Having two grandchildren, ages 2 and 6 months, has certainly taught me a lot about the newest products for babies. There are so much more to choose from than there were in my child raising days. To make buying for the new baby-to-be less stressful, I have compiled a list of products which have been "tried and true" and I would recommend for showers and gift-giving for the mother-to-be.
Personal Care Products
Johnson and Johnson Products: Used by moms for years! There are a lot of generics but none better. Now they have many new products available: "Bedtime" soothing bath products and lotions, as well as vaporizing bath cream. They run a little higher than store brands but are well worth the difference!
Dr. Boudreaux's Butt Paste: For diaper rash. It is very lightly scented but it clears up a chapped bottom in the first use. I love it!
Mylecon Gas Drops: Dollar store brands are equally as effective. Sure saves a lot of floor-pacing!
"Little Noses": Sold at Walmart these saline drops will clear a stuffy nose and help baby breathe better.
Vicks Baby Rub: Very mildly scented and works wonders on a congested baby.
Baby Oragel Tooth And Gum Cleaner: With a soft rubber finger "brush", it feels soothing on little gums.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment: Great for little chapped faces due to drooling and spitting up. Heals very quickly and works great!
Bottle Reviews
Playtex (With Liners): Liners are made to "drop in" and are so much easier than years ago. Absolutely, the best bottle on the market. No air!
Playtex (Vent Air): Slanted so it's comfortable for baby to hold, but no liner, a small rubber piece blocks air. My #2 choice.
Dr. Brown's: Highly recommended but a lot of parts to clean and assemble and I'm no rocket scientist!
Avent: Seems to get too much air. I recommend it only for older babies. They are also wide for a small baby's hands.
Diaper Review
Huggies: No leaks! The best diaper sold! More gathers, fits great! Thicker than Pampers.
Pampers: A good diaper for the price. My #2 choice.
White Cloud: Cheaper than Huggies or Pampers, but still a good diaper for the price.
Parents Choice (Walmart): Good for older babies (particularly girls) but will not hold leaks as well on boys.
Sleepers, Clothes And Blankets
Carter's: Well made, really durable terry cloth and appropriately sized, no guesswork! Great prices at outlets!
J. C. Penney: Good terry cloth, well made, appropriately sized. Great prices at end of season clearance sales!
Bibs: Bibs without soft rubber backing are useless! Kmart sells a pack of four large rubber backed bibs for around $5.00.
Mom's Helpers
"Boppy" Pillows: Babies love them, so do moms! It's a horseshoe-shaped pillow which fits around mom's waist when nursing, rocking or holding baby. My grandson loves to lay between the sides with his head on top, he loves the "snuggly" feeling of closeness.
Bumbo: A sturdy rubber seat similar to a saddle (except round) with a piece in the middle for between the legs. Very safe and encourages the baby learning to sit upright and strengthens little backs. About $40 but well worth it.
K-Mart Brand Bassinette: Very pretty, rocks or sits stable. Net underneath holds a lot of diapers,etc. Attached mobile has soft light, cloth moving bears, and plays music, many soothing sounds and singing.
Baby Wipe Warmers: For baby's comfort and mom's sanity. No cold wipes on a baby's bottom.
Bottle Holders: Unsure of the brand but plastic pegs flip up to hold bottles, rings and nipples after washing.
Toys
Leap Frog toys: Very educational and extremely durable. Safe cloth and plastic toys. Babies love them!
"Exersaucer" By Evenflo: The one my grandson is using has been through 3 others and still in great condition. Very durable with lots of great toys for baby to play with. Sits low so a short baby's toes touch the bottom to build strong legs and back. No other compares!
Winnie-The-Pooh Toys: Soooo sweet! For a small baby, many toys have movement but at a speed which is not "scary". Pooh has a soft, friendly voice babies love!
Elmo Toys: For a little older baby, babies love them! They dance, sing. Hokey Pokey Elmo dances and spins around. Chicken Dance Elmo flaps it's arms. Really exciting for a baby! Mamaw"s pick!
Womb Sounds Bear: Purchased at Walmart, the sounds similar to inside the womb seem to sooth a newborn. About $15.00
Playmats: One with cloth animals or toys hanging encourages arm and hand usage. Babies love to lay flat and kick and reach for the toys.
Videos
Baby Einstein: Lots of movement showing toys with classical music. Real world objects and animals. Babies love all the motion. Encourages eye movement.
Mommy And Me: My grandson laughs at the bright green Kangaroo named Little Jay. Parents and children dance and exercise to traditional kid's songs. Less expensive then Einstein videos but more excitement for babies!
Re: Johnson's Bath...I get a bad reaction too...I found Baby Magic by Playtex works much better for our sensitive skin, and usually cheaper! The baby shampoo also smells like apples!
Petroleum Jelly was bought by the pound for my babies, and prevented diaper rash, letting me save my money!
Little Remedies line is AWESOME, especially the teething gel, which usually comes with a free "chewie".
A lot of our toys were hand me downs or homemade...They enjoyed faces, hands, and the dog.
May I warn against scented baby products - I recently used a scented Johnson's Cream for babies and it irritated my skin no end. And I am 54! For some babies it may work well, but do consider skin irritations when the baby frets for no apparent reason.
My son just turned 1 and I do agree with most of the things on this list. The one thing on the list that I could not live without is the "Heartbeat Bear" It definately bought me about a half an hour more sleep during the early feeding nights! And the one thing not mentioned is a swing!! My son loved to swing and it helped sooth him so much. I would reccommend reading "The happiest Baby on the Block" book, for all new mothers.
Great list! Having just finished up with baby products (my boys are 4 and 7), I have one thing to add. It is a bouncy chair, I buy this for pretty much every baby shower that I attend. These are usually a simple wire frame with a removable cloth cover, the baby is belted in. They have fancy ones with an activity bar and vibrations which are helpful for entertaining and soothing the baby but not essential. I used this when I needed to shower or do dishes or laundry when my boys were very small. I would just haul it from room to room. A lifesaver!
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Having two grandchildren, ages 2 and 6 months, has certainly taught me a lot about the newest products for babies. There are so much more to choose from than there were in my child raising days. To make buying for the new baby-to-be less stressful, I have compiled a list of products which have been "tried and true" and I would recommend for showers and gift-giving for the mother-to-be.
