You get a lot of the same advice from most people when it comes to baby gear. Usually it’s a lot of good recommendations, but in a few cases, I think you could do one better.
Here’s my list of five baby gear recommendations you probably haven’t gotten before:
Conventional Advice: Velcro Swaddle
Unconventional Recommendation: Swaddle Pod
There’s a place for Velcro swaddles, just as there’s a place for your traditional square-piece-of-fabric swaddle blanket. But when it comes to both ease of use and ease of access, I always recommend the Swaddle Pod.
It’s the simplest way to contain a newborn baby you could imagine. Just one step. But the best feature is that the zipper is reversible, allowing you to access baby’s diaper in the middle of the night without unswaddling her arms at all!
Conventional Advice: Zipper Pajamas
Unconventional Recommendation: Snap Pajamas
I know, I know. Everyone loves to hate on snaps! But I’m here with my hot take: they’re not so bad.
In fact, I want to defend the snap pajama.
Unless you can find a sleeper with a reversible zipper, then only snaps will allow you to change a baby’s diaper in the middle of the night without practically undressing him. (And you do a lot of nighttime changes on a newborn!)
Conventional Advice: Wubbanub
Unconventional Recommendation: Nookums
People love their Wubbanubs. The original pacifier with a stuffy attached has given its name to the very concept, much like Kleenex or Google.
But there have already been improvements, and I’d like to recommend a different brand.
Instead of having a pacifier sewn on, the Nookums plushie has a universal connector that allows any brand of paci to be detached, washed, and reattached, without having to replace the entire toy if the paci wears out!
Unconventional Recommendation: MyPal Scout/Violet
You won’t find a toy this elaborate on any newborn checklist, and for good reason. A puppy toy programmed to know your child’s name and favorite food will get its best use several months or years into your baby’s life.
But my favorite feature of the MyPal is the bedtime music button on his right foot. It plays lullabies for 5 to 15 minutes, then shuts off. We’ve found Scout to be a great final step in our bedtime routine.
You can even find the bedtime music available in a youtube video here for on-the-go naps!
Unconventional Recommendation: Bluetooth Earbuds
And finally, a “baby product” that has nothing to do with the baby.
You spend a lot of late nights in those early days, and so much of your days carrying a baby around. Whenever it’s convenient to use headphones, it’s all the more convenient to not have to worry about tangling a baby in wires.
I love being able to listen to my podcasts while changing diapers or rocking the baby with my phone on the other side of the room.
Check out the companion YouTube video below, and drop a comment on your favorite baby gear essentials!
