Having a baby means your life will change forever. Of course, that is obvious, but the small details can be hard to keep track of–especially when it comes to what baby products work best for you and your child. This is why we asked our Facebook community about their recommendations:
“What was the one baby item you bought that actually was really worth the money?”
This is what you, our readers, said:
“Fisher Price Rock and Play sleeper. Keeps baby cozier than a crib or bassinet. Puts them at a slight incline for digestion. It doesn’t look like anything fancy but it’s a lifesaver!!”
-AH
“Our cloth diapers. They’ve saved us so much money.
“The Baby Bjorn bouncy chair. It was expensive but our daughter loves it and we will be able to use it into her toddler years. She likes it more than any of the rockers or swings we got for our baby shower, including that super fancy Mamroo thing that we used like once. It wasn’t very expensive, but the Bobby nursing pillow. Seriously don’t know what I would do without that thing.
And another that wasn’t expensive but I use every day is the Boba wrap. That thing was a lifesaver when she was a newborn and she still likes it more than our Lille baby carrier.”
-KR
“A ring sling! I used it when my daughter was 2 weeks old. I still use the same one and my daughter is now 2.5 years old. I don’t know how moms manage without them!”
-SP
“My boppy and, if I’m allowed a second, cloth diapers. I’ve nursed 3 babies on that boppy over 8 years and I paid $295 for 30 pocket covers and 60 cloth diaper inserts and they lasted through 2 different kiddos.”
-EL
“Cloth nappies and wipes. We saved a fortune not using disposables and also did our bit to help reduce baby waste in landfill sites. We reused them for our second kid too, and they still came up soft and white, all we did was buy some new outers for them (there are 5 years between our kids, so they weren’t quite so waterproof any more lol!).
We even re-used the same potty we got with the nappies as part of a “birth to potty training” set. Best part: the whole set was a gift from my Dad when our eldest was born, so we didn’t even spend a single penny on them till we replaced the outers with #2!
Also, you can never have too many muslin cloths–we used them for everything from light coverlets in warm weather, to cloths for wiping up spit-ups and spillages. Now our kids are up, we still use them as cleaning cloths – my eldest is nearly 9 years old now, and those cloths are still going strong!!!
A cot that will convert to a toddler bed is also a great investment. We had one we used with one side off from birth, which we pushed up to my side of the bed to make a co-sleeper safe space. Once they could move about, the side went on. When they got big enough to climb out, both sides came off and it converted into a bed that lasted till they were big enough to need a full size single bed. We used the same corned for both our kids. Again, it was a gift (from my Mum) when our eldest was born, so we didn’t spend a single penny on it.
A really good, sturdy travel system is also a good investment. We had a Trenton system that had a carry cot, car seat, and buggy, as well as a rain cover and a massive under seat basket. We used it for both our kids (now 8 and 3). Again, another gift (this one from my Grandma). All we had to do was replace a wheel when one broke.”
-KS
“Kelty kids frame backpack carrier. I hated strollers and it doubled as a high chair when we’re were out so I didn’t have to use the mall/restaurant ones.”
-HR
“None of these cost a lot but some must haves were Bumbo chair. Bundle Me. Wubbanub Paci. The cradle swing. And pack and play. Oh and the lullabye sea horses; my kids still sleep with theirs.”
-MH
“Uppa Baby Vista Stroller--I still use it for my tall and skinny 6-year-old on occasion…he uses the rail as a resting place for his iPad. It has been an invaluable tool for airport layovers and more…pricey but built like a tank.”
-AS
“A Baby Jogger City Mini (single) stroller. It was durable and useful in every season and it really does fold in one motion. It is outgrown now and we haven’t used a stroller in over a year, so I guess it is time to give it away.”
-EW
“Baby Trend Expedition jogging stroller. Walked all around my town with it until our kiddo outgrew it. Easy to maneuver with one hand going in and out of stores, etc. Definitely got more than $100 of use out of it.”
-GK
“My bottle warmer. It had a small cooler in the back that fit two bottles, warmed in seconds. I didn’t have to drag myself downstairs in the night. I fell asleep in front of it once:)”
-KM
“Portable bath on wheels with changing table, storage and water outlet.”
-LB
“My Ergobaby carrier! Having two hands free was a game-changer.”
-RC
Share your recommendations with us below.
