which is very easy to do! It comes with two different tips for babies and toddlers.
I don’t know what I would do without this nifty tool!
Summing it all Up
I’d love to hear from you! Have you tried any of these products? Is there a baby product you adore or cannot stand? Comment or send me a message!
