In my deal group, I feel like I am constantly posting deals and saying “my kids love this!” After writing that phrase for what felt like the millionth time, I had the bright idea that I should put all these things we love in one place! Of course, along with things we love came those inevitable misses. I am sure you’ve had them- those baby “must haves” that you just HAD to register for only to think they were a total waste of money in the long run.
So here you go, my baby product hits and misses for the infant stage! You can link to the product on Amazon if you click on the name. Yes, even the misses :)
Hits
V-Tech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker– I know that this is more of a bigger baby/kid toy but this is the #1 purchase I have made for my kids to date because of how it grows with them. It lights up and plays songs so it was great for entertaining my kids when they were itty bitty. The face of it comes off so once they get a little older, it becomes a floor toy. Then, they can use it as a walker. My son still played with this thing at age 2.5. You will DEFINITELY get your money’s worth on this toy.
Look, Look Book– Best.book.ever. This book is a simple book of black and white images. Both my kids LOVED it as infants and were mesmerized by the images. It was awesome for helping them tolerate tummy time. I make sure to include this in baby shower gifts because it is simply a must have!!!
Colic Calm– Both my kids were screamers as babies. As in,
“cry for hours while I want to crawl in a hole far, far away and escape” kind of screamers. Nighttime was particularly bad for both of them. I tried a bunch of gas drops and the only thing that seemed to work was Colic Calm. It was crazy because with my daughter especially, I would give it to her as she screamed her head off. Once she had her dosage, she would settle, look at me and eventually fall asleep. It didn’t make things 100% better all the time, but it definitely saved me many times I thought I was about to lose it from the crying and not being able to calm them.
Baby K’tan Wrap & Ergobaby Carrier– Going along with the product rec above, baby wearing also saved my sanity. My son literally screamed every second he was awake for the first few months. My husband would arrive home and I would hand him over in tears because I was so relieved to get a break. Once he was big enough, I started putting him in the k’tan and he loved it! The K’tan is a soft wrap type carrier but it is super easy to use after trying it on a few times. I could finally eat without him screaming! It was also great for grocery shopping or wearing him in public because as a preemie, I was very cautious about people touching him (
why do people think it is ok to stick their hands in your baby’s carseat in public?!? I will never get this!) I used the k’tan up until they were 4-5 months then it was time to graduate to the
Ergo! Saved.my.sanity.
myBaby SoundSpa Portable– You NEED a sound machine! We
have one for each kid and love them! My son sleeps like a rock so it was just extra insurance to keep him sleeping but for my daughter (the world’s lightest sleeper ever) it has been a lifesaver. I love that it can plug in or use batteries. A sound machine, not just this one, is a MUST for any parent in my opinion!
Heating Pad- Are you scratching your head on this one? This is another lifesaver! I had problems with middle of the night feedings and my kids flipping out when I transferred them back to their bassinet/crib. I started putting a heating pad in the bassinet/crib when I took them out to feed. It kept the bed nice and toasty while they ate. I removed it before I put them back then laid them down. It worked like a charm! Don’t you love those secret mom tricks?!?
Misses
Sophie the Giraffe- It looked like a $20 small teething toy to me and that is exactly what it turned out to be with both kids. While my friends raved “We love Sophie over here!” my kids simply threw her on the floor. My dog, however, loved that she squeeked and would try to nab her any chance he could get but that was not the intended use…at all.
Cloud b Sleep Sheep– When I was pregnant with my first, everyone had this on their registry. It was adorable. It never did the trick for my son and actually broke within the first few months so we opted for a traditional sound machine instead.
Bumbo Seat– I feel like this one is a miss for a lot of people. My kids each sat in it approximately 3 times each and wanted out quickly. It was good for photo ops when I wanted them propped up but other than that, don’t bother.
Mamaroo– I had this for my second baby only. While it was fancy and my daughter slept in it fine, I thought it was overpriced for what it was. Also, since she was baby #2, I didn’t like that it was at my son’s level and he could reach in any second. One day I went in the kitchen to grab his milk and when I came back, she had a bunch of small toys on her. A nice gesture but I didn’t like that he could reach in so easily. We had the
Fisher Price Snug A Bunny swing for baby #1 and I think I preferred that.
Buy it used or wait for a deal
Jumparoo– Don’t get me wrong. Both my kids loved the Jumparoo. My issue is with the fact that it was one of the priciest things on my registry yet had such a short span of use. If I did it over, I would have bought it used or kept my eyes peeled for a deal.
There you have it! These are my hits and misses for birth to 6 months. Do you agree?? You are enraged that I labeled Sophie a miss, aren’t you? Let me know what you think!
