Strange Baby Products That Parents Swear By
When you become a parent, you find yourself in the strange world of modern baby products. There is something that can “solve” every problem (and trust me, moms and dads face a myriad of problems as they navigate the messy territory of new parenting). But how do you separate truly revolutionary innovation from gimmicks? What subjects will you sing praises for when you feed your baby at 3 AM, and what will you pull for goodwill when you have your next cup of coffee?
We asked members of the parent group Lifehacker on Facebook to tell us about the baby products that surprised them the most, the unexpected things they couldn’t live without. (Some are not marketed as baby products, but were a godsend nonetheless.) Add them to your roster as soon as possible.
These toys covered with tags
Taggies (prices vary) “When someone gave me the first one, I thought,“ Eh … thanks? “I had no idea babies go crazy over labels. It turns out that my child will find a shortcut on everything and everyone and start chewing! Not to mention the toy itself. She’s obsessed. And, apparently, many other children too. ” —Kayla M.
This strap saves you from kinking
SippiGrip $ 1 “Attach it to your highchair or stroller so you don’t have to lift your drinking cup 5,000 times from the ground.” -Jessica N.
This choice to safely scrape off your baby’s boogers
Oogiebear , $ 13 “One thing I googled after hearing that my little boyfriend had trouble breathing was“ How do I pick my baby’s boogers? »I stumbled upon NoseFrida (a product that most new parents are familiar with), but realized that it is more for thinner noses and does not work well for sucking out harder, stickier boogie. Then I discovered something called Oogiebear. There is a loop on one side of the tool for sticky putty, such as a boogie woogie, and on the other end, a scoop for very dry crunchy boogie. I went to dig and was able to safely remove a large lump of sticky yellow snot. Finally, my baby was finally breathing through the freshly cleaned air passage! The best part: the tool didn’t irritate him, and he didn’t cry the whole time I was choosing. —Annie P.
This massive carabiner frees your hands
Carabiner (prices vary) “I had a massive carabiner and a couple of small ones that saved lives. They do Mommy Hook – but any old thing will do. He attaches all your shit to your stroller, hangs a few grocery bags together to free his hands to put the baby in the car, and hangs things that shouldn’t be on the ground. ” – Clovis S.
These puppy pads will protect your furniture from accidents involving little people
Puppy pads , $ 17.99 “We put them on the couch on our first potty training weekend (a week, really). They saved my couch from several accidents! “- Alanna D.
This 360 Degree Bristle Toothbrush
Baby Buddy Brilliant Baby Toothbrush, $ 11 So Easy. – Dan K.
This coat with a pouch for a comfortable holding of the baby
Baby coat ( similar ) , $ 90 “I wore a lot of baby underwear in town and my baby coat was perfect for that. I lived in Boston and it made the winter much more comfortable. I can’t imagine trying to get on a train (or God forbid a bus) with a double stroller, and putting on baby clothes through my outerwear is a complete nightmare. Not for everyone, but great for city use. ” – Clovis S.
This is a device that heats up the wipes before they touch your baby’s buttocks
Munchkin Warm Glow Wipe Warmer , $ 15 “When I was pregnant, we ran into a couple at Babies R Us who had just had a baby. They insisted that we check in for the napkin warmer, which we didn’t even think about. In fact, when we left, we kind of laughed at them. “A napkin warmer, right? Kids really have it all these days! “But we got it on the roster anyway, and a few months later we were damn grateful for that. The little dude hated changing clothes, and warm napkins were much less shocking than cold ones. “
This lamp that does not blind you during night feeding
Salt Lamp , $ 11 “At the end of my pregnancy, I was going crazy trying to find a night light for late feedings and late dressing. Someone suggested a salt lamp and we loved it. The dimmer allows me to tune it slowly and has good range or bright dim. Color doesn’t bother our eyes in the middle of the night, it just soothes. ” —Chelsea F.