In response to this article, do you need these items?
1. Bath thermometer- 82% said no
1. Bath thermometer- 82% said no
I agree. You can use your hand and if you slowly lower your baby into the water, he/she should not be startled or shocked by the temperature. Use your hand first but then learn what temperature your baby likes. Of course I bought a baby thermometer for less than $2- but it's just a fun luxury, not a need.
2. Pee-pee teepee- 87% said no
I would also say no. Very cool. I purchased one and received a few as gifts. My baby squirms and the pee-pee teepees fall off- therefore not blocking anything. Solutions: article suggests throwing a wipe on it. That works, or use the diaper or your hand (but be sure to wash your hand afterwards if you use your hand).
3. Bottle warmer- 56% said no
I agree- not needed. While useful in its own right, running under warm/hot water works and it still takes time in the bottle warmer.
4. Boogie Wipes- 83% said no.
You don't need a wipe for everything. One set of diaper wipes will work for whatever you need.
5. Diaper stacker - 79% said no
Definitely not needed. If you want it because you find one that's cute or you are super organized and want one then that's one thing- but definitely not needed.
6. Baby food maker - 79% said no
A baby food maker is a glorified blender that they make in baby colors (which your baby doesn't care about) and they raise the price. Definitely not a need.
7. Special laundry detergent- 58% said no
This one I don't know if I agree with. I don't know about all the special laundry detergents out there but the one I buy is better at getting out spit up and baby poop than normal detergent. Oxy-clean also works well for spit-up and baby poop. My suggestion is have either a special detergent or oxy-clean to use on the clothes that get dirty (including yours) and normal on all the other clothes. As a side note- I have nannied for a baby who had acid reflux- this can do serious damage to clothes- have some type of tide pen available at all times and spot clean areas with acid reflux immediately. I'm not talking normal spit up- but if it's acid reflux, the acid seems to slowly eat away at fabric but discolors it first.
8. Diaper genie- 50% said no
Not needed. I have one though and love it. What you do need to avoid bad smells in your house. Option 1: Take dirty diapers outside every day. Option 2: Buy diaper disposal bags or use grocery bags. You can fit more than one diaper in each bag, but fold over the opening to reduce smell. When it's full, tie off the bag. Option 3: Buy a special trash can with a lid (ANY trash can with a lid). Or of course, by a diaper pail.
9. Wipe warmer- 84% said no
Not needed. Babies may like warm wipes and you may too but it's not needed. We have a wipe warmer but it's usually cold after just a few seconds of being out of the warmer. Other solutions for warm wipes: run wipe under warm water in your sink or cup your hands together with a wipe inside and blow into your hands as if you were trying to warm up your hands.
10. Pacifier Wipes- 81% said no
See above comment. You only need one type of wipe- it will work to wipe off your pacifier wipe.
11. Nursing pillow- 61% said yes
Not needed but I LOVE mine. Some people (to my surprise) say it causes more harm than good or just makes nursing harder. I wonder if they don't know how to use the nursing pillow? Anyways, I had a C-section and I nursed with and without the boppy pillow (the nursing pillow I have). Without anything my back hurts more from leaning over to nurse because my arms and abs were not strong enough to hold him up. The pillow helped raise him up to the right height and saved my back. BUT any pillow shoved under your arm can help. The reason I love the boppy pillow is not just for nursing. I love to put my baby in it and talk to him. The nursing pillow supports him and his head under his neck (this also relieves pressure from the back of his head from being on his back most of the day and reduces the chance of flat heads that then can require a helmet). Once he starts holding his own bottle (I know this from nannying twins) you can put them in the boppy pillow and they can feed themselves. With twins I always took turns holding one and talking to the other in a boppy pillow. Also, they're comfy for YOU if you feel like taking a nap. If you have the money I doubt you'll regret it.
12. Formula mixer- 91% said no
Not needed. Just shake the bottle. Works great and costs nothing.
13. A Baby carrier- 80% say yes
Not needed but can be very useful. If you plan to stay in with your baby until he/she can sit up then you don't need one. If you want to go out with your baby and don't want to carry him or the infant carrier then you need EITHER a stroller or a baby carrier. I love one of the carriers that I got. I would recommend finding a friend with a baby and different carriers- figure out which you like best and/or get a stroller that has an infant section.
14. Baby shoes before 6 months of age- 81% say no
Definitely not needed but sometimes they are so cute! I do love the socks that look like shoes though. Something to keep their feet warm is a must in colder areas.
15. Video monitor- 53% say yes
Absolutely not needed. Nice. We have one because there was a deal. With the baby stuff we bought with gift cards from showers we got one for free. But we were going to buy a normal audio monitor. Audio monitors aren't necessarily needed either. Evaluate how big your house is and how well you can hear small cries. If your home is bigger and you don't have a monitor then you can't go very far when baby sleeps, but still you don't need a video monitor- a simple audio monitor works great.
16. Sophie the giraffe- 61% say no
Of course this isn't needed. Yes it's cute and many kids love it, but they'd love other things that make noise and are nice chew toys too. Find a toy that makes a noise that you are comfortable with it being in your baby's mouth.
17. A traditional high chair- 72% say yes
No. You need something to put baby in when he/she starts eating. Traditional high chairs are nice because you can feed them while cooking for yourself without bending over. Bumbo chairs can have a tray, but you have to bend over to put stuff on the tray. Anything with a removable dishwasher-safe tray is nice for cleaning purposes, but you can use a high chair that attaches to the table if you don't mind cleaning the table. When looking for a high chair look for crevices food can get smashed into and see how easy it would be to clean- if it seems easy enough to you then you're good.
18. A Baby Care Timer- 90% say no, there's an app for that
No. There is an app if you feel you need one but I talked to my pediatrician and he said it doesn't even matter much. They need an estimate of how many times baby poops/pees/sleeps/feeds to make sure there aren't any problems. But if your baby cries just figure out what's wrong. You can get to know your baby and your baby's diaper. I can tell just by a light squeeze if it needs changing.
19. A Baby Swing- 87% say yes
No. Baby swings are nice but a luxury. I nannied and one loved the swing and the other kid actually hated the swing. What you need: something to put baby down on/in. I like bouncers because they're easy to take to different rooms. But we also have a swing and my boy loves it. If you are looking into a swing, consider your space- if you need one that will fold up, or if you have more space, consider one that can go both forward and back or side to side.
20. A Changing Table- 67% say yes
No. We have one and I've used it maybe twice in 3 months. If you are playing with baby downstairs on the ground and he poops, you don't want to walk all the way upstairs just to change the diaper. I do recommend either multiple changing pads/mats or keeping one with you. I haven't always used one and they aren't needed, but for those messier changes, it's a lot easier to clean off a changing mat than the floor or having to do a load of laundry.
21. A Baby In-sight Auto Mirror- 59% say yes
No. And I think it's funny the depiction they have on some of the ones they sell. They show you putting it on your front windshield but your baby faces backwards and you already have a rear view mirror to look in your back seat. You can put it on the rear windshield but if you have an SUV, check your car because there may not be a windshield that would even allow you to see your baby. Basically you need two mirrors to see your baby- a rear-view mirror and then one attached to a head rest or window.
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