The Baby Items You Can’t Live Without: Most parents have “been there and done that” when it comes to spending hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on baby products, only to discover they didn’t need most of them. As a recent third-time mum, I’ve had the luxury and hassle of buying and trying many baby products on the market. Here are a few must-haves I couldn’t live without.
FAVOURITE BABY BAG
I’ve owned many baby bags, from the most expensive to the cheapest, and hands-down the Sunveno Nappy Bag is my favourite. It may not be the best-looking bag compared to other fancy designer bags on the market, but you can tell it was designed by someone who’s tired of digging for the last clean nappy at the bottom of the bag. The Sunveno is awesomely practical. It can be a backpack, handbag, or even a shoulder bag that your husband isn’t embarrassed to be seen carrying. The large opening allows easy access to the many pockets around the bag. It helps you stay organised and makes everything very easy to find—it’s practical, practical, practical, and I LOVE practical!
The Sunveno baby bag can be purchased online from a few online retailers.
MD Pro Tip:
You’ll want a baby gym
What on earth is a baby gym? We’re glad you asked. It’s a combination of entertainment centre, resting mat and parenting godsend. Oftentimes they come with detachable mats which means you can continue to use it for cushiony sitting time for your toddler as well.
Find all this and more with MyDeal baby equipment.
MD Pro Tip:
More than your usual cot
Surprisingly babies sometimes require more than one bed. Standard cots weren’t meant to be brought with you to visit at a family or friends house or for when you’ve rented a place down the coast on holidays. Seek out portable nursery furniture, preferably with carry bag included, and you won’t have to worry about sleeping arrangements outside of the home.
FAVOURITE BABY SWADDLE
Every parent will tell you that sleep is a highly prized commodity, so when I find something that helps my baby sleep so I can sleep, I’m happy to spend the money. All of my babies loved being swaddled in the recommended hands-to-heart position, which most Houdini babies break out of in seconds. I knew I’d found the solution when I discovered Sleepy Bub swaddles and rompers. Their unique zip-down arms are positioned to gently hold your baby’s arms down towards their body (bending at the elbow) for swaddling all night long. The stretchy fabric allows baby enough movement, yet is restrictive enough to reduce waking from the startle reflex. My daughter always sleeps longer and better when she is wearing her Sleepy Bub. These swaddles are perfect for year-round use as you can swaddle your baby in the hands-to-heart position with one layer of fabric in warmer weather and simply place a sleeping bag on top in cooler weather. The Sleepy Bub is an absolute lifesaver for sleep-deprived parents who are getting up every hour to reswaddle their little ones.
Sleepy Bub baby swaddles can be purchased online.
FAVOURITE BABY COMFORTER
My good friend said her daughter doesn’t sleep without the Riff Raff baby comforter, so naturally, I had to buy one for myself. All of my children have formed strong attachments to their baby comforters, and I’m sure I’m not the only mother who has walked the streets and beach at night with a torch praying they would find irreplaceable ‘Snuggy’. What I love about the Riff Raff is that it’s no ordinary baby comforter. It plays a sleepy lullaby and white noise with a heartbeat—a lifesaver in the middle of the night. I have to admit I too secretly find the lullaby tune relaxing and it helps me keep a level head when my baby is losing the plot. I would definitely spend the extra money if ‘Snuggy’ finds its way out of the pram in the most random of places AGAIN.
The Riff Raff baby comforter can be purchased online at www.riffraffandco.com.
FAVOURITE PRAM ACCESSORY
If you have a newborn, you know they are magnets for snotty-nosed toddlers and sneezing old ladies. When I pick up my daughters from school, their friends swarm around the pram, touching baby’s face with their germ-infested hands! Thankfully, I recently discovered the CoziGo, a fully breathable pram cover that blocks out 97% of light, helping baby sleep AND reducing unwanted attention. The CoziGo pram cover is universal, so it fits all single and double prams, and also has a UVP of 50+, perfect for summer. The bonus is that it’s also perfect for travelling on a plane as it doubles as an airplane bassinet cover, helping baby sleep without distraction. The CoziGo is a great buy you won’t regret. The CoziGo can be purchased online.
FAVOURITE FEEDING/CHANGE-TIME ACCESSORY
When I was 8 months pregnant with my firstborn, I wandered into a baby shop completely helpless, with no idea what I needed to buy. The lady at the counter said the most helpful things she could recommend were toweling nappies. Who would have thought such simple towels could be so helpful. I use these towels as burp cloths, nappy change mats, bibs, cloths for cleaning up messes—the list of uses goes on. No matter how many I buy, I never have enough. I use these towels all the time and highly recommend getting a pack if you’re a first-time mum.
FAVOURITE PRAM
There is nothing more annoying than spending hundreds of dollars on a pram and then turning up to mothers’ group only to discover your pram totally sucks compared to everyone else’s. I’ve bought and sold quite a few prams over the years and have come to the conclusion that weight, size, durability, and quick foldability is everything. You don’t want to be pumping up wheels, breaking your back trying to lift the darn thing into the car, or breaking it up into what feels like a million pieces in the pouring rain. My favourite pram so far is the Valco Baby Snap 4. This 8-kg pram looks stylish but is also super practical. It folds up in seconds with a quick push of a button and takes up less than half the boot of my small car, leaving room for shopping and school bags. My favourite feature is the pram’s extended hood—it covers the entire pram for sun protection and sleep. I also love the price—it’s by far the cheapest and most practical pram I’ve ever bought.
The Valco Baby Snap 4 can be purchased baby stores or online baby retailers.
FAVOURITE BABY ASPIRATOR
When your baby experiences her first cold, it can be quite upsetting for any parent, especially when you can hear them struggling to breath through their nose during feed and nap times.
It’s hard to imagine not being able to blow your nose when you are sick, but SNOTTY NOSES have a product just for this – an electric nasal aspirator that can easily remove snot from your baby’s nose gently and safely in 5 seconds, with battery powered suction.
This is a safe, easy, natural solution for treatment of colds, flu, sinus, allergies and teething-related congestion – a must for your medicine cabinet.
The Snotty 3 Aspirator can be purchased online at www.snottynoses.com.au
By Eileen Calodoukas & Julia Hammond
Published on MyDeals.com.au
