My Big 3 Baby Purchases
A new baby can seem like they need everything under the sun and everyone has an opinion on what those things are. The truth is, the answer will be different for everyone. I have always been the kind of mom who avoids unnecessary items when possible. Let’s be real here, the mess is inevitable, let’s not encumber ourselves more than we need to.
As a mom of 3 (two of whom were preemies) I’m a bit of a serial researcher when it comes to what's not only safe, but developmentally appropriate. We’re constantly seeing new baby items on the market, but these are my top 3(ish) non-sleep (that requires a whole post in itself) tried and true items we’ve used with all our littles. My 5 month old still uses them!
Let’s start with one of the biggest and most expensive items. The swing. I want to preface this with the general rule of thumb that babies do best on the floor or a flat surface. There’s a ton of research on why “containers” are not the most ideal developmentally, however that does not mean they cannot be used in moderation. Check out @themovementmama on instagram for some really great advice. She’s a pediatric PT and mom and her page is a really great resource. Every mom needs a safe container of some kind eventually though. For us, our favorite is either a swing/rocker combo or bouncer seat.
It comes with all the bells and whistles but a few things stand out that make this still my favorite choice. The seat comes off to be used as a portable rocker and is one of my favorite features. The base is as wide as the swing, which is a hard feature to find but an important thing to keep in mind if you have a limited space. I personally prefer this option to a bouncer because sometimes baby just wants to move (and baby wearing isn’t always feasible, hello exclusive pumping mommas!) but you need free hands. At the same time, I can bring baby with me into any room and still have them secure and happy. My first two loved the vibrate function that way. The biggest reason I chose this swing over any other is because it has so many different movement patterns, not just different speeds and one pattern. I mean, you can put the seat on sideways and get a whole bunch more settings, how cool is that?! If you’ve read up on swings, you’ll find that the number one reason people regret a swing purchase is because their baby didn’t like the movement. Save yourself the headache and get one with options because every baby will like something different.
(Here comes the “ish) If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative with less features, a bouncer seat is a really good option. Many seats are not ergonomically designed or safe for their little growing spines, but I found the perfect one for us.
This seat keeps baby’s spine in a good position and still gives you all the pros of a bouncer. It comes in 4 colors including one made with 100% certified GOTS organic cotton fabric. The toy bar is detachable and the cover is machine washable. It folds flat easily and has 3 recline positions. This seat is a great dupe for the famous Baby Björn seat for less than half the price. (Check that sale!)
I’ve done the bouncer and the swing with the removable bouncer option and you definitely don’t need both, (though I’m currently guilty of having both only because we chose a different swing w/out a detachable seat this time around) so choose whatever the best option is for your budget and home.
Next up is an activity table. Let’s be clear here, this is NOT the same thing as a jumper which you should absolutely avoid. Again, @themoventmama has a ton of scientific and developmental info on why and how to use containers like these correctly. As a preemie mom with one almost born breech, I pay close attention to things that affect their spine and hips. I have two favorite tables that are more or less the same besides price and style. My personal favorite is the Skip Hop activity center; so much so that I’ll be getting another for our 3rd. (We lost an essential part in a move) The thing that makes this particular design special is that it’s not meant for your baby to stand on. The balls of their feet touch the board and their weight is supported by the seat. This keeps pressure off their joints and helps them learn how to walk where many other styles actually DELAY walking and standing.
It has multiple height adjustments as your baby grows and is a 3-in-1 convertible table. All the toys are easily removable, but stay in place when being used except for the duck bowl. Ours never seemed to stick, but the rest of them have held up perfectly through two kids. The seat rotates 360° and the board moves to the top making a flat table and doubles as a chalkboard surface. The seat cover is machine washable and really easy to get on and off. My littles loved to snack in it and it’s never stained or been difficult to wipe clean.
Baby Trend makes a very similar version for fraction of the cost. It’s not my favorite looking baby item, but it’ll do the same job if you don’t mind it.
The features of this table are more or less the same. This one is labeled as a bouncer, but the same rule applies. Keep only the balls of baby’s feet touching the board when in use and limit their time sitting in it when possible. The board moves to the top of this one as well but from what I have read, is not a chalkboard top. It has 3 different height adjustments and the seat rotated 360° also.
This last one is probably the most used simply because it lasts. If you know anything about bsby development you know that they belong on the floor. The thing is, sometimes the floor is really hard, cold, or maybe you just haven’t had a chance to sweep and have 3 animals like me. Those little gym mats are great and cute but in reality don’t last very long.
I originally got one of these to pad the floor of a play yard enclosure, but now I just love using it in the middle on my living room floor. I chose this one with our most recent son because I loved how it has embossed letters and numbers in the texture, that and it was pretty cheap. It might seem like a small detail, but because of it my 2 and 3 year olds both get added play and learning out of it. The boys will run laps around the baby for hours, or they’ll lay with him and point out all the shapes and letters. It’s even big enough for me to lay on with them. Babe stays off the cold floor, doesn’t hurt his head if he drops it, and has plenty of space to practice moving. This thing is a huge favorite from birth until baby can crawl for me, but even after it still finds it’s uses.
Every parent (especially moms) is going to see something different as a “need”. I encourage you to do your own research and find what you love most. My only goal here is to give you a little insight from a mom who's already done the deep dive AND tested things out with multiple kids. Happy shopping and may you find all the things to fit your wants, needs, and yes even your aesthetic.
- GabiRuth
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